Charts: Porno Graffiti takes top two spots
Nov 5, 2008 Artist, Charts, Group, Kanjani8, Kobukuro, Music, Porno Graffiti, Remioromen, Tsuchiya Anna, WaT
Last week, Porno Graffiti simultaneously released two best albums, “PORNO GRAFFITI BEST ACE” and “PORNO GRAFFITI BEST JOKER.” They managed to achieve the remarkable feat of capturing the #1 and #2 spots on the album charts, with “ACE” slightly outselling “JOKER” (105,000 copies versus 103,000 copies).
This is the second time that Porno Graffiti has taken the top two spots - they previously did it in 2004 with another simultaneous best album release. They are one of 19 artists with that accomplishment, but they are only the second to have achieved it twice. TM NETWORK managed it over 15 years ago with chart toppers in 1992 and 1993.
Remioromen’s new album also did well, debuting at #3. Others in the top ten included Hata Motohiro (#7), BENNIE K (#9), and Tsuchiya Anna (#10).
On the singles chart, Kanjani8 scored their 5th consecutive #1 single with “Musekinin Hero” selling 348,000 copies, their best first-week sales numbers ever. Kobukuro’s “Toki no Ashioto” came in second at 136,000 copies, followed by the debut single by comedy unit Yajima Biyoshitsu, formed by DJ OZMA and Tunnels.
New releases by SID and WaT were 4th and 5th in line, while Milky Way, Sakamoto Maaya, and Tomatsu Haruka made the bottom three spots of the top ten.
Tokyograph
Arashi Whips Fans Into Frenzy
Nov 5, 2008 Arashi, Group, Music
By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Popular Japanese pop group Arashi whipped thousands of Korean fans into a state of frenzy, as they staged four sold-out concerts in Seoul over the weekend.
It has been two years since Arashi performed in Seoul, but judging from the deafening screams at the Olympic Fencing Stadium, their fans are as crazy about them as ever. The group is in the middle of a three-city Asian tour, “Arashi Around Asia 2008.”
AKB48, Mako Ishino attend Tokyo Tower’s 50th anniversary illumination event
Nov 5, 2008 AKB48, Event, Group
Idol group AKB48 and actress Ishino Mako, 47, on Monday were the guests of honor at Tokyo Tower’s Christmas illumination event to mark its 50th anniversary. During the event, 100,000 lights were turned on.
AKB48 also performed a special mini-concert for visitors.
Arashi Speaking Korean
Nov 3, 2008 Arashi, Group, Music
Arashi’s first Korea tour interview in 2006 and action on stage !
Footage of Arashi’s interview during the Asia Song Festival in 2006 and snippets of the concert during that time can be seen on Daum tv. Arashi is currently in Korea for their 2nd concert, with shows on the 1st and 2nd of November.
Arashi’s members, Ohno Satoshi, Sakurai Sho, Ninomiya Kazunari, Aiba Masaki and Matsumoto Jun are seen excitedly practising their Korean on the plane and it follows with a recording of the press conference.
The members greeted the media in simple Korean but Sakurai Sho proceeded to give a lengthy greeting in fluent Korean. His pronunciation was also admirable and was highly praised by the packed media in attendance. As expected, Sakurai puts in his utmost effort in everything, bravo ! With the concert this time round, he will probably polish up on his Korean further.
http://navicon.jp/news/830 via unleashthegeek
WaT Not too hot, not too cold
WaT, their relationship “Not too hot, not too cold”
To commemorate the release of their new single 36℃, vocal duo WaT held a handshake event on the 2nd of November, the first in about 3 years, shaking hands with about 9800 fans at Yomiuri Land in Tokyo. While the title of their new song indicates a love affair that has cooled down a little, the relationship between Eiji Wentz and Koike Teppei seems to be at 40℃. “Not too hot, not too cold,” according to Teppei. “It’s about the temperature of a good bath. It feels like one you can spend in for a long time,” said Wentz, revealing a comfortable relationship between the two.
unleashthegeek
KUROYUME holds one-night and never-afterword live at Budokan
KUROYUME (黒夢), which announced their band activity’s indefinite stop in 1999, will hold one-night stand in Nippon Budokan (日本武道館) on January 29th, 2009, and they will break away formally with this live.
KUROYUME had announced their band activity’s stop suddenly in January, 1999. After that, KUROYUME’s member Kiyoharu (清春, Vo.) and Hitoki (人時, B) have kept acting in solo and a new band.
This on-night stand ‘disbandment’ live was announced at Kiyoharu’s birthday live at Shibuya C.C.Lemmon Hall on October 30th. As part of the 15th debut anniversary of Kiyohal, the legendary band will revive.
At the live, at least Kiyoharu and Hitoki will be on stage, but other members have not been announced yet. Kiyoharu told about that, “We will show KUROYUME, 2009 version.” on TV, and Hitoki said on his blog that, “I heard ‘the sound’ after a long time, then I’m kinda surprised such hard bass play… Can I play like before? … ”
General sale of the ticket is undecided it for now. The Kiyoharu’s fan club member limited early reservation will be start on November 7th.
Natalie
Aoi Miyazaki in Dreams Come True video
Oct 30, 2008 Artist, Dreams Come True, Group, Miyazaki Aoi, Music
Miyazaki Aoi fans will be happy because they don’t have to wait for the release of her latest films “Children of the Dark” or “Shonen Meriken Sakku” to get a glimpse of her.
Dreams Come True’s new single “Tsuretette Tsuretette” goes on sale on November 12, and to help to promote it, the duo has recruited Miyazaki Aoi to star in the song’s music video. The last music video that Miyazaki appeared in was Kinmokusei’s “Fuyu no Jishaku” in 2005.
It was announced a couple weeks ago that mangaka Umino Chika was drawing the CD jacket and a manga-like insert booklet for the single. The manga’s motif was a fantasy love story between a young woman and a snowman, and that motif has been carried over into the video. Filming took place during the middle of this month.
Tokyograph, Sankei Sports, JFilmpowwow
Kanjani8 will be releasing their new single this month!
Oct 4, 2008 Group, Kanjani8, Music
Title: 無責任ヒーロー ( Musekinin Hero [Irresponsible Hero] )
Release Date: 29 October 2008
Come with 3 versions.
Limited Edition A Version :
Kemuri
∞o’clock
DVD
Fuka-fuka love the earth
ＢＪ
Limited Edition B version:
DVD
ユニット曲 > Unit song(?)
- Desire (Subaru & Yasu)
- Torn (Tacchon & Ryo)
- Hoshii mono wa (Yoko, Hina & Maru)
Normal edition
Michishirube (Signpost)
Musekinin Hero will be the theme song for a sports news show called 江川×堀尾のSUPERうるぐす (Egawa X Horio no SUPER Urugusu) that starts this Saturday.
Disclaimer : the songs list still unconfirmed, all information base on some of Japanese blogs, LJ community. As for the release of the single itself, already confirmed by the members of Kanjani8 in one of their radio show.
