Kubota Masataka & Mizukawa Asami reportedly dating since autumn 2017

Kubota Masataka and Mizukawa Asami are said to be dating and have been living together since autumn this year according to FRIDAY's 8th December issue. When asked about the report, the couple's agencies simply commented that they will leave this to their artistes to handle since they are already adults thus indirectly admitting to the fact that the two of them are an item.

The 94th Drama Academy Awards (Summer 2017) - Best Drama

Overall Ranking Top 3
1) Code Blue THE THIRD SEASON (FujiTV)
2) Hiyokko (NHK)
3) Kahogo no Kahoko (NTV)

Voters Ranking Top 5
1) Code Blue THE THIRD SEASON (FujiTV)
2) Koshoku no Robot (NTV)
3) Kahogo no Kahoko (NTV)
4) Bokutachi ga yarimashita (FujiTV)
5) Uchi no otto wa shigoto ga dekinai (NTV)

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5
1) Hiyokko (NHK)
2) Code Blue THE THIRD SEASON (FujiTV) / Kahogo no Kahoko (NTV)
4) Hello Harinezumi (TBS)
5) Shimokitazawa Diehard (TV Tokyo)

Judges Ranking Top 5
1) Hiyokko (NHK)
2) Yasuragi no Sato (TV Asahi)
3) Code Blue THE THIRD SEASON (FujiTV)
4) Kahogo no Kahoko (NTV)
5) Shimokitazawa Diehard (TV Tokyo)

Source: The Television

The 94th Drama Academy Awards (Summer 2017) - Best Leading Actor

Overall Ranking Top 3
1) Yamashita Tomohisa - Code Blue THE THIRD SEASON
2) Kubota Masataka - Bokutachi ga yarimashita
3) Ishizaka Koji - Yasuragi no Sato

Voters Ranking Top 5
1) Yamashita Tomohisa - Code Blue THE THIRD SEASON
2) Arioka Daiki - Koshoku Robot
3) Kubota Masataka - Bokutachi ga yarimashita
4) Nishikido Ryo - Uchi no otto wa shigoto ga dekinai
5) Nagase Tomoya - Gomen, Aishiteru

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5
1) Yamashita Tomohisa - Code Blue THE THIRD SEASON
2) Kubota Masataka - Bokutachi ga yarimashita
3) Eita - Hello Harinezumi
4) Nagase Tomoya - Gomen, Aishiteru / Fukushi Souta - Aishitetatte, Himitsu wa aru
6) Nishijima Hidetoshi - Blanket Cats

Judges Ranking Top 5
1) Ishizaka Koji - Yasuragi no Sato
2) Yamashita Tomohisa - Code Blue THE THIRD SEASON
3) Kubota Masataka - Bokutachi ga yarimashita
4) Eita - Hello Harinezumi / Higashiyama Noriyuki - Keiji Shichinin / Arita Teppei - Wanitokagegisu

Source: The Televison

The 94th Drama Academy Awards (Summer 2017) - Best Supporting Actor

Overall Ranking Top 3
1) Takeuchi Ryoma - Kahogo no Kahoko
2) Morita Go - Hello Harinezumi
3) Asari Yosuke - Code Blue THE THIRD SEASON

Voters Ranking Top 5
1) Asari Yosuke - Code Blue THE THIRD SEASON
2) Arioka Daiki - Code Blue THE THIRD SEASON
3) Takeuchi Ryoma - Kahogo no Kahoko
4) Konno Hiroki - Bokutachi ga yarimashita
5) Yabu Kota - Uchi no otto wa shigoto ga dekinai

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5
1) Takeuchi Ryoma - Kahogo no Kahoko
2) Morita Go - Hello Harinezumi
3) Sawamura Ikki - Hiyokko
4) Narita Ryo - Code Blue THE THIRD SEASON
5) Konno Hiroki - Bokutachi ga yarimashita

Judges Ranking Top 5
1) Takeuchi Ryoma - Kahogo no Kahoko
2) Morita Go - Hello Harinezumi
3) Konno Hiroki - Bokutachi ga yarimashita
4) Narita Ryo - Code Blue THE THIRD SEASON / Sawamura Ikki - Hiyokko / Eguchi Yosuke - Kurokawa no Techou / Okuda Eiji - Kurokawa no Techou

Source: The Televison

The 94th Drama Academy Awards (Summer 2017) - Best Supporting Actress

Overall Ranking Top 3
1) Aragaki Yui - Code Blue THE THIRD SEASON
2) Toda Erika - Code Blue THE THIRD SEASON
3) Kimura Yoshino - Hiyokko

Voters Ranking Top 5
1) Aragaki Yui - Code Blue THE THIRD SEASON
2) Toda Erika - Code Blue THE THIRD SEASON
3) Matsuoka Mayu - Uchi no otto wa shigoto ga dekinai
4) Higa Manami - Code Blue THE THIRD SEASON
5) Nagano Mei - Bokutachi ga yarimashita

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5
1) Aragaki Yui - Code Blue THE THIRD SEASON
2) Toda Erika - Code Blue THE THIRD SEASON
3) Matsuoka Mayu - Uchi no otto wa shigoto ga dekinai
4) Kimura Yoshino - Hiyokko / Yoshioka Riho - Gomen, Aishiteru
6) Kawaei Rina - Bokutachi ga yarimashita

Judges Ranking Top 5
1) Kimura Yoshino - Hiyokko
2) Wakui Emi - Hiyokko
3) Aragaki Yui - Code Blue THE THIRD SEASON / Nogiwa Yoko - Yasuragi no Sato / Naka Riisa - Kurokawa no Techou / Hashimoto Kanna - Keishicho Ikimonogakari

Source: The Televison

The 94th Drama Academy Awards (Summer 2017) - Best Theme Song

Overall Ranking Top 3
1) Wakai Hiroba - Kuwata Keisuke (Hiyokko)
2) HANABI - Mr.Children (Code Blue THE THIRD SEASON)
3) Family Song - Hoshino Gen (Kahogo no Kahoko)

Voters Ranking Top 5
1) HANABI - Mr.Children (Code Blue THE THIRD SEASON)
2) Are You There? - A.Y.T. (Koshoku Robot)
3) Family Song - Hoshino Gen (Kahogo no Kahoko)
4) Kiseki no Hito - Kanjani 8 (Uchi no otto wa shigoto ga dekinai)
5) Bokutachi ga yarimashita - DISH// (Bokutachi ga yarimashita)

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5
1) Family Song - Hoshino Gen (Kahogo no Kahoko)
2) Wakai Hiroba - Kuwata Keisuke (Hiyokko)
3) Forevermore - Utada Hikaru (Gomen, Aishiteru)
4) HANABI - Mr.Children (Code Blue THE THIRD SEASON)
5) Yumemakase - "SOIL&""PIMP""SESSIONS feat. Yojiro Noda (Hello Harinezumi) / Bokutachi ga yarimashita - DISH// (Bokutachi ga yarimashita)

Judges Ranking Top 5
1) Wakai Hiroba - Kuwata Keisuke (Hiyokko)
2) Bojou - Nakajima Miyuki (Yasuragi no Sato)
3) Yumemakase - "SOIL&""PIMP""SESSIONS feat. Yojiro Noda (Hello Harinezumi)
4) Family Song - Hoshino Gen (Kahogo no Kahoko) / Forevermore - Utada Hikaru (Gomen, Aishiteru)
6) HANABI - Mr.Children (Code Blue THE THIRD SEASON) / Papa Mama Song - Yusuke Santa Maria, Hirao Nanaka, Kadowaki Mugi, Ishida Nicole, Ando Tamae & Okamoto Kenichi (Ecchan) / TAKE MY HAND - Yoru no honki dansu (Seshiru no Mokuromi)

Source: The Televison

Winners of the 9th Confidence Award Dorama Prize (Summer 2017)

Here are the winners of the 9th Confidence Award Drama Prize for the Summer 2017 season:

Best Drama: Hiyokko

Best Leading Actor: Ishizaka Koji (Yasuragi no Sato)

Best Leading Actress: Takahata Mitsuki (Kahogo no Kahoko)

Best Supporting Actor: Takeuchi Ryoma (Kahogo no Kahoko)

Best Supporting Actress: Wakui Emi (Hiyokko)

Best Script: Okada Yoshikazu (Hiyokko)

Best Newcomer: Nagano Mei (Bokutachi ga yarimashita)

Source: Confidence Award Drama Prize

Production press conference of FujiTV Summer 2017 drama "Bokutachi ga yarimashita"

The production press conference of FujiTV Summer 2017 drama "Bokutachi ga yarimashita" was held on 13 July which was attended by cast members Kubota Masataka, Nagano Mei, Arata Mackenyu, Mamiya Shotaro, Hayama Shono, Konno Hiroki, Kawaei Rina, Mizukawa Asami and Miura Shohei. The drama is due to begin its run from 18 July in the Tuesdays 9pm timeslot.

The drama is based on the same-titled manga by Kaneshiro Muneyuki and Araki Hikaru serialised in "Young Magazine" which had recently ended its run in April this year. However, the drama will have a different ending from the manga. Kubota plays the lead character Tobio who is a second year student at Boke Senior High School and does things with minimal effort only. One day, he happens to see his friends being beaten to a pulp by students from the high school opposite Boke which is known for being a hotspot for delinquents. With the intention of playing a trick on those students, Tobio plots a small prank. However, on the day he and his friends are supposed to take action, a large scale explosion takes place which causes Tobio and his friends to become suspects for this crime. Faced with a situation which has gone out of hand, the group makes their escape as they struggle to come to terms with the reality facing them.

Kubota who is turning 29 years old in August, said that it is tough for him to play a senior high school student at this age especially since most of his co-stars are very young and there's a 11-year age gap between him and the heroine (Nagano). On the other hand, Miura who is of the same age as Kubota, gets to play a police detective thus making the latter lament that he wanted to take on a police detective role while Miura said that it would be too much to ask him to wear a school uniform now at this age. Nonetheless, Arata was full of admiration for Kubota as he commented that he had always wanted to act with him and found that he could learn a lot of things by observing Kubota's acting up close.

As for Kawaei who plays a well-endowed senior high school girl in the drama, there are some kissing and intimate scenes with Kubota and Mamiya. Kubota admitted that he was feeling shy and nervous about it while Mamiya revealed that his scene was done between the gap of the bed and window after the two of them fell onto the ground.

Miura who is also playing a police detective in another FujiTV Summer 2017 drama "Keishicho Ikimonogakari", said that he actually was confused enough to bring his script from that drama to the filming set of this drama. When he was greeting the audience, he talked about Watabe Atsuro and animals which led his co-stars to realise his mistake and tease him for being confused again.

Sources: Nikkansports / Sanspo / Sponichi / Oricon 1 / Oricon 2

Oricon's most anticipated Summer 2017 dramas ranking

Oricon conducted a survey on 1,364 people from their teens to 50s where they chose which Summer 2017 they are looking forward to watch. Dramas which were not announced before the start of the survey i.e. 19 June were not included and only dramas from the private networks and NHK were considered in this list.

There are two rankings here i.e. the primetime (7pm to 10pm) and midnight categories (shown after 11pm). Numbers in brackets indicate the overall weighted score in terms of anticipated ratings, leading actor/actress, supporting cast and content which account for 20 marks each. As such, the maximum score a drama can get is 80. The asterisk indicates dramas which are based on novels/manga so those without have original scripts.

Primetime Category

1) Code Blue ~ Doctor Heli Kinkyuu Kyuumei ~ THE THIRD SEASON (77)

2) Iryu Sousa (67)

3) Hello Harinezumi (66)*

4) Bokutachi ga yarimashita (65)*

5) Gomen Aishiteru (61)*

6) Keiji Shichinin 3 (53)

7) Kurokawa no Techou (49)*

8) Aishitetatte, himitsu wa aru (48)

9) Kahogo no Kahoko / Seshiru no Mokuromi* (45)

11) Kanna-san!* / Keishicho Zerogakari ~ Seikatsu Anzenka Nandemo Soudanshitsu ~ SECOND SEASON* / Uchi no otto wa shigoto ga dekinai (44)

14) Keishicho Ikimonogakari* (29)

15) Ecchan* (16)

Midnight Category

1) Shimokitazawa Diehard (52)

2) Nou ni sumaho ga umerareta! (28)

3) Aino Kekkon Soudanjo* (27)

4) Izakaya Fuji* (24)

5) Wanitokagegisu* (20)

6) Maji de koukai shimasu / Saboriiman Kantarou* (12)

Source: Oricon

Preview of "Bokutachi ga yarimashita" - Summer 2017

Title: Bokutachi ga yarimashita 僕たちがやりました (We did it)
Official website: here
Official Facebook: here
Official Instagram: here
Official Twitter: here
O.A. Start Date: 18 July 2017
Timeslot: Tuesdays 9pm
Broadcast by: Kansai TV / FujiTV
Original manga by: Kaneshiro Muneyuki and Araki Hikaru
Theme Song: "Bokutachi ga yarimashita" by DISH//
Opening Theme: "WanteD! WanteD!" by Mrs. GREEN APPLE
Cast: Kubota Masataka, Nagano Mei, Arata Mackenyu, Mamiya Shotaro, Hayama Shono, Konno Hiroki, Kawaei Rina, Okazaki Sae, Itao Itsuji, Sakakibara Ikue, Mizukawa Asami, Miura Shohei, Furuta Arata

DISH// to sing the theme song for FujiTV Summer 2017 drama "Bokutachi ga yarimashita"

DISH// will be singing the theme song for the new FujiTV Summer 2017 drama "Bokutachi ga yarimashita" starring Kubota Masataka which begins its run from 18 July in the Tuesdays 9pm timeslot. The drama is based on the same-titled manga by Kaneshiro Muneyuki and Araki Hikaru serialised in "Young Magazine" which had recently ended its run in April this year. However, the drama will have a different ending from the manga. Kubota plays the lead character Tobio who is a second year student at Boke Senior High School and does things with minimal effort only. One day, he happens to see his friends being beaten to a pulp by students from the high school opposite Boke which is known for being a hotspot for delinquents. With the intention of playing a trick on those students, Tobio plots a small prank. However, on the day he and his friends are supposed to take action, a large scale explosion takes place which causes Tobio and his friends to become suspects for this crime. Faced with a situation which has gone out of hand, the group makes their escape as they struggle to come to terms with the reality facing them.

The theme song titled "Bokutachi ga yarimashita" was written by OKAMOTO'S Okamoto Shou so the members of OKAMOTO'S joined DISH// during the recording of the song. They will be performing the song live for the first time during a concert held at Osaka on 28 June featuring the two bands.

Source: The Television

Kubota Masataka to star in new Kansai TV / FujiTV Summer 2017 drama "Bokutachi ga yarimashita"

Kubota Masataka will star in the new Kansai TV / FujiTV Summer 2017 drama "Bokutachi ga yarimashita" (We did it) which will be shown at 9pm on Tuesdays. The drama is based on the same-titled manga by Kaneshiro Muneyuki and Araki Hikaru serialised in "Young Magazine" which had recently ended its run in April this year. However, the drama will have a different ending from the manga. This will be Kubota's first leading role in a FujiTV primetime drama.

Kubota plays the lead character Tobio who is a second year student at Boke Senior High School and does things with minimal effort only. One day, he happens to see his friends being beaten to a pulp by students from the high school opposite Boke which is known for being a hotspot for delinquents. With the intention of playing a trick on those students, Tobio plots a small prank. However, on the day he and his friends are supposed to take action, a large scale explosion takes place which causes Tobio and his friends to become suspects for this crime. Faced with a situation which has gone out of hand, the group makes their escape as they struggle to come to terms with the reality facing them.

Kubota commented that in the manga, there is a lot of emphasis of the internal struggles and pain faced by the characters which made him wonder if he was offered the role because people want to see him become "unhappy". As such, he "lamented' that nobody seems to want to see him happy or thinks that he is unsuitable for happy roles. Nonetheless, Kubota said that adults do have various thoughts which they may not all voice out so as to continue living in society and put on appearances in front of others. That's what makes people beautiful and ugly at the same time. As such, the charm of this story lies in highlighting this trait of humans from the perspective of high school students in a straightforward manner.

Despite being already 28 years old and his character Tobio being 11 years younger than him, Kubota said that this is a character which he can play now that he has some years of experience under his belt. Although he had some initial reservations about playing such a young character, his experience in acting "THE LAST COP" last year allowed him to give up his reservations and take on the role.

Nagano Mei plays Renko, the childhood friend of Tobio while Arata Mackenyu plays Ichihashi, a student from Yaba High School which is at odds with Tobio. Tobio's classmates include Isami (Mamiya Shotaro), Maru (Hayama Shono) and Koyoi (Kawaei Rina) who is Isami's girlfriend. Other characters include Baisen (Konno Hiroki), a OB of Boke, Iimuro (Miura Shohei), a cool and harsh police detective, Natsumi (Mizukawa Asami), Tobio's form teacher and an original character in the drama version, Nishizuka (Itao Itsuji), a lawyer working for the underworld and Wajima (Furuta Arata), an underworld chief who bosses Nishizuka around.

Sources: Sanspo 1 / Sanspo 2 / Yomiuri Hochi / Oricon