Party Time

Recommended!  Our own Celestia shares some statistics on ARASHI’s two latest singles, the new truth as well as their single before that, One Love.  Apparently the latter is doing amazingly well sale-wise, as it’s become the best selling single of 2008 so far.  And truth isn’t doing so bad, either.  Not bad at all.

Oh, and even if that doesn’t sound appealing, she also shares a wonderfully squee-worthy Ohmiya moment (with screencaps~)!

It’s About Time!

Strawberrie shares the info on Abe Natsumi finally getting an 11th solo single.  Hopefully it’s better than her last one.  In addition to the single, which will be released October 15th, she’s also releasing a special DVD and a photobook around the same time.

Berryz Koubou 5th Album Setlist

Sakura Ichigo has the tracklisting for Berryz Koubou’s 5th album, “5 (FIVE)”, which is due to be released next month.  She also provides commentary on the tracks, both old and new.  It looks pretty promising, except that Risako gets a solo.  Durn.

HANKYUNG IS THE MAN ♥

Recommended. Spazzes shares the video and some pictures of Super Junior’s HanKyung during his portion of the 2008 Beijing Olympic torch relay. Said idol looks extremely happy in all of these; it’s definitely worth a look.

Hey! Say! JUMP members reunite for fall drama

Curtesy of Tokyograph, following their spring drama earlier this year, ‘Sensei wa Erai!’, Hey! Say! JUMP members Nakajima Yuto, Yamada Ryosuke, Chinen Yuuri, and Arioka Daiki will do another middle school drama this fall.  It has almost the exact same plot as the other one.  Won’t that be interesting?

Kanna in love with a Jonnhy’s Junior Member !

Ohohoho, Kanna, you ham, you.  Nakane has scans and a brief point-by-point translation of an article that publish pictures of C-ute’s Arihara Kanna on a date with Johnny’s Jr. Ryosuke Hashimoto.  But don’t fret, the magazine made sure to say that they were very cute and that this is no scandal at all.  Let’s hope UFA thinks the same way.

As a side note, I absolutely love Johnny’s/H!P pairings.  It’s like a match made in heaven!  Now if only Airi would get with Yamada Ryosuke…

Kodansha and Johnny’s Jimusho face off

(the) Road to the Deep East has the details on an epic battle between talent agency Johnny’s Jimusho and publishing company Kodansha.  Apparently Johnny wasn’t to happy that Kodansha accused ARASHI leader Ohno Satoshi of smoting pot and having a threesome.  Result?  He’s destroying Kodansha.  Let the show begin~

Miyabi Preps For Battle…

Recommended oggling.  MaiZe shares some eyecandy of Miyabi from the C-ute vs Berryz concert battle photobook.  No comments on Miya’s hair monster, though.

Yu Shirota leaves D-BOYS, partly

According to Tokygraph, Shirota Yuu isn’t really leaving the acting group D-BOYS, he’s just kind of leaving. Yuu says he’s still going to be working with all of them, he just won’t be part of the group.

…Okay??

I think I’m beginning to understand the appeal of boy bands

Elizabeth discovers why people should love boybands through the Taiwanese group Fahrenheit.  She takes a look at each of the members and then compares them to Johnny’s.  If you’re struggling with boybands or wondering why the heck people like them, then this is definitely the post for you.

Charts: Perfume achieves technopop’s first #1 single

Perfume’s newest single, love the world, is breaking technopop records. They’re the first technopop group ever to have a #1 single, according to Tokyograph. And their popularity just keeps rising! Congrats, Perfume!

I think I just spit up in my mouth.

DJ MaiMai shares some eyecandy of C-ute’s outfits for their upcoming single, Edo no Temari Uta II. While she may hate them, I think they’re pretty… well, c-ute.

Arashi’s…”One Love.”

Recommended.  MorningBerryz has a review of ARASHI’s latest single, One Love.  He also shares the other tracks from the different versions of the single and some information that’s very helpful if you’re thinking of purchasing this single.  Oh, and let’s not forget the nice amount of MatsuJun… er… ARASHI eyecandy.

Summer Season Drama Preview

Oriotsme has previews for most of the upcoming summer dramas along with a nice amount of snark.  If you’re into dramas, then this is worth a look.  I’m personally really looking forward to “Code Blue” and “Maou.”

DBSK ‘T’ Concert Clips

Recommended. Spazzes shares a good deal of concert clips from Tohoshinki’s ‘T’ concert tour. She also provides pretty detailed commentary (or should I say fangirling?) on each one. This group gives most of Johnny’s a run for their money.

Fangirl Alert!

Recommended oggling.  Waterpixie shares some eyecandy of the Chinese Super Junior subgroup (taken by one of the members himself) and shares some 100% fangirl comments on it. 

New Artist Image for Ogawa Makoto

Totally Hello! Project has ex-Morning Musume member Ogawa Makoto’s new artist picture.  This is the first new picture of her since she left Morning Musume in the summer of 2006.  Hopefully this means she’ll be starting her activites in Hello! Project again…?

Takahashi Ai & Niigaki Risa : Pink Lady (Hello!Musume)
Ai Takahashi & Risa Niigaki as Pink Lady (+Video) (HPNH)

Morning Musume’s Takahashi Ai and Niigaki Risa will be playing Pink Lady in Nihon TV’s upcoming drama “Aku Yuu Monogatari”, which is a commemoration of the songwriter who passed away last August.  Hello!Musume has two translated articles while HPNH has a video.  It looks pretty promising if you ask me. 

[Graduation] Shirota Yuu Graduates from D-BOYS

Vee has the details (and a fair ammount of fangirling) on popular actor Shirota Yuu graduating from the acting group D-Boys.  This is very sudden and sad news.  I hope Shirota at least still continues his successful acting career.  Maybe he’ll even join Johnny’s…

Tanaka Reina - Takahashi Ai : MAC FAN Cover

Nakane has the covers as well as the interview.  What I want to know is why on Earth would Ai and Reina advertise Cinderella to a bunch of computer nerds (no offense)?  I mean, how many of them even know what High-King is?  I guess that would be the point, but it just seems like the most unlikely place for them to promote it. 

Amuro sues publisher over photos

Remember those cute photos of Namie and her son that came out in a magazine a few weeks ago?  Well, mommy didn’t like them too much.  She’s suing the magazine publisher for 22 million yen (about $203,745 USD) for an “invasion of her privacy.”  Geez, Namie, a bit touchy, are we? 

This just shows to not mess with the Queen of Hip-Hop.  Curtesy of Tokyograph. 

Sailor Moon actress Miyuki Kanbe dies at 24

I used to be a huge fan of the Sailor Moon musicals, so this news crushed me pretty hard.  Kanbe Miyuki, who was the third actress to star as Sailor Moon, as well as acting in dramas such as “Kamen Rider Hibiki” and “Battle Royale II” and having released a few photobooks, died last Wednesday.  Her agency said she passed peacefully in her sleep in a hospital. 

Tokyograph also says she was supposed to play “Eponine” in a June 2007 production of Les Miserables but had to back out due to her medical condition.  This would have made her the second Sailor Moon actress to be in that role after ANZA.  The fact that she never got to is even more unsettling.  It makes me think just what was wrong with her? 

OMFG Ohmiya Kissed… On Stage… For REALS!

Celestia has a copy of an Arashi concert report where Ohmiya (Ohno Satoshi/Ninomiya Kazunari) actually kissed. On stage. This will undoubtedly make your inner fangirl squeal to no end. It also mentions that Nino will be making an appearance in the first episode of Ohno’s new drama, Maou.

Meisa Kuroki debuts as singer

Kevin has the details on the 1 Pound Gospel star, Kuroki Meisa, debuting as a singer. She’s going to be releasing an R&B/dance single titled “Like This” as the image song for Sportio/W62T mobile phones.

I never thought this was the direction she’d be taking, but I guess I’m just used to seeing her as a nun.