Wed, July 1, 2009 (4:38am EDT)
Hip-hop group RIP SLYME will be representing Japan in an international marketing campaign for sports brand Adidas.
This year marks Adidas' 60th anniversary. At the end of January, Adidas started its commemorative campaign, involving about 20 star athletes and entertainers from around the world. Participants include soccer player David Beckham (34), rapper Missy Elliott (37), and NBA player Kevin Garnett (30). Commercials are being broadcast in England, America, and various Asian countries.
RIP SLYME will be collaborating with Adidas in advertising a new line of shoes and clothes commemorating the 60th anniversary. Their song "Good day" from the album "JOURNEY" has been given a remixed version titled "Good Day - adidas Originals remix by DJ FUMIYA," which will be available for chaku-uta download on July 15th. All five members of RIP SLYME will be wearing the new commemorative sneakers in the promotional video.
This year marks Adidas' 60th anniversary. At the end of January, Adidas started its commemorative campaign, involving about 20 star athletes and entertainers from around the world. Participants include soccer player David Beckham (34), rapper Missy Elliott (37), and NBA player Kevin Garnett (30). Commercials are being broadcast in England, America, and various Asian countries.
RIP SLYME will be collaborating with Adidas in advertising a new line of shoes and clothes commemorating the 60th anniversary. Their song "Good day" from the album "JOURNEY" has been given a remixed version titled "Good Day - adidas Originals remix by DJ FUMIYA," which will be available for chaku-uta download on July 15th. All five members of RIP SLYME will be wearing the new commemorative sneakers in the promotional video.
Wed, July 1, 2009 (4:05am EDT)
Rocker Ringo Shiina is back atop the charts this week with "Sanmon Gossip," her first original solo album in six years. The album sold 120,000 copies to oust GReeeeN from the #1 spot. Shiina's last album, "Karuki Zamen Kuri no Hana," also achieved #1 when it was released in 2003.
As for the other new albums, Kaela Kimura ranked #3, followed by Kana Nishino at #4, while Hanaregumi made #7.
Meanwhile, Yusuke Kamiji's second solo single, "Tanpopo / Kaizokusen / Sono Kobushi," moved more than 176,000 copies to lead the singles chart. AKB48 settled for second with 104,000 copies sold of "Namida Surprise!"
Korean group BIG BANG took third with their new song, one slot ahead of Teppei Koike's solo single. Several more fresh releases landed in the top ten: Gackt (#5), Kiyoharu (#6), Base Ball Bear (#7), Versailles (#8), and Aya Ueto (#10).
As for the other new albums, Kaela Kimura ranked #3, followed by Kana Nishino at #4, while Hanaregumi made #7.
Meanwhile, Yusuke Kamiji's second solo single, "Tanpopo / Kaizokusen / Sono Kobushi," moved more than 176,000 copies to lead the singles chart. AKB48 settled for second with 104,000 copies sold of "Namida Surprise!"
Korean group BIG BANG took third with their new song, one slot ahead of Teppei Koike's solo single. Several more fresh releases landed in the top ten: Gackt (#5), Kiyoharu (#6), Base Ball Bear (#7), Versailles (#8), and Aya Ueto (#10).
Wed, July 1, 2009 (3:01am EDT)
Shinichi Tsutsumi (44) is set to star in the movie "Kokou no Mesu," directed by Izuru Narushima. Tsutsumi is coming off a successful year, as he picked up several Best Actor awards in 2008 for his performance in Masato Harada's "Climber's High."
"Kokou no Mesu" is based on a popular novel written by a real doctor. The story focuses on a surgeon (Tsutsumi) who lost his mother at a young age due to a faulty diagnosis. As a result of that incident, he became a doctor and eventually ended up at a local hospital. While facing the corruption in the medical field around him, he devotes his energy to treating his patients and taking on the challenge of performing Japan's first liver transplant from a brain-dead donor.
The movie's heroine is Yui Natsukawa (41), playing a nurse who regains her motivation for work after meeting the surgeon. Other cast members include Akira Emoto, Kimiko Yo, Katsuhisa Namase, Hisashi Yoshizawa, Hiroki Narimiya, and Mitsuru Hirata. Filming starts on July 5, with a target release date in early summer 2010.
"Kokou no Mesu" is based on a popular novel written by a real doctor. The story focuses on a surgeon (Tsutsumi) who lost his mother at a young age due to a faulty diagnosis. As a result of that incident, he became a doctor and eventually ended up at a local hospital. While facing the corruption in the medical field around him, he devotes his energy to treating his patients and taking on the challenge of performing Japan's first liver transplant from a brain-dead donor.
The movie's heroine is Yui Natsukawa (41), playing a nurse who regains her motivation for work after meeting the surgeon. Other cast members include Akira Emoto, Kimiko Yo, Katsuhisa Namase, Hisashi Yoshizawa, Hiroki Narimiya, and Mitsuru Hirata. Filming starts on July 5, with a target release date in early summer 2010.
Wed, July 1, 2009 (1:47am EDT)
R&B vocal group COLOR is undergoing a name change. During their concert in Sapporo on Tuesday that ended their nationwide tour, they revealed that they will now be known as DEEP.
COLOR, which currently consists of four men, originally formed in 2004 with EXILE's ATSUSHI as its producer. After EXILE expanded to 14 members back in March, it was decided that COLOR's members would become their own producers.
Their first single as DEEP is titled "Endless Road." It becomes available as a chaku-uta on July 1, but the CD release date has not yet been fixed.
COLOR, which currently consists of four men, originally formed in 2004 with EXILE's ATSUSHI as its producer. After EXILE expanded to 14 members back in March, it was decided that COLOR's members would become their own producers.
Their first single as DEEP is titled "Endless Road." It becomes available as a chaku-uta on July 1, but the CD release date has not yet been fixed.
