"Purple Line," the newest single by boy band TVXQ (aka Tohoshinki), sold roughly 40,000 copies in its initial week to take #1 on the charts. This makes TVXQ the first foreign male singers to top the charts. (Four female artists have achieved this before: BoA, Ouyang Feifei, Judy Ongg, and Agnes Chan.)

Acid Black Cherry and Perfume were not far behind, ranking in at #2 and #3. Except for #5, the rest of the Top 10 were new releases: WaT, GReeeeN, BEAT CRUSADERS, Yuna Ito & Celine Dion, Natsumi Abe & Maimi Yajima, and Miyavi.

The albums chart saw much more impressive sales, with Bank Band at #1 after selling 176,000 copies of "Soushi Souai 2." This finally bumped Kobukuro down to #2, but "5296" still sold enough to push the album over the million mark. Meanwhile, UVERworld's "PROGLUTION" came in at #3 with 101,000 in sales.

On Tuesday, the winners were announced for the 50th Blue Ribbon Awards, which are decided annually by critics from seven of Tokyo's major sports newspapers. The presentation ceremony will take place on February 12.

Yuichi Sato's "Kisaragi" took Best Film, but Masayuki Suo won Best Director with "Soredemo Boku wa Yattenai." Suo's movie also earned Best Actor for Ryo Kase.

Kumiko Aso was given Best Actress for her performance in "Yunagi no Machi, Sakura no Kuni." Best Supporting Actor and Actress went to Tomokazu Miura ("The Matsugane Potshot Affair," "Tenten") and Hiromi Nagasaku ("Funuke Domo, Kanashimi no Ai wo Misero"), respectively.

Yui Aragaki was awarded Best Newcomer, recognized for her lead roles in "Koisuru Madori," "Waruboro," and "Koizora."

"Dreamgirls" was named Best Foreign Film. A special award has been set aside for the late actor Hitoshi Ueki.

The organizers have also put together a "best 10" list (in alphabetical order):

Ahiru to Kamo no Coin Locker
Funuke Domo, Kanashimi no Ai wo Misero
Houtai Club
Kisaragi
Maiko Haaaan!!!
Megane
Shaberedomo Shaberedomo
Soredemo Boku wa Yattenai
Tennen Kokekko
Yunagi no Machi, Sakura no Kuni

Foreign films:

Babel
Blood Diamond
The Bourne Ultimatum
The Departed
Dreamgirls
The Good Shepherd
Hairspray
The Queen
Sicko
Volver

Fuji TV is broadcasting a drama special titled "Egao wo Kureta Kimi ~Joi to Doukeshi no Chousen~" on March 14. Takako Tokiwa stars as a doctor at a children's hospital who works with a clown (Hiroyuki Miyasako) to give the young patients courage. Pinko Izumi will play a chief nurse at the hospital.

The story is inspired by the real-life volunteer worker "Clown K," whose real name is Kosuke Omune.

According to Anime News Network, two male-oriented manga series are being adapted as television dramas - Ataru Cagiva's "Mitsurugi Haruka Kiki Ippatsu!" and Takeru Nagayoshi's "Sumire Sixteen!!"

"Mitsurugi Haruka" is an action series that involves a "samurai girl who maintains the peace on her campus." Zen Pictures is producing the 4-episode series, which will air on Tokyo MX at 2:00am on Friday nights. The show premieres on March 7.

"Sumire Sixteen!!" is a high school comedy about a young girl who is really a puppet controlled by a ventriloquist. Details about the drama version are expected to be revealed next month.

Masahiko Tsugawa's third film as a director will be "Asahiyama Doubutsuen Monogatari," a documentary-style story about the Asahiyama Zoo.

Once on the verge of closure, the zoo was transformed into the most popular zoo in Japan. Its history has previously been captured in literature and on television, but this will be the first attempt at a movie. Tsugawa actually appeared in the two Fuji TV drama specials on the subject (in 2006 and 2007).

Filming is scheduled to last for two and a half months, starting on February 3. It will be shot at several zoos, including Asahiyama. The movie is scheduled for release in spring 2009.

Toshiyuki Nishida will play the lead role. The supporting cast includes Yasuhi Nakamura, Ittoku Kishibe, Hiroyuki Nagato (who happens to be Tsugawa's brother), Takashi Sasano, Akira Emoto, and Ai Maeda.

Critic and former NHK announcer Shuichi Fujikura died of heart failure on January 11, it was reported on Tuesday. He was 93.

Fujikura joined NHK in 1940, and in 1946 he became an interviewer for the radio program "Gaito Rokuon." He hosted several television shows such as "Nijuu no Tobira," and served as the White Team host during the 1st and 2nd Kohaku Uta Gassen in 1951 and 1952.

Fujikura retired from NHK in 1970 but continued to appear on television and trained new announcers.