Wed, July 8, 2009 (3:46am EDT)
EXILE member Toshio Matsumoto (34), better known as MATSU, has been given the lead role in the movie "LONG CARAVAN," scheduled for release this October. MATSU has some acting experience with "Gekidan EXILE," but this will be his first acting role in a film.
Appearing under his real name, Matsumoto will play the comical main character, an unemployed surfer who takes a road trip with his friends, meeting and parting with various people along the way. One part of the story involves him making a bold confession to a girl with whom he falls in love at first sight.
MATSU, who suffers from deteriorating eyesight due to Behcet's disease, frequently serves as the "comedian" among EXILE's members. With that cheerfulness, he was chosen to take on the starring role in "LONG CARAVAN."
Having no experience in surfing, MATSU trained extremely hard for two weeks. With a strong sense of balance attained through dance, he was quickly able to ride the waves.
Go Shichitaka ("Top Caster," "Meitantei no Okite") is directing the movie. Miki Fujimoto, Shigeru Izumiya, Jay Kabira, Mika Mifune, and Chisato Morishita will also appear in the film.
Appearing under his real name, Matsumoto will play the comical main character, an unemployed surfer who takes a road trip with his friends, meeting and parting with various people along the way. One part of the story involves him making a bold confession to a girl with whom he falls in love at first sight.
MATSU, who suffers from deteriorating eyesight due to Behcet's disease, frequently serves as the "comedian" among EXILE's members. With that cheerfulness, he was chosen to take on the starring role in "LONG CARAVAN."
Having no experience in surfing, MATSU trained extremely hard for two weeks. With a strong sense of balance attained through dance, he was quickly able to ride the waves.
Go Shichitaka ("Top Caster," "Meitantei no Okite") is directing the movie. Miki Fujimoto, Shigeru Izumiya, Jay Kabira, Mika Mifune, and Chisato Morishita will also appear in the film.
Wed, July 8, 2009 (3:13am EDT)
Arashi's 27th single, "Everything," took #1 on the charts this week with over 342,000 copies sold. With this, Arashi has the three best first-week single sales of 2009: "Ashita no Kioku / Crazy Moon" (502,487), "Believe / Kumori Nochi, Kaisei" (501,988), and "Everything" (342,070).
TVXQ's new single also did well at 182,000 in sales, taking the #2 spot. flumpool, C-ute, Gackt, and John-Hoon also made the top ten with new songs.
In the album charts, Masaharu Fukuyama easily captured #1 with "Zankyo," his first original album in close to three years. "Zankyo" sold 261,000 copies, far more than the latest from the band SID, who landed at #2 with 71,000 in sales. The rest of the top ten was fairly quiet, with only Toshihide Baba breaking in at #10 with a new album. Unsurprisingly, Michael Jackson's "King of Pop" compilation surged up to #4.
Meanwhile, Hayao Miyazaki made some news on the DVD charts, as "Gake no Ue no Ponyo" moved a little more than half a million copies in its first week. This is not unusual for Miyazaki, whose movies have now topped the DVD charts seven times. "Ponyo" also happened to be the top grossing film of 2008, taking in roughly 15.4 billion yen at the box office.
TVXQ's new single also did well at 182,000 in sales, taking the #2 spot. flumpool, C-ute, Gackt, and John-Hoon also made the top ten with new songs.
In the album charts, Masaharu Fukuyama easily captured #1 with "Zankyo," his first original album in close to three years. "Zankyo" sold 261,000 copies, far more than the latest from the band SID, who landed at #2 with 71,000 in sales. The rest of the top ten was fairly quiet, with only Toshihide Baba breaking in at #10 with a new album. Unsurprisingly, Michael Jackson's "King of Pop" compilation surged up to #4.
Meanwhile, Hayao Miyazaki made some news on the DVD charts, as "Gake no Ue no Ponyo" moved a little more than half a million copies in its first week. This is not unusual for Miyazaki, whose movies have now topped the DVD charts seven times. "Ponyo" also happened to be the top grossing film of 2008, taking in roughly 15.4 billion yen at the box office.
Wed, July 8, 2009 (2:35am EDT)
Jun Sena, the current otokoyaku of the Takarazuka Revue's Moon Troupe, has revealed her plans to leave the company before the end of this year. She held a press conference in Osaka on Tuesday to talk about her decision.
She said she made up her mind last September after the revue finished its run of "The Great Gatsby." Her final performance with the Takarazuka will be in "Last Play / Heat on Beat!," which closes on December 27.
Originally from Tokyo, Sena joined the Takarazuka and made her stage debut in 1992. As part of the Flower Troupe, she got her first starring role in 1998. She moved to the Moon Troupe in 2004 and became the otokoyaku the following year.
She said she made up her mind last September after the revue finished its run of "The Great Gatsby." Her final performance with the Takarazuka will be in "Last Play / Heat on Beat!," which closes on December 27.
Originally from Tokyo, Sena joined the Takarazuka and made her stage debut in 1992. As part of the Flower Troupe, she got her first starring role in 1998. She moved to the Moon Troupe in 2004 and became the otokoyaku the following year.
Wed, July 8, 2009 (2:18am EDT)
Model and jewelry designer Nanami Katsuno died of lung cancer early on Tuesday, July 7. Also known just as NANAMI, she was only 29 years old.
Nanami was the daughter of actor Hiroshi Katsuno (59) and talento Kathy Nakajima (57). Nakajima announced on her own blog that Nanami had been diagnosed with lung cancer back in February, despite not smoking at all. She fought against the illness for the past five months before passing away at about 12:20am on Tuesday.
Nanami's death came less than a year after she married a hip-hop dancer (29) last November. The two did not have any children.
Nanami was the daughter of actor Hiroshi Katsuno (59) and talento Kathy Nakajima (57). Nakajima announced on her own blog that Nanami had been diagnosed with lung cancer back in February, despite not smoking at all. She fought against the illness for the past five months before passing away at about 12:20am on Tuesday.
Nanami's death came less than a year after she married a hip-hop dancer (29) last November. The two did not have any children.
