Sun, June 22, 2008 (12:57pm EDT)
Fuji TV's drama series "Last Friends" aired its final episode on Thursday night. The show had been gaining in popularity throughout its run, and the ratings for the finale rose to 22.8%, its best for the season. The peak came in the final scene, with ratings reaching as high as 25.9%.
The show outperformed the week's episodes of "Gokusen 3" and "CHANGE," which had been the highest-rated dramas of the season. Both have been falling in the ratings in recent weeks.
Because of the show's success, it was also announced that a special episode will air this coming Thursday (June 26), titled "Mou Hitotsu no Last Friends."
The show outperformed the week's episodes of "Gokusen 3" and "CHANGE," which had been the highest-rated dramas of the season. Both have been falling in the ratings in recent weeks.
Because of the show's success, it was also announced that a special episode will air this coming Thursday (June 26), titled "Mou Hitotsu no Last Friends."
Sun, June 22, 2008 (12:42pm EDT)
The lineup for this year's Girl Pop Factory concert has been expanded: Kumi Koda and Perfume are being joined by HALCALI, Ikimono Gakari, and Thelma Aoyama. Only Perfume and HALCALI have appeared at the event before.
According to the official website, more artists may still be added.
The event, hosted by Yumi Yoshimura of Puffy, takes place on August 3 at Zepp Tokyo. Tickets went on sale Saturday and are said to be selling quickly.
According to the official website, more artists may still be added.
The event, hosted by Yumi Yoshimura of Puffy, takes place on August 3 at Zepp Tokyo. Tickets went on sale Saturday and are said to be selling quickly.
Sun, June 22, 2008 (12:35am EDT)
Oricon has published its sales rankings for the first half of 2008 (includes part of December 2007). According to the company's sales data, the group EXILE had the highest total sales of albums, singles, and music DVDs, amounting to almost 2.97 million units. The next closest artist was Kobukuro with 1.75 million, followed by KAT-TUN (1.19 million), Hikaru Utada (1.09 million), and Hideaki Tokunaga (1.01 million).
Looking only at album sales, EXILE led the rankings there as well, with "EXILE LOVE"s selling more than 1.4 million copies to rank #1 and "EXILE CATCHY BEST" selling more than 1.1 million to achieve #3. They are the first act in history to have two million-sellers within the first half of a year.
The top single so far this year is Thelma Aoyama's "Soba ni Iru ne" with 439,000 in sales. KAT-TUN had the next two spots in the rankings, with "DON'T U EVER STOP" quickly closing in - 433,000 copies after only a month and a half of sales - and "LIPS" right behind it with 422,000 in sales.
Looking only at album sales, EXILE led the rankings there as well, with "EXILE LOVE"s selling more than 1.4 million copies to rank #1 and "EXILE CATCHY BEST" selling more than 1.1 million to achieve #3. They are the first act in history to have two million-sellers within the first half of a year.
The top single so far this year is Thelma Aoyama's "Soba ni Iru ne" with 439,000 in sales. KAT-TUN had the next two spots in the rankings, with "DON'T U EVER STOP" quickly closing in - 433,000 copies after only a month and a half of sales - and "LIPS" right behind it with 422,000 in sales.
