Japanese Entertainment News & Info HERE! [part II]

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Masaaki Uchino to star as "Legendary Detective Gonzo"
Wed, June 4, 2008 (3:16am EDT)



Masaaki Uchino is starring in a new TV Asahi drama series called "Gonzo: Densetsu no Keiji." This will be his first time in a police detective role.

"Gonzo" is said to be police slang for a person with ability and experience but is unable to work. Uchino plays Kuroki, once a top-notch detective. After an incident that results in him having post-traumatic stress disorder, he winds up as an unmotivated and slovenly clerk in an accounting division for another police station. But one day, a case arises that brings him back as a detective.

The show is being produced by Motohiro Matsumoto and written by Ryota Kosawa, who have both worked on the highly successful "Aibou" franchise.



Michitaka Tsutsui plays a fellow cop who looks down on the fallen Kuroki. Yuika Motokariya is a female detective at Kuroki's current station, and Nene Otsuka plays the psychiatrist helping Kuroki with his mental problems. The cast also includes Issei Takahashi and Katsuhiko Watabiki.

"Gonzo" starts this July, running in the Wednesday 9:00pm time slot.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Yuji Oda takes up teaching in Getsu 9 drama
Wed, June 4, 2008 (12:41am EDT)



This summer, Fuji TV's Monday night drama will be "Taiyou to Umi no Kyou$hitsu," starring Yuji Oda. Here, he plays a teacher who guides a group of seniors at a prep school in Shonan, though his character is described as "baka."

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Several popular young stars have been cast in the show, including Yusuke Yamamoto, Masaki Okada, Kie Kitano, Yuriko Yo$hitaka, Mitsuki Tanimura, Gaku Hamada, Akira Kagimoto, and Satoshi Tomiura.

"Taiyou to Umi no Kyou#su" starts in July, airing every Monday at 9:00pm.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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[JAPAN] Chance for an 揑ndiana Jones

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Kikukawa plays powerful OL in manga adaptation
Thu, June 5, 2008 (1:08am EDT)



TV Asahi is adapting the comic series "Dageki Tenshi Ruri" as a live-action drama, starring Rei Kikukawa.

Written by Yasuhito Yamamoto, the action/suspense manga was serialized in Young Jump from 1998 to 2000. Kikukawa plays the protagonist Ruri, a seemingly ordinary OL who one day discovers she possesses an unbelievable power born from her anger. With it, she takes down bad guys one by one.

TV Asahi will air the series in its Friday 11:15pm time slot, starting in July.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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2008 Nittelegenic unit makes their debut
Thu, June 5, 2008 (1:33am EDT)

NTV's annual idol unit Nittelegenic has found its newest members. The Nittelegenic 2008 group consists of Yu Akiyama, Natsuko, Reimi Tachibana, and Yuu Tejima. The four women will make their first official television appearance this Sunday.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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"Gokusen" boys to present Taiwan's Golden Melody Awards
Thu, June 5, 2008 (2:34am EDT)

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Three of the young male stars from "Gokusen 3" are headed to Taiwan next month. Yuya Takaki, Junta Nakama, and Akito Kiriyama have been announced as guest presenters at the 19th Golden Melody Awards, which are being held at the Taipei Arena on July 5. The three are also scheduled to perform a few songs at the event, such as the "Gokusen 3" insert song "Oretachi no Seishun."

Japanese artists who have presented the awards in the past include Jun Matsumoto, Tegomass, and Dreams Come True.

This year's awards show is scheduled to be broadcast in 58 countries.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Yellow Ribbon Awards honor top fathers
Thu, June 5, 2008 (2:46am EDT)



With Father's Day coming up, the Best Father Yellow Ribbon Awards were formally presented on Tuesday. Actor Toru Nakamura was the recipient in the entertainment category, while Olympic-medalist archer Hiroshi Yamamoto was honored in the sports category. The other awardees were author Ira Ishida (culture), Shimojo mayor Kihei Ito (politics), JR East president Satoshi Seino (business).

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Tomomitsu Yamaguchi becomes "Cooking Papa"
Thu, June 5, 2008 (1:25am EDT)



Comedian and actor Tomomitsu Yamaguchi is starring in Fuji TV's "Cooking Papa," a one-shot drama based on the long-running manga series of the same name by Tochi Ueyama. The comic has been serialized in Kodansha's weekly Morning magazine since 1984, and this past January it achieved its 1,000th installment. The 98th tankoubon volume is being released on June 23.

The story is set in Hakata, Fukuoka. Yamaguchi plays a salaryman whose looks tough on the surface, but is really a gentle and loving family man. His true joy is in cooking for his wife and children. The wife will be played by Yasuko Tomita, who happens to be a Fukuoka native.



The drama will be shown on television on August 29.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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[JAPAN] Club Yellow (Space Club Yellow) to close its doors

Japan Times reported, 揙n the morning of June 22, Tokyo will lose a modern cultural asset when Club Yellow[/b, also known as Space Lab Yellow, closes its doors for the final time before its premises are sold to land developers. Since 1991, this event space has hosted world-class DJs, gained a reputation as one of the best clubs in the world, and been at the forefront of the Tokyo dance-music scene as it rode the wave from subculture into the mainstream.

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[J-ENT] TV host Mino Monta enters into Guiness Book of World Records for the second time



Mainichi Daily News reported, 揓apan抯 well-known TV host Monta Mino broke the Guinness World Record for the 揗ost hours on live TV in one week,

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[J-ENT] Figure Skater Ando joins singer AYAKA on television show



JapanToday.com reported, 揝inger Ayaka, 20, and figure skater Miki Ando, 20, will appear together on Fuji TV抯 music program 揙ur Music擺/b] on June 27. Ando performed to Ayaka抯 music during the ISU World Figure Skating Championships where she won the gold medal. The two have been friends for two years since their birthday, Dec 18, 1987, is the same.

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[J-ENT] Shido and Henmi asked about their divorces



JapanToday.com reported, 揂ctor Shido Nakamura, 35, and Emiri Henmi, 31, introduced their new stage play 揌itsuji to heitai

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Ueto joins Akanishi on "Speed Racer"
Fri, June 6, 2008 (12:36am EDT)



Aya Ueto has been chosen as the female lead in the Japanese dub of

the "Speed Racer" movie. She will provide the voice for Speed's

girlfriend Trixie, who is played by Christina Ricci.

Jin Akanishi has already been revealed as the voice of Emile Hirsch's Speed.

The Japanese version will hit theaters on July 5.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Tsuyoshi Domoto to star in "detective" drama
Fri, June 6, 2008 (1:32am EDT)



Tsuyoshi Domoto is starring in Fuji TV's next Saturday night drama,

titled "33-pun Tantei" ("33 Minute Detective"). This is his first

lead role in a drama series since "Home Drama" in 2004.

The show's name come from its time slot (Saturday nights at 11:10pm), which

runs a total of 33 minutes after commercial time is subtracted. Each

episode's mystery is solved within that short time span, but unlike typical

detective shows, this comedy features a slow-witted sleuth named Rokuro

Kurama (Domoto). While viewers will be able to identify the criminal right

away, Domoto's character constantly comes up with incorrect theories,

leading him to always accuse the wrong person.

Screenwriter Yuichi Fukada devised the show's concept. He frequently works

with Domoto, writing for shows such as "Shin Domoto Kyodai" and "Domoto

Tsuyoshi no Shoujiki Shindoi."

"33-pun Tantei" begins airing on August 2.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

[ Last edited by  whitedove at 11-6-2008 05:51 PM ]

whitedove

Oriental Radio's Nakata has a girlfriend
Fri, June 6, 2008 (2:06am EDT)



The latest issue of FRIDAY reveals that comedian Atsuhiko Nakata has

a girlfriend. Nakata, 25, is one half of the popular duo Oriental Radio.

His girlfriend is a 27-year-old who is said to resemble talento Aki

Higashihara. A reporter directly approached the couple on Monday as they

left Nakata's apartment together, and the comedian openly acknowledged the

relationship. They apparently met through work and have been dating for two

to three years already.

This is the first time a relationship has been reported for Nakata. His

comedy partner, Shingo Fujimori, was romantically linked to actress Juri

Ueno in 2006.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Nagasawa to voice act for "Detroit Metal City," free episode on Amazon
Fri, June 6, 2008 (2:54am EDT)



The guest voice cast for the animated "Detroit Metal City" was partly revealed on Thursday. The biggest announcement was that popular actress Masami Nagasawa is playing the role of the heroine, Yuri Aikawa. Other notable names on the roster are hip-hop artist K DUB SHINE (as Kiba), actor Riki Takeuchi (as Jack Il Dark), and musician Hideki Kaji (making a cameo in the ending theme).

Kenichi Matsuyama and Rosa Kato, who are both appearing in the live-action film that opens on August 23, will also be participating. In the movie, Matsuyama stars as Johannes Krauser II and Kato plays Yuri Aikawa, but in the animated version they will play actor Makoto Hokazono and actress Hanae Yamano, respectively.

The animated project was first announced months ago. It is being produced by Studio 4癈 and will be released on August 8 as a 4-disc DVD box set. However, the first short episode (of 24 total) is already being made available for free on a special Amazon site. The second episode will be sold as a sampler DVD on July 11 for 666 yen.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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More cast members revealed for Yuji Oda drama
Fri, June 6, 2008 (3:17am EDT)



Fuji TV announced a few more cast details for "Taiyou to Umi no Kyou$hitsu," the drama series that will run in its flagship Monday 9:00pm time slot next season. The show was formally revealed on Wednesday, with Yuji Oda starring as a teacher and a bevy of young stars playing his students.



Fumiyo Kohinata is playing the school's director, while Keiko Toda serves under him as the principal. Other teachers will be played by Norito Yashima (mathematics), Michiko Kichise (English), and Tetsuhiro Ikeda (music).



In addition to the students announced previously (which include Yusuke Yamamoto, Masaki Okada, Kie Kitano, Yuriko Yo$hitaka, and Mitsuki Tanimura), the show's website reveals Manami Kurose, Yuichi Nakamura, Aya Omasa, Kento Kaku, and Atsuko Maeda.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove

2010 NHK taiga drama is "Ryomaden"
Fri, June 6, 2008 (10:48am EDT)

NHK has announced that its taiga drama for 2010 will be "Ryomaden," a story based on the life of Sakamoto Ryoma. The script is an original by screenwriter Yasushi Fukuda, who currently writes for the Takuya Kimura-starring drama series "CHANGE." No cast members have been announced yet.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

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Full NYAFF lineup unveiled
Fri, June 6, 2008 (10:58am EDT)

The complete lineup for the 2008 New York Asian Film Festival has been announced. Of the 43 movies being screened, 27 come from Japan. Some of the titles were previously mentioned here, but that number has more than doubled with the addition of movies such as Ryo Iwamatsu's "Tamio no Shiawase" ("Then Summer Came"), the live-action "Oneechanbara," and the controversiol documentary "Yasukuni."

The festival runs from June 20 to July 6. Nippon Cinema has the full roster with the Japanese movies highlighted.

Source: www.tokyograph.com

whitedove

Toma Ikuta, Miki Fujimoto in "Grease"
Sat, June 7, 2008 (2:22am EDT)



The hit Broadway musical "Grease" is being performed in Tokyo later this year, and it was announced on Friday that rising actor Toma Ikuta is playing the lead part of Danny Zuko. His supporting cast includes Sayaka Kanda as his girlfriend Sandy, former Morning Musume member Miki Fujimoto as the Pink Ladies leader Rizzo, and Musical Academy member Tomoyuki Yara as Kenickie.

The production opens at the Aoyama Theatre on October 20 and will finish up in Osaka during November.

Source: www.tokyograph.com