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Inoue JOE is safe. Thanks god! ;___; My heart stop beating when reading all news about this disaster and thinking about my sacred.
KAT-TUN’s Taguchi Junnosuke will act alongside Nishikido Ryo in “Inu wo kau to iukoto”
It’s been revealed that KAT-TUN’s Taguchi Junnosuke will make an appearance on the upcoming drama, “Inu wo Kau to iukoto ~Sky to Wagaya no 180 nichi~“. The information was recently unveiled on the drama’s official website.
As we previously reported, “Inu wo Kau to iukoto” already stars NEWS/Kanjani8’s Nishikido Ryo, and Taguchi, who belongs to the same agency (Johnny & Associates), will play Horita Katsuhiko, a doctor and classmate of the main character’s wife (played by Mizukawa Asami).
The last time he and Nishikido acted alongside one another was in the 2005 drama “Ganbatte Ikimashoi“, while Taguchi himself has not had a recurring role in a drama series since “Yukan Club” four years ago.
“Inu wo Kau to iukoto” will air on Friday nights starting in April.
Yamashita Tomohisa to perform solo in Seoul for the first time
Yamashita Tomohisa, of the popular Johnny’s Entertainment group NEWS, has been enjoying a very successful year thus far, and will continue this trend with his first solo performance in South Korea for his concert tour, “TOMOHISA YAMASHITA ASIA TOUR 2011 Super Good Super Bad“, at KBS88 Olympic Gymnastics Area in Seoul on April 16th and 17th.
Tickets to see the popular idol went on sale on March 9th and sold out in a mere four minutes!
As further proof of his immense popularity, Yamashita’s first solo album, “Super Good, Super Bad“, reached #1 in the J-pop category of the South Korean music charts this past week after being released on March 2nd.
Based on a manga by Osakan cartoonist Takashi Murakami (not to be confused with the contemporary artist), the film begins as the body of a man (Toshiyuki Nishida) is found near a small town in Hokkaido. He's believed to have been dead around six months, and the remains of a dog are found nearby which has been dead about one month. A local civil servant named Okutsu (Tetsuji Tamayama) discovers the purchase receipt for an abandoned car left in field, leading the reluctant detective to retrace the final steps of a mysterious middle-aged man and his loyal dog.
"Hoshi Mamoru Inu" will be released in Japan on June 11, 2011.
Plot by nipponcinema
New Hirai Ken song to be theme song for movie “Hoshi Mamoru Inu”
Pop vocalist Hirai Ken, who has lent his songs to a number of movies over the years—including his bestselling 2004 single “Hitomi wo Tojite”—will be providing yet another theme song.
“Yume no Mukou de” is a new track by the singer, and it will be used in the movie “Hoshi Mamoru Inu”. The movie stars actor Nishida Toshiyuki, and while no more details are known about the new track’s release date, the movie will be in theatres June 11th, so expect a release soon!
The movie is based off a smash-hit manga that is said to easily reduce the reader to tears. Coupled with a new track by Hirai Ken, and this movie is sure to be a hit. Come back and check out tokyohive for more info in the coming weeks!
D☆DATE’s upcoming single, “CHANGE my LIFE” + member thoughts
It’s been announced that D☆DATE will be releasing their new single, entitled “CHANGE my LIFE“, on April 6th! As we’ve already reported, the cellphone melody of the track will be available in advance on March 14th and 15th, along with a raffle for a “1-Day Date” with the group.
This second single for the D-Boys sub-unit, who made their debut with “Ato 1cm no Mirai” last December, was written by the musical group cell no9, of which Dragon Ash’s guitarist hiroki is a member. One standard edition and two limited editions (with bonus DVDs) will be sold.
In Japan, people start school and employment in the spring, so the song’s theme is about facing major changes in life. 4 of the 5 members of D☆DATE (Nakamura Yuichi is currently on a hiatus due to poor health) were available to comment on the song, so check out what they had to say below:
Araki Hirofumi: “I sang the song with the hope that people can start new things with a smile on their face… It will make you feel lighter.”
Igarashi Shunji: “It’s a song that cheers up people who are challenging new things. It’s a very fresh song and we want people to sing, dance, and be inspired by it!”
Seto Koji: “It’s a perfect song for people who are starting something new. It’s uptempo and can be enjoyed by people of all ages.”
Horii Arata: “I’m graduating from high school in the spring, so I will also be starting a new life! The song’s melody and lyrics can can blast away worries and inspire people to enjoy challenging a new life.”
Johnny’s making guest appearances in final Kinpachi Sensei drama special
More than 150 “Sakura Junior High School graduates” will make guest appearances on the final of the long-running Kinpachi Sensei drama series, reports The Television.
“3年B組金八先生・ファイナル〜『最後の贈る言葉』4時間SP〜 (3-nen B-gumi Kinpachi Sensei Final ~’Saigo no Okuru Kotoba’ 4 hour special~)” will mark the final of a drama series that had started in October 1979. For 32 years Kinpachi Sakamoto Sensei, played by Tetsuya Takeda, has taught and helped junior high schoolers as they faced the challenges of their time.
In the final four hour special, the following Johnny’s talents have been confirmed as guests (as of noon March 7):
* Masahiko Kondo (1st series)
* Ippei Hikaru (ex-Johnny’s) (2nd series)
* Shunsuke Kazama (5th series)
* Kazuya Kamenashi (KAT-TUN) (5th series)
* Takahisa Masuda (NEWS) (6th series)
* Shigeaki Kato (NEWS) (6th series)
* Kota Yabu (Hey! Say! JUMP) (7th series)
* Hikaru Yaotome (Hey! Say! JUMP) (7th series)
The final show will be aired in Japan on March 27, and a pre-final TV show will air on March 24.
Matsuzaka Tori cast in “Asukou March!” drama series
Actor Matsuzaka Tori (22) is confirmed to be in the cast of the drama series “Asukou March!” that was announced last month, starring actress Takei Emi (17). This is the second time that Matsuzaka and Takei have worked together, as they previously played siblings in Amami Yuki’s “GOLD” last year.
The “Asukou March!” drama is adapted from Akiyama Kaori’s manga “Asukou March! ~Kenritsu Asuka Kougyou Koukou Koushinkyoku~,” which tells the story of a teenage girl named Nao who ends up in a technical high school (nicknamed “Asukou”) where there are only 3 girls out of 150 students.
Matsuzaka plays Nao’s classmate Aruto, though his character is said to differ from the original manga. Once a popular child actor, he now attends “Asukou” while lying about his age in order to work at a host club. Despite Matsuzaka being 22, his character in the drama is only 15. This is Matsuzaka’s first time playing a high school student.
“Asukou March!” will air on Sundays at 11:00pm on TV Asahi, starting in April.
YUI to sing Paradise Kiss theme songs
Singer-songwriter, YUI (23), has been chosen to sing the theme songs for Kitagawa Keiko’s movie “Paradise Kiss”, which opens in theatres on June 4th.
These new songs were specifically written for the movie, the opening song is called “HELLO~Paradise Kiss~” and the ending song is called “YOU”. YUI is also a huge fan of Yazawa Ai’s Paradise Kiss manga, she commented, “The melody came to my mind easily. They are songs that are full of hope”.
This will be the 6th theme song YUI has sang for a movie.
Kamenashi Kazuya to be a “special announcer” for NTV’s live baseball coverage
KAT-TUN’s Kamenashi Kazuya has been appointed to be a special announcer for NTV’s live coverage of baseball games for the program, “Dramatic Game 1844“!
This year, NTV will broadcast 22 of the Yomiuri Giants‘ games at the Tokyo Dome. As their special announcer, Kamenashi will appear at almost every game. He will sit in the second announcer’s position, be in charge of special segments, and lend a spirited voice for each game’s coverage.
Appearing in a video clip on this morning’s “Zoom In! Saturday“, Kamenashi showed his enthusiasm for the game by saying, “I was chosen as a supporting announcer for NTV’s baseball coverage! This year’s series is titled “Dramatic Game 1844.” The distance between the pitcher and the batter is 18.44 meters, and I hope to convey the level of tension and passion between them in a dramatic way.”
Meanwhile, KAT-TUN’s newest song “DIAMOND” will be used as the “image song” for “Dramatic Game 1844″. Two other KAT-TUN songs are currently involved in promotion: “WHITE“, which is featured on ‘Kao‘ commercials, as well as “PERFECT“, the theme song for Kamenashi’s new CFs for ‘AOKI‘.
Kanjani8’s Murakami Shingo & Okura Tadayoshi voice act for “Crayon Shin-chan”
It’s been revealed that Johnny’s idol unit Kanjani8’s Murakami Shingo and Okura Tadayoshi will be making their debut as voice actors in the animated film, “Crayon Shin-chan Arashi wo Yobu Ougon no Spy Daisakusen“. As we reported earlier, Kanjani8 will also be singing the theme song for the film.
In the movie, the main character, Shinnosuke (aka Shin-chan), must protect the future of humanity from an evil scientist by taking back the “capsule of justice”. Murakami and Okura are set to voice the assistants of the villain.
This will be the 19th theatrical release for the “Crayon Shin-chan” franchise, and it’s the first time an animated movie series has used a talent from Johnny & Associates as voice actors. As the two singers are both from Osaka, the characters were changed to incorporate their distinct accents.
Murakami commented, “Being able to participate in an anime I’ve watching for a long time has my heart is pounding.” Adding to that, Okura has stated, “I’m very happy that I can fulfill the dreams of young children with Shin-chan, who is a figure that I grew up with.”
The film will open in theatres on April 16th.
B’z song “Don’t Wanna Lie” selected as theme for Detective Conan movie
B’z has been selected to do the theme song for the new Detective Conan movie, “Detective Conan Chinmoku no Quarter”. Detective Conan is heading into its 15th year, and the B’z song “Don’t Wanna Lie” was chosen as its theme.
B’z isn’t new to Detective Conan, as they have actually done quite a few theme songs for other movies and the anime.
Movies
1999 “Seikimatsu no Majutsushi” Theme Song: “ONE”
2002 “Baker Street no Bourei” Theme Song: “Everlasting”
2006 “Tantei-tachi no Chinkonka” Theme Song: “Yuriginai mono Hitotsu” (10th Anniversary)
TV
May~November 1999: “GIRIGIRI chop”
January~May 2006: “Shoudou” (10th Anniversary Broadcast)
B’z left a comment on the series: “Congratulations on your 15th anniversary, ‘Detective Conan’. We’ve provided songs for Detective Conan many times, so it’s a work that’s inseparable for B’z. It’s been five years since we’ve done something for ‘Detective Conan’, and this is an extreme honor. This song is about not wanting to lie to yourself during important moments in your life. Please look forward to ‘Don’t Wanna Lie’, as well as ‘Conan’.”
Satoshi Ohno to host NHK art show
Arashi’s Satoshi Ohno (30) will host and navigate a show exploring the world of Japanese artist Ito Jakuchu (1716 – 1800) starting in April, it was revealed today, reports Mainichi Shimbun Digital.
It has been reported “Jakuchu Miracle World” will be a four-night series on NHK’s BS Premium channel. By using the latest technology and high definition visual images, the show will break down and analyse what made Edo-period artist Jakuchu’s work so unique. As an artist himself, Ohno will venture into this world and navigate around it from his point-of-view.
“I’ve hardly ever done anything like hosting or navigating a show by myself. I’m usually the one who gets picked on and things go off from there so I’m looking forward to seeing what kind of me comes out in this show,” he said
Ohno himself has already opened his own exhibition, “FREESTYLE”, in 2008. The exhibition had toured around five cities in Japan, attracting more than 100,000 visitors. It has been reported this was one of the reasons he had been chosen as the show’s host.
The Arashi singer had said he had been interested in Jakuchu’s art for the last five years thanks to a friend.
“I really love drawing. Every inch of Jakuchu’s pictures are complete to the fullest it can be, and you can see how much of him is in everything.”
It has been reported even during breaks Ohno would be seen staring at replicas of Jakuchu’s work, mumbling, “I wonder what kind of person he was”.
“Jakuchu Miracle World” will go on air on NHK from April 25 to 28.
Korean movie remake of “Kimi wa Petto” holds launch event in Japan
On March 3rd, the cast of the Korean “Kimi wa Petto” film remake attended a launch event in Japan’s Ibaraki Airport.
“Kimi wa Petto” (You’re My Pet), based on a manga of the same name, was made into a hit drama in 2003, starring model/actress Koyuki and Arashi’s Matsumoto Jun, and the same roles will be portrayed by actors Kim Ha Neul and Jang Geun Suk in the remake. In the original story, the male character becomes the ‘pet’ of the female protagonist after being found abandoned in a cardboard box.
The two lead actors attended the promotional event along with band group FT Island’s Choi Jong Hun and director Kim Byeong Kon. The cast met with around 3000 fans.
Kim told the press, “Jang Geun Suk, who is a great actor, also has a cute charisma that suits a ‘pet‘.” Jang replied, “I’m happy to be Ha Neul’s pet.”
Filming for the movie will begin in the city of Ibaraki in May.
“Devil May Cry” Hollywood adaptation in the works
Popular video game “Devil May Cry” will be adapted into a Hollywood movie!
According to the American entertainment site indie WIRE, Screen Gems has purchased the rights to the “Devil May Cry” series and plans to adapt it to the big screen. The script is currently being written by Kyle Ward, the same scriptwriter from the upcoming game-to-movie film, “Kane & Lynch”. The director and cast for the film have yet to be announced.
“Devil May Cry” is one of Capcom’s most popular series, and currently includes four games in its line-up (with a fifth game in production). In total, the series boasts impressive sales of approximately 10,000,000 copies worldwide.
Director Miyazaki Hayao’s “Yadosagashi” & “Mizugumo Monmon” to be screened at Carnegie Hall
This March, New York’s Carnegie Hall will receive the honor of hosting the first overseas screening of Miyazaki Hayao’s animated film shorts, “Yadosagashi” and “Mizugumo Monmon”. Both will be screened in the Zankel Hall, which seats approximately 600.
This screening is part of Carnegie Hall’s citywide festival, ‘Japan NYC‘, which is led by artistic director Ozawa Seiji. These two works, which up until now have only been shown to domestic audiences, are garnering much interest for their international debut. Indeed, Miyazaki’s high reputation overseas can be seen from the way Carnegie Hall’s official website introduces him as “Japan’s Legendary Film Director”.
Like the many short films being screened at the Mitaka Forest Ghibli Museum in Japan, “Yadosagashi” and “Mizugumo Monmon” are works that were produced by Miyazaki. Both announced in 2006, “Mizugumo Monmon” features music by Studio Ghibli and vocals from Yano Akiko. In “Yadosagashi”, Yano as well as Tamori lent their voices and sound effects, but it is an experimental piece with hardly any spoken lines.
Part I of ‘Japan NYC’ was held in December of 2010, and Part II will run from March to April of this year. Miyazaki’s films’ appearance is planned for March 26th.
GACKT holds surprise live at a high school graduation
On March 1st, popular singer GACKT attended the graduation ceremony of Nagoya International High School and gave a special surprise live.
At the very end of the ceremony, GACKT suddenly appeared on stage and made the students burst into a tremendous cheer. Amidst all of the excitement, the legendary singer-songwriter announced, “I want to award you all with this song. Please walk (into) the future with the message of this song engraved into your heart,” he then began singing his 2007 hit, “No ni Saku Hana no You ni”.
“Your senior (at school), who has been walking the path just before you, has these words to convey to you,” GACKT continued once he wrapped up his performance. “Dreams aren’t things you see. Dreams are things that can come true. Stick to your strong intentions and they will come true. Have hope in your futures. Congratulations on graduating.” A huge cheer went up from the crowd of graduating seniors, who were moved by his belief that anything can happen if you truly believe in it.
Since this event is the fifth time that he has performed at a graduation ceremony, GACKT revealed why the events were personally important to him. “When I thought about how many people I could support (by doing this), even though they may be small in scale, I want to sing at as many middle school and high school graduations as I can every single year and send off these children who will be walking (toward) their new futures with a shout. Even if I can’t convey that feeling to everyone there, if I can make a few people feel me pressing them to focus on their dreams… I think that feeling is utterly unforgettable… The feelings I sing about don’t change.”
Kaibutsu-kun Satoshi Ohno enjoying India
Arashi’s Satoshi Ohno (30) said he enjoyed his curry adventure in India while filming his upcoming Kaibutsu-kun movie, reports Daily Sports Online and Nikkan Sports.
Based on the manga and TV drama series “怪物くん (Kaibutsu-kun)”, the movie’s story will follow Kaibutsu-kun (Ohno) and his friends as they travel from his Kaibutsu land to Japan. But instead of going to Japan, the four of them end up in the Land of Curry, and get mistaken as legendary warriors.
Filming took place in northern India city Jaipur for a week from February 15, and scenes were shot around several tourist attractions.
“Everything was new to me and I had fun. The scenery was really pretty, and I thought it was the best location for this movie’s worldly potential,” Ohno said.
Although the cast and crew ate curry for every meal, Ohno said he enjoyed the experience.
“Every meal was curry, but there were so many flavors and degrees of spiciness so I was alright! It was nice and spicy,” he said.
It has been reported locals were surprised at Ohno’s large Kaibutsu-kun ears, and kept asking staff whether they were real, and why Ohno’s costumes were so brightly-coloured.
Johnny’s Entertainment lifts artist photo ban on its official website
Johnny’s Entertainment (the agency for popular idol groups SMAP, TOKIO, Arashi, KAT-TUN, and NEWS, amongst many others) is famous for enforcing a strict “no photo” online policy for their artists. Even the official websites for dramas and movies typically lack cast photos for a Johnny’s actor.
Until recently, Johnny’s artists were either seen as cartoons or silhouettes; some were even missing altogether. However, on February 28th, the ban on photos from the agency’s official website, “Johnny’s net“, was finally lifted. Fans were surprised to see that profile pics and album covers from their artists were uploaded onto the website.
With the advent of internet technology preventing pictures from being easily copied, it seems that the company felt comfortable enough to loosen its stance. Drama and television sites are now also allowed limited usage of Johnny’s artist photos.
One reporter remarked, “Johnny’s artist photos are still banned on internet news sites, where security is lacking, but foreign sites outside of the agency’s power use face photos freely. Eventually, they will have to allow the use of these photos on Japanese news sites as well.”
A cameraman for an idol magazine also revealed, “Johnny’s Entertainment even prevents photos from being sent through e-mail. So when pictures taken for magazines need to be confirmed, they have to be delivered by bike. It was inefficient and expensive. Hopefully, with the lifting of the ban, Johnny’s Entertainment will improve their views of the Internet…”
Fans of Johnny’s artists have rejoiced, with some going as far as calling the change “a historical event.”
Mizushima Hiro writes, acts in music video for GIRL NEXT DOOR
Actor Mizushima Hiro (26) will be appearing in the music video for GIRL NEXT DOOR’s new single “Twitter ~silent scream~.” This will be his first acting role since last year’s “BECK.” In addition, Mizushima also handled the original draft and the script for the music video.
The collaboration reportedly came about last December, around the time that Mizushima’s debut novel was published. GIRL NEXT DOOR’s production staff sent Mizushima a message through his website asking for him to handle the writing for the video. Mizushima soon met with the staff and GIRL NEXT DOOR member Chisa, and he agreed after the project was explained. While he was working on the script, it was also decided that he would make a special appearance in the video.
Chisa plays the protagonist, a ballerina, while Mizushima plays a mysterious man who kidnaps her. Chisa, who has been practicing classical ballet since childhood, filmed her dance scenes without a double.
The full video is 15 minutes long and will be included on the “Twitter ~silent scream~” single, on sale March 16. A 5-minute digest version will be included on GIRL NEXT DOOR’s album “Destination,” which is being released the same day.
A documentary program showing the behind-the-scenes of the music video will be broadcast on TV Asahi on March 10 at 2:40am at night.
The film is an adaptation of Manabu Makime’s 2009 novel which was nominated for the Naoki prize and has drawn comparisons to Dan Brown’s “The Da Vinci Code” for its historical mystery motif.
Haruka Ayase, Masaki Okada, and Shinichi Tsutsumi play a team of elite accountants from the National Audit Bureau in Tokyo, the department responsible for reviewing the final accounts of national expenditures and revenues. During their review, they stumble upon a secret which has remained closely guarded for over 400 years. Long ago, before Japan was unified under one rule, the Toyotomi Clan clashed with Tokugawa Ieyasu and were eventually defeated in the Tokugawa shogunate’s Siege of Osaka. In the film’s alternate version of history, descendants of the Toyotomi Clan were actually hidden away and protected by Osakan citizens, leading to a bizarre situation in which Osaka could actually be considered an independent country.
Ayase plays Torii, a young female investigator with a keen natural instinct named Torii. Okada plays a fresh-faced rookie to the team, a half-Japanese, half-French investigator named Gainsbourg Asahi. Tsutsumi, on the other hand, plays their no-nonsense leader Hatsumi Matsudaira, a doggedly-determined veteran investigator who’s earned the nickname “Demon Matsudaira”.
Toho will be releasing “Princess Toyotomi” in Japan on May 28, 2011.
Plot by nipponcinema
is watching the old chinese drama "Romance in Rain".
Like the role of Zhao Wei and the original soundtrack so much 
Fangirl's Strong Note ~
^^
GACKT reveals his bad luck with cars and gives advice
On February 24th, singer GACKT participated in a live video program on popular site Niconico Douga, where he revealed his bad luck with cars. During the show, GACKT gave advice to 10 users (which were chosen at 1 in 5000 odds) on dealing with misfortune.
One female user said she was caught in a fire twice in the last 5 years, to which GACKT replied, “I’ve broken my car in accidents 13 times.” But, he added, since he is alive, although he draws trouble, he also has the luck to get out of it. He attempted to cheer up the young lady by saying “It’s people who have the luck to get out of trouble that end up surviving longer than normal lucky people. You have the [former] kind of luck so you’re like me.”
Another user said he came to Tokyo from Hokkaido for work but since then, he hasn’t been able to stop coughing. Without missing a beat, GACKT shouted, “You, go to the hospital!”
GACKT also showed his sweet side to a fan who said she missed out on his summer live by managing to only bring the ticket stub to the concert. He told her humorously, “That’s not your misfortune. It was my misfortune not being able to see you.”
After the event, GACKT said he “hasn’t had this much fun in a while. This type of thing is good.” The radio program had the most number of viewers in Niconico history, attracting around 154,000 users.
9 years after his acting debut, Shirota Yu lands his first leading role in a drama
It was announced on February 27th that actor Shirota Yu (25) would star in a new drama for Fuji TV, his very first since he launched his acting career nine years ago.
In the drama “Yotsuba Jinja Urakagyou – Shitsuren Hoken~Kokuraseya~“, Shirota plays an associate professor of animal ecology who also doubles as an investigator, secretly conducting personal investigations for customers who buy his expensive “Heartbreak Insurance” to make up for their lacking relationship skills.
What is this “Heartbreak Insurance” we speak of? Well, say if you want to confess your love to that special someone, but you can’t face the the thought of being rejected. With “Heartbreak Insurance”, your problems are solved! Shirota’s character provides that “safety” to his clients, who can make their payments in instalments of no less than 1 million yen (~$12,000 USD). After the purchase goes through, he investigates his customers’ lives, and using relationship psychology, suggests the perfect time for them to confess their love.
Introducing the concept of a “risk-free love”, the show exposes the fragility of the human soul through a combination of romance and mystery.
Shirota Yu revealed that in order for him to encourage himself, he would say, “Honestly, I feel a lot of pressure. But since I’m the “chairman” [the lead role], I will do my best to honor that title.”
Shirota Yu made his acting debut in 2003 through the musical “Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon,” and gained the media’s attention in 2007 for his pretty-boy role in “Hanazakari no Kimitachi e~Ikemen Paradise~“. His big break came after he played a delinquent high school student in the 2008 TBS drama, “ROOKIES”.
Still, though he’s played several characters throughout his career, they were all secondary or supporting roles. Yu was finally able to land that long-awaited starring role through this upcoming Spring drama. “All my life, I never thought I would be playing the lead role in a serial drama,” he confessed.
Actress Fukuda Saki will play Shirota’s sidekick, a college student who works part-time at a shrine. The manager and creator of the “Heartbreak Insurance” plan is the shrine’s gay head priest, played by Furuta Arata.
The drama will become the first in a series of mysteries shows aired during Fuji TV’s new “Wednesday Mystery Theater” time slot, and the script will be written by Yamazaki Junya. Yamazaki has previously produced similar works which feature a main character that psychologically analyzes people, including “Oogon no Buta – Kaikei Kensachou Tokubetsu Chousaka” and “Kiina – Fukanou Hanzai Sousakan“.
With its fresh new set-up, the drama is sure to turn heads when it airs its pilot episode on April 7th.
Eita to star in live-action “Wild 7”
On Friday, Warner Bros. Japan announced that actor Eita will star in a live-action film adaptation of Mikiya Mochizuki’s police action manga Wild 7 which will be directed by Eiichiro Hasumi (Umizaru).
Originally serialized in Weekly Shonen King from 1969-1979, the manga revolved around a motorcycle-riding team of 7 reformed thugs and ex-cons brought together by the National Police Agency to combat dangerous armed criminals and terrorists. In the film version, Eita will play Hiba Dairoku, the leader of the team who also happens to be the youngest. He’s described as being extremely tough, yet charismatic.
Due to the emphasis on motorcycle action in the film, a level of riding proficiency was obviously an important condition for the Wild 7 team. Luckily, Eita has a large-class motorcycle license, making his casting a bit of a coup.
Director Hasumi, who’s earned a reputation in Japan for creating “Hollywood-like” movies, claims his goal for this film is to deliver thrilling, large-scale action entertainment while respecting the original work and for Eita to play a strong new kind of hero that will surprise the audience.
To that end, Hasumi has spent the better part of a year working on the script in the hopes that it will live up to expectations.
Those expectations were not lost on producer Shuji Abe, who said, “Although the manga was extremely popular, there’s now been a gap of around 40 years. The story must be constructed in a way that matches modern times.”
You can expect this one to have a decidedly Hollywood feel to it—with gritty antiheroes, lots of action, and CG effects. Filming is set to begin in March.
@ANN, Cinema Today, Tokyograph, NipponCinema
Ashida Mana to star in her first drama next season!!
little under a month ago it was announced that child actress Ashida Mana (6) was going to become the youngest lead star in Japanese drama history. Back then we were reporting about her upcoming drama special “Sayonara Bokutachi no Youchien” (NTV), but who knew that the same headline could be used yet again in such a short time.
Fuji TV has revealed that the young gifted actress is going to star in their spring drama called “Marumo no okite” together with veteran actor Abe Sadao (40).
“I’ll be able to learn a lot about acting from Abe,” Ashida commented all mature yet with a slightly ashamed smile.
“Marumo no okite” is going to be a fantasy family drama about a single male called Mamoru (Abe) who suddenly gets approached with the request to take in the six year-old young twins of a very close friend that had died. On top of that he is going to have to deal with the pet dog, a 10 month-old Miniature Schnauzer, the twins brought along with them. He is not an ordinary dog, as he is able to communicate with humans. Now Marumo, a nickname given to Mamoru by the twins, has the great burden of feeding the two mischievous twins as well as a speaking dog.
Despite being twins, Ashida’s character is going to be more like an reliable older sister who watches over her younger brother. She commented, “I’m very excited to star in my first drama and I was very happy when I heart that I am going to work together with such a great senior as Abe. I will work hard while learning from him.”
SP movie (starring Okada Junichi ) might get Hollywood makeover
Hollywood film companies are in talks with Fuji TV to see if a remake of Junichi Okada’s “SP movie” would be possible, it was revealed at the movie’s preview event in Tokyo on February 24, reports Mainichi Shimbun Digital and Ticket Pia news.
The V6 pop star and the cast of “SP THE MOTION PICTURE 革命篇 (Kakumei volume, Revolution volume)” had appeared at the event, where more than 4000 fans had gathered to hear the latest news.
“I thought it was amazing. What’s going to happen. Are they going to replace ‘SP’ with ‘Secret Service’ or something. I’m really curious to know who would play what characters,” Okada said.
It has been reported the 30-year-old pop star said if a deal is sealed, he hopes Hollywood film makers would choose SP’s original Japanese script writer and director to head the project.
But putting the news aside, Okada had said he was too excited about the Japanese film’s release next month.
“We worked really hard to finish SP’s Revolution movie. All of us had to overcome our own challenges. I was so nervous yesterday that I couldn’t get to sleep. I wonder what I’ll be like on the day,” he said.
The upcoming SP movie will mark an end to the story’s drama series and its first movie which opened in cinemas last October.
“Thank you so much for staying with us to the end.
“Now finally, everything will become clear,” Okada told yesterday’s crowd.
“SP THE MOTION PICTURE 革命篇 (Kakumei volume, Revolution volume)” opens in theatres in Japan on March 12.
Kato Seishiro becomes a teacher for SoftBank Mobile
Popular child actor Kato Seishiro (9) will be making his first appearance in a new SoftBank Mobile commercial. He will be taking on the role of a teacher in the popular “Shiratoke” commercial series. Following Gattsu Ishimatsu’s appearance as another teacher, seeing Kato Seishiro’s role will be interesting.
The commercial will feature a class being taught outdoors, where viewers can see beautiful blue skies and scenery. There, Kato Seishiro will come out in a white lab coat, and he will preach some words of wisdom by saying, “They bring you up but suddenly bring you down” or “The higher they bring you up, the larger the drop.”
Although this was his first attempt at a teaching role, Kato Seishiro performed his role with such wit that it surprised many people. He also ad-libbed some lines, such as, “You got it?” or “Do you understand?”, role playing as a teacher who is being strict and critical to the students. Speaking of the students, those in the class include Takei Emi and Matsuko Deluxe.
When asked how he felt about his role as a teacher, Kato Seishiro replied with a smile, saying, “I think I understand a little bit of what it means to be a teacher now.” He also commented about the white dog, who is the father in the commercial series, saying, “I’ve met him once before, but that time I couldn’t really get to interact with him, but this time I was able to. He’s so cute! I had a lot of fun!”
The new SoftBank Mobile commercial featuring Kato Seishiro will start airing on February 26th.
GLAY to cover Oasis song “Don’t Look Back In Anger” over the radio
In order to promote their upcoming concept compilation albums, “rare collectives vol.3″ and “rare collectives vol.4″, rock band GLAY will be singing their own rendition of the famous Oasis song, “Don’t Look Back in Anger”!
The popular song is included on GLAY’s album, “rare collectives vol.4″, and has special meaning to band member TAKURO, who greatly respects the English rock band’s lead guitarist and vocalist, Noel Gallagher, for his songwriting skills.
TAKURO has been a big fan of Oasis since they made their debut in 1991, and when the band split up due to a backstage incident eleven years ago, the GLAY member is said to have commented, “They broke up from a fight between brothers (Noel and Liam), but I’d love to see Noel play on stage with Oasis one more time.”
From February 28th until March 1st, GLAY will perform the song live on national radio stations, leading up to the release of their albums on March 9th.
What is your favorite commercially successful Japanese movie of 2010?
2010 was quite a successful year for Japanese cinemas and distributors, as the total box office revenue of all Japanese and foreign movies opening in Japan increased by 7.1% and came out to over 2.6 billion USD.
Unfortunately, Hollywood was able to completely occupy the top 3 with “Avatar“, “Alice in Wonderland“, and “Toy Story 3“, but fans of Japanese movies don’t have to worry. Japanese movies were responsible for 53.6% of the total box office revenue, and therefore managed to exceed foreign movies for the third consecutive year.
Ticket sales is one thing, but what about the satisfaction? The mobile portal of goo/NTT DoCoMo has asked their users to give them their opinion, and they made a poll to determine which of the 10 most successful Japanese movies of 2010 were received with the most positive feedback.
Check out the results below!
What is your favorite out of the 10 most successful Japanese movies of 2010?
01 – 14,198 votes – Haven’t seen any of them.
02 – 6,771 votes – THE LAST MESSAGE: Umizaru (97 million USD)
03 – 3,947 votes – Nodame Cantabile The Movie II (45 million USD)*
04 – 3,617 votes – Bayside Shakedown 3 (88 million USD)
05 – 3,577 votes – SP: The Motion Picture (44 million USD)
06 – 3,351 votes – Kokuhaku (46 million USD)
07 – 2,737 votes – Detective Conan: The Lost Ship in the Sky (39 million USD)
08 – 2,532 votes – The Borrower Arrietty (112 million USD)
09 – 1,686 votes – SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO**
10 – 543 votes – Pokémon Diamond and Pearl: Phantom Ruler Zoroark (50 million USD)
11 – 298 votes – Doraemon: Nobita’s Great Battle of the Mermaid King (38 million USD)
* Together with the first movie, “Nodame Cantabile” films made a total of 94 million USD.
** SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO just opened in December and therefore is not even anywhere near the top 30.
*** Somehow they failed to include the “One Piece” film (58 million USD).
Who is Johnny Entertainment’s best actor?
First and foremost, Johnny’s Entertainment is known for producing male idols, and while many have tried to make a name for themselves as an actor, only a few are actually competing in the same league as full-fledged actors.
This year, Ikuta Toma, one of the very few talents within the agency who are solely focusing on acting, was the first Johnny’s talent to win an acting award in the 54 year-long history of the “Blue Ribbon Awards“.
Is Ikuta just one single shimmering light of hope among countless of cringeworthy idols-turned-actors? No. There are a few more Johnny’s talents that can actually act, and the mobile portal of goo/NTT DoCoMo have asked their users which of them have been delivering the best acting performances so far.
You can tell by the number of votes that it was a very popular poll, but can you guess who won? Scroll down and find out whether the actual results prove you right.
Who is the best actor in Johnny’s?
01 – 29,828 votes – Ninomiya Kazunari
02 – 11,266 votes – Kusanagi Tsuyoshi
03 – 10,054 votes – Ikuta Toma
04 – 6,142 votes – Kimura Takuya
05 – 4,662 votes – Okada Junichi
06 – 3,060 votes – Nishikido Ryo
07 – 2,004 votes – Yamashita Tomohisa
08 – 1,976 votes – Matsumoto Jun
09 – 1,391 votes – Nagase Tomoya
10 – 1,148 votes – Nakai Masahiro
Horikita Maki stars in home drama “Umareru” with Okura Tadayoshi, Nakajima Kento
Actress Horikita Maki (22) is confirmed to star in a new TBS drama series titled “Umareru” this spring. Her supporting cast will include Tanaka Misako (51), Kanjani8 member Okura Tadayoshi (25), and Johnny's Jr. member Nakajima Kento (16).
Horikita plays the eldest of four siblings. One day, their 51-year-old mother informs them that she is pregnant, upsetting the balance of their home and threatening to expose a long-hidden family secret. The expecting mother will be played by Tanaka, who previously had an opposite role in the teen pregnancy drama “14 Sai no Haha.”
Okura will play the oldest son of the family, and Nakajima will play the second son. Miyake Yuji (59) has been cast as the father.
Screenwriter Suzuki Osamu, who is better known for variety shows like “SMAP x SMAP,” is in charge of the script. Kaneko Fuminori (“SPEC,” “Unubore Deka”) will direct, while Suzuki Sanae (“GM: Odore Doctor”) will produce.
TBS has scheduled the show for Fridays at 10:00pm, beginning in April.
Press conference held for “Hankyu Densha”, starring Nakatani Miki and Toda Erika
The cast of the upcoming movie “Hankyu Densha“, including Nakatani Miki, Toda Erika, Miyamoto Nobuko, Mina Mikaho, and Ashida Mana, appeared at a press conference at The Ritz-Carlton in Tokyo today.
As announced back in August, the film will revolve around a group of stories that focus on the lives of passengers on the Hankyu Train. The story of Nakatani’s and Toda’s characters will work as the central theme.
Nakatani plays an OL (office lady) named Sachiko, who has had her fiancé stolen by a co-worker. She boards the train while wearing a wedding dress and an expression as if she could start crying any second. Prior to boarding the train, she tried to crash the marriage ceremony of said co-worker and her ex-boyfriend, but unfortunately she was thrown out of the ceremony. Meanwhile, Toda plays a college student named Misa who is being bothered by a violent boyfriend.
Nakatani spoke a bit about her role, “I think it’s a character that actually put something into practice many other women with a similar experience were only able to imagine. People always told me that I shouldn’t become an actress, but I believed that this is exactly what I wanted to be.” About marriage, she added, “I don’t want to live an eccentric life like Sachiko. I prefer a modest life. Like many others, I just want to live a simple and ordinary life.”
Toda also commented on her role, saying, “I think there are a lot of women out there who suffer from a similar experience to that of Misa. There is something really important I’d like to convey through her character, and I hope that everyone will be able to see what I mean.” Regarding Nakatani, she added, “I’ve been looking up to her since I was a child. It was truly amazing that I was finally able to get to know her in person. I’ve learned a lot from her, and I definitely want to keep on studying under her from now. Please teach me many more things.”
Miyamoto Nobuko is playing a detestable old woman, whereas Ashida Mana is going to act as her suffering granddaughter. Mina Mikaho is a housewife, and part of a circle of women who have a rich husband. Furthermore, there are going to be high school students, otakus, and many more individual characters boarding the train together with their individual stories.
“Hankyu Densha” will open in the Kansai region on April 23rd. A nationwide release is scheduled for April 29th.
Sekiguchi Hiroshi continues hosting duties with “Tokyo Friend Park II” replacement
Broadcaster TBS has finalized its replacement for the show “Tokyo Friend Park II,” which will be ending its 18-year run this March. Although the new show will be very different in content, at least one thing will be the same – talento Sekiguchi Hiroshi (67) will continue on as the host.
Sekiguchi has been a constant in TBS’s Monday 7:00pm time slot for the past 32 years. He hosted “Quiz 100 Nin ni Kikimashita” from April 1979 to September 1992, and that was replaced by “Sekiguchi Hiroshi no Tokyo Friend Park,” the predecessor to the current “Tokyo Friend Park II.”
This time, Sekiguchi will be joined by co-host Matsushima Nahomi (39) of the comedy duo Othello.
The new show is called “Seiki no Wide Show! The Konya wa History” and will begin its run on April 18. The program will have Sekiguchi “traveling through time” to important dates in history and conducting a talk show about the events of those dates. Sekiguchi will also cover the food, the fashion, and other aspects of the time periods he finds himself in.
Okada Masaki & Eikura Nana cast in Zeze Takahisa’s next film, “Antoki no Inochi”
It has just been announced that Okada Masaki and Eikura Nana are going to star in Zeze Takahisa’s next film, called “Antoki no Inochi“, which is based on a novel by singer and novelist Sada Masashi.
Both Okada and Eikura will have to tackle roles with a complicated past. Nagashima Kyohei (Okada) is currently working for a small company whose job it is look through and sort or dispose of the articles of the deceased. An incident during his senior high school days caused him to lock up his heart, but he happens to meet a young woman named Kubota Yuki (Eikura) and is immediately drawn to her. She is helping him with his work, and step by step he is becoming able to open up to her, until one day when he learns about her shocking past.
While facing the tragic fates and deaths of completely unrelated people, the movie aims to bring us closer to the true meaning of life.
Okada’s thoughts about his role, “I’m playing Nagashima Kyohei, a young man suffering from a trauma and with a lot of pain his heart. I’ve never played such a role before, but this just encourages me to work even harder.”
Eikura is already attached to the story and said, “It is about being alive, it is about being influenced by society. It is showing how, every day, we are trying to look for answers to our own questions. Being from the same generation as the characters, it is quite an intriguing story to me.”
Director Zeze has just won two awards at the “61st Berlin International Film Festival” with his 4 hour 36 minute long masterpiece, “Heaven’s Story“, and is looking to deliver yet another unique film with “Antoki no Inochi”.
The filming is set to begin in March and will likely last until the end of April. A cinematic release is planned for the Fall of 2011.
Haha, I understand. Sorry for being to accusatory. (is that a word?) lol. I wish you happiness either way. 
Mitsushima Hikari added to the cast of Ashida Mana’s first starring special drama
Today, it has been announced that actress Mitsushima Hikari is going to play a kindergarten teacher in “Sayonara Bokutachi no Youchien” (NTV), the upcoming special drama starring child actress Ashida Mana, who is going to become the youngest ever drama starring actress in the history of Japanese TV.
The special drama will be about five kids who are about to graduate from the kindergarten. Mitsushima will act as their restrained kindergarten teacher who has completely shut away her heart, so much so that she even lost the ability to love herself anymore. The title of the drama was named after a song which has been sung by kids at the graduation ceremony at kindergartens, and at the end of the drama, the children will sing the chorus to the song.
At the recent “34 Japan Academy Awards“, Mitsushima won an “Excellent” award for her performance in “Akunin“, whereas Ashida already got herself a “Rookie of the Year” award for her role in “Ghost“. What could possibly go wrong with two such amazing award-winning actresses in one drama?!
Mitsushima commented about Ashida, “Ashida-can is so incredibly cute and smart. Every day at the set was like a blessing for me thanks to her.”
The production of the special drama will be handled by the same staff who made the popular drama “Mother” that turned out to be Ashida’s big breakthrough. While it was a no-brainer for them to keep on working with the incredible Ashida, the producers have also revealed that they’ve been getting on the nerves of Mitsushima’s agency since June of last year to get her to sign on for the role of this special drama.
The director said of Mitsushima, “I could feel a truly deep and honest affection from Mitsushima towards Ashida Mana and the other children. When this girl is starting to act, she switches to a whole different world – Mitsushima’s world. The difference between her actual self and the time when she is acting is so huge that it easily makes her the most fascinating of all actresses these days.”
The much-anticipated drama special is going to air at 9 PM on March 30th.
Nishikido Ryo to be the lead star for upcoming drama series with Mizukawa Asami!!
Kanjani8/NEWS member Nishikido Ryo will be the lead star for upcoming drama series, “Inu wo Kau to iukoto ~Sky to Wagaya no 180 nichi~“, which will start in April on TV Asahi (Every Friday at 11:15 PM).
In the drama, Nishikido will play as a father of two kids, while Mizukawa Asami plays his wife.
It will be a home drama in which Yuji (Nishikido) lives at the foot of the Tokyo Sky Tree. Yuji has been feeling his pent-up discontent toward his job, and his relationship with his wife has also not been well. However, the family’s relationship starts changing after they find a stray dog named “Sky Tree.”
This will be the first time that Nishikido will play the role of a father, and he said with deep emotion thinking about his own father, “My father already had three kids when he was 26 years old, which is the same age as me now. I have finally reached the age.”
Nishikido also said, “It is said that shooting with an animal and kids is quite hard, but I think we can do it! Moreover, I have Mizukawa-san, who I have co-starred with several times before, and who I’m comfortable in talking to. So I don’t feel any anxiety toward this work.”
Shirota Yu to make singing debut as “U”
Actor Shirota Yu (25) is set to make his debut as a singer this spring. He will go by the artist name U, and on May 4 he will release the self-titled single “U” under record label Avex.
Shirota himself composed and wrote the three songs on the single, which are R&B tunes titled “Sisyphus,” “Heart of glass,” and “U.”
Shirota began playing the keyboard during elementary school due to his older sister’s influence. Since his early teens, he had had an interest in creating his own songs, and he has now finally achieved that goal.
The songs are said to already be available digitally in 19 countries in Europe. In Japan, “Sisyphus” will be available as a chaku-uta ringtone starting on February 23, and Shirota will perform at an event scheduled on February 28 in Kawasaki.
The cast of “Manzai Gang” talk about the love-life of an entertainer and Sato Ryuta’s sense of comed
As hinted above, Ishihara is playing the girlfriend of the unpopular comedian Tobio, played by Sato. At the talk session the cast discussed whether they would like to have Ishihara or another fellow entertainer as their actual girlfriend in real life.
In a recent variety show, Ayabe and some of his colleagues chose Ishihara as their favorite woman, especially because of her great sense of comedy. He stated, “Every entertainer is working hard to pursue his or her dream. It would be nice to have an understanding girlfriend like her.” Sato started to like his idea and joined his side in the discussion.
Meanwhile director Shinagawa countered with a strong statement and said, “I hope she will never go out with an entertainer.” He continued, “For example, if Ayabe and Ishihara were to go out with each other, I would start to dislike her, even if she’s my junior. She should go out with ordinary people such as a carpenter or a baker.” Of course they were just making fun of each other.
Kamiji agreed with him and said, “Both of us would have a really busy schedule, so it would be difficult to have a good relationship.”
Another topic discussed was whether Sato would be fit to be a genuine comedian. Ayabe gave him his stamp of approval. He said, “His passion regarding comedy is similar to ours.” Nishidai disagreed, “Nah, he is too serious.”
Director Shinagawa actually criticized Sato as well stating, “He might not be fit to be a comedian… It can be good to be serious when telling jokes, but he might be too serious.”
Sato was confused and asked, “How can YOU say I’m not suited for comedy after casting me for the movie?!” Shinagawa turned away and mumbled, “He is amazing when it comes to comic dialogue (manzai), but this is a movie where you have to act out a role. In reality this kid is just way too serious.”
The audience was already laughing hard before the movie even started.
“Manzai Gang” will open in cinemas on March 19th.
UVERworld reveals details on upcoming single, “MONDO PIECE”
Fusion band UVERworld has just unveiled new information about their upcoming single, “MONDO PIECE”!
The song “MONDO PIECE” was introduced to fans as the “end theme” of the band’s Tokyo Dome concert back in November, but the fan response to the song was so high that it was turned into a single.
When asked about their decision to make the song an official CD release, guitarist Katsuya replied, “At first, since we had made the song thinking of it only as an end roll to the Tokyo Dome concert, we hadn’t thought at all about making it into a CD. But we felt so moved by (the reaction of the fans) on the wings of the stage, that this time there were no objections to making it a CD.”
“MONDO PIECE” will be released on March 23rd and comes in two separate editions: a limited ‘CD+DVD’ version and a regular ‘CD-only’ version. The DVD included in the limited edition will feature footage from the band’s secret live in Shibuya just prior to their performance at the Tokyo Dome.
Take a look at the official track list for the single below!
< CD Track List >
01. MONDO PIECE
02. Panic World
03. Chomimouryou Match
Why JPA did not accept me to delete the post of MYSELF TT^TT?
well, but I don't have time and do not addict JPA enough to be responsible as a staff member.
I'm the one who like to "download" than listen + watch offline on my computer instead of seeing them on any stream site.
I'd like "quality" more than "speed" too. 
I even don't like the old rule that doesn't accept sharing a MV/PV for a digital single (that doesn't have buying link in Yesasia and CDjapan). Some of them are really good to see and hear.
In the end, now I'm back to my old hobby for English song instead of the one with language I cannot understand. I'm too lazy to find the lyrics and its translation (even it is my favorite artists)
@renix: well there's no reason to hate on just one group... picking AKB48 out is kinda rude you know.
I do not have any attention to any girl group . Besides, I hate the style "moe" so it is easy for me to dislike AKB48 or Scandal.
I will not try to say any bad word on them but I cannot deny that I dislike them. Dislike is not the same with hate, in my point of view, though.
