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news: artistes/movie
Chatmonchy sings theme for "Gachi Boy"
Tue, December 18, 2007 (2:53am EST)
Female rock trio chatmonchy is in charge of the theme song for Norihiro Koizumi's movie "Gachi Boy," which opens in theaters on March 1.
The movie stars Ryuta Sato as a young man who hits his head in an accident, resulting in an inability to retain new memories. However, he comes across the school's professional wrestling club, and the sport becomes his new way of life.
Chatmonchy's song will be used as the ending theme. Titled "Hirahira Hiraku Himitsu no Tobira," it will be released as a single on February 27.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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news: actor
Shinichi Tsutsumi denies romance
Tue, December 18, 2007 (4:54pm EST)
The most recent issue of Shukan Josei reports that 43-year-old actor Shinichi Tsutsumi has a new girlfriend. The rumored woman is 27-year-old actress Rui Tsurumizu, who appeared in the 2004 NHK Asadora "Tenka."
They reportedly began dating after appearing together in a play called "Yoshiwara Gomenjo." According to the magazine, Tsurumizu has been seen visiting Tsutsumi's Tokyo apartment.
Tsutsumi's agency has denied the rumor.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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news: music
Koda is best-selling artist of 2007
Tue, December 18, 2007 (1:05pm EST)
Oricon has announced its sales rankings for 2007 and once again, Kumi Koda was #1 in total sales for the year. She sold more than 7.3 billion yen worth of CDs and DVDs. Ayumi Hamasaki was #2 at 7.0 billion yen.
The rest of the top ten were Mr.Children, EXILE, KAT-TUN, Ai Otsuka, Kobukuro, KinKi Kids, Arashi, and L'Arc~en~Ciel.
The best selling single of the year was Masafumi Akikawa's "Sen no Kaze ni Natte," which sold about 1.11 million copies. Hikaru Utada's "Flavor of Life" was #2, followed by Kobukuro's "Tsubomi."
The best selling album was "HOME" by Mr.Children (1.18 million copies). Kumi Koda also sold a million with "Black Cherry," while Kobukuro trailed behind them at #3 with their "ALL SINGLES BEST."
KAT-TUN had the #1 music DVD ("Live of KAT-TUN Real Face"), though it was only #12 overall in the DVD rankings.
The full lists can be found at the Oricon website.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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news: music
The song "Sen no Kaze ni Natte", which made opera tenor Akikawa Masafumi (39) a household name, was named yesterday as the best-selling single of the year. It was the first classical recording to reach No.1 on Oricon's singles chart and Akikawa became Japan's first classical artist to have a million-selling release. With over 1.1 million copies sold, it brought in |
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news: dorama SP
[JAPAN] Channel Surf - Meitantei Conan (Detective Conan) live action
In the latest Channel Surf column for Japan Times, the article is about the popular manga/anime series 揗eitantei Conan |
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news: artistes/dorama
Shonannokaze sings first drama theme song
Wed, December 19, 2007 (4:27am EST)
Popular group Shonannokaze is releasing a single titled "Ougon Soul" on February 13. The song will be the theme of the TV Asahi drama series "Koshonin ~The Negotiator~," which stars Ryoko Yonekura. This is the first time they have provided music for a television drama.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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news: movie awards
Nominees for 31st Japan Academy Awards
Wed, December 19, 2007 (5:19am EST)
The nominees for the 31st Japan Academy Awards were announced on Tuesday. "Tokyo Tower" led the pack with nominations in 14 categories, followed closely by "Always: Zoku Sanchome no Yuhi" (13 nominations) and "Soredemo Boku wa Yattenai" (11 nominations). Those three films are competing with "Kisaragi" and "Bizan" for Best Picture.
The winners will be decided at the awards ceremony on February 15.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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news: taiga dorama
Tsumabuki to lead in NHK taiga drama
Wed, December 19, 2007 (8:13pm EST)
Actor Satoshi Tsumabuki has been revealed as the star of NHK's 2009 taiga drama, "Tenchijin." The story revolves around Naoe Kanetsugu, a retainer for the Uesugi clan during the Sengoku period.
Tsumabuki has never appeared in an NHK drama series before.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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news: music ranking
Utada, GReeeeN top 2007 chaku-uta rankings
Wed, December 19, 2007 (8:42pm EST)
Label Mobile, the joint company in charge of chaku-uta (ringtone) distribution for Japan's major record labels, revealed its download rankings for 2007.
Hikaru Utada topped the Chaku-Uta list with "Flavor of Life -Ballad Version-," beating out "Aiuta" (GReeeeN), "Tsubomi" (Kobukuro), "Lovers Again" (EXILE), and "WINDING ROAD" (Ayaka x Kobukuro).
The Chaku-Uta Full rankings were very similar, but "Aiuta" was #1, followed in order by "Lovers Again," "Flavor of Life," "Tsubomi," and "Sen no Yoru wo Koete" (Aqua Timez).
The top downloads in other services were: "Oshiri Kajiri Mushi" (video clip), Ai Otsuka's "CHU-LIP" (chakushin movie), "Flavor of Life -Ballad Version-" (RBT, chakushin melody), and Yoshio Kojima's "Sonna no kankei nee" (chakushin voice).
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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news: artistes
Taste of Chaos 2008 announces tour dates
Thu, December 20, 2007 (6:20am EST)
The Rockstar Taste of Chaos tour has announced its 2008 lineup and tour dates for North America. The main artists are Avenged Sevenfold, Atreyu, Bullet For My Valentine, and Blessthefall, but the tour also features three Japanese bands: MUCC, D'espairsRay, and The Underneath.
 
According to a press release, "the tour is scheduled to hit 43 cities in the U.S. and Canada between late February and late April 2008," though the Canadian dates won't be announced until next month. The tour will kick off in Denver on February 29 and continue until at least April 15 in Seattle.
The schedule can be found on the Taste of Chaos website.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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nwes: celebrity
Announcer Mariko Dou engaged
Thu, December 20, 2007 (4:40pm EST)
26-year-old TV Asahi announcer Mariko Dou is getting married next spring, it was learned on Thursday. Her partner is a 30-year-old man working for Sony Music Records.
According to sources close to Dou, the pair have been dating for more than two years. They met through work, as Dou has been a host on "Music Station" since 2004.
Dou also currently appears on "Kusano Kid" and "Yajiuma Plus." In October, she made her acting debut with a guest appearance as herself in the television drama "Mop Girl." Dou reportedly plans to continue working while married.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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news: artistes
Kiroro to resume activity
Wed, December 19, 2007 (7:49pm EST)
Okinawan duo Kiroro announced that they are planning to fully resume activity next month, in time for the 10th anniversary of their major label debut.
The two women both got married in 2005, and Kiroro was put on hold as they each prepared for motherhood. Ayano Kinjo gave birth in November of that year, and Chiharu Tamashiro followed with her own baby three months later. Tamashiro had a second child this past September. The duo performed together once in June for a local event in Okinawa, but their last full concert was in September 2005.
They announced their return on Wednesday, when Kinjo held her first solo show in Tokyo. Tamashiro appeared on stage for the encore, and they performed their debut single "Nagai Aida" together. They revealed that they will continue their careers as Kiroro, starting with a concert at their former high school on January 21, the 10th anniversary of "Nagai Aida."
Tamashiro said she had felt a return was impossible, and had considered disbanding the group. But after consulting with Kinjo, she made up her mind. Tamashiro's children will remain with her husband in Okinawa when she returns to Tokyo to continue work.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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news: movie
Popular manga-ka Inoue Takehiko (40) has created his first ever movie poster. Known for such hit manga series as "Slam Dunk" and "Vagabond", he got the job of designing the poster for the upcoming movie "Kakushi Toride no Sanakunin". Starring Arashi member Matsumoto Jun (24), the movie is a remake of the 1958 Kurosawa Akira classic. That film, known internationally as "The Hidden Fortress", was a major influence on George Lucas when making the first "Star Wars" movie. Matsumoto said, "Inoue-sensei is a hero to my generation. I'm delighted to be connected with him through this movie." The poster features Matsumoto's character, Miyamoto Takezou (who did not feature in the original), staring out of his prison cell. The cast also includes Nagasawa Masami as Princess Yuki, Abe Hiroshi in the original hero role of General Makabe Rokurota (played by the legendary Mifune Toshiro), and Shiina Kippei as Takayama Gyoubu, the incarnation of evil. Directed by Higuchi Shinji, the movie is due for theatrical release on May 10.
Source: www.japan-zone.com |
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news: idol
Management for idol singer Goto Maki (22) have denied that she is taking a sabbatical during her brother's ongoing trial. The former Morning Musume member was reported to be refusing leave her home or take on work until a verdict is reached in the trial of Goto Yuuki (21) on robbery and assault charges. With the next hearing scheduled for late January, the trial is likely to continue for several months. "Gomaki", as she is known to fans, quit the Hello! Project ensemble at the end of October when the case came to light and has insisted that the decision was because she wants to pursue her own musical goals. Two of Yuuki's accomplices, both junior high school friends, were arrested yesterday for the September robbery. Yuuki, who himself had a brief pop career and is married with a child, has said he got into crime because of financial problems.
Source: www.japan-zone.com |
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news: singer
Just two days after turning 20, singer/songwriter Ayaka performed her first solo concert at the Nippon Budokan in central Tokyo. She started off the show with an acappella version of her hit "I Believe" and also gave the 12,000 fans a preview of her next single "Te wo Tsunagou", due for release next spring.
Source: www.japan-zone.com |
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Christmas tree of lights brightens Osaka theater
The Yomiuri Shimbun
A 25-meter-tall Christmas tree illumination will be lit until about 11 p.m. every day until Tuesday at Shochikuza theater in Osaka.
The event was planned by the theater and a local shop owners' association, based on an idea suggested by a member of pop group Kanjani Eight, Yu Yokoyama, who is performing at the theater this week.
Forty-four wires from the theater's roof are connected to about 12,000 light bulbs. About 500 spectators cheered as Yokoyama turned on the lights at a lighting ceremony Sunday.
Toru Imai, chairman of the local business association Dotonbori Shotenkai, said, "I hope it'll become a seasonal tourist attraction in the Minami entertainment area, along with year-round attractions like Kuidaore Taro [a mechanical clown in front of a restaurant] and the giant crab sign outside a crab restaurant."
(Dec. 20, 2007)
Source: http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20071220TDY16003.htm |
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news: music chart
Charts: SMAP, Kobukuro
Tue, December 25, 2007 (5:32am EST)
[img] [/img]
SMAP's 41st single, "Dangan Fighter," sold 110,000 copies this past week to rank #1 on the sales charts. This is their 8th consecutive chart-topping single.
Far behind SMAP, the "Kamen Rider Den-O" theme song "Climax Jump DEN-LINER form" made #2 with 66,000 copies, coming close to doubling TVXQ's "Together" (#3) and more than tripling Kazuya Yoshii's "Bakka" (#4). Rina Aiuchi also entered the top ten, ranking at #8.
On the albums chart, Kobukuro's "5296" (391,000 copies) won a close race against BUMP OF CHICKEN's "orbital period" (381,000 copies). The former is Kobukuro's 3rd consecutive #1 album, while the latter is BUMP's 3rd consecutive Top 10 album.
Gackt was the only other new entry in the top ten this week. His "0079-0088," consisting only of songs related to "Mobile Suit Gundam," came in at #6 with 41,000 in sales.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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news: dorama
azz pianist Ozone does music for drama
Fri, December 21, 2007 (4:40am EST)
Internationally known jazz pianist Makoto Ozone has been put in charge of writing and performing the background music for the Fuji TV drama series "A$hita no Kita Yoshio," which stars Fumiyo Kohinata. It will be Ozone's first time providing music for a television drama.
In 1983, Ozone became the first Japanese musician to sign a contract with CBS Records (known as Columbia Records in North America). He has also twice been nominated for a Grammy.
Ozone will be making an appearance in "A$hita no Kita Yoshio," playing the role of a pianist.
It has also been announced that singer Masayoshi Yamazaki will provide the drama's theme song, titled "Mayonaka no Boon Boon." It will be released as a single on March 12.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Post time 24-12-2007 10:50 AM
