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Nao Minamisawa tries out her Chinese on set of new drama
Sunday 23rd January, 03:24 AM JST
TOKYO —
Actress Nao Minamisawa, 20, will appear in the forthcoming NHK drama “Maigo” (Lost Child) alongside 80-year-old Yun Yu Chun from China. Yun plays an elderly foreign lady who gets lost and seeks assistance from the people around her.
Describing day-to-day life on the set, Minamisawa—who studied Chinese as her secondary foreign language at university—said, “I thought I should try out my Chinese, so I would write notes in my notebook and point to them. It managed quite well.”
The drama airs on NHK from Feb 19.
Source: www.japantoday.com |
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AKB48 confirms "Majisuka Gakuen" sequel
Sun, January 23, 2011 (5:27pm EST)
During the encore of their concert on Sunday, AKB48 announced that there will be a sequel to their popular drama series "Majisuka Gakuen," which aired from January to March of last year. "Majisuka Gakuen 2" will air in the same late night time slot on TV Tokyo (Friday 12:12am), starting in April.
The original series starred Atsuko Maeda as a transfer student who arrives at the all-girls school Majisuka Gakuen, which is full of yankees, and she becomes involved in the power struggle among the various factions. The new series will have additional groups vying for the top spot within the school, as well as more movement by the rival school Yabakune Joshi Koukou.
While the first series had 60 members of the AKB48 family appear, the group is aiming to include even more members this time.
Yasushi Akimoto will again be in charge of producing and planning. The series is scheduled for a total of 12 episodes.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Post Last Edit by whitedove at 9-2-2011 11:23
Yuki Amami returns for "BOSS" sequel
Thu, January 27, 2011 (7:20pm EST)
It is now confirmed that Fuji TV will broadcast a sequel to the 2009 drama series "BOSS" this spring. Starring Yuki Amami (43) as the head of a team of detectives, the show averaged 17.0% ratings with a peak of 20.7%, and many fans have been hoping for another season. 
The story this time will continue from the final scene of the first series, with Amami's character Eriko receiving a sudden phone call as she is about to leave Japan, leading her to once again take the reins of the special detective unit. The main supporting cast will be returning, including Yutaka Takenouchi, Erika Toda, Junpei Mizobata, Michiko Kichise, Kendo Kobayashi, Yoichi Nukumizu, and Tetsuji Tamayama. 
The sequel will air in the same Thursday 10:00pm time slot, starting in April.
Source: www.tokyograph.com
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Mana Ashida becomes youngest drama star ever in "Sayonara Bokutachi no Youchien"
Sun, January 30, 2011 (6:49pm EST)
Child actress Mana Ashida (6) will star in an NTV drama special titled "Sayonara Bokutachi no Youchien" this March, making her the youngest lead ever in Japanese television drama history. The show will reunite the staff behind last year's series "Mother" that made Ashida famous.
Directed by Nobuo Mizuta and written by Yuji Sakamoto, "Sayonara Bokutachi no Youchien" revolves around five young children who attend the same kindergarten. One day, they decide on their own to embark on a trip to an unfamiliar place, in order to achieve a specific goal.
The drama's title is taken from a school graduation song that has become common throughout Japan in the last several years. The song will be used in the show's final climactic scene.
The drama will be aired in a 2-hour, 15-minute time slot around the end of March.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Hiroki Hasegawa stars in live-action "Suzuki-sensei"
Mon, January 31, 2011 (11:30am EST)
Kenzi Taketomi's manga "Suzuki-sensei" is being adapted as a live-action drama series on TV Tokyo this spring. The show will star actor Hiroki Hasegawa (33), who recently gained some attention through his role in the drama series "Second Virgin."
Hasegawa plays the titular Suzuki-sensei, a junior high teacher who earnestly deals with his student's problems, no matter how small or big they may be. The original manga started in 2005 in Futabasha's Manga Action magazine, and it just ended in the issue that went on sale on January 6. The final, 11th volume will be published on April 28.
The drama will air on Monday nights at 10:00pm, starting in April.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Takashi Sorimachi plays loving father in "Good Life"
Tue, February 1, 2011 (5:46pm EST)
Actor Takashi Sorimachi (37) is starring in his first drama series in three years. This time, he will take on the role of a father in "Good Life ~Arigatou, Papa. Sayonara~," based on a successful South Korean novel. Nana Eikura (22), Haruka Igawa (34), and Tsuyoshi Ihara (47) have also been cast.
  
The basis for the drama is the novel "Kashikogi" by author Cho Chang-in, which has sold 2 million copies in Korea since its publication in 2000. It has already been adapted as a television drama and a stage play in that country. On February 4, Shogakukan is publishing the book in Japan under the title "Good Life."
Sorimachi plays the part of Daichi Sawamoto, a newspaper reporter who has always prioritized his work over his family. When his wife suddenly leaves him, he finally notices the love he has been receiving from his son. Just as he decides to answer back, it is discovered that his son has leukemia.
Igawa plays Sawamoto's wife, Eikura plays a pediatrics specialist, and Ihara plays a doctor. The part of the son is currently in the final stages of casting.
Kansai TV and Fuji TV are producing the drama. On Fuji TV's network, the show will be aired on Tuesdays at 10:00pm, beginning this April.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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FUNKY MONKEY BABYS provide theme song for drama "Propose Kyoudai"
Thu, February 3, 2011 (7:35pm EST)
FUNKY MONKEY BABYS' 2008 song "Kokuhaku" will be used as the theme song for Fuji TV's romantic comedy miniseries "Propose Kyoudai ~Umare Junbetsu Otoko ga Kekkon Suru Houhou."
The drama was actually first announced last month. The omnibus consists of four episodes airing on consecutive nights, each focusing on a different couple. The lead characters are three brothers and their cousin, and each has a different personality based on his birth order (oldest child, middle child, youngest child, only child).
   
Ryuta Sato (30) plays the oldest brother, an overly serious chef who can't refuse a request for a favor. Teppei Koike (25) plays the middle child, an office worker who always chooses the safe route instead of facing important challenges. Aoi Nakamura (19) plays the youngest child, a spoiled part-timer who doesn't hesitate to speak his mind. Lastly, Atsushi Ito (27) plays their cousin, an interior designer who lives life at his own pace.
 http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_mL74gv ... s400/Nozomi+Sasaki+(22).jpg  
The four women that they get involved with will be played by Anne (24), Nozomi Sasaki (22), Yuika Motokariya (23), and Becky (26), respectively.
The series will air on Fuji TV at 11:00pm on February 21-24. While the original version of "Kokuhaku" will be the show's theme song, FUNKY MONKEY BABYS has also recorded an acoustic version of the song that will be released digitally on February 21, the day the show premieres.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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EXILE's AKIRA to play Juri Ueno's husband in taiga drama "Gou"
Thu, February 3, 2011 (7:05pm EST)
AKIRA (29) will become the first member of EXILE to act in one of NHK's taiga dramas, it has been learned. He will appear in the ongoing series "Gou ~Himetachi no Sengoku~" in the role of Toyotomi Hidekatsu, one of the husbands of the main character Gou, who is played by lead actress Juri Ueno (24).
Historically, Hidekatsu was the nephew of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. He became the second husband of Gou after she divorced Saji Kazunari, but Hidekatsu died shortly after that during Japan's invasions of Korea. Gou later married her third and final husband, Tokugawa Hidetada, played by Osamu Mukai (28).
As an actor, AKIRA has appeared in a few films and television dramas. Last year, he received Best New Actor in the 19th Japan Movie Critics Awards for his role in the 2009 film "Chanto Tsutaeru."
AKIRA's appearance in "Gou" will start with the series' 17th episode, scheduled to air on May 1.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Hey! Say! JUMP's Keito Okamoto cast in final "3 Nen B Gumi Kinpachi Sensei" episode
Fri, February 4, 2011 (10:40pm EST)
Last month, it was announced that the popular drama series "3 Nen B Gumi Kinpachi Sensei" will be ending this March with a special episode. The full cast has not yet been announced, but it was revealed on Friday that Hey! Say! JUMP member Keito Okamoto (17) will be playing one of the main students, a troublemaker named Kageura.
Many other members of Johnny's Jimusho have played students in "3 Nen B Gumi Kinpachi Sensei" over the years, including Masahiko Kondo (46) and Kazuya Kamenashi (24). In fact, Okamoto's own father, Kenichi Okamoto (41), also played a student in one of the series' special episodes in December 1985. This makes them the first father-son pair to both appear on the show, though actress Kaori Tsuchiya (46) and actor Shunta Fukawa (18) were the first parent and child to do so.
The "3 Nen B Gumi Kinpachi Sensei Final" (tentative title) will be aired on TBS at the end of March.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Takanori Nishikawa stars in "Okusama wa 18-sai" live-action remake
Sat, February 5, 2011 (12:54am EST)
 
The shoujo manga series "Okusama wa 18-sai" is getting another television drama adaptation, this time starring 40-year-old musician and actor Takanori Nishikawa (also known as T.M.Revolution). His co-star will be young actress Natsuna Watanabe (21).
The original manga was written by Miyoko Motomura in 1969-1970, and it was turned into a successful drama series from September 1970 to September 1971 with Tetsuo Ishidate and Yuko Okazaki as the leads. The comedic story tells of a Japanese language teacher who is secretly married to one of his high school students.
The new remake is Nishikawa's first time starring in a television series. His co-star Watanabe, who shortened her stage name to just Natsuna a couple years ago, recently gained some attention for her nude role in the first live-action "GANTZ" movie.
A total of four episodes are planned. The first half-hour episode will air on satellite channel Fuji TV TWO on March 27 at 10:00pm. The remaining episodes have not yet been scheduled for broadcast.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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K-pop group Choshinsei member Yoonhak to star in Japanese drama
Sunday 06th February, 05:42 AM JST
GIFU —
Yoonhak, a member of the popular South Korean boy band Choshinsei, will star in an NHK drama series about city employees in central Japan’s Gifu Prefecture, who aspire to make ‘‘kimchi’’ Korean pickles to boost tourism.
‘‘Koisuru Kimchi’’ (kimchi in love) is produced by NHK’s Gifu broadcasting station to commemorate its 70th anniversary, and is set in the city of Kakamigahara in the prefecture.
Yoonhak plays a handsome Korean employee from the city of Chuncheon, South Korea, who comes to the Japanese city on an international exchange program.
In the drama, he becomes the target of affection of the main character, played by Japanese actress Shihori Kanjiya as another Kakamigahara city employee.
The drama will start airing in the local area on Feb 18 and in other places in Japan on March 21.
Source: www.japantoday.com |
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Emi Takei stars in "Asukou March!" live-action series
Mon, February 7, 2011 (7:49pm EST)
Fashion model and actress Emi Takei (17) has been given her first starring role in a television drama series, with a show tentatively titled "Asukou March!" The drama is a live-action adaptation of Kaori Akiyama's manga "Asukou March! ~Kenritsu Asuka Kougyou Koukou Koushinkyoku~," which currently runs in Shueisha's magazine YOU.
Takei plays Nao Yoshino, a girl who fails the entrance exams of her target high school. She winds up enrolling in a technical high school called Kenritsu Asuka Kougyou Koukou, also known by the nickname "Asukou." Out of the 148 entering freshmen, only three are girls, and Nao is the only one in her class.
The supporting cast for the show has not yet been revealed. The series will start in April, in TV Asahi's Sunday 11:00pm time slot.
Takei has been a model for SEVENTEEN since 2006. As an actress, she has appeared in a handful of dramas, including the currently airing "Taisetsu na Koto wa Subete Kimi ga Oshiete Kureta" on Fuji TV.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Junpei Mizobata stars in new "Detective Conan" drama special
Tue, February 8, 2011 (6:03pm EST)
 
The "Detective Conan" franchise is confirmed to be getting a third live-action drama special, airing on NTV this April. Although Shun Oguri (28) previously starred in the 2006 and 2008 drama specials, the new one will feature Junpei Mizobata (21) as the protagonist Shinichi Kudo. The female character Ran Mori will be played by actress Shiori Kutsuna (18).
The drama special was produced to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the animated series and its theatrical films. The newest movie, "Meitantei Conan: Chinmoku no 15-fun," opens on April 16.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Fuji TV to air "SP" drama special before release of "SP: Kakumei-hen"
Wed, February 9, 2011 (7:57pm EST)
The movie "SP: Kakumei-hen" is scheduled for theatrical release on March 12, but Fuji TV has announced that it will broadcast a related drama special one week earlier, on March 5. The 2-hour special, which appears to be titled "SP: Kakumei Zenjitsu," will revolve around the day before the incident that takes place in the movie.
Starring V6 member Junichi Okada (30), "SP" started out as a drama series about a team of police bodyguards ("security police") in 2007-2008. Despite its late night time slot (11:00pm), the show averaged 15.3% ratings with a peak of 18.9%. The show was also a big break for actress Yoko Maki (28), who played the only female on the team.
The first movie, "SP: Yabou-hen," opened in October of last year. It went on to earn 3.63 billion yen, making it the 9th highest grossing domestic film of 2010. For the second movie, Fuji TV hopes to boost it even higher with a couple of broadcasts just before release.
First, Fuji TV will air a special program on March 4, titled "SP: Encore Tokubetsu-hen." Part of it will be a digest of the "SP" drama series, while the rest will be behind-the-scenes footage such as Okada visiting a Hollywood studio for post-production on the movies.
Then on March 5, the new "SP: Kakumei Zenjitsu" special will air. It will serve as a prologue, focusing on the events just before the big incident that occurs in the movie. It is also said that one of the highlights of the special will be a glimpse of the private lives of the show's characters, who have always been seen on the job up until now.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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"Gene Waltz" sequel "Madonna Verde" gets drama adaptation
Sat, February 12, 2011 (11:58pm EST)
 
Takeru Kaido's novel "Madonna Verde" is being turned into a drama series this spring on NHK, starring Keiko Matsuzaka (58) and Ryoko Kuninaka (31). Kaido is well known for several other medical-themed novels that have received live-action adaptations, including "Team Batista no Eikou" and "Gene Waltz."
Kaido published "Madonna Verde" in 2008 as a sequel to "Gene Waltz," continuing the story around the controversial issue of surrogate pregnancy in Japan. Kuninaka plays the doctor Rie Sonezaki, known as the "Cool Witch" by her colleagues in the obstetrics department. The character was previously played by Miho Kanno (33) in the movie version of "Gene Waltz."
In "Madonna Verde," Rie and her husband (played by comedian Jin Katagiri) want to have a child, but Rie lost her uterus due to an earlier illness. She decides to ask her own mother Midori (Matsuzaka) to be the surrogate mother, and the three of them proceed with their plan in secret. However, a man named Maruyama (Kyozo Nagatsuka), who is in love with Midori, finds out about their plan. Later, a professor at Rie's university hospital (Hirotaro Honda) receives an accusatory letter, and Midori and Rie are desperately forced to pretend that the child in Midori's womb is her own.
NHK plans to premiere the drama this April.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Yui Ichikawa stars in drama "Muscle Girl!" with FTIsland vocalist Lee Hong Ki
Sun, February 13, 2011 (7:04pm EST)
 
Actress Yui Ichikawa (25) has been chosen to star in the TBS drama series "Muscle Girl!" this spring. Her co-star will be FTIsland vocalist Lee Hong Ki (20), making his first appearance in a Japanese drama.
Ichikawa plays the part of Azusa, the only child of the owner of a small female pro wrestling organization. After her father dies of illness, she has to take over the business, which is already losing money and is on the verge of shutting down. To make things worse, their referee suddenly disappears on the day of one of their shows, leaving behind only a resignation letter. The desperate Azusa then runs into a young Korean man (Lee). She persuades him to serve as a referee just for that day, though she doesn't realize he is actually a popular star in Korea.
While the show will be about Azusa's struggle to turn the organization around, it is said that there will also be an element of romance between the two leads.
The wrestling scenes will be done with the help of two female pro wrestling groups, JWP and Ice Ribbon.
FTIsland will be providing the show's theme song, though the title is currently unknown. The show will run for 10 episodes in a late-night time slot, starting in April.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Takaya Kamikawa stars as detective in "Iryuu Sousa"
Mon, February 14, 2011 (7:14pm EST)
Actor Takaya Kamikawa (45) will star in a new TV Asahi drama series titled "Iryuu Sousa" this spring. He has been cast as police detective Itomura, a unique forensic investigator with a boyish personality.
While typical forensic detectives study the items left behind at the scene of the crime for conclusive physical evidence, Itomura instead looks at the objects from the perspective of the victim, trying to find the "last message" that he or she has left behind. With his gentleness and carefree smile, he wins over the trust of the victims' families and friends, and his usual method of obtaining information is to bring along a present, such as sweets. As a result, he is always running out of money, to the point that he uses a bicycle as his primary mode of transportation.
  
Kamikawa's supporting cast includes Shihori Kanjiya (25), Shiro Sano (55), and Ren Osugi (59). Singer MISIA is in charge of the theme song, a ballad titled "Kioku."
"Iryuu Sousa" will air on Wednesday nights at 9:00pm, starting in April. That time slot has long been known for TV Asahi's detective dramas, such as "Aibou," "Hagure Keiji Junjoha," and "Keishichou Sousa Ikka 9 Gakari."
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Masami Nagasawa to star in "Okujo no Aru Apato"
Mon, February 14, 2011 (8:02pm EST)
TBS plans to broadcast a drama special titled "Okujo no Aru Apato" ("apartment with a rooftop") on March 21, starring actress Masami Nagasawa (23).
The story was originally a novel by Sawako Agawa, modeled after her experiences while she was living in an apartment in the United States. For the drama, the novel was adapted by screenwriter Noriko Yoshida ("Hanamizuki," "Nada Sousou").
Nagasawa plays a single 27-year-old woman named Asako, who begins working at an advertising firm after her previous company goes bankrupt. The drama focuses on this turning point in her life, as she deals with unemployment, job-hunting, and independence. The show's title refers to the apartment where Asako begins living on her own, surrounded by odd neighbors.
 
There is also said to be an element of romance between her and two older men, a company president played by Eisaku Yoshida (42) and an employee at a foreign company played by Haruhiko Kato (35).
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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"Zettai Kareshi" co-stars Saki Aibu, Mocomichi Hayami reunite in "Rebound"
Mon, February 14, 2011 (7:44pm EST)
Saki Aibu (25) has the lead role in an NTV drama series called "Rebound," airing this spring on Wednesday nights at 10:00pm. The show will use special makeup to make Aibu's character appear to be as heavy as 85 kilograms in weight.
"Rebound" is an original script by screenwriter Kazuhiko Yukawa, whose past dramas include "Magerarenai Onna" and "Joou no Kyoushitsu."
Aibu plays Nobuko, the daughter of a tonkatsu shop owner who grew up on tonkatsu and cake. As a result, she weighed 60 kilograms by the time she graduated from elementary school, and at age 20 she weighed 85 kilograms. In order to turn her life around, she quits eating cake and sheds 37 kilograms, leading to her current career as the editor of a fashion magazine.
 
When she goes to interview the "sweet prince," a fashionable pastry chef played by Mocomichi Hayami (26), she winds up breaking her ban on cake and begins "rebounding" from her diet. She soon finds herself having to decide between her currently slim lifestyle and a delicious romance with the handsome patissier. The show also features Chiaki Kuriyama (26) playing Nobuko's good friend Hitomi.
Aibu and Hayami last co-starred together in the drama series "Zettai Kareshi."
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Post time 31-1-2011 12:27 PM
