Nominees for the 73rd Mainichi Film Awards (2018)

Here are the nominees for the 73rd Mainichi Film Awards (2018) - note that I have only included the best movie and individual acting categories' nominees here:

Best Japanese Movie
Kiku to Guillotine
Kimi no tori wa utaeru
Korou no Chi
Netemo Sametemo
Manbiki Kazoku

Best Foreign Movie
Shape of Water
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Phantom Thread
The Post
1987: When the Day Comes

Best Leading Actor
Emoto Tasuku - Kimi no tori wa utaeru
Okada Junichi - Chiri Tsubaki
Higashide Masahiro - Netemo Sametemo
Yakusho Koji - Korou no Chi
Yamazaki Tsutomu - Mori no iru basho
Lily Franky - Manbiki Kazoku

Best Leading Actress
Ando Sakura - Manbiki Kazoku
Kadowaki Mugi - Tomerareuka, oretachi wo
Kuroki Haru - Nichinichi kore koujitsu
Shuri - Ikiterudakede, Ai
Matsuoka Mayu - Katte ni Furuetero

Best Supporting Actor
Arai Hirofumi - Kenen
Eita - Yuuzai
Sakou Yoshi - Kensatsugawa no Zainin
Sometani Shota - Kimi no tori wa utaeru
Tsukamoto Shinya - Zan
Ninomiya Kazunari - Kensatsugawa no Zainin
Matsuzaka Toori - Korou no Chi

Best Supporting Actress
Ishibashi Shizuka - Kimi no tori wa utaeru
Kan Hanae - Kiku to Guillotine
Kiki Kirin - Nichinichi kore koujitsu / Manbiki Kazoku
Kino Hana - Itoshi no Irene
Hara Hideko - Suzukike no Uso
Matsuoka Mayu - Manbiki Kazoku

Sponichi Grand Prix Male Newcomer
Kanichiro - Kiku to Guillotine
Jou Kairi - Manbiki Kazoku
Tamaoki Reo - Kyoukaishi
Narita Ryo - Niwatori Star
Maeda Ryusei - Zan
Yoshizawa Ryo - River's Edge

Sponichi Grand Prix Female Newcomer
Karata Erika - Netemo Sametemo
Kiryuu Mai - Kiku to Guillotine / Suzukike no uso
Sasaki Miyu - Manbiki Kazoku
Hirate Yurina - HIBIKI
Makita Aju - Shino-chan wa jibun no namae ga ienai
Minami Sara - Shino-chan wa jibun no namae ga ienai

Tanaka Kinuyo Award
Ando Sakura
Shirakawa Kazuko
Terajima Shinobu
Hara Hideko
Fubuki Jun

Source: Natalie

Winners of the 10th TAMA Movie Awards (2018)

Best Movie
Manbiki Kazoku
Netemo Sametemo

Special Award
Mori no iru basho
Camera wo tomeruna!

Best Actor
Higashide Masahiro (Netemo sametemo / Kiku to Guillotine / Panku Samurai, Kirarete Soro / OVER DRIVE / Yochou Sanposuru Shinryakusha)
Matsuzaka Toori (Korou no Chi / Shounen / Funouhan / Kanojo ga sono na wo shiranai toritachi)

Best Actress
Ando Sakura (Manbiki Kazoku / DESTINY Kamakura Monogatari)
Matsuoka Mayu (Katte ni furuetero / Manbiki Kazoku / Chihayafuru - Musubi - / blank13)

Best New Director
Imaizumi Rikiya (Pan to bus to nidome no hatsukoi)
Miyake Sho (Kimi no tori wa utaeru)

Best Newcomer Actor
Yoshimura Kaito (Mori no iru basho / Akuma / Saraba Seijaku / Vigilante)
Yoshizawa Ryo (River's Edge / Neko wa dakumono / Gintama 2 Okite wa yaburu tame ni koso aru / Marmalade Boy / Aku to kame no ruuru / Leon / Saiki Kusuo no Sainan)

Best Newcomer Actress
Fukagawa Mai (Pan to bus to nidome no hatsukoi)
Ito Sairi (Enokida Bouekidou / Pan to bus to nidome no hatsukoi / Netemo sametemo / blank13)

Source: Natalie

Winners of the 27th Nihon Eiga Professional Taisho (2017)

This award is decided by a panel of judges made up of movie directors, scriptwriters, producers, PR personnel and critics where they vote for the best works and actors for the year. This year's prize giving ceremony will be held at Theatre Shinjuku on 26 April 2018:

Best 10 Movies
1) Katte ni furuetero
2) Osanako warera ni umare
3) Kanojo no jinsei wa machigai janai
4) Gukoroku
5) Vigilante
6) Bangkok Nites
7) Kanojo ga sono na wo shiranai toritachi
8) MUKOKU
9) Hikari
10) Kabocha to Mayonnaise

Best Movie: Katte ni furuetero

Best Leading Actress: Matsuoka Mayu - Katte ni furuetero

Best Leading Actor: Asano Tadanobu - Osanako warera ni umare

Best Director: Hiroki Ryuuichi - Kanojo no jinsei wa machigai janai

Best Newcomer Director: Ishikawa Kei

Best Female Newcomer: Takiuchi Kumi - Kanojo no jinsei wa machigai janai

Best Male Newcomer: Murakami Nijirou - MUKOKU

Audience's Award: Aa, Kouya

Source: Natalie

First-day-screening event of new movie "Katte ni furuetero"

The first-day-screening event of new movie "Katte ni furuetero" was held at United Cinema Toyosu on 23 December which was attended by the director Ohku Akiko and cast members Matsuoka Mayu, Watanabe Daichi, Ishibashi Anna and Kitamura Takumi. The film which is based on the same-titled novel by Watanuki Risa, describes how the lead character Yoshika (Matsuoka Mayu), a 24-year-old single OL, has never had a boyfriend and imagines her first love from junior high to be her imaginary boyfriend "Ichi" (One) for as long as 10 years. However, when she receives her first love confession from her colleague "Ni" (Two), this marks the beginning of her agony over whether she should choose to stick with her imaginary boyfriend or date someone for real. Watanabe plays Ni while Kitamura plays Ichi.

Kuroneko Chelsea to sing the theme song for new movie "Katte ni furuetero"

Rock band Kuroneko Chelsea will be singing the theme song for new movie "Katte ni furuetero" starring Matsuoka Mayu which will be shown in cinemas from 23 December. The film which is based on the same-titled novel by Watanuki Risa, describes how the lead character Yoshika (Matsuoka), a 24-year-old single OL, has never had a boyfriend and imagines her first love to be her imaginary boyfriend "Ichi" (One). However, when she receives her first love confession from her colleague "Ni" (Two), this marks the beginning of her agony over whether she should choose to stick with her imaginary boyfriend or date someone for real. Watanabe Daichi from Kuroneko Chelsea will be playing the role of Ni while DISH//'s Kitamura Takumi will be playing Ichi. Co-stars also include Ishibashi Anna, Furutachi Kanji and Katagiri Hairi.

The song titled "Baby You" was announced to be the theme for the movie during Kuroneko Chelsea's performance at the outdoor music festival JOIN ALIVE 2017 on 16 July which was held in Iwamizawa, Hokkaido. Watanabe commented that to be able to make the theme song for a movie which he acted in was an invaluable experience. Although he hasn't seen the completed movie with the song played at the end, Matsuoka who already went through the screening praised him for the song so he's happy that they came up with a good song.

Source: Eiga.com

Supporting cast lineup of new movie "Katte ni furuetero" announced

The supporting cast lineup of new movie "Katte ni furuetero" has been announced. The film which is based on the same-titled novel by Watanuki Risa, describes how the lead character Yoshika (Matsuoka Mayu), a 24-year-old single OL, has never had a boyfriend and imagines her first love to be her imaginary boyfriend "Ichi" (One). However, when she receives her first love confession from her colleague "Ni" (Two), this marks the beginning of her agony over whether she should choose to stick with her imaginary boyfriend or date someone for real. Watanabe Daichi from Kuroneko Chelsea will be playing the role of Ni while DISH//'s Kitamura Takumi will be playing Ichi.

Watanabe commented that when he first read the script, he took a liking to Yoshika and tried to imagine that he was truly in love with her during the filming. As for his impression of Matsuoka, he praised her for being very cute, mentally strong and charming. On the other hand, Kitamura who had worked with Matsuoka previously in the 2011 drama "Suzuki-sensei" and its 2012 movie version as well as 2013 Internet drama "Gakuen Sennyuukata Renai Dorama High School Drive Me ga sametara koukousei datta", said that it has been six years since they first met and he finds it a joy to be able to act with her as she is a very charming actress.

Other co-stars include Ishibashi Anna who plays Yoshika's colleague Tsukishima Kurumi and causes trouble in her love life, Furutachi Kanji, a fishing enthusiast who is Yoshika's confidante and Katagiri Hairi who plays Okarina, Yoshika's strange neighbour.

Source: Eiga.com

Matsuoka Mayu to take on her first leading role in new movie "Katte ni furuetero"

Matsuoka Mayu will be taking on her first leading role in a movie when she appears in the new film "Katte ni furuetero" (Tremble all you want) which is based on the 2010 novel by Watanuki Risa and directed by Ohku Akiko. Filming was completed at the end of last year and the movie will be shown in cinemas this year.

The story describes how the lead character Yoshika, a 24-year-old single OL, has never had a boyfriend and imagines her first love to be her imaginary boyfriend. However, when she receives her first love confession, this marks the beginning of her agony over whether she should choose to stick with her imaginary boyfriend or date someone for real.

Matsuoka commented that in order to immerse herself into the role, she started to imagine herself having two boyfriends and how Yoshika's monologue would appear in the movie. After seeing the script from Ohku, she was very excited how daring and funny the dialogue had become so she had a lot of fun acting in this movie. Matsuoka said that she felt that this movie would hit home for many people and that women would find this especially easy to identify with so she hopes that many people can watch the film.

Sources: Yomiuri Hochi / Eiga.com