Tomochin Meets Avril Lavigne!

Tomomi Itano got a chance to meet Avril Lavigne yesterday who’s in Tokyo to promote her latest single “What The Hell”. Tomochin has been a fan of Avril since her middle school days. They met at Shibuya’s Tower Records store with Tomochin admitting she was nervous beforehand. They exchanged their latest CD singles with each other. Check the video below to see how everything went down between them.

Sayaka To Run The Tokyo Marathon

Team K’s Sayaka Akimoto is going to participate in this year’s Tokyo Marathon. She’s decided to run the race because of the scandal she had in October 2010 which made Sayaka relinquish her position as Team K leader (a position which is still yet to be filled). She wants a fresh new start in 2011 and to challenge hard tasks without running away from them. Sayaka is being trained by a woman who won a marathon in Greece in 2009. The race will be broadcasted live on Fuji TV at 9am on February 27th if you’re interested in watching it.

Good luck in the race Sayaka.

Oricon Top 30 Charts 2011 – Week 4

30 Miya Tachibana (Kana Asumi) – Suteki na Aru Hi
29 Girls’ Generation – GENIE
28 Risa Kamizaki (Mai Kadowaki) – Koi no Yukue
27 Ikimonogakari – Arigatou
26 Miyuki Kawanaka – Nagasaki no Ame
25 Kobukuro – Ryuusei
24 Asako Toki – Gift ~Anata wa Madonna~
23 Shonan no Kaze – BOMBERMAN
22 KARA – Mister
21 EXILE – I Wish For You
20 HIROKO – GIRLZ UP ~stand up for yourself~
19 MAY’S – Kimi ni Todoke… / Wonderland
18 AKB48 – Chance no Junban
17 Girls’ Generation – Gee
16 Takeshi Kitayama – Otoko no Namida Ame
15 Galileo Galilei – Boku Kara Kimi e
14 AKB48 – Ponytail to Shushu
13 Toshimi Tagawa – Fuyu no Nihonkai
12 AKB48 – Beginner
11 AKB48 – Heavy Rotation
10 Kana Uemura – Toire no Kami Sama
09 Manabe Nodoka (Chika Fujito) – “K-ON!!” Character Image Song Manabe Nodoka
08 Jun Suzuki (Yoriko Nagata) – “K-ON!!” Character Image Song Jun Suzuki
07 Hideaki Tokunaga – Haru no Yuki
06 ViViD – “Yume” ~Mugen no Kanata~
05 Yui Hirasawa (Madoka Yonezawa) – “K-ON!!” Character Image Song Yui Hirasawa
04 RADWIMPS – DADA
03 Yuzu – HeyWa
02 French Kiss – If
01 Yamashita Tomohisa – Hadakanbo

AKB48 Request Hour Set List Best 100 2011

The annual 4 day concert at Shibuya AX “AKB48 Request Hour Set List Best 100 2011” came to an end last weekend. Which song came out on top as favourite amongst the fans? There’s been many grumblings on some forums that the casual new fans that AKB48 have attracted during the course of last year have destroyed this year’s Top 100 with many old favourite tunes being pushed down the countdown or even not on it and replaced by newer songs. I don’t know what the fuss is about myself.

Here’s how the Top 100 looked:

100. Kioku no Dilemma (H2)
99. Jibun rashisa
97. Kisu no Ryuusei (no3b)
97. AKB Sanjou (A5)
96. Seishun no Flag (Watarirouka Hashiritai)
95. Seishun no Komorebi (no3b)
94. Shiroi Tulip (Watarirouka Hashiritai)
93. Aru Aki no Hi no Koto (French Kiss)
92. Koi wo Kataru Shijin ni narenakute (SKE48)
91. Mokugekisha (A6)
90. Blue Rose (K2)
89. Kokoro no Hane (Team Dragon)
88. Okami to Pride (SKE48)
87. Boku no Yell
86. Dear My Teacher (A1)
85. 16nin Shimai no Uta 16 (K4)
84. Sakura no Shiori
83. Bingo
82. Tane (no3b)
81. Tonari no Banana (H2)
80. Kuroi Tenshi (A5)
79. Higurashi no Koi (H1)
78. Nonai Paradise (K3)
77. Omoide Ijo (SKE48 S3)
76. Sakura no Hanabiratachi
75. Sougen no Kiseki (K3)
74. Yasai Sisters
73. 3 Seconds (no3b/Persona)
72. Gyu (Watarirouka Hashiritai)
71. Aozora Kataomoi (SKE48)
70. Kokoro no Hashi no Sofa (K6)
69. Namida no Seesaw Game (Undergirls)
68. Tenshi no Shippo (B3)
67. Arashi no Yoru ni wa (B5)
66. Seventeen
65. Honest Man (B5)
64. Mayu no Tame ni (Watarirouka Hashiritai)
63. Sasae (K4)
61. Yuuhi wo Miteiru ka?
61. GAGAGA (SDN48)
60. Baby!Baby!Baby!
59. Majisuka Rock ‘n’ Roll
58. Junjou Shugi (B3)
57. Tengoku Yarou (B4)
56. Nakeru Basho (DIVA)
55. Relax! (no3b)
54. Tsundere! (A5)
53. Korogaru Ishi ni Nare (K2)
52. Nagisa no CHERRY (A2)
51. Theater no Megami (B5)
50. Boku Dake no value (Undergirls)
49. Gyakuten Oujisama (K6)
48. Kuchi Utsushi no Chocolate (B4)
47. Kataomoi no Taikakusen (B4)
46. Mushi no Ballad (K5)
45. Only Today (A4)
44. End Roll (K5)
43. Lucky Seven
42. Kanpeki Gu~none (Watarouka Hashiritai)
41. Aitakatta (A2)
40. Miniskirt no Yousei (A6)
39. MARIA (K3)
38. Majijo Teppen Blues
37. Seifuku Resistance (K6)
36. Enjou Rosen (A6)
35. Kimi to Niji to Taiyou to
34. Kanojo ni Naremasu ka? (K6)
33. Kiseki wa Ma ni Awanai (K6)
32. Gomen ne, SUMMER (SKE48)
31. Choose Me! (Team YJ)
30. Temodemo no Namida (B3)
29. Bird (A3)
28. Kimi ni Tsuite (MINT)
27. Zutto Mae Kara (French Kiss)
26. RESET (K6)
25. Itoshisa no Accel (A6)
24. 1234 Yoroshiku (SKE48)
23. Pioneer (A6)
22. Kareha no Station (Rena Matsui)
21. Shonichi (B3)
20. Namida Suprise
19. Anata ga ite kureta kara
18. Uhho Uhhoho (K6)
17. Kimishika (no3b)
16. First Love (Mayuyu)
15. Candy (B5)
14. RIVER
13. 10nen Zakura
12. Yokaze no Shiwaza (B5)
11. Oogoe Diamond
10. Enkyori Poster
09. Heart Gata Virus (A5)
08. Nakinagara Hohoende (K3)
07. Itoshiki Natasha (B4)
06. Kimi no Koto ga Suki Dakara
05. Team B Oshi (B5)
04. Iiwake Maybe
03. Ponytail to Shushu
02. Beginner
01. Heavy Rotation

Beginner Reaches The 1 Million Mark

It was only going to be a matter of time before AKB48’s biggest selling single to date Beginner was going to reach 1 million CD sales and this week they finally managed to achieve it. The single has now sold 1.01 million copies but it doesn’t look likely that they’ll manage to beat Morning Musume’s Koi No Dance Site which sold 1.23 million copies way back in February 2000. That doesn’t mean however that a future single by AKB48 could top that figure and I for one hope they’ll be able to do it.

Congratulations girls!

Yes, There Is A God – Majisuka Gakuen 2 Coming Soon!

My prayers have finally been answered and for the fans that enjoyed Majisuka Gakuen so much. There will be another series coming in April on the TV Tokyo channel. The only other information that was given out is that even more members than the 60 that had roles in the first series will appear in the drama. No word on the storyline as of yet but we can guess that it’s going to be about Jurina plotting to usurp Maeda as the top dog at Maji High.

I seriously can’t wait to see this and please can we have more Gekikara!!!

 

Erika Sawajiri IS Getting A Divorce

Today saw Erika Sawajiri tell the Japanese press what they’d all been waiting for and that was to say that she is indeed getting a divorce and that procedures are in their final stages.  In a tearful press conference at the Takano Yuri Beauty Clinic, she revealed that she and Takashiro Tsuyoshi have both mutually agreed on the divorce. So all the rumours about both of them getting back together were rubbish. It seems the only reason that they were seen together was to finalise the divorce proceedings. She didn’t answer any questions from the media.

Erika stated that she has no work lined up although she does want to return to acting. Whether AVEX is still interested in her after this press conference is unknown. However it’s not all doom and gloom for her. An announcement is expected on February 28th about a possible CM contract for Erika.

Erika has burnt a lot of bridges whilst she’s been away from Japan and it’s going to take a long time before the Japanese public warm up to her once more. I wish her the very best of luck in achieving this.

EDIT: Erika’s soon-to-be-ex-husband has objected to her interview yesterday. He wasn’t too happy at all that details on the divorce were given to the press and wants Erika to tell the whole truth about what’s going on. He feels aggrieved that the press is trying to be on her side once more. This saga is set to get nasty in the near future I believe. Expect Erika to issue a statement about this latest development.

Watarirouka Hashiritai 7 – Valentine Kiss Full PV

I don’t know how long this will stay up on Youtube and I will look for an alternative source should this one disappear but for now here’s the full PV for Watarirouka Hashiritai 7’s new single Valentine Kiss. It’s a cute song and I do like the outfits for the song ever since I saw the promo pictures and CD covers. Enjoy the PV.

New AKB48 Sub-Unit – Not yet

Announced at the end of Day 2 of AKB48’s Request Hour Set List Best 100 2011 is a new sub-unit called Notyet which features a grand line-up of Yuko, Sasshi, Kitarie and Yui Yokoyama.  Their debut single “Shuumatsu Not Yet” will be released on the 16th March 2011. I like the look of this sub-unit judging from the picture below.

Exclusive Sample Preview of AKB48’s Upcoming 20th Single

AKB48 kicked off their annual 4 day live concert “AKB48 Request Hour Set List Best 100 2011” at Shibuya AX by performing their new single “Sakura no Ki ni Narou” to media reporters at a press conference.

Here’s a small clip of the new song below.