A slew of news from this week.

As I've mentioned in my recent posts I'm in finals week, only one paper left to finish off now and then I'll be free. But since I know I can't write in one go I've decided to try to get all the news that I've been meaning to share typed up for an entry when I need to give my mind a small break.

First off, Shingo Katori from SMAP has been chosen as the final actor to play the character, Zatoichi, a blind samurai in what is said to be the final movie of the Zatoichi movie franchise aptly called, Zatoichi The Last. The original Zatoichi films were produced between 1962 to 1989 and it has seen a few remakes since then. This final movie has begun filming and plans are that it will be released next year and that the movie studio is aiming for worldwide distrobution of the film.

Tokyo Graph article. (English)

Next up is Tokio's Kokubun Taichi will become a sportscaster for Fuji TV's sports program, Sports!, and will begin on the program April 4th. Apparently with this appointment he now has regular parts on programs for all seven of Japan's standard TV stations.

I will confess I don't follow the TV programs Johnny's are on too closely for the most part so I am quite impressed with how Kokubun can balance that all out. I guess the older groups are really still a force to be reckoned with in the entertainment world.

Tokyo Graph article. (English)

Next item is that Ueda Tatsuya from KAT-TUN will be making his drama debut in SMAP's Nakai's upcoming drama, Konkatsu! The drama will begin airing April 20th and Ueda will be playing Nakai's younger brother. And I just have to comment that Ueda as Nakai's younger brother really doesn't fit, as they don't look the same at all. But that has never really stopped casting directors before. *coughryuuseinokizunacough*

Tokyo Graph article. (English)

Johnny's net has some information up, that on March 28th there will be a special episode of Shounen Club airing. It's rumored that Hey! Say! JUMP and KAT-TUN will have something to do with it, but it sounds to be more like a clip show like the Christmas Special is and this is a Spring Special. Plus, I have the feeling that if they have live performances there will be a Gokusen tie-in one, which would be interesting to see with Tamamori in the mix with Takaki, Akito and Nakama.

And that wraps all that up, now I'm going to get some sleep.