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Japanese Entertainment News & Info HERE! [part IV]
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K announces first Budokan concert
Sat, July 17, 2010 (4:18am EDT)
Singer K (26) held a special concert on Friday, celebrating the 5th anniversary of his debut single. During the show, he announced that he will hold his first concert at the Nippon Budokan on November 30.
K usually holds a Christmas concert every year, but he will not be doing it this year. The Nippon Budokan show is scheduled to be his last concert of the year.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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AKB48's Miniskirt unit become game characters
Sun, July 18, 2010 (10:32pm EDT)
The latest spinoff unit of idol group AKB48 made an appearance at the Tokyo Toy Show on Sunday. The unit, called Miniskirt, performed their debut song "Miniskirt no Yosei."
Miniskirt is a collaboration with toymaker Takara Tomy, which is releasing a new version of their game "Pretty Rhythm Miniskirt" this fall. The unit consists of three Team Kenkyuusei members: Miyu Takeuchi (14), Anna Mori (16), and Haruka Shimada (18). The three will appear in the upcoming "Pretty Rhythm Miniskirt" game as CG characters.
Miniskirt debuted during AKB48's concert on July 10, but this was their first event on their own.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Nana Mizuki plays voice of Unico
Sun, July 18, 2010 (10:44pm EDT)
Osamu Tezuka's classic work "Unico" is being turned into a "movie comic" for mobile broadcasting service BeeTV. Popular singer and voice actress Nana Mizuki will provide the voice of Unico.
The "movie comic" takes the original manga and adds voices and special effects to make a moving version of the manga. A total of 20 chapters are planned for release, one every Wednesday starting on August 1.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Kiyoshi Hikawa, Yuki Matsumura have a "deep friendship"
Fri, July 16, 2010 (11:57am EDT)
 
This week's issue of FRIDAY suggests that there is more than friendship between popular enka singer Kiyoshi Hikawa (32) and actor Yuki Matsumura (46). While following Hikawa for the past ten months, the magazine has snapped some photos of the two together, particularly on one night this past April.
The relationship was first discovered about ten months ago. Matsumura had performed in a play, and afterward he went out for a meal with his co-actors and staff members. By the time the meal was over it was late at night, so Matsumura left in a taxi, but instead of going home he rode to Hikawa's apartment.
FRIDAY continued watching Hikawa, and in April, the two men were seen walking on a quiet street at night. Matsumura was leading the way, while Hikawa followed behind him with his hand hanging onto the back pocket of Matsumura's jeans. They got in Matsumura's SUV and drove to Hikawa's apartment, where they spent the night. At one point, Matsumura was seen standing by the window as he took off his shirt.
The two are said to frequently spend their nights together, and Matsumura's car has often been seen at the coin parking lot by Hikawa's apartment. It is reported that Matsumura sometimes does not leave until the next afternoon, and on one occasion he returned to Hikawa's place shortly afterward, bringing alcohol with him.
There are also rumors that they spent a night at a high class hotel around the end of last year, and that they took a trip together to Hakone (incidentally, Hikawa's debut single was "Hakone Hachiri no Hanjiro" in 2000).
When reached for comment, Hikawa's agency explained that the two men have a deep friendship, as Matsumura has appeared in enka-related projects, and that they are good drinking buddies. It is said that one reason they got along well right away was because Hikawa's mother was a big fan of Matsumura, and as a child Hikawa and his mother watched the actor in the 1984 drama series "School Wars," which is arguably Matsumura's best known role.
Hikawa and Matsumura reportedly met two years ago at the birthday party of their mutual friend, 47-year-old actor Toru Kazama (who is also rumored to be gay).
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Johnny to remove Akanishi from KAT-TUN
Fri, July 16, 2010 (9:00pm EDT)
KAT-TUN's Jin Akanishi (26) will officially graduate from the group later this year, it has been announced. KAT-TUN held a concert at the Tokyo Dome on Friday night, and Johnny's Jimusho president Johnny Kitagawa spoke to the press there on the same day. He said that the final decision will be made after Akanishi's U.S. tour this fall, but at this point it appears to already be guaranteed.
Since May, Akanishi has been in the United States, working on his solo career. He performed concerts in Los Angeles in June, and he has scheduled a 7-city tour for September and October. Kitagawa also revealed that Akanishi is already planning further concerts for 2011. Meanwhile, KAT-TUN has been continuing as a 5-member group, just as they did when Akanishi temporarily left in 2006 to study abroad.
Kitagawa explained that right now, the focus is only on Akanishi becoming successful in the U.S. He said that it would be too soft on Akanishi to let him return to KAT-TUN as a fallback if he doesn't succeed. It would also be unforgivable to KAT-TUN fans to have Akanishi dragging the group on, or returning the same way he did in 2007.
Kitagawa once again assured fans that KAT-TUN is not breaking up. Although the group's name is based on the initial characters of the members' names, it is said that Akanishi's "A" will be replaced by extending Kazuya Kamenashi's "K" to "KA." There are no plans to bring in a new member, as Kitagawa stated that there is no need to have six people in the group. He said that the five remaining members are currently doing fine without Akanishi.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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"Honobono-kun" mangaka dies at 80
Mon, July 19, 2010 (12:06am EDT)
Mangaka Kimihiko Tsukuda died of pneumonia at a Tokyo hospital on June 28, it has been learned. He was 80 years old.
Tsukuda was the author of "Honobono-kun," the longest-running newspaper manga. "Honobono-kun" started in the Tokyo Shimbun in 1956. It ended in 1962, but Tsukuda resumed the comic in 1970 under a different title. In 1984, after the comic's 5,000th strip, he renamed it again as "Honobono-kun."
Tsukuda was diagnosed with symptoms of Parkinson's disease in late 2006 and took a short break in February 2007 to undergo surgery. However, he was still unable to continue the comic, and on March 8, 2007, Tsukuda ended the comic with its 15,451st strip.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Yuya Yagira stars in live-action "TOKYO23"
Mon, July 19, 2010 (12:53am EDT)
Actor Yuya Yagira (20) has been given his first lead role in a television drama series. He will be the star of WOWOW's "TOKYO23: Survival City," based on Takeshi Arashida and Eiji Hashimoto's "TOKYO23" manga series.
Set in the 23 special wards of Tokyo, the action series revolves around the mysterious "X Game," a deadly competition with a 100 million yen prize. Participants are given a bracelet, and those who are able to wear it until the end of the game are awarded the prize. Those who can't keep it on fall victim to unusual deaths. Yagira plays Noboru, an unemployed youth who enters the game hoping to achieve his dream of becoming a martial arts fighter. Yagira reportedly had to shed 10 kilograms for the role.
   
Kanata Hongo (19) plays Noboru's ally in the game. Other cast members include Maho Nonami, Rin Takanashi, and Yoji Tanaka.
The show is scheduled to run for five episodes in WOWOW's Saturday midnight time slot, starting on September 4.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Suzanne promotes her line of water bottles
Tuesday 20th July, 05:03 AM JST
TOKYO —
“Talent” Suzanne, 23, promoted a personal water bottle of her own design at an event in Tokyo on Monday. Suzanne designed the bottle as part of an environmental campaign to reduce the use of disposable PET bottles.
Suzanne presented the bottle, decorated with a paisley design, alongside a matching bath pouch. “I think it would be cute to carry a matching pair with your friend,” she commented.
Source: www.japantoday.com |
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Leonardo DiCaprio, Nicolas Cage arrive in Japan
Tuesday 20th July, 10:54 AM JST
 
TOKYO —
American actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Nicolas Cage arrived in Japan on Monday afternoon to promote their latest films. DiCaprio, 35, and Cage, 46, arrived separately on private jets and were both greeted by about 200 fans at Narita airport.
Cage, who is on his 7th visit to Japan and first in three years, said Japanese fans were very important to him. “My movies have always been well received here,” he said. He will attend the Japan premiere for his new film, “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” at Odaiba on Wednesday night.
DiCaprio, who was last here in March for “Shutter Island,” said he was happy to be back again with “a great movie,” referring to “Inception.” He will be joined at Tuesday night’s Japan premiere by co-stars Ken Watanabe and Ellen Page, as well as director Christopher Nolan.
“The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” opens in Japan on Aug 13, while “Inception” opens nationwide next Saturday.
Source: www.japantoday.com |
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Japan Fans Say Sayonara to Korean Star
In a rare case for an overseas celebrity, over 14,000 fans of the late South Korean star Park Yong Ha turned out for a memorial service in Tokyo yesterday. The actor and singer committed suicide at his Seoul home at the end of June. The event was held at the Tokyo International Forum in the center of the capital, the same day and venue where Park had been scheduled to perform in concert. Park's mother, sister and brother-in-law were in attendance as fans, many of them in tears, brought bouquets of flowers.
Source: www.japan-zone.com |
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Yurioka Chotokkyu ties the knot
Mon, July 19, 2010 (9:46am EDT)
Comedian Yurioka Chotokkyu (42) announced his marriage on Monday. According to a blog post in the afternoon, he planned to officially register his marriage that day (July 19), which newspapers have reported is the 30th birthday of his wife.
Yurioka was dating the woman for two years. He proposed to her this past April.
Yurioka is well known for his impressions of pro wrestler Tatsumi Fujinami (56), who is also called "The Dragon." Because of that, he was able to get Fujinami and Fujinami's wife to sign the marriage registration as the two necessary witnesses.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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AKB48's French Kiss act in drama for first single
Mon, July 19, 2010 (6:26pm EDT)
Details have been released for the French Kiss debut single "Zutto Mae Kara," which goes on sale on September 8. The single will come in three versions with different contents, including an original short drama.
First unveiled last month, French Kiss consists of AKB48 members Yuki Kashiwagi (19), Aki Takajo (18), and Asuka Kuramochi (20). Their first song, "Zutto Mae Kara," is currently being used as the ending theme of the baseball anime series "Major."
The single will have a CD-only version and two CD+DVD versions, each coming with a different coupling song. The CD-only version will have a French Kiss version of the Team B song "Temodemo no Namida," while the first CD+DVD version will have a French Kiss version of "Yokaze no Shiwaza" (also a Team B song). The second CD+DVD version will have a brand new song.
The DVD included in the first CD+DVD version contains a video clip for "Zutto Mae Kara," but it will also come with an original drama, also titled "Zutto Mae Kara." The youthful love story has the three girls playing managers of a school baseball team, and part of the story involves a romance with the team's ace player. The drama is being handled by television, film, and music video director Ten Shimoyama.
Fans who reserve the single at one of several designated retail stores will also have a chance in a lottery drawing for a special event.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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EXILE to revive J Soul Brothers with new members
Mon, July 19, 2010 (6:44pm EDT)
The EXILE-related unit J Soul Brothers will be revived by the end of this year, it has been learned. The group will feature a new lineup, led by current EXILE members NAOTO (26) and NAOKI (25).
J Soul Brothers originally started in 1999 under the leadership of HIRO and included several members of EXILE. In 2007, the group underwent a revival with a lineup of 7 new members. Last year, EXILE and J Soul Brothers merged, forming EXILE's current 14-member roster.
The new J Soul Brothers will have NAOTO and NAOKI as its leaders, though they will also remain in EXILE. Gekidan EXILE member ELLY (22) will be included in the group, along with two new faces chosen from the 10 finalists of the "EXILE Presents VOCAL BATTLE AUDITION 2," which will be decided soon. However, the total number of members has not yet been decided, so a few more may be added before the group officially launches.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Aya Ueto to star in drama based on blind musician
Mon, July 19, 2010 (5:34pm EDT)
Actress Aya Ueto (24) will star in a Fuji TV drama special titled "Ai wa Mieru ~ Zenmou Fuufu ni Yadotta Chiisana Inochi," in which she will play a blind character for the first time. The story is based on singer-songwriter Satoko Tatemichi (28), who has been blind since birth.
The drama is adapted from the book "Ai wa Mieru ~ Zenmou Fuufu no Takaramono," which covers Tatemichi's life as she developed her musical gift despite her blindness. She made her major label debut last year with the song "Takaramono." While working on her music, Tatemichi also married a blind man in 2004, and she gave birth to a son in 2006.
In the drama, Ueto's character is named Juri Tatematsu. Like Tatemichi, the character gets married and gives birth to a child, despite opposition from people around her. While raising the child, she continues pushing towards her dream of becoming a professional musician. Her blind husband, a guitarist and masseur, is being played by Keisuke Koide (26).
Ueto and Koide worked with staff from the Tokyo Metropolitan Welfare Association for the Blind, spending a month training for their parts. The two also visited Tatemichi and her husband to learn about their lives.
Fuji TV plans to broadcast the "Ai wa Mieru" drama this September.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Yoshino Kimura stars as detective in new series
Wednesday 21st July, 03:14 AM JST
TOKYO —
Actress Yoshino Kimura, 34, will star as a detective in TV Asahi’s new police drama “Keishicho Keizoku Sosa-han.” The show documents a team of police investigators whose job it is to hammer away at unsolved crimes.
Despite the serious nature of the show, the actress, who plays a talented female detective, was always in high spirits on set, according to actor Tsuyoshi Ihara, 46, who plays her boss. “She’s constantly smiling, and it looks like she’s really satisfied with her private life,” the actor said, alluding to Kimura’s upcoming marriage to actor Noriyuki Higashiyama.
“Keishicho Keizoku Sosa-han” starts Thursday at 9 p.m.
Source: www.japan-zone.com |
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Akanishi AWOL as KAT-TUN Start Tour
July 21, 2010
Johnny's Jimusho (profile) aidoru group KAT-TUN were minus one member as they kicked off their Asia concert tour (boldly titled "World Tour 2010") last weekend. Kamenashi Kazuya (24, photo 3rd from right) apologized to fans before the show at Tokyo Dome for the absence of Akanishi Jin (26, photo 3rd from left), who has decided to leave the group and focus on his solo career in the U.S. He said he hadn't heard anything from his band mate and didn't even know if he was currently in Japan. The five remaining members performed 34 songs, including their new release, "Going." The group will perform their first ever overseas concerts in Seoul, South Korea and Taipei, Taiwan, next month.
Akanishi later posted a message on the Johnny's members website, saying that the main reason he left the group was a "strong difference in musical direction," rather than any personal problems with the other members.
Source: www.japan-zone.com |
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Director Edagawa Dies at 93
Movie director Edagawa Hiromu died last week at a Tokyo hospital, it was announced on Tuesday. He was 93. He was best known for his comedy movies of the 1950s and 60s, such as "Koi to Kane" and "Salaryman Dontobushi."
Source: www.japan-zone.com |
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"Bakusho Red Carpet" to end regular broadcast
Tue, July 20, 2010 (6:40pm EDT)
The Fuji TV comedy show "Bakusho Red Carpet" will be ending its regular broadcast with a two-hour special on August 1. The network explained that the show will return to its status as an occasional special program.
"Bakusho Red Carpet" began as a special program in a prime time slot in February 2007. With its format of rapid routines, the show became very popular, at one point reaching ratings over 20%. In April 2008, the show was given a regular time slot on Wednesdays at 10:00pm, and it achieved its highest ratings ever (22.5%) that November. In April 2009, it was moved to an earlier slot on Saturdays at 7:00pm, and the following year it moved again to its current slot on Sundays at 8:00pm.
Over its entire run, the show has had average ratings somewhere around 15%, but lately individual episodes have dipped even below 10%. Fuji TV hopes to revive the show's popularity by turning it back into a special program. The show is expected to air at least once this fall.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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"Arrietty" earns 1.35 billion in opening weekend
Tue, July 20, 2010 (7:25pm EDT)
Box office numbers have been released for the latest Studio Ghibli film, "Karigurashi no Arrietty." Over the three-day holiday weekend (July 17-19), the movie opened on 447 screens across the country, earning approximately 1.35 billion yen on close to 1.04 million tickets.
Compared to "Gake no Ue no Ponyo," which opened on 481 screens on the same holiday weekend in 2008, the number of tickets sold by "Arrietty" was 82.9%, while gross revenue was 85.6%. "Ponyo" eventually earned 15.4 billion yen in theaters, so distributor Toho is predicting that "Arrietty" will at least break the 10 billion yen mark by the end of its run.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Author
![[ENA 2024] DEAR HYERI/TO MY HARRY - Shin Hye Sun, Lee Jin Wook, Kang Hoon](https://uf.cari.com.my/forumx/mforum/block/45/4531ac7a6948e4450fe2f6ba39ebef1a.jpg)
