Kimura Takuya & Shibasaki Kou to co-star in new TBS drama this fall

It was announced that SMAP's Kimura Takuya and actress Shibasaki Kou are going to work together again in a new TBS fall drama titled 'Ando Roid ~A.I. knows LOVE?~'. The last time they co-starred in a drama was in 'GOOD LUCK!!' 10 years ago.

The concept of the drama is a love story that crosses through time and space thanks to a "time cable" that connects the present age with the future 100 years from now. It offers a lot of mystery and suspense, and incorporates sci-fi and action elements. Anno Hideaki and his protégé Tsurumaki Kazuya from the famed anime series 'Neon Genesis Evangelion' are reportedly the ones who fleshed out this unique concept for TBS. The script is handled by no other than Nishiogi Yumie, the mastermind behind 'SPEC' and 'Keizoku'.

Kimura is going to play a double-role in this drama, an ingenious physicist named 'Matsushima Reiji' and a mysterious android that came from the future. Shibasaki plays Reiji's fiancee 'Ando Asahi'.

Reiji finds out that someone is trying to kill him and his fiancée because of theory he recently constructed. However, he isn't able to avoid his death and loses his life in a mysterious explosion on a plane one day in 2013. His fiancée Asahi is still alive and grieving over his sudden death, but she doesn't know that he was murdered and that the killer is still out there and preparing to kill her next. All of a sudden an android appears from out of her desk's drawer and materializes to look exactly as her fiancé Reiji. Apparently he was sent from the future to protect her from the killer.

'Ando Roid ~A.I. knows LOVE?~' is scheduled to replace the network's current hit drama 'Hanzawa Naoki' on Sundays at 9:00 pm, starting in October.

Source : Mantan-Web

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Takeshi Kaneshiro and Masami Nagasawa work on a kiss scene

Takeshi Kaneshiro (Gum Sing Mo) and Japanese star Masami Nagasawa starred in the John Woo (Ng Yu Sum) directed new film THE CROSSING (TAI PING LUN). Earlier they worked on location on an isolated hill in Huairou. Reportedly they were working on a passionate kiss scene in a cavern. In the film they had a life and death romance. around 7:30AM, Gum Sing Mo left his hotel. He was dressed so casually that the Mainland media joked that he was collecting for the electric company. Later he went to the location. After changing into his costume, drizzle began. He carried an umbrella and entered the cavern. Then Masami Nagasawa also arrived and displayed a sweet smile. Seemingly she and Gum Sing Mo were working pleasantly. Ng Yu Sum looked serious on the set and later entered the cavern to direct the shoot personally.

courtesy of mingpao.com

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Koji Seto and Kie Kitano to star in live-action “Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai” film

On Thursday, Toei revealed that Koji Seto and Kie Kitano will be starring in the upcoming live-action film adaptation of Yomi Hirasaka’s popular light novel series Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai, aka Haganai (official abbreviation).

The original novel series, which has reached a total circulation of 5.55 million copies since it began in 2009, revolves around two main characters who form a special club for people who are social outcasts like themselves. It was later adapted to several manga and anime series.

The film version will be directed by up-and-comer Takuro Oikawa, who also adapted the screenplay.

Seto plays Kodaka Hasegawa, a teenager who has extremely light hair due to being half british on his mother’s side and fierce eyes. Because of this, other students assume he’s a delinquent and avoid him. Kitano plays Yozora Mikazuki, a mean girl with a sullen expression who seems to drive everyone away. One day, shy Kodaka overhears Yozora talking to an imaginary friend after class one day and, realizing that neither of them have any other friends, they decide to form the “Neighbor’s Club” (Rinjin-bu) in order to make some. In spite of Kodaka having no clue what he’s doing, new members start joining the club one after another.

Supporting cast members include Mio Otani, Sara Takatsuki, Mao Kanjo, Sayu Kubota, Momoka Yamada, Rui Kurihara, Dai Watanabe, and Yoshizumi Ishihara.

Filming of “Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai” wrapped in June. The movie will be released nation-wide in Japan early next year.

source : eiga.com

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Yutaka Takenouchi to star in Nami Iguchi’s “Nishino Yukihiko no Koi to Boken”

Today it was announced that actor Yutaka Takenouchi will star in a film adaptation of Hiromi Kawakami’s 2006 novel Nishino Yukihiko no Koi to Boken (lit. Yukihiko Nishino’s Love and Adventure), directed by Nami Iguchi.

This will be the first feature film for Iguchi in about 5 years, the last one being Don’t Laugh at My Romance starring Hiromi Nagasaku and Kenichi Matsuyama.

In the new film, Takenouchi will play a man who’s uncommonly popular with the ladies, but always seems to have his heart broken by them in the end as he continues aimlessly searching for love.

The actresses playing some of the women around “Nishino” are Machiko Ono, Riko Narumi, Fumino Kimura, Tsubasa Honda, Kumiko Aso, Sawako Agawa, and Yurika Nakamura.

Ono plays Nishino’s boss whom he has a relationship with. Narumi and Kimura will play two people who live next door to Nishino. Honda will play his former lover. Aso will play a married woman who fell in love with him 10 years ago. Agawa will play a homemaker who falls for him in a cooking class. And finally, Nakamura will play a 15-year-old girl who’s described as an important character in the story.

“Nishino Yukihiko no Koi to Boken” will be released in Japan in February 2014.

source : eiga.com

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Arashi's Matsumoto Jun to star in NHK drama for the first time

On July 14, it was announced that popular Arashi member Matsumoto Jun will star in the NHK drama "Hajimari no Uta" that will begin airing on September 23.

Though Matsumoto, as a member of Arashi, has served as the host for NHK's Kohaku Uta Gassen for 3 consecutive years, this is actually the first time for him to have a leading in a drama on NHK. This is also the first time in 15 years for him to appear on an NHK drama since his last one aired back in 1998 which was even before he made CD debut as Arashi.

The motif of the drama is "Furusato" which was the song made for the special corner in 2010's Kohaku Uta Gassen. Arashi members sang it on the Kohaku not only in 2010, but also in 2011, and in 2012.

The song was written by Koyama Kundo, and it expresses the nobility of hometown. The song has also been chosen as the compulsory song in the NHK National School Music Contest for this year (for Elementary School division). As this year will be the 80th anniversary year for the music contest, the drama adaptation has been planned.

In the drama, Matsumoto plays a young man named "Wataru" who left his hometown to Tokyo. Wataru once had a dream to be a teacher, but he could not make it come true, and became a freelance photographer for a travel magazine. The drama starts where Wataru returns to his hometown after he is given an order to take photographs in there.


By meeting with the local elementary school kids who are aiming to participate in the choir competition, his ex-girlfriend (played by Eikura Nana) who is an elementary school teacher, his old classmates, and family, he eventually regains his old dream to be a teacher.

Reportedly, there is a scene where Matsumoto plays a piano in the drama, so he is currently practicing for it. He left a comment, "Though my role is a photographer, there will be a scene I have to play piano, so I would like to prepare well for both before I attend the filming. I will do my best so that the viewers could find a delight in chorus, and also feel the power of music."

source : nipponcinema

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Shinichi Tsutsumi, Machiko Ono, and Hiroshi Tamaki to star in Bali-set comedy

Today it was revealed that Shinichi Tsutsumi, Machiko Ono, and Hiroshi Tamaki will star in Toshio Lee’s Kamisama wa Bali ni Iru (lit. God Is in Bali), the first Japanese movie filmed on location in Bali, Indonesia.

Filming will take place in Bali for about a month from late July before wrapping up in Japan.

The story is based on Sho Kuroiwa’s book “Dekasegeba Daifugou”. It revolves around a woman named Sachiko (Ono) who flees to Bali after the failure of her Konkatsu (marriage hunting) business. By chance, she meets and is inspired by a Japanese multi-millionaire who’s called “Aniki” (big brother) by other visiting foreigners. Tsutsumi will play Aniki, a character based on real-life Japanese entrepreneur Maruo Takatoshi who made his fortune in Bali and continues to influence others to become successful.

Tamaki will play a former doctor named Ryu who changed his life after meeting Aniki.

“Kamisama wa Bali ni Iru” will be released nation-wide in Japan in 2014.

source : nipponcinema

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Sakai Masato & Kanno Miho register their marriage on 2 April

Sakai Masato and Kanno Miho registered their marriage on 2 April, according to their joint statement released on 3 April. The couple had met on the set of the movie "Ooku ~ Eien" and got married after a three-month dating period. The statement was written personally by Sakai and signed off by the both of them. As for why they chose to get married on 2 April, it was an auspicious day on the calendar so they went to the ward office to submit the marriage application on that day. Plans for the wedding are not confirmed yet and they are still living apart for now since they are looking for a new place. Kanno is not pregnant and will continue working after marriage.

Souce : doramaworld

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Tatsuya Fujiwara to wed girlfriend of 9 years

 TOKYO: Japanese actor Tatsuya Fujiwara’s getting married, reported Japanese media.

“Although this is a personal matter, please allow me to announce that I will marry my girlfriend of nine years, this year,” said Fujiwara during a media conference on Friday.

Fujiwara, who is best known for playing Light Yagami in the hit “Death Note” film series, and gambler Kaiji Ito in the popular “Kaiji” films, was all smiles when he shared the happy news with reporters.

The 31-year-old star also revealed that he and his 34-year-old wife-to-be, who is not from the entertainment industry, started dating after they met through a mutual friend in 2004, and have been living together for the past six years.

The actor described his wife-to-be as a “humble, gentle woman” who “has been with me during the most difficult times in my acting career, supporting me” and said he was “thankful” that she has stayed by his side for the past nine years.

Source: CNA

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