JYONGRI - Kissing Me

JYONGRI’s newest single “Kissing Me” has been released, and I’m really excited to hear it; it’s a great single by any standards. If you haven’t heard JYONGRI before, this is a great place to start, because the single’s three songs that demonstrate three different music styles she uses. And if you’re a fan, you won’t be let down.

By the way, check out the Kissing Me Special Site. There cute little love-related stories and graphics. It’s all in Japanese, but the Love Cooking section has cute pictures of her making an apple pastry. If you’re in Japan you can also enter the “love question” contest - I think it’s for a chance to meet her privately in February.

KAT-TUN - Lips

I’m not much of a KAT-TUN fan - I’m not too fond of their image and band dynamics, not to mention that most of their songs didn’t impress me too much. When I heard they were releasing “Lips” for 1 Pound Gospel I couldn’t help but scoff a little - I mean, what a title. And then the single covers were released, in all their white-lipped photoshop glory, and I couldn’t help but scoff a lot.

But I’m going to have to take my scoffs back, because I love this song.

Johnny’s 2008 Calendars

Johnny’s Entertainment 2008 school calendars (April 09 - March 09) for most of its groups will be released in early March. The calendars all differ in type from year to year, group to group. And, granted, they’re not as much calendars as photos in formats that happen to have dates stamped somewhere that are expensive and come with some extra goodies, so I thought I’d give an overview.

Oh yeah, for your reference, here’s the paper sizes.

Arashi is releasing theirs in A5 size - not that big, but what makes their’s the most interesting is that their extra is a cookbook. And after all those Arashi variety shows where they make and eat foods, a cookbook does seem fitting, not to mention extremely intruiging.

2008 Winter Dramas (Part 2)

So here’s the continuation to the Part 1 of the drama review! Following the six from last time, here’s the next seven.

Shikaotoko Aoniyoshi (The Fantastic Deer-Man) is about a man (Ogawa, played by Tamaki Hiroshi) plagued with terrible luck all his life, and now that he’s at the end of his line he’s sent to an all girl’s school in Nara to teach. When he gets to Nara, where deer roam around, he catches the eye of… I dunno, deer gods? who can turn into humans. And they’ll get him to become the protector of Japan, under their instructions? This drama is ridiculous (talking deer!) but hilarious, with unbelievable events voiced over by Ogawa’s self-pitying deadpan that somehow creates a great mix. Having Tamaki Hiroshi starring doesn’t hurt at all. I am so completely confused by the drama and yet I love it already.
Watch status: watching!

2008 Winter Dramas (Part 1)

Now that episodes have aired, ratings are out, and I’ve watched an episode or two, it seems ripe time to round up this season’s new renzoku dramas.

In other words, I’m watching everything and weeding stuff out so you don’t have to. Here’s the first six.

(Before anyone asks: I watched most of these with Chinese subtitles or raw, so I don’t know availability of English subtitles. Check on d-addicts.)

Bara no nai Hanaya is doing the best in all of this season’s dramas. It has the popular Monday night Fuji romance spot and is headed by Katori Shingo of SMAP. Plot revolves a single dad raising his daughter while running a small flower shop in memory of his late wife and - well, I guess eventually romance will come, but for now he just meets people (who happen mostly to be pretty women.) It’s a romance drama, so you know what to expect, although for now it’s just more of a “human drama.” It does has funny quirks, a nice pace, and - for my enjoyment - Matsuda Shota. It’s pretty good, if you dig those human relation dramas.
Watch Status: Might watch some episodes if I’m in a chick-flick kind of mood

DBSK - Purple Line

Korean boyband DBSK (Dong Bang Shin Ki, or THSK or TVXQ and about twenty other names they use) has been putting out Japanese releases in the past year like crazy. If you were a fangirl, you’d cry about how avex stole all your money and then go buy it and listen to everything nonstop. If you’re more of a casual listener like me, you’d probably wish they’d go away. Preferably silently. Despite strengthening record sales, the songs themselves weren’t too great. Actually, some were terrible. They’re not Johnny’s, so they don’t even have an excuse for releasing uninspired, recycled pop.

But I think they’ve really redeemed themselves with “Purple Line.”

Ikimonogakari - Hana wa Sakura Kimi wa Utsukishi

Ikimonogakari will be releasing Hana wa Sakura Kimi wa Utsukishi on January 30. It was previously released on their first indie album. (This will also be on their upcoming “Life” album, due to drop February 13th.) So they’re going for another sakura-themed song - although a bit early for spring this time.

WaT - Yume no Tochuu

Raise your hand if you’re like me and breathed a sigh of relief that WaT’s new release next Wednesday, Yume no Tochuu/TOKIMEI☆DooBeeDoo, would be with the both of them again. Sure, their two solos singles did decently sales-wise, but I sure didn’t enjoy listening to Teppei nasally sing sugary sweet pop songs unharmonized and Wentz doing - whatever the heck he felt like doing.

Is it up to par with their bigger hits, though?

Do we really need to know that?

Oricon’s surveys have been getting weirder and weirder.

Sure, it’s been nice to know what people actually over on the island think of their famous actors, their most dateable tarentos, or even who has the best hair or fashion.

But do we really need to know - or rather, care - that Aragaki Yui would be the best receptionist? Or that Fukuyama Masaharu and Nagasawa Masami could theoretically be great nurses? Or that Kimura Takuya, who already sells his dramas and music to audiences, could also successfully sell a kitchen sink?

Give it a few more years, Oricon will run out of ideas and starts doing polls like “Who do you think wears the sexiest underwear on Tuesday” or “Who do you think would be the best wheat farmer in Oklahoma.”

Ohno Satoshi Art Exhibit

Arashi leader Ohno Satoshi was always known as being an artist in his spare time, but now you’ll be able to see his works because he is holding a personal exhibition. From February 21st, the showcase will last nine days in Tokyo.

This isn’t the first time a Johnny’s artist has reached out to other activities, but definitely is the first time one has held an exhibition. Since this is the guy who is one half of hilariously random comedy duo Ohmiya SK, has a transvestite alter-ego Sammi, and is known for his absentmindedness and self-deprecation, it’ll be nice to see if his art is as random and unique as his self.