Shukan AKB Back On Youtube

I don’t know for how long it’s likely to stay on Youtube but see this episode while you can as it’s more than likely going to be deleted soon.

It’s this week’s episode which starts with 4 members heading over to Fuji Q Highland theme park for a game. Miho and Erepyon don’t like rollercoasters at all, in fact looking at Erepyon’s terrified face made me laugh. The next segment is back in the studio with their hosts trying to find who can shout the loudest decibel with a microphone with the final segment set in a visiting restaurant where they have to guess which sushi has been made and if they get it right they can eat it. If they guess wrong their producer can scoff it instead. Having not seen Shukan AKB since the first episode I really enjoyed this one, it was a lot of fun.

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New Winter Soft Drinks In Japan

Two new soft drinks have been released in Japan lately: Cherry Premium Mitsuya Cider and Coca Cola Plus Fiber.

It would have made more sense for the Cherry Premium Mitsuya Cider to have been released in Spring because of the trees blossoming. It doesn’t even have the taste of cherry. It has a rich fruity flavor more like peach than cherry and it is very sweet.

And as for the Coke drink, the Fiber Plus is supposed to aid with going to the toilet due to it’s contents containing some fibre! This is another very sweet drink with the usual coke taste with a little bit of citrus.

I’d like to try both of these drinks out even though they may be disgusting.

Yet Another New AKB48 TV Show!

Starting on November 18th on the Enta371 channel at 10pm is AKB 1/48 (AKB Yonjuuhachi bun no ichi). Each episode will focus on one member doing something interesting for the cameras. The first episode will feature Rina Chikano and Reina Fujie. I guess having the girls on 4 TV shows already isn’t enough for their growing popularity so they churn another one out for the fans which reminds me that I’ve yet to catch SKE48’s show.

No Sleeves – 3rd Single Details

Mark your calendars down for November 25th as this’ll be the release date for the long awaited 3rd single from No Sleeves’ called Kiss no Ryusei. It’s been a while since their last song Tane so I’m happy to see them back. This is a little bit different from their previous 2 singles as it has a latino flavor to it. From the previews I’ve listened, it sounds great and I can’t wait to see the PV when it comes out which should be fairly soon. I wonder if there’ll ever be a 2nd season of the dorama Men-Dol. That was such a fun dorama to see.

There’s 4 versions of the single coming out, each one with different content from the other:

Version A – Kojima (comes with a DVD featuring the PV, making of and karaoke)
Version B – Takamina (comes with a DVD featuring the PV, jacket photoshoot footage and karaoke)
Version C – Miichan (comes with a DVD featuring the PV, showing them recording the song and karaoke)
The 4th version is just your usual run of the mill regular press.

AKB48 Achieve Another Milestone

AKB48 achieved another fantastic milestone as River continues to break records for them. They finally smashed through the 200k barrier with total sales now standing at 205,005 for the single. It’s amazing what they’ve done this year and I’m hoping that 2010 sees their popularity grow even more. It’s also nice to hear that more young women are now attending their concerts than ever before which shows their appeal isn’t just for wotas anymore.

Mimi Kitagami With MM Gakuen Gasshobu – Daisuki ni Nare! PV

I caught a glimpse of this PV on the CDTV Top 30 and seeing as I’ve never heard of them before I thought I’d find out a little bit more about this idol group. They’re a part of Tsunku’s Nice Girl Project in TNX and this song is their 2nd after Mecha Mote I Love You which came out during the Summer. Both songs they’ve released are tie-ins with the anime Gokujou! Mecha Mote Iinchou. Mimi Kitagami is one of the main characters in the series played by Mano Ogawa.

Mano Erina – Love & Peace = Paradise PV

I haven’t been that impressed with Mano Erina’s 4 major singles so far, in fact I think she’s taken a step backwards from her indie days but her new song (her 5th major single) Love & Peace = Paradise thankfully is a lot better than her last song. As for the PV, she’s too kawaii for words and is fabulous in the dress she wears in it. I could look at her all day long! The single is released on November 25th.

AKB48 – River – 2nd Week Sales/Oricon Yearly Charts

AKB48 did exceptionally well during 2nd week sales for River. They stay inside the Top 10 and drop down to no.5, just one place below Morning Musume. They sold 20,574 copies bringing their grand total up to 199,153. Looks good to breaking another milestone – 200k tomorrow. Morning Musume even though they beat AKB48 last week have crashed down to no.28 in the daily rankings at the start of the 2nd week for sales for Kimagure Princess. River manages to hold steady and is still selling reasonably well in it’s 3rd week.

So far AKB48 has 4 entries in the Top 50 of the Oricon Yearly Charts. River is presently at no.19 but with sales continuing who knows how high it could go. Other AKB48 songs are at no.32, no.41 and no.44.

I’ve been thinking to myself because of the success that AKB48 have achieved this year, if they don’t get invited to appear on the annual New Year’s Eve extravaganza Kohaku Uta Gassen it will be a big disgrace and a slap in the face for them so I hope the people that pick the artists for the show see sense and invite them.

CDTV Top 30 Singles – 1/11/09

The latest CDTV charts is now up on Youtube. I’m delighted to see AKB48’s name at the top of the charts, hope this is the first of many for them. There’s some good stuff in the charts namely Spontania, AAA, Sheryl Nome starring May’n, Kana Nishimi and Mimi Kitagami.

30- B’z – “Ichibu to Zenzu / DIVE”
29- Gospellers – “Love Notes”
28- Takako Matsu – “Kimi to Nara”
27- Kazuya Iwade – “Ame yo Fure”
26- TOKYO No.1 SOUL SET + HALCALI – “Konya wa Boogie Back”
25- Mari Iijima, FIRE BOMBER, May’n – “Macross Gannen Kinen Chojiku Anthem : Iki wo Shiteiru Kanjiteiru”
24- The Birthday – “Ai de Nuri Tsubuse”
23- ALI PROJECT – “Datenkoku Sensen”
22- Etsuko Yakushimaru – “Oyasumi Paradox / Jenny wa Go Kigen Naname”
21- Hiroyuki Nishikata – “Kanzakura”
20- Spontania feat.AZU – “Onaji Sora Mitsumeteru Anata ni”
19- Sukima Switch – “Golden Time Lover”
18- Kiyoshi Hikawa – “Tokimeki no Rumba”
17- Joji Yamamoto – “Senri no Michimo”
16- Kagrra, – “Skiki”
15- Rina Aiuchi – “MAGIC”
14- Shinsengumi Rian – “Otokomichi”
13- Ikimonogakari – “YELL / Joyful”
12- YUI – “It’s all too much/Never say die”
11- Naotaro Moriyama – “Namida”
10- Nodoka Manabe(Chika Fujito) – “‘K-ON!’ Image Song (Coolly Hotty Tension Hi!!)”
9- Mimi Kitagami with MM Gakuen Gasshoubu – “Daisuki ni Nare! / Kokoro Kimi ni Todoke”
8- Hilcrhyme – “Shunkashuto”
7- Ui Hirasawa(Madoka Yonezawa) – “‘K-ON!’ Image Song Ui Hirasawa”
6- Kana Nishino – “Motto…”
5- Sheryl Nome starring May’n – “Pink Monsoon”
4- B’z – “MY LONELY TOWN”
3- Ken Hirai – “Boku wa Kimi ni Koi wo Suru”
2- AAA – “Hide-away”
1- AKB48 – “RIVER”

Nodame Cantabile The Movie Trailer

Juri Ueno is back as the loveable Megumi Noda in one of her most famous roles. Nodame Cantabile’s popularity doesn’t seem to be abating. First there was the dorama series then a special and now they’re transferring to the big screen. What’s great about her return as this character is that there’s going to be 2 Nodame Cantabile movies. The first will be released in Japan on the 19th December and the 2nd comes out sometime in 2010. I can’t wait to see both of them. Here’s a trailer for the first movie which is set in Paris: