J-pop unit 80★PAN！ (formerly known as Harenchi Punch) is undergoing yet another minor name change. They will now be known by the name 80_pan, under which they will release their new album "DISCO BABY."

Last year, the group ventured into the world of rock when they served as mascot characters for the heavy metal festival LOUD PARK 2007. This time, they will be exploring electro and new rave with "DISCO BABY."

The album includes two songs produced by Scottish dance-punk Shitdisco, while the bonus track, also titled "DISCO BABY," is produced by a member of the British band The Pipettes.

"DISCO BABY" goes on sale June 25.

Oricon interviews YUI about her new album, "I Loved Yesterday." gloomybear's translation is here.

Actress Naomi Nishida (36) gave birth to her first child this past Monday. According to her agency, she and the baby girl are in good health, and Nishida plans to return to work soon.

Nishida married in July 2005 and announced her pregnancy last September.

Nikkan Sports reports that Hayao Miyazaki's "Gake no Ue no Ponyo" ("Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea") has been given a release date of July 19 in Japan. The theatrical trailer will start screening on April 19, though it was previewed for the press on Friday.

Fast food employees generally aren't known for their cheerfulness, but Oricon surveyed a thousand men and women with the question, "Which celebrity would you want smiling at you at a fast food restaurant?"

Actress Yui Aragaki ranked first, though Teppei Koike was right behind her at #2. However, Koike was the only male in the top 10. The others on the list were Saki Aibu, Aya Ueto, Masami Nagasawa, Aoi Miyazaki, and Maki Horikita, with a three-way tie at #8 among Yuri Ebihara, Suzanne, and Akina Minami.

The 4-member band The Inazuma Sentai is doing a collaboration with the delinquent-themed mangas of "CROWS" and "WORST" for their upcoming single "Aikotoba ~Shalala~," which goes on sale May 21.

The author for both mangas, Hiroshi Takahashi, will draw the CD cover for the single. It will portray the leading protagonist of "CROWS," Harumichi Bouya, wearing an Inazumi Sentai T-shirt. Takahashi will also do an illustration that will be incorporated into the music video.

Takahashi is quite the fan of "Ina-Sen," for this will be the second time they are doing a collaboration project. Ina-Sen vocalist Jouya Uenaka (29) stated, "We created the perfect rock number for the manga."

The "CROWS" manga was serialized in Monthly Champion from 1990 to 1998, and in 2007, a movie starring Shun Oguri was released. "WORST," the sequel to "CROWS," is currently at 19 volumes and boasts a printing of 27,000,000 copies.

Satellite channel WOWOW has announced that it will air footage from the "hide memorial summit" concerts that are being held on May 3-4. WOWOW's broadcast will start at 4:00pm on May 5.

The channel will also broadcast X Japan's March 29 reunion concert (the second of the three shows) on May 2 at 5:00pm.