YeinJee's Asian Journal » Japanese Entertainment News

Berryz Koubou celebrates sixth anniversary

Yein Jee — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 02:44:15 +0000

If you think some of the Korean artists are too young for entertainment world, you should check this out… Japanese female pop group Berryz Koubou are celebrating their sixth anniversary today, and their average age is just over seventeen.

The girls released their first single I Can’t Live Without You in 2004 (MV below). They held their first solo concert in 2007 at Saitama Super Arena with a full house crowd of around 20,000. [Video via Leeaceno1@Youtube]…

Berryz Koubou are not the only super-young-teenage-idols in Japan; it’s a norm for Japanese idols to debut at very young age since early 90s. Koreans are merely following the path in this sense… good or bad, it’s becoming a trend these days.

On side note, today is Hina Matsuri, Japanese girls’ day. Not sure at all, but the girls might have debuted purposely on this day six years ago.

Berryz Koubou celebrates sixth anniversary from YeinJee's Asian Blog

AKB48 climbs to the top with choir song

Yein Jee — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 17:02:21 +0000

Japanese pop group AKB48’s latest single Sakura no Shiori has topped the recent Oricon sales chart, with over 300,000 copies sold in its first week of release, a record best in seven years for Japanese female artists. Fan-made MV below…

It’s a nice choir-like song; perfect for graduation season. It’s not the type you would expect to top the pop charts, but it’s Japan… you never know.

Neutrals often ridiculed them for the large number of members (ahemm… what do you think the 48 means?), but seems like they are having the last laugh.

[Video via Riodepon@Youtube]

AKB48 climbs to the top with choir song from YeinJee's Asian Blog

Kirsten Dunst cosplay video is out

Yein Jee — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 02:23:22 +0000

Remember the bizarre cosplay of Kirsten Dunst on Tokyo streets? Well, the music video is out (or leaked?), with Kirsten singing and dancing to The Vapors’ 1980 hit Turning Japanese. Slightly unsafe for work/kids with explicit anime images.

Titled as Akihabara Majokko Princess, the video is produced by Japanese artist Takashi Murakami and directed by McG (of Charlie’s Angels movie etc.) for an exhibition at London’s Tate Modern museum.

~~The video won’t last long, watch it while you can…~~ And yeah, I’m loving it.

[Update] As expected the video is removed from Youtube. I’ve embedded with new vids for a few times, but I guess that’s it for now.

Kirsten Dunst cosplay video is out from YeinJee's Asian Blog

KARA’s first Japan showcase

Yein Jee — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 07:16:21 +0000

Korean pop group KARA made their first official performance in Japan on Feb 7…

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KARA’s first Japan showcase from YeinJee's Asian Blog

Beckii Cruel to release Japanese CD

Yein Jee — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 06:31:35 +0000

Beckii Cruel, a 14-year-old British who rose to internet fame in Japan dancing to J-pop and anime songs in her videos, is forming a girls group Beckii Cruel feat. Cruel Angels and set to release their debut Japanese CD in February.

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Beckii Cruel to release Japanese CD from YeinJee's Asian Blog

Yui Aragaki T Magazine scans

Yein Jee — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 07:17:36 +0000

Japanese star Yui Aragaki on (presumably) July 2009 issue of T Magazine…

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Yui Aragaki T Magazine scans from YeinJee's Asian Blog

Takeshi Kaneshiro on GQ

Yein Jee — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 14:09:09 +0000

Japanese-Taiwanese heartthrob Takeshi Kaneshiro – one of Asia’s best looking hunks imo – is the cover boy for December issue of Chinese GQ magazine…

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Takeshi Kaneshiro on GQ from YeinJee's Asian Blog

BoA ft. Verbal – Bump Bump music video and pics

Yein Jee — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 06:51:48 +0000

Korean pop star BoA is taking a break from her American activities to release a Japanese single, Bump Bump, featuring Verbal from M-flo. Music video, and some black & white promotional pics further below…

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BoA ft. Verbal – Bump Bump music video and pics from YeinJee's Asian Blog

Keiko Kitagawa plays swordswoman in new movie

Yein Jee — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:49:57 +0000

Japanese actress Keiko Kitagawa is playing a swordswoman in her new movie After the Flowers, which is scheduled to show in March 2010. Don’t have much clue what the film is about; love its promotional pics for Keiko though…

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Keiko Kitagawa plays swordswoman in new movie from YeinJee's Asian Blog

Ex Japanese Prime Minister to voice Ultraman movie

Yein Jee — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:44:49 +0000

Former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has found himself a new job… as a voice actor for an upcoming live-action Ultraman movie.

The full title of the film is Giant Monster Battle: Ultra Galactic Legend The Movie, to be precise lol.

Koizumi will lend his voice as the Ultraman King, an ancient Legendary Hero in the Ultra family. The film will open in Japan on December 12.

Koizumi is one of the most of popular postwar Prime Ministers in Japan. He retired in 2006, and the political arena has been in chaos ever since. The current PM Yukio Hatoyama, amazingly, is Koizumi’s 4th successor in just over three years.

[via Animenewsnetwork and Japanprobe]

Ex Japanese Prime Minister to voice Ultraman movie from YeinJee's Asian Blog

Avex USA Star Search 2009

Yein Jee — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 13:41:20 +0000

Japanese talent agency Avex is running an audition campaign in the US. The first confirmed venue is at Honolulu, Hawaii on November 14; the remainder of the schedule will be decided upon the responses from respective cities.

The online registration will expire on October 31. Japanese pop star wannabe… kindly check the official audition website for details.

Avex is one of the biggest entertainment agencies in Japan; boosting the likes of Ayumi Hamasaki, Namie Amuro, Kumi Koda, Ai Otsuka, BoA and Tohoshinki etc.

Also check out SM audition and JYPE audition, from two major Korean agencies which are hunting talents in Oct/Nov in US and Canada.

Avex USA Star Search 2009 from YeinJee's Asian Blog

Yoshida Brothers – Kodo music video

Yein Jee — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:42:55 +0000

Yoshida Brothers are Japanese musicians famous for playing the shamisen (三味線, lit. three flavour strings), a traditional Japanese music instrument.

Kodo (鼓動) was released in 2004 in the Yoshida Brothers II album; a remix version of the song was used for Nintendo’s Wii commercial in 2006.

Yoshida Brothers – Kodo music video from YeinJee's Asian Blog

Asian music video collection (6)

Yein Jee — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 05:55:53 +0000

Chinese song by Taiwanese singer Wilber Pan & Korean diva Lee Hyori, another one from Chinese-Korean combo group Suju-M; Japanese song by Yuki Kimura; and a Korean song by Clazziquai…

Lee Hyori & Wilber Pan – As Long As I Love You

K-pop diva Lee Hyori singing in Chinese for Hyundai i30 commercial, featuring Taiwanese star Wilber Pan. The MV style seriously reminds me of the Anycall commercials; same production team perhaps. Weird accent, but decent song…

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Asian music video collection (6) from YeinJee's Asian Blog

Asian music video collection (5)

Yein Jee — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 19:06:16 +0000

Chinese song by Taiwanese singer Jam Hsiao; Japanese song by SMAP; and Korean songs by Drunken Tiger and Tiara.

Jam Hsiao – Princess

“Princess” (王妃; prince’s wife to be precise) by Jam Hsiao from his same-title album, released in July 2009. Not a bad song, love his voice as always…

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Asian music video collection (5) from YeinJee's Asian Blog

Shokotan coming to Singapore for AFA09

Yein Jee — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 07:03:26 +0000

Popular otaku celebrity Shoko Nakagawa, popularly known as Shokotan, will be performing at Anime Festival Asia (AFA) in Singapore on November 21-22, 2009.

AFA is one of the the biggest anime-comic-game conventions in South East Asia; first held in 2008, the event is back again in 2009 following last year’s success.

Besides Shokotan, other celebs that will be performing at the I Love Anisong concert are May’N, Aniki and Yoshiki Fukuyama. Other sections of AFA09 include cosplay, toys & games exhibits, and maid cafe etc.

The organisers held a press conference on September 1 to officiate the 2009 event; check out the coverage by blogger Darkmirage, Alafista and Double.

More details and updates on AFA09’s official website or Facebook.

Anime Festival Asia

Previous: Anime Festival Asia 2008

Shokotan coming to Singapore for AFA09 from YeinJee's Asian Blog

Kirsten Dunst cosplay at Tokyo Akiba

Yein Jee — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 19:41:18 +0000

American actress Kirsten Dunst shot a video in Tokyo’s Akihabara otaku district in a seriously-too-colourful-and-wicked sailor costume on August 27.

The video will be used for an exhibition later this year at Tate Modern in London.

[Update] The music video is out.

[More images][via Japanprobe and 3yen]

Kirsten Dunst cosplay at Tokyo Akiba from YeinJee's Asian Blog

Asian music video collection (3)

Yein Jee — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 05:04:58 +0000

Korean songs by Outsider and 4Minute; Japanese song by AKB48; and Cantonese song by Hong Kong singer Eason Chan…

Outsider – Alone

English subbed MV of “Alone” (외톨이) by Outsider, dubbed as Korea’s fastest rapper; song from “Vol.2 Maestro” album, released in June 2009…

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Asian music video collection (3) from YeinJee's Asian Blog

Japan rocked by celebrity drug scandals

Yein Jee — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 08:31:48 +0000

Japanese folks are shocked by two high profile celebrity drug scandals last week.

Actor-singer Manabu Oshio, 31, was arrested on Monday for illegal drug use and is under investigation for the death of a woman.

Oshio admitted that he was taking drugs with the lady before her death, but was coerced to do so… the media are not buying the story though, considering how poor his image has been in the past few years.

The woman’s cause of death will be determined in a week or two, and it’s still remained to be seen if Oshio was further involved in the case.

His management agency Avex is swift to cut off his contract though; and his actress wife Akiko Yada, 30, is filing a divorce. It’s also revealed that the couple has been separated for about six months, with Oshio’s extra-marital affairs one of the major reasons.

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Japan rocked by celebrity drug scandals from YeinJee's Asian Blog

Sour – Tone of Everyday (really cool) music video

Yein Jee — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 15:21:32 +0000

Music video for “Tone of Everyday” (日々の音色; Hibi no Neiro) by Japanese band Sour from their first mini album “Water Flavor EP”.

The song is just ok, but the MV super cool. The cast were selected from actual Sour fan base around the world; and each person and scene was filmed purely via webcam and stitched together to make the awesome video…

Music video directed by Masashi Kawamura, Hal Kirkland, Magico Nakamura and Masayoshi Nakamura [via Yellow-menace]

Sour – Tone of Everyday (really cool) music video from YeinJee's Asian Blog

Departures (2008) movie review

Yein Jee — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 08:25:37 +0000

“Departures” (おくりびと, Okuribito) is a multiple award winning Japanese movie and winner of the best foreign language film at the 2009 Oscars.

Directed by Yojiro Takita and starring Masahiro Motoki, the movie follows the story of a nokanshi whose job is to prepare the death for encoffinment. Other main leads include Ryoko Hirosue and Tsutomu Yamazaki etc.

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Departures (2008) movie review from YeinJee's Asian Blog