TokyographThe site devoted to all Japanese entertainment and media, from anime to drama to music to sports.http://www.tokyograph.com/Hayato Ichihara causes rear-end collisionFri, 20 Nov 2009 21:21:16 -0500Hayato Ichihara (21) was involved in a minor car accident on Thursday night. At around 7:30pm, Ichihara was driving on Route 246 in the Setagaya ward of Tokyo, and he rear-ended a car that was stopped in front of him.

Neither Ichihara nor the male driver of the other car were injured, though both vehicles were slightly damaged. Police are treating the incident as a traffic accident resulting in property damage.

Ichihara apologized on his blog, acknowledging that the accident was a result of tiredness and carelessness.
]]>http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5458http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Tokyograph/~3/92rFYXUPZgw/id-5458http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5458Ebizo Ichikawa, Mao Kobayashi getting engagedThu, 19 Nov 2009 23:48:10 -0500Ebizo Ichikawa (31) and free announcer Mao Kobayashi (27) are in a serious relationship, it was learned on Thursday. In a fax sent to the media, they revealed that they plan to get formally engaged in the near future.

Speaking to reporters in front of his home, Ichikawa said he proposed at the end of June, and that they first met last December. They met when Ichikawa appeared as a guest on NTV's "NEWS ZERO," on which Kobayashi is a newscaster.

The dates for their engagement and wedding ceremonies have not yet been decided, but based on the schedules of Ichikawa and his father, actor Danjuro Ichikawa (63), it seems likely that the engagement will take place during December.
]]>http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5457http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Tokyograph/~3/l2mWLu_4gvM/id-5457http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5457GReeeeN denies breakup rumorsThu, 05 Nov 2009 02:58:24 -0500
The four members of GReeeeN made their major label debut in 2007 while they were dentistry students, and since then three of them have passed the national dentistry exam. According to the false news reports, the group was breaking up so that the members could focus on their careers as dentists.

On his blog, HIDE angrily denounced the media, while reassuring fans that the group is not breaking up. The post was later replaced by an official statement from the group's record label.

HIDE's post also seemed to indicate that the members' faces may remain unseen by the public forever. The mysterious group originally planned to reveal their faces after all four members passed the national exam, but now that some of them are actual dentists, they don't want their success as musicians to interfere with their work.
]]>http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5456http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Tokyograph/~3/YkMTw2xEWVM/id-5456http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5456Tsumabuki turns bad in Sang-il Lee's "Akunin"Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:19:03 -0500Satoshi Tsumabuki (28) has landed the starring role in "Akunin," a new film by director Sang-il Lee ("Hula Girls"). The movie is based on a novel by prize-winning author Shuichi Yoshida.

Although Tsumabuki has generally played likable characters in the past, here he has been cast as an antihero. Tsumabuki plays a man named Yuichi, whose dark deeds include killing a woman he meets through a dating website and forcibly taking a woman to a love hotel. However, the story examines the causes behind his character's actions, as well as the painful romance that develops between him and a woman he encounters.

The female lead will be played by Eri Fukatsu (36). She and Tsumabuki previously co-starred in the drama series "Slow Dance."

"Akunin" is scheduled for a fall 2010 release.
]]>http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5455http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Tokyograph/~3/u9LwZFcGnyg/id-5455http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5455Acid Black Cherry taking a break for surgeryThu, 05 Nov 2009 00:32:18 -0500
The cyst was discovered during preparations for his recent tour, which ended on November 2 at the Nippon Budokan. He managed to complete the tour despite the cyst, but he has finally decided to have it removed.

Because of the necessary recovery period, yasu has canceled a concert at the Osaka-jo Hall on December 24. He is also postponing a special event organized for the fans who purchased his new album, "Q.E.D."
]]>http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5454http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Tokyograph/~3/0L1XvE78Q9o/id-5454http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5454Baijaku Nakamura stars in new "Akakabu Kenji" seriesThu, 05 Nov 2009 00:30:53 -0500
The drama is based on Shunzo Waku's "Akakabu Kenji" novel series about a kind public prosecutor named Shigeru Hiiragi, known for his Nagoya dialect and his love of red turnips. The novels have previously been adapted multiple times on television since 1980, with Frankie Sakai as the original star. Later adaptations had Isao Hashizume (68) playing the role of Hiiragi. Nakamura became the third actor to play the part in a two-hour drama special this past May.
]]>http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5453http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Tokyograph/~3/EnD-eFNzzgY/id-5453http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5453Twins for Toko TakeuchiThu, 05 Nov 2009 00:19:05 -0500
Takeuchi previously gave birth to a daughter in 2004. Hoping for a second child, she had been undergoing fertility treatment before successfully conceiving.
]]>http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5452http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Tokyograph/~3/S2dabgayW8E/id-5452http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5452Gackt's first starring stage role in "Nemuri Kyoshiro"Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:17:46 -0500Gackt has been given the lead role in a theatrical version of the jidaigeki story "Nemuri Kyoshiro." This will be his first performance in a stage play.

Originally a series of novels by Renzaburo Shibata, "Nemuri Kyoshiro" has been the basis of more than a dozen films and several television dramas. The story revolves around a sleepy-eyed swordsman born from a Japanese mother and a foreign father.

Performances are scheduled to begin at the Nissay Theatre in Tokyo next May.
]]>http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5451http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Tokyograph/~3/PAd4H1oWkMY/id-5451http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5451Ayaka's best album breaks 1 millionThu, 05 Nov 2009 00:16:34 -0500Ayaka (21), has just reached a million copies shipped, about a month and a half after its release.

Released on September 23, the album started strong with almost 350,000 sales in its first week, the highest for a female artist this year. It ranked #1 on the charts for two consecutive weeks and was #4 this past week. So far, it is the only album by a solo artist to break the million mark this year.

Ayaka announced in April that she is putting her career on hold to undergo treatment for Graves' disease. She also revealed at that time that she and actor Hiro Mizushima (25) had married.
]]>http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5450http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Tokyograph/~3/sXEvnz_wOXM/id-5450http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5450Takako Matsu stars in next Tetsuya Nakashima filmWed, 04 Nov 2009 05:29:09 -0500Takako Matsu (32) is starring in "Kokuhaku," a new film by director Tetsuya Nakashima ("Kamikaze Girls"). The film is an adaptation of Kanae Minato's mystery novel of the same name, which became one of the best selling books this year.

The story takes place at a junior high school. During a homeroom session after the end-of-year closing ceremony, the teacher Moriguchi (played by Matsu) informs her students that she has decided to quit, but adds in a surprising confession - her four-year-old daughter who drowned in the school's pool was actually killed by two of the male students in the room. She begins to take revenge by declaring that she has infected them with the HIV virus, and the truth behind the incident starts to unravel.

The class of 37 students were chosen from an audition of more than 1,000 applicants. Masaki Okada (20) plays Moriguchi's enthusiastic replacement, while Yoshino Kimura (33) plays the mother of one of the targeted boys that has become a hikikomori.

Filming started on October 24. Theatrical release is scheduled for summer 2010.
]]>http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5449http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Tokyograph/~3/imkFUCZhtJ8/id-5449http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5449Oguri's "Surely Someday" set for summerWed, 04 Nov 2009 04:36:37 -0500revealed that popular actor Shun Oguri (26) is making his directorial debut with a film titled "Surely Someday." Casting rumors have surfaced since then, but the distributor Shochiku finally announced some official details this week.

The story is loosely based on the bonds between Oguri and his friends from high school. The central cast consists of actors Keisuke Koide, Ryo Katsuji, Go Ayano, Ryohei Suzuki, and Tsuyoshi Muro. Additional cast members include Takashi Okamura (of Ninety-nine), Naoto Takenaka, Fuyuki Moto, and Satoshi Tsumabuki.

The five main characters form a band, hoping to gain popularity with their original song called "Surely Someday" at their school's cultural festival. Unfortunately, a foolish incident results in them dropping out of school. With their lives seemingly at a dead end, they take on the challenge of trying to turn their lives around.

Filming took place in July and August, and the project is now in editing. The film should be completed by January of next year, with a nationwide theatrical release planned for the summer.
]]>http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5448http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Tokyograph/~3/PIzgZ-YqjaU/id-5448http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5448Charts: KinKi Kids, Michael Jackson, ArashiWed, 04 Nov 2009 04:03:59 -0500KinKi Kids single, "Swan Song," ranked #1 on the charts this past week with more than 160,000 in sales. This is their 29th consecutive number-one single, starting with their debut in 1997.

UVERworld's newest song was #2 on the charts, followed by Nana Mizuki and Morning Musume. BoA also made the top ten with her new single at #8.

On the albums chart, Michael Jackson's "This Is It" was #1, selling close to 74,000 copies. Also in the top ten were The Gospellers (#2), The Cro-Magnons (#5), JAY'ED (#6), Junichi Inagaki (#9), and Chihiro Onitsuka (#10).

Meanwhile, Arashi's new DVD "5x10 All the BEST! CLIPS 1999-2009" took the top spot on the overall DVD charts. At 428,000 copies sold, it set the record for highest first-week sales of a music DVD, surpassing the 374,000 of KAT-TUN's "Real Face Film" in 2006.
]]>http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5447http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Tokyograph/~3/VzGshBfe-b8/id-5447http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5447Chinami Suzuki becomes next Toray Campaign GirlWed, 04 Nov 2009 03:15:26 -0500Swimwear Campaign Girl. 20-year-old model Chinami Suzuki, known for her work in the magazine With, will be representing the brand for the coming year.

Suzuki is the 30th campaign girl for Toray. Past campaign girls include Aoi Nakabeppu (2008), Norika Fujiwara (1993), and Tomoko Yamaguchi (1986).
]]>http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5446http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Tokyograph/~3/VWIP6lbC7I4/id-5446http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5446Warner Bros. produces new Chushingura filmWed, 04 Nov 2009 03:04:37 -0500
The Chushingura story recounts the mission of the Forty-seven Ronin to avenge their master. It has been fictionalized many times in various media, from kabuki to literature to television. Sugita's version, titled "Saigo no Chushingura," is based on a novel by Shoichiro Ikemiya and focuses on two survivors of the attack.

Koji Yakusho plays the warrior Seo Magozaemon, who flees on the night before the raid. Koichi Sato plays Terasaka Kichiemon, a loyal retainer who goes into hiding after the attack. The two meet again sixteen years later. Narumi Yasuda has also been cast.

Ikemiya's novel was previously adapted as a six-episode drama series on NHK in 2004, starring Takaya Kamikawa and Teruyuki Kagawa.

The movie version is scheduled for release in 2011. Although Warner Bros. has been involved in the production of Japanese films before, "Saigo no Chushingura" is said to be the first one by their local production division, featuring a completely Japanese staff and cast.
]]>http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5445http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Tokyograph/~3/9OdycOKAIvY/id-5445http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5445Manabu Oshio receives suspended sentenceWed, 04 Nov 2009 02:16:00 -0500Manabu Oshio (31) on Monday. The actor, who admitted using MDMA (ecstasy), was given an 18-month sentence, suspended for the maximum of five years.

Because this was his first offense, Oshio has avoided imprisonment for now. However, the judge explained that the sentence was suspended for the maximum length of time due to his unreliable testimony in court, especially regarding Kaori Tanaka, the 30-year-old former Ginza hostess who was found dead in the apartment where Oshio had used the drugs with her.

Police are still investigating Tanaka's death, and Oshio may face additional charges for his abandonment of the woman. Oshio stated that the woman passed out and her body went stiff, but it is believed that she was still alive for half an hour, and that she could have been saved if Oshio had called for help. Instead, he notified his manager and left the scene. If charged and found guilty, Oshio could face up to 20 years for abandonment resulting in death.
]]>http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5444http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Tokyograph/~3/MsxtMxWdhkw/id-5444http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5444