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TBS to drop Saturday drama time slot
Wed, July 28, 2010 (7:46pm EDT)
On Wednesday, broadcaster TBS announced that its Saturday 8:00pm hour will be turning back into a variety show time slot this October. The "Hammer Session!" drama series is currently airing in that slot.
In April 2008, TBS changed the time slot from variety to drama, starting with the live-action series "ROOKIES." That series did fairly well, but most dramas in that time slot have averaged under 10% ratings, with the notable exception of Takuya Kimura's "MR.BRAIN" last spring.
TBS stated that it is making the change with the aim of revitalizing the time slot.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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"Mori no Asagao" manga gets drama adaptation
Mon, August 2, 2010 (7:26pm EDT)
Mamora Goda's manga series "Mori no Asagao" will be turned into a live-action drama series on TV Tokyo this fall.
The award-winning manga depicts the friendship between a criminal awaiting the death penalty and a rookie prison guard. It was serialized in Futabasha's Manga Action from 2004 to 2007 and has been collected into seven volumes. Last year, it was announced that a movie adaptation was in the works.
The "Mori no Asagao" drama will start in October. The time slot and cast details will be announced at a later date.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Ryoko Yonekura, Masakazu Tamura to lead TV Asahi dramas
Mon, August 2, 2010 (7:56pm EDT)
 
TV Asahi has announced two upcoming dramas in its Thursday 9:00pm time slot. Although neither has been given an official title yet, it has been revealed that Ryoko Yonekura (35) will star in the first one this fall, followed by Masakazu Tamura (67) in the winter.
Both dramas will share a theme of justice. In the fall, Yonekura will play a national tax investigator who pursues criminals for tax evasion. Then, in the winter, Tamura will play a court-appointed lawyer who defends the weak.
Yonekura has previously starred in the Thursday 9:00pm time slot with the 2004 drama series "Kurokawa no Techo" and both seasons of the recent "Koshonin." For Tamura, this will be his first drama series on any network since TBS's "Dare Yori mo Mama wo Aisu" in 2006.
Coincidentally, Yonekura and Tamura share the same birthday: August 1.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Sosuke Ikematsu stars in wartime drama
Tue, August 3, 2010 (11:36am EDT)
Actor Sosuke Ikematsu (20) will star in an NHK drama special called "15-sai no Shiganhei." The story is based on an autobiographical book by the late Chiaki Eto, which recounted his experience with the war as Japan's army attempted to expand by recruiting junior high school students. The story focuses on the conflicts among the boys, their families, and their teachers.
Ikematsu plays the main character, one of the young boys. Katsunori Takahashi (45) will play his father. Other cast members include Sawa Suzuki, Taiga, Seiji Fukushi, Yui Natsukawa, Raita Ryu, and Mitsuru Hirata.
"15-sai no Shiganhei" will air on August 15.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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NHK announces 2012 taiga drama: "Taira no Kiyomori"
Wed, August 4, 2010 (8:53am EDT)
NHK has decided on the subject of its 2012 taiga drama. The broadcaster announced on Wednesday that the series will be titled "Taira no Kiyomori," based on the historical figure of the same name.
Taira no Kiyomori was a general during the 12th century who led the Taira clan to power, especially after defeating the Minamoto clan in the Heiji Rebellion. He has often been portrayed as a sort of villain, but the drama's chief producer stated that he wants to get rid of that image. The script will be handled by Yuki Fujimoto, whose works include the 2007-2008 morning drama "Chiritotechin."
The series will start in January 2012. The cast has not yet been decided.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Katsunori Takahashi to lead next year's "Shinshun Wide Jidaigeki"
Tue, July 27, 2010 (7:36pm EDT)
Actor Katsunori Takahashi (45) is taking on a new challenge, as he has been given his first lead role in a jidaigeki television drama. He will play the part of Kuroda Yoshitaka (also known as Kuroda Kanbei) in TV Tokyo's annual "Shinshun Wide Jidaigeki" program at the start of next year.
The drama is tentatively titled "Sengoku Shippuden Futari no Gunshi: Hideyoshi ni Tenka wo Eraseta Otokotachi." It focuses on Kuroda, who was one of the chief military strategists under Toyotomi Hideyoshi during the Sengoku period.
Takahashi, best known for his salaryman portrayals in dramas such as "Salaryman Kintaro" and "Tokumei Kakarichou Tadano Hitoshi," has appeared in a historical drama before, but this is said to be his first true jidaigeki role. To top it off, the show is a "Shinshun Wide Jidaigeki," which means that it will be 7 hours long.
"Sengoku Shippuden Futari no Gunshi" is scheduled to air on January 2, 2011, but the broadcast time has not yet been decided.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Miho Kanno seeks revenge in Fuji TV drama
Thu, August 5, 2010 (7:47pm EDT)
Miho Kanno (32) is set to star in a new drama series this fall on Fuji TV. The currently untitled show will have Kanno playing her first "wicked woman" role since "Koi no Kiseki" in 1999. It is being described as a mystery with some element of romance, and Hiroshi Tamaki (30) has been cast as the male lead.
Kanno plays the part of Meiko Nogami, a woman with a beautiful and kind heart. But 13 years ago, when she was 19 years old, her older sister's husband and son were killed, and Meiko was falsely charged with the crime. She is released from prison 12 years later, and she resumes life as a pet groomer, but inside she is burning for revenge. As she searches out the truth behind the original murders, she leads the men around her to their destruction and death.
  
Tamaki is taking on the role of a police detective who becomes attracted to Meiko even as he is investigating her as a suspect. Michiko Kichise (35) plays another detective who is Tamaki's ex-girlfriend, and Toshiaki Karasawa (47) plays a writer who originally reported on the murders. Kensei Mikami (26) and Kotaro Yoshida (51) have also been cast.
The series will premiere on October 12 in Fuji TV's Tuesday 10:00pm time slot.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Takeru Sato to star in "Q10" drama
Sun, August 8, 2010 (7:27pm EDT)
Actor Takeru Sato (21) has landed his first starring role in a drama series. He will play a high school student in the NTV drama "Q10" this fall, using an original script by Izumi Kizara ("Nobuta wo Produce").
Sato plays Heita, an ordinary high school boy with a kind heart but no real interest in romance. His class is joined by a transfer student named Q10 (pronounced "kyu-to," the same as "cute"), who looks like a girl but is actually a robot. Together, the two end up causing trouble at school, and Heita even begins falling for Q10. A kiss scene between the two is planned.
NTV will start shooting the drama in early September in preparation for an October premiere. The series will air on Saturday nights at 9:00pm.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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"Ushijima the Loan Shark" manga goes live-action
Mon, August 9, 2010 (11:20am EDT)
Shohei Manabe's manga series "Yamikin Ushijima-kun" ("Ushijima the Loan Shark") is
being turned into a live-action drama this fall. The latest issue of Weekly Big Comic
Spirits announced the news this week.
The manga, which has been irregularly serialized in the magazine since 2004, is a human
drama about the troubled lives of people dealing with debt problems, told using a loan
shark named Ushijima as the central character. The series explores the black market and
the dark side of society in a realistic way.
The live-action adaptation will be aired on TBS and MBS in a late-night time slot. The
cast has not yet been announced, but the show will begin in October.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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August 12, 2010
In an effort to boost the sagging audience rankings of its morning drama slot, NHK took
everyone by surprise by naming established actress Inoue Mao (23, photo left) as the
star of next year's 50th anniversary series. "Ohisama" will air at 8am on Mondays
through Saturdays from March 28, 2011. It is set in the Nagano Prefecture towns of
Matsumoto and Azumino, and tells the story of a teacher who becomes a maker of soba
(buckwheat noodles). The original script is by Okada Yoshikazu (51, photo right), who
also wrote one of the more popular morning dramas, "Churasan," in 2001.
At a press conference yesterday, the media were visibly taken by surprise when the
leading actress's name was announced. But Inoue herself admitted to having been
bowled over by her choice for a morning drama role, something she had dreamed of
since she was a girl. "It's seen as a gateway to stardom for young actors and the
auditions are very competitive. I had half given up that my name would ever be called,
so I was very surprised," she said. She added that she had watched the 2007 series
"Chiritotechin" without missing a single episode. "I thought it seemed like a tough job.
Portraying the life of one person for such a long time, it must need both physical and
mental strength."
The NHK morning drama slot is usually reserved as a vehicle to launch the career of a
promising young actress, such as Tanaka Miri and Konishi Miho. During the 1960s to 80s,
the morning drama slot enjoyed solid audience ratings of 30-40%, but that has fallen to
around 10% in recent years. The current series, "Gegegeg no Nyobo" had the worst ever
ratings for an opening episode, and though it has since been doing reasonably well, it
rarely breaks the 20% barrier.
Source: www.japan-zone.com |
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Takayuki Yamada plays loan shark in "Ushijima-kun" drama series
Wed, August 11, 2010 (7:11pm EDT)
Actor Takayuki Yamada (26) has not had a lead role in a television drama since 2006,
but that will change this fall. He has been cast as the star of TBS's "Yamikin Ushijima-
kun" ("Ushijima the Loan Shark"), based on Shohei Manabe's manga of the same name.
News of the adaptation was first revealed earlier this week, though no cast details were
announced at the time.
Yamada will take on a fierce look as he plays Ushijima, the head of a ruthless black
market lending operation, which charges as much as 50% interest every ten days.
Although he is the central character, the series focuses on the stories of the loan
borrowers who have to deal with their debt problems.
  
Yamada's supporting cast includes Nana Katase (28) as a new employee at Ushijima's
company, a character new to the drama version. Kyosuke Yabe (36) and Hiromi
Sakimoto (23) will also appear, as well as adult film stars Miyuki Yokoyama (20), Risa
Kasumi (26), and Jessica Kizaki (21).
TBS plans to air the series late at night, but the day and time are still unknown. The
first episode is scheduled for October.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Masaru Nagai becomes the "Face Maker"
Thu, August 12, 2010 (8:25pm EDT)
Actor Masaru Nagai (32) is taking on the role of a doctor in a new drama series from NTV. The show, titled "FACE MAKER," is a suspenseful story about an expert plastic surgeon and the lives of the people he works on.
Nagai plays Shun Kirishima, a skilled doctor whose nickname is "Face Maker." In each episode, patients come to him seeking to change their lives, and he grants them that wish with a new face. However, instead of taking payment in cash, he keeps their previous faces. This results in chaos when each of them encounters someone with their former face.
An open audition will be held for the part of Kirishima's female assistant, and Nagai himself will participate in the judging process. No other cast members have been announced yet.
"FACE MAKER" will air on Thursday nights at 11:58pm, starting on October 7.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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"Wataru Seken wa Oni Bakari" lines up 10th series
Fri, August 13, 2010 (10:57am EDT)
TBS's popular, long-running drama "Wataru Seken wa Oni Bakari" will be entering its 10th series this fall. It is set to begin on October 14, almost exactly 20 years after the first episode aired (October 11, 1990).
The family drama has been broadcast in year-long series lasting about 50 episodes each. Ratings for the show have always been high, with a peak of 26.6% for the 3rd series in 1996-1997. The 9th series, which aired in 2008-2009, had the show's lowest average, but it was still at 14.1%.
TBS was once well known for its dramas, but it has recently been falling behind its competitors for ratings. Producer Fukuko Ishii stated that she aims to restore the network's numbers with this 10th series. It will air in its usual time slot, Thursdays at 9:00pm.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Kazunari Ninomiya to star in Fuji TV drama
Sat, August 14, 2010 (9:28pm EDT)
 
Arashi's Kazunari Ninomiya (27) is confirmed to be starring in a new drama series this fall. Titled "Freeter, Ie wo Kau," the show will feature Ninomiya as a part-time worker trying to get his life back together for the sake of his family. Karina (26) will play the female lead.
The show is Ninomiya's first starring role in a drama series since the 2008 "Ryusei no Kizuna." As an actor, he has recently been focused on filming for his upcoming movies "Ooku" and "GANTZ." In contrast with those spectacular big screen roles, his character in this home drama will be a "freeter" (a term used to describe young people without full time employment, not counting students and homemakers).
The story is based on a book of the same name by Hiro Arikawa, published last year. The story revolves around a young man named Seiji Take (Ninomiya), who quits his job after three months. With no dreams, no savings, and a poor relationship with his family, he becomes a hikikomori (shut-in) in his own room. However, after his mother falls ill with depression, he ends up having to take on a part-time job at a construction site. Because of that, he soon decides to work towards rebuilding his life: "Even though I'm just a freeter, I'm going to buy a house for the sake of my family."
One of the people he meets at the construction site is Manami Chiba (Karina), who graduated from a top-class university and joined a well-known general contracting firm. Manami, proud to be working as an on-site supervisor, is the complete opposite of Seiji. But while their personalities clash at first, they gradually come to understand each other.
Filming already started earlier this month. The show will air on Fuji TV on Tuesdays at 9:00pm, starting in October.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Another manga by "LIAR GAME" author goes live-action
Tue, August 17, 2010 (7:40pm EDT)
The mystery comedy manga "Reinoryokusha Odagiri Kyoko no Uso" is being turned into a live-action drama next season. Currently serialized in the magazine Business Jump, the manga is written by Shinobu Kaitani, whose "LIAR GAME" was adapted as a successful drama series in 2007.
The story revolves around the beautiful and brilliant psychic Kyoko Odagiri, who uses her powers to solve even the most difficult cases. One of her biggest fans, a young man named Ichiro Taniguchi, ends up working for her after he learns her big secret.
No cast announcement for the drama has been made yet. TV Asahi will premiere the show in October.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Erika Toda, Ryo Kase star in "Keizoku" sequel
Tue, August 17, 2010 (6:56pm EDT)
 
Erika Toda (21) and Ryo Kase (35) will co-star in a TBS drama series this fall. The show, titled "SPEC," is described as a sequel to the 1999 series "Keizoku," which starred Miki Nakatani (34) and Atsuro Watabe (42).
The full title of the new series is "Keizoku 2: SPEC ~ Keishichou Kouanbu Kouan Daigoka Mishou Jiken Tokubetsu Taisakugakari Jikenbo." Like the original series, "SPEC" will revolve around a pair of police detectives as part of a special division solving difficult cases. Toda plays the part of Touma, a woman with an IQ of 201 with a touch of sadism and an inability to "read the atmosphere" ("kuuki ga yomenai") in social situations. Her character uses little makeup, has poor posture, and is always pulling around a small suitcase with wheels. Due to a previous case, her left arm is in a sling.
Meanwhile, Kase had to shave his head for his role as Touma's partner, a fellow detective who considers her unreliable. This will be his first time in a lead role on a television series.
   
Other cast members include 70-year-old veteran Raita Ryu (who also appeared in "Keizoku"), Saki Fukuda (19), Yu Shirota (24), and Ryunosuke Kamiki (17). The show will be directed by Yukihiko Tsutsumi, who also handled the original series.
TBS will air "SPEC" on Friday nights at 10:00pm, starting in October.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Reply 1137# whitedove
CAM BEST JE....SAPE R BLAKON BTUAH TUH....... |
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Reply 1139# pcyduck 
kita tunggu aje announcement ;) |
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Post time 11-8-2010 04:22 PM
