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Idol group 9nine to star in sitcom “Konna no Idol Janain”
Posted on December 17, 2011 by tokyograph
The members of idol group 9nine have been given their first regular TV show on one of the major networks. Starting next month, they will be the stars of a new NTV sitcom titled “Konna no Idol Janain!?”
The show takes place at an exclusive all-girls junior high and high school. After an upperclassman sings at the school festival and gets scouted to make her debut as an idol, a group of students (played by the five members of 9nine) form a club for girls who want to become idols. The members end up creating their own bizarre lessons for themselves, resulting in comedic situations. The show will also feature scenes of 9nine performing as their characters imagine themselves becoming idols.
The show’s casting has Nishiwaki Sayaka as the enthusiastic founder of the club, Yoshii Kanae as the cool and capable member who is already taking actual song and dance lessons, Kawashima Umika as the serious type who was pulled into the group despite having no interest in becoming an idol, Satake Uki as the simple-minded type who is full of unwarranted confidence that she will surely become an idol, and Murata Hirona as a sharp-tongued young member. The five of them undertake various odd lessons as they prepare for their school festival in the fall.
“Konna no Idol Janain!?” will air late at night on Wednesdays (1:29am), beginning January 11.
www.tokyograph.com |
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Matsushige Yutaka to star in drama adaptation of food manga “Kodoku no Gourmet”
Posted on December 19, 2011 by tokyograph
Actor Matsushige Yutaka (48) will star in a live-action drama adaptation of Kusumi Masayuki and Taniguchi Jiro’s gourmet manga “Kodoku no Gourmet.” This will be Matsushige’s first time to star in a television series.
“Kodoku no Gourmet” was originally serialized in Fusosha’s “Gekkan SPA!” between 1994 and 1996. It was resumed in 2008 and has been irregularly serialized since then.
The story follows a man named Inogashira Goro (played by Matsushige), who privately runs an imported dry goods business. In his spare time between work, he visits various shops and tastes their cuisine. One of the highlights of the manga is that the shops that appear in it are all real shops geared towards a general public. The drama will preserve the spirit of the manga, in which the solitary protagonist speaks very little and the focus is on his character as he eats various dishes.
TV Tokyo will broadcast the series late at night (Wednesdays 12:43am-1:13am), starting on January 4.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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AKB48's Sashihara Rino to star in drama series “Muse no Kagami”
Posted on December 26, 2011 by tokyograph
The latest AKB48 member to get a starring role in a drama series is Sashihara Rino (19). It was revealed today that she will play the lead in NTV’s “Muse no Kagami,” which begins in January.
In “Muse no Kagami,” Sashihara plays a seemingly ordinary girl from the countryside with no special qualities. However, she encounters a former famous actor named Okita Ryu, who discovers her ability to instantly memorize lines after hearing them once and her hidden acting prowess. As a result, he decides to set her on the path towards becoming an actress.
The drama is written and directed by Fukuda Yuichi (“33-pun no Tantei,” “Yuusha Yoshihiko to Maou no Shiro”). The series is scheduled to air on Saturday nights at 1:55am, starting on January 14.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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NHK taiga drama “Taira no Kiyomori” gets 3rd worst ratings start in history
Posted on January 10, 2012 by tokyograph
NHK’s 2012 taiga drama “Taira no Kiyomori” began airing on January 8th. Viewership ratings for the first episode were 17.3% in the Kanto region, and 18.8% in the Kansai region. In the Kanto region, this is the first time since “Komyo ga Tsuji” in 2006 that a taiga drama has premiered with lower than 20% ratings.
“Taira no Kiyomori” is tied with “Shin Heike Monogatari” (1972) for the 3rd worst start in history for an NHK taiga drama. The only ones that have had worse starts are the 1989 series “Kasuga no Tsubone” (14.3%) and the 1977 series “Kashin” (16.5%).
The drama features a star-studded cast led by Matsuyama Kenichi (26), portraying the life of the 12th century general Taira no Kiyomori. The series is planned to run for 50 episodes, ending in December 2012.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Ichihara Hayato, Narimiya Hiroki cast in drama adaptation of Tezuka Osamu’s “Hidamari no Ki”
Posted on January 15, 2012 by tokyograph
Actor Ichihara Hayato (24) will star in a historical drama for the first time. He has been chosen as the lead of an adaptation of Tezuka Osamu’s manga “Hidamari no Ki,” with Narimiya Hiroki (29) as his co-star.
Set during the end of the Edo period, “Hidamari no Ki” tells the story of a friendship between a young samurai named Ibuya Manjiro (Ichihara) and a doctor named Tezuka Ryoan (Narimiya). The story is based on the life of Tezuka Osamu’s own great-grandfather.
Kurokawa Mei plays the young woman with whom the two both fall in love. Other cast members include Tsugawa Masahiko, Nishioka Tokuma, Ikegami Kimiko, Sasano Takashi, ****gawa Yuko, and Fueki Yuko.
Production is scheduled to begin on January 19 and finish in mid-February. The drama will be aired on NHK BS Premium sometime in April.
It was also recently announced that “Hidamari no Ki” is getting a new stage adaptation with Kamikawa Takaya and Kikkawa Koji.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Yoshinaga Fumi’s “Ooku” gets live-action drama, movie sequel
Posted on January 16, 2012 by tokyograph
Yoshinaga Fumi’s historical fiction manga “Ooku” is getting a television drama adaptation and a second film adaptation, it has been announced. Actor Sakai Masato (38) will star in both, though he will play different characters in each.
“Ooku” is set during the Edo period of Japan, in an alternate history where a mysterious disease that affects only males has resulted in a population where women overwhelmingly outnumber men. As a result, woman are the dominant members of society, and due to scarcity, men are valued for their ability to produce offspring. The shoguns are female instead of male, and the “ooku” (the inner chambers of the shogun’s castle) consists of a harem of men.
A movie adaptation of the first volume of the manga was released in 2010, starring Arashi member Ninomiya Kazunari as a member of the “ooku” and Shibasaki Kou as Tokugawa Yoshimune. The movie earned 2.3 billion yen at the box office.
The television drama, titled “Ooku: Arikoto Iemitsu Hen,” will cover volumes 2 through 4 of the manga, which takes place during Tokugawa Iemitsu’s reign. Sakai will play the part of Arikoto, a monk brought into the “ooku,” while Tabe Mikako (22) will play Iemitsu.
The TV series is scheduled to run from October to December on TBS. After the series ends, the “Ooku: Emonnosuke Tsunayoshi Hen” movie adaptation will be released in theaters on December 22. It will cover volumes 4 through 6 of the manga. Sakai will play Emonnosuke, an “ooku” member who resembles Arikoto, and Kanno Miho (34) will play the shogun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi.
Kaneko Fuminori will direct again, and Kamiyama Yumiko will handle the screenplay. More cast members are expected to be announced in July.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Sakurai Sho, Oshima Yuko to co-star in television drama “Blackboard”
Posted on January 24, 2012 by tokyograph
Arashi’s Sakurai Sho (30) and AKB48’s Oshima Yuko (23) will appear together in a television drama for the first time. In April, TBS plans to air a 3-episode miniseries, and Sakurai and Oshima have been cast in the first episode.
The miniseries, titled “Blackboard ~ Jidai to Tatakatta Kyoushitachi~,” revolves around teachers in different time periods having to deal with the problems of that era. For example, the first episode stars Sakurai as Shirahama, a junior high school teacher who taught his students about “dying for your country” during wartime. After later losing his right arm in the war, he returns to teaching but is burdened and conflicted by what he taught his students in the past.
Oshima will play one of Shirahama’s colleagues, an English teacher. She becomes an eventual love interest for him, though it seems to develop into a love triangle with his older brother’s wife (Miyazawa Rie).
This is the first time that an AKB48 member has appeared in a drama starring an Arashi member. Filming will take place between February and March, but it is said that initially their schedules were so busy there was only one day when they were both available. However, their schedules were later adjusted, and the production team gave up on filming on location (due to the time required just to travel) and instead constructed a nearly 2,000-square-meter set in Yokohama that reportedly cost 100 million yen.
The second episode of “Blackboard ~Jidai to Tatakatta Kyoushitachi~” will star Sato Koichi (51) as a teacher during the 1980s having to deal with school violence. Shida Mirai (18) will play a delinquent student, and Kanjiya Shihori (26) will play another teacher at the school.
The cast for the third episode has not yet been finalized.
TBS plans to broadcast “Blackboard ~Jidai to Tatakatta Kyoushitachi~” over three consecutive nights in April.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Nakai Masahiro to play autistic savant in drama series “Ataru”
Posted on January 29, 2012 by tokyograph
SMAP’s Nakai Masahiro (39) has been given the starring role in an upcoming drama series titled “ATARU.” This will be his first lead role in a drama series since “Konkatsu!” in 2009.
The show is a mystery drama revolving around a man named Ataru, played by Nakai. Ataru is autistic, but he is also a savant, possessing extraordinary memory and powers of deduction that he uses to solve difficult cases. The character is being likened to Dustin Hoffman’s award-winning role in the 1988 movie “Rain Man.”
Kitamura Kazuki (42) plays a police detective who works with Ataru and makes use of his abilities in his investigations. Kuriyama Chiaki (27) plays a former detective who also assists Ataru.
TBS will broadcast “ATARU” on Sundays at 9:00pm, beginning this April.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Kawashima Umika to star in NHK drama “Akko to Bokura ga Ikita Natsu”
Posted on January 30, 2012 by tokyograph
Actress Kawashima Umika (17), who is also a member of the idol group 9nine, will star in a drama special on NHK this spring. The show is titled “Akko to Bokura ga Ikita Natsu” and is based on a true story of a high school baseball team manager who died of cancer at the age of 17.
The story is based on the baseball team of Yoshikan High School in the Oita Prefecture. Their manager Osaki Akiko, known by the nickname “Akko,” was diagnosed with advanced cancer in June 2007. That summer, they made their first appearance at the summer Koshien baseball tournament and made it into the top 8. In 2008, Akko became a third-year student, and she chose to stop her cancer treatment in order to spend her final summer of high school with the baseball team. However, she passed away that fall.
The story was released as a nonfiction book in 2011. In the drama adaptation, Kawashima plays Omiya Akiko, a character modeled after Akko. During her second year of high school, she finds out that she has pharyngeal cancer. She promises the team that she will return to the field after undergoing treatment, and they promise her that they will make it into the Koshien tournament.
Kawashima’s supporting cast includes Yanagishita Tomo, Yamada Kenta, Kuroki Tatsuya, Ukaji Takashi, Omi Toshinori, Mitsuishi Ken, and Zenzen Naomi.
“Akko to Bokura ga Ikita Natsu” will be aired in two parts, on April 14 and April 21.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Hirakawa Tetsuhiro’s “Clover” manga gets drama adaptation
Posted on February 1, 2012 by tokyograph
Hirakawa Tetsuhiro’s manga “Clover” is going to be adapted as a live-action drama series this spring. The lead cast and other details are expected to be announced in the middle of this month.
“Clover” has been serialized in Akita Shoten’s Weekly Shonen Champion magazine since 2007. The 25th tankoubon volume will be released on February 8, and so far the series has sold more than 4.5 million copies.
The story follows the daily lives of three male high school delinquents. Hayato, who is strong in fighting, returns to his hometown for the first time since elementary school and enters high school. There, he revives his childhood friendship with motorcycle-loving Tomoki and clumsy Kenji. The three occasionally fight and get into trouble, but their friendship helps them overcome various obstacles.
TV Tokyo plans to begin broadcasting the drama series in April.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Yoshioka Hidetaka, Anne star in drama special “Nekoben”
Posted on February 5, 2012 by tokyograph
Actor Yoshioka Hidetaka and model/actress Anne will star in a drama special titled “Nekoben ~Shitai no Minoshirokin~.” The drama is based on the winner of TBS and Kodansha’s 3rd Drama Gensaku Taisho (an award for original novels for dramas), written by Oyama Junko.
Yoshioka plays the lead character Momose Taro, a genius lawyer who has earned the nickname “Neko-ben” (“Cat Lawyer”) for the unusual amount of pet-related cases he handles. He is also unable to leave helpless cats alone, so he ends up keeping more than 10 cats at his office. Due to circumstances, he was raised in an orphanage as a child, so he has a strong yearning to have a family. Looking for marriage, he receives assistance from a marriage counselor (Anne), but he has already 30 unsuccessful omiais (meetings for an arranged marriage).
The drama focuses on a specific case involving the theft of a hearse from a funeral hall, carrying the deceased president of a major shoe company. His relatives have a reason for being unable to notify the police, so Momose is called upon to solve the case. However, the thief calls and demands a ransom for the body, turning it into a baffling case.
The supporting cast includes Kimura Midoriko, Yanagihara Kanako, Itaya Yuka, Iwamatsu Ryo, Nonami Maho, Arakawa Yoshiyoshi, Ishida Akira (of NON STYLE), Ueda Koichi, Shiomi Sansei, Ito Shiro, and Watanabe Misako.
The story will be published as a tankoubon this month and in bunko format in March. TBS will then broadcast the 2-hour drama on April 23 at 9:00pm.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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AKB48's Akimoto Sayaka to star in NHK’s first “multi-channel drama”
Posted on February 7, 2012 by tokyograph
AKB48 member Akimoto Sayaka (23) will star in an NHK drama for the first time next month. The show, titled “Asadora Satsujin Jiken,” will be broadcast over two consecutive nights around the end of March.
Akimoto will take on the role of Miho, who is appointed as an assistant producer for a morning television drama. One day, a giant daruma doll is discovered in the studio, making it impossible to film the drama. The chief producer (played by Kokusho Sayuri) orders Miho to “expel” the daruma, and for some reason she gives her a “Ghost Countermeasure Manual.”
The screenplay is written by Hokimoto Shinya, a director and writer for the Comedy Unit Isokawake troupe.
Kiriyama Renn, Chris Peppler, Rokkaku Seiji, and Aijima Kazuyuki have also been cast.
The drama will be a new experiment for NHK as its first “multi-channel drama.” It will be broadcast on multiple channels, with the main channel containing only the main story. At certain points, the sub-channels will differ from the main channel, showing scenes from inside Miho’s imagination. Viewers will be given signals indicating when to change channels to view those extra scenes.
Production for the drama began on Tuesday. Although the show is scheduled to air on 2 consecutive nights, NHK has not yet announced specific broadcast dates or times.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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AKB48's Akimoto Sayaka to star in NHK’s first “multi-channel drama”
Posted on February 7, 2012 by tokyograph
AKB48 member Akimoto Sayaka (23) will star in an NHK drama for the first time next month. The show, titled “Asadora Satsujin Jiken,” will be broadcast over two consecutive nights around the end of March.
Akimoto will take on the role of Miho, who is appointed as an assistant producer for a morning television drama. One day, a giant daruma doll is discovered in the studio, making it impossible to film the drama. The chief producer (played by Kokusho Sayuri) orders Miho to “expel” the daruma, and for some reason she gives her a “Ghost Countermeasure Manual.”
The screenplay is written by Hokimoto Shinya, a director and writer for the Comedy Unit Isokawake troupe.
Kiriyama Renn, Chris Peppler, Rokkaku Seiji, and Aijima Kazuyuki have also been cast.
The drama will be a new experiment for NHK as its first “multi-channel drama.” It will be broadcast on multiple channels, with the main channel containing only the main story. At certain points, the sub-channels will differ from the main channel, showing scenes from inside Miho’s imagination. Viewers will be given signals indicating when to change channels to view those extra scenes.
Production for the drama began on Tuesday. Although the show is scheduled to air on 2 consecutive nights, NHK has not yet announced specific broadcast dates or times.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Oikawa Mitsuhiro to graduate from “Aibou” drama series
Posted on February 7, 2012 by tokyograph
Actor Oikawa Mitsuhiro (42) will leave the drama series “Aibou” at the end of this season, it has been announced. The final episode of the season will air in March.
Now in its 10th season, “Aibou” follows the story of two police detective partners, with Mizutani Yutaka (59) playing the lead role. Oikawa joined the show as Mizutani’s new partner during the 7th season in 2009, replacing Terawaki Yasufumi’s (49) character.
Oikawa said that the plan for his character’s departure was already decided during the 9th season. It is not yet known who will play Mizutani’s new partner for the show’s 11th season, which is expected to start in October.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Odagiri Joe to star as rock musician and father in drama series “Kazoku no Uta”
Posted on February 8, 2012 by tokyograph
Actor Odagiri Joe (35) will star in a Fuji TV drama series this spring, titled “Kazoku no Uta.” The series will be broadcast on Sundays at 9:00pm, beginning in April.
Odagiri plays the role of Hayakawa, a rock musician who was once extremely popular but who has now faded from public memory ever since his band broke up 13 years earlier. His only regular work that remains is a 30-minute live radio show early in the morning and occasional fan events.
One day, he encounters three young girls who are his daughters, and he ends up having to live with them. However, he can’t let his situation be publicly known, especially to his record company that wants to find a way to end its contract with him. Through his living with the three girls, Hayakawa matures as a person and as a father.
Yusuke Santamaria plays Hayakawa’s manager, while Kanjiya Shihori plays a photographer named Yoko who secretly has feelings for Hayakawa. Otsuka Nene plays Asako, a former photographer who is like an older sister to Yoko and who is familiar with Hayakawa’s glory days as a musician.
The three actresses playing Odagiri’s daughters have not yet been announced.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Nagasawa Masami plays detective in drama series “Toshi Densetsu no Onna”
Posted on February 9, 2012 by tokyograph
Nagasawa Masami has been given the lead role in a TV Asahi drama series titled “Toshi Densetsu no Onna,” scheduled to start in April. This will be her first starring role in a TV series since “Boku no Imouto” in 2009, and her first ever police detective role.
The drama is an original story that blends comedy and mystery. Nagasawa plays Otonashi Tsukiko, a police detective obsessed with urban legends who works on cracking unsolved cases related to those legends. Mizobata Junpei has been cast as her overly methodical police partner. Takenaka Naoto will play another colleague named Tannai who prides himself on his “detective’s intuition,” which is rumored to be off target recently. Hirayama Hiroyuki also plays a detective, who reveres the once-famous Tannai.
TV Asahi will broadcast “Toshi Densetsu no Onna” on Friday nights at 11:15pm this spring.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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“Odoru Daisousasen” to get drama special before final movie
Posted on February 12, 2012 by tokyograph
Just before the final “Odoru Daisousasen” movie opens in theaters this September, Fuji TV will broadcast a special drama episode. Not counting the franchise’s spin-offs, this will be the first time in 14 years that the show has had a new television drama featuring the main cast.
Oda Yuji (44) will naturally star in the episode, accompanied by Fukatsu Eri, Yanagiba Toshiro, Yusuke Santamaria, Kitamura Soichiro, Ono Takehiko, and Saito Satoru. The episode will also include Ito Atsushi, Uchida Yuki, and Oguri Shun from the third “Odoru Daisousasen” movie.
“Odoru Daisousasen: The TV Special” takes place one month before the “Odoru Daisousasen: The Final” movie. The story involves a search for a female suspect who is internationally wanted for marriage fraud. The character is being played by Korean actress Lee Hae In (25), best known for the Korean television series “Roller Coaster.” This will be her first time appearing in a Japanese drama.
The drama will air this September, sometime before the “Odoru Daisousasen: The Final” hits theaters. Filming for both is currently being done simultaneously.
Source:
http://www.tokyograph.com |
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Sakai Masato stars as lawyer in Fuji TV’s “Legal High”
Posted on February 13, 2012 by tokyograph
Actor Sakai Masato (38) will star in a new Fuji TV drama series this spring, titled “Legal High.” This will be his first time acting as a lawyer. It will also be his first time sharing the screen with actress Aragaki Yui (23), who has been cast as the female lead as another lawyer.
“Legal High” is a comedy written by Kosawa Ryota (“ALWAYS: Sanchome no Yuhi”), who has never written a drama for Fuji TV before. Sakai plays Komikado Kensuke, a cranky, sharp-tongued, cynical, wasteful lawyer who loves money, reputation, and women. Komikado believes in the idea that “the winner is right,” and he uses any means to maintain his perfect-win record. However, he gradually realizes that his idea of justice is wrong, and he begins to remember what it feels like to really fight.
Aragaki plays a rookie lawyer named Machiko who is passionate about protecting the weak. Namase Katsuhisa plays Miki, the head of a major law firm who once looked after Komikado but now strongly views him as an opponent after it seemed like Komikado was going to usurp control of the company. Koike Eiko plays Miki’s secretary, while Satomi Kotaro plays a clerk at Komikado’s firm.
Fuji TV will broadcast “Legal High” on Tuesday nights at 9:00pm, beginning in April.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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“Ryu ga Gotoku” gets another drama series starring Saito Takumi
Posted on February 14, 2012 by tokyograph
Earlier this week, video game publisher Sega announced that the “Ryu ga Gotoku” (“Yakuza”) franchise is getting another live-action television series. The new series is inspired by “Kurohyo 2: Ryu ga Gotoku Shinsho,” a spin-off game of the franchise for the PlayStation Portable.
The first “Kurohyou” game was also turned into a live-action drama in 2010. Saito Takumi (30) will once again take on the starring role. Kickboxer Masato will also reprise his role from the previous series. Other cast members include Sato Yuki, Yagami Ren, Tomiura Satoshi, Okamoto Rei, Abe Ryohei, Wada Soko, Namioka Kazuki, Ishida Takuya, Hayashi Tsuyoshi, Takachi Noboru, and Osugi Ren.
The “Kurohyo 2? game is being released on March 22. The drama series will air after that on TBS and MBS, beginning in April.
Source: www.tokyograph.com |
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Post time 28-12-2011 04:16 PM
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