Category Archives: Entertainment News

Fans of the late great actor Matsuda Yusaku can finally get a glimpse of how he landed his final movie role in Ridley Scott’s “Black Rain” (1989). Paramount Home Entertainment Japan announced this week that they will launch a remastered version of the movie on DVD on November 2, with only the Japan version including footage of Matsuda’s audition. The DVD also includes interviews with Uchida Yuya, Ono Miyuki and Guts Ishimatsu about their memories of Matsuda and the making of the movie. The classic “U.S. cops versus Japanese yakuza” flick was largely set in Osaka and starred Michael Douglas and Takakura Ken, as well as a young Andy Garcia. But Matsuda stole the show, with his role as the psychotic yakuza, Sato. But just a day after the movie had its Japan Premiere, Matsuda died of cancer at the age of 39, and Black Rain remains as his biggest legacy outside his homeland.

• The movie sequel “Death Note, The Last Name” will open in theaters at the same time in Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan, a first for an Asian movie. Since its release in June, “Death Note” has been a huge hit across East Asia, pulling in ¥2.8 billion at home and over ¥200 million in Hong Kong, a record for a Japanese movie. It is also set to open in South Korea, Malaysia and Singapore. The schedule for the sequel, as well as its world premiere in Hong Kong on October 28, were announced at a “geurilla” PR event in Tokyo yesterday. Star Fujiwara Tatsuya (24) drew screams from about 700 fans gathered in front of Shinjuku station. The event also featured a huge statue of Ryuk, the Death God, whose character is voiced by kabuki actor Nakamura Shido (34). Nakamura’s recent drunk driving incident is just one of several casting a shadow over the project. The movie is based on a hugely popular manga illustrated by Obata Takeshi, who was arrested in June for possessing an army knife in his car. And cinematographer Takase Hiroshi died on September 7 from a stroke at the age of 50.

Hawaiian-born Japanese singer melody (24) has landed a role in the new version of EA’s best-selling street racing game “Need For Speed: Carbon”. Having only made her breakthrough with last year’s hit “Realize”, she will be receiving huge exposure through a game franchise that already has sales of over 38 million in 75 countries worldwide. The fourth release in the series is due to go on sale in November, and in Japan in December. Melody is one of the “electro” artists that are included in the game’s soundtrack to accompany the so-called Japanese Tuner Cars, but will also have a voice role. meanwhile, the Exotic Cars rev to the tunes of artists like hip hop star Pharell and Roots Manuva from the UK’s “grime” scene. And Muscle Cars, needless to say, perform best when the music is loud and heavy, from bands like Eagles of Death Metal and Wolfmother.

• The 19th Tokyo International Film Festival is without a head judge. Academy Award and Palme D’Or-winning French director Claude Lelouch (68) has pulled out just a month before the festival is due to open, citing a schedule overrun on his latest movie project. Festival chairman Kadokawa Tsuguhiko (63) announced yesterday that about 95% of the event’s lineup has been finalized, but the news of Lelouch’s withdrawal drew the most media attention. The Tokyo Fest has been gradually building up its reputation as one of the top dozen or so events of its kind in the world. So the news comes as a big blow, though other major events have overcome such difficulties. Hollywood actress Jodie Foster withdrew as head judge of the Cannes Festival in 2001, also due to a conflict with her filming schedule.

• Madonna (48) paid a visit to the Louis Vuitton store in Tokyo’s swish Roppongi Hills yesterday. The store is holding an exhibition of photos and video featuring the Queen of Pop, who finishes her worldwide Confessions Tour this week in the capital. She was with Steven Klein, the photographer who created the opening video sequence for her current live show, and smiled and waved for the 300 or so fans who had gathered to get a glimpse. She stayed for about thirty minutes and even bought herself a pair of sunglasses and a black leather jacket. Also visiting the exhibition yesterday were local musicians Aikawa Nanase and rapper Verbal. Madonna’s final shows are at Tokyo Dome tomorrow and Friday, while the exhibition will run until October 2.

Popular Korean Talento Yoon Sona (30) got married to entrepreneur Shin Jae Hyung (36) in Seoul at the weekend. The couple invited over 1,000 guests to the lavish ceremony and reception at the ShinRa, one of the city’s top hotels. Many of Yoon’s friends and fellow celebrities were invited from Japan. The couple are off to the Maldives at the weekend for a weeklong honeymoon, after which they will settle down in Seoul, where Shin runs businesses connected with the movie industry and restaurants. Yoon plans to continue working in Japan and will shuttle back and forth.

No comment! That was the response from celebrities at three different PR events over the weekend. Appearing at a publicity event for an upcoming NHK drama series, actress Sakai Miki (photo, 28) refused to confirm or deny rumors that her romance with New York Yankees star Matsui Hideki (32) is back on again. First reported as a couple in 2004, in June they were said to have made up after an earlier split. Neither has spoken to the media about it since. Ditzy talento Ogura Yuko (22) was once again well shielded by her management staff from questions about her rumored romance with comedian Hamaguchi Masaru (34). Reporters were not allowed to ask questions and were kept out of the area where she met with fans. When news of the relationship first broke at the end of August, her staff abruptly ended a press conference as soon as it came up. And staff running a photo book launch by actor Koide Keisuke (22) were equally touchy when the questions started about his recently revealed relationship with actress Saeko (19). Of course, all this “protection” serves a double purpose in that it also helps create juicier news stories and generate a bit of extra publicity.

• Fuji TV are to release a DVD compilation of the spring drama series “Top Caster”, but minus one entire episode. The drama, which starred Amami Yuki and Yada Akiko, told the story of a newscaster who made a different scoop in each of the 11 episodes. The problem was with episode 3, which featured a character who closely resembled popular fortune teller Hosoki Kazuko (68) and was exposed as a fake. The best-selling author complained and the network later apologized.

• Madonna (48) is back for her first Japan tour in 13 years. She played to 60,000 fans at the Kyocera Dome in Osaka on Saturday and Sunday. Her two shows at Tokyo Dome on Wednesday and Thursday will bring an end to this, the last leg of her Confessions Tour, which has made the Queen of Pop over ¥15 billion.

Koide Keisuke (22) and Saeko (19) are the latest young showbiz couple. The up and coming stars are not only popular actors but are also students at two of Japan’s top universities. Koide, who made his breakthrough in last year’s hugely popular NTV series “Gokusen”, is a senior at Keio University. Over the past year he has appeared in a number of hit series, including Fuji TV’s “Waterboys” and TBS’s “Byakuyakou”, and movies such as “Pacchigi!”. He lived abroad while an elementary school student and is proficient in English and Chinese. Saeko, who is currently appearing in the movie “Back Dancers”, started studying Human Sciences at Waseda University in April. The pair met when they played lovers in this year’s TBS spring drama “Oishii Puropozu”. They will be together again next month in “Nodame Cantabile”, Fuji TV’s adaptation of a popular manga, which will air in the prime Monday 9pm time slot.

• A recent survey by a magazine aimed at young people hoping to get into showbiz has revealed that readers are in less of a hurry to find stardom than before. Asked how long they would wait before giving up hope of making their debut as a “gravure aidoru” (pin-up girl), the average age has usually been in the teens. But the recent breakthroughs by such idols as Hoshino Aki (at the age of 23), Inoue Waka (at 20) and Kudo Risa (at 21) has led to over 70% of respondents saying they’d keep trying until their 20s (up to 20: 45%, up to 25: 25%). In the case of modelling, the current crop of magazine cover girls who’ve crossed over into TV, such as Ebihara Yuri and Oshikiri Moe, are in their mid-20s. So most survey repondents said they’d wait till 25 or 30 before giving up on a modeling career. In contrast, male respondents overwhelmingly chose “no age limit” for beginning an acting career.

• Former NTV announcer Nagai Minako (41), now a freelancer, has announced that she is pregnant. It will be the second child for Nagai and her husband, the U.S.-born Hori Kazutomo Robert (41), CEO of Internet company Cybird.

Actress Kimura Yoshino (30) is to make her Hollywood debut. She will star alongside Ishibashi Ryo (50) in the follow-up to last year’s “Masters of Horror” series. That series of 13 one-hour horror movies featured some of the giants of the genre, including Dario Argento (Suspiria) and Tobe Hooper (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre), with Japan represented by Miike Takashi (Killer1 and One Missed Call). This time around, Japan’s representative will be Tsuruta Norio, the man behind “Ringu 0: Birthday” and “Yogen” (Premonition). “Dream Cruise” will feature Ishibashi as Ushijima and Kimura as his wife Yuri, in a tale taken from the short-story collection “Honogurai Mizu no Soko Kara” (Dark Water). The title story was used for a movie of the same name. Ushijima is the client of Tokyo-based American lawyer Jack, to be played by an as yet unnamed Hollywood actor, who is also involved in an affair with his wife. Ishibashi has appeared in foreign movies before, including last year’s Hollywood remake of “The Juon”. Kimura has lived abroad and speaks good English. The movie is to start filming near Tokyo this autumn and is scheduled for release next year.

Orange Range have recorded the theme song for the upcoming TBS drama “Nichiyo Gekijo – Tetsuban Shojo Akane!” It’s the hugely popular Okinawan band’s third drama theme and 15th single, to add to the 4 albums and 3 DVDs since their debut in 2000. The new single, “Sayonara”, is just their third love song and if it does as well as either of the previous two, million-seller “Hana” and “Love Parade” (half a million), it’ll push their total sales over the ¥25 billion level. A remarkable achievement in a time when CD sales are in a prolonged slump. Orange Range are currently in the middle of a national tour.

• 2006 Miss Universe runner up Chibana Kurara (24) is to be a regular reporter for the NTV late-night news show “News Zero”. The Sophia University graduate speaks English, French and Spanish and has long dreamed of being a journalist, though she had a job lined up at a publishing company before coming so close at this year’s beauty pageant.

• The line up of stars scheduled to appear at the upcoming John Lennon tribute concert keeps growing. John Lennon Super Live 2006 has been organized by his widow, Yoko Ono (73), and will be held on November 4 at the Nippon Budokan, It will feature pop duo Sukimaswitch, singer Cocco (29), making a comeback after five years, as well as singer Sano Motoharu (50), actress Miyazawa Rie (33) and others.

Inumaru Rin, the manga artist and essayist who created the popular NHK anime character Ojaru Maru, committed suicide in Tokyo on Sunday. She was 48. She jumped from the roof of her 14-story apartment building in Tokyo’s Musashino suburb. Residents of the 5-story apartment building next door heard a loud noise and called police, who found her body on the roof. She left a suicide note to her mother, saying “I can’t work”. Ojaru Maru, popular with young children since 1998, continues to be broadcast on the NHK Education channel. It’s the network’s second longest-running anime series.

• Sawajiri Erika (19) is the first actress in almost 12 years to make No.1 on the Oricon chart with her recording debut. She’s using the name Kaoru Amane, her character in the TBS drama series “Taiyou no Uta”, which is also the title of the single. She’s also the first artist in almost 19 years to top the charts using a character name. Meanwhile, second on the chart is “Tarako, Tarako, Tarako”, the theme song used in the latest Kewpie TV commercial. The song is sung by Kigurumi, a pair of elementary school kids who are the youngest artists ever to enter the charts in the Top 10.

A Japanese comedian is the new Air Guitar World Champion. Ochi Yosuke (34), one half of the little-known Yoshimoto manzai duo Dainoji, beat over a dozen other finalists at the event in Finland to become the first Japanese winner. Wearing aviator shades and a lurid tiger print sweatshirt, he gave an inspired performance of “Are You Gonna be My Girl?” by Aussie rock band Jet. Ochi received a custom made Finnish guitar called Flying Finn and an amplifier, designed and donated by the Queen guitarist Brian May. Interviewed by Japanese media, Ochi said he had never played the guitar and practiced for the event for “about two days”. See the video of his performance:

• Japanese fans will be the first to have a chance to grab a copy of the first greatest hits album by British rockers Oasis. “Stop the Clocks” will go on sale here on November 15, five days before its release in the U.K. and Europe. Though guitarist Noel Gallagher has always insisted there would be no greatest hits album unless the band were breaking up, the new release marks only the end of their recording contract with Sony BMG. Gallagher reluctantly got involved, he said, to avoid the label releasing a “shit” album. The jacket is yet another nod to the Beatles, designed as it is by Peter Blake, the man behind the “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” album cover. The album’s 18 tracks were chosen by fans worldwide and include “Supersonic” and “Lyla”, the theme song for the Japanese movie “Sugar & Spice – Fumi Zekka”. The album also includes their latest single, “Acquiesce”, which goes on sale October 25.

• Utada Hikaru (23) finished her first national tour in six years with a show yesterday at Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo. She encouraged the 12,000 fans to get as loud as the 60,000 watching SMAP across town at the National Stadium. She seemed on top form and showed no signs of the huskiness that affected her performance in Saitama last month. She played to a total of 190,000 fans at 23 dates in 12 cities in support of her latest album “Ultra Blue”.

Actress Inamori Izumi (34) is to be the first female lead in the 29-year history of samurai drama series on TV Tokyo. A PR event was held in Tokyo yesterday for “Chushingura – Yozeiin no Inbo”, which will air over ten episodes on Tuesday afternoons from January 2. Inamori plays Yozeiin, the wife of Asano Takuminokami, in a new take on the famous Chushingura samurai story of loyalty and revenge. She and other cast members visited the Sengakuji temple in central Tokyo where ronin (masterless samurai) Ako Roshi, a central character in the story, is interred. Chushingura is a staple of traditional theater and has inspired dozens of movies.

• Avant garde artist Kusama Yayoi (77) is the first Japanese female to receive the Praemium Imperiale, awarded by the imperial family’s Japan Arts Association in New York. The five winners, including American minimalist composer Steve Reich, were announced yesterday at the Rockefeller Center. The awards will be presented in Tokyo on Ocober 18. Kusama had been previously shortlisted three times for both painting and sculpture. She first moved to the U.S. in 1958, establishing herself in the New York art scene the following year. In the late ’60s she took part in so-called “happenings” which got a lot of attention in the popular press. She moved back to Japan in the 70s and soon after was hospitalized for psychological problems. In 1977 she took up long-term residence at the Seiwa Hospital in Tokyo, where she set up a studio and has continued her work as an artist.