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Japanese Entertainment News & Info HERE! [part IV]
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D'espairsRay cancels three US concerts
Thu, July 29, 2010 (7:45pm EDT)
The band D'espairsRay has canceled three of the stops on its upcoming North American
tour. Due to unforeseen complications, the band had to drop its concerts in Houston,
Dallas, and Atlanta.
The band and staff apologized for the unexpected cancellations, stating that they hope
to organize a bigger North American tour next year.
Their upcoming tour, which starts on August 3, is taking them to Los Angeles, San
Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, Toronto, and New York. After that, they will be touring
Europe in September and October.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Singer Bice dies of heart attack
Fri, July 30, 2010 (12:37pm EDT)
Singer-songwriter bice (pronounced "bee-che") suddenly passed away on July 26. Her
husband announced the news on her official website, revealing that she died of a heart
attack at home. Her age was never publicly revealed.
bice made her debut in April 1998 with the mini-album "Spotty Syrup." Three months
later, she released her first major-label single under Pony Canyon, and she later
switched labels to Tokuma Japan. She handled commercial music and soundtracks, and
she also wrote songs for many other artists, including Takashi Fujii, Nanase Aikawa, and
Younha. In 2002, she collaborated with SUGIZO for the single "Rest in Peace & Fly
Away."
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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MEG plans break from music
Fri, July 30, 2010 (1:25pm EDT)
Singer MEG is putting out a best album this fall, but it will be her last with her current
record label UNIVERSAL J. After the album's release, she plans to leave the label and go
on a brief hiatus.
In a blog post on Friday, she explained that since last year, she used to love the
process of creating and delivering music, but it now feels like work. Due to a lack of
excitement and fresh ideas, she has decided to do a "brief reset" of her career. She
stated that she arrived at her decision during a trip she took by herself to Paris this
past spring.
MEG acknowledged that next year is the 10th anniversary of her debut, and she
indicated that she would like to take on a new challenge for it.
Her last single with her current label will be "PASSPORT / PARIS," scheduled for release
on August 25. She will hold a birthday party and live performance on October 2-3 at
Sanrio Puroland.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Rina Aiuchi announces retirement
Fri, July 30, 2010 (10:43pm EDT)
Singer Rina Aiuchi (30) unexpectedly announced on Friday that she is going to retire
from entertainment. She delivered the news during a fan club-only concert at Osaka's
Namba Hatch, prompting surprise and sadness from her fans.
Aiuchi debuted in 2000, and she has had several hits in the past ten years. But now
that she has turned 30 on July 31, she has decided to "reset" her mind and body. Part
of the reason is her health, which has been a problem in the past. After talking with her
doctor and her staff, she felt that retiring was her best option.
Aiuchi has a second concert at Namba Hatch (open to non-fan club members as well),
and she plans to announce the news on stage once again.
It has already been decided that her last album will be "LAST SCENE" on September 15,
and her final concerts will be in Saitama on September 18 and in Hyogo on September
26.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Atsuko Takahata to star in "Tenshi no Dairinin"
Sat, July 31, 2010 (12:30am EDT)
Atsuko Takahata (55) will become one of the oldest actresses to star in a Fuji TV
daytime drama series. She is set to play the lead in "Tenshi no Dairinin," adapted from
the novel of the same name by popular writer Muneki Yamada ("Kiraware Matsuko no
Issho").
The show will air in Fuji TV's weekday 1:30pm time slot. That slot is currently occupied
by "Ashita no Hikari wo Tsukame," which stars Alice Hirose (15), the youngest lead ever
in that time slot. "Tenshi no Dairinin" will take over starting on September 6, and
Takahata will be the third oldest lead ever when it stars. Isuzu Yamada was 60 when
she starred in "Tsukushinbo" in 1977, and Toshie Takada was 58 when she starred in
"Hana no Saku Ie" in 1993.
"Tenshi no Dairinin" has Takahata playing a non-fiction writer who interviews a former
midwife (played by Yoshie Ichige) for research. Through her talks with the midwife, she
encounters several people dealing with various circumstances, such as a woman worried
about giving birth at a late age and a medical mistake resulting in the loss of one
woman's child.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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SID to perform at Tokyo Dome
Sat, July 31, 2010 (10:27am EDT)
Rock band SID will perform their first Tokyo Dome concert on December 11, it has been
learned. The band informed their fans during their concert at the Saitama Super Arena
on Saturday night.
SID formed in 2003, but they did not make their major label debut until October 2008.
They have already ranked in the top ten on the weekly Oricon sales charts several
times, and the estimated crowd of 32,000 fans at the Saitama Super Arena shows that
they are ready to take on Tokyo Dome next.
In addition to the Tokyo Dome concert, SID announced the release of a new single titled
"cosmetic," set for a September 29 release date.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Koichi Domoto's "Endless SHOCK" aims for U.S.
Sat, July 31, 2010 (9:48pm EDT)
KinKi Kids member Koichi Domoto (31) has been performing his musical "SHOCK"
(currently titled "Endless SHOCK") since 2000. On Saturday, after the musical's 751st
performance, it was announced by Johnny's Jimusho president Johnny Kitagawa that
there are plans to bring the production to the United States by as early as 2012.
Saturday marked the final performance of "Endless SHOCK" for this year. 2010 was a
milestone for the musical, as an anniversary year and as the first year that it was
performed 100 times.
The central story of "SHOCK" is about a small, unknown group of actors in New York who
get a chance to produce a big show for a Broadway theater. Because of its story and
its long-running success so far, Kitagawa feels that American audiences can also enjoy
the musical. Currently, he is aiming to have it performed in major entertainment cities
such as New York and Las Vegas, though more specific planning will be done later this
year.
The United States will not be the only new location for the musical. Up until now, all of
the performances have been held at the Imperial Garden Theater in Tokyo, but in 2012,
Kitagawa plans to do shows in other major cities in Japan, including Osaka, Nagoya,
Sapporo, and Fukuoka. The U.S. performances, if they happen, would be in addition to
those new venues.
It was also announced on Saturday that Domoto will release a new solo album titled
"BPM" on September 1, his first in four years. Starting on September 11, he will launch a
solo tour consisting of 25 concerts at 9 venues.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Comedian Hikari Kimura to become a mother
Sat, July 31, 2010 (10:07pm EDT)
Comedienne Hikari Kimura (29), part of the duo Sayumi Hikari, is expecting her first child.
Her management agency announced that she is six months pregnant with a due date in
December.
Kimura got married in September 2009 to the son (31) of a Buddhist monk.
In addition to her own comedy career, Kimura is known for being the daughter of the
late comedian Yasushi Yokoyama (also known as "Yassan"), who passed away in 1996.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Mio Nemoto now a mother
Sun, August 1, 2010 (10:51am EDT)
Weathercaster Mio Nemoto (31) is now a mother. She gave birth to her first child, a girl,
on Saturday. Nemoto said that she struggled through the birth, as the delivery took 34
hours from the time her labor pains started.
Last December, Nemoto married a doctor who is seven years older than her. In March,
she left her position on TBS's early morning show "Minomonta no Asazuba!" due to her
pregnancy.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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SMAP schedules Shanghai Stadium shows
Sun, August 1, 2010 (7:51pm EDT)
SMAP has announced at their Sapporo Dome concert that they will be going to Shanghai
after all. They have scheduled concerts at Shanghai Stadium on October 9 and 10,
which will be their first overseas performances.
SMAP was originally expected to perform at the Shanghai World Expo on June 13, but
the event was canceled by the Expo organizers due to poor planning and concerns
about safety. At the time of the cancellation, SMAP apologized to their fans but
indicated that they hoped to have another opportunity to perform in China. Because the
Shanghai World Expo concert was canceled just a week before the event, SMAP had
already begun rehearsals, including practicing greetings in Chinese.
However, the Shanghai Stadium concerts were not scheduled to make up for the
canceled show. It is reported that SMAP was originally planning the concerts at the
same time that preparations for the World Expo were under way.
Shanghai Stadium is one of the largest stadiums in China, with a maximum seating
capacity of about 80,000 people. It appears that SMAP is planning to have only about
40,000 fans at each concert, for a total of 80,000 over the two days.
In addition to the concerts in China, SMAP is considering holding shows in other Asian
countries such as Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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SDN48 getting major label debut
Sun, August 1, 2010 (8:05pm EDT)
During their one-year anniversary performance on Sunday, AKB48 sister group SDN48
formally announced that they will be making their major label debut this fall. During the
show's encore, all 37 current members took the stage to deliver the good news.
It was already expected by fans that they would release a single, as SDN48 is currently
holding their own "election" (similar to AKB48's) through their television show "Suppon no
Onnatachi" to select 12 top members. Those 12 will participate on the upcoming single,
which will be released through Universal Music.
SDN48 was officially launched in August 2009 as a group with a more "adult" concept,
whose shows were only open to fans over 18 years old. However, the group has
indicated that they plan to get rid of the age restriction in the future.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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"Oh! Toumei Ningen" manga being adapted to film
Mon, August 2, 2010 (9:19am EDT)
Yasuhiro Nakanishi's manga series "Oh! Toumei Ningen" is reportedly getting a live-action
film adaptation, scheduled to hit theaters hit fall. Cast and staff details have not yet
been announced.
"Oh! Toumei Ningen" began serialization in Kodansha's Monthly Shonen Magazine in 1982,
and it was eventually collected into 11 volumes. Nakanishi later wrote a sequel titled
"Oh! Toumei Ningen 21," which ran for 8 volumes.
The story focuses on a high school boy who boards with an all-female family. When he
discovers that he can turn invisible, it naturally leads to risque situations, particularly
involving the girls that he lives with.
More information is expected to be revealed in the near future.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Yumiko Shaku's marriage plans derailed?
Mon, August 2, 2010 (9:39am EDT)
This past January, it was learned that actress Yumiko Shaku (32) was headed towards
marriage with a veterinarian (32), but it appears that the relationship has fallen apart. A
source close to the couple says that marriage is no longer under consideration at all.
Shaku and the veterinarian met in April 2009 when Shaku took her beloved dog to an
animal hospital, and he was the doctor who treated it. The two got along well and
began dating, and it appeared that they were preparing to register their marriage on
June 12, which is Shaku's birthday. It is said that they had already taken care of the
formal greetings with each other's parents.
However, due to their careers, the two have had little time to spend with each other,
resulting in a gap in their relationship. According to the aforementioned source, the man
canceled their engagement on his own.
When Shaku's relationship was first publicly discovered in January, she openly talked
about it on her blog. But with performances in the drama special "Rikon Syndrome" and
in the stage production of "Tensai Bakabon" (her first theater role), Shaku has been
completely focused on her work in the past few months, and her boyfriend has not been
mentioned in her blog at all.
Before the start of "Tensai Bakabon," Shaku's agency had stated that the relationship
was going well, but now the agency has simply said that it is leaving the matter to
Shaku, so it cannot confirm whether the marriage has been called off.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Toma Ikuta to star in "The Tale of Genji"
Mon, August 2, 2010 (7:11pm EDT)
Actor Toma Ikuta has been chosen to star as Hikaru Genji in a new movie adaptation of
"The Tale of Genji." The film, tentatively titled "Genji Monogatari," is being directed by
Yasuo Tsuruhashi ("Ai no Rukeichi") and reportedly has a budget of more than 1 billion
yen.
"The Tale of Genji," generally believed to have been writtern by noblewoman Murasaki
Shikibu during the 11th century, is considered a classic piece of Japanese literature. The
story has appeared in countless forms throughout the centuries, including theater,
opera, and film.
Ikuta was reportedly chosen for the role by executive producer Tsuguhiko Kadokawa
while filming was in progress for "Ningen Shikkaku," which opened in February. Actors
who have previously played the role on the big screen include Kazuo Hasegawa in 1951
and Raizo Ichikawa in 1961. On television, the part has also been played by singer Kenji
Sawada (62) and Shonentai's Noriyuki Higashiyama (43).
"Genji Monogatari" is scheduled for release in 2011.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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"Mori no Asagao" manga gets drama adaptation
Mon, August 2, 2010 (7:26pm EDT)
Mamora Goda's manga series "Mori no Asagao" will be turned into a live-action drama
series on TV Tokyo this fall.
The award-winning manga depicts the friendship between a criminal awaiting the death
penalty and a rookie prison guard. It was serialized in Futabasha's Manga Action from
2004 to 2007 and has been collected into seven volumes. Last year, it was announced
that a movie adaptation was in the works.
The "Mori no Asagao" drama will start in October. The time slot and cast details will be
announced at a later date.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Ryoko Yonekura, Masakazu Tamura to lead TV Asahi dramas
Mon, August 2, 2010 (7:56pm EDT)
 
TV Asahi has announced two upcoming dramas in its Thursday 9:00pm time slot.
Although neither has been given an official title yet, it has been revealed that Ryoko
Yonekura (35) will star in the first one this fall, followed by Masakazu Tamura (67) in the
winter.
Both dramas will share a theme of justice. In the fall, Yonekura will play a national tax
investigator who pursues criminals for tax evasion. Then, in the winter, Tamura will play
a court-appointed lawyer who defends the weak.
Yonekura has previously starred in the Thursday 9:00pm time slot with the 2004 drama
series "Kurokawa no Techo" and both seasons of the recent "Koshonin." For Tamura, this
will be his first drama series on any network since TBS's "Dare Yori mo Mama wo Aisu" in
2006.
Coincidentally, Yonekura and Tamura share the same birthday: August 1.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Tokyo Dynamite's Hachimitsu marries Melon Kinenbi's Saito
Tue, August 3, 2010 (10:15am EDT)
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Comedian Jiro Hachimitsu (35) of Tokyo Dynamite and former Melon Kinenbi leader Hitomi
Saito (28) have married. Hachimitsu's management notified the media of the marriage on
Tuesday.
According to Yoshimoto Creative Agency, Hachimitsu has been a Melon Kinenbi fan for a
long time, and he often attended their live performances. He became acquainted with
Saito through a friend, and the two started dating around the beginning of this year.
Melon Kinenbi broke up in May, and Saito announced her retirement from show business.
It is said that Hachimitsu proposed shortly after that. The two reportedly have no plans
for a wedding ceremony or reception. It is also being stated that Saito is not pregnant.
Hachimitsu was previously in a relationship with adult star Sora Aoi (26) from 2006 to
early 2009.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Sosuke Ikematsu stars in wartime drama
Tue, August 3, 2010 (11:36am EDT)
Actor Sosuke Ikematsu (20) will star in an NHK drama special called "15-sai no
Shiganhei." The story is based on an autobiographical book by the late Chiaki Eto, which
recounted his experience with the war as Japan's army attempted to expand by
recruiting junior high school students. The story focuses on the conflicts among the
boys, their families, and their teachers.
Ikematsu plays the main character, one of the young boys. Katsunori Takahashi (45) will
play his father. Other cast members include Sawa Suzuki, Taiga, Seiji Fukushi, Yui
Natsukawa, Raita Ryu, and Mitsuru Hirata.
"15-sai no Shiganhei" will air on August 15.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Critic Yuji Konno found dead
Tue, August 3, 2010 (11:39am EDT)
Author and movie critic Yuji Konno recently passed away at the age of 66 in his Shibuya
apartment. Police say that it appears to be a suicide, as Konno was found hanged in the
apartment.
Konno lived alone. His body was found on Monday night, though it appears that he had
died a few days earlier.
Konno previously worked for the publisher Magazine House (when it was known as
Heibon Shuppan), doing editing for magazines such as Heibon Punch and anan. He
served as a movie and music critic on a few television shows, including "11PM." He also
worked as a translator of music and literature.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Tamio Okuda joins The Verbs for Japan tour
Tue, August 3, 2010 (11:43am EDT)
 
Guitarist and vocalist Tamio Okuda (45) has reportedly become a formal member of
American rock band The Verbs. The group will tour Japan this October as a four-member
band.
The Verbs was formed by musician Steve Jordan (part of the John Mayer Trio) and his
wife, Meegan Voss. In 2006, the duo toured Japan with Okuda under the name The
Verbs + Tamio Okuda. Both acts have participated on each other's recordings in the
past.
This time, it appears that Okuda will be listed as a member of the band along with
bassist Pino Palladino, another member of the John Mayer Trio who has done work on
The Verbs' previous albums. The four-member lineup will start their Japan tour with two
shows in Shibuya on October 25-26, followed by shows in Nagoya, Osaka, and
Hiroshima.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Author
![[MBC/Netflix 2024] DOUBT - Han Suk Kyu, Chae Won Bin, Han Ye Ri ~ 11 October 2024](https://uf.cari.com.my/forumx/mforum/block/f0/f06011dc76c706b67eb2cb605c116387.jpg)
