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Yanawarabaa announces new single for 2008
Ishigakijima J/O-pop duo Yanawarabaa announced a new single for 2008, “Sakura” (2/6/08), which will be released in two versions: CD+DVD (the DVD featuring live footage from their “Utagusui” tour) and a CD-only version (it’ll be an enhanced CD featuring a photo slideshow of the duo). “Sakura” will be used as the theme song for the…
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HandMC announces new double A-side single for 2008
Striking while the andagi’s still hot, our favorite J-rock band, HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR (HandMC, Haikara), announced a new double A-side single for 2008: “Flashback/Komorebi no Uta.” The single, which will be released on February 27, will be the band’s 12th with “Flashback” being an uptempo rocker and “Komorebi no Uta” a slow ballad featuring…
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More drama theme songs announced – Tokyograph
News of new albums/singles for release in 2008 by artists slowly trickle in as we close 2007 and the latest is J-pop singer melody.’s “Haruka” which will be the theme song for TBS’s “Daisuki!!” The singer’s last single to be used as a theme song in a drama was 2005’s “realize” for “Dragon Zakura.” (Via…
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Yu Yamada stars in Japan’s own “200 Pounds Beauty” – Tokyograph
Actress Yu Yamada has landed her first starring role in a movie, titled ‘Kanna-san, Daiseikou Desu!’ Directed by Koichi Inoue, the film draws from the same source as last year’s Korean hit comedy ‘200 Pounds Beauty,’ which starred Kim Ah-jung. ‘Kanna-san, Daiseikou Desu!’ is originally a manga by Yumiko Suzuki. It tells the story of…
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Kiroro to resume activity – Tokyograph
Okinawan duo Kiroro announced that they are planning to fully resume activity next month, in time for the 10th anniversary of their major label debut. The two women both got married in 2005, and Kiroro was put on hold as they each prepared for motherhood. Ayano Kinjo gave birth in November of that year, and…
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Kazutoshi Matsuda posts pics from Okinawa’s New Year’s TV specials
Popular utasha (Okinawan folk singer) Kazutoshi “Kaazuu” Matsuda recently performed in two of Okinawa’s New Year’s TV specials: RBC’s “Kouhaku Uta-gassen” and OTV’s “Shinshun! Shimauta no Saiten.” Although both shows won’t air until January (RBC’s one on 1/2, OTV’s on 1/3), Kaazuu is sharing a few pics on his blog which gives us a preview…
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Cocco’s ‘Jugon no Mieru Oka’ links to Okinawa
Being a big fan of Cocco’s art and music, I was pleasantly surprised to hear the tun-tun-ten of a sanshin in her latest single “Jugon no Mieru Oka.” Although that alone is pretty cool in itself, Cocco goes on to sing (at 4:51) lyrics from “Ittaa Anmaa Maakaiga”, an Okinawan warabi uta (children’s song). While…
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They call him ‘jimihen’
Continuing their tradition of releasing a commemorative t-shirt with album releases from legendary utasha Seijin Noborikawa, Respect Record has the “Suikojizai” shirt available for purchase at record stores (like Takara Records on Kokusai) or online at their website. The album is set to be released on 1/16/08. (Via the Campus Record Staff Blog.)
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Kaneshiro, Matsu to star in “Niju Menso” – Tokyograph
Toho has announced that it is producing a movie titled ‘K-20: Kaijin Niju Menso Den,’ directed by Shimako Sato. The story revolves around author Edogawa Rampo’s infamous criminal, Kaijin Niju Menso (also known as the ‘Fiend with Twenty Faces’). However, the movie is not an adaptation of Rampo’s works; rather, it is based on a…
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Lina (MAX) to release photobook ‘LINA SINGS’ on 12/22
Lina (30, of the J-pop group MAX) announced on her blog the upcoming 12/22 release of her solo photobook (shashinshuu) LINA SINGS. Her fellow band mate, Reina, has already released two photobooks the latest R-017 is from 2006. (Above image comes via Lina’s blog.)
Karakui 