Pianist’s Neighborhood

Meisa to play heroine in Arashi's "Saigo no Yakusoku"

Actress Meisa Kuroki (21) has been chosen to play the heroine role in the Fuji TV drama special "Saigo no Yakusoku." It was recently announced that the drama will star all five members of Arashi.

"Saigo no Yakusoku" is described as a human suspense story involving the hijack of a major building. The members of Arashi play five young men who happen to be inside, and the story depicts their attempt to escape and their interactions with the other people caught up in the incident.

Kuroki plays the daughter of the building's company president. One scene features an argument between her character and Jun Matsumoto (26), who plays a motorcycle courier.

Fuji TV plans to broadcast the drama near the start of 2010

Source: Tokyograph ~ Sanspo

The list of the appearances in Kouhaku is confirmed!
http://www9.nhk.or.jp/kouhaku/

On Monday, NHK revealed the artist lineup for this year's Kohaku Uta Gassen. 50 acts will be performing this year, evenly split between the Red and White Teams. Eight of the artists are appearing on Kohaku for the first time, including Arashi, NYC boys, and Kaela Kimura.

Here the list of the 2 teams: http://www9.nhk.or.jp/kouhaku/artists/index.html

Other notable artists include Masaharu Fukuyama, who previously appeared on Kohaku 16 years ago, and Ayaka, who will be performing on stage for the last time before she goes on hiatus.

Source: Tokyograph ~ NHK

　大みそかに放送される「第６０回ＮＨＫ紅白歌合戦」の出場歌手が２３日、東京都渋谷区のＮＨＫで発表され、結成１０年を迎えるアイドルグループ「嵐」の初出場が決定。「ジャニーズ２枠」の“慣例”を破り、「ＳＭＡＰ」や「ＴＯＫＩＯ」、中山優馬さんらの「ＮＹＣ　ｂｏｙｓ」と出演する。メンバーの松本潤さんは「今年の締めくくりを最高のステージにしたいと思います。初めての出場なので、先輩方の姿を拝見して、勉強させていただきたいと思います」と喜びのコメントを発表した。

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Uwahh!!! Preview of the Last Promise!! I seriously can't wait to watch this. Matsujun as the motorcycle courier, Aiba as the waiter, Nino and Sho in office clothings and Ohno as building maintenance worker? ^______^

Why does Nino look so darn adorable in that blue shirt holding the coffee cup?!!

It looks so awesome. Maybe a bit more than that, I want the behind the scenes footage!

Congrats Arashi for the debut on Kouhaku Utagassen! :D Read here. Wonder if I can watch it here on NHK channel~

Arashi is confirmed for this year's Kohaku but the biggest kicker is... NYC Boys too?!?!

Not only FNS but how is it these kids are also appearing in a show that has been touting "Only 2 Johnny's Allowed" ruling for the last decade or so? What the...

Spies! I would like the same to know connections that Nakayama Yuma has because it is obviously NOT for Yamada or Chinen who have already debuted and once NYC Boys dissolves, they would be back in Hey! Say! Jump.

How is it that this Kansai-based Jr suddenly appeared out of nowhere to land himself leading roles in dramas, gain a bunch of temporary units based on HIS name and is now performing in FNS and Kohaku before the year ends?

What is it about this particular kid that is garnering so much attention of Johnny?

It is a mystery.

 T_____T

All Arashi fans, mark your calendar 12/31/2009~

The list can be confirmed here~

嵐初登場！

http://www9.nhk.or.jp/kouhaku/

Hi!!

ahh next week is my exam, you know... the end of course one, the one I always whine about?? :/

and uh to be honest I don't feel as if I reaaally learned something... plus I still have a little trouble with the kanji... and the oral one is gonna be kinda difficult *cough* I'm in trouble

so I'll be in a semi hiatus *don't worry tweeps I'll still be there to spam you during shows and you can't complain, I warned you with a week of anticipation!!! XDDD*

yeah...

uhh today I went to a little exhibit... thing to celebrate the relation we have with Japan :D and ah I knew it was gonna be small and all that, but I was expecting more... variety

most of it was food and uh "your name in japanese" stands... and even the food selection wasn't that wide which is not bad, but most of the stands offered the same stuff... *Arapocky!!! :D   ok and just in case you wonder, no they're not promoting it, it just something we came up on twitter some time ago... I think I already wrote about it*

uhh there was also a rock band which just played 2 songs... ._. and they weren't bad, but like... << >> ah, is that it?? oO

overall it was fine... THE MOM got really excited with the origami stuff XD;;;

and uh, yes I'm still hooked to the Dr.  XD;;

no really, it's something like *I'll watch one ep, then MG for the strip :D*
so I watch one ep and theeeen *oh c'mon it won't hurt another one, then I'll watch MG*
.
.
.
*looks around* one more?? for the road?? :D  *which road, I have no idea*

ok, ok, MG time

.
.
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*whistles* ah that one has 2 parts, I have to watch the next one because I know I won't be able to concentrate if I don't know how that story ends *nods*

fiiiine MG time

...you know how fun it'll be if Arashi meets the Dr.??  *imagines*

oh oh I want a t-shirt with *Fantastic!* written on it :D  *I know I tweeted that*

uuuuuh games on the official site!!! *_______*

*facepalm*

how am I gonna be able to study, I don't know ><

and let's not talk about the strip

*sigh*

oh yeah... Kouhaku yay!!!

anyway, my vid just loaded

CarimeroHime thanks!!

Choshi  no it's not!! are you saying Masakimune-kun is a liar??? huh?? huuuuuh??? XDD

See ya!!!

While the official list is yet to be announced, when Arashi gets on Kohaku, it is the biggest honour for anyone to appear. Kohaku being aired on NHK is not only watchable in Japan but overseas as well. If an American like Jero, who moved to Japan in hopes of fulfilling his dream and promise to his late-grandmother to perform in Kohaku one day (which he has managed to), someone like him who could understand the priviledge of attending such a show, who are we as fellow outsiders to easily disregard such a programme with its long tradition?

I feel peeved at the way many fans are dismissing Kohaku as "a New Year show that has been boring and getting low ratings for years" if 30+% is even considered low. How many people have been alive long enough to watch ALL the 60 years, let alone half of that? Even I have not watched it more than just a handful of times - fully. There was the year when DJ Ozma performed and took off his clothes, see how that went down for him. I am glad that NHK decides to increase the quota from 2 to 3 because if Tokio was removed (there is no way it would be smap nor would j&a allow it), not their fans would rage, Arashi themselves would feel like the biggest jerks and be so damn apologetic because they would never want to replace the seniors they really respect.

Wishful thinking on my part, it feels like appearing in Kohaku is one more small step for Arashi towards that title of "National Idols", for them to be the faces that everyone in Japan can recognise and be proud of "The Sons of Japan" sort-of feeling. Fans are so hung up over Countdown just because Arashi MCed for two years straight but they never stopped to remember that when Countdown came about in the first place, Arashi was not even formed.

I do not think Countdown will die if Arashi does not appear for a year. The MC goes back to Kinki or V6, more airtime for the rest who are there from the beginning and well, less competition too for tickets because Arashi fans will go where Arashi is. I wanted to point out that because of last year's Countdown, the senior groups were finally able to do their own thing after 10 years - KinKi's own concert and countdown in Kansai, V6 as a group eating New Year soba together and Tokio did not have to rush as madly to get to Tokyo Dome as previous years.

Kohaku or Countdown?

BOTH! If Tokio can do it, so can Arashi. Imagine how crazy the ride back would be.

Edit: Confirmed! ARASHI IS APPEARING WITH NYC BOYS (huh???), SMAP AND TOKIO!!!