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Hirakawa Tetsuhiro’s manga “Clover” is going to be adapted as a live-action drama series this spring. The lead cast and other details are expected to be announced in the middle of this month.
“Clover” has been serialized in Akita Shoten’s Weekly Shonen Champion magazine since 2007. The 25th tankoubon volume will be released on February 8, and so far the series has sold more than 4.5 million copies.
The story follows the daily lives of three male high school delinquents. Hayato, who is strong in fighting, returns to his hometown for the first time since elementary school and enters high school. There, he revives his childhood friendship with motorcycle-loving Tomoki and clumsy Kenji. The three occasionally fight and get into trouble, but their friendship helps them overcome various obstacles.
TV Tokyo plans to begin broadcasting the drama series in April.
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Actor Yamamoto Yusuke has been added to the cast of the “Sadako 3D” movie. This will be his first time in a villain role, as he plays a mysterious young man plotting to bring about the return of Sadako from the previous “Ring” films.
It was just revealed last month that the film stars Ishihara Satomi and Seto Koji, as a teacher and a web designer who become involved in a series of strange suicides related to a certain online video. Yamamoto’s character was once a popular artist online, but he disappeared after a particular incident. However, the police suspect him to be the one who first uploaded the video that seems to be causing the suicides.
As previously announced, “Sadako 3D” is scheduled for theatrical release on May 12, 2012.
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Ayumi Hamasaki imposes gag order on ex-husband?
Jan 27 2012
27/01/2012
The singer allegedly paid ex-hubby, Manuel Schwarz, 200 million yen (S$3.2 million) to sign a confidentiality agreement after their divorce
Japanese diva Ayumi Hamasaki wedded Austrian model-actor Manuel Schwarz on 1 Jan last year.
Now just barely over a year later, the two have called it quits.
Ayumi had issued an official statement on her divorce days ago, citing that the distance between Manuel and her, as well as her unwillingness to leave Japan for the reasons behind the split.
According to overseas media reports, the singer has reportedly signed a 200 million yen (S$3.2 million) confidentiality agreement with Manuel, where the latter is not allowed to leak any inside information pertaining to their divorce.
Other conditions of the agreement include not being allowed to pose for a nude pictorial, work for any Japanese publishing house, discuss anything about her with anyone or ask for more money in future.
If Manuel does not adhere to the agreement, he would face a huge penalty.
When asked, Ayumi's management company denied the existence of the agreement, but her lawyer, however, did not refute the rumour.
On the other hand, the singer, who recently returned home to Japan after working in Dubai, refused to make any comments when she was approached by reporters at the airport.
It was only when Ayumi heard one reporter ask about what she had to say to her fans that she responded.
"I'm sorry to have caused anyone to worry," she said.
She later left a cryptic message on Twitter which seemed to be about her divorce with Manuel.
"I have no regrets because it was what I wanted at the time!" the singer wrote.
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Higashino Keigo’s bestselling mystery novel “Platina Data” is getting a movie adaptation, starring Arashi’s Ninomiya Kazunari (28). Otomo Keishi (“Ryomaden,” “Hagetaka,” “Rurouni Kenshin”) will direct, and actor Toyokawa Etsushi (49) will play a supporting role.
“Platina Data” was serialized starting in 2006, and it was released in novel form in 2010. The novel has sold approximately 210,000 copies so far.
The story is set in 2017, at a time where the government is aiming to secretly control the genetic data of the population. Ninomiya plays the role of Kagura Ryuhei, a brilliant DNA specialist who works at a special DNA analysis institution established by the National Police Agency. One day, the developer of a DNA analysis system is murdered, and Kagura’s DNA is discovered at the scene of the crime, making him the prime suspect. With no recollection of what happened, he is forced on the run.
Toyokawa will play Asama Reiji, the persistent veteran police detective in pursuit of Kagura. This will be his first detective role since”Hannin ni Tsugu” in 2007. It will also be his first time acting together with Ninomiya.
Filming will take place between February and April. Toho plans to distribute the film in theaters in 2013.
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Source : musicjapanplus
During the most recent event "YG Family Concert in Japan", popular South Korean group BIGBANG has restarted its activities in Japan fully. On the same stage they have also announced the airing of a WOWOW special program featuring one of their biggest live performances.
After their debut in Korea, BIGBANG had gathered a great amount of popularity, becoming the stars in the pop industry by occupying the charts' top position for weeks and weeks consecutively. In 2008, the group then made its debut in Japan as well, not slacking behind Korea in gathering fans at all.
In 2011, they had released their album "BIGBANG2" which had made its chart entry at position number 1 and with that, BIGBANG went on their "BIGBANG Presents -Love & Hope Tour 2011-", which moved a total of 100,000 fans.
With regard to their come-back, Japanese TV program WOWOW will be airing a special, showing of their show from May 15th, which had been held at Makuhari Messe Event Hall.
Program Title: "BIGBANG Presents 'Love & Hope Tour 2011' WOWOW Special"
Airing Date: 2012/03/09 (Fri) START 7:00pm
Performance Date: 2011/05/15
Venue: Makuhari Messe Event Hall
Why Ayumi Hamasaki filed for divorce
Jan 19 2012
The Japanese singer divorced her Austrian husband after 380 days of marriage
Slightly a year into her marriage, Japanese pop diva Ayumi Hamasaki has filed for divorce from husband, Austrian actor Manuel Schwarz.
The couple had met on the set of her music video for the song 'Virgin Road' in August 2010.
After five months of dating, Ayumi and Manuel tied the knot in Las Vegas on Jan 1 last year. The couple however spent a lot of time away from each other as both were busy with work.
A few days ago, Ayumi handed in the divorce papers and immediately announced the news on her official website.
Manuel did the same, quoting, "A pessimist sees a problem in every opportunity; an optimist sees an opportunity in every problem."
Although she had initially planned to move to the US to join her husband, Ayumi claimed that after Japan was devastated by an earthquake last March, the singer realised she did not wish to leave the country, and "could only leave [Manuel] in the US alone".
However, other reports claim that the real reason for the divorce was Ayumi's anger over a nude pictorial book that Manuel had released. Not only did the raunchy photos disgust the singer, Ayumi was also not informed of its release.
Source
Hamasaki Ayumi to divorce
Jan 17 2012
Singer Hamasaki Ayumi (33) has just announced through her official fan club that she is getting divorced. She married Austrian actor Manuel Schwarz (31) in Las Vegas a little more than a year ago, on New Year’s Day of 2011.
Hamasaki acknowledged that she is the main reason for the divorce. Sources say that the two had originally planned to live in the United States, but ever since the Tohoku earthquake last March, Hamasaki has felt unable to leave Japan.
Hamasaki said that she and Schwarz tried to discuss how to continue their marriage, and she felt that if they were only physically separated they would be able to overcome that by travelling back and forth to see each other. However, the distance between them has also become mental, and Hamasaki explained that she can no longer return to the time when she felt she could live outside Japan.
It is reported that Hamasaki will file for divorce through a lawyer in the United States on Monday (U.S. time).
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Sawajiri Erika confirmed to star in Ninagawa Mika’s adaptation of “Helter Skelter” manga
Jan 13 2012
Actress Sawajiri Erika (25) is confirmed to be making her return to the big screen with a live-action adaptation of Okazaki Kyoko’s manga “Helter Skelter.” The movie will be just the second feature film directed by photographer Ninagawa Mika, who directed “Sakuran” in 2007.
Sawajiri has not starred in a movie since “Closed Note” in 2007, due to her unprofessional conduct at a PR event for the film. She recently has begun regularly appearing in television commercials again, and she also is starring in a mobile drama that begins next month.
“Helter Skelter” began publication in 2003, and the following year it won the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize. The story revolves around a woman named Ririko (Sawajiri), a top model in the entertainment industry. However, her perfect beauty has been attained entirely through plastic surgery, a secret that she cannot reveal to anyone.
Ninagawa said that she has been wanting to adapt “Helter Skelter” since even before she worked on “Sakuran.” Producer Uda Mitsuru also revealed that he first talked with Sawajiri about starring in the movie about three years ago, before the adaptation rights had been obtained and the screenplay had been written.
Because the original manga includes mature topics such as sex and drugs, there is some speculation that Sawajiri may have a nude scene in the film. A source familiar with the matter neither confirmed nor denied the possibility.
The supporting cast includes Omori Nao as a prosecutor investigating an incident at the clinic where Ririko underwent surgery, Terajima Shinobu as Ririko’s manager, Mizuhara Kiko as a younger model, Kubozuka Yosuke as Ririko’s boyfriend, Momoi Kaori as the president of Ririko’s agency, and Harada Mieko as the head of the ..... (article cut to save bandwidth)
Matsuyama Kenichi, Koyuki become parents
Jan 09 2012
Actress Koyuki (35) gave birth to her first child on January 5th, it has been learned. Both she and her husband, actor Matsuyama Kenichi (26), announced the happy news through their management agencies on Sunday.
Koyuki and the baby boy are said to be healthy. According to Koyuki’s agency, she will focus on taking care of the child for now, but she expects to return to acting by the end of the year.
Matsuyama, on the other hand, is currently busy as the star of this year’s NHK taiga drama “Taira no Kiyomori.” The series premieres tonight (January 8).
The couple got married last April after dating for almost three years.
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X Japan’s Yoshiki has been chosen to compose the theme song for the 2012 Golden Globe Awards show, which will take place on January 15 in Beverly Hills, California. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced the news on Thursday.
In 2010, Yoshiki collaborated with American comic creator Stan Lee to create a “music superhero comic book series” based on Yoshiki. They both attended the Golden Globe Awards show in 2011, and according to the Sankei Sports newspaper, it was there that Yoshiki became close with the show’s organizers. In November, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association gave Yoshiki an offer to compose the show’s theme song.
The president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association explained, “Yoshiki is a world-renowned musician and composer of enormous talent and versatility, who in addition to being a rock superstar has composed for film and television. As an international organization dedicated to creative achievements, the HFPA is delighted to have a global musical artist of Yoshiki’s stature create the theme for the show.”
Yoshiki has previously composed music for major events such as the commemoration ceremony of the tenth year of the Emperor of Japan’s reign in 1999 and the World Expo in 2005.
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