Japan Entertainment News - September 2005
Top Tigers | September 30, 2005 |
 Congratulations to the Hanshin Tigers! Yesterday Japan's most fanatical and loyal baseball fans got their fifth Central League pennant, and second in three years, when the Tigers clinched their place in the Japan Series. Thousands gathered in central Osaka to celebrate and some 60 fans waited till after midnight, when police had mostly dispersed, before jumping into the stinking Dotombori River. A dozen or so regretted it afterwards, not because the jump is dangerous but because the river is so heavily polluted. The team used up 5,000 bottles of beer in the traditional celebration style, pouring it over teammates and rookie team manager Okada Akinobu (47) (photo).
• Celebrities lined up to grab some of the Tigers' limelight, passing on their congratulations. Among the many showbiz fans are actor Watanabe Ken (45), who was sad to be in the US promoting "Last Samurai" when the Tigers won in 2003; enka singer Shimakura Chiyoko (67), something of a mother figure for manager Okada; Talented flyweight boxer Kameda Koki (18), the eldest of three highly touted boxing brothers; and of course the hordes of comedy stars from the Osaka-based Yoshimoto Kogyo.
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Sugita Sidestepping the Limelight | September 29, 2005 |
 Troubled actress Sugita Kaoru (40) seems to be seeking a move out of the limelight. She's been a regular on the live afternoon variety show "Waratte Iitomo" every Wednesday for the last year, but made the surprise announcement yesterday that she will no longer be appearing. The show is a TV institution, hosted every weekday for more than 20 years by comedian Tamori (60). Sugita only recently stepped down from a planned role in next year's prestigious taiga period drama on NHK. Official statements say the decisions have nothing to do with her recent widely publicized brief marriage and divorce, but there can be little doubt that she could do with a break from the intense media glare.
• "Chi to Hone" (Blood and Bones), the movie featuring Kitano "Beat" Takeshi (58), has been chosen as the Japanese entry for the foreign movie category at next year's Academy Awards. It will be up against a host of entries from around the world for one of five nominations. Yamada Yoji's "Tasogare Seibei" (Twilight Samurai) was shortlisted in 2003, the first Japanese feature to be nominated in 22 years. Directed by Sai Yoichi (56), "Chi..." is a story about ethnic Koreans in Osaka in the 1920s. Takeshi turned in a powerful performance as a violent husband and father. He got so into his fight scenes with his son (Odagiri Jo), that it left him with a dislocated shoulder. As a director himself, he has received awards at the Cannes and Venice film festivals. This may be his first step toward getting an elusive Oscar.
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B'z Aiming to Topple The King | September 28, 2005 |
 Japan's best-selling rock band B'z are to release the follow-up to their multi-million selling first greatest hits album, after an interval of seven years. "Pleasure II" will go on sale on November 30. In terms of worldwide sales, B'z are just 7 million albums behind Elvis Presley. Their previous hits album "Pleasure" sold 5.9 million, itself a Japanese record, so this new release could see them topple even The King himself.
As the silly awards season continues, the latest winners are...enka singer Hikawa Kiyoshi (28) and pop diva Hamasaki Ayumi (26) are this year's Best Jeanists. Ayu was selected for the fifth time and so goes into the jeanist Hall of Fame, where she joins SMAP stars Kimura Takuya and Kusanagi Tsuyoshi.
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Foreign Blood Giving Sports World a Boost | September 27, 2005 |
 Foreign athletes or those with foreign roots are making headlines these days. Sumo's only current Yokozuna (Grand Champion), Mongolian rikishi Asashoryu (24) equaled the record of six yusho (tournament victories) in a row, held by the legendary Taiho, when he won the aki basho (Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament) on Sunday. But to do so he had to beat a surprise challenger, young Bulgarian rikishi Kotoshu (22), who won 12 bouts in a row before dropping two and facing Asashoryu in a final-day playoff. The two are among a growing number of young non-Japanese rikishi at the top level in sumo.
• Also on Sunday, Nippon Ham Fighters' young star Yuu Darvish became the first pitcher fresh out of high school in 39 years to win five games in his rookie season. The tall and handsome 19-year old Tohoku High School graduate has been closely watched since he pitched his school team to the final of the summer Koshien tournament last year, and was the No.1 draft pick for the Fighters. His first season as a pro got off to a late start after he was suspended for smoking during spring training (he's still a minor) and a knee injury. An interesting fact is that the pitcher's Iranian father Farusa (45), who spent his high school and university years in the US, is the owner of an English conversation school in Osaka, among several other businesses. He, along with several family members, friends and 50 students from his school, was in the crowd to witness his son's latest win.
• On the showbiz front, talento Umemiya Anna (33) is romantically involved with Chunichi Dragons player Tatsunami Kazuyoshi (36), according to the weekly magazine Friday. While Umemiya is divorced with a daughter, Tatsunami is married with children, but is known in the baseball world as a ladies' man and there were rumors that only his celebrity prevented his arrest in a rape case last year.
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Gay Samurai To Land in the US | September 26, 2005 |
 The movie "Mayonaka no Yaji-san, Kita-san" is to be released in the US. The film, which stars Nagase Tomoya (photo, 26) - a member of the Johnny's band Tokio and the boyfriend of singer Hamasaki Ayumi - and kabuki actor Nakamura Shichinosuke (22), is scheduled to show at 30-40 theaters in major US cities by next summer. It opened in Japan in April and was a minor hit, grossing ¥800 million at the domestic box office. A DVD version is set to go on sale next month. The movie is based on the manga of the same name, and tells the comic story of two gay samurai traveling on the Tokaido highway. The promo image shows the pair straddling a Stars and Stripes-decorated Harley Davidson.
• 28-year old Canadian English teacher Adam James Anderson was arrested last week on vandalism charges after he and a Japanese friend were caught spray painting a building in the trendy "ura-Omotesando" area of Tokyo. The two were said to have been drunk when caught in the act by police shortly before 4am on September 19. The arrest, which was made last Friday, made the news headlines because the Japanese person arrested was Mori Tsutomu (24), the grandson of world-famous fashion designer Mori Hanae. The younger Mori is said to work as a website designer. No details about Anderson were given other than that he is resident in the Nishi-ogi Kita area of Suginami Ward in Tokyo (literally just down the road from us at Japan Zone!). Graffiti has become increasingly common in metropolitan areas in recent years, though few people are caught in the act.
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Songstresses Sexy and Maternal | September 23, 2005 |
 Today is the "Shuubun no Hi" (autumnal equinox) national holiday.
• Singer Koda Kumi (22) released her first greatest hits album this week. Record label Avex organized a launch event on the streets of Shibuya for "Best - First Things," with a photo session on the famous Scramble Intersection. Koda's usual low-cut, sexy attire turned plenty of heads among the hundreds of passers-by. She said that if the album becomes a million seller, she plans to fulfill another ambition - to become the "mama-san" of a high-class club for a night. She also alluded to her rumored romance, said to be with someone not in showbusiness.
• Singer Hajime Chitose (26) is set to make a full comeback after taking an extended break to get married and have a child. She will release a new single "Kataritsugu Koto" on November 23, her first general release in almost two years. She recently released an anti-war song, "Shinda Onna no Ko" (Dead Girls), produced by Oscar-winning musician Sakamoto Ryuichi (53), but it was available only for download to PC or mobile phone. She is also set to play a concert in Okinawa on October 22.
• The latest Hollywood star to come to town is actress Cameron Diaz (33). She arrived Wednesday from Melbourne to promote the movie "In Her Shoes," which is scheduled to open here on November 12. About 200 fans turned out to welcome her at Narita Airport. It's her third visit to Japan, the last being in July 2004 for "Shrek 2." She and co-star Toni Collette held a press event at a Tokyo hotel last night.
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Hitomi Triumphs | September 22, 2005 |
 Young actress Nishina Hitomi (20) has been chosen as the 2006 Triumph Image Girl. As such, she will be the campaign girl for the lingerie maker for next year. Nishina is the daughter of actor Matsukata Hiroki (63), famous for many yakuza and samurai roles, and actress Nishina Akiko (52). When Hitomi called her father to tell him the good news, all he had to say was "Hmmm." She is the 14th Triumph Image Girl, and the position has launched the careers of several popular female talento, such as Yoshioka Miho (2001).
• Fuji TV has cancelled its scheduled broadcast of Saturday's Yomiuri Giants-Chunichi Dragons baseball game. The game will be shown on its BS Fuji satellite channel, but the dramatic drop in popularity of the Giants plus the fact that the Hanshin Tigers have all but wrapped up the Central League means the game would have almost definitely continued the long slide in poor audience ratings.
• Classic comedy troupe Drifters are to do their live routine for the first time in 20 years on TBS. They will appear on a special 4-hour show on October 2. The group were huge in the 1970s and 80s, though their bawdy and often dangerous brand of comedy was not popular with parents. Individual members, especially Shimura Ken (55) and Kato Cha (62), have retained their popularity over the years, though group leader Ikariya Chosuke died last year.
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Shiina, Mirai Split Rumored | September 21, 2005 |
 Actor Shiina Kippei (41) refuses to comment on speculation that he and his wife, actress Yamamoto Mirai (30) are on the verge of divorce. Appearing at a PR event in Tokyo for an upcoming stage production, Shiina passed the buck, leaving a spokesperson for his management agency to say that the couple are doing just fine and had recently got back from a trip together to San Francisco. Then again, trips abroad are often used by showbiz couples to take a serious look at their relationships outside of the Japanese media glare. Yamamoto is the daughter of famous fashion designer Yamamoto Kansai (61), a pioneer of Japanese design on the international stage. She spent several years growing up in the US and attended the international American School in Tokyo. She and Shiina married in 2003 after going out for 8 years (story) and held a lavish wedding ceremony last year (story). A difference in values is said to be a main reason for the couple's rumored split.
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A Star in the Making | September 19, 2005 |
 Today is the Keiro no Hi (Respect for the Elderly Day) national holiday.
• Talento Oizumi Yo (32) is to get his first starring dramatic role. He will play the lead in the Fuji TV drama series "Okashina Futari" (The Odd Couple) at the end of the year. The drama tells of an unemployed divorcee (Oizumi), his ex-wife (Takaoka Yuki), and the people who live in his apartment building. One of the best-known names on TV in his native Hokkaido, Oizumi became a star on the local network show "Suiyo wa Doudesho" (How Do You Like Wednesday?), which has a big cult following that has started spreading nationwide. Over a decade on the show, he and co-star Suzui Takayuki (43) went on many wild and whacky adventures, including riding the length of Vietnam on a 50cc Honda, and crossing the Australian outback in four days. Traveling with just a director and a cameraman, the show's "home-made" style and Oizumi's unscripted humor made it a big hit. Oizumi made his national network debut in a Fuji drama in January, though he had an even bigger, though less visible, role a few years earlier - he was one of the voice actors in Miyazaki Hayao's 2003 Academy Award-winning animated movie "Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi" (Spirited Away).
• Speaking of Hokkaido, pop star Hamasaki Ayumi (26) was in Sapporo yesterday doing PR for her latest single, "Heaven." A huge crowd of 5,000 fans turned out to catch a glimpse when she appeared at a local radion station, 5 times the number that came to see local boys Glay the last time they were in town. Security officials were almost overwhelmed by the crowds, which they say were bigger than even the ones they handle at the annual Snow Festival. Fans were disappointed last month when Ayu had to pull out of the Hokkaido leg of the Avex "A-nation '05" tour due to illness and were delighted that she kept her promise to come back soon.
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Shiina's First TV Theme | September 16, 2005 |
 Shiina Ringo (26), vocalist and songwriter for rock band Tokyo Jihen, is to do her first TV show collaboration. The band have recorded the theme song for the latest run of the Fuji TV period drama series "Oh-oku, Hana no Ran." Set to start on October 13, the drama is set in the time of the 5th shogun, Tokugawa Tsunayoshi and, as with the previous two series, focuses on the lives and loves of the women in the court. Written by Shiina, the title of the theme song is "Shurajo" (fighting scene, scene of carnage), typical of the dramatic and provocative images she uses in her songs. After a successful five years as a solo artist, Shiina announced while on tour in 2003 that she was starting the 5-member Tokyo Jihen. The group started working together full-time in May of last year and had their first tour in January. In July, two members quit and they have been replaced with a new guitarist and keyboard player for the latest single. So far, the group has put out two singles and the album "Kyoiku" (Education).
• This morning's wide shows gave a lot of time to the financial matters of musician and super-producer Komuro Tetsuya (46). The story came to light as Komuro's company Tribalkicks has failed to honor its financial sponsorship commitments to the J-League soccer team Oita Trinita. In 2002, Komuro married Keiko, the vocalist of his group globe, who is originally from Oita Prefecture. He agreed to sponsor Trinita last year, but the club's latest financial report revealed it to be several hundred million yen in the red and facing insolvency. Komuro himself, while hardly poor, is far removed from his heyday in the late 1990s when he was one of the biggest earners in Japan, with earnings in the billions.
• Pin-up girl Kumada Yoko (23) has denied rumors of a romance with comedian Watanabe Ken (32) of the manzai duo Anjashu. The two were recently spotted at a "go-kon," a popular word that was originally coined to describe parties with equal numbers of male and female college students.
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Yumi's "Speed" Wedding | September 15, 2005 |
 Actress Adachi Yumi (24) and comedian Itoda Jun (32) got married yesterday, Adachi's birthday. The newlyweds held a brief press conference to announce the news and also that Adachi is two months pregnant. She had just come out of a 3-year and somewhat controversial relationship, and rumors of marriage, with actor Kuroda Arthur, 20 years her senior. Itoda is one half of the popular manzai duo Speed Wagon. The couple started going out just five months ago after first meeting last December. Adachi and Kuroda finally split up in March, the main reason assumed to be his reluctance to get married. Kuroda sent his congratulations to the new couple through his management agency.
• Actor Odagiri Jo (26) is to take over as the latest narrator of the TBS show "Sekai Issan" (World Heritage Sites). Current narrator Terao Akira (58) will do his last show on October 2. Odagiri will take over the following week, on a show about Rapa Nui national Park on Easter Island. The show is consistently one of the best things on Japanese TV, with superb camerawork and soundtrack music always capturing the magic and mystery of the world's most beautiful and histrically important sites. Though it airs late on Sunday nights, it averages a very respectable 5.6% audience rating for the time slot. Odagiri will be the show's third narrator, after Terao and Ogata Naoto (36), who was with the show when it started in 1996.
• Actress Tsuchiya Anna (21) has been chosen as this year's "Best Leathernist." One of many pointless awards, it is given to the celebrity who looks best in leather. Tsuchiya was chosen for her style, which she has kept despite the fact that she became a mother just last November.
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An End to Infinity | September 14, 2005 |
 Rock trio shocked fans and took the music industry by surprise yesterday, announcing that they are to break up after six successful years. A greatest hits album - "Do The A-Side" - is due for release on September 28 and the group announced through the Avex record label that they will disband the following day. The group will get back together for a one-off gig at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo on November 25. The members each plan to pursue new projects and feel that breaking up the band is the natural next step. Vocalist Ban Tomiko (26) will record solo, guitarist Owatari Ryo (34) will continue his work singing and strumming with the band Missile Innovation, and songwriter Nagao Dai (34) will work as a producer and composer, particularly for the Avex female artist Amasia Landscape. Ban in particular has been diversifying in the last year or so, making her debut as a voice actress in last year's Inuyasaha anime movie, and recently appearing in a stage musical about Che Guevara. Do As Infinity debuted in 1999 after having played over a hundred times as a street band in Tokyo's youth mecca of Shibuya. In 2001, they had two No.1 albums in "New World" and "Deep Forest." Nagao began concentrating on songwriting for other Avex label artists such as Hamasaki Ayumi (27) and left the other two to do the stage performances.
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Mamas on Stage | September 13, 2005 |
 Looking every bit the expectant mothers that they are, Okinawan pop duo Kiroro recently held their final live concert before taking maternity leave. The duo played the gig a week later than scheduled at the Okinawa Convention Area, in their hometown of Ginowan, due to the effects of last week's Typhoon No.14 that caused so much damage in western Japan. Pianist Kinjou Ayano (photo left, 28), married in May and is now seven months pregnant, while vocalist Tamashiro Chiharu (28) got married in the spring and is currently five months pregnant.
• Another popular duo, Chemistry, treated 1,000 lucky fans to a concert at the Tokyo Big Site on Sunday. The event was in connection with their PR work for Suntory Whisky, who sponsored the competition to choose ticket winners. On a set complete with a bar counter, the duo sang 15 songs, including Eric Clapton's "Change the World" and their new single, "Wings of Words."
Talento and former Orix pro baseball player "Punch" Sato (40) apprehended a burglar on Sunday evening. He saw and subdued the man, who had been attempting to break into the garage of his home in Kawasaki City at about 6pm. On their arrival, police found that the man had a gram of stimulant drugs on him. They arrested the unemployed and homeless 46-year old for breaking and entering and drug possession. The man said he had no idea who the house belonged to.
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Miyazaki Adds Lion to Trophy Cabinet | September 12, 2005 |
 WEEKEND UPDATE: Animated movie director Miyazaki Hayao (64) has been awarded the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement award at the 62nd Venice International Film Festival. He can now add the prestigious award to his Golden Bear from the 2002 berlin Film Festival and his 2003 Academy Award, both received for the 2001 feature "Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi" (Spirited Away). Miyazaki wasn't too thrilled when he first heard about winning the award, thinking it only went to "old people" at the end of their careers. But when he heard that active directors like Clint Eastwood and Steven Spielberg were previous winners, he "humbly accepted it." He commented, "I appreciate the festival shedding light on animation, which is just a corner of the vast film industry. Many people say animation is facing a turning point as computers are changing the way it has been, but my way of creating animated films will never change." Festival director Marco Muller enthused about Miyazaki's use of romaticism and humanism, saying that his films always managed to hook the imagination of adult viewers, awakening their "inner child." Miyazaki maintains that the aim of his films is to inspire children.
• Arriving in town at the weekend was Hollywood star Renee Zellweger (36). She's here to promote the latest Ron Howard-directed flick, "Cinderella Man," which is set to open on September 17. About 300 fans were waiting to greet her arrival at Narita Airport. Also on her way today is actress Jessica Biel (23), who'll be here to promote "Stealth." The movie is reportedly strictly for fans of the former model or video games.
• The Yomiuri Giants have reached yet another new low for TV ratings of their live game broadcasts. Their September 7 matchup against the Yakult Swallows managed only a paltry 4.6% audience rating, the first time "Japan's team" have failed to break the 5% barrier.
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Ten of the Best from Ken | September 08, 2005 |
 Soul balladeer Hirai Ken (33) is to mark his tenth year in the business with his first greatest hits album. The as yet untitled double album will contain all his 22 singles and is set for release on November 23. A spokesman for Def Star records said, "When it came to trying to choose from the songs on his albums, we just couldn't narrow it down. We decided to make it easy for fans and just go with all his A-sides." Hirai has amassed 6.5 million single sales to date, including the million-selling "Hitoni wo Tojite" and the theme song to the hit movie "Sekai no Chushin de, Ai wo Sakebu." A version of the album that includes all the videos to his singles on DVD will also be released.
• Members of popular hip hop groups Rip Slyme and m-flo are to team up with fashion designer Nigo (33) to make their recording debut in the US. Ryo-Z (31) and Ilmari (30) from Rip Slyme, m-flo vocalist Verbal, Kaze no Hito's MC Wise, and Nigo as DJ will make up the 5-man unit Teriyaki Boyz. They will release their debut album "Beef or Chicken" on Def Jam Recordings on November 16. Nigo is best known for the A Bathing Ape street fashion brand, which has a huge cult following. He is a friend of Def Jam artist Jay-Z, and got the idea of putting the group together this summer. The album also has a stellar lineup on the production side, with Japan's Cornelius alongside Grammy Award winners the Neptunes, Ad Rock of the Beastie Boys, French artists Daft Punk, and DJ Shadow. The group will hold a launch party in New York and play live dates in five cities towards the end of the year. There are no plans for the members to continue as a group after that.
• A happy follow up to yesterday's story about the stolen bike of rock singer Imawano Kiyoshiro (54). The bike was discovered yesterday close to where it had been stolen, and even had a brand new lock attaching it to a railing. Kiyoshiro will now be able to participate as planned in the Honolulu Century Ride, a 100-mile ride on September 25.
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Women in Their Prime | September 07, 2005 |
 Fuji TV yesterday announced a special series with the theme of the real-life experiences of women in their prime over the last century. The 3-part series, "Onna no Ichidaiki" (A Woman's Biography) is scheduled to air in the autumn, and will feature three talented actresses, Miyazawa Rie (32), Yonekura Ryoko (30) and Amami Yuki (38). Miyazawa will play the famous writer and Buddhist nun Setouchi Jakuchou, who married while still a student but later abandoned her husband and children, and at the age of 51 entered a monastery. Yonekura will portray the late theater actress Sugimura Haruko (1909-97), who's only vice was said to be men. She was only the third woman to receive an Imperial award for outstanding cultural contributions. And Amami will take on the role of the late singer Koshiji Fubuki (1924-80), a major "chanson" star of the post-war Showa era, whose behind-the-scenes life was even more dramatic than her on-stage appearances. Amami and Koshiji were both stars of the famous Takarazuka all-female theater troupe.
• It may not be very rock 'n' roll, but rock singer Imawano Kiyoshiro (54) has had his bicycle stolen. The order-made "orenji-go" was no ordinary bicycle though, and set the eccentric singer back a hefty ¥1.6 million. The singer left his bike locked on the street in the Shin-Okubo area of Shinjuku in Tokyo for an hour or so on Sunday evening and found nothing but a severed chain when he came back. He posted a message on his official website asking for his beloved bike to be returned.
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Ayu's Surprise Appearance | September 06, 2005 |
 Singer Hamasaki Ayumi (26) made a surprise guest appearance yesterday at the premier of the new movie "Shinobi." Starring Nakama Yukie (25), currently one of the hottest actresses in Japan, the movie features Ayu's "Heaven" as the theme song. The singer's surprise appearance on the stage of the Marunouchi Piccadilly movie theater in Yurakucho, waering the tiniest of mini skirts, sent the audience into a frenzy. Her new song is due for release as a single on September 14, while the movie opens on the 17th.
• The recent Fuji TV 2-part drama "Tsumiki Kuzushi Shinso" did as well as expected in the ratings, managing a respectable 23.5% rating on the second night. A second TV dramatization of a book that has sold over 3 million copies over the last 30 years, it starred Tachi Hiroshi (55) and Sugita Kaoru (40) as the parents of a delinquent daughter, played by Adachi Yumi (23). The original TV series was a social phenomenon when it aired on TBS in 1983, with the final episode achieving a remarkable 45.3% audience rating. The drama dealt with darker aspects of family life that had hardly been touched upon before. It was also made into a movie that same year.
• NHK has announced the title of 2007's taiga drama, the annual extended series that focuses on historical figures. The series will be titled "Fuurinkazan," a phrase that is translated as "as fast as the wind, as quiet as the forest, as daring as fire, and immovable as the mountain." The central figure in the series is Yamamoto Kansuke, a general and master military tactician under the command of legendary warlord Takeda Shingen during the Sengoku Jidai (warring period). The series is based on the writings of Inoue Yasushi (1907-1991) to mark the centenary of his birth.
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Heeere's Johnny! | September 05, 2005 |
 Hollywood superstar Johnny Depp (42) arrived in Japan on Saturday for his first visit in ten years. Depp arrived in the afternoon by private jet at Narita Airport. The time of his arrival hadn't been announced, but there were still about 2,000 fans waiting for him when he left customs and he seemed taken by surprise by the size of the crowd. He arrived in town to promote "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," his latest collaboration with director Tim Burton. The movie will have its Japanese premier tonight. Dressed in a cowboy hat and chocolate colored suede jacket, looked quite different from his latest Willy Wonka image, sporting the scruffy beard that he needs for the sequel to "Pirates of the Carribbean." Depp's first and only previous visit was in 1995 to promote "Deadman."
• Yasuoka Yutaka (31), a member of the popular acapella group Gospellers, got married recently. He made the announcement on Saturday on his official website, saying he was very happy but offering no further details.
• Press reaction to Kitano "Beat" Takeshi's latest movie has been mixed. After its first ever screening at the Venice International Film Festival on Friday, Kitano (58) himself seemed to think maybe he'd gone too far in making such an obscure film in "Takeshis'." He commented drily that he didn't think he was in the running for a second Golden Lion award and would go back to making a more orthodox movie next time. The Italian papers, while giving mixed reviews, consider Kitano a big enough star to give their reviews of the movie top billing.
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Takeshi Takes Venice By Surprise | September 03, 2005 |
 Movie director-actor-comedian Kitano "Beat" Takeshi (58) took everyone by surprise when he showed his latest movie in its entirety yesterday at the Venice International Film Festival. It was the world's first look at "Takeshis'" and created a buzz among the international media, who had expected that a "surprise screening" would be no more than a preview. There was an audible gasp of surprise among the 800 or so reporters gathered when the titles for the movie roled on the screen. The movie, which has also been added to the competition category, ran for an hour and 50 minutes. It's based around the premise of real-life star Beat Takeshi meeting a spitting image convenience store worker named... Kitano Takeshi. At a post-screening press conference, Kitano said, "This isn't a movie you can understand, it's a movie you experience physically. I want it to confuse viewers." It's a project he's been envisaging for more than ten years and finally realized as his 12th movie. Kitano has won awards at venice in the past - the Golden Lion grand prix for "Hanabi" in 1997 and the director's award for "Zatoichi" in 2003. The film isn't due for release in Japan until November.
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O-tsukare, Yon-sama | September 02, 2005 |
 Korean actor Bae Yong Joon (33) is still in the news, with his latest Japan trip coming to a close. Just as well, it would seem, as he appeared tired and a bit irritatable at last night's press event for his latest movie, "Shigatsu no Yuki" (April Snow). More than 1,100 media people and 90 TV cameras turned up at the event, held at a central Tokyo hotel. This is way more than the 830 media who turned up for the Steven Spielberg/Tom Cruise press conference for "War of the Worlds." In order to keep his throngs of Yon-sama's female fans away, security was tight all day, with media people having to show both an invitation and a meishi (business card) to get in.
• Awards for the most beautiful legs in Japan went to actress/model Sato Eriko (23), talento Kanda Uno (30), and Pink Lady member Mii (47), one award for each decade. The awards were sponsored by shoe manufacturer Kuraray.
• "Seven Swords," the Hong Kong movie that opened this week's Venice Film Festival, is an homage to legendary director Kurosawa Akira. Director Tsui Hark (55) said he was honored to be able to dedicate the picture to Kurosawa on such a grand stage. Also showing was "Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children." For the second straight year, Square Enix showcased the production, though this time they showed the full feature in the out of competition category rather than last year's short edit shown by special invitation in the digital movie category. Directed by Nomura Tetsuya (34), the film has been eagerly awaited by millions of FF fans worldwide. "FF VII: Advent Children" goes on sale in Japan on September 14.
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A Southern Apology | September 01, 2005 |
 Southern All Stars will release their first original album in seven years on October 5. The TV commercial for the album will take the form of a tearfully apologetic press conference by the band to apologize for leaving fans waiting for so long. Of course, they have been active over that period, playing concert tours and putting out plenty of singles. They re-released 44 singles at one time in June, pretty much taking over the Top 50 in the charts. So the new album is likely to be the year's biggest seller and maybe even a record breaker. The new commercial airs from September 4.
• Yesterday's PR event featuring Korean actor Bae Yong Joon (33) drew tens of thousands of fans. In Japan to promote his latest movie, "Shigatsu no Yuki" (April Snow), he appeared at the Saitama Super Arena. The venue was full to capacity with 25,000 mostly middle-aged women and another 3,000 who couldn't get tickets milled around outside buying merchandise and hoping for a glimpse of their idol. Another 5,000 fans gathered at 6 spots around the country to watch a live satellite feed from Saitama. The movie opens in Japan on September 17.
• The number of people nationwide who refuse to pay their annual subscription to public broadcaster NHK continues to increase. With over 1.2 million people now refusing to pay, NHK is looking into ways to deal with the problem. Of course, it's largely a problem of its own making, after a series of financial and other scandals dealt a serious blow to the company's once-solid image. And by going after subscribers money before carrying out real reform of its organization, NHK risks stirring up even more resentment.
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