The 16th Nikkansports Drama Grand Prix (Autumn 2012)

Note that the number in brackets indicate the number of votes received:

Best Drama
1) PRICELESS (457)
2) Doctor X (212)
3) Aibou season 11 (120)
4) Taira no Kiyomori (75)
5) TOKYO Airport (71)

Best Leading Actor
1) Kimura Takuya - PRICELESS (548)
2) Mizutani Yutaka - Aibou 11 (235)
3) Sakai Masato - Ooku Tanjou (146)
4) Ikuta Toma - Osozaki no Himawari (130)
5) Matsuyama Kenichi - Taira no Kiyomori (107)

Best Leading Actress
1) Yonekura Ryoko - Doctor X (419)
2) Fukada Kyoko - TOKYO Airport (206)
3) Kanno Miho - Kekkon Shinai (176)
4) Kitagawa Keiko - Akumu-chan (152)
5) Natsuna - Jun to Ai (NHK)

Best Supporting Actor
1) Nakai Kiichi - PRICELESS (345)
2) Ishiguro Ken - Sousa Chizu no Onna (104)
3) Narimiya Hiroki - Aibou 11 (99)
4) Kishibe Ittoku - Doctor X (97)
5) Matsuda Shota - Taira no Kiyomori (70)

Best Supporting Actress
1) Karina - PRICELESS (434)
2) Uchida Yuki - Doctor X (129)
3) Fukada Kyoko - Taira no Kiyomori (79)
4) Tabe Mikako - Ooku Tanjou (77)
5) Maki Youko - Osozaki no Himawari (72)

Source: Nikkansports

Top 10 favourite dramas of the Autumn 2012 season (Ori Star)

Note that the sample size of this survey is relatively small (only 1,000) and that the pool of respondents are all ladies so preferences may be skewed towards certain genres and results may differ from what the ratings ranking reflects. Number in brackets indicate number of people who voted for the drama:

1) Kekkon Shinai (91)
2) Ooku - Tanjou (84)
3) PRICELESS (67)
4) Yuusha Yoshihiko to Akurei no Kagi (60)
5) Aibou (57)
6) Koukou Nyuushi (52)
7) MONSTERS (47)
8) Osozaki no Himawari ~ Boku no Jinsei, Renewal (46)
9) Akumu-chan (36)
10) TOKYO Airport (34)

Source: Ori Star

Osozaki no Himawari's cast at Shimanto City fan event

The main cast members of "Osozaki no Himawari ~ Boku no Jinsei, Renewal" attended a fan event held on 1 December at Shimanto City in Kochi Prefecture where the drama is largely filmed at. About 2,000 residents gathered at the event near the Shimanto River where cast members spoke about their filming experiences and even performed songs as such as Mongol 800's "Anata ni" together. Ikuta Toma commented that it was rare for a drama to have a fan event outside of the metropolitan area and he felt honoured that they could hold such an event. Kiritani Kenta also revealed that when he was 21, he had actually cycled with his senior high school friends from Osaka all the way to Shimanto. Last but not least, Ikuta also said that the cast and crew felt a responsibility to work even harder on their drama especially when he heard that the locals were staying at home to watch the drama every Tuesday night at 9pm.

Source: Nikkansports

Ikuta Toma as personality on All Night Nippon GOLD radio show

Ikuta Toma became a one-night-only radio personality on 23 November for Nippon Housou's signature program "All Night Nippon GOLD" which is the first time in 5 years since December 2007. He was joined by his co-stars from the ongoing autumn drama "Osozaki no Himawari ~ Boku no Jinsei, Renewal" including Kiritani Kenta, Emoto Tasuku, Kuninaka Ryoko, Kashii Yui and Kimura Fumino who appeared as guest stars on the radio program and talked about the NG scenes they had during the filming of the drama and how they went on private gatherings to places such as the karaoke lounge.

Source: Sanspo

First episode of "Osozaki no Himawari" gets rating of 13.5%

The first episode of FujiTV autumn drama "Osozaki no Himawari ~ Boku no Jinsei, Renewal" shown on 23 October achieved a rating of 13.5% which was higher than its predecessor in the same timeslot "Iki mo dekinai natsu" that got 12.1%. The first episode was extended by 15 minutes. Cast members include Ikuta Toma, Maki Youko, Kiritani Kenta, Kashii Yu, Emoto Tasuku, Kimura Fumino, Kuninaka Ryoko as well as TV announcer and Ikuta's real brother Ikuta Ryuusei who played the younger brother of Ikuta Toma's character.

Source: Sponichi  

First episode screening of "Osozaki no Himawari ~ Boku no Jinsei Renewal ~"

The first episode screening of autumn drama "Osozaki no Himawari ~ Boku no Jinsei Renewal ~" was held on 17 October at Odaiba Cinema Mediage where cast members including Ikuta Toma and Youko appeared to greet the audience. The drama which begins its run on 23 October at 9pm on Tuesdays is set in Kochi Prefecture's Shimanto City and talks about 7 young men and women facing the crossroads in their lives. The cast and crew spent about 2 weeks filming there and spoke fondly of their stay there and the beauty of Shimanto City.

Source: Sanspo

Preview of "Osozaki no Himawari ~ Boku no Jinsei Renewal ~ " - Autumn 2012

Title: Osozaki no Himawari ~ Boku no Jinsei Renewal
Official site: here
O.A. Start Date: 23 October 2012
Timeslot: Tuesdays, 9pm
Broadcast by: FujiTV
Theme song: Joutouku by Mr.Children
Cast: Ikuta Toma, Maki Youko, Kiritani Kenta, Kashii Yu, Emoto Tasuku, Kimura Fumino, Kuninaka Ryoko, Matsushige Yutaka

Ikuta Ryusei to act in "Osozaki no Himawari Boku no Jinsei Renewal"

Ikuta Toma's younger brother and FujiTV announcer Ikuta Ryusei will be making his acting debut in his elder brother's autumn drama "Osozaki no Himawari ~ Boku no Jinsei, Renewal ~" as the younger brother of Toma's character Kodaira Jotaro. Ryusei plays the role of Keitaro who in contrast with Jotaro, decided to stay in his hometown to work as a civil servant after graduating from a local university and already has a family with children as compared to his elder brother who went to Tokyo but is still single and has no permanent job.

Source: Sanspo

Mr.Children to sing theme song for autumn drama "Osozaki no Himawari Boku no Jinsei Renewal"

Mr.Children will be singing the theme song for autumn 2012 drama "Osozaki no Himawari ~ Boku no Jinsei Renewal"  which is due to begin its run on 23rd October at 9pm. This will be the second consecutive season which the band is singing a drama theme song as they had also done the same for summer drama "Tokkan". The theme song titled "Joutouku" (Cliche) talks about the apprehension, dreams and troubles facing young people.


Source: Sanspo

Ikuta Toma starring in FujiTV autumn 2012 drama "Osozaki no Himawari ~ Boku no Jinsei, Renewal ~

Ikuta Toma will be starring in the FujiTV autumn 2012 drama "Osozaki no Himawari ~ Boku no Jinsei, Renewal ~ " (The late-blooming sunflower ~ renewal of my life) which is due to be shown at 9pm on Tuesdays. This will be Ikuta's first drama leading role in three and a half years.

The story will be set in Shimantogawa, Kochi Prefecture, where 7 young men and women lead ordinary lives and still harbour dreams about their futures while being uneasy about their current situation. Ikuta plays the role of Jotaro who is a contract worker about to be converted to a permanent employee but his contract gets terminated just before that. At the same time, Jotaro gets dumped by his girlfriend and he then decides to join the regional rejuvenation group in Shimantogawa where he meets six other young people played by Maki Youko, Kiritani Kenta, Kashii Yu, Emoto Tasuku, Kimura Fumino and Kuninaka Ryoko.

Source: Sanspo