Sat, May 17, 2008 (6:22pm EDT)
Last month, Shochiku announced a movie adaptation of Manabu Makime's novel "Kamogawa Horumo," directed by Katsuhide Motoki and starring Takayuki Yamada. Now it has been revealed that actress Chiaki Kuriyama has joined the cast.
"Kamogawa Horumo" is a supernatural coming-of-age comedy set in Kyoto University. Yamada plays Akira Abe, a new student who gets involved in a club whose members compete against each other with their powers of controlling spirits known as shikigami.
Kuriyama has been cast as a fellow freshman named Fumi, an eccentric and unsociable girl whose reasons for joining the club are unclear at first. Her character sports an okappa haircut and black-rimmed glasses, which earns her the nickname of "Bon-chan" for her resemblance to TV celebrity Bondo Ooki.
Sei Ashina, Takuya Ishida, Gaku Hamada, and Yoshiyoshi Arakawa have already been announced as cast members. The film is scheduled to open in 2009.
"Kamogawa Horumo" is a supernatural coming-of-age comedy set in Kyoto University. Yamada plays Akira Abe, a new student who gets involved in a club whose members compete against each other with their powers of controlling spirits known as shikigami.
Kuriyama has been cast as a fellow freshman named Fumi, an eccentric and unsociable girl whose reasons for joining the club are unclear at first. Her character sports an okappa haircut and black-rimmed glasses, which earns her the nickname of "Bon-chan" for her resemblance to TV celebrity Bondo Ooki.
Sei Ashina, Takuya Ishida, Gaku Hamada, and Yoshiyoshi Arakawa have already been announced as cast members. The film is scheduled to open in 2009.
Sat, May 17, 2008 (4:56pm EDT)
Luna Nagai, a 25-year-old gravure idol and actress, has retired from show business. Since last month, she has been employed by a regular company.
Nagai was scouted at the age of 16 and began releasing photobooks and DVDs. She later moved into acting, landing regular roles in the NHK morning drama "Manten" and the TBS jidaigeki series "Mitokomon."
In 2006, she graduated from Rikkyo University after having spent a couple years studying abroad in Boston. That summer, she declared her intention to strengthen her English with the goal of becoming an international actress, and she enrolled in graduate school in London.
A source close to Nagai explained that the actress reconsidered her future while in London and decided to make use of her studies to pursue a normal career.
Nagai was scouted at the age of 16 and began releasing photobooks and DVDs. She later moved into acting, landing regular roles in the NHK morning drama "Manten" and the TBS jidaigeki series "Mitokomon."
In 2006, she graduated from Rikkyo University after having spent a couple years studying abroad in Boston. That summer, she declared her intention to strengthen her English with the goal of becoming an international actress, and she enrolled in graduate school in London.
A source close to Nagai explained that the actress reconsidered her future while in London and decided to make use of her studies to pursue a normal career.
Sat, May 17, 2008 (4:39pm EDT)
20-year-old gravure idol Hatsune Matsushima revealed on her blog that she has been undergoing medical tests to determine the cause of a recent health problem. Since about two weeks ago, she has been suffering from symptoms that suggest a vascular disorder of the brain known as Moyamoya disease.
Early on Tuesday this week, she experienced a headache accompanied by her vision turning white, and she was taken to a hospital by ambulance. Matsushima wrote in her blog that she thought she might die at the time. She was sent home the same day with an intravenous drip, but two days later she fainted in her bathroom for about 20 minutes. She was given an MRI scan that day, and she is expected to receive her results on May 20.
Matsushima's agency stated that the doctor believes it to be caused by a contraction of blood vessels in the brain. The idol will continue to receive medical attention at the hospital, though she will not be taking a break from work, which includes appearances in dramas and variety shows.
Early on Tuesday this week, she experienced a headache accompanied by her vision turning white, and she was taken to a hospital by ambulance. Matsushima wrote in her blog that she thought she might die at the time. She was sent home the same day with an intravenous drip, but two days later she fainted in her bathroom for about 20 minutes. She was given an MRI scan that day, and she is expected to receive her results on May 20.
Matsushima's agency stated that the doctor believes it to be caused by a contraction of blood vessels in the brain. The idol will continue to receive medical attention at the hospital, though she will not be taking a break from work, which includes appearances in dramas and variety shows.
Sat, May 17, 2008 (12:09pm EDT)
The 1st Eigakan Taisho (Movie Theater Award) was announced on Saturday. More than 6,000 movie fans voted for their number one actor or actress, and in the end, Kenichi Matsuyama earned the Grand Prize with 1,167 of the votes.
Matsuyama was one of 15 popular stars nominated for the prize, who were chosen for appearing in the most films between 2006 and 2007. Other nominees included Yu Aoi, Joe Odagiri, Shun Oguri, and Ryo Kase.
As part of the award project, the Polepole Higashinakano theater will run a special screening of some of Matsuyama's works, scheduled from June 28 to July 4. The films include "YAMATO," "Hito no Sex wo Warau na," "Tsubaki Sanjuro," "NANA," and "Linda Linda Linda."
Matsuyama was one of 15 popular stars nominated for the prize, who were chosen for appearing in the most films between 2006 and 2007. Other nominees included Yu Aoi, Joe Odagiri, Shun Oguri, and Ryo Kase.
As part of the award project, the Polepole Higashinakano theater will run a special screening of some of Matsuyama's works, scheduled from June 28 to July 4. The films include "YAMATO," "Hito no Sex wo Warau na," "Tsubaki Sanjuro," "NANA," and "Linda Linda Linda."
