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Found on YouTube: ‘Shiisaa no Gokigenyousa’
One of the funniest skits I’ve seen by Garage Sale from the FujiTV show “Wannai R&R” (One Night Rock ‘n Roll). Garage Sale — watchers of the NHK series “Chura-san” will be familiar with the comedic duo — Okinawan-ize a well-established variety show called “RAION no Gokigenyou” (see clips from the original on YouTube) complete…
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Yu Yamada’s Younger Brother to Make TV Drama Debut
Popular model/actress/singer Yu Yamada’s (22) younger brother, Shintaro (20), will be making his small screen debut on a TBS drama called “Yamada Taro Monogatari” which starts on July 6, 2007. The drama will also star Kazunari Ninomiya from the popular Johnny’s J-pop group Arashi. [Via Yahoo! Japan.]
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melody. Takes It Up a Notch for 2007
She’s one of my favorite J-Pop artists and it looks like 2007 is going to be a big year for the Hawaii-born melody. With the release of her forthcoming single “Love Story” (video) looming ahead of us at the end of this month, melody.’s been busy as the VJ for an NHK music show called…
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Soundtrack for the Film ‘Koishikute’
While we wait patiently for the film to start its run in Japan theaters (and pray for it to make it to US theaters), we can check out the “Koishikute” OST (original soundtrack) in the meantime. The 22-track OST (TECI-1154) will hit record store shelves on March 21, 2007 — before the film’s opening in…
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Namie Amuro’s 2nd Single for 2007
Namie Amuro’s (aka Japan’s “Queen of Hip-Pop”) first single release of the year, “Baby Don’t Cry” (January 24, 2007), is doing quite well in the Oricon singles chart having peaked at the #3 spot. With a great start for 2007 what’s next for the singer? Marriage? Another child? Maybe. But for now, we know for…
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What Do These Three Have in Common?
Konishiki – a retired sumo wrestler and popular celeb Rimi Natsukawa – one of Japan’s top vocalists Jake Shimabukuro – ukulele player extraordinaire The answer? An hour-long music special called “Melody Club” that I still hear people raving about although it aired on Hawaii’s KIKU-TV station on January 7, 2007. (The lowdown on the show:…
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Rimi Natsukawa to Go Independent!
Phew, just got home from practice, took a much needed shower and I see this bit of news waiting for me to read in my newsreader. Not sure how major this bit of news will be to most readers out there but to me, this is pretty big. Rimi Natsukawa (33), who will take a…
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Yuji Nakae’s ‘Koishikute’ Trailer Now Online
Perhaps the most anticipated film of 2007 for Okinawa movie fans is “Koishikute”, directed by Yuji Nakae (“Hotel Hibiscus”, “Nabbie’s Love”), and based on the early days of J/O-Pop super group BEGIN. You can now view the trailer of the film (kudos to them for making it available on Apple’s superb QT format too) on…
Karakui 