Wed, October 15, 2008 (3:30am EDT)
On Wednesday, Kei Aran held a press conference announcing that she will be leaving the Takarazuka Revue next April. Currently a top star of the revue's Star Troupe, Aran's final performances will be in the shows "My dear New Orleans" and "A Bientot," running at the Takarazuka Grand Theater from February 6 to March 9 and at the Tokyo Takarazuka Theater from March 27 to April 26.
Aran joined the revue in 1991 as part of the 77th class (along with former top stars Hikaru Asami, Sumire Haruno, and Mari Hanafusa), and she made her stage debut that year. She eventually became part of the Star Troupe in 2000, and in December 2006 she was chosen to succeed Wataru Kozuki as the group's otokoyaku.
The actress said she does not have any concrete plans for her future, but she mentioned that would like to continue in show business, particularly if it involves singing.
Aran joined the revue in 1991 as part of the 77th class (along with former top stars Hikaru Asami, Sumire Haruno, and Mari Hanafusa), and she made her stage debut that year. She eventually became part of the Star Troupe in 2000, and in December 2006 she was chosen to succeed Wataru Kozuki as the group's otokoyaku.
The actress said she does not have any concrete plans for her future, but she mentioned that would like to continue in show business, particularly if it involves singing.
Wed, October 15, 2008 (3:00am EDT)
Actor Goro Kishitani is making his directorial debut with a movie under the working title "Dead Heat Virgin Road." The slapstick comedy co-stars Juri Ueno and Yoshino Kimura and is scheduled for a fall 2009 release.
Based on an original script, the film focuses on two strangers - Ueno plays a woman scheduled to have her wedding ceremony the next day, while Kimura plays a woman who wants to die but can't do it. Their paths cross and through a series of incidents, they find themselves at one point packing a corpse into a suitcase and running away. Filming started earlier this month.
Based on an original script, the film focuses on two strangers - Ueno plays a woman scheduled to have her wedding ceremony the next day, while Kimura plays a woman who wants to die but can't do it. Their paths cross and through a series of incidents, they find themselves at one point packing a corpse into a suitcase and running away. Filming started earlier this month.
Wed, October 15, 2008 (2:13am EDT)
On Tuesday, NTV announced its final tally for its charity program "24 Hour Television" that ran at the end of August. This year's edition of the telethon raised a total of more than 1.08 billion yen, which is the second-highest sum in the program's history. The current record is at 1.19 billion, set by the telethon's inaugural edition back in 1978.
Over the course of the project's 31 years, NTV has raised more than 27.2 billion yen.
Over the course of the project's 31 years, NTV has raised more than 27.2 billion yen.
Wed, October 15, 2008 (2:04am EDT)
Pop star Kumi Koda has returned to the top of the music charts, as her latest single "TABOO" debuted in the #1 spot this past week with almost 66,000 in sales. This is her fifth #1 single, with the last one being "FREAKY" in July 2007.
Porno Graffiti was right behind Koda at #2, selling 60,000 copies of their new song "Love, too Death, too." At #3 was the new Avex unit GIRL NEXT DOOR, achieving their second appearance in the top three. This makes them the first male and female group since globe in 1995 to have their first two singles reach at least #3 on the charts. The group is scheduled to release their third song in three consecutive months just a few weeks from now.
Motohiro Hata had the only other new single in the top ten, making the bottom of the list.
On the albums chart, Mariya Takeuchi carried over her #1 spot from last week. Her collection "Expressions" continued to sell strong, moving another 133,000 copies in the past week. However, she faced strong competition from the second "Macross Frontier" soundtrack, which achieved 102,000 in sales to secure the #2 spot.
melody.'s best album charted at #4, while Fumiya Fujii and HOME MADE Kazoku ranked #8 and #10, respectively.
Porno Graffiti was right behind Koda at #2, selling 60,000 copies of their new song "Love, too Death, too." At #3 was the new Avex unit GIRL NEXT DOOR, achieving their second appearance in the top three. This makes them the first male and female group since globe in 1995 to have their first two singles reach at least #3 on the charts. The group is scheduled to release their third song in three consecutive months just a few weeks from now.
Motohiro Hata had the only other new single in the top ten, making the bottom of the list.
On the albums chart, Mariya Takeuchi carried over her #1 spot from last week. Her collection "Expressions" continued to sell strong, moving another 133,000 copies in the past week. However, she faced strong competition from the second "Macross Frontier" soundtrack, which achieved 102,000 in sales to secure the #2 spot.
melody.'s best album charted at #4, while Fumiya Fujii and HOME MADE Kazoku ranked #8 and #10, respectively.
