Mon, April 23, 2007 (6:55pm EDT)
Actress Chihiro Otsuka will make her singing debut this summer. Her first single, called "Koi Hanabi," is scheduled for release on July 18. It will be coupled with a song called "Milk Tea."
Otsuka broke into the entertainment industry when she won the judges' prize at the 2000 Toho Cinderella Audition, the same audition that launched Masami Nagasawa's career.
Otsuka broke into the entertainment industry when she won the judges' prize at the 2000 Toho Cinderella Audition, the same audition that launched Masami Nagasawa's career.
Mon, April 23, 2007 (6:41pm EDT)
Actress Takako Tokiwa has been given her first starring role in a television drama in four years. The show is a drama special scheduled for June on TV Asahi. It is titled "Gyokuran," based on the novel of the same name by Naoki Prize-winning author Natsuo Kirino.
Tokiwa stars as a woman frustrated with her life after breaking up with her boyfriend (Michitaka Tsutsui). Looking for a new start, she leaves for China. While there, she encounters the ghost of her uncle (Kazushige Nagashima), who disappeared 80 years earlier. The drama blends the past and the present as it depicts two separate stories of love.
The cast includes Atsuko Asano, Miyako Yamaguchi, Ikkei Watanabe, Tomoharu Hasegawa, and Mayu Gamo.
Tokiwa stars as a woman frustrated with her life after breaking up with her boyfriend (Michitaka Tsutsui). Looking for a new start, she leaves for China. While there, she encounters the ghost of her uncle (Kazushige Nagashima), who disappeared 80 years earlier. The drama blends the past and the present as it depicts two separate stories of love.
The cast includes Atsuko Asano, Miyako Yamaguchi, Ikkei Watanabe, Tomoharu Hasegawa, and Mayu Gamo.
Mon, April 23, 2007 (6:03pm EDT)
According to the latest issue of Shukan Asahi, the relationship between actress Miki Mizuno and actor Yukiya Kitamura has been over for several months.
The two started dating last summer, and their relationship was discovered in October when pictures from Kitamura's lost cell phone were published. They both confirmed the relationship, and many people believed it wouldn't be long before they tied the knot.
On the contrary, the magazine reports that they quietly broke up not long after the pictures went public. The cause of their separation is unknown, however. Both of their agencies had no comment.
The two started dating last summer, and their relationship was discovered in October when pictures from Kitamura's lost cell phone were published. They both confirmed the relationship, and many people believed it wouldn't be long before they tied the knot.
On the contrary, the magazine reports that they quietly broke up not long after the pictures went public. The cause of their separation is unknown, however. Both of their agencies had no comment.
Mon, April 23, 2007 (5:34pm EDT)
Johnny's Jimusho had another big week in music. Tackey & Tsubasa took the top spot with their eighth single, "X ~Dame~ / Crazy Rainbow," selling about 66,000 copies. Meanwhile, KAT-TUN's second album, "cartoon KAT-TUN II You," led the albums chart with 271,000 copies sold.
All of KAT-TUN's releases so far (three singles, two albums, and five DVDs) have been at the top of the charts. No other artist before them has had their first ten releases all reach #1. They are also the first male artists to have their first two albums reach #1 since CHEMISTRY in 2003.
All of KAT-TUN's releases so far (three singles, two albums, and five DVDs) have been at the top of the charts. No other artist before them has had their first ten releases all reach #1. They are also the first male artists to have their first two albums reach #1 since CHEMISTRY in 2003.
Mon, April 23, 2007 (5:15am EDT)
Ritsuko Tanaka, who has been an actress for twenty years, has been given her first starring role in a drama series. The series, titled "Kodomo no Jijou," will air on weekdays at 1:30pm on TBS, starting on July 2.
The drama focuses on the bonds of family and the meaning of modern happiness by comparing two households of different economic status. Tanaka will play a housewife married to a ramen shop manager (Shingo Yanagisawa).
Hiromi Nakajima, David Ito, and Tenka Hashimoto also appear in the series.
The drama focuses on the bonds of family and the meaning of modern happiness by comparing two households of different economic status. Tanaka will play a housewife married to a ramen shop manager (Shingo Yanagisawa).
Hiromi Nakajima, David Ito, and Tenka Hashimoto also appear in the series.
Mon, April 23, 2007 (4:29am EDT)
Actress Norika Fujiwara will appear in a new commercial for the Miss Paris esthetic salon and school. The commercial begins airing on the 28th.
Mon, April 23, 2007 (4:24am EDT)
Hello! Project's futsal team, Gatas Brilhantes H.P., has left the Sphere League and will be part of a new futsal league.
The newly created Skylark Group League is being called the "futsal league for working ladies," since its players are all working women. Aside from Gatas Brilhantes H.P., three other teams are currently participating. One is Samurai Crew, formed from JAL flight crew members. The other two teams are affiliated with Shiseido and Adidas.
The newly created Skylark Group League is being called the "futsal league for working ladies," since its players are all working women. Aside from Gatas Brilhantes H.P., three other teams are currently participating. One is Samurai Crew, formed from JAL flight crew members. The other two teams are affiliated with Shiseido and Adidas.
