Japanese Drama [PART 2]~Update & Review~

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Mr.Children to provide the theme song for Ikuta Toma’s drama ‘Osozaki no Himawari’



On September 28th, it was announced that Mr.Children’s new song “Joutouku” will be used as the theme song for the upcoming Fuji TV drama ‘Osozaki no Himawari ~Boku no Jinsei, Renewal~‘.

‘Osozaki no Himawari’ is about a group of seven individuals who are living in the city of Shimanto in the Shimanto River area in prefecture of Kochi (Shikoku). Those seven people are portrayed by Ikuta Toma, Maki Yoko, Kiritani Kenta, Kashii Yuu, Emoto Tasuku, Kimura Fumino, and Kuninaka Ryoko.

“Joutouku” will also be included in Mr.Children’s recently announced new album (untitled) that will be released on November 28th. It’s not yet known what kind of song it is, so we will have to wait for the first episode of the drama on October 23rd to find it out.

Source: http://www.tokyohive.com/2012/09 ... sozaki-no-himawari/

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Takizawa Hideaki & Watari Tetsuya to work together in drama SP "Akutou"



Takizawa Hideaki and Watari Tetsuya will be working together in the FujiTV drama SP "Akutou" (Evil Gang) which is due to be shown on 30 November at 9pm. This is the third time they are working together since 2005's NHK Taiga drama "Yoshitsune" and TV Asahi's drama SP "Kokuchi Sezu".

In this drama SP which is based on Edogawa Ranpo Award winner Yakumaru Gaku's novel, Takizawa plays Saeki Shuichi, a former police officer who now works as a private detective in Watari's investigation agency which specialises in tracking down the criminals at the requests of victim families. Having suffered the same fate as these victims when his elder sister was raped and murdered while he was a junior high school student, he can empathise with the victims' families who want to track down the criminals who hurt their family members. On the other hand, Watari plays Kogure Masato who was acquainted with Saeki when the latter was still in the police force and was the one who asked Saeki to join his agency.

Co-stars include Toda Keiko who plays Someya Nobuko, Kogure's advisor at the agency, Kaname Jun as Saeki's investigation target after he was released from jail when he completed his sentence for murder during his teens, Osugi Ren as Saeki's father and Okuda Eiji as the lawyer who defended the killer of Saeki's sister in court.

Source: http://aramatheydidnt.livejournal.com/4309132.html

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Momoiro Clover Z’s new single produced by Hotei Tomoyasu to be used as theme song for ‘Akumu-chan’



On October 2nd, it was revealed that the next single from popular idol group Momoiro Clover Z is titled “Saraba, Itoshiki Kanashimi-tachi Yo” and has been produced by none other than Hotei Tomoyasu himself. Moreover it was announced that it has been chosen as the theme song for the upcoming fall drama ‘Akumu-chan‘ (NTV) starring Kitagawa Keiko.

Hotei commented on his participation, “There are pros and cons, but I can say with a lot of confidence that the track turned out amazing. Therefore I hope that everyone will love this unique collaboration.” He continued, “Momoiro Clover Z are all about their live performances and I tried to produce a song that truly makes them become one with their audience.”

The drama ‘Akumu-chan’ is written by Omori Sumio and based on Onda Riku’s original novel ‘Yume Chigai‘. It’s a mixture of science-fiction, comedy, mystery, school drama, and suspense, and features a speedy development. The song is said to enhance the feeling of being on a roller coaster ride even further.

The lyrics are about advancing forward and to love despite being engulfed in darkness and becoming conflicted with yourself. It’s basically about the co-existence of good and evil. The girls are will also wear black and white outfits to depict this contrast.

Momoiro Clover Z is expected to gain even more fans thanks to the collaboration with such a music legend.

“Saraba, Itoshiki Kanashimi-tachi Yo” will be released on November 21st, while the first episode of ‘Akumu-chan’ will be aired on October 13th.

Source: http://www.tokyohive.com/2012/10 ... ong-for-akumu-chan/

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NEWS to Provide Theme Song for “Hana no Zubora-meshi” Drama



It has been earlier reported that NEWS‘ Shigeaki Kato will be starring in a TBS/MBS late night drama titled “Hana no Zubora-meshi” starring Kurashina Kana. The said drama will air on Oct 23rd at midnight.

In lieu to this, NEWS will be singing the theme song for this drama titled “Pokoponpekorya“. The said song is composed by the same team who wrote “Chankapaana“; Hachin Maya is in charge of the lyrics, composition by CHOKKAKU, and arranged by heroism. The song is reportedly gives off a light pop sound that would lingers in our ears.

Shigeaki Kato will play the head of the sloppiness research center named Osonoi. Kato will do commentaries, research, and explanations regarding Hana’s sloppiness. The said role wasn’t included in the manga, and Kato hopes that even though his character is not in the manga, he hopes that he can spice things in making the drama more interesting. Furthermore, viewers are invited to send their own “sloppy” recipes that Osonoi (Kato’s character) will cook for the cooking corner at the end of the show.

The release date for “Pokoponpekorya” is yet to be announced.

http://jenewsdaily.wordpress.com ... zubora-meshi-drama/

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Mizuno Miki to star in new WOWOW drama ‘Ten no Hakobune’



On October 6th, WOWOW announced that actress Mizuno Miki is going to star in their new serial drama ‘Ten no Hakobune‘.

‘Ten no Hakobune’ is set in the world of international aid and covers everything from the world to come, social criticism, love, and suspense. Mizuno is portraying a woman named ‘Nanami’, who herself sets foot on the other side of official development assistance (ODA) where bribes, political maneuvering, and greedy people with a lot of money come together under the pretext of international aid.

Nanami was brought up as the daughter of a poor farmer family who fell victims to a great earthquake, but – like many other families – received almost no financial support from the country. She is working in a club alongside her studies at the university in order to send some money home to her family. There she also happens to get acquainted with the young manager of a powerful construction company and his subordinate ‘Miyazato’ (Ihara Tsuyoshi), who explains to her what’s really happening behind the scenes of ODA.

It’s a clearly corrupted world, but Nanami takes a great interest in it and gets closer to ‘Miyazato’. She asks him to find her a job in this world in exchange for her body, which soon develops into a dangerous game of love and money and a scandal that is going to shake the whole country.

The story is based on a novel of the same name by Hattori Masumi (‘The Secret Agreement’) and the script is written by the hit drama maker Asano Taeko (‘Last Friends’, ‘Love Generation’).



Mizuno and Ihara both went to the Philippines jungle for the filming, at the same area that was used for the American war epic ‘Apocalypse Now‘. After wrapping up their scenes in Cebu and Manila, they went to film in a dense jungle a three-hour drive from Manila. Aside from seeing all manner of dangerous animals, they also had to deal with very high temperatures and intense humidity, as they filmed during the middle of the rainy season.

Ihara commented, “The first thing I did was take out my bug repellent.” Meanwhile Mizuno stated that she was more bothered with the lack of a toilet seat at their lodging. Moreover, members of the staff collapsed due to high fever as soon as the filming began. The team feared they were dealing with malaria, but fortunately the fever was “only” the result of overwork.

Furthermore, the water situation was also difficult for some of the crew.  There were even cases among the staff of diarrhea, just from using unboiled water to gargle and to brush their teeth. Everyone learned quickly that all water must be undrinkable else it was undrinkable.

As anticipated, the insects were everywhere unless they turned off all of the lights, which made it impossible to eat for most of them as well. Despite the less than ideal conditions, the the filming ended well.

Mizuno added, “It was basically impossible for the (female) staff to do their business once we left the lodging. However, the harsh conditions also made us become one as a team.”

Ihara looked back the filming and said, “Even the director said that he was able to shoot some of his best scenes in his 12-year long career over there. I don’t like the jungle, but it’s all good since I know that it allowed us to obtain great footage.”

The rest of the cast is made up of Takeda Shinji, Toda Naho, Horibe Keisuke, Morisaki Win, and Sano Shiro. WOWOW is going to air a total of five episodes of ‘Ten no Hakobune’ every Sunday at 10:00 pm, starting on December 9th.

Source: http://www.tokyohive.com/2012/10 ... ma-ten-no-hakobune/

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Ikuta Toma’s younger brother Ikuta Ryusei to make a guest appearance in his drama ‘Osozaki no Himawari’



On October 8th, it was announced that Ikuta Toma’s younger brother and Fuji TV announcer Ikuta Ryusei will be making a guest appearance on the first episode of Toma’s upcoming drama ‘Osozaki no Himawari‘.

Ryusei is going to play the protagonist “Kodaira Joutarou’s” (Toma) younger brother and makes a short appearance in the beginning of the first episode. He just began working as an announcer for Fuji TV last year, so it’s the first time they are appearing in a drama together, and moreover, it’s Ryusei’s very first time to appear in a drama. He blushed, “I was so nervous and embarrassed. I just wanted to run away.”

Toma commented, “It was a strange feeling to be together with my younger brother at the same set. I can’t really describe it, but I felt restless throughout the day.”

In the drama Ryusei is playing the more reliable of both brothers. Unlike the “Joutarou”, who only works as a temporary staff, he’s working at the municipal office, has a wife and a child, and lives together with their (the brothers’) parents in a two generation household. When “Joutarou” loses his job, he wants to go back and live at their parents’ place, only to realize that his younger brother is already living there with his own family. Realizing that he has nowhere to go, he ends up living in the Shimanto River area in Kochi (Shikoku). Check the Prime Time Drama Preview – Fall 2012 for more detals.

Ryusei’s scene with Toma and Kato Kazuko (their mother in the drama) was one of the first and Toma revealed that he has never been so restless before the start of the filming. Ryusei doesn’t have any lines, it’s just the whole family sitting at the dining table, having dinner and some alcohol, and cuddling his child. It was a very warm atmosphere and the whole scene was wrapped up in one try.

According to people close to them, Toma often asks Ryusei to practice his lines together with him. They also often go to concerts together and have a very intimate relationship. Ryusei also went around the staff and greeted them, “Thank you for taking care of my brother all the time. Please continue to support him.” Toma witnessed this and commented, “Whenever I see how much of an adult he has already become, I feel both happy and a bit sentimental.”

Meanwhile, Ryusei can’t help but feel proud about his older brother. He said, “When his expression switched to acting mode, he looked even 30% cooler than usual. You probably won’t believe it’s an objective opinion when his younger brother says this, but I could sense that he’s a great actor.”

Fuji TV is going to air the first episode of ‘Osozaki no Himawari’ on October 23rd.

Source: http://www.tokyohive.com/2012/10 ... sozaki-no-himawari/

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Fuji TV drama ‘Lucky Seven’ to air a drama special in spring



On October 16th, Fuji TV announced that they are going to air a special episode of their 2012 winter drama ‘Lucky Seven‘ starring Arashi’s Matsumoto Jun in spring 2013.

The drama followed a team of seven private detectives that struggled with various difficult cases. Matsumoto was supported by an ensemble of great actors such as Eita, Matsushima Nanako, Oizumi Yo, and Naka Riisa. One highlight of ‘Lucky Seven’ were the actions scenes featuring Matsumoto and Eita, but it also offered a lot of comical situations, which turned it into a very successful drama with a season-average rating of 15.6%.

In spring the team of seven are going to tackle yet another difficult case in a new special episode that will also feature two prominent guest stars with actress Ishihara Satomi and actor Oikawa Mitsuhiro. The latter is playing a brilliant economist who is rumored to be the mastermind behind a couple of financial crimes, while Ishihara plays his charming and devilish secretary. The protagonist ‘Tokita Shuntaro’ (Matsumoto) is approaching the secretary in order to get to the bottom of the financial crimes, but he soon realizes that his feelings for her aren’t all that fake. He has completely fallen for her devilish charm and keeps on losing sight of his actual objective.

Filming for the special began on October 13th and Matsumoto commented, “I want it to become a special episode that makes you laugh, but also features a lot of action and a thrilling pace.”

Ishihara expressed, “I’m looking forward to work with Matsumoto again. It has been a while that we worked together. I haven’t played that many mysterious characters in dramas so far, but I’d like to work hard and enjoy this new experience.”

Fuji TV has yet to announce an exact date for the special episode.

Source: http://www.tokyohive.com/2012/10 ... -special-in-spring/

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NHK’s 'Kiyomori' goes to Asia
ENTERTAINMENT OCT. 16, 2012 - 06:55AM JST ( 1 )TOKYO —

NHK Enterprises Inc has closed a deal with True Visions Public Company Limited of Thailand, COJ of South Korea, and Radio Television Brunei (RTB) of Brunei to license NHK’s 50‐episode historical drama series “Kiyomori.”

An epic drama, “Kiyomori” portrays is about a legendary samurai warrior who fought to become the ruler of Japan, and laid the basis for Japan’s international trade system which brought prosperity to the country in the 12th century.

True Visions will broadcast “Kiyomori” next year in Thailand. Attaphon Na Bangxang, Chief Program & Content Officer, comments: “We are very excited with ‘Kiyomori,’ as a good samurai series are hard to find lately. ‘Kiyomori’ is an exceptional one with great story, beautiful culture, stunning location, and gorgeous music. With all these elements, we believe our audience will love and enjoy this series.”

Source: http://www.japantoday.com/catego ... yomori-goes-to-asia

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Momoiro Clover Z’s Tamai Shiori voice acts in ‘Akumu-chan’



On October 18, it was revealed that popular idol group Momoiro Clover Z’s Tamai Shiori is taking on the challenge of voice acting for the first time ever in NTV’s ongoing drama “Akumu-chan” (Saturdays, 9  PM), which the group is also singing the theme song for.

Tamai is voicing “Yume no Ke,”the character that appears in the dreams of protagonist Mutoi Ayami, played by actress Kitagawa Keiko.  She spoke about the role stating, “It was difficult for me to voice an imagined animal in a fantasy world, but I was able to find the voice of Yume no Ke during the recording.”

Producer Toda Kazuya, who was present at the auditions, praised Tamai, who won the role of Yume no Ke through auditions among the 5 Momoiro Clover Z members. “I felt that she was the best fit because everything she did was captivating, and with her strong efforts and little-sister character, you feel a strange love for Yume no Ke.”

Approximately 21,000 people filled out the quiz to guess which Momoclo member voiced Yume no Ke after watching the first episode. Participating fans commented, “It is too difficult to determine,” and “I don’t know who voiced the character.”

Source: http://www.tokyohive.com/2012/10 ... acts-in-akumu-chan/

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AKB48’s Kojima Haruna to play a street idol in ‘PRICELESS’



On October 22nd, it was announced that AKB48’s Kojima Haruna is going to make an appearance in the upcoming Fuji TV ‘Getsu 9′ (Monday 9pm) drama ‘PRICELESS ~Aru Wake Needaro, Nnamon!~‘ starring SMAP’s Kimura Takuya.

After Shinoda Mariko in ‘Taisetsunakoto wa Subete Kimi ga Oshietekureta‘ and Oshima Yuko in ‘Watashi ga Renai Dekinai Riyuu‘, she’s only the third AKB48 member to show off her acting skills in this prestigious time slot.

Kojima is going to play another resident in the run-down apartment building ‘Koufuku Sou’ (‘Manor of Happiness’) the protagonist ‘Kindaichi Fumio’ (Kimura) has to live in after becoming penniless, hopeless, and homeless. Her love for idols is matchless and she makes a living by selling cosplay pictures of herself. In other words, she’s a street idol herself. Her first appearance will be in the third episode.

She expressed, “I’m an idol myself, so I was able to get into the role without difficulties. It doesn’t mean that it’s an easy role, only that it’s a more familiar feeling.” She commented on her outfit, “We’ve often worn such clothes back in the day, but nowadays AKB has become more composed. However, it’s probably the most frilly outfit I’ve worn so far. It’s a bit embarrassing actually.”

In variety shows such as ‘SMAPxSMAP‘, Kojima already appeared alongside Kimura, but it’s the first time for her to appear alongside him in a drama. She said, “It still feels strange being at the set of this drama. I became really nervous, when I heard that I’m going to live with him under the same roof in the drama. Everyone (in AKB) respects him a lot.” She also added the she cannot wait to see their reaction, “Some members probably don’t even know yet that I’m working with him right now.”

The reporters asked her if there is anything she’d like to ask Kimura as long as she has the chance and she replied, “Minegishi (Minami) and Sashihara (Rino) said that their eyes kept meeting with his when they went to SMAP’s concert. I’d like to ask him if that’s true or not.”

Source: http://www.tokyohive.com/2012/10 ... -idol-in-priceless/

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‘ATARU’ to return with a special drama on New Year’s Day



On October 25th, it was announced that the TBS drama ‘ATARU‘, which aired in the spring will be returning with a special drama on New Year’s Day.

‘ATARU’ is starring SMAP’s Nakai Masahiro as the lovable ‘Chokozai’ aka ‘Ataru’ who is suffering from the savant syndrome. He commented, “I’m glad that I can act as Chokozai again, but this feeling of joy is also mixed with a certain anxiety. I hope we all will have a lot of fun at the set again.”

The drama tells the story of ‘Chokozai’, who helps two detectives – played by Kuriyama Chiaki and Kitamura Kazuki – solving with various difficult cases using his extraordinary memory and deductive skills. The drama was a big success with ratings as high as 21.7%.

In the special drama, the younger brother of Chokozai, ‘Tasuku’ becomes the prime suspect in a serial murder case that resemble the 1997 crucifix murders in America. Though Chokozai returned to America in the final episode of the drama, he will come back to Japan in order to help out his brother.

The producer of the drama explained that it was a miracle that he managed to get all of those busy actors together again for the special. He said, “It’s such an inexpressible feeling, I cannot describe it with words. I was moved to tears.” The drama’s main theme is the bonds between family and friends. He continued, “I hope we can send out a warm message and give all viewers a great amount of energy for their start into the new year.”

Source: http://www.tokyohive.com/2012/10 ... a-on-new-years-day/

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“Yuusha Yoshihiko” experiments with one-poster advertising campaign
Oct 31,2012 - by tokyograph



The “low-budget” RPG/adventure comedy series “Yuusha Yoshihiko to Akuryou no Kagi” (starring Yamada Takayuki) will be trying out a similar “low-budget” approach with its new experimental advertising campaign. During the month of November, TV Tokyo will put up just a single poster per week, somewhere within Tokyo.

The campaign’s concept is “Yuusha Yoshihiko, somewhere in Tokyo,” and the network hopes to generate buzz through its uniqueness, apropos for the quirky, low-key show. Fans can download an augmented reality app called Tamago Clicker to their smartphones or tablet devices, and when they find the “Yuusha Yoshihiko” poster they can use the app to view exclusive weekly content such as video clips and to enter prize drawings.

For each week between November 2nd and November 29th, TV Tokyo will put up a single poster somewhere within the city, most likely at a train station. Fortunately, those locations should not be too hard to find, since they will be announced on the show’s official website, as well as its Twitter account and Facebook page. For the first week (November 2-8), the poster is planned to go up near Exit 3 at Yotsuya Station (Tokyo Metro Namboku Line).

“Yuusha Yoshihiko to Akuryou no Kagi” is the sequel to last year’s “Yuusha Yoshihiko to Maou no Shiro.” Although the show was not a mainstream hit, given its late-night time slot and specialized appeal, it managed to rank #1 in Amazon’s Japan TV drama category for 2011. The sequel began airing earlier this month and will continue through December.

Source: http://www.tokyograph.com/news/y ... vertising-campaign/

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Arashi’s Aiba Masaki to star as doctor in Fuji TV’s “Last Hope”
Oct 30,2012 - by tokyograph



Arashi’s Aiba Masaki (29) will soon be playing the role of a doctor for the first time. He is set to star in the Fuji TV drama series “Last Hope,” scheduled to start airing in January 2013.

The drama is a human suspense story set at an advanced medical center, revolving around a team of doctors who are different in every way, and who each have their own secret pasts. The team strives to use cutting-edge medicine to save patients who are seemingly beyond help, while also dealing with conflict among themselves.

Aiba has been cast as a physician with an incredible capacity for understanding other people’s pain, labeled as a “diagnosis pro” for being able to read his patients’ mental states just by listening to their heartbeats through his stethoscope. He lives at his own pace, with a quirk of taking a 3pm snack without fail, though he also appears to have a childhood secret that he himself is unaware of.

Besides Aiba, the team will feature Tabe Mikako as a cool and dry doctor working in critical care, Tanabe Seiichi as a talented yet overconfident, woman-loving surgeon, and Kohinata Fumiyo as a studious specialist. Kitamura Yukiya, Sakuraba Nanami, Takashima Masahiro, and Hirata Mitsuru have also been cast.

Fuji TV will broadcast the drama in its Tuesday 9:00pm time slot this winter.

Incidentally, the drama was announced on the same day that researcher Yamanaka Shinya was chosen to receive Japan’s Order of Culture. Yamanaka has received several awards for his research in induced pluripotent stem cells, including this year’s Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine (along with John Gurdon). He is also the director of Kyoto University’s Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, one of many advanced medical centers that likely inspired the setting for the show.

Source: http://www.tokyograph.com/news/a ... fuji-tvs-last-hope/

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Suzuki Kyoka to play an abused mother in the upcoming drama ‘Yako Kanransha’



On November 2nd, TBS announced that they will adapt the novel ‘Yako Kanransha‘ (lit. ‘Ferris Wheel at Night’) of best-selling author Minato Kanae (‘Kokuhaku’, ‘Shokuzai’) into a drama series for the upcoming winter season. Actress Suzuki Kyoka will play the protagonist, a housewife, and mother,who is being driven towards a mental breakdown by her abusive daughter and other things.

It’s Minato’s first suspense-packed novel that focuses on family problems. The story revolves around a sensational incident that happened in an exclusive residential district where the elite families live. Minato depicts how the family in question and the families around them handle and respond to this incident.

The main focus lies on the Endo family that worked hard to finally purchase a house in this high class residential area. Endo Mayumi (Suzuki) is the housewife and mother of this family. Mayumi still feels like her biggest dream has finally come true, but things soon take a turn for the worse when her eldest daughter fails her junior high-school entrance examination and gradually starts domestic violence towards her. Moreover it seems like her husband tries to avoid coming back home and if that isn’t already enough, Mayumi also gets bullied by Mrs. Kojima, the wife neighborhood council president. Living across the street is the Takahashi family, who seem like the perfect elite family from the outside, but one day Mr. Takahashi suddenly gets murdered…

Suzuki already experienced the role of an abused wife in the movie ‘Blood & Bones‘ where Kitano Takeshi played her husband. In 2011 she received a lot of attention and credit for her love scenes with actor Hasegawa Hiroki in the movie ‘Second Virgin‘. Having seen how much dedication she puts into performing her roles, it’s only natural that everyone is looking forward to her next challenging project.

She herself commented, “I find it very interesting how one incident gradually exposes all of the problems of three different families. Mayumi is a kind of ordinary woman that you can find anywhere. I want to depict her as a woman who is struggling to be a good wife and a good mother. I hope ‘Mayumi’ can finally grasp the family happiness that she loses by focusing too much on a far away dream, by the final episode [of the drama].”

Producer Arai Junko stated, “You are going to see Suzuki Kyoka in a miserable state. Worn-out, unkempt hair. She is being driven mad by her daughter and even attempts to kill the daughter. You can really feel how she’s gradually falling into an even deeper hole. It’s just pitiful. However, I think that another highlight is going to be the second half of the drama, when her character is still moving forward and trying to save her own family despite being driven into such a dilemma.”

Arai continued, “It’s quite a challenging drama actually. We wanted to create a family drama, but it’s a mixture of a human and a suspense drama. This might be a completely new type of drama.”

The screenplay is written by Okudera Satoko (movie ‘Youkame no Semi’, anime ‘Summer Wars’) and Shimizu Yukako (drama ‘Hanawake no Yonshimai’). The supporting cast has yet to be announced.

TBS will broadcast ‘Yako Kanransha’ every Friday at 10:00 pm, starting in January 2013.

Source: http://www.tokyohive.com/2012/11 ... ama-yako-kanransha/

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Uchino Masaaki, Tokiwa Takako, Sato Takeru to lead drama series “Tonbi”
Nov 06,2012 - by tokyograph



Actor Uchino Masaaki will star in a TBS drama series next year, titled “Tonbi.” This will be his first lead role in a TV series since the second season of the “JIN” in 2011, and it will reunite him with several key staff members from that popular show: producer Ishimaru Akihiko, director Hirakawa Yuichiro, and screenwriter Morishita Yoshiko.

“Tonbi” was originally a 2008 bestselling novel published by Naoki Prize-winning author Shigematsu Kiyoshi, and it was turned into a 2-part drama special in 2012, starring Tsutsumi Shinichi. The story depicts the bond between a bumbling father named Ichikawa “Yasu” Yasuo and his son, whom he has raised on his own after losing his wife in a tragic accident.

Uchino will obviously play the father, while actress Tokiwa Takako will play his wife. Sato Takeru has been cast as the son, starting from the age of 16. Other cast members include Fukiishi Kazue, Kato Takako, Nomura Hironobu, Aso Yumi, and Emoto Akira.

TBS will broadcast “Tonbi” on Sunday nights at 9:00pm, beginning in January.

Source: http://www.tokyograph.com/news/u ... drama-series-tonbi/

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Arai Moe’s starring drama “Soshite Sekai wa Subete Owaru” to get a DVD release



On November 8, it was announced that drama “Soshite Sekai wa Subete Owaru“, which stars actress Arai Moe (17), and actors Ryusei Ryo (19) and Matsushima Shota (21), will be released on DVD, and also air for one day in a movie theater.

The film is based off of a cell phone novel website ‘Mahou no iRando’s best seller that has been sold to over 1,000,000 people.  It was adapted into a drama this summer, and because of its popularity through pay-per-view distribution, it’s been decided on for release on DVD, as well as in a theater.  The DVD will go on sale on February 8 of next year and will air the next day at United Cinema Toyosu in Tokyo.

The novel and film depicts the love story between 4 high school students and centers on unrequited love of the protagonists.  Arai did PR for the film as she commented, “I can’t believe the DVD release has been decided on and we can see it on the big screen.  I am extremely happy.  I think you will be able to enjoy it in a different way from the website!!  I am looking forward to the event.”

Source: http://www.tokyohive.com/2012/11 ... -get-a-dvd-release/

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D-DATE’s Horii Arata stars with Shimizu Kurumi in mobile drama
Nov 09,2012 - by tokyograph



D☆DATE member Horii Arata (20) and actress Shimizu Kurumi (18) will both star in a drama series for the first time, leading a BeeTV mobile drama called “High School Drive ~Megasametara Koukousei Datta~” (High School Drive ~When I Woke Up, I Was a High School Student~).

Horii will play the role of Sota, the ace of his high school’s basketball team, while Shimizu will play the role of Kana, an ordinary high-school girl who loves talking with her friends more than anything. The story will revolve around the two of them, involving love, friendship, and misunderstanding.

Although the story sounds like a typical teenage drama, what sets this show apart is that there are two additional unlikely characters: two 38-year-olds whose spirits have entered the hearts of Sota and Kana. However, neither of them can actually do anything other than witness the relationship between Sota and Kana and sympathize with them.

Nukumizu Yoichi has been cast as the man who has entered Kana’s heart, while comedian Mitsuura Yasuko has been cast as the woman who has entered Sota’s heart. Both Nukumizu and Mitsuura will be providing voices only for their roles, narrating and commenting as the story unfolds.

Other cast members include Matsuoka Mayu, Sagara Itsuki, Goto Kaoru, Kitamura Takumi, Nakayama Erina, Shukugawa Atom, Sano Kazuma, Taiga, and Hara Mikie.

Author Shibazaki Ryuto wrote the screenplay. Seta Natsuki (“Usotsuki Mi-kun to Kowareta Ma-chan”) is directing. The series will last 10 episodes, starting on November 20 and updating on Mondays.

Source: http://www.tokyograph.com/news/d ... mi-in-mobile-drama/

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Ishida Yuriko, Kanjani8′s Yasuda Shota join “Yakou Kanransha” cast
Nov 12,2012 - by tokyograph



Earlier this month, actress Suzuki Kyoka (44) was named as the lead for the TBS drama series “Yakou Kanransha” (based on the Minato Kanae novel of the same name). TBS has now revealed the show’s main supporting cast, including actress Ishida Yuriko and Kanjani8 member Yasuda Shota .

The story’s synopsis, as previously reported:

Suzuki plays the role of Endo Mayumi, a housewife who is driven to her mental and emotional limits due to her obsession with vanity, the collapse of her household, and harassment from her neighborhood. At the center of the story is a murder that occurs in an upscale residential area, and the Endos are one of three troubled families (along with the Kojimas and the Takahashis) depicted as the plot unfolds and the truth comes to light.

Having just moved into the neighborhood, it seems as if Mayumi’s dreams of a happy life have come true. However, her daughter fails to enter a prestigious private junior high school and turns to household violence, her husband begins avoiding coming home, and the people around her begin bullying her, all while she also has to worry about repaying the loan for her home. Her neighbors, the Takahashis, seem like an elite and happy family, until one day when Mr. Takahashi is murdered.

Ishida will play the part of Takahashi Atsuko, a seemingly perfect housewife who ends up being suspected of murdering her husband Hiroyuki (played by Tanaka Tetsushi). The Takahashi children will be played by Yasuda, Nakagawa Taishi, and Miyazaki Karen.

Mr. Endo will be played by Miyasako Hiroyuki, while the Endos’ daughter will be played by Sugisaki Hana. Natsuki Mari has been cast as Kojima Satoko, the woman who bullies Mayumi. Takahashi Katsunori will play the police detective on the murder case.

“Yakou Kanransha” will air on Fridays at 10:00pm, starting in January.

Source: http://www.tokyograph.com/news/i ... kou-kanransha-cast/

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Anne to star in NHK morning drama “Gochisou-san”
Nov 12,2012 - by tokyograph



NHK has announced that Anne will star as the heroine of the 89th Asadora, which will be titled “Gochisou-san.” Morishita Yoshiko (“JIN”) is writing the screenplay.

This will be Anne’s first time appearing in an Asadora, but she was reportedly offered the part without an audition. She has already appeared in many television dramas since making her acting debut in 2007, and last year she got her first starring role in Fuji TV’s “Namae wo Nakushita Megami.” Earlier this year, she played a supporting role in NTV’s “Yokai Ningen Bem,” for which she received an Elan D'Or Award and a Tokyo Drama Award.

The story will involve the themes of food and love. It begins during the Taisho period (1912-1926), where a young girl named Uno Meiko is raised in a family that runs a Western-style restaurant in Tokyo. As a result, she has grown up with a love for food. Later on, she meets a quirky man from Osaka and falls in love, and she ends up moving to Osaka as his wife.

Anne will play the part of Meiko from around the age of 17 to over the age of 40.

Filming is scheduled to start in May 2013. The series will air in the usual Asadora time slot (Mondays-Saturdays 8:00am-8:15am) for 150 episodes, starting on September 30, 2013.

Source: http://www.tokyograph.com/news/a ... drama-gochisou-san/

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Kis-My-Ft2′s Tamamori Yuta to star in “Nobunaga no Chef” drama series
Nov 13,2012 - by tokyograph



Nishimura Mitsuru and Kajikawa Takuro’s manga “Nobunaga no Chef” is getting a live-action drama series next season, starring Kis-My-Ft2’s Tamamori Yuta (22). Although he co-starred in the TBS drama “Ikemen Desu ne” last year, this will be his first time as the sole lead of a drama series.

Tamamori will play the role of Ken, a French chef who is transported back in time to the Sengoku period, where he winds up becoming a chef for Oda Nobunaga. Nobunaga will be played by Oikawa Mitsuhiro (43).

Other cast members include Shida Mirai (19) as Natsu, a female swordsmith posing as a boy who helps out Ken; comedian Gori (40) as Toyotomi Hideyoshi; Ukaji Takashi (50) as Mori Yoshinari; comedian Takeyama Takanori (41) as Tokugawa Ieyasu; Kitaro (64) as Inoue, another of Nobunaga’s chefs; and Masana Bokuzo (42) as Ashikaga Yoshiaki.

“Nobunaga no Chef” will air on Friday nights at 11:15pm on TV Asahi, beginning in January 2013.

Source: http://www.tokyograph.com/news/k ... -chef-drama-series/