Thu, March 13, 2008 (6:34pm EDT)
Singer Mitsuko Sawamura (real name Mitsuko Nakajima) died of heart failure on Tuesday morning at her home in Setagaya, Tokyo. She was 66.
Sawamura grew up in Okinawa and began singing as a child at a U.S. military base there. She later moved to Tokyo after being scouted and rose to popularity.
Sawamura was also active in film and theater. One of her biggest roles was in the 1956 movie "The Teahouse of the August Moon," which starred Marlon Brando.
Sawamura grew up in Okinawa and began singing as a child at a U.S. military base there. She later moved to Tokyo after being scouted and rose to popularity.
Sawamura was also active in film and theater. One of her biggest roles was in the 1956 movie "The Teahouse of the August Moon," which starred Marlon Brando.
Thu, March 13, 2008 (6:09pm EDT)
Technopop unit Perfume will host their first regular show on terrestrial television starting next month.
The program, titled "Friday TV Lab HAPPY," will air on NTV at 12:25am on Friday nights. The show will have Perfume reporting and discussing interesting entries gathered from various celebrity blogs throughout the week. Also on the show are popular model Naoko Tokuzawa and comedienne Sumiko Nishioka.
Broadcast begins on April 4.
The program, titled "Friday TV Lab HAPPY," will air on NTV at 12:25am on Friday nights. The show will have Perfume reporting and discussing interesting entries gathered from various celebrity blogs throughout the week. Also on the show are popular model Naoko Tokuzawa and comedienne Sumiko Nishioka.
Broadcast begins on April 4.
Thu, March 13, 2008 (5:55pm EDT)
Ryohei Saigan's manga "Sanchome no Yuhi" is being adapted into a stage play for later this year. The manga, which deals with Tokyo life in the 1950s, has already been adapted into two popular films in 2005 and 2007.
The script for the 3-act, 3-hour play is currently being written, though no details have been revealed yet. A main cast announcement is expected to be made within the next few days.
Performances will start in November at the Meijiza in Tokyo.
The script for the 3-act, 3-hour play is currently being written, though no details have been revealed yet. A main cast announcement is expected to be made within the next few days.
Performances will start in November at the Meijiza in Tokyo.
Thu, March 13, 2008 (4:56pm EDT)
Manga magazine Bessatsu Margaret (Shueisha) has announced that Yoko Kamio's "Cat Street" manga series is being turned into a live-action drama. The story revolves around a former child actress who has become withdrawn due to a traumatic event. As a "stray cat" of society, she finally finds her place at a special school for people with similar social problems.
The drama will reportedly air this summer on NHK.
The drama will reportedly air this summer on NHK.
Thu, March 13, 2008 (4:43pm EDT)
The 17th Japan Movie Critics Awards were handed out on Thursday. Kiyoshi Sasabe's "Yunagi no Machi, Sakura no Kuni" came out on top as Best Picture, while Kichitaro Negishi won Best Director for "Sidecar ni Inu."
"Crows ZERO" earned a Best Actor prize for Shun Oguri and a Best Supporting Actor for Kyosuke Yabe. Yuko Takeuchi picked up Best Actress ("Sidecar ni Inu"), and Best Supporting Actress awards were given to Hiromi Nagasaku ("Funuke Domo, Kanashimi no Ai wo Misero") and Keiko Takahashi ("Fumiko no Umi").
"Battery" co-stars Kento Hayashi and Kenta Yamada were both named Best New Actor. Mao Sasaki won Best New Actress for her role in "Mari to Koinu no Monogatari."
The complete awards list can be found in the forums.
"Crows ZERO" earned a Best Actor prize for Shun Oguri and a Best Supporting Actor for Kyosuke Yabe. Yuko Takeuchi picked up Best Actress ("Sidecar ni Inu"), and Best Supporting Actress awards were given to Hiromi Nagasaku ("Funuke Domo, Kanashimi no Ai wo Misero") and Keiko Takahashi ("Fumiko no Umi").
"Battery" co-stars Kento Hayashi and Kenta Yamada were both named Best New Actor. Mao Sasaki won Best New Actress for her role in "Mari to Koinu no Monogatari."
The complete awards list can be found in the forums.
Source: Japan Movie Critics Award | Comments (1)
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Thu, March 13, 2008 (4:21pm EDT)
Actress Ryoko Hirosue revealed on Thursday that she and designer/model Takahiro Okazawa have divorced. According to the announcement made on her official website, various circumstances have made it difficult for the couple to continue with their marriage. However, Hirosue stated that she still respects and trusts Okazawa, and they intend to still treat each other as parents of their child.
The couple surprised the entertainment industry when they announced their marriage in December 2003. Hirosue was pregnant at the time, and she gave birth to their son four months later. She finally returned to work in 2005 with the Fuji TV series "Slow Dance."
Rumors of a separation started about two years ago when a women's magazine reported that the pair were living apart, and they were rarely seen together.
Hirosue has been given custody of their son. Neither side requested consolation money during divorce talks. Okazawa has already moved out of their Tokyo apartment.
Meanwhile, Hirosue's acting career is picking up, as she has been cast in Yojiro Takita's "Okuribito" (due out this fall) and Kazuaki Kiriya's "Goemon" (early 2009). She has also reportedly been given a role in a television drama for this summer, but details were not revealed. In addition, she has signed commercial contracts with 4 different companies.
The couple surprised the entertainment industry when they announced their marriage in December 2003. Hirosue was pregnant at the time, and she gave birth to their son four months later. She finally returned to work in 2005 with the Fuji TV series "Slow Dance."
Rumors of a separation started about two years ago when a women's magazine reported that the pair were living apart, and they were rarely seen together.
Hirosue has been given custody of their son. Neither side requested consolation money during divorce talks. Okazawa has already moved out of their Tokyo apartment.
Meanwhile, Hirosue's acting career is picking up, as she has been cast in Yojiro Takita's "Okuribito" (due out this fall) and Kazuaki Kiriya's "Goemon" (early 2009). She has also reportedly been given a role in a television drama for this summer, but details were not revealed. In addition, she has signed commercial contracts with 4 different companies.
Thu, March 13, 2008 (3:22am EDT)
Talento Megumi Ohigashi was hospitalized with a broken leg on Tuesday after being hit by a car in Tokyo's Shibuya ward.
Ohigashi was walking to a TV shoot on Tuesday afternoon. As she was crossing an intersection alone, she was hit by a 12-passenger van that was making a right turn. She was quickly transported to a hospital, where she was diagnosed with a fractured left leg. She is now hospitalized and is expected to take three weeks to fully heal.
Ohigashi says that the pedestrian signal was green, but the 28-year-old male driver says he entered the intersection when his traffic light was changing from green to yellow. Police are currently looking for eyewitnesses to verify the situation.
Ohigashi was walking to a TV shoot on Tuesday afternoon. As she was crossing an intersection alone, she was hit by a 12-passenger van that was making a right turn. She was quickly transported to a hospital, where she was diagnosed with a fractured left leg. She is now hospitalized and is expected to take three weeks to fully heal.
Ohigashi says that the pedestrian signal was green, but the 28-year-old male driver says he entered the intersection when his traffic light was changing from green to yellow. Police are currently looking for eyewitnesses to verify the situation.
