Wed, February 25, 2009 (3:48am EST)
Rock band detroit7 has announced a world tour for later this year, taking them across the United States and Europe.
It was already revealed last month that the group is participating in the SXSW Japan Nite tour in the U.S. They have 8 shows with other bands lined up for March, starting in Austin on the 20th and ending in Los Angeles on the 29th.
The band is following that up with a European tour that covers France, Germany, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia, and Spain. 13 shows have been scheduled so far, but the tour may grow to as many as 20 concerts. With the current schedule, the first stop is in Paris on April 8, and the last is in Barcelona on on April 26.
In conjunction with their U.S. tour, they plan to release an original U.S. album on March 10 titled "detroit7." The album will include an assortment of past songs as well as some previously unpublished material. There are reportedly no plans for a Japanese release of the album.
It was already revealed last month that the group is participating in the SXSW Japan Nite tour in the U.S. They have 8 shows with other bands lined up for March, starting in Austin on the 20th and ending in Los Angeles on the 29th.
The band is following that up with a European tour that covers France, Germany, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia, and Spain. 13 shows have been scheduled so far, but the tour may grow to as many as 20 concerts. With the current schedule, the first stop is in Paris on April 8, and the last is in Barcelona on on April 26.
In conjunction with their U.S. tour, they plan to release an original U.S. album on March 10 titled "detroit7." The album will include an assortment of past songs as well as some previously unpublished material. There are reportedly no plans for a Japanese release of the album.
Wed, February 25, 2009 (3:26am EST)
Popular duo Yuzu has been tapped to provide the theme song for NHK's upcoming drama series "Ghost Friends." The song, a ballad titled "Aitai," is their first for an NHK drama. The single is scheduled for release on April 22. It is coupled with "Mirai," which is being used as the theme song of the 150th anniversary of the opening of the Port of Yokohama.
"Ghost Friends" stars Saki Fukuda and Takahiro Nishijima (AAA) in a romance/fantasy story about two youngsters with the ability to see ghosts. The show premieres on April 2.
"Ghost Friends" stars Saki Fukuda and Takahiro Nishijima (AAA) in a romance/fantasy story about two youngsters with the ability to see ghosts. The show premieres on April 2.
Wed, February 25, 2009 (3:09am EST)
TV Tokyo announcer Akiko Sasaki (39) got married on Valentine's Day. Sasaki, who took on the network's first overseas appointment, currently works in New York. Her husband is said to be a younger Japanese man working for a major financial company in the same city.
When Sasaki joined TV Tokyo in 1992, she was the station's first fresh university graduate to become an announcer. She has been on various news shows over the years, including the current "News Morning Satellite."
When Sasaki joined TV Tokyo in 1992, she was the station's first fresh university graduate to become an announcer. She has been on various news shows over the years, including the current "News Morning Satellite."
Wed, February 25, 2009 (2:54am EST)
After 11 years as a major label artist, singer-songwriter aiko has finally achieved her first #1 with her 25th single. "milk / Nageki no Kiss" sold over 71,000 copies to give her the victory on the charts this week, beating out new releases from Acid Black Cherry and Morning Musume.
The bottom half of the top ten were all new singles, released by BREAKERZ, FUNKY MONKEY BABYS, BoA, Takashi Kondo (as Kyoya Hibari), and Nana Tanimura.
On the album charts, reunited rockers Unicorn took the #1 spot with "Chambre," selling 159,000 copies. They are only the second group to release a chart-topping album after reuniting, with the first being Kaguyahime in 1978.
UVERworld's latest, "AwakEVE," also did well, selling 116,000 copies to take #2. At #3, BEAT CRUSADERS were far behind. Tomoyasu Hotei and BUCK-TICK also made the top ten, at #5 and #7 respectively.
The bottom half of the top ten were all new singles, released by BREAKERZ, FUNKY MONKEY BABYS, BoA, Takashi Kondo (as Kyoya Hibari), and Nana Tanimura.
On the album charts, reunited rockers Unicorn took the #1 spot with "Chambre," selling 159,000 copies. They are only the second group to release a chart-topping album after reuniting, with the first being Kaguyahime in 1978.
UVERworld's latest, "AwakEVE," also did well, selling 116,000 copies to take #2. At #3, BEAT CRUSADERS were far behind. Tomoyasu Hotei and BUCK-TICK also made the top ten, at #5 and #7 respectively.
Wed, February 25, 2009 (2:18am EST)
Teen actress Nanami Sakuraba has been cast in the lead role of TV Asahi's drama special "Ghost Town no Hana." This is her first time starring in a show outside of cable television.
"Ghost Town no Hana" is based on a script that won last year's Shinjin Scenario Taisho, a competition for new screenwriters. The story is set in a failing new town, where a high school girl (Sakuraba) lives poorly with her father, his second wife, and the wife's two children. Through a friend, she meets a top-notch student and begins dating, but lacking in experience, she seeks advice from an otaku whose specialty is dating sim games.
Kento Nagayama, Haru, Masanobu Katsumura, and Noriko Watanabe also appear in the drama. The broadcast is scheduled for March 20 at 11:15pm.
"Ghost Town no Hana" is based on a script that won last year's Shinjin Scenario Taisho, a competition for new screenwriters. The story is set in a failing new town, where a high school girl (Sakuraba) lives poorly with her father, his second wife, and the wife's two children. Through a friend, she meets a top-notch student and begins dating, but lacking in experience, she seeks advice from an otaku whose specialty is dating sim games.
Kento Nagayama, Haru, Masanobu Katsumura, and Noriko Watanabe also appear in the drama. The broadcast is scheduled for March 20 at 11:15pm.
Wed, February 25, 2009 (1:16am EST)
Yoshiyuki Kato (30) of the band RAG FAIR is now married. According to his blog, he officially tied the knot on Monday, marrying a 24-year-old theater actress. The two have been engaged since last December.
Wed, February 25, 2009 (1:08am EST)
Actress Yuki Amami is taking on her next lead drama role this spring in Fuji TV's "BOSS." This will be her first time playing a police detective in a TV series.
Amami stars as the new "boss" of a team of quirky detectives who are trying to fight a series of brutal crimes. Her character is intelligent and capable in her work. But even though she can understand the mentalities of the criminals she pursues, she has difficulty understanding men, leaving her unable to find what she really wants: a husband.
The nickname "boss" is strongly associated with Yujiro Ishihara's character in the drama series "Taiyou ni Hoero!" from the '70s and '80s, where he played a similar role as the leader of a detective team.
Amami's supporting cast in "Boss" includes Yutaka Takenouchi, Erika Toda, Junpei Mizobata, Michiko Kichise, and Yoichi Nukumizu. The show will air on Thursdays at 10:00pm, starting on April 16.
Amami stars as the new "boss" of a team of quirky detectives who are trying to fight a series of brutal crimes. Her character is intelligent and capable in her work. But even though she can understand the mentalities of the criminals she pursues, she has difficulty understanding men, leaving her unable to find what she really wants: a husband.
The nickname "boss" is strongly associated with Yujiro Ishihara's character in the drama series "Taiyou ni Hoero!" from the '70s and '80s, where he played a similar role as the leader of a detective team.
Amami's supporting cast in "Boss" includes Yutaka Takenouchi, Erika Toda, Junpei Mizobata, Michiko Kichise, and Yoichi Nukumizu. The show will air on Thursdays at 10:00pm, starting on April 16.
