Tue, January 29, 2008 (5:22pm EST)
Actress Kou Shibasaki has scheduled a simultaneous release of two best albums on March 12. Shibasaki made her singing debut in 2002 with "Trust my feelings" and has so far released 15 singles and 3 original albums.
"Single Best" will be a complete collection of her published singles, including "Tsuki no Shizuku" (released under the name RUI) and her most recent "KISS Shite" (a collaboration with Masaharu Fukuyama released under the name KOH+). The 15 songs have sold a total of approximately 4 million copies.
The second release, "The Back Best," will consist of B-sides and other songs from her previous albums.
Shibasaki held her first two live performances last August. She is currently considering more concerts for this summer.
"Single Best" will be a complete collection of her published singles, including "Tsuki no Shizuku" (released under the name RUI) and her most recent "KISS Shite" (a collaboration with Masaharu Fukuyama released under the name KOH+). The 15 songs have sold a total of approximately 4 million copies.
The second release, "The Back Best," will consist of B-sides and other songs from her previous albums.
Shibasaki held her first two live performances last August. She is currently considering more concerts for this summer.
Tue, January 29, 2008 (4:19pm EST)
Young actor Takashi Tsukamoto has been given his first starring movie role since he married last May and entered fatherhood. The film is titled "Yesterdays" and is being directed by Takashi Kubota. It is the first project planned and produced by management agency Sun Music, which launched its film production operations last year.
Tsukamoto plays a young man who learns that his estranged father (Jun Kunimura) has only three months left to live. He agrees to take on his father's last request - to find his former lover. In his search, he encounters a "time slip" and meets his father as a young man (Asahi Uchida), eventually gaining an understanding of his father's heart.
The supporting cast includes Noriko Sakai, Cunning Takeyama, Hiroshi, and Jun Fubuki. Filming is already under way and will be completed in time for a fall release.
Tsukamoto plays a young man who learns that his estranged father (Jun Kunimura) has only three months left to live. He agrees to take on his father's last request - to find his former lover. In his search, he encounters a "time slip" and meets his father as a young man (Asahi Uchida), eventually gaining an understanding of his father's heart.
The supporting cast includes Noriko Sakai, Cunning Takeyama, Hiroshi, and Jun Fubuki. Filming is already under way and will be completed in time for a fall release.
Tue, January 29, 2008 (3:41pm EST)
Actor Naohito Fujiki and comedian Mihoko Abukawa have been announced as part of the main cast in Fuji TV's drama special "Ware wa Gogh ni Naru!" The production was revealed earlier this month, and it stars Hitori Gekidan and Yu Kashii as the famous woodblock artist Shiko Munakata and his wife.
Fujiki and Abukawa will play a couple who are friends with Munakata, though they become jealous of Munakata's talent.
The special was previously announced for broadcast this coming summer, but it is now being advertised for fall.
Fujiki and Abukawa will play a couple who are friends with Munakata, though they become jealous of Munakata's talent.
The special was previously announced for broadcast this coming summer, but it is now being advertised for fall.
Tue, January 29, 2008 (3:30pm EST)
Toshiba has produced a new commercial tie-in with the "Kurosagi" movie, which opens on March 8. The TV commercial, promoting Toshiba's notebook computers, will feature scenes from the movie, while additional narration will be provided by Toshiba employees. It begins airing on the 30th.
Promotional flyers have also been made by the same collaboration. The two sides will carry the same design, featuring the film's star Tomohisa Yamashita, though one side will say "Kurosagi" while the other says "Toshiba."
Promotional flyers have also been made by the same collaboration. The two sides will carry the same design, featuring the film's star Tomohisa Yamashita, though one side will say "Kurosagi" while the other says "Toshiba."
