Singer misono is making her gravure debut with a photo feature in Monday's issue of Big Comic Spirits. She appears on the magazine cover and has an additional eight pages inside. The photos, taken just this month, include shots of her in bikinis and dressed as a bride.

Although this is her first gravure work, it is also said to be her last. The magazine issue is timed to coincide with her new single "Kazoku no Hi / Aburazemi," which goes on sale this Wednesday.

The Tokyo International Film Festival ended on Sunday, and the award winners have been announced. The highest award, the Tokyo Sakura Grand Prix, went to Sergey Dvortsevoy's "Tulpan," which also won the top prize in the Un Certain Regard section of Cannes in May.

While most of the awards were won by non-Japanese films, Japan was at least represented by Tetsu Maeda's semi-documentary "Buta ga Ita Kyoushitsu" ("School Days with a Pig"), starring Satoshi Tsumabuki. The movie received the festival's Audience Award, as well as the Toyota Earth Grand Prix　Jury Award.

In the Japanese Eyes section, the Best Picture Award was given to "buy a suit," the last film directed by the late Jun Ichikawa. The section also gave a Special Award to actor Ittoku Kishibe for his role in Fujiro Mitsuishi's manga-to-film adaptation "Osaka Hamlet."

On Sunday, Shota Shimizu held a free surprise concert in Shinjuku. During the performance, he announced that he will be returning to New York's famous Apollo Theater next month.

Shimizu performed at the same venue last November, before he made his official debut under Sony in February with the single "HOME." At the time, he was still an unknown artist, but now he has been invited to make a special guest appearance as part of the Amateur Night event being held on November 19.

Daisuke-han, a vocalist for the band Maximum the Hormone, will be taking a temporary break from live performances. According to the band's official site, Daisuke-han recently discovered a cyst on his vocal cords. He will start receiving treatment later this year, and his recovery is expected to take a few months.

The cyst was found a few days ago when the singer visited a hospital to have his throat examined. At the moment, the cyst is not causing any problems with his voice, but Daisuke-han was told that he could possibly lose his voice if the cyst is ignored. After discussing the situation with the band and their staff, it was decided that he will undergo surgery in December, followed by about three months of further treatment and rehabilitation.

Daisuke-han will be unable to perform with the band during his recovery, but he will still participate in all of the shows that have already been scheduled before then.

The 33rd Horipro Talent Scout Caravan ended on Sunday. 36,312 hopefuls entered the competition this year, but the Grand Prix winner turned out to be the youngest in the history of the contest. 12-year-old Hikari Takada, a sixth-grader from Shizuoka, claimed the title in the final round of eight contestants.

This year's audition had a special theme: to find a young girl to become a star in action films. Judging rounds included wire-action and acting scenes.

A special prize was awarded to 15-year-old Misaki Yasui, who attends a private high school in Okayama.