The Hello! Project idol group S/mileage has announced the results of its recent audition for new members. Five new girls have been added, but they will start out as “sub” members rather than as official members.
The auditions started in June and roughly 2,000 people entered in the initial round. The field was narrowed down to 12 girls for the final round, and producer Tsunku selected five of the finalists to join S/mileage as sub-members.
The five new faces are Katsuta Rina (13), Kosuga Fuyuka (13), Nakanishi Kana (14), Tamura Meimi (12), and Takeuchi Akari (13).
The first single that the new members will participate on is “Tachiagirl” (タチアガール), scheduled for release on September 28. They are also expected to participate in S/mileage’s nationwide tour that begins on September 10. They will also appear with the four current official members in a new photobook titled “S/mileage 1″ that goes on sale on September 26.
Tsunku plans to wait until at least the end of October before formally announcing whether each of the new recruits will become an official member. If they don’t become part of S/mileage, he says that they may become Hello! Pro Eggs, debut as a separate group, or even leave Hello! Project completely.
Sources:
Natalie
Mantan Web
Matsushima Nanako (37) will take on the starring role for an NTV drama this fall, her first television series since 2009. Titled “Kaseifu no Mita,” the story is an original work by screenwriter Yukawa Kazuhiko, whom she previously worked with for the shows “GTO” and “Majo no Jouken.”
In the drama, Matsushima plays a mysterious housekeeper named Mita Akari, whose age is a secret and who is completely unsociable. However, she is perfect in her housework, and through her work she resolves hidden issues among the family members of the homes she is dispatched to. Despite her clients’ eventual wishes to keep her as a permanent housekeeper, she always moves on to the next job, where a fresh set of domestic problems await.
The rest of the cast has not yet been announced, but NTV has launched the show’s preliminary website. Broadcast is scheduled for Wednesdays at 10:00pm, starting this October.
Source:
Cinema Today
Singer and voice actress Sakamoto Maaya (31) is now married to voice actor Suzumura Kenichi (36), it was recently revealed. The two of them announced on their official websites that they registered their marriage on August 8, 2011.
Sakamoto and Suzumura have worked together for many anime series in the past, including “Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny” (as Lunamaria Hawke and Shinn Asuka) and “Ouran High School Host Club” (as Fujioka Haruhi and Hitachiin Hikaru).
Source:
Natalie
Actress Ayase Haruka (26) has just been revealed as the heroine of the big-budget TBS drama series “Nankyoku Tairiku” that will air this fall. This teams her up once again with SMAP’s Kimura Takuya (38), as they previously co-starred in the 2009 series “MR.BRAIN” and the 2006 drama special for the “HERO” franchise.
As announced in January, “Nankyoku Tairiku” focuses on the difficulties faced by Japan’s first Antarctic research expedition team, who were also the subject of the hit 1983 film “Nankyoku Monogatari.” In particular, one of the most notable aspects of that expedition was the miraculous survival of two of the dogs – out of the original 19 Sakhalin Huskies – even after the expedition team was forced to leave them behind and retreat from their base due to extreme weather conditions.
Kimura plays a researcher named Kuramochi Takeshi, one of the leaders of the team. Ayase plays the part of an elementary school teacher named Takaoka Miyuki, the younger sister of Kuramochi’s deceased wife. The role is said to be a painful one, as she deals with the loneliness and uneasiness caused by Kuramochi being on the dangerous Antarctic expedition.
“Nankyoku Tairiku” will premiere this October in TBS’s Sunday 9:00pm time slot.
Source:
Sankei Sports
Just recently ONE OK ROCK had started a mysterious count down on their official homepage and with it reaching 00:00 a new album has been announced along with a two-day performance at Yokohama Arena.
The album will be released on October 5th 2011 and will be titled "Zankyou Reference ". It is their 5th original album and will include the previously released songs like "Re:make" and "No SCARED".
Moreover, from November the band will be going on their new tour, which eventually will be leading them to two days at Yokohama Arena on January 21st and 22nd 2012.
Details will be announced soon.
5th Album "Zankyou Reference"
Released Date: 2011/10/05
[First Press Limited Edition] 3,150Yen (tax in)
[Regular Edition] 2,800Yen (tax in)
News Credits: Music Japan+
Kimura Kaela Returning onto the Stage of Akasaka BLITZ!
2011-08-05
Kimura Kaela / live
On August 3rd 2011, pop-singer Kimura Kaela has returned onto the stage of Akasaka BLITZ. It was her first live performance since she had given birth to her child and a triumphant return for the "XYLISH presents Welcome Home Tour 2011". It had been about a year and a half since her last performance.
"Thank you, I am Kimura Kaela", she greeted. "Welcome to my Welcome Home Tour! And, and...I am home! I had been waiting for this day to come. And I am so excited! I had been talking about how to actually do this performance before...but it's going unexpectedly well."
Kimura performed in front of 1,700 people presenting nostalgic and recent songs, along with her new single "Kidoairaku + Ai", which has just been released on August 3rd 2011 as well.
Article Credits: Music Japan+
Image Credits: photobucket
Broadcaster NHK has announced that actor Ito Hideaki (35) will star in a new drama series titled “Last Money ~Ai no Nedan~.” Inspired by a real-life series of murders for insurance money, the show is described as a tale of psychological suspense revolving around themes of love and money.
Ito, who has never before played the lead in an NHK series, has been cast as a claims adjuster for a life insurance company. While burdened with a past trauma involving an insurance claim, he begins investigating a woman suspected of marriage fraud, played by Takashima Reiko.
Supporting cast members include Nakamaru Yuichi (KAT-TUN), Matsushige Yutaka, Tabata Tomoko, Tanaka Tetsushi, Ibu Masato, and Natsuyagi Isao.
“Last Money” begins airing on September 13 in NHK’s Tuesday 10:00pm time slot and will continue for 7 episodes.
Source:
Oricon
