An and Hiroki Hasegawa to co-star in Fuji TV 2015 Winter drama

An will be taking on her first leading role in the a FujiTV Gekku when she appears in the new Winter 2015 drama "Date ~ Koi to wa donna mono kashira ~ " (Date ~ What kind of thing is love?) alongside Hasegawa Hiroki which begins its run from 19 Jan at 9pm on Mondays. The drama is set in Yokohama and will be a bittersweet romantic comedy.

An plays the role of Yabushita Yoriko, a 29-year-old economics expert who holds a Masters degree from University of Tokyo and works in the field of macroeconomics research. She is rigid and refuses to pander to others. As she aims to get married by 30, she registers at a marriage agency in order to find a partner. On the other hand, Hasegawa plays a jobless man named Taniguchi Takumi who depends on his mother for a living while being absorbed in the world of literature, arts, music and entertainment. He regards himself as a high-class nomad and decides to register at the same marriage agency as Yoriko in order to find a rich woman who he can depend on for a living if his mother is no longer around. The two of them who are said to be unable to love and unsuitable for love get paired up together and through a number of dates, become closer to each other while viewing the topic of marriage as a mere contract rather than the union of two people who are in love with each other.

Source: Sponichi

Hmm, I'm not familiar with either of those artistes. I can't find any info about "An" because the name is practically impossible to Google!

maxcriden wrote:

Hmm, I'm not familiar with either of those artistes. I can't find any info about "An" because the name is practically impossible to Google!

Her full name is Anne Watanabe. She's the daughter of actor Ken Watanabe but she took the name "An" because she didn't want anybody to know about her Dad and think she was just riding his coattails. She is seriously talented: http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Anne

gaijinmark wrote:

Her full name is Anne Watanabe. She's the daughter of actor Ken Watanabe but she took the name "An" because she didn't want anybody to know about her Dad and think she was just riding his coattails. She is seriously talented: http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Anne

Oh, neat. Ken Watanabe I know. I'll have to keep an eye out for Anne's doramas. Thank you!

Takeru Sato to star in TBS 2015 Spring drama

Sato Takeru will be playing a chef for the first time in the upcoming TBS 60th anniversary drama "Tenno no Ryoriban" (The Emperor's Cook) to be shown from April next year in the Spring 2015 season. He will play the role of Akiyama Tokuzo who was the head chef in the Imperial Household Department during the Taisho and Showa eras. In order to prepare for the role, Sato cut his hair by 20cm and remarked that he had never cut his hair so short since his junior high days when he was in the baseball team. He also started taking cooking lessons since August this year and practiced cutting vegetables such as onions and potatoes at home.

Akiyama came to Tokyo from his hometown at the age of 16 in order to realise his dream of being a chef. After working at a top-class hotel in Paris, he became the head chef at the young age of 26 for the royal family. Kuroki Haru will play the wife of Akiyama while Kobayashi Kaoru will play his teacher.

Source: Sponichi

Suzu Hirose and Ryunosuke Kamiki to star in NTV 2015 Winter drama

Hirose Suzu and Kamiki Ryunosuke will be starring in the NTV Winter 2015 drama "Gakkou no Kaidan" which is due to begin its run from 10 Jan in the Saturdays 9pm timeslot.

Hirose plays the role of an ordinary girl who is forced to become the president of the student council and accidentally meets a speech writer (Kamiki) known as the Magician. Although she doesn't know much about him or whether he is an ally or foe, she develops skills of making good speeches through her interaction with him. Co-stars include Namase Katsuhisa, Asano Atsuko and Sugisaki Hana.

Source: Sanspo

Masato Sakai to star in NTV Spring drama 'Dr. Rintaro'

Sakai Masato will be in the leading role in the NTV Spring 2015 drama "Dr. Rintaro" where he plays a sought-after psychiatrist named Hino Rintaro who uses his observation powers and instinct to help his patients overcome their psychiatric issues. The drama will be written by Nakazono Miho who had produced recent hits like "Doctor X" and "Hanako to Anne". Besides helping his patients, there will also be a main story about the relationship between Rintaro and a woman who he cannot understand and interact well with. As this is Nakazono's first collaboration with Sakai, she hoped that the character Rintaro will help bring some much-needed mental consolation and relief to modern Japan and looks forward to working with Sakai as she is a big fan of his.

Source: Yomiuri Hochi

Manami Higa and Shinnosuke Mitsushima in NTV 2015 Spring drama

Higa Manami and Mitsushima Shinnosuke will be playing a divorced couple in the new NTV Spring 2015 drama "Renai Jidai" (Love Generation) which will begin its run from 2 April in the Thursdays 11.59pm. This will be Higa's first leading role in a private network drama since she made her debut in the 2007 NHK morning drama "Dondon Hare".

The drama which consists of 12 episodes, is based on the late Nozawa Hisashi's novel which won the 4th Shimase Renai Bungaku Award in 1997 and had been adapted into a Korean drama starring Son Yejin in 2006. The drama's script will be written by Fujii Kiyomi who was known for her work in the "Rurouni Kenshin" movies.

Higa plays the role of Eto Haru who works in a sports gym and has a strong sense of duty but finds it difficult to pay attention to detail. Mitsushima plays the role of Hayase Riichiro who works in a bookstore and has an artistic temperament and argumentative by nature. The two of them were briefly married for one and a half years but divorced due to an unknown reason. However, they still remain on good terms with each other to the extent of being weird because they still celebrate their wedding anniversary every year and go to karaoke sessions together. One day, they get into an argument and decide to find a new boyfriend and girlfriend for each other.

Source: Sanspo / Eiga.com

Even though "Going My Home" was pretty much a disaster, I bring tidings which shall be of great joy to all drama fans:

Tomoko Yamaguchi is starring in another drama!!

Sadao Abe, Tomoko Yamaguchi, Kiko Mizuhara, and Naohito Fujiki to star in FujiTV Spring drama

Abe Sadao, Mizuhara Kiko, Fujiki Naohito and Yamaguchi Tomoko will be starring in the new FujiTV Spring 2015 drama "Kokoro ga Pokitto ne" (The Heart Snaps) which is due to be shown from April in the Wednesdays 10pm timeslot. The drama which is written by Okada Yoshikazu known for his works such as "Saigo kara nibanme no Koi", features four men and women who have to cope with their own emotional wounds and are caught in a messy love web.

Abe plays the role of Kojima Haruta, a divorcee who was forced to quit his job in a major corporation due to a psychological ailment caused by overwork and stress from the people around him. Haruta became a homeless man after losing his job and family but is trying to get back on his feet again after being taken in by Otake Shin (Fujiki Naohito), the owner of an antique furniture shop in Tokyo. He works as a furniture repairman in the shop but keeps to himself all the time and tries hard to keep himself calm in order to prevent a relapse. Just then, Haruta meets Hayama Miyako (Mizuhara Kiko), a woman who totally loses herself whenever she falls in love and tries too hard to stick to her men to the extent of being a stalker thus landing herself into trouble with the police. As a result of this encounter, Haruta finds himself struggling to maintain his inner peace due to her unpredictable behaviour. Miyako falls for Shin after he saved her once in the past by chance but he already has a beautiful and smart girlfriend Kamoda Shizuka (Yamaguchi Tomoko) who happens to be Haruta's ex-wife. However, Shizuka cannot bring herself to tell Shin about this fact.

Source: Sanspo 1 / Sanspo 2

gaijinmark wrote:

Even though "Going My Home" was pretty much a disaster, I bring tidings which shall be of great joy to all drama fans: Tomoko Yamaguchi is starring in another drama!! Sadao Abe, Tomoko Yamaguchi, Kiko Mizuhara, and Naohito Fujiki to star in FujiTV Spring drama

Yay! Will be checking this out for Yamaguchi and Fujiki!
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玉木宏、藤木直人、佐藤健

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Uhm... Am I really the only one that liked Going my home?

Yuko Oshima to be detective in upcoming TBS drama

Former AKB48 member Oshima Yuko will be starring in upcoming TBS drama "Yamegoku ~Yakuza Yamete Itadakimasu~." This is her first time taking on a lead role for serial drama.

The protagonist is Nagamitsu Bakushu (Oshima), a detective in charge of "helpline for people trying to depart from Yakuza organization (commonly called 'Ashinuke Call')" which belongs to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's Organized Crime Division, Section 3. Tagging up with her partner, she helps the members of Yakuza who want to quit their lives of crime.

As Oshima's role is a detective who confronts the huge organization, action scenes will be one of the highlights of the drama. So, she will develop her physical strength using Aikido as the base, and will also take a lesson for swordfights.

The drama is directed by Tsutsumi Yukihiko ("SPEC", "Trick", "Keizoku"), and Sakurai Takeharu ("Aibou" series) is in charge of the scenario.

"Yamegoku ~Yakuza Yamete Itadakimasu~" will begin airing in April on TBS (every Thursday at 9:00 pm).

Source: Chunichi Sports

Takumi Saito to star in2015 Fuji TV Spring drama

Saito Takumi will be starring in the new FujiTV Spring 2015 drama "Ishitachi no Renai Jijo" (The Love Affairs of Doctors) which will begin its run from April in the Thursdays 10pm timeslot. He will play the role of Morita Haruki, a 35-year-old surgeon who's so passionate about his work that he has forgotten how to date a woman. At the university hospital he works, Haruki meets Kondo Chizuru (Ishida Yuriko), a 42-year-old surgeon and falls for her thus beginning an office romance in a competitive environment where doctors try to get ahead of one another.

Co-stars include Aibu Saki, a anesthetist who's a single mother and aggressive about love, Hirayama Hiroyuki who plays a surgeon having sex dependency issues, Itaya Yuka who plays an internal medicine doctor undergoing infertility treatment, Ihara Tsuyoshi who's a surgeon and buddy of Haruki and Namase Katsuhisa who is the operating director of the hospital.

Source: Sanspo

Mayu Watanabe to star as bookstore clerk in FujiTV Spring drama

Watanabe Mayu (AKB48) and Inamori Izumi will star in Fuji TV's new drama series 'Tatakau! Shoten Girl' that's scheduled to premiere in April.

The drama is an adaptation of Aono Kei's novel series 'Shoten Girl'. Set at a long standing bookstore called "Pegasus Shobou", it's a human life drama that portrays the growth of two bookstore clerks as they overcome troubles with work and love.

Watanabe will play 'Kitamura Aki', a salesclerk in her twenties, and Inamori will play 40-year-old 'Nishioka Riko', the vice store manager of the bookstore. The two come from completely different generations and have completely different personalities, thus causing them to butt heads.

Regarding this big role, Watanabe commented, "I've always had the dream of starring in a drama series in the 'golden prime-time' slot, so it's such an honor to receive this offer!" While she hasn't told any of her members yet, she received some words of encouragement from AKB producer Akimoto Yasushi. "Akimoto sensei told me to do my best," she revealed.

On her first time working with Inamori, she said, "She was so pretty that I was overwhelmed, but she was really nice." Meanwhile, Inamori commented about Watanabe, "She was a cute person, as if a character were to jump out of a manga. When I met her, I felt we were somewhat similar and was able to talk to her naturally."

Besides Watanabe and Inamori, the drama will star Daito Seiichi as a comic book editor who falls in love with Aki at first sight and Tanabe Seiichi as he mystery man who keeps an eye on the two's conflicts. In addition, Suzuki Chinami and Inoo Kei (Hey! Say! JUMP) will play salesclerks who work a "Pegasus Shobou", Kinoshita Houka will play the store manager, and Inoue Jun will play Riko's father. The script will be written by Watanabe Chiho.

Source: Oricon

Kenichi Matsuyama and Taichi Saotome to star in WOWOW drama

Matsuyama Kenichi will be starring in the new WOWOW drama "Futagashira" which will begin its run from June. This will be Matsuyama's first period drama in three years since his NHK Taiga "Taira no Kiyomori".

The drama set in the Edo era features Matsuyama as Benkei and Saotome Taichi as Soji who both work at a courier service in Hachioji and have double identities as members of a theft group named Akame which steals money from the evil. One day, when their respected leader Tatsugoro is on his death bed, he tells Benkei and Soji that he will leave Akame to them but Tatsugoro's will states that the designated leader will be Kanzaburo instead. The duo refuse to accept this and set out on a trip to do something big.

Source: Eiga.com

Supporting cast for Asahi 2015 Spring drama "I'm Home"

The supporting cast lineup for TV Asahi Spring 2015 drama "I'm Home" starring Kimura Takuya and Ueto Aya has been announced on 5 March. Mizuno Miki who last worked with Kimura in the 2000 TBS drama "Beautiful Life" and played the best friend of Tokiwa Takako then, will be playing his ex-wife in this drama. With regard to this, Mizuno jokingly commented that it is a major progression to be "promoted" to ex-wife from being the buddy of Kimura's girlfriend in a span of 15 years.

Kimura plays the role of Ieji Hisashi who goes into a coma due to an accident but finds himself being unable to remember what happened in the last five years when he regains consciousness. With the 10 keys in his possession, he tries to find his lost past while struggling with the fact that he sees his current wife Megumi (Ueto) and son as people with masks on their faces as well as taking a keen interest in his ex-wife Nozawa Kaori (Mizuno) and finding out why he married and divorced her.

Upon his recovery, Hisashi is transferred to the 13th sales department where his new boss Kozukue Yukio will be played by Nishida Toshiyuki. Hisashi's neuro-surgeon Tsukuba Yoshiaki will be played by Oikawa Mitsuhiro. Tanaka Kei will play the coach of Hisashi's son Yoshio's soccer club while Higashi's colleagues Watanuki Shinji and Todoroki Haruki will be played by Suzuki Kosuke and Mitsuishi Ken. Watanabe Ikkei will play the director of Hisashi's company while Arai Hirofumi will play the ace of the first sales department who used to be rivals with Hisashi. 4-year-old Yoshio will be played by child actor Takahashi Rai while Hisashi's 13-year-old daughter Subaru will be played by Yamaguchi Mayu.

Source: Oricon

Yudai Chiba in Fuji TV 2015 Spring drama


Chiba Yudai will be in the upcoming FujiTV Spring 2015 drama "Tatakau! Shoten Girl" which will begin its run from April and features Inamori Izumi and AKB48's Watanabe Mayu as its leads. Chiba plays the role of an employee in the same bookstore where they work in and is caught in a love triangle between both women. On one hand, he is pursued relentlessly by Watanabe's character who is his junior at work but he also takes an interest in his senior played by Inamori.

Chiba commented that he's very excited about being able to know more about the operations of bookstores which he frequently visits through acting in this drama. As for working with Inamori and Watanabe, Chiba admitted that he's not the type to strike up conversations with others but hopes that they will be able to work happily together.

Source: Sanspo

Haru chosen to star in next NHK asadora

NHK Osaka Broadcasting Station announced that actress Haru has been chosen to star in their next 'Asadora (Morning drama)' titled "Asa ga Kita", which will begin airing at the end of September.

"Asa ga Kita" is modeled after businesswoman Hirooka Asako who lived during the end of the Edo Period to the Taisho Period. It depicts the life of "Asa" (Haru) who marries a man running a prominent money-exchange business in Osaka, and makes every effort to run a colliery company, to establish a bank, and more, on behalf of her prodigal husband.

Haru, who is from Tokyo, made her debut as an actress in 2006, and has been making appearances in movies and dramas. Reportedly, this is her 4th time taking on the audition for 'Asadora', and she was chosen out of 2590 candidates.

At the press conference, Haru talked nervously, stating "I would like to do my best while bettering myself along with Asa-chan."

Source: Sanspo

Teruyoshi Uchimura and Tae Kimura to star in TBS drama

NHK BS Premium drama "Boku no tsuma to kekkon shite kudasai" (Please get married with my wife) was announced with leads Uchimura Teruyoshi and Kimura Tae. The drama which will begin its run from 10 May in the Sundays 10pm timeslot, is based on the same-titled novel by Higuchi Takuji while the script is written by Okada Yoshikazu and the drama will be directed by Fukagawa Yoshihiro. Filming began in January and is expected to be wrapped up at the end of this month.

Uchimura who is starring in his first leading role in a drama since 2002's TBS drama "Boku ga chikyu wo sukuu", plays the role of Shuji, a salaryman working in the sales department of a TV station who finds out that he has only six months to live due to cancer at the advanced stage. He sets out to find a man for his wife (Kimura) to remarry. When asked if he would do the same as Shuji when caught in a similar situation in real life, Uchimura said that he wouldn't go to the extent of finding another man for his wife but he will tell her to go ahead to remarry after he is dead.

Source: Sponichi

Riisa Naka to star in WOWOW drama

Naka Riisa will be starring in the new WOWOW drama "Temisu no Kyukei" which will begin its run from 10 May in the Sundays 10pm timeslot and consists of 4 episodes.

The drama which is based on the same-titled novel by Daimon Takeaki, features Naka as a prosecutor's assistant officer whose father was murdered but she later realises that the supposed culprit who was convicted for the crime may be innocent. In relation to this revelation, a series of new cases happen. Naka's character will be a very serious and plain woman who wears suits all the time so this will be a great deviation from most of the roles she used to play. With regard to this, Naka commented that she hopes that by playing someone very different from her own character, this will help her to improve as an actress.

Source: Sponichi
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