Regatta

Havent seen this drama, i think i have to start watching this
Hayami and Matsuda Shota starred here..pretty interesting to see them both.

Whose looking better? then & now

Mizushima Hiro leads live-action "Beck" movie

"Beck," the popular music manga by Harold Sakuishi, is being adapted as a live-action film. Director Yukihiko Tsutsumi ("20th Century Boys") will be in charge of the project, with actor Hiro Mizushima in the leading role.

The manga, which was originally serialized from 2000 to 2008, tells the story of five young men who form a rock band called Beck. The protagonist in the manga was the guitarist/vocalist Yukio "Koyuki" Tanaka, but the film will instead revolve around the band's main guitarist and leader, Ryusuke Minami.

Mizushima has been cast as Ryusuke, while Takeru Sato will play the part of Koyuki. The two previously played brothers in the drama series "Mei-chan no Shitsuji." Playing the other members of Beck are Kenta Kiritani as the rapper Chiba, Osamu Mukai as the bassist Taira, and Aoi Nakamura as the drummer Saku.

30 original songs are being written, which will be performed by the actors themselves with real instruments. Mizushima and the others are currently undergoing special training for about a month. The movie's climax is said to be a large-scale concert scene with the band playing on stage.

Shooting is scheduled to start in early July, with a theatrical release expected in fall 2010.

Charts: Arashi all the way

Arashi's newest single, "Ashita no Kioku / Crazy Moon," easily topped the charts this past week, selling more than 502,000 copies. This marks their 15th consecutive number-one single and 22nd overall. It is also their second single in a row to sell over 500,000 in the first week, a feat that has not been achieved since Keisuke Kuwata in 2001.

GReeeeN's "Haruka" picked up the #2 spot at 63,000 in sales, and Ringo Shiina's newest landed at #3. Ikimono Gakari (#7), SPEED (#8), and Yui Aragaki (#10) also had new releases in the top ten.

Meanwhile, news was also made with the latest posthumous release from ZARD, "Sunao ni Ienakute." Ranked 5th on the charts, it became ZARD's 43rd top-ten single, tying her for the current record with Southern All Stars, SMAP, and Ayumi Hamasaki. Originally released as a B-side on her second single back in 1991, "Sunao ni Ienakute" has been recorded as a new version with singer Mai Kuraki featured in the song's chorus.

On the album charts, the #1 spot was taken by "Trash We'd Love" from The HIATUS, a new band formed by ELLEGARDEN's Takeshi Hosomi. It sold 80,000 copies, beating out Ken Hirai's new album, "Ken's Bar II." Other artists in the top ten were May J. (#4), Yoko Kanno & The Seatbelts (#6), Yuna Ito (#7), and MEG (#10).

source: tokyograph

Shun Oguri directs a movie

Popular actor Shun Oguri (26) is taking on his first directing job. While actors becoming directors is nothing new, this is said to be the first case for a star still in his twenties. The movie's official title is still unknown, but those close to the project are apparently calling it "Surely Someday."

Oguri, who is currently overseas for work, plans to start shooting this summer. Details are sparse, but the film is said to be a story of adolescence that will feature a cast of handsome actors.

Oguri has wanted to try directing for a long time. He was able to get this project rolling with the help of producer Mataichiro Yamamoto, who heads Oguri's management agency Tristone, and his father, stage director Tetsuya Oguri. The actor has already done a little directing, working on the short "manner CM" that played in theaters for "Crows ZERO II."

"Surely Someday" is expected to open in theaters next year.

sourec: tokyograph