KAT-TUN doing well without Akanishi Jin

When Akanishi Jin (26) left KAT-TUN earlier this year, some fans voiced concerns about whether the band would be able to do as well without him. It now seems that their fears are unfounded as KAT-TUN has landed a new CM contract with Suzuki.

KAT-TUN will be promoting the new Suzuki Solio, a compact 5-seater car. It will be released on 24 December 2010. Apparently, the advertisers were looking for a "popular idol group that has character".

From year 2002 to 2007, KAT-TUN appeared in many CMs. The companies they advertised for included NTT Sky DoCoMo and Lotte. However, Akanishi then left to study English in America, so their CM activities became rather limited.

Well, this is a good step for KAT-TUN, and since Jin seems to be doing well in America, it seems that the dcision for Jin to leave KT was the right one after all.

The article also mentions that Tanaka Koki (25) held a rather early year-end party at a shabu-shabu restaurant? (Azashi)

Arashi outperforms everyone again! (Oricon 2010)

Oricon has compiled total sales data for the top artists of 2010, counting singles, albums, and DVDs. This year's top artist was Arashi, with more than 17.16 billion yen worth of sales. In fact, Arashi ranks as the #1 artist in seven different categories: Total gross sales for an artist; Total gross single sales for an artist; Copies sold for an album; Gross sales for an album; Copies sold for a music DVD; Gross sales for a music DVD; Total gross music DVD sales for an artist.

Arashi easily outdid their numbers from 2009, when they were also the #1 selling artist at 14.46 billion yen. (Tokyograph)

I couldn't help but grin while reading this article.

AKB48 and (awesome) Arashi dominate top 10 of Oricon 2010 Rankings (Singles)

Oricon is beginning to release its cumulative sales data for 2010. So far, it has announced the Top 50 in singles and albums, as well as the Top 5 in total sales. As predicted, the singles rankings were dominated by Arashi and AKB48, who together held all of the Top 10 spots.

This is the first time in the ranking's history that the Top 10 has been occupied by just two artists. Before this, the record was five artists in the Top 10, which happened in 1989.

AKB48 had the top 2 singles with "Beginner" and "Heavy Rotation." They are only the third female artist to hold the top 2 singles of the year, a feat previously accomplished by Princess Princess in 1989 and Pink Lady in 1978.

Arashi, who had the top 2 singles in 2008 and the top 3 singles in 2009, settled for taking 6 of the top 10 spots this year.

Top 50 Singles:

1. Beginner - AKB48 - 954,283
2. Heavy Rotation - AKB48 - 713,275
3. Troublemaker - Arashi - 698,542
4. Monster - Arashi - 696,022
5. Ponytail to Chouchou - AKB48 - 659,959
6. Hatenai Sora - Arashi - 656,343
7. Love Rainbow - Arashi - 620,057
8. Chance no Junban - AKB48 - 596,769
9. Dear Snow - Arashi - 591,207
10. To be free - Arashi - 516,142

(Tokyograph)

Akanishi and Warner Music Group, video

Akanishi Jin (26) returned to Japan from the US on the 9th of December. On the same day, it was announced that he had signed a recording deal with Warner Music Group, one of the four biggest recording companies in the world.

In a recent interview by カミカミ(?), Akanishi said that he aims on doing his best regardless of what country he performs in. He also talked about how he hopes to do well in America and expand his career.

He is the first solo Japanese artist to be signed on to Warner Group on a global basis.

Skip to 2:18 and 3:27 to hear his English!

(Entame)

"Life's more fun when you're an idiot."

I've been such a bum recently. I haven't found a job and probably won't be finding one and my room still isn't cleaned out. Everywhere I look there's all my notes, worksheets, (undone) assessment books and homework that I couldn't wait to throw out before O levels. Well, they're still here and everytime I look at them I remember that I'll be collecting my results next month. I really wish I had studied more but it can't be changed.

Watched Fine, Totally Fine for the third time yesterday. Been watching Guilty too, but since it's still showing I only get to watch one episode a week. And I think watching another drama while waiting for the rest of the series will somehow decrease my viewership experience, so...

I was definitely planning on changing the layout of this blog, but still haven't got around to doing it.

Why is it that I find life more stressful now that I don't have to do anything?

Mizushima's book KAGEROU is released

   

Mizushima Hiro's (26) debut novel, "KAGEROU", goes on sale today (15 December 2010) in Japan. The book has already won the grand prize in the fifth Poplar Corporation fiction contest. The book, to be released under Mizushima's real name, Tomohiro Saito, is about a debt-ridden man who attempts to commit suicide but is stopped by another man. It is meant to showcase the preciousness of life.

Before the book hit the shelves, there was a flood of around 400 000 pre-orders for the book. 430 000 books were printed and a reprint will be taking place soon.

It looks like "KAGEROU" is set to become a best-selling novel! (Mainichi)

Buy the book online here.

Maybe it's just me, but as a non-Japanese speaker I can't stop typing "KANGEROU".

I'm back from Africa! Whenever I tell people I'm going to Africa for holiday they're like, "What?!" but my trip was surprisingly normal. Anyway, I'm now back with an unintentional tan, mild jet lag (or maybe I'm just being lazy), and 50 trillion Zimbabwe dollars(I'm serious).

I also have no idea what has happened over the past two weeks, hence this picture post! I was planning to update while overseas since my family was bringing a laptop along but then I found out that there was no Internet anywhere. Actually there was Internet in some places but you have to pay and I wasn't going to pay. Hello, you go to Africa to see wild animals and waterfalls.

But first, guess who! Answer's at the bottom of this post.

Some Ayase Haruka application form thing.

An ad for Aiba's newest drama "Bartender", where he plays a, uhm, bartender.

Sources: Ayase Haruka application - Auragazou; Aiba Masaki bartender - choko44; Guess who - Agazou

Guess who answer (highlight to read): Yamashita Tomhisa (NEWS) and his younger sis