The 2007 SPACE SHOWER Music Video Awards were held on Saturday at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo. Mr.Children took the top prize of Best Video of the Year with their song "Shirushi." They previously won the award in 2004 with "Kurumi."

Ken Hirai and AI won Best Male Video and Best Female Video, respectively. In the Best Your Choice category, fans voted for Remioromen's "Stand By Me."

The full list of winners will be posted in the forums.

Kentaro Kobuchi of popular duo Kobukuro has taken on the role of producer for the debut of 15-year-old singer Mitsuki Takahata. He has written and produced music for other artists before, such as Rimi Natsukawa, but this is his first time producing a new artist.

Takahata is from Osaka, like Kobuchi. She graduated from middle school this month, and will be moving to Tokyo for high school. She is currently active as an actress, and has appeared in a musical before.

At the end of last year, Kobuchi listened to her demo tape, and immediately wanted to be her producer.

Takahata is scheduled to release her first single, "Taisetsu na Mono," on June 20, under the artist name "Mitsuki." The song will be used as the theme for the movie "Dolphin Blue ~Fuji, Mou Ichido Sora e~," which opens in theaters this summer. Takahata will also make her screen debut in that film, co-starring with Kenichi Matsuyama.

Following on the heels of the previous report about the Tokyo Anime Awards winners, it has been announced that the Animation of the Year Award will go to Mamoru Hosoda's "Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo." In addition to this honor, staff for the critically acclaimed movie earned five individual awards, from Best Director to Best Character Design.

Hisayoshi Omote, the younger brother of actor Mokomichi Hayami, will be making his debut in the entertainment industry. He has been appointed as the image character of the Soukei-Gaigo Zeminar cram schools, and will appear in posters and commercials.

The 17-year-old Omote is currently in his second year of high school. Although he has done modeling before, this is his first full-fledged activity in the world of show business. He also said that he wants to try becoming an actor.

Actress Mari Nishio is currently six months pregnant, and is expected to deliver in July. The news was reported on the blog of her friend, actress Rie Tomosaka.

Nishio married her husband, who works in stage lighting, in November 2005.

Popular singer Kumi Koda appears in a new commercial for Toshiba's Softbank 911T phone. Koda's new single, "BUT," is the tie-in song. The commercial began airing on Saturday.

Actor Joe Odagiri has been appointed as the commercial character for Kirin Brewery Company's new product, Kirin the Gold, which goes on sale on the 20th. The commercial begins airing in June.