TokyographThe site devoted to all Japanese entertainment and media, from anime to drama to music to sports.http://www.tokyograph.com/Ryuta Sato becoming a fatherTue, 14 Jul 2009 03:27:11 -0400Ryuta Sato (29) has just revealed that he is soon to be a father. His agency had announced on Monday that he is engaged, and during his press conference on Tuesday, Sato personally shared the happy news of his coming child.

Wearing a black jacket for the conference, Sato said that his fiancee is expected to give birth around this fall/winter. He explained that he was initially planning to propose on May 30, the opening day of the "ROOKIES" movie. But sometime before that, his girlfriend surprised him with the news that she was pregnant, so he decided to propose that same day.

Sato's wife-to-be is a 23-year-old who is said to have briefly been in show business. The pair have been dating since the end of 2005. Their wedding day has not yet been determined, though they plan to hold their ceremony after the child is born.
]]>http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5024http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Tokyograph/~3/MCKu3WaozzU/id-5024http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5024Shokotan's Sukashi Kashipan Man coming to U.S.?Tue, 14 Jul 2009 02:52:44 -0400Anime News Network notes that idol Shoko Nakagawa recently stated in a blog entry that her "Sukashi Kashipan Man" character is coming to the U.S. in the form of a live-action work.

"Sukashi Kashipan Man" is a hero originally drawn by Nakagawa in 2007, based on sand dollars ("sukashikashipan") and sweet buns ("kashipan"). The character proved popular among her fans, spawning an animated project, a manga, a video game, and other merchandise. However, Nakagawa did not reveal any details about the live-action project.
]]>http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5023http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Tokyograph/~3/f1uwCaBzuGo/id-5023http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5023Announcer Akiko Abe pregnantTue, 14 Jul 2009 02:33:01 -0400
Formerly affiliated with NTV, Abe married a TBS employee in 2006. In September 2007, she left NTV and moved to Thailand to join her husband, who had started working in Bangkok. She returned to television earlier this year as a free announcer.
]]>http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5022http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Tokyograph/~3/4dU9JQjRlx4/id-5022http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5022Arthur Kuroda's marriage ends after less than two yearsTue, 14 Jul 2009 02:08:31 -0400Arthur Kuroda (48) has divorced, ending a marriage that lasted less than two years.

In February 2007, Kuroda married a woman who was 23 years younger than him. According to the article, personality differences and their significant age gap led to their divorce in August 2008. However, they are still said to be on amicable terms, as they occasionally communicate.

Kuroda's agency has confirmed the divorce. The agency also denied rumors that Kuroda may get remarried to actress Yumi Adachi (27), whom he dated between 2002 and 2005. Adachi is also recently divorced - she broke up with comedian Jun Itoda (36) this past January. The pair had been married since September 2005 and had a daughter seven months later.
]]>http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5021http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Tokyograph/~3/2w1MvrGzhoE/id-5021http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5021Actor Ryuta Sato to tie the knotTue, 14 Jul 2009 01:24:48 -0400Ryuta Sato (29) is getting married, his agency announced on Monday. The actor plans to reveal more details personally during a press conference scheduled for Tuesday.

According to Sports Hochi, his fiancee is six years younger than him. While currently not in show business, she is said to have some past experience in the industry. The two reportedly met in 2003, though they didn't start seriously dating until the end of 2005. Their relationship was first publicly revealed by FRIDAY in September 2007.
]]>http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5020http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Tokyograph/~3/ve4-koPdbcc/id-5020http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5020Miniskirt Police idol Hachisuka catches groperMon, 13 Jul 2009 12:10:15 -0400
According to Hachisuka, at around 6:50pm she was returning home from gravure work, riding the Odakyu express train from Shimokitazawa Station. While standing, she was groped from behind. "Right when I boarded the train, I felt my behind being touched with the back of someone's hand. Then, it turned to the palm of their hand, and they were moving their fingers in an unnatural way," explained Hachisuka.

Looking over her shoulder, Hachisuka saw the culprit was a salaryman in his forties. To keep him from escaping, Hachisuka first grabbed the man's wrist and then his shirt, holding him until they reached Mukogaoka-Yuen station in Kawasaki. Hachisuka then handed the man over to station authorities.

At the time, the man tried to escape, but to no avail due to Hachisuka's grasp. During questioning, the man initially claimed that it was only his bag touching Hachisuka. But after the idol gave her own detailed account, the man admitted his actions.

"Even though I was afraid, I thought about what to do based on what I've seen on TV," Hachisuka said. In a police-like fashion, she declared, "If you do something bad, it's natural that you'll get caught."
]]>http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5019http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Tokyograph/~3/ChPuuJN2i0k/id-5019http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5019"Gokusen" movie earns half a billion in opening weekendMon, 13 Jul 2009 11:08:39 -0400
According to a statement by distributor Toho on Monday, the movie is projected to gross more than 4 billion yen by the end of its run.

In comparison, the "ROOKIES" movie opened several weeks ago on 428 screens, and it earned over 1.2 billion yen in its first two days.
]]>http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5018http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Tokyograph/~3/5W7frwyEtgY/id-5018http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5018Sari Kobayashi wins Miss MagazineMon, 13 Jul 2009 03:22:14 -0400Miss Magazine contest were presented on Sunday. This year's grand prix winner was 18-year-old actress/talento Sari Kobayashi, who has appeared in dramas such as "Koizora."

Actress Hikaru Kikuzato (15) was chosen as Miss Weekly Shonen Magazine, and model Moe Arai (14) won the honor of Miss Young Magazine. The special readers' prize went to 9nine member Uki Satake (17), while the judges' prize was given to Koto Takagi (18).
]]>http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5017http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Tokyograph/~3/1_ls5216Slk/id-5017http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5017Makiko Esumi expecting second childMon, 13 Jul 2009 02:54:02 -0400Makiko Esumi (42) announced on her official website that she is currently pregnant with her second child. She is now in her fifth month, with an expected delivery date in December.

Esumi has been married since 2003 to Fuji TV director Shin Hirano (43). Hirano handled the drama series "Shomuni," which Esumi starred in. The couple gave birth to a daughter in February 2005.
]]>http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5016http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Tokyograph/~3/KzH8V-oLrVo/id-5016http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5016Miki Fujimoto, Tomoharu Shoji officially marriedSun, 12 Jul 2009 04:08:22 -0400Morning Musume member Miki Fujimoto (24) and comedian Tomoharu Shoji (33) held a press conference on Sunday to talk about their recent wedding.

The pair submitted their formal marriage registration on July 11. They already held their wedding ceremony on July 3 in Hawaii.

Fujimoto and Shoji's romance made big headlines back in 2007, when it was first discovered by FRIDAY magazine. Fujimoto, who was leader of Morning Musume at the time, consequently had to leave the popular group. Their relationship continued to go well during the past two years, leading to their engagement this past March.
]]>http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5015http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Tokyograph/~3/8BkUaLgNAYE/id-5015http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5015Hiromi Iwasaki faces typhoon in daytime dramaSun, 12 Jul 2009 03:49:05 -0400Hiromi Iwasaki (32). Iwasaki has never starred in a daytime drama before.

The drama's theme is the love between a mother and child. Iwasaki plays a mother whose family is hit by the devastating Typhoon Vera (also known as Isewan Typhoon) in September 1959, which resulted in more than 4,500 people dead and over 600 people missing. Iwasaki's husband and daughter disappear in the typhoon, and while taking refuge, she meets an orphan whom she begins raising as her child. Ten years later, she discovers that her husband and daughter are alive, leading a separate life.

"Arashi ga Kureta Mono" premieres on August 31 and will air for a total of 44 episodes in Fuji TV's weekday 1:30pm time slot.
]]>http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5014http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Tokyograph/~3/IPAYs20LD6Y/id-5014http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5014Kumi Koda's first overseas concertsSun, 12 Jul 2009 02:57:45 -0400Kumi Koda (26) will finally hold her first overseas concerts later this year. Koda, who is currently one of the biggest names in pop in Japan, is also known throughout the rest of Asia as a top artist. So she will have her chance to perform for her international fans on October 3-4, at the National Taiwan University.

Koda made her CD debut in 2000 with the song "Take Back," which also got a U.S. release. Starting with that, she has been aiming to becoming an international artist, and has even appeared at events in other countries, including the U.S. and Korea. Surprisingly, though, she has never actually held a concert outside Japan before her upcoming shows in Taiwan. In addition, this will be her first trip to that country.

With roughly 10,000 fans expected to attend the concerts, Koda is said to be preparing a large-scale production, similar to her performances in Japan. Her most recent tour involved about 200 staff members and a budget of about 80 million yen. But Koda stated that she is also looking to make her first Taiwan concerts special in some way.
]]>http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5013http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Tokyograph/~3/8OhFPsgR-GY/id-5013http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5013Aizome remakes "Daydream"Sat, 11 Jul 2009 07:33:14 -0400
"Hakujitsumu" was based on a 1926 story by Junichiro Tanizaki. In 1964, director Tetsuji Takechi turned it into Japan's first big-budget pink film, but he remade it in 1981 as what is generally considered Japan's first hardcore theatrical release. Aizome, a nude model at the time, got her first lead acting role in that movie, and she gained immediate fame as the first hardcore theatrical star in Japan.

In addition to her acting career, Aizome has also directed several pink films. In this (presumably non-hardcore) collaboration with Shinji Imaoka, the lead role will be played by 23-year-old Saki Saijo. Like Aizome in 1981, "Hakujitsumu" will be Saijo's first movie role. The male lead, a policeman named Kurahashi, will be played by former Johnny's Jr. member Shunsuke Osaka (27).

The new "Hakujitsumu" opens on September 12.
]]>http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5012http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Tokyograph/~3/DKUzyQA6SxI/id-5012http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5012C-ute's Arihara leaves Hello! ProjectSat, 11 Jul 2009 05:54:12 -0400°C-ute member Kanna Arihara (16) has left the group and graduated from Hello! Project. The official Hello! Project website announced the move on Saturday.

Since the end of February, Arihara has been taking a break, reportedly due to a bunion. Since then, however, it has been decided that Arihara would leave °C-ute and "return to being a normal girl."

Arihara became a Hello! Pro Egg in 2004 and was added to °C-ute in January 2006.
]]>http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5011http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Tokyograph/~3/XeG7GB52xJI/id-5011http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5011AKB48 forms new unit for nattoSat, 11 Jul 2009 00:27:53 -0400AKB48 members have formed a new unit to help promote the fermented soy beans. Miho Miyazaki, Tomomi Itano, and Tomomi Kasai are all said to love natto, so as a result, they have united to become "Natto Angel."

Their song "Natto Punch!" has already been playing in supermarkets to help sell natto, but it wasn't until Thursday that it was revealed that the song was sung by AKB48 members.

An official website has opened for the new unit. It has not yet been announced if "Natto Punch!" will be released as a CD single.
]]>http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5010http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Tokyograph/~3/Jid_A8AdReg/id-5010http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5010