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

"Saikou no Rikon" returns as a drama SP next February

"Saikou no Rikon" will make its return with a drama SP next February which depicts how the four main characters played by Eita, Ono Machiko, Maki Youko and Ayano Go have become one year after the drama ended in March 2013. The drama SP titled "Saikou no Rikon Special 2014" will show how Mitsuo (Eita) and his "ex-wife" Yuka (Ono) are doing after they reconciled a year ago but haven't re-registered their marriage yet and how Akari (Maki) and her husband Ryo (Ayano) are coping with parenthood. Filming began on 13th December and the theme song will still be Kuwata Keisuke's "Yin Yang". The four main cast members are expected to perform new dance scenes during the closing credits while the theme song is being played.

Source: Sanspo

Winners of the Tokyo Drama Award 2013

Best Drama Series (Grand Prix): Ama-chan (NHK)

Best Drama Series (Excellence Awards):
Nakuna, Hara-chan (NTV)
Doctor X ~ Gekkai Daimon Michiko (TV Asahi)
Tonbi (TBS)
Kodoku no Gourmet Season 2 (TV Tokyo)
Galileo (FujiTV)

Best Drama SP (Grand Prix): Double Face ~ Sennyuu Sousahen Gisou Keisatsu hen (TBS / WOWOW)

Best Drama SP (Excellence Awards):
Radio (NHK / TV Man Union)
Kindaichi Shonen no Jikenbo Hong Kong Kowloon Zaihou Satsujin Jiken (NTV)
Saigo kara nibanme no Koi 2012 Autumn (FujiTV)

Best Local Drama (i.e. those made outside of Tokyo):
Tanuki na Kazoku (NHK Tokushima)
Nagoya iki saishuu ressha (Nagoya TV)

Best Leading Actor: Eita - Saikou no Rikon (FujiTV)
Best Leading Actress: Nounen Reina - Ama-chan (NHK)
Best Supporting Actor: Ayano Go - Saikou no Rikon (FujiTV)
Best Supporting Actress: Koizumi Kyoko - Ama-chan (NHK)
Best Script: Kudo Kankuro - Ama-chan (NHK)

Source: Tokyo Drama Award

The Japan Commercial Broadcasters Association Awards 2013 - Drama Category

Here are the winners of this year's The Japan Commercial Broadcasters Association Awards 2013's drama category:

Winner - Saikou no Rikon (FujiTV)

Excellence Awards
Akumu-chan (NTV)
Mahoro Ekimae Bangaichi (TV Tokyo)
Double Face Gisou Keisatsuhen (WOWOW)
Kibou no Tsubasa ~ Ano toki bokura wa 13-sai datta (TV Kanagawa)
Naitara Akande Tsuutengaku (Yomiuri Housou)

Eita & Ono Machiko win the 39th Housou Bunka Foundation acting awards for their roles in "Saikou no Rikon"

Eita attended the prize presentation ceremony for the 39th Housou Bunka Foundation Award on 21 June where he received an acting award for his performance in "Saikou no Rikon". His co-star Ono Machiko who had played his wife in the same drama, also received the same award but was absent from the ceremony. Eita commented that it had been physically draining for him during the filming and by the time he was halfway through the season, he had even gone to a therapist for treatment of his hands and shoulders which were experiencing tightness due to the pressure.

Other prize awards (drama-related) are as follows:

Main Award (TV drama category): Legal High / FujiTV (prize money of JPY 800,000)
Excellence Award (TV drama category): Made in Japan / NHK (JPY 400,000)
TV Drama Award: Saikou no Rikon / FujiTV & Hitori Shizuka / WOWOW (JPY 200,000 each)
Individual Acting Award: Eita / Saikou no Rikon & Ono Machiko / Saikou no Rikon (JPY 100,000 each)
Best Script: Kosawa Ryota / Legal High (JPY 100,000)

Source: Sponichi / Housou Bunka Foundation

The 16th Nikkansports Grand Prix (Winter 2013)

This is a rather small-scale survey since there are less than 1,000 votes so the results tend to be heavily skewed and quite different from the general opinion or what you see in The Television Awards. Please don't be upset if your favourites or those who you think deserves an award doesn't appear here. ^__^

Numbers in brackets indicate number of votes.

Source: Nikkansports

Best Drama
1) Tonbi / TBS  (97)
2) Aibou season 11 / TV Asahi (96)
3) Yae no Sakura / NHK (93)
4) Jun to Ai / NHK (59)
5) Nobunaga no Chef / TV Asahi (57)

Best Leading Actor
1) Uchino Masaaki / Tonbi / TBS (175)
2) Mizutani Yutaka / Aibou season 11 / TV Asahi (163)
3) Kazama Shunsuke / Jun to Ai / NHK (75)
4) Eguchi Yosuke / dinner / FujiTV (70)
5) Eita / Saikou no Rikon / FujiTV (67)

Best Leading Actress
1) Ayase Haruka / Yae no Sakura / NHK (230)
2) Gouriki Ayame / Biblia Koshodou no Jiken Tecchou / FujiTV (101)
3) Sawaguchi Yasuko / Kasouken no Onna / TV Asahi (96)
4) Natsuna / Jun to Ai / NHK (94)
5) Nakama Yukie / Saki / FujiTV & Suzuki Kyoka / Yakou Kanransha / TBS (80)

Best Supporting Actor
1) Narimiya Hiroki / Aibou season 11 / TV Asahi (98)
2) Nishijima Hidetoshi / Yae no Sakura / NHK (92)
3) Sato Takeru / Tonbi / TBS (85)
4) Oikawa Mitsuhiro / Nobunaga Chef / TV Asahi (74)
5) Oizumi Yo / Sharehouse no Koibito / NTV (55)

Best Supporting Actress
1) Ono Machiko / Saikou no Rikon / FujiTV (89)
2) Iijima Naoko / Itsuka Hi no Ataru Basho de / NHK (77)
3) Shida Mirai / Nobunaga no Chef / TV Asahi (74)
4) Morishita Aiko / Jun to Ai / NHK (64)
5) Aibu Saki / Otome-san / TV Asahi (63)

Romaji lyrics of "Yin Yang" by Kuwata Keisuke (Theme song of "Saikou no Rikon")

Title: Yin Yang
Artist: Kuwata Keisuke
Lyrics and Melody by: Kuwata Keisuke

otoko no jinsei wa
yume miru ibara michi
ano koro wa seventeen
onna nyaubu na ore
are kara ikudo mo shuuraba wo mita yo

hitome de hore nuite
inochi wo kaketa koi
akogare no daiyamondo ringu
muri shite kacchatte
ikashita kuruma de mukae ni itta yo

Everyday, I'm so lonely
kanashiki yo no sadame
Don't you know 'bout my story?
namida nijinmu sake to me baby
mitsuida ageku ni suterareta no sa

doshaburi ame no naka
kaminarisama ga naku
okiniiri no Old blue jeans
zubunure otoko naki
karada no shin made chijikomacchau
Oh...

Yin Yang...

Everynight, I'm so lonely
"kirei na bara nya toge" da
Don't you go. Please don't leave me.
amai wana ni hamacchai Love you baby
kawai oshiri ni moteasobarete

tadareta ai no kizu
taiyo wa moetsukita
mayonaka no rhythm and blues
kodoku na mune ni hibiku yo
tooku de kiteki ga wakare wo tsugeta
Oh....

Kuwata Keisuke appears in ending credits of "Saikou no Rikon"

Kuwata Keisuke made a surprise appearance in the ending credits of winter 2013 drama "Saikou no Rikon" where his song "Yin Yang" was used as the ending theme. The song is set to be released as a single on 13 March. In the ending credits which differ in each episode, Eita and Ayano Go appear in tuxedos while Ono Machiko and Maki Youko wear blue dresses and the four of them will perform a different dance each time. Kuwata joined the filming of the ending credits on 8 February and was featured in a "fight" with the guys and "seductive" scenes with the ladies. FujiTV had asked Kuwata to appear in the credits since late last year but it was only until the drama started and he himself became a fan of it before he decided to accept the offer. As for when the clip featuring Kuwata will be shown, FujiTV declined comment on this since it has not been decided.

Source: Sponichi

"Saikou no Rikon" ending credits videos uploaded to YouTube

FujiTV uploaded a video clip of the ending credits of "Saikou no Rikon" which featured the four key cast members Eita, Maki Youko, Ono Machiko and Ayano Go dance to the tune of Kuwata Keisuke's song "Yin Yang". The video of Ep 1's ending credits which was uploaded to YouTube, achieved hits of more than 180,000 in less than two weeks. The videos for episodes 2 to 5 were also uploaded on 13th February on FujiTV's official YouTube channel. The subsequent episodes' videos will feature the cast in this order: ep 2 - Ono, ep 3 - Maki, ep 4 - Ayano and ep 5 - Eita.

In case you want to check this out, here is FujiTV's YouTube channel. However, unless you reside in Japan, chances are that you can't view this video. This totally defeats the purpose of placing the video onto the Internet if you are going to restrict viewers based on their geographical locations. They might as well not do it since it's such a half-hearted effort at promoting this drama.

Source: Sanspo

EXILE's KEIJI in his first leading role in TBS spring drama "Monsieur!"

EXILE's performer KEIJI will be starring in his first leading role in a drama as reported on 10 February. He will be playing the role of a genius chef in the TBS spring drama "Monsieur!" who helps a restaurant escape the brink of going bust. This will also make him the second EXILE member after AKIRA (GTO in 2012) to have a drama leading role. In actual fact, KEIJI also holds a chef's licence and he had even developed some products with popular chef Kawagoe Tatsuya last November so he will not have any major problems with the cooking scenes. Nonetheless, KEIJI commented that he still feels nervous about scenes where he has to talk while chopping ingredients. Filming is currently underway.

KEIJI made his acting debut in April 2011 with a role in the FujiTV drama "Namae wo nakushita Megami" and had teamed up with fellow member TETSUYA in the BeeTV drama "Kimi to Boku to Yakusoku". He can also be seen in this season's "Saikou no Rikon".

Source: Nikkansports

Miyane Seiji to make a guest appearance in "Saikou no Rikon"

Miyane Seiji will be making a guest appearance in the FujiTV Winter 2013 drama "Saikou no Rikon" shown on 14 February as reported on 6 February. Miyane had previous guest appearances in dramas and movies such as 2007 movie "HERO" as a reporter, 2007 drama "Dare ga Papa yanen" as a useless father and a voice acting role as himself in the anime movie "Meitantei Conan 11nin me no Striker" last year. This time, Miyane will play the role of the owner of a ramen restaurant where Eita's character constantly goes to for work-related matters. Actually, Miyane has been a big fan of the series and asked Shimizu Kazuyuki, the drama's producer who was his junior when they both worked in Asahi Housou at Osaka, for the favour thus resulting in him landing a guest role.

Source: Sanspo

"Saikou no Rikon" starts the season with 13.5%

"Saikou no Rikon" which stars Eita, Ono Machiko, Maki Youko and Ayano Go, started the season with 13.5% for its first broadcast in the Kanto region on 10 January. The first episode was a 15-minute extended one.

Source: Sponichi

First episode screening of "Saikou no Rikon"

The first episode screening event for FujiTV Winter 2013 drama "Saikou no Rikon" was held on 6 January at Odaiba Cinema Mediage which was attended by key cast members Eita and Ono Machiko. Maki Youko was down with flu while Ayano Go had a slipped disc so the two of them were absent from the event. Eita and Ono revealed how they had become closer since filming started and that they call each other by their first names and walked up stage holding hands. Eita commented when he first met Ono at the script reading session, he knew right away that they can work well together.

It was also revealed during the event that Kuwata Keisuke will be singing the theme song for this drama titled "Ginga no Hoshikuzu" which is the first time in 2 years. The song will be included in his triple A-side single "Yin Yang" to be released on 13 March. During the ending credits of each episode, Eita, Ono, Maki and Ayano will all dance to this song in tuxedoes and dresses with high slits and every episode will feature a different type of dance.

Source: Sanspo

Eita to star in leading roles for two dramas in the same season

Eita will be starring in  leading roles for two dramas in Winter 2013 which is relatively unheard of in the drama scene. One of the dramas will be FujiTV's offering "Saikou no Rikon" which is due to begin its run on 10 January where he plays a newly-divorced salaryman who still lives with his ex-wife (Ono Machiko) and happens to meet his ex-girlfriend (Maki Youko) who is facing marital problems as well. Another drama will be TV Tokyo's midnight offering "Mahoro Ekimae Bangaichi" which begins its run on 11 January at 12.12am on Fridays where Eita co-stars with Matsuda Ryuhei in this drama which continues from the movie "Mahoro Ekimae Tada Benriken" released last April. Besides the two leads, the movie's cast includiing Oomori Nao and Koura Kengo will also appear in the drama alongside with new additions Maki Youko and Usuda Asami.

Source: Sponichi

Preview of Winter 2013 offerings: Saikou no Rikon (FujiTV)

Title: Saikou no Rikon (The Best Divorce)
Official site: here
Main cast members: Eita, Ono Machiko, Maki Youko, Ayano Go, Yachigusa Kaoru
Details on storyline etc: here
Timeslot: Thursdays 10pm

Comments: The premise of this story sounds really interesting. A man caught between not two girlfriends but rather one ex-wife and one ex-girlfriend who happens to be unhappily married. It's a somewhat familiar yet different kinda situation where we see a lot of love triangles in dramas but this has an additional level of complexity because of their marital statuses. Eita's character may be a divorced man but it doesn't mean that he can go to the other woman with no qualms because Maki Youko's character is married but is in a somewhat dysfunctional relationship with her playboy husband (Ayano Go). Moreover, things between Eita and Ono Machiko might get more complicated as there's always been this school of thought that sometimes, when two people are too close to each other, they end up not seeing each other's good points and simply harp on the bad things. The separation could do some good to their strained relationship and thus complicate things as we go along. Sounds really messy but I'm looking forward to seeing this being a light-hearted type of love story instead of some angst-filled tale about people in unhappy marriages. Besides, the age group of these characters are around the same as mine so I guess it will be easier for me to identify with the emotions they may be feeling.

Eita with two heroines sounds like a good deal...in fact too good to be missed. Coupled with the script being written by Sakamoto Yuji who last worked on "Sore demo, ikite yuku" which also featured Eita, I'm hoping for a sound story structure to keep me engaged throughout the season. Coincidentally, the trio are involved in some divorce-related gossip of late which leads to articles such as the one I read today about the three of them being selected for this drama on purpose in order to boost the interest level in this drama. However, no matter what happens in their private lives, I still hope that the drama can do well enough (by that, I mean between 12% to 15%) to stay afloat in the over-10% group. Nowadays, being able to do that is enough cause for celebration so I won't set unrealistic targets anyway.

Eita to star in "Saikou no Rikon"

Eita will star in the FujiTV Winter 2013 drama "Saikou no Rikon" (The best divorce) which will begin its run from January in the Thursdays 10pm timeslot along with Ono Machiko, Maki Youko and Ayano Go. The four of them will play two married couples in their 30s living in Naka Meguro whose lives are linked to one another.

Eita plays the role Mitsuo, a shy salaryman who's bad at interpersonal relationships and always quarrels with his wife Yuka played by Ono. Mitsuo feels that marriage life is like a long interrogation and keeps toying with the idea of divorce. Just then, he happens to meet his former girlfriend Akari (Maki), who's  married to a playboy husband Ryo (Ayano) and still loves him despite his philandering ways. Although Akari and Ryo look like a perfect couple, there is a secret behind that facade. While trying to keep his emotions in check when facing Akari, Yuka suddenly initiates a divorce but Mitsuo still ends up living with Yuka under the same roof due to some reason...

Source: Sanspo