Akanishi Jin or Jin Akanishi (赤西 仁, Akanishi Jin), is a Japanese idol, singer-songwriter, actor, seiyū, and former radio host. Akanishi is a member of the popular J-pop group, KAT-TUN, and is the one of the two lead vocalists. Since the group’s debut in 2006, it has achieved 14 consecutive number ones (including studio albums) on the Oricon charts.

Akanishi is also a budding actor with roles in the second season of popular NTV school drama, Gokusen 2, Anego and Yukan Club. He is also a co-host of KAT-TUN’s own variety show, Cartoon KAT-TUN, and used to host a radio program called “KAT-TUN Style” with bandmate Junnosuke Taguchi from October 2007 to March 2008.

In 2007, Akanishi starred in his first lead role in Yukan Club, a school comedy series, alongside bandmate Junnosuke Taguchi and was voted “Best Actor” at the 11th Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix. He made his debut as a voice actor in 2008 for the Japanese dub of Speed Racer, providing the voice for protagonist Speed played by Emile Hirsch.

In 2009, Akanishi was cast as the lead actor in the movie, Bandage, directed by Takeshi Kobayashi and which is scheduled for release on January 16, 2010. This will be his big screen debut.

At the event of Tokyo Girls Collection on September 5, 2009, Jin appeared as a special guest to promote his new movie, Bandage, he performed the movie’s theme song which marked this as the solo debut under the temporary unit Lands with Takeshi Kobayashi, the producer of Mr. Children. His debut single under Lands, “Bandage”, was written and composed by Kobayashi. On November 30, 2009, it was announced that Lands would be releasing an album, “Olympos,” on January 13, 2010. It will include the single “Bandage” and 7 other songs.

Other Information

• Birth name : Jin Akanishi (赤西 仁)
• Also known as : Bakanishi
• Born : July 4, 1984
• Origin : Chiba Prefecture, Japan
• Genres : Pop
• Occupations : Singer-songwriter, actor, television personality
• Instruments : Vocals, Guitar
• Years active : 1998 – present
• Labels : J-One Records Johnny’s Entertainment
• Associated acts : KAT-TUN, Koichi Domoto, Crystal Kay, Lands
• Website : www.j-storm.co.jp/kattun

Discography

• 2010 : Olympos

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Arashi is a Japanese boy band formed under the Japanese talent agency Johnny & Associates, which announced the formation of the group on September 15, 1999 in Honolulu, Hawaii.

After releasing one studio album, one greatest hits album and six singles under the Pony Canyon record label, the group moved to the Johnny’s subsidiary label J Storm in 2001, which was initially set up for their succeeding releases. In 2008, nine years after their debut, their singles “Truth/Kaze no Mukō e” and “One Love” took the top two placings on the annual Oricon sales ranking, attesting to the group’s longevity in the Japanese music scene in spite of their idol group image.

In 2009, Arashi became the first artist to top the singles, album and music DVD charts and to be the best-selling artist of the year within the same year. They also became the third artist in Oricon history to monopolize the top three best-selling singles and the first to dominate the top two placings on the singles chart for two consecutive years. The group released two double A-side singles “Believe/Kumorinochi, Kaisei” and “Ashita no Kioku/Crazy Moon: Kimi wa Muteki” on March 4 and May 27 respectively in 2009. Both singles sold over 500,000 copies in first week sales, making Arashi the first artist to have two consecutive singles exceed the 500,000 mark within a week in seven years seven months since Keisuke Kuwata.

At the end of June, Arashi announced their tenth anniversary tour Arashi Anniversary Tour 5×10, which included three consecutive shows at the National Stadium in Tokyo. They became the first artist in history to play at the stadium for three consecutive days. Their third single of the year, “Everything”, was released on July 1 and sold nearly 342,000 copies in the first week. On August 19, Arashi released their greatest hits album All the Best! 1999-2009, which features most of their singles since debut, a new song with lyrics written by the members themselves and a limited edition third disc containing ten of the group’s selections. The album sold over 753,000 copies in the first week. Thirteen days after the release, the album broke the one million mark, a first in Arashi’s history. It became the first album of 2009 to break one million.

On November 11, Arashi released their last single of the year, “My Girl”. It debuted atop of the Oricon daily chart by selling about 178,000 copies on the first day and about 432,000 copies by the end of its first week. It was announced on November 17, 2009 that Arashi had thus monopolized the top four best first-week sales for singles of 2009.

Members

1. Masaki Aiba
2. Jun Matsumoto
3. Kazunari Ninomiya
4. Satoshi Ohno
5. Sho Sakurai

Discography

Studio albums

• 2001: Arashi No.1 Ichigou: Arashi wa Arashi o Yobu!
• 2002: Here We Go!
• 2003: How’s It Going?
• 2004: Iza, Now!
• 2005: One
• 2006: Arashic
• 2007: Time
• 2008: Dream “A” Live

Compilation albums

• 2002: Arashi Single Collection 1999–2001
• 2004: 5×5 The Best Selection of 2002–2004
• 2009: All the Best! 1999-2009

Other Information

• Origin : Japan
• Genres : Pop, R&B, Hip-hop, Rock
• Years active : 1999 – present
• Labels : Pony Canyon (1999–2001), J Storm (2002–present)
• Website : www.j-storm.co.jp/arashi

Incoming search terms:

• ARASHI AROUND ASIA

Masaharu Fukuyama is a Japanese singer-songwriter, guitarist, record producer, actor, radio personality, and photographer from Nagasaki, Nagasaki Prefecture.

He is one of the top male artists in Japan. He is a member of entertainment company Amuse, Inc. and is known for his low, deep voice. Among fans, he is known as Masha, Masha-nii, or Fuku-chan. He debuted in 1990 with the single “Tsuioku no Ame no Naka” and remains active and popular.

Other Information

• Born : February 6, 1969
• Origin : Nagasaki, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan
• Genres : Pop, rock and roll
• Occupations : Singer, guitarist, actor, composer, lyricist, record producer
• Years active : 1990–present
• Labels : BMG Japan, (1990–1999), Universal Music, (2000–present)

Link

• www.amuse.co.jp/fukuyama

Kanjani Eight is a seven-member Japanese music and entertainment group from Japan’s Kansai region. They are managed by the multimedia talent agency, Johnny & Associates, and signed to Imperial Records.

The group was formed in 2002 and made their CD debut in 2004 as “Johnny’s modern enka group”, though after the year 2006, their sound and style has become a mix of pop and rock. Like the rest of the acts managed under Johnny’s & Associates, Kanjani Eight also perform in various other areas of the Japanese entertainment industry such as variety show hosting, television, movie, and stage acting, and radio talk show hosting.

Members

• You Yokoyama
• Subaru Shibutani
• Shingo Murakami
• Ryuhei Maruyama
• Shota Yasuda
• Ryo Nishikido
• Tadayoshi Okura

Other Information

• Origin : Osaka, Japan
• Genres : Pop, enka, rock
• Years active : 2002 (2002)–present
• Labels : Teichiku Records, Imperial Records

Link

• teichiku.co.jp/artist/kan8

SMAP is a Japanese idol group formed by Johnny & Associates. While originally consisting of six members, the current group members are Masahiro Nakai, Takuya Kimura, Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, Goro Inagaki and Shingo Katori. The group’s name is an acronym standing for Sports Music Assemble People.

SMAP debuted their first CD in 1991 and has since released over forty singles and twenty albums. Approximately half the singles and a third of the albums reached the top of the Japanese Oricon music charts. In recent times, the interval between the band’s single CD releases has become longer, and are now released approximately once a year.

The members of SMAP have also pursued careers outside of music, including involvement in television variety shows, dramas, commercials, and movies, making them one of the most popular Johnny’s groups. Largely due to their popularity, Johnny & Associates became the most successful agency in Japan, with earnings of almost three billion Japanese yen in 1995. Their fanbase consists primarily of Japanese women. SMAP is often considered to have gone past the so called “Idol Group” status, and have become the “Top Group” in Japan. SMAP is also well known in many other Asian countries.

Members

• Masahiro Nakai
• Takuya Kimura
• Tsuyoshi Kusanagi
• Goro Inagaki
• Shingo Katori

Other Information

• Origin : Japan
• Genres : Pop, bubblegum music
• Years active : 1988 (1988)—present
• Labels : Victor Entertainment

Links

• johnnys-net.jp/j/artists/smap

AKB48 is an all-female Japanese theater/idol group produced by Yasushi Akimoto. Unlike other idol groups in Japan, AKB48 is theater-based and have their own theater in Akihabara (a district in Tokyo) where they perform once every weekday, and more than once on both Saturday and Sunday. The theater is set up on the 8th floor of Don Quijote. Some of the title songs released as a single have been made a tie-in song for a television show or a television advertisement. The name derives from a shortened, Romanized representation of ‘Akihabara’.

AKB48 is divided into three teams: Team A, Team K and Team B. Currently, there are 16 members in Team A, 16 members in Team K, and 16 members in Team B, getting to the total of 48 members in AKB48. Minami Takahashi is the captain of Team A, Sayaka Akimoto is the captain of Team K, and Yuki Kashiwagi is the captain of Team B.

Team A

• Misaki Iwasa (岩佐美咲^?) (January 30, 1995 in Chiba)
• Aika Ōta (多田愛佳^?) (December 8, 1994 in Saitama)
• Shizuka Ōya (大家志津香^?) (December 28, 1991 in Fukuoka)
• Haruka Katayama (片山陽加^?) (May 10, 1990 in Aichi)
• Asuka Kuramochi (倉持明日香^?) (Sept. 11, 1989 in Kanagawa)
• Haruna Kojima (小嶋陽菜^?) (April 19, 1988 in Saitama)
• Rino Sashihara (指原莉乃^?) (November 21, 1992 in Ōita)
• Mariko Shinoda (篠田麻里子^?) (March 11, 1986 in Fukuoka)
• Aki Takajo (高城亜樹^?) (October 3, 1991 in Tōkyō)
• Minami Takahashi (高橋みなみ^?) (April 8, 1991 in Tōkyō)
• Haruka Nakagawa (仲川遥香^?) (February 10, 1992 in Tōkyō)
• Chisato Nakata (中田ちさと^?) (October 8, 1990 in Saitama)
• Sayaka Nakaya (仲谷明香^?) (October 15, 1991 in Iwate)
• Atsuko Maeda (前田敦子^?) (July 10, 1991 in Chiba)
• Ami Maeda (前田亜美^?) (June 1, 1995 in Tōkyō)
• Natsumi Matsubara (松原夏海^?) (June 19, 1990 in Fukuoka)

Team B

• Haruka Ishida (石田晴香^?) (December 2, 1993 in Saitama)
• Manami Oku (奥真奈美^?) (November 22, 1995 in Tōkyō)
• Tomomi Kasai (河西智美^?) (November 16, 1991 in Tōkyō)
• Yuki Kashiwagi (柏木由紀^?) (July 15, 1991 in Kagoshima)
• Rie Kitahara (北原里英^?) (June 24, 1991 in Aichi)
• Kana Kobayashi (小林香菜^?) (May 17, 1991 in Saitama)
• Mika Komori (小森美果^?) (July 19, 1994 in Aichi)
• Amina Satō (佐藤亜美菜^?) (October 16, 1990 in Tōkyō)
• Sumire Satō (佐藤すみれ^?) (November 20, 1993 in Saitama)
• Natsuki Sato (佐藤夏希^?) (July 1, 1990 in Hokkaidō)
• Mariya Suzuki (鈴木まりや^?) (April 29, 1991 in Saitama)
• Rina Chikano (近野莉菜^?) (April 23, 1993 in Tōkyō)
• Natsumi Hirajima (平嶋夏海^?) (May 28, 1992 in Tōkyō)
• Yuka Masuda (増田有華^?) (August 3, 1991 in Osaka)
• Miho Miyazaki (宮崎美穂^?) (July 30, 1993 in Tōkyō)
• Mayu Watanabe (渡辺麻友^?) (March 26, 1994 in Saitama)

Team K

• Sayaka Akimoto (秋元才加^?) (July 26, 1988 in Chiba)
• Tomomi Itano (板野友美^?) (July 3, 1991 in Kanagawa)
• Mayumi Uchida (内田眞由美^?) (December 27, 1993 in Tōkyō)
• Ayaka Umeda (梅田彩佳^?) (January 3, 1989 in Fukuoka)
• Yūko Ōshima (大島優子^?) (October 17, 1988 in Tochigi)
• Erena Ono (小野恵令奈^?) (November 26, 1993 in Tōkyō)
• Ayaka Kikuchi (菊地あやか^?) (June 30, 1993 in Tōkyō)
• Miku Tanabe (田名部生来^?) (December 2, 1992 in Shiga)
• Tomomi Nakatsuka (中塚智実^?) (June 18, 1993 in Saitama)
• Moeno Nitō (仁藤萌乃^?) (July 22, 1992 in Tōkyō)
• Misato Nonaka (野中美郷^?) (April 20, 1991 in Fukuoka)
• Reina Fujie (藤江れいな^?) (February 1, 1994 in Chiba)
• Sakiko Matsui (松井咲子^?) (December 10, 1990 in Saitama)
• Minami Minegishi (峯岸みなみ^?) (November 15, 1992 in Tōkyō)
• Sae Miyazawa (宮澤佐江^?) (August 13, 1990 in Tōkyō)
• Rumi Yonezawa (米沢瑠美^?) (June 6, 1991 in Saitama)

Team Research Students

• Maria Abe (阿部マリア^?) (November 29, 1995 in Kanagawa)
• Rina Izudta (伊豆田莉奈^?) (Novemer 26, 1995 in Saitama)
• Miori Ichikawa (市川美織^?) (February 12, 1994 in Saitama)
• Anna Iriyama (入山杏奈^?) (December 3, 1995 in Chiba)
• Hitomi Iwasaki (岩崎仁美^?) (March 19, 1996 in Saitama)
• Mina Ōba (大場美奈^?) (April 3, 1992 in Kanagawa)
• Rena Katō (加藤玲奈^?) (July 10, 1997 in Chiba)
• Yūki Kanazawa (金沢有希^?) (May 1, 1993 in Hokkaidō)
• Marina Kobayashi (小林茉里奈^?) (February 24, 1996 in Tokyō)
• Yuriko Sano (佐野友里子^?) (January 22, 1992 in Tōkyō)
• Haruka Shimazaki (島崎遥香^?) (March 30, 1994 in Saitama)
• Haruka Shimada (島田晴香^?) (December 16, 1992 in Shizuoka)
• Miyu Takeuchi (竹内美宥^?) (January 12, 1996 in Tokyō)
• Mariya Nagao (永尾まりや^?) (March 10, 1994 in Kanagawa)
• Shiori Nakamata (仲俣汐里^?) (July 25, 1992 in Tokyō)
• Mariko Nakamura (中村麻里子^?) (December 16, 1993 in Chiba)
• Nana Fujita (藤田奈那^?) (December 28, 1996 in Tokyō)
• Anna Mori (森杏奈^?) (March 21, 1994 in Chiba)
• Suzuran Yamauchi (山内鈴蘭^?) (December 8,1994 in Chiba)
• Yui Yokoyama (横山由依^?) (December 8 1992 in Kyōto)

Other Information

• Origin : Akihabara, Tokyo, Japan
• Genres : Japanese pop
• Years active L: 2005 (2005)-present
• Labels : AKS, DefStar Records, King Records/You! Be Cool

Links

• akb48.co.jp

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A four-part drama produced for the 100th anniversary of the occupation of Korea by Japan. Freedom Fighter, Lee Hoe Young will be the third and final installment of a series of dramas by KBS that focus on noblesse oblige and famous inviduals who sacrificed much to provide for their fellow countrymen. Lee Hoe Young was an independence fighter who donated his savings and started a school for soldiers and scholars in China, but was later captured and tortured by the Japanese. Kimura Junpei is a Japanese reporter he meets.

Cast

• Jung Dong Hwan as Lee Hoe Young
• Ahn Jae Mo as Kimura Junpei
• Lee Ah Yi as Hong Jung Hwa
• Hong Il Kwon as Jung Hyun Sub
• Kwon Oh Joong as Baek Jung Ki
• Lee Dae Ro as Lee Suk Young
• Kim Jong Chan (김종찬) as Lee Kyu Chang
• Jun Kwang Jin (전광진) as Lee Kyu Seo
• Jo Young Jin as Sung Jae Lee Shi Young
• Choi Il Hwa as Kimura Endo (Junpei’s father)
• Kim Gyu Chul as Shanghai Asahi Shimbun Bureau Chief
• Kim Ha Kyoon as Ok Kwan Bin

Other Information

• Title: 자유인 이회영 / Jayuin Lee Hoe Young
• Also known as: Freedom Fighter, Lee Hoe Young
• Genre: Historical
• Episodes: 4
• Broadcast network: KBS1
• Broadcast period: 2010-Aug-29 to TBA
• Air time: Saturday & Sunday 21:40

Links

• Official site

17 year old high school student Rio (Nozomi Sasaki) is always the center of attention due to her beauty. Yet, Rio has never cared about anyone but herself due to her traumatic past. Her friends and boyfriends exist only so she can use them for her gains. Rio is only interested in money.

Then one day she meets 35 year college professor Kouki and falls in love for the first time. Rio feels confused by her emotional change and expresses her love to Kouki honestly. Although Kouki becomes interested in Rio there is a reason he can’t pursue the relationship …

Other Information

• Original title: 天使の恋 | Tenshi no Koi | My Rainy Days
• Starring: Nozomi Sasaki, Shosuke Tanihara, Hikaru Yamamoto, Mitsuki Ôishi, Saki Kagami
• Director: Yuri Kanchiku
• Release: 2009
• Country: Japan
• Running time: 119 Min

Incoming search terms:

• watch Tenshi no koi / My Rainy Days

Several of the biggest names in Korean and Japanese hip-hop will be taking the stage for a summer music festival next weekend in Korea, according to the concert’s promoter TYPE Communication on Friday.

TYPE announced in a press release that Japanese rappers Zeebra, Simon and Dabo will be performing along Korean artists such as LeeSSang and Jung-in, Supreme Team, Double K and SOUL DIVE for the “What’s Up Summer Hiphop Festival” to be held at the Walker Hill Theater on August 28.

The music fest will also feature the performances by Korean DJs DJ R2 and DJ Freekay.

“We hope that this concert which features the best artists in Korean and Japanese hip-hop, will create a place for our music festival in the long run,” an official from TYPE explained.

Zeebra is one of the most popular rappers in Japan since his first appearance in 1995. He has also performed live with various rappers in the United States.

Dabo first appeared in the Japanese hip-hop scene in the 1990s and has released three albums since 2002. His lyrics are hard-edged and represent a tough Japanese street culture.

LeeSSang is Korean hip-hop duo composed of Gary and Gil. They formed in 2002, collaborating with Drunken Tiger, T and Big Mama King.

Jung-in released her first album “From Andromeda” earlier this year which features the title track “I Hate You.”

Supreme Team is another hip-hop duo featuring members E-Sens and Simon D. They have two albums titled “Supremier” and “Spin Off.”

Double K, whose real name is Sohn Chang-il, is a rapper who is a member of the Korean hip hop music collective Movement Crew.

SOUL DIVE, a hip-hop trio, made their debut in 2009 with their first album “Mad Scientist & Sweet Monsters.”

source

Incoming search terms:

• hip hop korea

FFK is a Thai female pop trio consisting of Faye, Fang and Kaew formed in 2007.

In 2007, FFK released their debut single “Na Krub”.Since then, they have been releasing a string of hits songs that have topped the Thai charts.They also formed a group called Seven Days with fellow label mates Jinny, Pim, Waii, Jam, Meen, and Mila.Fang started her acting career in 2009 in the Thai drama Khun Pau Jon Fiew คุณพ่อจอมเฟี้ยว (Daddy Duo).All three members have been MC’s on KAMIKAZE Club, a show featuring all of the artists in Zheza.

FFK is now partaking in the RS Promotion sub label – Zheza (also known as Kamikaze), a Japanese themed group composed of various teenage artists.

Members

• Pornpawee “Faye” Neerasingh (พรปวีณ์ นีระสิงห์), born December 29, 1992. She is the younger sister of Fang, and she also has a younger sister named Fin.
• Tanuntaun “Fang” Neerasingh (ธนันต์ธรญ์ นีระสิงห์), born September 12, 1991. She is the older sister of Faye.
• Jarinyaa “Kaew” Sirimongkonsagun (จริญญา ศิริมงคลสกุล), born September 22, 1992.

Other Information

• Origin : Bangkok, Thailand
• Genres : Pop
• Years active : 2007–present
• Labels : Kamikaze, RS Promotion
• Associated acts : K-OTIC, Four-Mod, Waii

Incoming search terms:

• Faye Fang Kaew
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