Hira Takehiro announces his marriage

Hira Takehiro announced his marriage to a non-celebrity on 11 July through his agency's official website on the following day. In his statement, Hira revealed that he had met his wife 3 years ago and that she is of the same age as him and is working in the publishing industry. They started dating last year with the intention of getting married so it was a natural progression for them to move on to the next stage of their lives. Hira also commented that he will work hard to strike a balance between family and work commitments and called for everyone's support. As for details of his wife, he called for everyone's understanding that he wished to protect her privacy by not revealing her name and photo especially since she is still working after marriage.

Hira who is the son of actor Hira Mikijiro, can be seen in the ongoing NHK Taiga "Sanadamaru" as Takeda Katsuyori and is active in both dramas and stage plays.

Source: Oricon

BUMP OF CHICKEN to sing the theme song for TBS Summer 2016 drama "Aogeba Totoshi"

Rock band BUMP OF CHICKEN will be singing the theme song for TBS Summer 2016 drama "Aogeba Totoshi" which will begin its run from 17 July in the Sundays 9pm timeslot. The song titled "Aria"  is the first drama theme song from the band since "firefly" which was released in September 2012 for the FujiTV drama "Iki mo dekinai natsu".

The band commented that they are very honoured to have received this offer and have put in their best to produce this theme song. As they were also supported by the people around them during their schooling days while pursuing their music dream, they could identify with the drama's story and is eagerly looking forward to its broadcast. The producer of the drama Sato Yoshihiro commented that when he heard the completed song, he was impressed by the delicate vocals and powerful melody so he was very glad to be able to engage the band to produce this song and is confident that the song will be able to reflect the bittersweet days of youth as depicted in the drama.

Source: Oricon

Production press conference of TV Tokyo Summer 2016 drama "Yassan ~ Tsukiji Hatsu! Oishii Jikenbo ~"

The production press conference of TV Tokyo Summer 2016 drama "Yassan ~ Tsukiji Hatsu! Oishii Jikenbo ~" was held at the outdoor rooftop of new Tsukiji facility Uogashi on 13 July which was attended by cast members Ihara Tsuyoshi, Emoto Tasuku, Itaya Yuka, Yamamoto Maika and Satomi Kotaro. The drama which begins its run from 22 July, features Ihara as the lead character Yassan who has no money and place to live but has a strong love for food and teams up with fellow homeless and unemployed Takao (Emoto) to solve cases in the Tsukiji market.

Ihara revealed that he had not been working for the last three months before filming started and went on a diet to reduce his weight from 84.5kg to 76kg. In order to build up his muscles, he will be drinking protein beverages from now on along with his daily exercises of running, weight training and push-ups. During the filming, Ihara does not need to wear make-up and is always dressed in a T-shirt so he's very happy about this since there is little preparation time needed before filming which is done mainly at Tsukiji Market which is due to move in November.

Satomi revealed that he had worked in Tsukiji about 60 years ago so if he had not become an actor, he would have inherited his relative's shop and be troubled over the move to Toyosu by now. As for Emoto, his younger brother Tokio is also starring in a TV Tokyo Summer 2016 drama "Otokomeshi" which is about food too and revealed that they are on good terms and meet up often. As both dramas are shown on the same day, Emoto called upon viewers to watch both dramas so as to support them.

Source: Oricon

Production press conference of TBS Summer 2016 drama "Aogeba Totoshi"

The production press conference of TBS Summer 2016 drama "Aogeba Totoshi" was held on 13 July which was attended by cast members Terao Akira, Tabe Mikako, Mackenyu, Murakami Nijiro, Kitamura Takumi, Ishii Anna, Sano Gaku and Taiga. The drama which begins its run from 17 July in the Sundays 9pm timeslot, is adapted from the true story of a small brass band in Kanagawa Prefectural Noba Senior High School back in 1980 and features Terao as a former saxophone player and his journey of bringing together a group of delinquent students to form a brass band and aim for a national music competition.

There are a number of actors in the cast who are children of well-known celebrities i.e. Murakami is the son of Murakami Jun and UA, Mackenyu is the son of Chiba Shinichi and Taiga is the son of Nakano Hideo. In addition, the cast also includes uprising newbies such as Kitamura and Sano, Terao commented that the next superstar could be among these actors who play his students and hope that viewers will enjoy watching their performance in this drama. The young actors cited Taiga as the moodmaker in their group while Taiga commented that Mackenyu and Murakami are the ones who lead the group.

Source: Oricon

Preview of "Yassan Tsukiji Hatsu Oishii Jikenbo" - Summer 2016

Title: Yassan Tsukiji Hatsu Oishii Jikenbo ヤッさん築地発! おいしい事件簿 (Yassan Delicious files from Tsukiji)
Official website: here
Official Facebook: here
Official Twitter: here
O.A. Start Date: 22 July 2016
Timeslot: Fridays 8pm
Broadcast by: TV Tokyo
Original manga by: Hara Koichi
Cast: Ihara Tsuyoshi, Emoto Tasuku, Yamamoto Maika, Kamiji Yusuke, Itaya Yuka, Satomi Kotaro

Preview of "Otokomeshi" - Summer 2016

Title: Otokomeshi 侠飯
Official website: here
Official Facebook: here
Official Twitter: here
O.A. Start Date: 15 July 2016
Timeslot: Fridays 12.12am
Broadcast by: TV Tokyo
Cast: Namase Katsuhisa, Emoto Tokio, Uchida Rio, Takahata Yuta, Miura Masaki, Tozuka Junki, Kinoshita Takayuki (TKO), Kimoto Takehiro (TKO) 

Preview of "Koe Koi" - Summer 2016

Title: Koe Koi こえ恋 (Voice Love)
Official website: here
O.A. Start Date: 8 July 2016
Timeslot: Fridays 12.52am
Broadcast by: TV Tokyo
Original manga by: Dooruru
Opening theme song: Hidarimune by Sakura Shimeji
Ending theme song: Natsukoi by Inoue Sonoko
Cast: Nagano Mei, Ryusei Ryo, Ochiai Motoki, Otomo Karen, Sakurada Dori, Mizutani Kaho, Karata Erika, Shiraishi Shunya, Morio Yumi, Sakurai Takahiro (voice acting)

Preview of "Gurame ~ Souri no Ryoriban ~" - Summer 2016

Title: Gurame ~ Souri no Ryoriban ~ グ・ラ・メ ~ 総理の料理番 ~ (Gurame! The Prime Minister's Cook)
Official website: here
O.A. Start Date: 22 July 2016
Timeslot: Fridays 11.15pm
Broadcast by: TV Asahi
Original manga by: Nishimura Mitsuru & Ozaki Mitsuru
Theme song: Colour Variation by Ketsumeishi
Cast: Gouriki Ayame, Takito Kenichi, Takahashi Issei, Shinkawa Yua, Naitou Risa, Matsuo Yukimi, Miyake Hiroki, Kohinata Fumio

Watabe Atsuro reportedly having remarried in late June

Watabe Atsuro is said to have remarried in late June as reported on 9 July. According to the media, his wife is in her 30s and the marriage application was filed late last month. There are no plans for a wedding at the moment. The couple were said to have met more than 6 years ago but only became an item last autumn. News of their relationship first came out in the press in February this year. Watabe's agency said that they had been informed of this but didn't make it public since this is Watabe's private matter.

Watabe married celebrity RIKACO in 1994 and the couple had 2 sons before they divorced in 2005. His latest drama will be "ON Ijou Hanzai Sousakan Toudou Hinako" which begins its run from 12 July via FujiTV.

Sources: Nikkansports / Sanspo

Preview of "Keiji Shichinin" - Summer 2016

Title: Keiji Shichinin 2 刑事七人 2 (7 Detectives 2)
Official website: here
O.A. Start Date: 13 July 2016
Timeslot: Wednesdays 9pm
Broadcast by: TV Asahi
Cast: Higashiyama Noriyuki, Takashima Masahiro, Kataoka Ainosuke, Suzuki Kosuke, Kurashina Kana, Tsukamoto Takashi, Yoshida Kotaro, Kitaoji Kinya

Matsuda Seiko to sing the theme song of "Seiseisuru hodo, Aishiteru" written by YOSHIKI

Matsuda Seiko will be singing the theme song for TBS Summer 2016 drama "Seiseisuru hodo, Aishiteru" which is due to begin its run from 12 July in the Tuesdays 10pm timeslot. The song titled "Bara no you ni saite sakura no you ni chitte" (Bloom like a rose, fall like sakura), is written by X JAPAN's leader YOSHIKI and marks the first collaboration between both artistes. This is Matsuda's first drama theme song for TBS in 20 years since "Sayonara no Shunkan" which was the theme song for "Dear Woman".

According to the producer Iyoda Hidenori, Matsuda was picked specially to sing the theme song so as to convey the message of a delicate and daring romance. Matsuda thanked YOSHIKI for writing such a beautiful song and thinks that the drama will make women feel sad about the romance between the leads. She also expressed her joy about the collaboration and was glad to be able to participate in this. YOSHIKI who is busy with the production of a X JAPAN album, said that he is confident about this song and it's been a while since he wrote lyrics in Japanese. He also praised Matsuda for breathing life into his song and thinks that the end result will be very good.

Source: Oricon

Kato Natsuki gives birth to her first child on 7 July

Kato Natsuki announced through her blog on 8 July that she had given birth to her first daughter the previous day. In her statement, she revealed that the baby was born at 7.19pm and weighed 3,118 grams at birth. She expressed her joy at her daughter being a Tanabata girl and was touched when she heard the baby cry loudly for the first time. Kato said that she and the baby are doing well. Although she is still unsure about what lies ahead for her in motherhood, she will try to shower lots of love on her beloved daughter.

Kato married a web designer in June 2014 and announced her pregnancy during the Kobe Collection fashion show in March this year.

Source: Sponichi

Top 10 actresses who have made a breakthrough in the first half of 2016 (Oricon)

1) Takahata Mitsuki

2) Haru

3) Hirose Suzu

4) Tsuchiya Tao

5) Shimizu Fumika

6) Matsuoka Mayu

7) Ando Sakura

8) Kawaei Rina

9) Fujiwara Sakura

10) Maeda Atsuko

Source: Oricon

Preview of "Soshite, Dare mo inakunatta" - Summer 2016

Title: Soshite, Dare mo inakunatta そして、誰もいなくなった (Then, everyone has disappeared)
Official website: here
Official Twitter: here
O.A. Start Date: 17 July 2016
Timeslot: Sundays 10.30pm
Broadcast by: NTV
Theme song: Oni by Clip Hype
Cast: Fujiwara Tatsuya, Tamayama Tetsuji, Nikaidou Fumi, Inoo Kei (Hey! Say! JUMP), Shison Jun, Konno Hiroki, Endo Kaname, Ono Nonoka, Sakurai Hinako, Mimura, Koichi Mantaro, Jinbo Satoshi, Hiromi, Tsurumi Shingo, Kuroki Hitomi

Cast announcement for movie "Sangatsu no Lion"

The supporting cast lineup for new movie "Sangatsu no Lion" spanning two parts and starring Kamiki Ryunosuke was announced on 6 July. Besides Kamiki who plays the lead character Kiriyama Rei, here is the list of the supporting cast and the characters they play:

Shimada Kai - Sasaki Kuranosuke  (professional shogi player who invites Rei to the shogi research club)

Goto Masamnue - Ito Hideaki

Soya Toji - Kase Ryo (the 4th person in history to have become a professional shogi player while he was still in junior high)

Kawamoto Akari - Kurashina Kana

Kawamoto Hinata - Kiyohara Kaya

Kawamoto Momo - Niitsu Chise

Kawamoto Someji - Maeda Gin

Kouda Kyoko - Arimura Kasumi (Rei's sister-in-law)

Kouda Masachika - Toyokawa Etsushi (Rei's father's friend and Rei's shoji master)

The movie will be directed by Ootomo Keishi and due to be shown in spring 2017.

Source: Oricon

Ranking of celebrities with the most CM deals in the first half of 2016 (Oricon)

Male celebrities with the most CM deals

1) Aiba Masaki - 12 deals (No.1 for three years in a row)

2) Sakurai Sho / Nishikori Kei / Ninomiya Kazunari - 11 deals

3) Matsumoto Jun - 10 deals

4) Ohno Satoshi / Matsuoka Shuzo - 9 deals

5) Nishijima Hidetoshi / Matsushige Yutaka - 8 deals

6) Abe Hiroshi / Oguri Shun / Goromaru Ayumu / Suda Masaki /  DAIGO / Tamaki Hiroshi / Tsumabuki Satoshi / Mukai Osamu - 7 deals

Female celebrities with the most CM deals

1) Matsuko Deluxe - 12 deals (first time)

2) Arimura Kasumi / Hirose Suzu / Yoshida Yo - 11 deals

3) Rola - 10 deals

4) Ayase Haruka / Ueto Aya / Kiritani Mirei / Matsuoka Mayu - 9 deals

5) Ishihara Satomi / Kimura Fumino / Takei Emi / Yamamoto Mizuki - 8 deals

6) An / Kanno Miho / Taira Yuna / Nanao / Honda Tsubasa / Miyazaki Aoi / Watanabe Naomi / Yoshida Saori - 7 deals

Source: Oricon

Mizuki Arisa to star in NHK / BS Premium drama "Kakuregiku"

Mizuki Arisa will be starring in the NHK / BS Premium drama "Kakuregiku" which will begin its run from 4 September in the Sundays 10pm timeslot. This marks the renewal of her current record of starring in the lead roles of drama series for 25 consecutive years.

The drama which is based on the same-titled novel by the late Renjo Mikihiko that had won the 9th Shibata Renzaburo Award in 1996, features the turbulent life of Ueshima Michiko who becomes the manager of a ryotei beside Hamano Lake in Shizuoka Prefecture after being a housewife for 17 years and had to divorce her husband of 17 years. The previous female manager of the ryotei named Kiku will be played by Matsubara Chieko while Maekawa Yasuyuki will play Michiko's ex-husband and Ogawa Tamaki will play his lover. Tsutsui Michitaka will play the president of a construction company who has feelings for Michiko.

Source: Sponichi

Preview of "Isan Sozoku Bengoshi Kakizaki Shinichi" - Summer 2016

Title: Isan Sozoku Bengoshi Kakizaki Shinichi 遺産相続弁護士柿崎真一 (Inheritance lawyer Kakizaki Shinichi)
Official website: here
Official Twitter: here
Official Instagram: here
O.A. Start Date: 7 July 2016
Timeslot: Thursdays 11.59pm
Broadcast by: NTV / YTV
Theme song: Sekai no Shikake by Izumo Sakino
Cast: Mikami Hiroshi, Morikawa Aoi, Sakai Wakana, Toyohara Kosuke

Preview of "Toki wo kakeru shoujo" - Summer 2016

Title: Toki wo kakeru shoujo 時をかける少女 (The girl who leaps through time)
Official website: here
Official Twitter: here
O.A. Start Date: 9 July 2016
Timeslot: Saturdays 9pm
Broadcast by: NTV
Original novel by: Tsutsui Yasutaka
Theme song: Love Trip by AKB48
Ending Theme: Koi wo shiranai kimi e by NEWS
Cast: Kuroshima Yuina, Kikuchi Fuuma (Sexy Zone), Yoshimoto Miyu, Takeuchi Ryoma, Furuhata Seika, Miura Touko, Yagi Rikako, Kato Shigeaki (NEWS), Yui P, Komatsu Kazushige, Aran Kei, Takahashi Katsumi, Nonami Maho, Igarashi Hinata, Taguchi Hiromasa, Nekoze Tsubaki, Takahata Atsuko

Yoshida Yo wraps up filming for WOWOW Autumn 2016 drama "Cold Case Shinjitsu no Tobira"

Yoshida Yo wrapped up the filming for the WOWOW Autumn 2016 drama "Cold Case Shinjitsu no Tobira" on 4 July after working on it for the last four months. This is her first leading role in a drama and she plays Ishikawa Yuri, a capable police detective who works in the cold case team to crack unresolved cases. The Japanese drama version is a remake of the hit series from the US shown on CBS which has lasted 7 seasons to date.

Yoshida commented that if possible, she would like to continue working on this drama and regards this as a lifelong project for her. Reflecting on the filming period, Yoshida who was presented with messages and flowers from the staff and cast members, said that this is the first time where she is feeling so sad about the end of filming. The feeling of her being the lead still hasn't sunk in even though the filming has been completed. Nonetheless, she was very grateful for the chance to be regarded as an actress good enough to take on this role and had come this far with the her help of the cast and staff who helped to make the atmosphere on set very comfortable for her.

Yoshida also said that this time, she feels that the boundary between her true self and Ishikawa Yuri has become so blurred because she has blended into the role so much. She doesn't know if she will come across a character like this in future so she greatly treasures the experience this time.

Source: Eiga.com

Farewell party event for FujiTV Summer 2016 drama "HOPE ~ Kitai Zero no Shinnyu Shain ~"

The farewell party event for FujiTV Summer 2016 drama "HOPE ~ Kitai Zero no Shinnyu Shain ~" was held at Gorakuen Hall on 5 July which was attended by cast members Hey! Say! JUMP's Nakajima Yuto, Endo Kenichi, Seto Koji, Yamamoto Mizuki, Kiriyama Akito and Yamauchi Takaya. The drama which begins its run from 17 July in the Sundays 9pm timeslot, features Nakajima as a young man who had aspired to become a professional Go player but failed and ends up working in a trading company with just senior high school qualifications. Due to his lack of knowledge and inability to interact well with others, he suffers various setbacks initially but gradually grows to become a salaryman who can be trusted by his colleagues. The drama is a Japanese adaptation of the popular South Korean manga "Misaeng" which was also made into a popular TV drama.

Endo commented that this drama will be very interesting to viewers and even declared that if most of them find it boring, he will quit as an actor. He also praised Nakajima for doing well in his acting that he cried a number of times while watching the first episode and said that this drama will become Nakajima's signature work. In response to the praise from his senior, Nakajima said that he is deeply humbled by this and hopes to become better in acting through this drama.

Seto and Nakajima who play rivals in the same department showed their close friendship when the latter revealed that Seto had asked out of the blue before the event if it was OK that he starts calling Nakajima by his first name rather than surname. This surprised Nakajima as this kind of words are usually spoken by couples who just started dating thus it led Kiriyama to tease them that they shouldn't be doing that since their "company" bans dating between colleagues.

Although there is no romance plot in this drama, Yamamoto who is the only actress in the cast, was asked by the event host who she would choose if the actors had all expressed their feelings for her. She declared that it will have to be Endo who jokingly said that at times like this, the middle-aged man stands to gain since the ladies wouldn't choose one of the younger guys.

Source: Oricon 1 / Oricon 2

Production press conference of FujiTV Summer 2016 drama "Suki na hito ga iru koto"

The production press conference of FujiTV Summer 2016 drama "Suki na hito ga iru koto" was held at MAGIC BEACH in Koto Ward, Tokyo on 4 July which was attended by the cast members Kiritani Mirei, Miura Shohei, Yamazaki Kento and Nomura Shuhei. The drama which begins its run from 11 July features Kiritani as a patisserie who works at a seaside restaurant in Shonan owned by the three brothers and how she regains her ability to love someone through her interaction with them. Filming began from May.

Kiritani commented that the drama will make viewers excited as they follow the heroine's journey of finding love and hopes that they will like it. When asked about what they thought was good and bad about their co-stars, Yamazaki expressed his thanks to Kiritani for going along with the strange jokes of his and Nomura's but jokingly pointed out that her face looked weird while she was asleep. Nomura also joined in by saying that Kiritani could fall asleep while having her make-up done so he finds that very intriguing. In response to this, Kiritani said that her eyes tend to open while she's asleep so people would come and talk to her. She also revealed that Yamazaki looks very different from his usual self when he has just woken up to the extent that she doesn't think that she's looking at the same person.

Source: Sanspo

Production press conference of TBS Summer 2016 drama "Kami no shita wo motsu otoko"

The production press conference of TBS Summer 2016 drama "Kami no shita wo motsu otoko" was held on 4 July which was attended by cast members Mukai Osamu, Kimura Fumino and Sato Jiro. The filming of the drama started since March and lasted for more than 3 months. In this drama conceptualised over the last 20 years and directed by Tsutsumi Yukihiko, Mukai plays a man who has a tongue that can analyse whatever he has tasted and goes on a journey to various onsen resorts with Kimura's and Sato's characters so as to find a legendary onsen geisha.

Despite the seemingly senseless storyline, Mukai said that he had given his all through scenes such as sticking out his tongue all the time and wearing a fundoshi so he was already prepared to ditch his usual image to play this character. As such, he hopes that this drama will provide great comical relief to the viewers during this hot summer season. Kimura who plays a maniac lover of 2-hour suspense dramas, also echoed Mukai's view and that she was worried about her ability to take on other types of roles once people see what she did in this drama but she is confident that it will be enjoyable for the viewers.

Sakamoto Fuyumi who is singing the enka theme song "Onna wa dakarete ayu ni naru" for this drama, made a surprise appearance in a white kimono and revealed how happy she was to be given the chance to sing a drama's theme song.

Sources: Sanspo / Yomiuri Hochi 1 / Yomiuri Hochi 2

Preview of "Aogeba Totoshi" - Summer 2016

Title: Aogeba Totoshi 仰げば尊し
Official website: here
Official Twitter: here
O.A. Date: 17 July 2016
Timeslot: Sundays 9pm
Broadcast by: TBS
Cast: Terao Akira, Tabe Mikako, Mackenyu, Murakami Nijiro, Ishii Anna (E-girls), Kitamura Takumi (DISH//), Taiga, Sano Gaku, Yamoto Yuma, Kentaro, Fujiwara Kaoru, Minakami Kyoka, Okazaki Sae, Omi Toshinori, Masu Takeshi, Ishizaka Koji

Winners of the 20th Nikkansports Dorama Grand Prix (Spring 2016)

Numbers in brackets indicate the number of votes received:

Best Drama
1) Sekai ichi muzukashii koi - NTV (1,578)
2) 99.9 Keiji Senmon Bengoshi - TBS (739)
3) Yutori desu ga nani ka - NTV (181)
4) Sanadamaru - NHK (154)
5) Watashi kekkon dekinainjanakute, shinain desu - TBS (121)

Best Leading Actor
1) Ohno Satoshi - Sekai ichi muzukashii koi (1,638)
2) Matsumoto Jun - 99.9 Keiji Senmon Bengoshi (771)
3) Sakai Masato - Sanadamaru (244)
4) Okada Masaki - Yutori desu ga nani ka (188)
5) Takenouchi Yutaka - Good Partner Muteki no Bengoshi (104)

Best Leading Actress
1) Kuroki Haru - Juuhan Shuttai! (927)
2) Nakatani Miki - Watashi kekkon dekinainjanakute, shinain desu (820)
3) Takahata Mitsuki - Toto Neechan (470)
4) Mitsushima Hikari - Totto Terebi (414)
5) Maeda Atsuko - Busujima Yuriko no Sekirara Nikki (156)

Best Supporting Actor
1) Sugimoto Tetta - Sekai ichi muzukashii koi (649)
2) Kagawa Teruyuki - 99.9 Keiji Senmon Bengoshi (600)
3) Kotaki Nozomu - Sekai ichi muzukashii koi (457)
4) Kitamura Kazuki - Sekai ichi muzukashii koi (195)
5) Kusakari Masao - Sanadamaru (184)

Best Supporting Actress
1) Koike Eiko - Sekai ichi muzukashii koi (1,212)
2) Eikura Nana - 99.9 Keiji Senmon Bengoshi (578)
3) Haru - Sekai ichi muzukashii koi (443)
4) Shimazaki Haruka - Yutori desu ga nani ka (153)
5) Kimura Yoshino - Boku no Yabai Tsuma (122)

Source: Nikkansports

Preview of "Kami no shita wo motsu otoko" - Summer 2016

Title: Kami no shita wo motsu otoko 神の舌を持つ男 (The man who has God's tongue)
Official website: here 
Official Twitter: here
O.A. Start Date: 8 July 2016
Timeslot: Fridays 10pm
Broadcast by: TBS
Theme Song: Onna wa dakarete ayu ni naru by Sakamoto Fuyumi
Cast: Mukai Osamu, Kimura Fumino, Sato Jiro, Hino Shohei, Takuma Shin

Completion screening event of TBS Summer 2016 drama "Seiseisuru hodo, Aishiteru"

The completion screening event of TBS Summer 2016 drama "Seiseisuru hodo, Aishiteru" was held on 3 July which was attended by cast members Takei Emi, Takizawa Hideaki, Nakamura Aoi, Matsudaira Ken, GENKING, Kanno Misuzu, Yokosawa Natsuko, Nakamura Hayato and Wada Akari. The drama which will begin its run from 12 July in the Tuesdays 10pm timeslot, features Takei as the heroine who works in the PR department of Tiffany Japan and falls in love with the already-married vice president played by Takizawa. Tiffany will be providing full support to the production of the drama including filming at its shops. During the event, Takei was wearing 7 pieces of jewellery from Tiffany which were worth a total of JPY 160m.

Takizawa commented that the complicated relationship between Takei's and his character is a selling point in this drama. However, he finds it embarrassing to have to say some really cringe-worthy and romantic lines such as "let me catch your flu bug instead" or having to look at each other in slow-motion smilingly. As for Takei, she said that she also felt shy about having to listen to such sweet words every day during the filming and has to control herself from bursting into laughter due to the embarrassment. As the relationship between the characters is subjected to interpretation by the viewers and may be seen as pure love or an extramarital affair, she is hoping that they will still enjoy watching the drama.

Sources: Nikkansports / Sanspo / Sponichi

Suzuki Ami announces her marriage and pregnancy

Suzuki Ami announced through her blog on 3 July that she has gotten married and that she is currently 3 months' pregnant. In her statement, Suzuki revealed that she registered her marriage with her husband on 1 July and described him as someone who could accept her for who she is and has been very supportive of her. As such, it was a natural progression for them to get married.

According to insiders, Suzuki's husband is a 27-year-old company employee i.e. 7 years younger than her who is more than 1.8m tall and holds the 5-dan rank in kendo. The couple met last autumn during Suzuki's overseas trip with her friend and went on a few meal dates after coming back to Japan. They started dating at the end of last year and began living together this spring before registering their marriage at the Setagaya Ward Office. Suzuki is also three months' pregnant and due to give birth in January next year. At present, there are no plans for a wedding. 1 July is also Suzuki's debut anniversary date.

Suzuki will appear during the "FEVER a-nation by SANKYO" held at Kokuritsu Yoyogi Daiichi Taiikukan on 2 August and continue with her work depending on her condition.

Sources: Nikkansports / Yomiuri Hochi

Preview of "Shihei" - Summer 2016

Title: Shihei 死幣 (Death Cash)
Official website: here
Official Instagram: here
Official Twitter: here
O.A. Start Date: 13 July 2016
Timeslot: Thursdays 12.10am
Broadcast by: TBS
Theme Song: "Kin no Ai, Gin no Ai" by SKE48
Cast: Matsui Jurina (SKE48), Totsugi Shigeyuki, Kiyohara Kaya, Kawaei Rina, Hayama Shono, Nakamura Yurika, Nishida Mai, Shirasu Jin, Yamada Yuki, Yoshioka Riho, Kakei Toshio

Top 10 actors who have made a breakthrough in the first half of 2016 (Oricon)

The following survey was done by Oricon Monitor Research involving 1,000 respondents from their teens to 50s between 8 June and 14 June:

1) Suda Masaki

2) Sakaguchi Kentaro

3) Yamazaki Kento

4) Kato Ryo

5) Iwata Takanori

6) Yamazaki Ikusaburo

7) Katagiri Jin

8) Yagira Yuya

9) Nomura Shuhei

10) Takahashi Issei

Source: Oricon

Preview of "Seiseisuru hodo, Aishiteru" - Summer 2016

Title: Seiseisuru hodo, Aishiteru せいせいするほど、愛してる (Loving you without reservations)
Official website: here
Official Facebook page: here
Official Twitter: here
O.A. Start Date: 12 July 2016
Timeslot: Tuesdays 10pm
Broadcast by: TBS
Original manga by: Kitagawa Miyuki
Brand collaboration with: Tiffany / JIMMY CHOO
Cast: Takei Emi, Takizawa Hideaki, Nakamura Aoi, Mizusawa Erena, Triendl Reina, Nakamura Hayato, Yokosawa Natsuko, Wada Akari, GENKING, Takigawa Eiji, Judai Satoshi, Hashimoto Manami, Takahashi Mitsuomi, Kanno Misuzu, Matsudaira Ken

Review of "Naomi to Kanako" (Winter 2016)

To be honest, I wasn't expecting a lot from this drama although the premise did pique my interest initially. I've always been keen on the investigative / thriller / suspense-type of stories so this story of a pair of best friends conspiring to kill the husband of one of them seemed quite interesting in the sense that the viewers are kept on tenterhooks just to see if justice will catch up with them. To my surprise, the drama turned out to be better than I thought although it also had its flaws here and there.

Before I begin with the summary of the storyline, please be reminded that there will be spoilers ahead so you may wish to skip this review if you don't wish to know what's going to happen.

The lead character Oda Naomi (Hirosue Ryoko) is a career woman working in the institutional sales department of Aoi Departmental Store. As Naomi has a curator's licence, she had joined Aoi because she wanted to work in its affiliated art museum. However, as Naomi is so good at her sales job, her transfer application has not been accepted thus she is frustrated at work. When Naomi was a child, she witnessed how her father was violent towards her mother which led her to leave her hometown in Niigata as soon as she could. As such, Naomi has very strong feelings against abusive men.

Hattori Kanako (Uchida Yuki) who is Naomi's best friend during their university days, is married to an elite salaryman Tatsuro (Sato Ryuta) and appears to be leading a very happy life. However, the truth is that Tatsuro has been abusive towards Kanako and she does not dare to leave him for fear that he might harm the people around her. Since Tatsuro flares up at the smallest thing and sometimes for no reason, Kanako lives on tenterhooks and can't even talk to Naomi about it. At the same time, Tatsuro's elder sister Yoko (Yoshida Yo) also thinks little of Kanako and has no qualms criticising Kanako in front of her brother who already thinks that his wife is having it easy at home as a housewife while he slogs in the bank and faces immense pressure.

When Naomi finds out about Kanako's plight, she is furious and worried and asks the latter to get divorced immediately because she sees this as the only way out for Kanako. Likewise for Naomi's mother, she only became free and happy when her husband passed away. However, Kanako refuses to do so for fear that Tatsuro will hurt the people around her even if she manages to escape from his clutches. While feeling frustrated with her inability to help Kanako, Naomi happens to meet a Chinese woman Li Akemi (Takahata Atsuko) through work and also bumps into Lin Ryuki (Sato Ryuta) who looks exactly like Tatsuro. Through interacting with Li, Naomi comes up with the plan of killing Tatsuro so as to save Kanako and make use of Lin to cover up for them. However, Kanako doesn't want to go through with the plan initially as she doesn't think that they will succeed.

The last straw for Kanako comes when Tatsuro's abusive behaviour escalates and he even forces himself on her. She finally agrees to Naomi's suggestion and the two of them plan how to go about executing their plan. They also arrange to meet Lin and get him to pose as Tatsuro to leave the country with Tatsuro's passport so as to give the impression that he has fled due to a bogus embezzlement case involving Naomi's client who has dementia. While making preparations, Naomi has to fend off the suspicious looks from Li who seems to be able to read her mind and know what she's up to.

Things do not go according to plan for the buddies as issues crop up time and again. Nonetheless, they manage to pull things off in each time and heave a sigh of relief as they look forward to the happy days ahead. However, happiness is short-lived as Tatsuro's colleagues, Yoko, the police and even Li suspect that things are fishy and start investigations into Tatsuro's disappearance. Naomi and Kanako try their best to deflect the mounting suspicion towards them especially from Yoko who refuses to believe that her brother would commit a crime and disappear just like that. Just when the situation is slowly getting out of control, Lin returns to Japan because he has fallen in love with Kanako who showered him with kindness which further jeopardises the buddies' position. Naomi and Kananko are at their wits' end as Yoko finds out the truth so they have to seek help from Li who make arrangements for them to skip town...

Although this drama is based on a novel, there are some key differences in the drama version:
- Naomi is the younger sister in her family but in the drama, she is the elder sister. As the elder sister, the drama describes how she feels guilty about not being able to protect her mother and younger sister from her father's abuse and leaving them to fend for themselves when she left home for university. In addition, she has mixed feelings when seeing that her younger sister is able to get married and have kids but she is so badly traumatised by the domestic violence that she seems to have little faith in love and marriage.
- Naomi's father was still alive in the novel but had already passed away in the drama.
- Yoko was Tatsuro's younger sister in the novel but she became the elder sister in the drama. Perhaps this change in the setting could explain why Yoko had such an overbearing air and was very assertive when she was investigating what happened to Tatsuro.
- Although the drama hinted at romantic feelings between Lin and Kanako, there was no such development in the novel. If Lin had not returned for Kanako, the situation might not have deteriorated so quickly for the buddies. On the other hand, if he had not returned, he might not have helped the women to run away in the last episode.
- In the novel, Naomi and Yoko were not acquainted but in the drama, Yoko met Naomi during the party held at Kanako's place and even worked together later though this was largely due to Yoko's insistence.
- Yoko set up a bug at Naomi's place in the drama but the bug was actually placed at Kanako's place in the novel. I thought it was a bit odd that Naomi let down her guard too much and she could have chased Yoko away for trespassing.
- In the drama, Yoko came to know about Tatsuro's abusive character when she was attacked by his former girlfriend after he disappeared. In the novel, Yoko was already aware of Tatsuro's behaviour before he got married to Kanako as his former girlfriend wanted to report him to the police for domestic violence. Yoko became aware of Tatsuro's abuse towards Kanako when she saw the bruises on Kanako's body during a family onsen trip.

Personally, I felt that the story was rather weak and unbelievable at some parts which really seemed too far-fetched and unrealistic:

- The method used to kill Tatsuro was too risky as he could have easily woken up at the slightest sound. I found it odd that the ladies did not put him to sleep using drugs before strangling him. Perhaps they could have used some other method which didn't require so much energy and effort?

- The venue where they killed Tatsuro was rather odd. By killing Tatsuro at home, they risked being seen by neighbours, security personnel and caught on CCTV. And it sure proved to be a huge reason leading to their scheme being exposed in the end. I'm surprised that they did not do anything to hide their identities like wearing masks or hats or glasses and didn't think about the security cameras on the highways as they made their way to the place to dump the corpse.

- The fabricated case against Tatsuro was full of too many loopholes given his status as an experienced bank employee so it was no wonder that Yoko and Tatsuro's colleague sensed something fishy.

- Naomi and Kanako were too eager to celebrate the success of their scheme that they went out to have a nice Sunday brunch and enjoy Kanako's new-found freedom. That was too careless of them and Kanako should have put up the pretense a bit longer to deflect the suspicion away from herself.

- Naomi going to meet Lin just outside the bank after he withdrew money from the ATMs was extremely foolish. Wouldn't she know that there are security cameras at banks and ATM lobbies? Couldn't she have gone to meet him at a place where she won't be caught on camera?

- Naomi and Kanako knew very well that Yoko and the police were hot on their heels and waited till it was dawn before making their escape. I thought that was really stupid because they might have been able to escape overseas if they left in the middle of the night after Yoko confronted Kanako.

Despite the loopholes in the story, I thought that what kept me engaged was how well the story was presented. There was a lot of scenes where the dialogue was worded in such a way that it built up sufficient tension to keep me on the edge of my seat and kept me interested to watch one episode after another. For example, here is the scene where Li gave Naomi the idea that the only way out for Kanako was to get rid of Tatsuro which I thought had a very good tempo and was witty at the same time. To put things in perspective, this was when Naomi and Li were having lunch together and Naomi was telling the latter how she has a friend i.e. Kanako who is suffering from DV from her husband but she can't seem to help Kanako:

Naomi: What if your husband was someone who inflicted violence on you?
Li: I would get back at him and will not let it rest like that.
Naomi: But a woman cannot match a man's strength...
Li: If you can't handle him on your own, get your parents and brothers to do it for you.
Naomi: If your family can't save you?
Li: Get your friends to save you. Isn't that what friendship is for?
Naomi: Friends?
Li: When you are in trouble and your friend can't lend a helping hand, why would you still be friends with that person?
Naomi goes silent which leads Li to ask what is wrong with her.
Naomi: Actually, I have a friend from my university days who is suffering from domestic violence inflicted by her husband...
Li: Kill him.
Naomi: Eh?
Li: That man has no value to continue living. A man who beats a woman should just be killed.
Naomi: But the police will arrest us...
Li: Then think of a way where you won't be caught. Tactics and lies to protect your own life are all considered as justified self-defence.
Naomi: I wish I can be as strong as President Li.
Li: You are the strongest Japanese woman who I've met so far but you just don't have the courage to use your strength.

With each unexpected turn in the story, it brings the two leading ladies closer to disaster. As I've pointed out earlier, Naomi and Kanako were actually too careless in their planning and execution of their scheme which led to these mistakes coming back to haunt them later. For example, they underestimated the persistence of Yoko who tried to find out the truth. They were also not observant to the fact that Lin had developed feelings for Kanako due to her kindness which was a key factor in their downward spiral. Just when I thought that they were doomed to be exposed, they were still able to survive by the closest margin. Honestly, I wasn't thinking that they will escape from the arms of justice but the way the story was crafted, it was meant to make the viewers sympathise with them for what they did and hope that they will be able to get away scot-free somehow. As such, it became a natural thing for me to wish that they might be able to get their freedom somehow.

The last episode was very intense as the ladies tried to leave Japan since the police and Yoko were about to close in on them. Although the drama did not specify whether they were able to get away in the end, the smiling faces in the very last scene seemed to be suggesting that they may succeed. However, if you think logically, there was no way that they could get out. The plane could be barred from taking off even after they managed to board it. Even if they did board the plane and made it to Shanghai, they could still be nabbed by the police over in China. As such, unless they had managed to get to China and left the airport, there was little chance that they might be able to attain the freedom they desired. That got me wondering if there was really a need for them to depart from Narita or Haneda where the police could get to them very quickly. Couldn't they have resorted to taking a ferry to another country or taken a flight from a smaller airport in another city? Then again, if they had been successful in leaving through another exit point, the last episode would not have been as exciting. I guess logic doesn't always work well in dramaland.

Despite the plot which was criticised for the loopholes, I thought that the cast's acting were instrumental in keeping the viewers engaged from the start to the end other than how the story was presented. Among the cast members, I think Takahata Atsuko definitely takes the cake for leaving the strongest impact on me personally. As she played a Chinese woman who manages a company in Japan, her spoken Japanese was somewhat in bits and pieces but still very comprehensible. Due to the way she spoke, it sometimes came across as comical but at times, there was this unspeakable sense of fear she inspired due to her ability to observe and see through what Naomi and Kanako were up to. However, she would not expose them directly and instead left remarks which made the female leads wonder how much she knew and that kept them on tenterhooks for a long time since they didn't know if Li was their friend or foe. This emotional tug of war between her and them was a key highlight in the cast's interaction.

As for the female leads, Hirosue definitely had a meatier role at the beginning because she was the one who initiated the murder scheme and appeared to be more aggressive and proactive than her friend. However, Uchida proved to have a stronger screen presence later as it became apparent that she had toughened up considerably in terms of her emotional state once she made up her mind to break free from her abusive husband. In fact, Kanako appeared calmer than Naomi at times when the law was catching up with them. As such, the relationship dynamics between them were quite interesting in the sense that the person who appeared tougher on the outside was actually quite vulnerable while the one who seemed to need more care and concern was able to take the lead when it mattered. In that way, it won't be so boring to see Naomi lead Kanako all the way and that made their relationship more balanced than it seemed.

Yoshida Yo nailed it as the persistent sister Yoko who was probably seen as the "baddie" standing in the way of Naomi and Kanako's pursuit of "happiness". Much as I don't think that most viewers will like her for that, I have to admit that Yoshida did well enough to blend into her character and made Yoko stand out in a strong manner. I haven't watched much of Yoshida's past works other than the last HERO movie and she was pretty negligible there but this drama has sort of thrust her into the limelight as a competent supporting actress who could steal the limelight from the leads anytime. In my opinion, the best scenes from her were probably when Yoko confronted Kanako about Tatsuro's murder and forced the latter to commit suicide as repentance for her deeds and when Yoko screamed in desperation at the airport as she thought that Naomi and Kanako were going to get away scot-free. I thought those two scenes were pretty intense but Yoshida didn't go too overboard with her emotions and left a deep impression on me.

Sato Ryuta didn't feature very prominently after Tatsuro died and Lin went back to China but he did leave his mark in the beginning and end of the story. My impression of Sato was largely restricted to the honest and goofy roles he used to play so seeing him change into that scary and abusive Tatsuro was an eye-opener. Comparatively, Lin was pretty forgettable in the beginning but he came back to make an impact later as a potentially-troublesome stalker for Kanako and yet helped the ladies to run away in the end instead of creating more trouble. I thought this drama was a good change in Sato's acting career so that he can go beyond the honest guy and goofy roles in future.

And my ratings for this drama...

Story: 9 out of 10 (Other than the loopholes I highlighted, I think that the presentation of the story and the directing made this into a better production than I expected. At the very least, it kept me on edge so many times and convinced me to keep going on watching each episode just to see how things would turn out. And that's an important achievement because if viewers lose interest halfway, they won't bother checking out the entire series and keep watching.)

Acting: 9.5 out of 10 (The actresses generally did much better here with Takahata Atsuko being fantastic with her portrayal of Li. Sato Ryuta also showed that he can do something different this time.)

Theme song/BGM: 7 out of 10 (In terms of the BGM used in the drama, I thought that it matched the story quite well but the theme song didn't leave much of an impression on me since it was played very briefly towards the end of each episode.)

Visual effects / Scenery: 7 out 10 (There was some nice scenery featured when the ladies went on their little trip and while they were out searching for a place to dump the husband's body.)

Teamwork / Chemistry: 9.5 out of 10 (Among the characters, they interacted very well and helped to push up the tension felt by the viewers e.g. the friendship between Naomi and Kanako, when Naomi and Li were talking and the latter seemed to hint that she knew everything, when Yoko was trying to sound Naomi out for why she was behaving strangely, the showdown between Kanako and Yoko or when Tatsuro was being abusive towards Kanako. In some dramas, the lack of chemistry between actors can sometimes turn viewers off so the cast here should be credited with helping to make this drama a lot more watchable than it could have been.)

Total: 42 out of 50

Oguri Shun to star in the real-life adaptation movie of "Gintama"

Oguri Shun will be starring in the real-life adaptation movie of popular "Shuukan Shounen Jump" manga "Gintama" which will be shown in cinemas next year and play the lead character Sakata Gintoki. The movie which will be written and directed by Fukuda Yuichi, is based on the manga by Sorachi Hideaki which has been serialised since 2004 and has sold more than 50 million copies to date and had an anime series and 2 anime movies released in 2010 and 2013 to date. Filming of this new movie begins in July and the cast lineup other than Oguri will be announced at a later date. Oguri has been a fan of the manga and also appears as a parody character Oguri Shunnosuke in the 27th volume of the manga.

The story is set in a parallel world at Edo where aliens from space called Amanto have conquered Earth. Oguri's character Sakata works as a freelancer who still believes in honouring the samurai spirit despite the waning influence of the samurais and the story talks about his adventures with his friends. The author Sorachi commented that when it comes to real-life movie adaptations like this, fans tend to have certain expectations over who plays which character and it is common for the actors to be criticised for not meeting those expectations. However, he believes that Gintama fans wouldn't change their impressions or views of the manga characters no matter who plays them in the real-life movie and said that the actors who signed on for this project are already prepared for any criticism that may come their way. As such, Sorachi is eagerly looking forward to a new type of Gintama through this movie and doesn't feel bothered about it being a possible box office flop if fans turn out not to like it after all.

Source: Oricon

Savanna's Takahashi Shigeo & Perfume's Nishiwaki Ayaka reportedly dating

Comedian group Savanna's Takahashi Shigeo and Perfume's Nishiwaki Ayaka a.k.a. A~chan are reportedly dating according to the 1 July issue of "FRIDAY". The two of them were first romantically linked at the end of May in a "Josei Seven" article. However, Takahashi denied that they were an item and said that they are friend and that he is a fan of Nishiwaki and a member of Perfume's fan club. With regard to the report this time where they were said to have gone on dates in Ginza and at their apartments, their agencies did not deny the news and said that they will leave this private matter to their artistes.

Source: Oricon

Takizawa Hideaki to star in new horror movie "Kodomotsukai"

Takizawa Hideaki will be starring in the new horror movie "Kodomotsukai" (The Child Manipulator" directed by Shimizu Takashi which will be shown in 2017. This is Takizawa's first leading role in a movie since he appeared in the 2000 movie "Kawa no nagare no you ni". Filming begins on 1 July.

The movie which is based on an original script, features Takizawa as a mysterious man who manipulates the spirits of children by entering into their hearts and taking control of their spirits. Three days after the children disappear, they will cause the mysterious deaths of the adults who meet them. Takizawa will have to put on special makeup for this character. Co-stars include Hey! Say! JUMP member Arioka Daiki who plays a news reporter trying to investigate the truth and Kadowaki Mugi who plays his girlfriend and is being manipulated by Takizawa's character.

Takizawa commented that as this is the first time he is attempting a horror movie, he is eagerly looking forward to acting in this role. Although the movie is quite scary, there are also humourous elements in it so he is hoping that this will be a new type of horror movie which can be presented to the audience.

Sources: Yomiuri Hochi / Natalie / Cinema Today

Takashima Reiko holds press conference in response to her husband's arrest

Takashima Reiko held a press conference on 30 June at Kyoto City in response to her husband Takachi Noboru's arrest for possession of drugs on 24 June where she apologised for the inconvenience and worry caused by this. The press conference began 20 minutes later than scheduled and Takashima began by thanking the media for coming and apologised for not being able to speak to them directly until now. This was partly because she had to be questioned by the authorities and go through an urine test herself as part of the investigations. Results of the test will be out at a later date. In addition, when news of the case first broke, she was in a state of shock and wanted to get the details of the case first before speaking publicly on the issue. Takashima has been in Kyoto recently for the filming of her new TV Tokyo drama "Onnatachi no Tokusou Saizensen" which is due to begin its run from 21 July.

Takashima revealed that she thought at first that Takachi's arrest was a joke and reality only sunk in much later. She stated that she had no idea about her husband's drug consumption. Nonetheless, since she is living together with her husband, she had to be questioned and subjected to an urine test. When asked if she noticed signs of her husband displaying unusual behaviour typical of drug users such as excessive sweating or extreme mood swings, Takashima revealed that both Takachi and her sweat a lot so it wasn't anything to worry about. Besides, Takachi has always been a very emotional person who expresses openly how he feels thus she didn't sense anything amiss.

While holding back tears, Takashima revealed that she will not rule out divorce in future but that's dependent on how Takachi behaves in future. She admitted that not having noticed or detected her husband's drug consumption habit was something she wasn't really proud of but she is prepared to see how he turns over a new leaf in future and hopes that he will change his ways. However, she cannot ignore the negative impact that this matter has caused to her or the people around them so she has to think about divorce as a possibility. When asked if she regretted getting married, Takashima said that she had decided to get married on her own will and that the couple had their fair share of quarrels before marriage. However, things got better after they got married so she wasn't regretting her decision then.

As for the woman who Takachi was arrested with, Takashima admitted that she had met the woman once about 10 years ago when the latter was introduced to her as a friend. However, she had no knowledge of her husband's relationship with the woman and was really saddened by their alleged affair. However, she tried to put on a brave front and said that there are more important things for her to do now so she will not wallow in self pity over this.

At the end of the press conference, Takashima expressed her thanks to the people who have been showering her with encouraging words and promised to work hard so as to repay them for the support they've shown for her.

Sources: Sponichi 1 / Sponichi 2 / Sponichi 3

Preview of "HOPE ~ Kitai Zero no Shinnyu Shain ~" - Summer 2016

Title: HOPE ~ Kitai Zero no Shinnyu Shain HOPE ~ 期待ゼロの新入社員 ~ (HOPE ~ The new employee who is not expected to perform well ~)
Official website: here
Official Twitter: here
O.A. Start Date: 17 July 2016
Timeslot: Sundays 9pm
Broadcast by: FujiTV
Original comic by: Yoon Tae-ho
Theme Song: Comet by Spitz
Cast: Nakajima Yuto (Hey! Say! JUMP), Endo Kenichi, Seto Koji, Yamamoto Mizuki, Kiriyama Akito (Johnny's WEST), Maggy, Nakamura Yuri, Maruyama Tomomi, Matsuda Kenji, Matsuzawa Kazuyuki, Toyama Toshiya, Yashiba Toshihiro, Sakurada Dori, Kaji Masaki, Watanabe Kunito, Yamauchi Takaya, Asaka Mayumi, Kazama Morio