Picture flash: Arashi blokes, Ikuta Toma w glasses, KimuTaku and his wife etc.

Matsumoto Jun resting during filming (possibly for Natsuniji?)

 And Matsumoto Jun on a train? While I do think that he might take the train sometimes, this guy doesn't really look a lot like him...

Ninomiya in his own clothes.

Ohno (Arashi) and Ryo (Kanjani8) looking pretty chummy. Ohno is so cute!

Ikuta Toma hard at work(?). He looks just as good with glasses~



Kimura Takuya (SMAP) and his wife, Shizuka Kudo.

Sources: Matsumoto Jun filming - Janimoe; Matsujun train - choko44; Nino - choko44; Ohno and Ryo - Janimoe; Ikuta Toma glasses - Janimoe; KimuTaku and Shizuka Kuda - Auragazou

Ueda on his solo concert, toe injury and Akanishi Jin

KAT-TUN’s Ueda Tatsuya has his solo live concert at The First Gymnasium in Yoyogi on September 26. It was reported last month that during KAT-TUN’s concert in Taipei, Ueda broke his left big toe. However, he still continued to perform at the next concert, which was on the next day.
Ueda’s solo concert tour started early last month in which he will have 8 performances in 5 cities. Although his injury is not yet completely healed and it was said that he’s still in pain, he acted like a professional and even ran around the stage, completely focused on the stage director’s instructions.
“SCOOP! Shougeki Shasin” gave a detailed report about Ueda’s accident in Taiwan and had photos showing the sequence of Ueda’s 3 meter jump. “After I jumped, I just thought ‘This is bad’,” he said in a joke.
About his first solo live tour, Ueda expressed that he’s so happy about it and it was his dream to have one. When asked about Akanishi Jin, who have left the group and will perform in 5 cities in the US, all Ueda said is “He is my friend. So I’ll be supporting him in his activities”. (tokyohive)

Taguchi Junnosuke and Komine Rena together in Kumamoto

In September 2009, KAT-TUN member Taguchi Junnosuke (25) and actress Komine Rena (30) went on a trip to Hawaii together. Now, Tokyo Sports has reported that the two of them were in Kumamoto prefecture, which is Komine Rena's hometown. Above is an old paparazzi shot of the two of them.

They were at the Fujisaki Hachimangu Autumn Festival in Kumamoto prefecture in mid-September. The festival is the most famous festival in Kumamoto, and runs from 11-15 September. Usually, about 200 000 people take part in the festival every year.

A teenage girl who saw the couple described them as behaving very naturally. She also said that there were many high school and middle school students at the festival, and some of them were getting quite excited, saying things like "Ah! KAT-TUN's Taguchi!".

Since the two of them were at the festival, it seems almost natural that Junno would have visited Komine's house. On September 24, Komine actually updated her blog. She mentioned that she had returned to Kumamoto to see her grandmother and wished her blog readers well. Previously, there had been some fans who were upset about her blog postings. (Azashi)

Toda Erika digs her nose for "SPEC"

Actress Toda Erika (22) and actor Kase Ryo (35) took the stage at TBS today to present their new drama "SPEC".

Toda stood out in her role as Touma Saya, a weird woman and genius with an IQ of 201 who always has her left arm in a triangular bandage and never stands straight. "About 3-4 years ago I realized that while I need to have pride as an actress, I don't need any kind of womanly pride for acting," Toda was fully motivated about her role. "The director gave me instruction like, 'I want you to pick your nose'. Of course it was a bit shocking at first, but no matter what filthy or cruel things he wants me to do, if he requests it, I'll do it," she explained and stated all the fun she had during the filming while not thinking about her image as a woman.

The drama is a sequel to the series "Keizoku" that aired 11 years ago and has almost the same staff as well as a few actors that already appeared in the original, including veteran actor Ryuu Raita (70). Of course the story will be similar as well and focus on a special team that handles unsolvable cases. That team is being led by Touma as mentioned above and Sebumi Takeru (Kase), a former commandant of the special forces.

Kase had some interesting stories to share from the filming. "Toda has been on a rampage lately. She goes way beyond what is written inside the script, starts to do a lot of ambiguous things, but she's so great that almost everything will make it into the final version," he described her acting.

Toda also said a few things about Kase, "He is always very straightforward, during his performance and in private. However, recently I think he started to reveal his actual true self. He has a very unique side to him and often comes up with the craziest ideas about Touma. It's just fun doing all those absurd things together with him."

"SPEC" will air every Friday and have its premier on October 8. As usual, the first episode will be 15 minutes longer. (Kawaii Joyuu)

Mizushima Hiro clears up retirement rumors

Mezamashi TV's Tokudane segment contacted Mizushima Hiro asking him about leaving talent agency Ken-on, retiring from showbiz and becoming a writer. "I'm bewildered by the inaccuracy of the reports," he commented.


According to Mezamashi TV, Mizushima stated that reports citing that Ayaka is still attached to Ken-on is not true and that she had left Ken-on after her performance at the Kouhaku last year. Furthermore, they are starting up a company to manage Ayaka's music and Mizushima is not stopping acting work.

Information given out by Ken-on and other reports
- Ayaka is just taking a break, she is still with Ken-on.
- Mizushima Hiro is no longer interested in being an actor, he wants to concentrate on writing.
- Ayaka and Mizushima Hiro are setting up a company to manage their work.

Mizushima Hiro's comments
- Ayaka left Ken-on after her Kouhaku performance last year.
- Mizushima Hiro will continue with creative works and that includes acting.
- Ayaka and Mizushima Hiro are not setting up a company to manage their work. The company will be set up only to manage Ayaka's music.
- The two of them will do their best without being attached to a talent agency.
(24th September) Edit : Multiple news reports are citing that the clarification came from an email exchange with Tokudane's Ogura Tomoaki. Mainichi, Sports Hochi and Asahi reported that the email exchange was with Ayaka while Daily Sports Online reported that it was with Hiro. (unleashthegeek)

Whatever it is, I wish the two of them all the best! ^_^

Arashi shows support for HFMD-stricken Miyazaki through short video

Arashi are releasing a video message exclusively for the people living in West Japan, after an outbreak of hand, foot, and mouth disease has hit the area.
As the country’s tourism navigators, the group volunteered to release a 15-second video to air only in Miyazaki prefecture, where tourist numbers have dropped considerably since April.

The highly contagious hand foot and mouth disease had led to the slaughtering of almost 300 000 cattle and livestock, affecting the prefecture’s premium beef industry. For a while, road access in and out of the prefecture had been restricted in order to keep the disease from spreading. This has caused people to think twice about visiting the area.

In Arashi’s video, the five members cheer on the locals.
-“Speaking of Miyazaki, I can think of plenty of things to see! Great food!” Said Aiba Masaki Aiba (27).
-“No matter what, Miyazaki beef is still the best in Japan,” said Ohno Satoshi (29).
-“We support you,” said Matsumoto Jun (27).
The video will be broadcast on local TV stations and at local events held in Miyazaki. (MomoEdgewood's Mediawatch)

Aww, how sweet! ARASHI~

Yamamoto Yusuke has a 21 year old girlfriend?

This week's issue of FRIDAY reports that young actor Yamamoto Yusuke (22) was seen with a woman at his apartment earlier this month. The woman, said to be 21 years old, entered the apartment building together with Yamamoto and spent the night there. The two left the building at different times the next morning.
FRIDAY says that Yamamoto and the woman have been dating for less than a month. Yamamoto's agency also stated that he met the woman about 1 or 2 months ago, but described her as a close friend. The company asserted that work should be the priority for Yamamoto, and they have told him that directly. (Tokyograph)

Ayaka on Mizushima leaving Ken-on

Earlier this week, the entertainment world was surprised by the news of actor Mizushima Hiro (26) leaving his management agency Ken-on in order to pursue writing. On Thursday, some information about the situation was revealed on the Fuji TV program "Tokudane!"
Singer Ayaka Iida (22), who is married to Mizushima, replied to an e-mail sent by the show's newscaster Tomoaki Ogura (63). Ogura summarized her response by highlighting four major points:
•Ayaka also left Ken-on at the end of last year.
•Mizushima will be focusing on writing and creating works, but his activities will also include acting. What a relief!
•The company that Mizushima and Ayaka have started is in charge of managing Ayaka's music.
•The two plan on continuing their activities independently, without a management agency.

Ayaka's response contradicts Ken-on's statement earlier this week, which stated that Ayaka was still signed with the agency and that her contract would not be affected. Ken-on has not yet commented on Ayaka's statements. (Tokyograph)

Picture flash: Kame's designer clothes, Yamapi's friends, some HSJ boys, and the usual "Akanishi with a woman"

A compilation of Kame wearing designer clothing... Which doesn't look good on him, most of the time.

Akanishi Jin with Miss Vietnam at an event premier (identiy of woman was contributed by Anonymous). Well, she's really tall. :O

Yamashita Tomohisa with hs friends, who all look surprisingly good despite having their eyes covered. In fact, Yamapi looks kind of washed out compared to them.

Yamada Ryosuke with Nakajima Yuto. (Yuto used to be so cute in Nobuta wo Produce~)

Yamada Ryosuke and Chinen Yuri.

Sources: Kame designer - choko44; Jin with woman - choko44; Yamapi and friends - Janimoe; Yamada and Nakajima - Janimoe; Yamda and Chinen - choko44

Matsumoto Jun as a priest in new CM

On September 22, Arashi’s Matsumoto Jun attended an event for the commercial presentation of Daio paper’s newest product, ‘+Water’ tissues.

In the commercial, Matsumoto is clad in priest’s clothes waiting at the altar for people who wish to take the “vow of moisture”. ‘+Water’ boasts 170% more liquid component than previous Daio paper’s product, so it guarantees complete moisture in every use.

During the event, Matsumoto was given the title “Moisture Man” which the singer accepted. He hopes that the phrase “Moisture Man” becomes as popular as the phrase “Ikemen Danshi”.

The CM began airing on September 23rd. (Tokyohive)

Ueto Aya and Morita Go break up

It is being reported that actress Ueto Aya (25) and V6 member Morita Go (31) have broken up, ending a romance that lasted nearly 8 years. Based on information from multiple sources, it appears that they separated in May, about a month after they first publicly acknowledged their relationship.

Rumors about Ueto and Morita started at the end of 2002, when a magazine published an article claiming that they were dating. Neither side acknowledged those rumors until April of this year, when Ueto confirmed that she was in a relationship. At that time, it was also reported that the two were getting close to marriage.
After those reports of imminent marriage, it is said that Ueto and Morita re-examined their plans for the future. Ueto apparently has a strong desire to get married, but based on the fact that Morita is part of an idol group and both of their schedules are so busy that they often cannot meet, they mutually decided to break up and focus on their careers for now. Sources assure that this is not the result of a fight, nor has either side found someone new. (Tokyograph)

Hi! if Jin holds a concert in Singapore will you attend?

Well, it depends, but I think I'd rather go to the airport to see him and scream for him! Since I'm quite a new fan, I don't know much of his songs so it'd be kind of weird. Maybe if he comes in about 1 year's time, I'd have learnt most of his songs and can go to his concert! But I have no one to go with, and I'd much rather it be Arashi who comes! ^_^

Fellow Singaporean! :D Now there's this Kpop wave going on in S'pore (T-T) Jpop needs some love~~ You like Kpop? :D

Hi there! Good to know there's someone in Singapore who likes J-pop too! No, I'm definitely not a K-pop fan. The nicest thing I can say about K-pop is that they have a few catchy songs. Otherwise... I don't like it. Maybe it's because I didn't give it much of a chance (other than watching some Boys Over Flowers which sparked the whole Korean wave anyway)... But J-pop and JE is so much better! :DD

Kamenashi Kazuya meets his baseball hero at Panasonic event

KAT-TUN’s Kamenashi Kazuya failed to hide his excitement while meeting former pro baseball player, and current sports reporter, Furuta Atsuya at an event for Panasonic.
The event was called Panasonic BEAUTY – a line for men’s electronic products – which Kamenashi Kazuya promotes. Even though Kamenashi was there to promote the products, he couldn’t help but talk about baseball all throughout the event with Furuta. Kamenashi is a big fan of baseball, and has been playing it since he was a child. He was good enough to have played for Japan when he was younger, but chose to focus on the entertainment industry.
“He’s the player that I’ve followed before. I can’t believe I’m meeting him,” said Kamenashi in an interview.
While Kamenashi was still dazed from meeting his sports idol, Furuta commented that he’s as happy to be able to meet the JE star. “My wife is a big fan of him and asked me to take a lot of pictures with him,” said Furuta. He also gave Kamenashi some advice about work as a TV sports reporter.
It was a good thing Kamenashi still managed to promote the product despite being distracted by baseball. Kamenashi said that he hopes that more people will use the products, whether it’s a man or a woman.
Panasonic BEAUTY is famous for its shaver (sold more than a million units) and blow dryer (sold about 4 million units). (tokyohive)

SMAP concert in Shanghai postponed (again)

Kyodo News is reporting that SMAP's concerts at Shanghai Stadium on October 9-10 may get canceled due to an escalating incident between China and Japan. Ticket sales for the shows have reportedly been suspended already due to the high likelihood of cancellation.
Last month, Japanese officers arrested a Chinese fishing boat captain on charges that he deliberately rammed his boat into a Japanese patrol boat. He is currently being detained by a Japanese court despite Chinese opposition, leading to strained relations between the two countries. On Monday, China took moves to suspend much of its political communications with Japan, and there have been reports of other measures being taken on a commercial level.
With the matter currently unresolved, holding the SMAP concerts in Shanghai may prove to be impossible. As a result, organizers are apparently putting the concerts on hold for the time being.
SMAP was originally scheduled to perform their first China concert at the Shanghai World Expo on June 13, but that was canceled by organizers due to safety concerns.
UPDATE: The Chinese company responsible for organizing the concerts announced on Tuesday that they have officially decided to postpone the shows, due to "practical reasons." Tens of thousands of tickets have already been sold, and those fans will start getting refunds on September 25. (Tokyograph)
 
How unlucky... I first read about this in the newspapers today (there was a really small mention) and I was hoping that the news was incorrect!

Mizushima Hiro leaves Ken-on to start writing career

Actor Mizushima Hiro (26) has left his management agency Ken-on as of September 20, it has been learned. According to Ken-on, Mizushima left in order to focus on a writing career.
Mizushima has apparently been interested in writing for a long time. He informed his management about his desire to try it out, and after discussing the matter, his departure from the agency was decided.
Mizushima's wife, singer Ayaka Iida (22), is also signed with Ken-on. Although she is currently on hiatus, the company stated that Mizushima leaving will have no effect on her current contract.
It is not yet clear how this move will impact Mizushima's acting career. (Tokyograph)
 
Oh no, does this mean that he won't be acting anymore? I think he'd be a good writer and he does seem more like an author than an actor, but I want to watch his dramas!

Arashi/JE polls

Which Arashi member would look good as a pilot?
01 – (14235) – Sakurai Sho
0 – (04968) – Matsumoto Jun as a pilot, huh... *dreamy eyes*
03 – (03191) – Ohno Satoshi
04 – (02540) – Ninomiya Kazunari
05 – (01403) – Aiba Masaki

When do the Arashi members shine the most?
01 – (18218) – Variety shows
02 – (11501) – Concerts
03 – (07413) – Can't choose!
04 – (02801) – Music shows
05 – (01993) – Dramas
06 – (00731) – CMs & Billboards
07 – (00206) – Movies & Plays
08 – (00146) – Events
09 – (00095) – Magazines & Photo Books
10 – (00057) – Radio


The Arashi TV show you never miss to watch?
01 All of their shows!
02 Himitsu no Arashi-chan
03 I watch more than one!
04 VS Arashi
05 Arashi ni Shiyagare
06 Arashi's performances on music shows
07 The dramas of the individual members

Your favorite Johnny?

01 – Domoto Koichi
02 – Kamenashi Kazuya
03 – Akanishi Jin
04 – Masuda Takahisa
05 – Chinen Yuri

Did Ayase Haruka go for plastic surgery?

It kind of looks like she just grew up really nicely, she was quite pretty as a child. (The hairstyle's a bit distracting though)

The grand story of Maotsujun ♥ and their love for matching clothes

Maotsujun fans, get ready to love me for this! I'd much rather have Shinkumi though... HAHA.

Our beloved Matsumoto Jun in his own clothes. Seriously, if he chooses to dress like this, I'd rather the JE stylists pick an outfit for him. Is this what Yamapi meant when he said that Jun was "really fashionable"? XD

But take comfort in the fact that leading lady of HYD, Inoue Mao, is wearing the same boots! Jun was just wearing this alien outfit to proclaim his love~

And this time Jun isn't ruining it like in the first photo. It actually looks quite nice, doesn't it? (I really like it on Jun in the second photo)

This couple also likes their checked shirts...

They're wearing the same belt here, if you didn't get too distracted by Jun's topless bod! I KNOW YOU DID. Because it took me a really long time to realise it too.

... And they all lived happily ever after.

THE END.

Sources: Jun by himself - Janimoe; all others - Janimoe

Hayami Mokomichi's good at cooking, but thinks chemistry is more important

On the 16th, actor Hayami Mokomichi (26) was a guest at the launch of a new gelato product in Tokyo. In July he published a book of original recipes, he's a cuisine connoisseur. Regarding the new product 'vegetable gelato', Mokomichi commented, "It's a novel idea. The combination is great. It has a feeling of being a healthy dessert." Among the 5 flavours, he likes the carrot and apple ones.
He began cooking in elementary school as both his parents were working. "Watching my brother's back as he cooked, I thought he looked cool. I experimented cooking carbonara." The first time his mum tried his cooking, she thought that the flavour was too strong, but now "Mum says it's delicious," he said confidently.
Regarding the ladies, "It's OK if they can't cook, as long as there's good chemistry. We can knead hamburgers together."
The new product will be available at specialist gelato shops Mario Gelateria this autumn. (unleashthegeek)

Found this about Jin's friend joey that everybody is following on twitter. What do you think about it? http://encyclopediadramatica.com/User:Campus101/TokyoJosh

I checked out his twitter http://twitter.com/tokyojosh, but I didn't find it very interesting. Most of his tweets seem to be replies and he has a lot of #jinakanishi but they don't seem to make much sense to me...

However he does have one tweet http://twitter.com/tokyojosh/status/12502683056 that says "kat tun not going!" It doesn't sound like he's putting KT down or anything. But I did hear about some of Jin's friends removing their tweets so maybe he did?
Though I don't see why Akanishi Jin fans would follow his twitter (it looks quite boring to me!), I guess his YouTube vids are quite interesting if you want to know more about Japan. I watched a few, haha!

Ask me something on Formspring!

Minna-san, gokigenyo! (LOL at my warped romanji)

My hiatus has been in place for less than 48 hours, and it's not going that well! I keep on wondering what's happening in the Japanese entertainment world and thinking about how I might get a big shock if something big happens and I only find out about it a week later or so. Oh, I had a dream about Ikuta Toma the night before! It was quite a confusing dream and if it wasn't even supposed to be a happy dream because someone was threatening to set a bomb off or something, but I was really glad because Toma was there with me. I didn't really like him before this but I think I'm now a fan of his! :)) I woke up too soon though. :/

Anyway, to more important things~ It seems like some people have had trouble accessing this blog. Someone asked me a question on Formspring asking me if I had deleted my blog because they couldn't find it and at that time I was kind of confused. But today I saw on someone's tumblr (yes I know I said I'd stop using tumblr!) that a few others were unable to see an article because it was "removed". And I realised that there are periods when I have zero pageviews when I check Blogger Stats. So, I've come to the (rather obvious) conclusion that there's something wrong! If you have difficulty reading my blog at anytime please inform me through an email or comment.

Blogger's been getting rather annoying recently, so I'm thinking of moving at the end of the year. But where? o~(0-0)~o

Ninomiya and other exciting guests for Matsujun dorama final!

Yesterday, Sankei Sports reported that Arashi’s Ninomiya Kazunari (27) and Fukuda Kyoko (27) will make guest appearances in the final of Matsumoto Jun’s summer drama next week as a props technician and assistant producer respectively.
The drama “夏の恋は虹色に輝く (Natsu no Koi wa Niji-iro ni Kagayaku)” follows the romance between a second-generation actor Kusunoki Taiga (Matsumoto) and single mother Kitamura Shiori (Yuko Takeuchi). The final focuses on the Taiga’s work in the stage play of Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
The guest actor list for the final has revealed a line up of many A-list Japanese actors, including Ichimura Masachika (61) who plays a stage actor who had gotten the role of Claudius in the play.

Ichimura had previously starred with Matsumoto in 2007′s drama series “Bambino!” and had said he had been extremely excited to be able to work with the popstar again.

It has been reported that Arashi’s Nino, who plays a props technician, also has a scene with Matsumoto, but how the two character’s will interact with one another has been left as a surprise for Monday.
Other guests include Kyoko Fukuda as an assistant producer role, Kitamura Yukiya (36) as an actor who plays Hamlet, and Natsuki Mari (58) as a singer role.
Matsumoto has been reported to have been working 100 per cent for the final. “I want to make this Hamlet play the best it can be,” he said. (MomoEdgewood's Mediawatch)

The sort of lovers Miura Haruma and Tabe Mikako would like to have

Actor Miura Haruma and actress Tabe Mikako attended the test screening of the movie "Kimi ni Todoke" together. The movie, which was adapted from a popular manga, will be released on September 25th. In the movie, Tabe plays the role of Sawako, who is called "Sadako", the horror movie character, while Miura Haruma plays the role of Kazehaya, an outgoing and friendly friend of Sawako.

When they were asked what type of person they would fall in love with, Tabe replied, "I prefer those with abundant knowledge," while Miura said, "I like girls like Sawako-chan, with black hair, and a motto such as 'Do a good deed for the day'." In the end, flumpool played the theme song of the movie. Sitting among the audience, Tabe was moved into tears: "Sawako is well-supported by a lot of people. Listening to the music, I feel so touched..." (Music Japan+)

Jin's US concert schedule

The official U.S. website of former KAT-TUN member Jin Akanishi Jin (26) has revealed some information about his upcoming U.S. tour, titled "Yellow Gold Tour 3010." The site lists five concert dates in November.


Akanishi performed his first solo concerts in the U.S. this past June. At that time, he stated that he was aiming to perform in seven U.S. cities in September and October, but those plans apparently did not turn out as hoped. His tour will take him to five of the seven cities:

11/7 - Chicago
11/10 - San Francisco
11/13 - Houston
11/16 - Los Angeles
11/21 - New York

Tickets are scheduled to go on sale on October 8. (Tokyograph)
 
Hope these are a sucess too! :D Though I doubt that he will be super famous in the US, I'm still holding onto the hope that he will.

did you delete your blog? I just went to read it and I can't find the link
No, I didn't! It's still http://andwewonder.blogspot.com. Maybe you left out the "blogspot"? This is one way in which having a Formspring is useful! :)

what do you think about all the fake twitter & facebook accounts made using JE members name?
I don't like it. It's somewhat equivalent to a scam if fans find the account and follow them. But those that I've come across so far are mostly fake, since they are mostly in English or romanji! If people really want to use a JE members name for their own personal account, they should add a "disclaimer" at their profile~

There are rumors that Kamenashi Kazuya is daiting Song Eun Ae is this true?
I did a quick google on Song Eun Ae (I don't even know who she is!) and "song eun ae kamenashi kazuya" popped out. But I couldn't find any articles that actually seemed reliable, or photos. Plus this rumor seems like its two years old, which is before I started getting interested in Japanese entertainment. They might have dated for a while some time back, but I don't think they are together now.

I love your blog!! I'm a lurker but I do comment sometimes lol. I'm a Jin Akanishi fan and your blog is one that has the most posting in one place of his "gossips" lol. It nice when you include the pictures too. There are so many Japanese, Chinese & Thai

Thank you! :D I decided to respond to your comment since it was always in my inbox. This is a 3 month old feedback.

Kimura Takuya kicks guest, enraging some. Kitagawa Keiko injured, filming of Paradise Kiss postponed.

Yesterday, the latest episode of long-running variety show "SMAP X SMAP" was aired. Kimura Takuya, when ended up kicking a comedian who made fun of him for the poor ratings of his drama that was aired earlier this year.

Kimura Takuya has starred in numerous Japanese dramas, the most recent being the previous season's Monday 9PM drama, "Moon Lovers". Despite all the hype surrounding the drama, its ratings were mediocre. There were many complaints about the weak plot

During last night's episode of "SMAP X SMAP", the guest was a comedian named Ariyoshi Hiroiki, who is well-known for being sharp-tongued. He was inventing new names for the SMAP members, and decided to call Kimura Takuya a "getsu9 idiot" (I'm thinking that he said "getsu kyu baka"). After he said it, Kimura glared at him for a while, asked for the filming to be cut, then proceeded to kick Ariyoshi's back. Later, Ariyoshi Hiroiki once again called Kimura a "dorama idiot". Kimura brought Ariyoshi off the set and messed up his hair.

Many netizens have expressed their views on this matter. Some feel that this was already arranged between Kimura and Ariyoshi before the filming, while others are upset that Kimura kicked Ariyoshi when it was just in good fun.

Kitagawa Keiko injured
Kitagawa Keiko, the main star of upcoming movie "Paradise Kiss" suffered a minor injury during filming. Apparently, her fingernail had gotten caught in a jade chain. Although she has said that she is fine, the accident left an obvious scar on her finger. Since it is hard to conceal the scar, filming has been postponed. (Yule)

Filming for "Hotaru no Hikari 2" over for Okamu Musai

Actor Osamu Mukai has been wrote in his blog that the shooting of popular dorama "Hotaru no Hikari 2" os completed. Previously he had reported that filming of TV series "Gegege no Nyoubou" has also come to an end. While the filming for the others is still ongoing, Mukai seems to have finished ahead of time.
In his blog, he also posted a two-shot with co-star Ken Yasuda and he wrote about him and the filming sight, "This is the first time I'm filming together with Yasuda, yet we have gotten really excited while talking about Hokkaido. Just like Fujiki, he is a good 'older brother' "
While "Gegege no Nyoubou" and "Hotaru no Hikari" are still being aired, fans of the two dramas have been bemoaning the approaching endings. (Music Japan+)

Interesting polls~

Female celebrities that should try out a short hairstyle?

01 – (07555) – Kitagawa Keiko
02 – (05819) – Aragaki Yui
03 – (05200) – Nakama Yukie No, I love her long hair! o_o
04 – (05198) – Kuroki Meisa
05 – (01691) – Toda Erika
06 – (01399) – Kuriyama Chiaki
07 – (01337) – Aoi Yuu
08 – (01323) – Mizukawa Asami
09 – (00490) – Tabe Mikako

If you were to run the 24h TV Marathon, which Johnny's talent should await you at the goal line?
01 – (07980) – Other (not listed)
02 – (06292) – Sakurai Sho
03 – (04186) – Ikuta Toma
04 – (04105) – Yamashita Tomohisa
05 – (03473) – Matsumoto Jun
06 – (02834) – Kimura Takuya
07 – (02031) – Okada Junichi
08 – (01416) – Nishikido Ryo
09 – (01227) – Nagase Tomoya
10 – (00859) – Domoto Koichi


Your favorite member of "BECK" in the movie?

01 – (18322) – Mukai Osamu (Taira)
02 – (09291) – Sato Takeru (Koyuki)
03 – (07114) – Mizushima Hiro (Ryusuke) The reason why darling Hiro wasn't first was his bad hair...
04 – (05093) – Kiritani Kenta (Chiba)
05 – (01320) – Nakamura Aoi (Saku)
(Kawaii Joyuu)

Kame and Akanishi not getting along a major cause of Jin's going solo? [Akame according to Bubka]

According to Bubka, a rather infamous gossip mag in Japan, the reason why Akanishi Jin left KAT-TUN is because of another member, Kamenashi Kazuya, with whom his relationship was describe as irreparable.

According to someone in the know, the oppostion between Akanishi and the other five members of KAT-TUN has "been getting worse over the years, especially with Kamenashi Kazuya, it is as if their relationship is so broken that it cannot be fixed".

Some time back, Akanishi had left a message on the internet, stating that he and the rest of KAT-TUN "were heading in different directions of development". He also emphasised that he does not dislike the other members and does not have any personal problems with them. However, there has been recent news of Akanishi, who was at a bar in Korea at that time, voicing out his true thoughts. He said "When I'm in the same space as that guy (Kamenashi Kazuya), things will become very unnatural and fustrating." and "I've thought of quitting KAT-TUN since a long time ago."

On the other hand, Kamenashi has also been angered by the "irresponsible" Akanishi. "If he hears Akanishi's name being mentioned at filming or recording studios, he will look very upset and criticise Jin openly, saying things like, 'The day he suceeds is the day America ends.' (Kantsuu)

The reason why I decided to post this is because I saw it on another site. To me, the story about Jin getting drunk and "unveiling his deepest secrets" sounds a bit too dramatic. And even if Kame hates Akanishi's guts, I'm sure he wouldn't be announcing it to everyone he works with. True, I always felt that the relationships in KT were never as natural as Arashi's, but surely they couldn't be that strained?

S/N: Bubka is well-known as a gossip rag. Please keep this in mind~

**added on September 17, 2010, FRIDAY**
Hello everyone, as you can see there have been some very long and emotional comments about this article, and I've seen quite a few posts on Tumblr regarding this article as well. And I know I usually say that I love comments, but after reading all the comments (14 as of now, but I'm going to delete some), I will be removing some off them either because they are too vulgar or just too distasteful. And please do not post stuff like "this article is full of bulls***" because I am going to delete it now! Besides the use of rude words, I really dislike it! I know this is really petty and I hate it when I see this type of thing on other sites but you are the one that chose to read the article. I translated the article from a Chinese entertainment site, which got it off Bubka. How many times do I have to say that Bubka is an "infamous gossip rag"?

CHINESE GOSSIP SITE + BUBKA = 2 X UNRELIABILITY

Some might think that, "If you knew that this might be trash, why bother translating and spreading this rubbish around?". To be honest, I don't really know why I translated this article, it's just for my (and your) entertainment. If you don't want to read, don't read it! And if you really have such a big problem with me translating it, instead of slamming me down anonymously on the internet, send me an email with your point. I will read it and reply unless it's really full of rubbish.

There might be some truth about the article, but it could be grearly exaggerated. Do you have to become so emotional that you have to cuss and write down all sorts of crackpot conspiracy theories about the other party? I am okay with you voicing your views in a restrained manner and maybe providing some extra things about the matter (eg. who attended who's concert) but I get annoyed and distressed when people start hating on someone else, like Kame, Jin, Jin's friends, T-TUN and me! Don't worry though, hating on Johnny Kitagawa and Bubka is fine. :p

I was contemplating disabling comments or deleting the entire post, but then I'd be depriving fans who know how to not take things to seriously of their gossip and the chance for them to air their views/share knowledge. So, please keep your comments clean and relatively objective or I'll delete them!

Also, could we have more comments with names! It's so dull to keep on seeing "Anonymous". And it makes replying to comments hard too. =.= Just give yourself a dumb name there's no need to add your email or website.

Ah, feels so good to let that all out! ~(^0.0^)~ I've just deleted 3 comments. All had vulgarities. This is supposed to be a deterrent, but of course, those who know how to comment without using too many expletives and with respect towards others are always welcome to air their views! :D

Otsuka Ai pregnant, due to give birth in April 2011

On Saturday, singer Otsuka Ai (28) held a live performance in Yokohama, her first concert since announcing her marriage to RIP SLYME rapper SU (36) in June. During the concert's encore, right before her final song, she revealed to her fans that she is currently pregnant and is expected to give birth in spring of next year.
Otsuka said that she learned she was pregnant this summer. Newspapers are reporting that she is now in her third month, with a due date in April.
She stated that after her concert on the following day, she will likely not do any more live performances until after the baby is born. However, she plans to keep doing her other work as much as possible, including television and radio appearances. She will also continue with her musical activities even after the childbirth. (Tokyograph)

Pictures - KAT-TUN purikura, Yamada Ryosuke and his sis as kids, etc.

A KAT-TUN purikura from happier days. From top to bottom, Taguchi Junnosuke, Akanishi Jin, Nakamaru Yuichi.

Yamada Ryosuke and his sister as kids.

Akanishi Jin as a kid, though I think this photo looks too well taken to be true.

Nino, looking cool. NOT.

Sources: KAT-TUN purikura - Janimoe; kawaii Yamada Ryosuke and sis - Janimoe; Akanishi as a kid - Janimoe; Nino sunglasses - Janimoe

For those who might be wondering, different photos come from different posts, hence the need to list down the links separately when they are from the same site.

Hotaru no Hikari 2 interviews - NG Queen, getting the name of the drama wrong!

There's been a lack of interesting news, so at the moment I'm just translating some articles I find. These two are on Hotaru no Hikari 2. :D

"Hotaru no Hikari 2" is set to be the champion for this year's summer rankings. Since the show is airing in Taiwan as well , here some excerpts from an interview with the lead actors of the show, Ayase Hauka, Naohito Fujiki and Osamu Mukai.

When told that the show was doing well in Taiwan, Ayase Haruka exclaimed, "What will happen if everyone thinks that Japan is made out of himono onna!" She spoke of cast member Itaya Yuka going to Taiwan to promote the drama, "How lucky! We want to go to Taiwan to eat xiao long bao (dumplings) too! As the Taiwanese and Japanese names of the show are different, the absent-minded Ayase asked, "Isn't the Taiwanese name 'Himono onna in China'?", causing everyone to burst out in peals of laughter. After being corrected by a staff on the site, she blushingly apologised.

Osamu Mukai, who is very good in cooking, made fun of the himono onna Ayase acts as in the drama (Ameimiya Hotaru), saying that the character is too exaggerated. He pointed out "Look at her trackpants, the area at the knee is all worn out and she continues to wear them!" (yule)

"Hotaru no Hikari 2" is going to have some Taiwanese flavour! It is currently being broadcast in both Japan and Taiwan. According to the staff behing the drama, there will be something related to Taiwan in the 9th episode of the drama. Taiwanese viewers are all hoping that there will be a filming in Taiwan if there is a third series.

The three co-stars Ayase Haruka, Fujiki Naohito and Osamu Mukai have become good friends during the filming of this drama, and Fujiki and Osamu talked about how Ayase is an NG queen, complaining that she often laughs when filming. Though she was busy denying this, Osamu told her, "Do you know how many times you NG in one day? Someimes even I don't know what I can do to save you.". (yule)

Oda Yuji's wife is Noda Maiko

Late last month, it was announced that actor Oda Yuji (42) had gotten married to a 30-year-old woman. No other information was given at that time, arousing the curiousity of many. Today's edition of Tokyo Sports has announced that his wife is a beauty by the name of Noda Maiko.

Noda Maiko was born in Ashiya, Hyogo. Her mother was a model and her father is a heavyweight in the fashion industry. When Noda was studying in university, she was chosen to model for some magazines. After her graduation, she specialised in makeup and beauty, and often appeared in the beauty columns of magazines. She was a guest on the show "NINETY-NINE SIZE". Though she is not so well-known as a beauty specialist, her family is very well-regarded.

Earlier, Oda Yuji had confirmed that he will be acting in a drama that will be aired in January 2011. The filming for this drama will take him to San Fransisco after his ongoing honeymoon, but his wife will be going back to Japan instead of accompanying him to the filming site. The Japanese media is pretty disappointed about this, since they have been waiting eagerly to get a two-shot of the couple! (YNET)

Arashi is the Overall Favourite Artist of 2010! (Ori★Suta)

According to 20,000 music fans, popular JE group Arashi now deserves to be called the “Favorite Artist” for 2010.


Since 2004, Ori★Suta has been conducting this poll annually. The survey records the opinions of both male and female participants, from varying age groups. It was only last year that Arashi made it to the list, earning the respectable 4th place – yet today, they already bagged the No. 1 spot.

The poll revealed that not only did Arashi achieve the overall top rank, but also placed 1st in 7 out of 14 categories. These results demonstrate that the group is well-liked by many, regardless of sex or age.

The latest issue of Ori★Suta will be released on the 10th and will contain the polls conducted.
OVERALL FAVORITE ARTIST
1. Arashi
2. Ikimonogakari
3. Mr. Children
4. Kimura Kaela
5. aiko
6. Fukuyama Masaharu
7. Utada Hikaru
8. B’z
9. Spitz
10. YUI

FAVORITE ARTIST, AS VOTED BY WOMEN
1. Arashi
2. aiko
3. Ikimonogakari
4. Fukuyama Masaharu
5. Kimura Kaela
6. Mr. Childrean
7. Kobukuro
8. Utada Hikaru
9. Spitz
10. Ayaka
FAVORITE ARTIST, AS VOTED BY MEN
1. Mr. Children
2. Ikimonogakari
3. Kimura Kaela
4. B’z
5. YUI
6. Southern All Stars
7. Utada Hikaru
8. aiko
9. Spitz
10. Fukuyama Masaharu
(tokyohive)

Mizushima Hiro takes such good care of Ayaka that she has put on weight

Currently, singer Ayaka Iida (22) has been taking a break due to her suffering from Graves' Disease. Her devoted husband, Mizushima Hiro (26), although busy with the production and promotion of the movie "BECK", seems to be finding time to take care of her.

In "BECK", Mizushima plays the role of a genius guitarist in a band. However, in real life, he does not have any experience with playing the guitar. A person involved in the production of the movie said, "To improve his guitar-playing for the movie, Mizushima cut back on sleep to train. But after filmings, when we go out to drink, he does not participate much and goes home before midnight. Undoubtedly, he goes home early is to take care of his wife.".

On September 2, Ayaka was in Ginza, wearing a dress and sunglasses. She had short hair and her ring was shining brilliantly. Though she was more plump, she looked like she was in good health. She went into a salon for two hours and then came out, looking radiant.

Some say that Ayaka might be pregnant, since she and Mizushima had mentioned wanting to have children. However, I jus googled Graves' Disease, and it seems like it might affect pregnancy.

The magazine that reported this has pictures of Ayaka in Ginza, but I can't find them right now. It is good that Ayaka is putting on weight anyway, since she was is sick. (Entame)

I'm so glad they're both doing so well.

Sakurai Sho and Horikita Maki dating?

This January, Sakurai Sho and Horikita Maki played rivals in the TBS drama 'Tokujo Kabachi!!'. It seems that their relationship has gone beyond than just being co-stars in a drama.

According to a restaurant manager in Shinjuku, "I don't have the slightest idea why, but somehow Sakurai-kun and Maki-chan have been appearing frequently at a gay bar, and it's also curious that Endo Kenichi is also with them. It's just a combination that's unheard of. With bodies touching, Sakurai-kun and Maki-chan seemed like a pair of lovers. Looking over them from a distant was Kenichi-san, it's like he was their guardian."

Sakurai and Horikita are around the same age, enthusiastic about their jobs and also serious, perhaps these factors make them understand each other well. While filming for Tokujo Kabachi!!, Horikita said "Keeping in mind that we're rivals at loggerheads, I always try to hate him even when there's no filming." Sakurai countered this, replying, "That doesn't happen at all, the smiles actually never stop!"

Of course, Johnny's are fussy about relationships. Sakurai might be using a third person to avoid media scrutiny. Up till now, he hasn't been involved in any big scandals with the ladies. He must be really good at being discreet.

With Arashi's popularity now going beyond SMAP's, it's natural that Sakurai would be careful regarding his relations with women. Being with both an intimate friend and a drinking mate at the same time seems like a sensible method for crisis management. If this relationship turns into love, perhaps Endo will be known as the Cupid with a gentle heart. (unleashthegeek; Japanese source - Cyzowoman)

Akanishi Jin appearing in Pirates of the Carribean?

Gossip magazine Shukan Josei reported on September 7 that ex-KAT-TUN member, Akanishi Jin, will debut in Pirates of the Caribbean 4, which is scheduled for release sometime in 2011.
Shukan Josei contacted Walt Disney Japan for confirmation on the rumor, but they said that they have not been informed about it yet.
If this is true, it would be a great chance for Jin, because according to Shukan Josei, Jin has been saying that his goal is Hollywood. (tokyohive)

Well, I'd definitely watch it in the cinemas if he's in it! *o*

Hello! I just read your http://andwewonder.blogspot.com/2010/08/pictorial-post.html. You mentioned that Kame went for plastic surgery. IS IT TRUE?!?! If it is, what surgery did he undergo!?

Kamenashi Kazuya. Photo on the left is ancient, photo on the right is (somewhat) recent.

The source that I got the photo from stated that Kame went for double eyelid surgery. He does look very different from when he was a Johnny's Jr and now, so it might be true. However, there are a lot more rumors about all these artists getting plastic surgery and there are whole websites dedicated to them, such as http://seikeich.jugem.jp/ and http://iigazou.jugem.jp/. The second site even has 34 entries on the 6 members of KAT-TUN alone! None of the Johnny's have confirmed going for plastic surgery, so we don't know for sure. I hope you continue to love them, regardless of whether they went for surgery or not~

Ask me something on Formspring!

Staff from Ueda's solo concert suffered from food poisoning, two hospitalised

I saw this article a few days back but decided not to translate it then, because I felt that it was quite a minor bit of news. But now I feel like sharing it with everyone, since you're probably interested in anything there is to know about KAT-TUN! >_<

Ueda Tatsuya (26) of KAT-TUN has been plagued by bad luck recently. On August 27, he broke his toe during KAT-TUN's concert. Still, he perservered and came back for their second concert the next day. His actions touched fans greatly. He then went on to perform his solo concert in Hiroshima on August 29.

However, it seems that there was an outbreak of food poisoning amongst the staff who were preparing for the concert. Over 10 staff were said to be affected, with 17 in their late 10s and early 20s reporting symptoms such as abdominal pain and vomiting. Two of the staff were hospitalised. Since all of them ate similar catered food, the food poisoning outbreak is probably from that meal.

Ueda himself was not affected by this incident. Apparently, another food poisoning case had occured at the same venue in 2007, with over 40 people being admitted to hospital. (Entame)

Kame under threat from yarakashi again?

On August 31, Akanashi Jin's name was removed from KAT-TUN's member listing on Johnny's official website and listed separately as a solo artist. Fans all over the world were upset about it, but it seems that some annoying fans (read yarakashi) are getting all furious about it (again!) and have started maliciously harassing someone pretty much unconnected with the matter: Kamenashi Kazuya, the other half of Akame. Again!

East Sports reported that there fans online are plotting to bring lasers into the concerts and shine them in Kame's eyes. (This can cause blindness)

This comes just after KAT-TUN had sucessfully wrapped up their world tour in Taiwan. The only hiccup was that Ueda Tatsuya injured himself.

This is the fault of no one but these twisted fans, as Akanishi Jin himself had ever, at a concert ages ago when he was still with KAT-TUN, tell the yarakashi to stop harassing Kame. (Azashi)

I really don't understand what these people are trying to achieve by hurting Kame. It's not like he told Akanishi to leave KAT-TUN or anything. If they are looking for someone to blame, it could be Kitagawa Johnny, but even he doesn't deserve this sort of treatment~ And for ceying out loud, it's Akanishi's dream to suceed overseas as a solo artist!

Arashi's amazing concert

Arashi’s concert at the National Stadium was truly spectacular, as around 70,000 fans and other celebrities were amazed at the production numbers and effects used at the event. As of now, this is arguably the best and longest concert that Arashi has ever had since their debut.
•The concert used 600 tons of water and 15 metre high waterfalls

•Arashi opened their concert singing “Summer Splash!” and they appeared from behind a wall of water

•They ended the concert with their hit single “Monster”, followed by 1400 fireworks and another round of water shooting out of the fountains

•This has been the longest concert Arashi had ever done. It lasted for over three and a half hours and they performed 42 songs

•Arashi’s leader, Ohno Satoshi, shared that this concert is very different from previous concerts. “Unlike other concerts where we only sing our hit singles, this concert brought us back to our roots”

•Some of the celebrities spotted watching the concert were Oguri Shun, Horikita Maki, Miyake Ken, Ikuta Toma, Ogura Tomoaki, and Sugisaki Mika

•During the concert, Arashi members also talked about the problems they have faced before doing the concert. Since they’ve become national pop stars, they really have busy schedules to the point that they only had a few days to rehearse

•Matsumoto Jun informed the people that he almost passed out during rehearsals due to extreme hot weather

•Sakurai Sho was relieved when the concert day finally came because he shared that the group only got the chance to get together between midnight and sunrise (poor guys)

•Aside from the tons of water used, they also used 50,000 balloons, 50 searchlights, 11 moving staircases, 2 self-propelled moving stages, and 2 lift stages
•All of the concerts will be performed in dome stadiums because of the production requirements. However, Arashi stated that they’re not really after large scale things, “I’d still like to perform in halls and arenas again,” Matsumoto said. :D

The concert will continue to run until January of next year, and their concert venues include Osaka, Sapporo, Nagoya, and Fukuoka. (tokyohive)

These Johnny's concerts are really badass compared to those in other places. And cheap, too. Seeing that tickets in Singapore cost about $100.

Everyone has only praise for Mizushima Hiro~

“BECK” was finally released yesterday, on the 4th of September. Cast members Mizushima Hiro, Sato Takeru, Kiritani Kenta, Mukai Osamu, and Nakamura Aoi showed up at the premiere event at a theater in Tokyo and greeted the audience.

Cast members had a lot of positive things to say about Hiro, who played the leader of the band. Takeru said, "Please co-star with me again*!" While Kenta expressed, "I love you (To Hiro). He seems little cold, but he is actually a very nice and hot guy.".

After Hiro heard their kind words, he shyly said, “I am sweating like crazy. Not only from being bashful, but also from feelings like ‘I’m glad that I tried my best for the movie’. I can’t describe my feelings.” (tokyohive)

*BECK is the second time that Mizushima Hiro and Sato Takeru are co-stars. Last year, they co-starred in the jdorama Mei-chan no Shitsuji.

Arashi to the rescue for JAL

Japan Airlines, which is currently undergoing reconstruction due to its financial troubles, is looking to boost its business with Arashi's help. The airline has commissioned a single "Arashi Jet," which is basically a Boeing 777 whose fuselage is decorated with a 5-meter-tall, 20-meter-wide seal bearing the images of Arashi's members, along with the title of their latest album, "Boku no Miteiru Fuukei."

The plane will take its first flight on Sunday at 1:30pm, flying from Tokyo's Haneda Airport to Osaka. The plane is expected to be primarily used for domestic flights, serving the routes between Haneda and three other airports: New Chitose Airport in Sapporo, Itami Airport in Osaka, and Fukuoka Airport in Fukuoka.

JAL plans to use the plane until January 2011.

In addition to the Arashi Jet, JAL will be selling the "Boku no Miteiru Fuukei" album (with a specially designed cover) in-flight on several of its domestic routes. (Tokyograph)

Highlight of this picture post: Mizushima Hiro in his student days!

KAT-TUN arriving in Taiwan. Highlights of this video: 1. A fan holding a Tamamori Yuta uchiwa?!, 2. Kame picking up a uchiwa that a fan dropped and throwing it back to her (0:43), and 3. A fan waving a turtle toy around! This video makes me feel like screaming along with the other fans so so much. And Maru looks like a teenage boy who just happened to follow KAT-TUN off the plane~ How adorkable!

Akanishi Jin with his younger brother, Akanishi Fuuta. The younger bro's name used to be Akanishi Reio, but he changed it Akanishi Fuuta.

Jin with Kusano Hironori (some ex-member of NEWS who is no longer with JE)

Sakurai Sho's sister, Sakurai Mai.

Mizushima Hiro from his school days! His real name is Saito Tomohiro, hence the different kanji. Like the site which I got it from said, finding leaked photos of Hiro is a treasure. I'm glad about that, though!

Kitagawa Keiko as a student.

She seems to have gotten a tattoo, though.

Aiba Masaki as a kiddy.

The Akanishi brothers - choko44; Jin w Akira Hironori - choko44; Sakurai Mai - Auragazou; Mizushima Hiro student - Auragazou; Kitagawa Keiko student - Auragazou; Kitagawa Keiko tattoo - Auragzou; Aiba Masaki child - choko44

Some Japanese whack for you

It's one of the key sights of a Japanese summer: women shading their fair skin from the fierce sun with a parasol. However, there has been an emergence of a new fashion trend, the male parasol-user (日傘男子, higasa danshi).

This news might not surprise everyone, especially considering how metrosexual Japanese men sometimes are, and what a record-breaking scorcher of a summer it's been. Perhaps the most infamous famous example are the soushokudanshi (草食男子; literally, herbivore boy), who value shopping and preening over dates and sex. Certainly these fellas would want to protect themselves against UV rays.

Department stores actually stock parasols especially for male consumers now, with simple designs ideal to match with jeans, t-shirts or suits. J-Cast reports that Isetan have broadened their range of male parasols from five types last year to twelve in 2010.

One specialist store in Osaka established in the Meiji period has sold over a thousand male parasols so far this year and stock some rather fancy designs! The majority of customers have been businessmen in their twenties, thirties and forties, says Sankei. Hankyu have also been selling many more parasols than in previous years — more and more men are concerned about getting heat stroke while out and about.

There also seems to be some history of this, with samurai and others certainly using higasa, including even in snowy regions to keep dry. (JapanTrends)

Another crack photo I came across from the same website.

And this random video that I got off YouTube.

Kudo Shizuka celebrates art prize win with hubby KimuTaku and their daughter(s)

Daily Sports reported that Kimura Takuya’s (37) wife Kudo Shizuka (40), spoke about how she and her family had celebrated her art prize win at a press conference for blue ribbon winners at the National Art Center in Tokyo yesterday.

It is the first time Kudo has won a blue ribbon prize for her art, which is being shown in the 95th Nika Exhibition.
The singer said she was overwhelmed she had been awarded a prize that had only been given to 25 art pieces out of the total 3007 which had been sent in for the exhibition. “It is a prize that has come after 15 years of working slowly so I’m very happy,” she said.
Kudo said her husband and their daughter were equally excited about the win. “They both said ‘That’s amazing!’. They said it was a big occasion so we went out to eat yakiniku,” she said.
Kudo’s piece, titled “瞳の奥 (Hitomi no Oku)” portrays a girl and butterflies intertwined together in color. She said it had taken one year to finish. “I wanted to make the face more exotic, but as I went into doing the finishing touches it turned into a younger girl."
“She looks like (my) daughter I guess,” she commented.
It is the 15th time Kudo has had her art accepted into the exhibition since her first in 1990.
The 95th Nika Exhibition runs from September 1 – 13 at the National Art Center in Roppongi, Tokyo. (MomoEdgewood's Mediawatch)

Yamapi and Jin still good friends (photo proof!)

Yamashita Tomohisa and Akanishi Jin at the Azabu Juban Festival (around 20-22Aug). So it seems that the gossip about the two of them not getting along was just some cheap trick to up circulation. Though I can recognise Yamapi, Jin sure doesn't look like, well, Jin. (I'm assuming he's the man in the white shirt) (Azashi)

Everyone, thanks for your input on the "Should I continue adding the label 'KAT-TUN' to news related to Jin" matter. I will continue to label any news involving Jin with the tag "KAT-TUN", since the majority of you have voted that way. Personally, that was my preference too, since I learnt about KAT-TUN and Jin together.

*updated*

This should be the photos you are talking about, right? (Agazou)

Formspringer

how does the back hair of tamamori yuta look?

I've only ever seen him in Gokusen 3's SP and the Gokusen movie so I don't know much about him. And he probably had a special hairstyle for filming, but I think his hair was light brown during the movie? And the back part was long (some strands of hair were touching his shoulder. It was pretty layered and wispy. All this is from my memory, so it might not be so accurate. Haha, I don't think this helped much!

am i cute?

YOU'RE DEFINITELY NOT AS CUTE AS UEDA~ [:
Weird question, but thanks for brightening up my Formspring! It's been dead for a long time now. :/

Please, people, ask me a question on Formspring! Use the widget at the sidebar or click here. :D Oh, I've also started uploading some clips onto YouTube, so you might want to see them here. But I don't know if I'll keep this up since the uploading time is really long and I'm not so sure if there are any copyright issues. (Well, I'm sure there are, but I don't know if I'll get caught) :p

Surprise birthday celebration for Matsujun, held by none other than Arashi

Tokyo Sports reported that Arashi members held a surprise birthday party for Matsumoto Jun last weekend. Since the other members wanted to surprise him, they lied and told him that the location they were headed to was a shoot for “Himitsu no Arashi-chan”. As it turns out, not only were the other members in on Jun’s surprise, but so were all the staff from “Himitsu no Arashi-chan” and “Arashi ni Shiyagare“.
Since Jun is into hot springs and yakiniku (Japanese barbecue), Ohno Satoshi and Ninomiya Kazunari gave Jun a ticket to lodge at the hot springs, and Aiba Masaki and Sakurai Sho gave him yakiniku invitation tickets.
At the end of the party, Jun was shown a short movie that the other members made for him, and it consisted of pictures, group narrations, and music. As soon as Jun watched the movie, he started crying, and he said, “I’m glad to be in Arashi."
One of the biggest reasons that Arashi is so popular is that members love each other, isn’t it? (Tokyograph)

This is just so sweet~ *I'm at a loss to find suitable words to describe my feelings*

Nakama Yukie vs Dan Rei for new Tuesday night drama

The stars of one of Fuji TV's drama series this coming winter have already been announced. Although the show does not yet have a title, it will be led by Nakama Yukie (30) and Dan Rei (39), apparently working together for the first time. Filming already started on August 30.
The show portrays a suspenseful battle between two women. Nakama takes on the role of a mysterious "wicked woman," while Dan plays a housewife of a happy home. After the two meet, their peaceful lives become a complicated mess of both friendship and jealousy.
The series begins in January and will air in Fuji TV's Tuesday 10:00pm time slot. (Tokyograph)