Japanese actress Erika Sawajiri in the last few issues of beauty magazine Maquia [Jp].
Moumoon – It’s Our Time in Paris
Music video for It’s Our Time by Japanese pop duo Moumoon, released in June 2015. Found this song after blogging about them a couple of months ago.
They shot the MV in Paris when the band held their first solo concert (sold out) in the French capital in May 2015. The song is OK, love the video though… it looks like a beautiful travelogue.
Feels like visiting Europe again after watching this. It has been over a decade since my last trip to the continent. Always thought I would be there again much sooner.
By the way, half of the group name moumoon comes from a French word. “Mou” means soft in French, hence their name can be interpreted as soft moon in English =)
Moumoon, Shooting Star, Assassination Classroom
Japanese MV for Hello, Shooting Star by pop duo moumoon, released in February 2015. It’s an ending song for popular anime series Assassination Classroom.
I was a fan of moumoon’s Sunshine Girl in 2010. Haven’t heard much from the band since then, but they are probably doing well in their home country. Many Japanese commercials, movies and TV shows have used their songs over the years.
[Read more…] about Moumoon, Shooting Star, Assassination Classroom
Haruo Nakajima – The man in Godzilla suit
Short English documentary about Haruo Nakajima, the man who portrayed Godzilla in the first 12 movies of the popular Japanese media franchise.
The costume was made of concrete in the first Godzilla film in 1954, that alone deserves respect LoL. Check the rest about his early career from the video.
Nakajima also played other giant creatures in various movies and in the Ultraman TV series. Hence, in some ways he’s the real king of monsters in Japan.
He retired from his suit acting roles in 1972. Fans still remember him fondly, and many people credited him as the greatest suit actor of all time.
Rest in peace
[Update] The legend passed away in August 2017, aged 88.
“In the end, the Godzilla I played remains on the film forever. It remains in people’s memory, and for that I feel really grateful.” ~ Haruo Nakajima
Ko Shibasaki x Utsukushii Kimono Magazine
HD photos of popular Japanese star Ko Shibasaki who’s featured in 2016 Winter issue of Utsukushii Kimono Magazine [Jp]. The traditional dresses look delicate and beautiful, and probably pretty expensive LoL.
[Read more…] about Ko Shibasaki x Utsukushii Kimono Magazine
The final issue of Japanese AneCan Magazine
Japanese model Moe Oshikiri is the cover girl for the last issue (December 2016) of AneCan Magazine. The fashion magazine will suspend its publication after running for a decade because of business reasons. Poor sales, to put it boldly.
Oshikiri was also the cover girl for the first issue of AneCan in 2007. So it’s fitting that she’s the one who brings down the curtain on the magazine.
AneCan targeted women in mid to late twenties who have “graduated” from reading CanCam, its sister magazine for younger women and college students.
The challenge
CanCam is still running after 35 years though (first published in November 1981.) It’s an amazing feat but the future looks grim for fashion magazines worldwide, with the shift of interest and competition from internet publications etc.
To survive, the magazines have to build a strong branding with solid online presence and to venture globally. The later is something the Japanese media have fallen behind in the past decade, it’s so difficult for non-Japanese to reach their contents.
Ryuhei Matsuda x GQ Japan
Japanese actor Ryuhei Matsuda on the cover of GQ Magazine, November 2016 issue [Jp].
The 33-year-old started acting at young age and made his breakthrough when he was 15. He played a wide range of roles since, including some award-winning acts in recent years.
He remains pretty low profile though, and most of the films he starred in are not the type that appeal to global audiences. That probably explains why he’s not that famous outside of Japan.
His wife is actress-model Rina Ohta. The couple has a daughter born 2009.
Ryuhei’s younger brother, Shota, is also an actor.
Kaede Japanese CanCam Magazine
Love this August 2016 cover image of Japanese CanCam Magazine [Jp], featuring model-dancer Kaede who oozes plenty of brightness and youthful charm.
Kaede is a member of pop group E-girls and an exclusive model for CanCam, a popular fashion magazine targeting university students and novice office ladies.