Nanao to act in FujiTV Summer 2016 Gekku "Suki na hito ga iru koto"

Nanao will be acting in the upcoming FujiTV Summer 2016 Gekku "Suki na hito ga iru koto" which will begin its run from July in the Mondays 9pm timeslot. This will be her first appearance in a Gekku drama.

In the drama, Kiritani Mirei plays the heroine Sakurai Misaki who is a patissier working part-time at a seaside restaurant managed by three brothers played by Miura Shohei, Yamazaki Kento and Nomura Shuhei. Nanao plays the role of Takatsuki Kaede, a pianist returning from boston who used to be a classmate of Misaki and will be her rival in love. Despite having played various evil or bad woman roles in dramas such as "First Class" and "Siren", this will be her first time playing a gentle and ideal type of woman.

Source: Oricon

Winners of the Tokyo Drama Award 2014

*In order to qualify for entry into the Tokyo Drama Award 2014 contenders list, the drama must have been shown between July 2013 and June 2014.

Best Drama Series Grand Prix Award: Hanzawa Naoki (TBS)

Excellence Awards for Drama Series:
- Gochisousan (NHK)
- Woman (NTV)
- BORDER (TV Asahi)
- MOZU Season 1 (TBS) and Season 2 (WOWOW)
- First Class (FujiTV)

Best Drama SP Grand Prix Award: Yamada Taichi Drama SP "Toki wa Tachidomaranai" (TV Asahi)

Excellence Awards for Drama SPs:
- Ashio kara kita Onna (NHK)
- 24 Jikan TV Drama SP "Kyou no Hi wa Sayonara" (NTV)
- Saikou no Rikon Special 2014 (FujiTV)
- Drama W "Chicken Race" (WOWOW)

Local Drama Award
- Daruma-san ga waratta (NHK Kochi)
- Lady Lady ~ Toilet de naita koto, arimasuka? (Chukyo TV)

Best Leading Actor: Sakai Masato (Hanzawa Naoki)
Best Leading Actress: Mitsushima Hikari (Woman)
Best Supporting Actor: Yoshida Kotaro (Hanako to Anne & MOZU Season 1)
Best Supporting Actress: Ishihara Satomi (Shitsuren Chocolatier)
Best Scriptwriter: Okada Yoshikazu (Zoku Saigo kara Nibanme no Koi)
Best Directing: Fukuzawa Katsuo (Hanzawa Naoki)

Special Awards:
The three leads of "Sanbiki no Ossaan" - Kitaoji Kinya, Izumiya Shigeru, Shiga Kotaro
Kitakyushu Film Commission for assisting in the filming of "MOZU"

Overseas Dramas Awards:
You Who Came From The Stars (South Korea)
Tukang Bubur Naik Haji The Series (Indonesia)
Thong Neua Kao (Thailand)

Source: Model Press

Preview of "First Class" - Spring 2014

Title: First Class
Official website: here
Broadcast by: FujiTV
O.A. Start Date: 19 April 2014
Timeslot: Saturdays 11.10pm
Theme Song: Heroine by SOLIDEMO
Cast: Sawajiri Erika, Nakamaru Yuichi, Sasaki Nozomi, Nanao, Ishida Nicole, Tanaka Mirei, Yui Ryoko, Miura Rieko, Hirayama Hiroyuki, Tabata Tomoko, Itaya Yuka

Newbie male group SOLIDEMO to sing the theme song for FujiTV Spring 2014 drama "First Class"

Newbie 8-member male group SOLIDEMO who is making their debut on 16 April, will be singing the theme song for FujiTV Spring 2014 drama "First Class" starring Sawajiri Erika. The drama will begin its run from 19 April in the Saturdays 11.10pm timeslot.

The theme song "Heroine" is an up-tempo number which is reflective of the lead character's inner world as she tries to climb to the top of the corporate ladder. SOLIDEMO commented that they are deeply honoured to have their debut song be the theme song of a drama despite being newbies in the industry.

Source: Sanspo

Sawajiri Erika returns to the drama scene in FujiTV Spring 2014 drama "First Class"

Sawajiri Erika will make her return to the drama scene in eight years through the FujiTV Spring 2014 drama "First Class" which begins its run from 19 April in the Saturday 11.10pm timeslot. Her last private network drama was TBS' "Taiyou no Uta" in 2006.

This time, Sawajiri will play the role of Yoshinari Chinami, a salesgirl working in a suburb clothing store who gets the chance to work in the editorial department of a fashion magazine. However, as she immerses herself in the dazzling world of fashion, she also finds herself as the target of bullying and discrimination due to her background as she tries to defy all odds to become the chief editor.

Co-stars include Itaya Yuka who is the chief editor, Sasaki Nozomi who plays a top model, Nanao who plays an editor educated abroad, Miura Rieko as the assistant chief editor, KAT-TUN's Nakamaru Yuichi as an assistant photographer who is Sawajiri's love interest and only supporter and the most popular stylist in the industry played by Hirayama Hiroyuki.

Source: Sponichi / Sanspo