Japanese Entertainment News & Info HERE! [part II]

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[JAPAN] Hoshino Aki, Sunkists Orange Day Princess

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JapanToday.com reported, 揚in-up model Aki Hoshino, 31, appeared as 揙range Day Princess

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[JAPAN] TV celeb Monta Mino to play himself in anime 揧atterman擺/b]



JapanToday.com reported, 揟V presenter Mino Monta, 63, will play the role of himself in the animated feature 揧atterman.擺/b] Monta said, 揑抦 still Mino Monta even in the world of animation. I feel I抎 make a good cartoon character. I wonder why nobody tried to use my character for cartoons before. I just expected the character would be more handsome than me.敂

Source: www.nt2099.com/J-ENT

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[JAPAN] Yamaguchi Tomoko to do a special on a da Vinci mystery



JapanToday.com reported, 揂ctress Tomoko Yamaguchi, 43, is looking to solve another da Vinci code. The actress will host a special TV program on Leonardo da Vinci抯 lost painting 揃attle of Anghiari.

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Jyukai to perform at Anime Expo
Wed, April 16, 2008 (12:48am EDT)



Anime Expo 2008 has announced its second musical guest: pop duo Jyukai. Their credits include theme songs for "Fate/stay night," "Buso Renkin," and the live-action film "Shin Onna Tachiguishi Retsuden."

This year's convention takes place at the Los Angeles Convention Center on July 3-6.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Gene Simmons of KISS gets cameo in "Detroit Metal City"
Wed, April 16, 2008 (12:56am EDT)



Rock musician Gene Simmons (of KISS fame) has been confirmed to have a cameo appearance in the live-action "Detroit Metal City" movie, which Toho plans to release this summer. Simmons revealed the news on his website last week.

KISS's song "Detroit Rock City" provided inspiration for the original manga, authored by Kiminori Wakasugi.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Ryosuke Yamada to play young Furuhata Ninzaburo
Wed, April 16, 2008 (1:56am EDT)



Fuji TV's detective drama "Furuhata Ninzaburo" is making its "return" as a drama special. Titled "Furuhata Chugakusei," the special features the titular hero as a junior high student, played by Hey! Say! JUMP's Ryosuke Yamada.

The original drama starred Masakazu Tamura and ran for three seasons, during 1994, 1996, and 1999. It had three special "Final" episodes in 2006.

Koki Mitani, who scripted the series, is back as the screenwriter. The story will have the young Furuhata, a 3rd-year junior high student, transferred to a school in the countryside due to family circumstances. He doesn't fit in at first, but he eventually gains a reputation as a detective and opens his own detective agency. One day, he hears about the town's legend of buried treasure, and he immediately begins unraveling the mystery.

Shooting starts later this month, but the broadcast date has not yet been announced.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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GOING UNDER GROUND announces singles collection
Wed, April 16, 2008 (2:43am EDT)



Rock band GOING UNDER GROUND is putting out a full collection of their singles next month. "Complete Single Collection 1998-2008" is a two-disc set containing all 26 of their indie-era and major-label releases, including their newest song "My Treasure," which is being used as the ending theme for TV Asahi's late-night show "Adrena! Garage." The first press edition also includes an acoustic version of "Hatsukoi."

The collection goes on sale May 21.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Oricon: top 20-year-olds for 2008
Wed, April 16, 2008 (10:13am EDT)

In a recent survey, Oricon asked a thousand people to name which 20-year-old celebrity they think will have a breakthrough year in 2008. Choices were limited to people turning 20 between April 2 of this year and April 1 of next year.



Actress Yui Aragaki, who already experienced a significant career boost last year, was the #1 answer. Maki Horikita was #2, followed by Erika Toda. Rakuten Eagles pitcher Masahiro Tanaka ranked 4th.

The rest of the top ten were Meisa Kuroki, Mikako Tabe, table tennis star Ai Fukuhara, baseball pitcher Yuki Saito, Miliyah Kato, and Akiyoshi Nakao.

Top 20-year-olds for 2008:

1) Yui Aragaki
2) Maki Horikita
3) Erika Toda
4) Masahiro Tanaka
5) Meisa Kuroki
6) Mikako Tabe
7) Ai Fukuhara
8) Yuki Saito
9) Miliyah Kato
10) Akiyoshi Nakao

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Leiji Matsumoto did not approve "Harlock" film
Wed, April 16, 2008 (10:25am EDT)



Leiji Matsumoto, the creator of "Captain Harlock," says that he did not give his consent to the planned Korean adaptation that was announced last week.

Korea's Eight Peaks had reportedly signed an agreement with Japan's Genome Entertainment to work on a live-action version of "Harlock." Matsumoto says he was aware of their announcement, but he had not received any formal notice, nor had he approved the project.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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"Sky Crawlers" voice cast revealed
Wed, April 16, 2008 (1:13am EDT)

The main voice cast for Mamoru Oshii's "The Sky Crawlers" was made public on Tuesday. The director has always used professional voice actors for the lead parts in his works, but this time he has appointed two major movie stars as the protagonists.



The story revolves around the lives of young children who battle as fighter pilots. Rinko Kikuchi will voice the female commander Kusanagi, while Ryo Kase plays her subordinate Kannami. Other cast members include Shosuke Tanihara and Chiaki Kuriyama.

"The Sky Crawlers" is slated to open on August 2.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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How new is Fukuhara Miho? Well, she doesn't even have an entry on the Japanese version of Wikipedia...yet. But "Change," the debut single from the 20-year-old R&B singer, will soon change that. It's a "power play" on 33 FM radio stations nationwide this month, the most ever for a new female artist, and one listen to her powerful vocals proves that it's not just empty hype. She certainly stands out from the majority of J-pop artists, and with the heavy promotion from Sony Music the song should be a big hit. Though yesterday's release was her official debut, she did take part in last year's Celine Dion tribute album, covering the song "Because You Loved Me." And needless to say, Fukuhara's youth and good looks certainly won't do her career any harm.

Source: www.japan-zone.com

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Koda Kumi (25) has provided the theme song for the upcoming TV Asahi drama series "Puzzle". Currently on a nationwide tour, Koda is keeping the song "Moon Crying" under wraps until the series starts tomorrow. It is scheduled to go on sale as a single in June.

Source: www.japan-zone.com

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[JAPAN] Ebi-chan to promote McDonald抯



JapanToday.com reported, 揚opular model Yuri Ebihara, 28, is appearing in a new McDonald抯 TV ad to promote 揗cWrap Black Vinegar Chicken.

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"Sushi Ouji!" and "Crayon Shin-chan" unite
Thu, April 17, 2008 (1:02am EDT)



KinKi Kids' Koichi Domoto and KAT-TUN's Yuichi Nakamaru will have a guest appearance as themselves on the "Crayon Shin-chan" anime series.

The collaborative episode will air on April 25. Prior to that, both the "Sushi Ouji!" movie (starring Domoto and Nakamaru) and the new "Crayon Shin-chan" film are opening in theaters this coming weekend.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Bonnie Pink sings "Tales of Vesperia" themes
Thu, April 17, 2008 (1:04am EDT)



Singer-songwriter Bonnie Pink has been chosen to provide the theme song for Bandai Namco's role-playing game "Tales of Vesperia," the tenth entry in the Tales video game series.

The song, titled "Ring A Bell," will be sung in English for the North American version, and in Japanese for the Japanese version. It has just been made available worldwide through iTunes.

"Tales of Vesperia" is being released for the Xbox 360 later this year.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Miyuki Imori to star in daytime drama
Thu, April 17, 2008 (1:04am EDT)



Talento Miyuki Imori will star in a daytime drama on TBS, titled "Saikon Icchokusen!" This is her first lead role in a drama since the 1986 series "Asobi Janai no yo, Kono Koi wa."

In this comedy, Imori plays Nodoka, an unsuccessful mangaka who receives divorce papers from her husband. Aiming to regain her family back, she starts trying to learn how to be a good wife.

The theme song will be a duet called "Koi no Flight Time ~12pm~," sung by Masayuki Suzuki and Momoko Kikuchi. It will be sold as a single on May 25.

"Saikon Icchokusen!" begins airing on May 12 and will show at 1:00pm on weekdays.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Yu Shirota stars in "Shinizokonai no Ao" adaptation
Thu, April 17, 2008 (1:05am EDT)



Otsuichi's story "Shinizokonai no Ao" is being turned into a movie, directed by Masaki Adachi and produced by Noriko Nishiguchi. Yu Shirota stars as a teacher who mistreats a student (Kenta Suga), who consequently tries to kill him.

The film is expected to open theatrically this year.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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ISSA, Yu Abiru back together?
Thu, April 17, 2008 (10:24am EDT)



DA PUMP's ISSA (29) and talento Yu Abiru (21) have once again been romantically linked. The newest issue of Josei Seven says they were two of the many celebrity guests at Akiko Wada's birthday party last week. ISSA and Abiru left the event separately, but were later spotted entering Abiru's apartment, where they spent the night together.

The pair were reported to be dating in 2004, but broke up not long after that.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Shido Nakamura joins cast of next "Pokemon" film
Thu, April 17, 2008 (10:25am EDT)



Actor Shido Nakamura has been added to the voice cast of the next "Pokemon" movie, "Giratina to Sora no Hanataba: Sheimi." He will play a villain who aims to rule the world.

Other guest cast members include talento Akina Minami, who is taking on her first voice acting role as the key character Reira, and Shoko Nakagawa, who also lent her voice to the previous film.

"Giratina to Sora no Hanataba: Sheimi" opens on July 19.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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TELEVIEWS: 'Top Sales' driving to retro success for NHK
Wm. Penn / Daily Yomiuri Columnist

What do a 1970s car saleswoman (Top Sales, Saturdays, 9 p.m., NHK-G) and a sophisticated present-day psychiatrist (Around 40, Fridays, 10 p.m., TBS) have in common? Quite a lot, actually.

They are the protagonists of the two most promising dramas to debut last week, and their tales make perfect bookends for reflecting on how society has changed in the last three decades.



The NHK eight-part Top Sales received far less preseason hype than Around 40, but it was by far the more interesting story. Yui Natsukawa is excellent as Hisako Makino, a 24-year-old who crashes through all the roadblocks career women faced in the early 1970s as she struggles to become one of Japan's first women "car salesmen." Yes, we are back in the days when the sexist nature of that phrase did not yet raise eyebrows.

The year is 1974. The nation has just survived the great oil and toilet paper shocks of 1973, widespread takuhaibin home package delivery services will not appear for another two years, credit card use is still rare and people buy cars on installment plans from door-to-door sales agents.

Cigarette sales are extremely healthy.

Perhaps, the only thing more outrageous than the pipe dream of a smoke-free environment back then was the idea of women moving into all sectors of the workforce.

The drama's ability to successfully transport us back to that era--so recent and yet so far away--is what makes it so very watchable.

Unfortunately, it will probably not get the viewership it deserves. From tomorrow night, it will have to compete with NTV's Gokusen, starring Yukie Nakama, in the same time slot.

Hisako, a very capable office lady at a big corporation, works on the frontline of Top Sales' male-dominated world, although she has had to overcome considerable hurdles to get there. Raised by her mother, she was 10 when her father unwisely guaranteed a friend's loan and disappeared when the debt became due. In real-world 1974, many big companies preferred not to hire those who did not have a father to serve as their guarantor.

Navigating an obstacle course of sexual harassment and underemployment, Hisako does her job well, but her section chief steals her project ideas and submits them under his own name. Her reward: He sets up an arranged marriage meeting for her while spouting the old canard that women are like Christmas cake, beyond their expiration date after the 25th. She has had enough and resigns.

A knack for sales, a friend working in the automotive industry and memories of her first and only ride in her father's car the day before he disappeared, all come together to point her in the direction of her new career. With the help of a super sales wiz mentor, she defies the odds and the "if you want to sell something, sell cosmetics" mentality of the day.

The story of Hisako's rise in the business world will be intertwined with the trials and tribulations of her four high school classmates, who also become involved in different aspects of the automotive industry. Top Sales got off to a three-star start. You would definitely buy a used car from this woman.



Fast-forward to 2008 for Around 40 (Fridays, 10 p.m., TBS). Yuki Amami plays Satoko Ogata, a busy, upbeat 39-year-old doctor who still plans to marry and have kids but just has not found the right guy. When her best friend's career stalls and she makes a quick decision to wed at 35, Sakoto finally begins to panic, yet is loath to settle for an arranged marriage.

Despite the preseason hype, this series got off to a slow start with too little action and too much time devoted to careful characterization of Satoko and her friends, who grew up in the booming 1980s. Satoko does not meet new coworker Okamura (Naoto Fujiki) until five minutes before Episode 1 ends. He will likely become the romantic interest in her life but all we know about him so far is that he is into ecology.

So if you missed Episode 1, don't worry. Tune in tonight. You haven't missed very much at all.



Each generation faces its own challenges, and Masami Nagasawa and Juri Ueno are giving capable performances as troubled twentysomethings who share a house and their problems in Last Friends (Thursdays, Fuji, 10 p.m.) Just got a quick glance at this one but will return. It looks like it has potential.



Viewers might want to check out Puzzle (Fridays, TV Asahi, 9 p.m.) a mystery series starring Satomi Ishihara as a high school English teacher.



It will be May 12 before we get a glance at our new prime minister--Takuya Kimura--in Fuji's Change on Monday nights. Until then, his fans will just have to settle for double doses of SMAPXSMAP, which will run from 9-10:54 p.m. for the next few weeks until the new prime minister is ready to make an appearance.

(Apr. 18, 2008)