Japanese Entertainment News & Info HERE! [part II]

whitedove · Post time 4-10-2008 07:07 PM

Thelma Aoyama unveils "Team Batista" song
Mon, September 29, 2008 (12:04am EDT)

Thelma Aoyama already has one drama theme song on the air - for the TV Tokyo series "Cafe Kichijoji de" - but starting next month she will have another. Her "Mamoritai Mono" will be used in the Fuji TV drama "Team Batista no Eikou," which starts on October 14.

Aoyama publicly performed the song for the first time during a concert in Hong Kong on Saturday. The single goes on sale November 12.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove · Post time 4-10-2008 07:08 PM

New "Hissatsu Shigotonin" series announced for 2009
Mon, September 29, 2008 (12:06am EDT)

The TV Asahi period drama "Hissatsu Shigotonin" is coming back next year. Part of the "Hissatsu Series," the drama ran for several seasons from the late '70s up until the early '90s. It returned for a one-shot special in 2007, but the new "Hissatsu Shigotonin 2009" will be the franchise's first series in 17 years.

Veteran actor Makoto Fujita will be reprising his role as the protagonist Nakamura Mondo. Fujita, who is 75 years old, just left the hospital this month after recovering from surgery for esophageal cancer.

"Hissatsu Shigotonin 2009" will air on Fridays at 9:00pm, starting in January.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove · Post time 4-10-2008 07:09 PM

Remixed Utada song chosen for "Innocent Love" theme
Mon, September 29, 2008 (12:08am EDT)

Hikaru Utada will be singing the theme song for the drama series "Innocent Love," which stars popular actress Maki Horikita. This will be Utada's first song for a drama in Fuji TV's prized Monday night time slot since "Can You Keep A Secret?" for the 2001 hit "HERO."

This past spring, Utada sang the theme for the popular drama "Last Friends." That show's production staff are also working on "Innocent Love," and they decided to offer her another tie-in. But rather than requesting a new song, they chose the ballad "Eternally," originally recorded for her second album "Distance" in 2001. The producers reportedly felt that the song strongly matched the image of the drama.

Apparently, the song will use a re-edited version of the original vocal recording. It was remixed at a London recording studio to emphasize the vocals more, resulting in a new version titled "Eternally -Drama Mix-."

The song will be released digitally and as a chaku-uta, starting on the drama's premiere date of October 20. Currently, there are no plans for a CD release.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove · Post time 4-10-2008 07:10 PM

Yu Yamada is Uniqlo's 'perfect' woman
Saturday 27th September, 06:38 AM JST

TOKYO

whitedove · Post time 4-10-2008 07:11 PM

Manners more attractive than boobs, says Mika Kano
Sunday 28th September, 06:47 AM JST

TOKYO

whitedove · Post time 4-10-2008 07:11 PM

Duchovny's visit to Japan up in the air
Monday 29th September, 08:01 AM JST

TOKYO

whitedove · Post time 4-10-2008 07:12 PM

Maggie Q, Joe Odagiri to star in Tian's 'Warrior and the Wolf'
Tuesday 30th September, 03:30 AM JST

HONG KONG

whitedove · Post time 4-10-2008 07:13 PM

Akina Minami appears in Gundam costume
Tuesday 30th September, 05:12 AM JST

TOKYO

whitedove · Post time 4-10-2008 07:14 PM

Japanese pantomime duo Gamarjobat are to tour their own country for the first time. Barely known at home, the pair have won awards worldwide for their silent comedy, including two years running at the major Edinburgh Fringe Festival (2004-05). They had a sold out tour of the U.K. in 2006 and recently completed a pilot program for the BBC. Last year they were included in Newsweek's annual list of 100 prominent Japanese people. The tour will begin in Tokyo next February and then take the duo to 21 countries. Members Hiro-Pon (42, yellow mohican) and Ketch! (38, red mohican) formed in 1999 and had an eye on the international stage from the start - their name means "Hello!" in Georgian. British media have variously described their comedy as "Irresistibly, endearingly funny" (The Scotsman), "Utterly mesmerising" (The Telegraph) and "Astonishingly good" (Metro).

Source: www.japan-zone.com

whitedove · Post time 4-10-2008 07:15 PM

Singer Onitsuka Chihiro (27) has postponed her scheduled nationwide tour due to exhaustion. The tour, her first in six years, was to start in Hyogo Prefecture next month but a busy promotional schedule has affected her health. Following doctor's orders, five shows between Oct. 12 and Nov. 24 have been postponed.

Source: www.japan-zone.com

whitedove · Post time 4-10-2008 07:16 PM

British rock legends The Who have added an extra date to their upcoming Japan tour. With date in Osaka (Nov. 13), Yokohama (Nov. 14), Saitama (Nov. 16) and Nippon Budokan (Nov. 17) already sold out, they've added one more night at Budokan (Nov. 19). The first Budokan show was sold out in 10 minutes. Though they visited once to take part in a rock festival, the tour will be the band's first and possibly last in Japan.

Source: www.japan-zone.com

whitedove · Post time 4-10-2008 07:17 PM

Speaking of the Budokan, visual rockers Sid sold out the 13,000-seat venue in just two minutes even though they're still officially an indie band. The Nov. 2 show is several days after they release "Monokuro no Kiss," their debut major-label single on Ki/oon Records. They have clearly have built up a big following since they formed in 2003, and a single released late last year reached No.4 on the Oricon chart. They performed at Budokan in 2006 as well as other large venues, and are one of the country's biggest indie acts.

Source: www.japan-zone.com

whitedove · Post time 4-10-2008 07:18 PM

Indian enka singer Chadha (56) has re-launched his singing career after a break of 30 years. After becoming the first ever non-Japanese enka singer in the 1970s, he retired in 1978 and returned to India to run an export business. He made a point of thanking Jero (27), the black American who has been the darling of the enka world over the last year. he releases a new single "Odoru Mahachadha" on Nov. 19.

Source: www.japan-zone.com

whitedove · Post time 4-10-2008 07:18 PM

SMAP have broken the 10-million barrier with the strong sales of their latest album. "Super.modern.artistic.performance" is their 18th album and first in more than two years, and entered the latest Oricon album chart at No.1 with first-week sales of 214,000. It's their fourth No.1 in a row and tenth overall. Their total album sales make them just the second Japanese vocal group (after Chage & Aska) to reach 10 million, while they reached that number of singles sold way back in 1997. The new album was released Sept. 24, the same day that SMAP started their latest concert tour at Tokyo Dome. They play the last of six nights at the 55,000-seat venue tonight, the most shows at the dome in one tour by any Japanese artist. Meanwhile on the singles chart, Morning Musume have seen their cover of the Pink Lady hit "Pepper Keibu" reach No.3, beating the No.4 rank of the 1977 original.

Source: www.japan-zone.com

whitedove · Post time 4-10-2008 07:19 PM

X Japan's Yoshiki is the latest person to have a go at the Sumo Association. He was at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on Sunday to watch his Mongolian friend and yokozuna (Grand Champion) Hakuho wrap up his eighth "yuusho" (tournament victory). After the Emperor's Cup and other awards were presented, Yoshiki was invited back to the dressing room for a photo session. Upon entering the room, which was packed with reporters and TV cameras, he was scolded by sumo staff for almost walking on the tatami flooring without removing his boots. Perhaps not realizing who the VIP guest was, staff also barked out orders such as "Hurry up!" and "Sit cross-legged here!" Though Hakuho later called and visited his friend to apologize, Yoshiki sent a fax of protest to the media and the Sumo Association. "I may have been living in the U.S. for a long time, but I know better than to walk on tatami in my shoes," he said. "Doesn't the Sumo Association know better than to treat its guests like this?" Sumo has already been beset by a series of scandals lately, the latest of which came just yesterday when young Russian wrestler Wakanoho gave a press conference and said that he would reveal details of bout fixing in an upcoming court case. Wakanoho (20) became the first ever active wrestler to be kicked out of sumo after he was arrested last month for possession of marijuana, and he is suing the Sumo Association for reinstatement.

Source: www.japan-zone.com

whitedove · Post time 4-10-2008 07:20 PM

Taiwan-born talento Yinling of Joytoy (30) revealed yesterday that she and pro wrestling staffer Fujiwara Hayato (26) tied the knot on Saturday. The self-proclaimed "erotic terrorist" announced her engagement to the Zero1-Max employee back in April. A former soccer player, Fujiwara was Yinling's minder when she joined the Hustle wrestling troupe. They started dating two years ago after Fujiwara left to join another wrestling troupe.

Source: www.japan-zone.com

whitedove · Post time 4-10-2008 07:21 PM

Appearing at a PR event in Tokyo yesterday, actor Ishida Junichi (52) came clean about some compromising photos published in the weekly magazine "Friday." One of Japan's most renowned playboys, a drunken Ishida was spotted sleeping on the street with a "beautiful woman." He said "Futoku no itasu tokoro," the Japanese equivalent of "mea culpa," adding that the woman had called him to apologize profusely.

Source: www.japan-zone.com

whitedove · Post time 4-10-2008 07:21 PM

15-year-old Kutsuna Shiori is the latest Pocky Princess, becoming the 50th image girl for Glico's popular chocolate snack. Since 1967, the job has helped boost the careers of such stars as Matsuda Seiko (46) and Aragaki Yui (20). Also helping on the PR side are rock band Orange Range. The new Pocky TV commercials with "Oshare Bancho, feat. Soy Sauce" will air from today. Kutsuna grew up in Australia, where her father still works, and returned to Japan just two years ago. She won a special award at a national young beauty contest in 2006.

Source: www.japan-zone.com

whitedove · Post time 4-10-2008 07:22 PM

Against the Grain, DuelJewel Goes Digital-Only on HearJapan
September 30, 2008 by KNDY

Tokyo, Japan- HearJapan is excited to announce the worldwide exclusive digital-only release of DuelJewel抯 newest single 揳gainst擺/b] in high-quality DRM-Free mp3 format. The new single will not be sold in CD format. The band desired to share this single with its large international fan base and turned to HearJapan to make this happen. After being one of the first j-rock bands to make the plunge and do extensive international tours, the band thought it would only be fitting to enable the fans to legally obtain their music. Beyond their newest single 揳gainst

whitedove · Post time 5-10-2008 03:46 PM

"Hitomi" ends at record low for Asadora ratings
Tue, September 30, 2008 (12:25am EDT)

NHK continues to experience low ratings with its latest Asadora (morning drama series). "Hitomi," starring Nana Eikura as an aspiring dancer, came to an end on Saturday morning, and viewership data indicates that the entire series averaged only 15.2% in the Kanto region. The show has set a new record low for an Asadora, breaking the 15.9% set by its predecessor, "Chiritotechin." In the Kansai region, it averaged only 14.8%.

Up until 2003, the NHK morning dramas averaged well above 20%. Before 1994, ratings were above 30%, with several exceeding even 40%.

The final episode of "Hitomi" had ratings of 17.5% in the Kanto area and 16.0% in the Kansai area, but the show's viewership had been much lower than that throughout its entire run. The premiere episode, which aired in April, had actually achieved the second-lowest start for an Asadora at 16.5% (Kanto).

"Dandan," the new Asadora that started on Monday (starring twins ManaKana), continued the streak of low ratings. The first episode achieved only 16.8% in the Kanto region, becoming the third-worst Asadora premiere.

Source: www.tokyograph.com