[ARASHI] The 33rd thread ~ 45th single Sakura (25.2)

[KarenPang]

Aiba will have his 1st solo lead role in a movie which's adapted from a story based on "Christmas Eve" by Yamashita Tatsurou

http://jenewsdaily.com/blog/2013/12/...hita-tatsurou/

[KarenPang]

Arashi's Aiba Masaki to star in a live-action film adaptation of Nakamura Ko's novel

Arashi member Aiba Masaki will star in a movie "MIRACLE Debikuro-kun no Koi to Mahou" that is set for release sometime in fall 2014. This will mark Aiba's first leading role.

This is a live-action film adaptation of Nakamura Ko's novel "Debikuro-kun no Koi to Mahou", which uses Yamashita Tatsuro's masterpiece "Christmas Eve" as its motif.

The protagonist is a bookstore worker "Hikaru" (Aiba) who has a dream to be a Mangaka. Hikaru is a chicken but has a kind heart. At night, he passes out leaflets titled "Debikuro Tsushin."

Eikura Nana makes an appearance as Hikaru's childhood friend "Anna" who watches over Hikaru, and Korean actress Han Hyo-joo plays a world famous lighting designer named "So-yeon" who Hikaru accidentally encounters. Also, Ikuta Toma plays the role of a very popular Mangaka "Kitayama", who is a college classmate of Hikaru. The four will be involved in a love story.

The movie is directed by Inudo Isshin, who Aiba has previously worked with in the 2007 movie "Kiiroi Namida".

Aiba commented, "It is a love story with a fantasy element that is perfect for Christmas. Since my birthday is on Christmas Eve, I feel like being able to be a part of this movie is fate!"

"MIRACLE Debikuro-kun no Koi to Mahou" will be released in fall of 2014.

http://www.tokyohive.com/article/201...mura-kos-novel

[KarenPang]

The title of 1 of the B-sides in ARASHI's 42nd single is Road to Glory & it's the official theme song for Sochi Olympics that will be held in Russia next month

[KarenPang]

Preview snippet of Road to Glory can be heard below

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=615909055123248

This's from last night's NEWS ZERO

[tsumekaze_]

Ok lemme say this, I don't know anything about arashi if not for the work of the members as actors, nor am I a big fan of their songs:

but APPRECIATION POST for endless game. That song SLAYS!

[KarenPang]

Title of ARASHI's 42nd single is Bittersweet

http://www.j-storm.co.jp/arashi/disco/single/s_36.html

Yup the title fits MatsuJun's new drama properly x)

[Beauty4123]

"Bittersweet" is such a nice title! I can't wait for this single.

[KarenPang]

'Shitsuren Chocolatier' press conference with Matsumoto Jun, Ishihara Satomi & Co.

The cast of the upcoming Fuji TV drama 'Shitsuren Chocolatier' attended a press conference on January 9. 'Shitsuren Chocolatier' is a romantic comedy about the struggles of a young man who becomes a chocolatier in order to impress the girl and now married woman that he loves.

Arashi's Matsumoto Jun plays the chocolatier and actress Ishihara Satomi the married woman. He commented on her role, "She is such a devilish woman and I thought that there is now way I could like someone like her. However, now that Satomi-chan is playing her, I'm starting to like it. I'm getting excited every time she turns into this devilish woman."

Throughout the drama, the protagonist has various odd fantasies about the woman he loves. Ishihara stated that they are quite extreme like her taking a chocolate bath at midnight. There are plenty such scenes where the protagonist imagines things while having a gross expression on his face. "I'm really troubled by those scenes and I was surprised at the faces Matsumoto-san can make," she commented.

At the event, they also reminisced about their Valentine's Day memories. Matsumoto revealed, "As a man I'm usually always on the receiving end, but there was also one year when I gave chocolate to a co-star of mine during the filming of a drama. It was an older woman." He later confessed that this woman was actress Koyuki and that it happened during the filming of their drama 'Kimi wa Petto' in 2003. "I was playing her pet and yet it was me who gave her chocolate. It would be normal for it to be the other way around and so she was really surprised. I was glad she liked it."

Ishihara also confessed, "During junior high, there was on older boy from two classes above me that I had a crush on all the time from my 1st to my 4th year. I made him chocolate every single year. In the 4th year I heard from one of his friends that he actually doesn't like chocolate and so I made him a madeleine that year."

The conference was also attended by Mizukawa Asami, Mizuhara Kiko, Mizobata Junpei, and Arimura Kasumi.

http://www.tokyohive.com/article/201...hara-satomi-co

[Bigtop]

Bittersweet + Shitsuren Chocolatier = mmm...perfect match of a song and a drama?

[KarenPang]

Finalised tracklist for Bittersweet

<初回限定盤>
CD+DVD　JACA-5399～5400　￥1,470（税込）

【CD】＜2曲　収録＞
1.　Bittersweet
フジテレビ系月曜よる９時ドラマ「失恋ショコラティエ」主題歌 ; Shitsuren Chocolatier theme song
2.　Road to Glory
日本テレビ系ソチ2014テーマソング ; NTV Sochi 2014 Olympics coverage theme song

【DVD】
「Bittersweet」 ビデオ・クリップ ; video clip

★16P歌詞ブックレット封入 ; 16 page lyrics booklet

<通常盤>
JACA-5401　 ￥1,260（税込）

【CD】＜4曲＋オリジナル・カラオケ 4曲収録＞
1.　Bittersweet
2.　Road to Glory
3.　Sync
4.　もっと、いまより ; Motto,Ima Yori
5.　Bittersweet （オリジナル・カラオケ） ; Original Karaoke
6.　Road to Glory （オリジナル・カラオケ）; Original Karaoke
7.　Sync （オリジナル・カラオケ）; Original Karaoke
8.　もっと、いまより （オリジナル・カラオケ） ; Original Karaoke

http://www.j-storm.co.jp/arashi/disco/single/s_36.html

And they premiered Bittersweet for the 1st time during Mon's HEYx3 + based on what my sister says , it sounds like a cross between Love so sweet & Meikyuu Love Song

There's dancing involved in Bittersweet which the dance moves were choreographed by Ohno

===

YesAsia's description of Bittersweet

2014 marks the 15th anniversary of Arashi, and they're starting their year of celebration with Bittersweet. The light dance number is also the theme song for television drama Shitsuren Chocolatier, starring Matsumoto Jun. The single also includes Road to Glory as B-side track.

http://www.yesasia.com/global/bitter...0-en/info.html

[Beauty4123]

The tracklist looks good. I really like the b-side titles! and I also listened to a preview of "Bittersweet" & I love how it sounds so far. I can't wait to listen to the full song!

[KarenPang]

Nino played both Bittersweet + Road to Glory on his Baystorm radio show today

Bittersweet - too happy sounding for my liking :x maybe this will grow on me after I see the PV

Road to Glory - very Olympic/sports sounding , no wonder it was picked to promote next month's Winter Olympics in Sochi , Russia

Not very sure how the other 2 B-sides will be but I doubt Bittersweet will be a fave single of theirs but we'll see

[KarenPang]

Bittersweet covers



Top - CD + DVD
Bottom - CD

http://www.johnnys-net.jp/page?id=di...il&dataId=2144
http://www.j-storm.co.jp/arashi/disco/single/s_36.html

I think both covers are really nice but just feel it's the wrong season since it's currently Winter in Japan but whatever :x

[Beauty4123]

I like the "Bittersweet" covers! They're very nice.

I also just listened to "Bittersweet" & "Road to Glory" and I love both songs!

[KarenPang]

Happy 32nd birthday , Sakurai !

[KarenPang]

Arashi's Ninomiya Kazunari to star in new NTV drama as a teacher

Arashi member Ninomiya Kazunari would star in NTV's new drama "Yowakutemo Katemasu ~Aoshi Sensei to Heppoko Koukou Kyuji no Yabou (tentative title)" which will start airing in April.

This drama uses a book written by nonfiction writer, Takahashi Hidemine, "'Yowakutemo Katemasu' Kaisei Koukou Yakyubu no Theory" as its base, and it will be a youthful school drama.

=====

A soon-to-be-30 years old, Tamo Aoshi (Ninomiya) who was absorbed in his biology research at University of Tokyo, happens to become a temporary teacher at one of Japan's foremost high-level schools - his alma mater. He is also appointed as a manager of the school's baseball team which is comprised of 5 members. As their first priority is to study, they practice baseball only once a week, which is why they have never won a single game. However, Tamo comes up with ingenious scheme by gathering the members' brains, and challenges the powerful teams.

=====

This is the first time Ninomiya will play a teacher. To prepare for the role, Ninomiya is planning to go on "knight-errantry" (sic) to high schools all over Japan.

Ninomiya made a comment, "This is my first time playing a teacher. It's also been a while for me to work with younger people, since I was always one of the youngest casts until now. I would like to try communicating with the students, but I'm not so good to associate with younger people, and I didn't really have a chance to do so. That's the one thing I'm worried about.", however, he enthusiastically said, "I will work hard to make the drama together with the students, other teachers, and the staff members."

More details on the drama will be announced later date.

http://www.tokyohive.com/article/201...a-as-a-teacher

[KarenPang]

Bittersweet -short ver.-

http://www.jpopsuki.tv/video/Arashi-...2081869f7dcc47

I still don't really like the song but I like the setting of the short version of the PV

And MatsuJun looks great which's not really surprising haha

[Beauty4123]

The short version of the "Bittersweet" PV is simple & nice! Arashi were looking so nice in the PV, too! I can't wait to watch the full PV.

[KarenPang]

Arashi's Ohno Satoshi breaks his own record in Oricon's drama Blu-ray charts

Spoiler:

Arashi has topped Oricon's music DVD sales ranking for three years in a row. This is the first time any artist has ever done so. On top of invincible sales in music, Arashi is also doing well in drama rankings.

On August 23, Arashi, who were the main personality for NTV's 24-Hour TV, participated in various projects. Among them was member Ohno Satoshi's special drama "Kyou no Hi wa Sayonara". The drama tells the story of the protagonist who is diagnosed with a type of blood cancer called malignant lymphoma, and who, after meeting different people in the hospital, makes up his mind to "face a proper death". Ohno's junior Yamada Ryosuke from Hey!Say!JUMP also appeared in the drama as a youth with an artificial limb.

The Blu-ray for "Kyou no Hi wa Sayonara" was released on January 22 and sold over 15000 copies in its first week, topping Oricon's Weekly Drama Blu-ray rankings while coming in at second place in the overall Blu-ray rankings. This is also the highest number of Blu-ray volumes ever sold for any drama on the chart.

A reporter specializing in Johnny's commented, "Arashi's drama and magazines all sell really well, but when it comes to personal achievements, Ohno Satoshi is still the strongest. 'Kyou no Hi wa Sayonara' broke the record for the highest number of drama Blu-ray sold. The previous record was actually Ohno's drama 'Kagi no Kakatta Heya Blu-ray Box' (released in October 2012). He is basically refreshing the records by himself in this chart. (laughs)."

"Kyou no Hi wa Sayonara" DVD sold over 13000 copies in its first week and topped the weekly DVD ranking for the drama charts as well.

As Arashi's new single "Bittersweet", set to release on February 12, is most likely to land within Top 10 in the Oricon Yearly Charts, Arashi is indeed unstoppable in 2014 as well.

http://www.tokyohive.com/article/201...blu-ray-charts

Sakurai Sho and Ninomiya Kazunari talk about their private lifestyles at Kirin Beer product launch

Spoiler:

At Kirin Beer's new product "Shin Ichiban Shibori" launch, Arashi's Sakurai Sho and Ninomiya Kazunari appeared at the event as representatives of the group, who is Kirin's new CM personality. Just as Kirin is particular about the new beer's ingredients, Sakurai and Ninomiya were asked what they are most particular about in private.

----- As you know, "Shin Ichiban Shibori" is all about the ingredients. What are you most particular about?
Ninomiya: How to memorise lines.
Sakurai: This I want to know! How do you memorize them?
Ninomiya: Basically, I don't. (laughs) When you get to the filming location, you check the script and such. The script is made perfectly and there's no waste in forming accurate sentences, but when you actually talk, you don't speak in perfect sentences. In order to express that, I think it's better not to memorize everything.
Sakurai: That is great advice. I see. I am the kind that tends to memorize everything. I guess it's different for everyone. We film at different locations, so we don't really know how other members spend their time during filming.

------ How about Sakurai-san?
Sakurai: My schedule on off-days. There are probably a lot of people who prefer not to plan their off-days, but I have to. Yesterday too. I planned to go shopping at 1.30pm. However, if I reach 1:28pm, I get really happy. (laughs)
Ninomiya: How about 1:25pm?
Sakurai: That's a bit too early. If it's 1:32pm, it's a bit too late. 1:28pm feels just right.

http://www.tokyohive.com/article/201...product-launch

New Bittersweet group & solo pics





http://www.johnnys-net.jp/page?id=profile&artist=10

[Beauty4123]

I love the "Bittersweet" pictures! Arashi are all looking very nice.