Ohno Satoshi’s drama “Shinigami-kun” DVD and Blu-ray released on November 5 both ranked on Oricon Chart for the week of November 17. The DVD came in at 2nd place on the Weekly DVD Ranking and the Blu-ray came in at 3rd place. Furthermore, both versions topped their respective weekly chart for the Drama category. 

Congratulations to our talented riida!　

During the premiere of Aiba-chan’s first solo movie, “Miracle Debikuro” (for short), Aiba was asked if his heart skipped a beat at all during filming. Instead of talking about his two female co-stars, Aiba said, “During filming, it was close to my birthday and it was really cold. One day, Toma suddenly came up to me and said, "Aiba-chan, use this” and gave me a long coat. It was really cold so it really helped. He stole my heart.“

Aiba-chan and Toma have known each other since their time as Johnny’s Jrs and the last time they had performed together was 17 years ago. On acting with his best pal, Toma said, ”This is a showcase of our growth and our appeal after so many years.“ 

Aiba Masaki attended the premiere for his first solo movie “Miracle Debikuro-Kun no Koi to Mahou” on October 26 at the Tokyo International Film Festival along with co-stars Eikura Nana, Han Hyo-Joo and Ikuta Toma.

When asked about her most memorable scene, Eikura, who plays Aiba’s love interest in the movie, said, “The scene when we (Eikura and Aiba) held hands. Aiba-san was so nervous that he grabbed my hand really tight. I felt that the shape of my hand had changed after that. I thought my hand was going to break.”

Han praised Aiba for being a kind person, and asked him, “Don’t you have a dark side?“ Aiba responded, ”I do have one, but I will never show anyone.“ However, as his fellow Johnny’s and friend of 17 years, Ikuta said, ”I have seen i! In the past, Aiba Masaki was really scary~~~“ to which Aiba panicked and said, "This is not that place for that kind of stuff!”

Han also commented on when her heart throbbed during filming. The movie was filmed in winter last year and it was really cold. “Hikaru-kun (played by Aiba) had stuff running out of his nose but said, “I had no idea my nose was running” at the same time. At that time, I thought, ‘This person is really pure.“ and my heart skipped a beat.”

The movie will also be aired in Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong in 2015. If you’re lucky enough, don’t forget to catch it in theaters, or wait patiently for the DVD like me!

Mizukawa Asami, while promoting for her new drama, talked about her friends in the entertainment industry. She mentioned that she still keeps in touch with Arashi’s Matsumoto Jun. “We were classmates in high school, and even sat next to each other”. Mizukawa described Matsumoto in high school, “He would be so busy that he couldn’t attend school. But when he comes, he studied really hard.” The two celebrities who had known each other since high school worked together for the first time during the drama “Shitsuren Chocolatier” earlier this year, and Mizukawa described it as “weird”. 

“According to the script I was supposed to like him. But I felt a little irritated by that.” The actress shyly said, “It was like, ‘Why do I have to be the one that likes him’” and added that, “In the first scenes I was embarrassed even when our eyes met." 

The DVD and Blu-ray for the movie “Hidamari no Kanojo” which premiered last October starring Arashi‘s Matsumoto Jun and Ueno Juri were both released on April 16, 2014. On the Oricon weekly charts for 4/28, the movie topped both the DVD and Blu-ray disc rankings. 

DVD “Hidamari no Kanojo DVD Memorial Edition First Press Limited Edition” sold 16,000 copies in the first week, while the Blu-ray version sold 17,000 copies in the first week, completely taking over both charts. 

This is the fourth time in history a Japanese movie has topped both charts at the same time, and the first time since 1 year and 3 months ago in February 2013 when Kanjani8’s movie “Eight Ranger” also accomplished the same record. 

Gakken Publishing has released the results for “the 23rd Annual Drama Awards 2013”. Voting for the award was conducted through the January issue of its magazine “TV LIFE” as well as through its website.

Fuji TV drama “Kazoku Game” was awarded the ‘Best Drama Award’, beating out other popular dramas in 2013 such as NHK’s “Amachan” and TBS’s “Hanzawa Naoki”. 

The drama tells the story of eccentric tutor Yoshimoto Koya whose mysterious and often violent actions causes radical changes to those around him. The protagonist was played by Arashi’s Sakurai Sho, who was also awarded the 'Best Lead Actor Award’. He commented that, “A lot of Yoshimoto’s lines were the words I could only say in the drama. It was fun to think of how to compose each scene." 

On the other hand, "Amachan"s lead actress Nounen Rena took home the 'Best Lead Actress Award’ as well as the 'Best Newcomer Award’. The 'Best Supporting Actor Award' went to Kamiki Ryunosuke, while the 'Best Supporting Actress Award’ went to Suzuki Honami. Meanwhile, the 'Best Theme Song Award’ went to Arashi’s ”Endless Game“. With this, "Kazoku Game” swept the drama awards. Interviews of the award winners have been published in the February 26th issue of TV LIFE.

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. 

Arashi member Matsumoto Jun’s Monday9 drama “Shitsuren Chocolatier” premiered on January 13 (Fuji TV) and closed with an average view rating of 14.4%, peaking with 16.2% at 9:45pm. This season, the drama that opened with the highest viewer rating is Mukai Osamu’s sunday drama “S - The Last Policeman - “ (TBS) with 18.9% while Shitsuren Chocolatier came in second.

In the first episode, the protagonist Sota who went to Paris to study chocolate-making at the famous “La Theuriet de Bonaire” after being turned down by his high school senior Saeko (Ishihara). After six years, Sota became the famous “Prince of Chocolate” and returns to open his own chocolate shop amidst media attention. As he prepares to open his shop, Saeko appears. Sota gets excited at their reunion after six years and…

The chocolates that are featured in popular manga and now drama “Shitsuren Chocolatier” will be brought to life by Chef Tsuchiya Koji of “Theobroma” at this year’s Salon du Chocolat.

Along with Choco La Vie’s signature four-leaf-clover chocolate that first appeared in the 3rd chapter of the manga, Chef Tsuchiya will produce 6 different kinds of bonbons based on the manga.

The Shitsuren Chocolatier chocolates are sold exclusively at Salon du Chocolat, to be held from January 22 to 27, 2014, opening at Isetan Shinjuku, and then to JR Kyoto Isetan, JR Osaka Mitsukoshi Isetan, Iwadaya Main Store, Nagoya Mitsukoshi, Sendai Mitsukoshi, ending at the Marui Imai Sapporo Main Store.

Fans of Matsumoto Jun in the drama can now try out Sota’s chocolates full of love in real life!

*sobs* I really dislike seeing things like these. Sometimes I choose not to translate some of the things I see when it is too ridiculous. But at the same time, I believe that if there is information out there, then it must be shared among fans.*

The first episode of Matsumoto Jun’s new Fuji TV Monday9 drama “Shitsuren Chocolatier” was aired with an extra 15 minutes special on January 13, 2014. The drama opened with a view rating of 14.4%.

This is Matsumoto’s first Monday9 drama since “Lucky Seven” two years ago which opened with 16.3%. The expectations were completely crushed by the low ratings this time. For the record, the previous Monday9 drama featuring Matsuda Shota, “Umi no Ue no Shinryosho” opened with 15.6%.

Shitsuren Chocolatier features a stellar cast including Ishihara Satomi’s “devilish Saeko”, Sota’s fellow chocolatier Mizukawa Aasmi and Mizobata Junpei, Sota’s younger sister Arimura Kasumi, and the protagonist’s friend with benefits by Mizuhara Kiko.

Right before the drama aired, Arashi even performed the opening song “Bittersweet” live on a two-hour “Hey! Hey! Hey!” special. But…

In the 2000s, Johnny’s talents have always achieved high view ratings in their dramas. However, since the 2010s, things have changed.

For example, Kimura Takuya’s “Ando Lloyd” on TBS last year did not do well, and was said to be the prime example of the decline of Johnny’s dramas. Furthermore, V6’s Okada Junichi’s NHK Taiga Drama of the year “Gunshi Kanbei” also opened low at 18.9%. This is the lowest opening rating for a Taiga Drama in 10 years since Taira no Kiyomori in 2012 (17.3%)

Even “Mr. Perfect” Matsumoto couldn’t save the chain of failing drama ratings. Is this the end of the Legend of Johnny’s?!

*For the record, even though “Ando Lloyd” closed with an average rating of 14+%, it was still ranked among the top in ratings the season it was aired.

**Taiga Drama aside, Okada has been rocking the movie charts with movie “Eien no Zero”

His senpai loves chocolate. For her sake he travels to Paris to learn how to make the world’s best chocolate. Upon his return, however, she was already married. Matsumoto Jun will play the handsome and successful Koyurugi Sota, a seemingly perfect young chocolatier who harbors a forbidden love.

“The “Gestu9” (Monday night) drama is all about showing love in its true form. Knowing that there is no right answer to love, and doing what is “wrong” while knowing so, just being in love, is love in its most honest and true form.”

Saeko (Ishihara Satomi) who seems to know Sota’s feelings for her continues to lead him on throughout the story. Despite all his suffering, Sota continues to make top-notch chocolates, “In order to get her back, I will continue to make new chocolates. It will be a refined, delicate chocolate that has lots of energy in it.”

The drama is based on Mizushiro Setona’s shojo manga of the same title. The original delicately describes the relationships among the characters, including Sota’s co-worker who has a secret crush, and his friend who is in love with his sister. “Each of the characters have their own troubles and one-sided love. It’s a work the older audience can resonate with as well.”

Even though Matsumoto has tried his hand at making desserts in his drama and variety shows in the past, he has never acted as a chocolatier. He was said to have studied the art of chocolate making thoroughly and even repeatedly practised tempering (adjusting the chocolate’s temperature” before the actual recording. He showed off the results of his training with his professional attitude, “The end product depends greatly on the proportion of ingredients and time spent. Even though it’s difficult, I got completely absorbed in it. It was really worth it.”

2013 was a busy year for Arashi with concerts, TV, movies and more. “We didn’t get to hangout in private at all.” Matsumoto commented with a bittersweet smile. On Arashi’s 15th anniversary, he said, “I never expected us to last 15 years. Once again, I’d like to thank all our fans and staff through these years and hope to show everyone a new side of us in 2014.”

“The world of chocolates is of beauty and love, and each character is optimistic towards the love. Even though there is much more to love than just optimism, this drama will bring you the warm you need in this cold winter. Please sit at home and eat chocolate while watching our drama.” Shitsuren Chocolatier promises the audience a drama as delicious as the best chocolate in the world.

“Shitsuren Chocolatier”’s manga artist Mizushiro Setona recently sat down with Matsumoto Jun, who will be acting as the protagonist in the drama version of her work, in the February 2014 issue of the monthly manga magazine “flowers”. Mizushiro had wanted a very professional actor for the role of the protagonist, Sota, and praised Matsumoto, saying that “I can entrust him completely with the role of Sota.” Matsumoto expressed his anxiety at living up to expectations for such a popular manga but said that he would do his best.

Aiba Masaki’s fans are rejoicing around the world as it was announced that their favorite, who has been given few solo variety show and CM appearances, has been casted in his solo movie debut, “MIRACLE Debikuro Kun no Koi to Mahou”. (Miracle Debikuro-kun’s Love and Magic”.

“I was destined to be part of this project”

The movie will be based on the novel of the same title by author Nakamura Kou. The work was the inspiration for Yamashita Tatsuro’s holiday classic “Christmas Eve”. The story tells of romance between four young men and women on Christmas. Aiba will play Hikaru,  a good-for-nothing aspiring manga artist working at a bookstore. Actress Eikura Nana will play his childhood friend Anna.