23-year-old singer Akina Miyazato is making her true debut as a gravure idol this weekend in the new issue of Weekly Playboy. Her photos were snapped in Japan and Thailand last month.

Miyazato is better known as AKINA, once a member of the Avex-signed music group Folder, which later evolved into Folder5 before breaking up in 2003.

In February, it was announced that Kei Kumai's 1968 film "Kurobe no Taiyou" would be getting a stage adaptation this October. Now, the classic piece may be seeing a television drama version as well, courtesy of Fuji TV.

The original starred Yujiro Ishihara and Toshiro Mifune, but it has never been released on television or video since its theatrical run, due to a request by Ishihara, who passed away in 1987. Thursday was his death anniversary.

If Fuji TV goes through with its plans, the drama is expected to be broadcast next year.

Actress Yuri Nakamura has been announced as part of the cast of "Lala Pipo," the big screen adaptation of Hideo Okuda's same-named novel.

The former YURIMARI member got a big acting break last year when she played the heroine in Kazuyuki Izutsu's "Pacchigi! LOVE & PEACE." Erika Sawajiri, who starred in the original "Pacchigi!" film, had a scheduling conflict that forced Izutsu to re-cast the role.

In the sex-themed comedy "Lala Pipo," however, Nakamura plays an OL who becomes a porn star after being persuaded by a sex industry scout, portrayed by lead actor Hiroki Narimiya. The movie also has Morisanchu's Tomoko Murakami playing a chubby adult actress.

Filming has already wrapped up for the movie, which is scheduled to premiere in 2009. The pic is Masayuki Miyano's first feature-length work as director, but he was backed by Tetsuya Nakashima who wrote the script.