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Kimutaku, Yankumi in Spring Drama Battle | April 03, 2008 |
The most anticipated drama series of the new season will be getting off to a surprisingly late start. Spring dramas usually start their run in April, but Fuji TV's "Change" doesn't air until May 12, making it the first ever spring drama in the most coveted time slot of all, Mondays at 9pm, to start in May. Fuji say simply that the timing is a strategic one. SMAP heart throb Kimura Takuya (35), who announced the date on the recent "SMAPxSMAP" spring special, stars as an elementary school teacher who finds himself as the unlikely new prime minister of Japan. The series is the first to feature a theme tune by Madonna. (More details on the series)
• One possible reason for Fuji's decision is to avoid a confrontation with the return of "Gokusen". The hugely popular NTV series is back for a third run, starting on April 19, starring Nakama Yukie (28) as the passionate school teacher Yamaguchi Kumiko ("Yankumi") in her trademark glasses and tracksuit. The first series in 2002 was a success, but the 2005 follow-up was a huge hit with an audience rating of 28%. That popularity led to a run on tracksuit tops - called a "jersey" in Japanese - and Nakama says she will again wear a different brand in every episode. The roles of Yankumi's students will again be played by young members of the Johnny's Jimusho stable of male idols. Hence the conflict of interest with the Kimutaku series on Fuji, though the shows will air on different days of the week.
• Actress Komura Hiro (42) revealed this week that she and actor Fuse Hiroshi (49) have been separated for two years. She said that she and their two sons are now living close to her parents, who she looks after. Fuse meanwhile is living in their former home with his parents.
• Talento Megumi Toshiaki (43) recently became a father for the third time. He rushed to the hospital after his regular afternoon spot hosting the TBS wide show "2-ji Chao" on March 1, but didn't make it in time for the delivery. He says he's delighted to have a younger sister for his two boys, aged 11 and 3. Megumi works mostly as an emcee these days, though he occasionally appears with his Honjamaka comedy partner Ishizuka Hidehiko (46).
• Talento Wakatsuki Chinatsu (23) made her first public appearance in three months yesterday. She said at a PR event marking the 20th anniversary of the "Momotaro Dentetsu" computer game that she won't be doing any more variety show work. She has spent the last few months traveling the world buying used clothing for a new e-commerce site. She has recently visited the U.S. and Thailand and plans to go to Latin America this month. On watching Japanese TV for the first time in months and seeing the many new names on the variety circuit, she said "I don't think I'll be missed!"
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