Kiroro

Kiroro's Bio

Members
Name 玉城 千春 Tamashiro Chiharu
Role Vocals
Birthplace Okinawa
Date of Birth 1977, April 17
Blood type A

Name 金城 綾乃 Kinjou Ayano
Role Keyboard
Birthplace Okinawa
Date of Birth 1977, August 15
Blood type AB

Kiroro first debuted in 1996 as an independent band, and later made their major debut in 1998 with the song "Nagai Aida (長い間?)". They performed on Kōhaku Uta Gassen in 1998, 1999 and 2001.

In January 2005, vocalist Chiharu Tamashiro announced that she was engaged. On April 17 (which coincided with her birthday), she and her fiancé entered the family registry. In May, pianist Ayano Kinjo announced her pregnancy and marriage. In July, Tamashiro announced her pregnancy. In September 2005, they held their "four person concert" in Okinawa with the finale, Wasurenaide ("Don't Forget") before their maternal leave. Kinjo gave birth to a baby girl in November 2005. Tamashiro gave birth to a baby boy in February 2006. In March 2007, Tamashiro announced her second pregnancy.

The name 'Kiroro'
When vocalist Tamashiro Chiharu was in her primary school days, she visited Ikedamachi, Hokkaido, for a regional exchange program. The Ainu language made a deep impression on her. With the Ainu words 'Kiroru' and 'Kiroro-an', Tamashiro and Kinjou decided on the name "Kiroro" for the group; "Kiroru" meaning a wide walking path and "Kiroro-an" meaning "resilient" and "healthy."

Facts
-Kiroro's miraie(towards the future) and best friend are selected to be part of the Japanese music textbooks' syllabus.
-Kiroro's trilogy of romance refers to 1.Sukina Hito(The person I love), 2.Aitai(I wish to see you) and 3.Mou sukoshi(A little more).
-Probably due to the spread of incorrect information through the internet, some people wrongly credited Kiroro for the song sayonara daisukina hito (Goodbye, my love). The actual singer of that song is Hana*Hana.
-Again, Kiroro is wrongly credited for Final Fantasy OST. There are probably two reasons for this. First, the title of the song "sutekidane" coincides with a song in KIRORO's debut album (songlist #2), which was actually a song written in praise of her highschool's softball team in her schooling days. Secondly, it probably had something to do with the FF miraie video clips created that score high hits on youtube.

Antic Cafe

Antic Cafe's Bio

An Café

An cafe (アンティック-珈琲店-), is a Japanese Oshare kei band formed in 2003 and signed to the independent label LOOP ASH. The band is composed of five members,which are all male.

Brief History
An Cafe was formed when Miku, Kanon and Bou found each other through an internet website while searching for people with similar interests. Teruki was not yet a part of the band, although they still released their first demo Oopu-ngu (Ope.ning) on June 17, 2003. Not long after, on July 2nd, they released a second demo called Uzumaki Senshokutai/Hatsukoi. During this time Teruki was in his former band 'Feathers Blue'. After Teruki joined the band, and until mid-April 2007, the line-up for the band had not changed, and consisted of Miku on vocals, Bou on guitar, Kanon on bass, and Teruki on drums.

Band Name
On official sources the band name has been written in many different ways. The most consistent has been "アンティック-珈琲店-" (antikku -kōhīten-), which appears on all releases and on the official website.

The COSMOS single (released in 2004) had the name written as "ANTIC CAFE" (with "アンティック-珈琲店-" written underneath). All releases since then have had the name written as "AN CAFE" (but still with "アンティック-珈琲店-" written underneath). Due to the amount of material released containing this version of the name it seems as though this is now the preferred choice of the band. Because of it being written アンティック (antikku), it has led many fans to believe that it is "Antique Cafe" and not "Antic Cafe". This is a common misconception, and as numerous interviews state, it is indeed Antic Cafe.

Initially, vocalist Miku believed that the band should be called Athletic Cafe, but a quick search through the dictionary to look up the word "Athletic" the word "Antic" was close to it and the word antic proved to be a much more appropriate name to him and the band.

Members;

Miku (みく) (Vocals)
Kanon (カノン) (Bass)
Teruki (輝喜) (Drums)
Takuya (たくや) (Guitar)
Yuuki (ゆうき) (Keyboard)

Former Members;

Bou (坊) (Guitar)

Bou's Departure
On April 17, 2007, information was leaked that stated Bou would be leaving the band for personal reasons. Bou played his final performance with the band on the 30th of April in 2007. Rumors have started claiming that his parents are ill, and he is quitting to care for them also that he had issues with the company.These rumors in no way, have been confirmed yet.

In 2010, it has been confirmed that An Cafe will be taking a break from activities. It is yet unknown as to how long they will be on hiatus for, but they have not stated they will be disbanding. The message, issued on their official homepage, claims that "after the Budokan show, each member will concentrate on their own activity to be prepared for the band to restart in the future." The aformentioned Nippon Budokan show takes place on January 4th, 2010.

Miku (みく, Miku?) - Vocalist
Real name: Akiharu Tsukiyama (築山明治, Tsukiyama Akiharu)
Birthday: January 5, 1984
Birthplace: Nagasaki
Zodiac: Capricorn
Blood tipe: A
Height: 5'5" (164 cm)
Weight: 112 (51 kg)
Shoe size: 10 (24.5 cm)
Family: father, mother, little sister, a hamster named Milk [Miruku in japanese/ deceased] and a dog named Nyappy
Hobby: cooking, play the guitar, shopping and take baths
Fav food: Sushi, hamburger, Ramen, Pizza, Hiroshimayaki and Tondon
Fav marks (?): LHP, Royal Order, Jackrose, Justin Davis, BVLGARI
Fav color: white, black, red, gold and silver
Fav Brands: LHP, JACKROSE, BLGALIJAS tin day bis, royal order
Fav band(s)/singer: Kagerou and Ayumi Hamasaki
Perfume: KUEISA
Shampoo: karakua
Piercings: 4
Cigars: Pianissimo 1mm
Former band: Reverie
Nickname in former band: Haru

Teruki - Drums
Real name: Teruki Nagata
Birthday: December 8, 1980
Zodiac: Sagittarius
Blood tipe: A
Height: ?
Weight: 45 (?)
Family: father, mother, and two older siblings
Hobby: Nature and sake, while inquiring about music, I look back at the past.
Fav food: Apple ad Sake
Fav color: Okinawa sea, emerald green
Fav Brands: PAISTE, Pearl
Fav band(s)/singer: Dir en grey
Perfume: Cool water woman
Shampoo: Lax
Piercings: 9 left ear, 8 right ear, 1 in nose, 4 in lip, 1 left chest
Former Band: Feathers Blue

Kanon - Bass
Real name: Shinya Sano
Birthday: July 5, 1984
Zodiac: Cancer
Blood tipe: O
Height: ?
Weight: 45 (?)
Family: mother, father, grandmother, older sister, younger brother
Hobby: Shopping and games
Fav food: Gurasse and sake, Chicken Chinese noodles
Fav color: Black, purple, gold and silver
Fav band(s)/singer: Plastic Tree
Fav Brands: PAISTE, TAMAViviene Westwood Kadokawa,Kodansha publishers, Ltd, and Shueisha Publishing Co., Ltd.
Tobacco: Caster mild
Perfume: CK ON
Shampoo: huino
Piercings: 1

Bou - ex guitarist
Real name: Kazuhiro Saitou
Birthday: September 16, 1983
Zodiac: Virgo
Blood type: O
Height: 158 cm
Weight: 47 kg
Family: mother, father, and an older sister
Hobby: Sleeping
Fav food: ?
Fav band(s)/singer: Luna Sea
Fav Brands: Putumayo, Paul Smith
Perfume: Pink Sugar
Piercings: Left ear 1

Takuya - Guitar
Birthday: February 9, 1988
Zodiac: Aquarius
Hobby: furo (taking a bath)
Fav food: fruits
Fav color: white, black and red
Fav Brand: Gibson
Perfume: No preference
Shampoo: Lax
Piercings: None

Yuuki - Keyboard
Birthday: August 29
Zodiac: Virgo
Hobby: Collect watches, after going to a club go look at the puppies in Roppongi Petshop
Fav food: sweet things, spicy things, and sour things
Fav color: gold, black, and silver
Fav Brand: D&G, BLGALI, ROLEX
Cigarette: ROSE
Perfume: Febreeze
Shampoo: Vidal Sassoon

Having a hard time trying to pronounce their names?

Miku (me-kuu)
Yuuki (you-key)
Teruki (Teh-roo-key)
Kanon (Kah-non)
Takuya (Tah-koo-yah)

^^ good luck

web page www.ancafe-web.com ·

Akeboshi's

Akeboshi's Bio

Light, unassuming, modest, natsukashii...singer/songwriter Akeboshi Yoshio is the very definition of down-tempo, earnest folk tunes. Far from other more experimental folk artists like Shugo Tokumaru who use electronics to add a unique texture to their pallet, Akeboshi sticks strictly to the well worn sounds of acoustic guitars, strings and piano, only rarely dipping to synthetic sounds. This also fits the overall feel to his music, which is equally calming, clear and to the point. Far from a solo artist, Akeboshi brings in a full band on most songs, though many of his songs sound as if they'd translate just as well with just a piano or guitar.

While the instrumentation on his albums may be standard fair, he does have a wide range of stylistic influences. Having studied music in England, he brings bits of the U.K., the U.S., Japan and even Ireland into his own work, flitting between Simon & Garfunkel, Pink Floyd, John Denver, Sting, traditional Irish folk tunes and occasionally The Beatles (of course.) He also gives equal opportunity to both English and Japanese lyrics. His voice is rather mid-ranged, a little muddy, never straying too high and certainly never dipping down low. Much like his music, he never tries too hard to show off, simply adding another layer to the hazy golden glow and allowing the music to simply flow along gently.

He's probably best know for his songs “Wind” and "Yellow Moon,” both used in Naruto. Both of these are far from what one might expect from the hugely popular ninja anime series, though “Yellow Moon” is just about as close to a rock song as you'll find in the Akeboshi discography. Still, it was a move the undoubtedly brought in a few new fans. The popularity of the songs didn't seem to change the course of his music writing though, as following releases stuck to the same mostly down-tempo path. This new expose to over-eager fans may have also started the misconception that he writes in odd time signatures almost exclusively, which is far from reality. “Wind” is indeed in 5/4, but the majority of his songs are in a regular 4/4 or 3/4, far from unique and certainly nothing new to his brand of calming folk songs.

While he may not be an instant attention grabbing artist, there's a lot to like about Akeboshi. While he may stick to overly user-friendly territory, the songs are nice enough and certainly not offensively saccharine or cute and whispery. He walks the fine line between melancholy and overly positive schmaltz, something that keeps one both interested enough to continue listening and just sleepy enough to not want to get up and change the disc.

aicle

Members of aicle

aicle's Bio

Aicle is a visual kei band and it was set up in 2006.

Current line-up
Emiru
NAME：えみる
PART：Vocal
SEX：♂
BIRTHDAY：11/13
BLOOD TYPE：O
LOVE：reading, creativity, knowledge, dialogue, astronomy, theology, anthropology, occult, sleeping late, takoyaki, ハッピーター ン、スニッカーズ、green
HATE：lightning、mosquitoes、deadlines、waking up early、negative thinking
APPEAL POINT：world(including poems, singing, musical scale, human voice)
FAN MAIL
Blog：『脳味噌。』

Rubi
NAME：ルビ
PART：Guitar
SEX：♂
BIRTHDAY：1/29
BLOOD TYPE：A
LOVE：guitar、soccer、apple、fruit、sake、honest people
HATE：gas tax、bees、ants
APPEAL POINT：頭の大きなリンゴに腰のルビリンゴ畑、ギタープレイ
FAN MAIL
Blog：『ルビリンゴ畑』

Saran
NAME：さらん
PART：Bass
SEX：♂
BIRTHDAY：4/10
BLOOD TYPE：O
LOVE：Vegetables。Fish。Light novel。Traffic。
HATE：Caterpillar。Meat。Food that is too sweet。
APPEAL POINT: Helpless feeling (*´∀｀*)(laughter)
FAN MAIL
Blog：『すごいよ。』

Leon
NAME：玲音(れおん)
PART：Drums
SEX：♂
BIRTHDAY：5/2
BLOOD TYPE：B
LOVE：Clothes、chocolate、ドラクエ
HATE：Bugs、selfish people、trains
APPEAL POINT：Wind blowing blue cape ☆
FAN MAIL
Blog：『〇〇で●●なことを書き綴る』 ·

AAA

Members of AAA

• Naoya Urata
• Mitsuhiro Hidaka
• Misako Uno
• Shinjiro Atae
• Chiaki Ito
• Takahiro Nishijima
• Shuta Sueyoshi

AAA's Bio

AAA (AAA, トリプルエー　Toripuru ei, Triple A) is a Japanese pop signed to the label Avex Trax and debuted in September 2005. The group, consisting of 5 boys and 3 girls, were certainly already experienced as they had acted in commercials and had been dancers for other Japanese stars, such as Ayumi Hamasaki and Ami Suzuki. According to statements released by avex records, Yukari Goto has officially resigned from being a member of the group due to health reasons, reducing the number of members to seven.

Current Members:
* Urata Naoya (浦田直也) (Leader)
* Nishijima Takahiro (西島隆弘)
* Uno Misako (宇野実彩子)
* Hidaka Mitsuhiro (日高光啓)
* Atae Shinjiro (與真司郎)
* Sueyoshi Shuta (末吉秀太)
* Ito Chiaki (伊藤千晃)

Former Member:
* Goto Yukari (後藤友香里)

Early days
AAA was originally planned to be a 6 member group. At first, members included Takahiro Nishijima, Naoya Urata, Shuta Sueyoshi, Shinjiro Atae, Mitsuhiro Hidaka and Misako Uno as the only girl. Avex later decided to add two more girls; Chiaki Ito and Yukari Goto. As songs like BLOOD on FIRE and Friday Party were previously prepared for 6 members, the two girls are only heard in the refrain.

Release
In Summer of 2005, Avex announced that a very important band had just been formed. Because of this AAA received much attention. From September to December they released a single each month plus a photobook and their very first album, ATTACK, in January 2006. With all the previous advertisement and releases the group did not have time to perform their songs live. However, as each of their singles have a different genre this did not cause a problem with sales.

AAA is also performing the opening for 2007's Kamen Rider, Kamen Rider Den-O. For this single, Climax Jump, they have temporarily changed their name to AAA Den-O form.

Discography
Albums:
* Attack
* All
* Around
* depArture
* Heartful
Remix Album:
* Remix Attack
Cover Album:
* CCC -Challenge Cover Collection
Mini-Albums:
* Attack
* All/2 （ニブンノオール）
* Alohaaa

Singles:
* Blood On Fire
* Friday Party
* きれいな空 (Kirei na Sora)
* Dragon Fire
* ハレルヤ (Hallelujah)
* Shalala キボウの歌 (Kibou no Uta)
* ハリケーン・リリ，ボストン・マリ (Hurricane Lili, Boston Mari)
* ソウルエッジボーイ／キモノジェットガール (Soul Edge Boy/Kimono Jet Girl)
* Let It Beat!
* 'Q'
* チューインガム (Chewing Gum)
* Black & White
* Get チュー! / SHE の 事実 (Get CHUU! / SHE no Jijitsu)
* 唇からロマンチカ / That's Right (Kuchibiru kara Romantica / That's Right)
* 夏もの (Natsu Mono)
* Red Soul
* Mirage
* BEYOND～カラダノカナタ (BEYOND ~ Karada no Kanata)
* MUSIC!!! / ZERO
* 旅ダチノウタ (Tabidachi no Uta)
* Break Down/Break Your Name/Summer Revolution
* Hide-Away/Hide & Seek/Find You
* Heart and Soul
* 逢いたい理由 / Dream After Dream ～夢から醒めた夢～/Dream After Dream -Yume kara Sameta Yume/Aitai Riyuu

Compilation Singles:
* Climax Jump
* いざゆけ若鷹軍団2007 (Izayuke Wakataka Gundan 2007)

DVD's:
* [2006.03.23] 1st ATTACK at SHIBUYA-AX
* [2006.09.13] 2nd ATTACK at ZEPP TOKYO
* [2006.12.31] 1st Anniversary Live - 3rd ATTACK 060913 at BUDOKAN
* [2007.03.21] Channel @ x AAA
* [2007.07.18] 4th ATTACK at SHIBUYA-AX on 4th of April
* [2008.01.09] AAA 2nd Anniversary Live - 5th ATTACK 070922 - Nippon Budokan

Books:
* [2005.09.01] AAA Artistbook /The First Attack ·

Kanon Wakeshima

Wakeshima Kanon (分島 花音) is a Japanese singer/cellist who debuted in 2008 with the single 'Still Doll.' She is produced by Malice Mizer/Moi dix Mois guitarist Mana.

* Instrument: Cello (she has 3 cellos and gives each cello a special name: Yaeharu-kun, Mikazuki-chan and Nanachie-chan)

* Favorite Cellist: Jacqueline du Pre
* Favorite Musicians: Emilie Simon, Lily Chou-Chou, Mayumi Kojima, Lady Gaga
* Favorite Composers: Claude Debussy, Erik Satie
* Favorite Artist: Alfons Mucha
* Favorite Color: red, white, gold, sliver
* Favorite Authors: Mayumi Nagano, Hiroko Taniyama, Ben Rice, Eto Mori
* Favorite Music: classical, jazz, jpop
* Favorite Manga artist: Ai Yazawa (manga: Nana, Paradise Kiss)
* Hobbies: drawing, playing the cello, singing.
* Pets: 2 cats

To discover what her music potential was, she entered in a Sony audition, and managed to become one of the finalists. She was signed to DefSTAR Records, and debuted in 2008 with the single Still Doll.

Kana Nishino

Kana Nishino (西野カナ) is a J-Pop artist under Sony Music Entertainment. She debuted on February 20, 2008 with her single I.

From young, Nishino learned English from Eikaiwa schools and went to America twice. She was already interested in various genres of music, including hip-hop, R&B and reggae. In addition, she also enjoys traditional Japanese literature, and started singing Japanese folk songs. Her dream of becoming a singer was discovered during junior high school. When she was 16, her mother secretly sent a demo tape of hers to the Miss Phoenix Audition (ミス・フェニックスオーディション) and she was rated the top singer entrant out of approximately 40,000 applicants. In 2006, she signed a contract with SME Records.

While preparing to be a singer om 2007, she studied English literature at university. At the time she met Australian duo Nervo, who offered Nishino a song "I Don't Wanna Know" for her music project. Nishino rewrote the song's lyrics into Japanese and re-titled it "I".

In December 2007 her official site opened, ever since then *I* ~Merry Christmas ver.~ became available as a digital download in several Japanese sites, including mora.jp. Coincidentally, the original version of the song "I Don't Wanna Know" was also available as a digital download on the American iTunes on New Years' Day. The CD was released two months later, 20th of February.

Her second single "Style" was used for the 2nd ending theme song for the japanese animation "Soul Eater" and the her 4th single "Make Up" was used for the ONA Chocolate Underground from UK's miniseries Bootleg with one of its songs, Kirari, as inserted song.

Kazuki Kato

Kazuki Kato (加藤和樹, Katō Kazuki, October 7, 1984) is a Japanese actor and singer from Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture. He is known most notably for his role as Daisuke Kazama aka Kamen Rider Drake in Kamen Rider Kabuto and Keigo Atobe in The Prince of Tennis musicals.

About Kato Kazuki

Kato Kazuki grew up in Nagoya, and moved to Tokyo when he was 18 years old to pursue a career in entertainment. He's told the story of those first years in interviews, that he initially had no clear idea of exactly what it was he wanted to do, and that it was a difficult and frustrating time. The turning point came while listening to Sariyuku Kimi E by The Babystars. The song touched him deeply, and he realized he wished he could touch other people in a similar way.

In 2005 he was cast in Musical Tennis No Oujisama as Atobe Keigo, one of the most popular characters in the series. Fans loved him, and it was arguably his breakthrough, because through Tenimyu he built an initial fanbase and it opened up many new oportunities, among them being able to pursue a musical career alongside acting. He released his first mini album, Rough Diamond, and held his first concert in April 2006, and in what can be assumed was a happy turn of events, members of The Babystars worked with him in both.

After two singles and a tour, Kazuki released his first full album Face roughly a year after his debut as a singer. After the album's promotional tour and an anniversary concert, it was announced that Kazuki had signed with Avex, one of Japan's leading record labels.

At the time I write this, he has released his first single with Avex, which made the top 10 in the daily Oricon ranking. He has written the lyrics of several of his songs, has gone on tour twice, and with each release he continues to find his own voice while defying expectations. Although Kazuki himself is very quick to admit that he still has a long way to go, it can be safely said that this is a very promising start to his career, and that he will have the chance to touch people through music in the way he wished many times over.

* Likes: Mussels
* Hates: Cockroaches
* Hobbies: Photography, basketball, swimming, baseball, tennis, short distance, hurdle, guitar
* Special Skills: Backflip

Stage Performances

Kazuki Kato as Atobe

* The Prince of Tennis Musicals as Keigo Atobe
* The Imperial Match Hyotei
* The Imperial Match Hyoutei in Winter
* Dream Live 3rd: Third Live Concert
* Advancement Match Rokkaku feat. Hyotei Gakuen
* Dream Live 4th: Third Live Concert（Video Performance）
* bambino+（Video Performance）as Nazo no otoko（The secret man）
* babino2(due) as Aoyama Ryuichi

TV Shows

* Kamen Rider Kabuto as Daisuke Kazama/Kamen Rider Drake
* Jigoku Shoujo as Ichimoku Ren
* Hotaru no Hikari as Teshima Makoto

Movies

* Kamen Rider Kabuto: God Speed Love
* Kamen Rider The Next as Shirō Kazami/Kamen Rider V3

Source: [url]http://kazuki13.net/profile.php[/url] Credits: Kazuki13.net: Kato Kazuki Fanlisting

Ikimonogakari

ikimono-gakari (いきものがかり, ikimono-gakari?) is a Japanese rock band. They are part of Sony Music Japan's EPIC Records label.

The band was formed in Kanagawa Prefecture in February 1999 by Hotaka Yamashita and Yoshiki Mizuno, and was later joined by lead vocalist Kiyoe Yoshioka in December the same year.

MEMBERS:
Kiyoe Yoshioka (Vocals)
Hotaka Yamashita (Guitar and Harmonica)
Yoshiki Mizuno (Guitar and vocals)

Hotaka Yamashita (山下穂尊, Yamashita Hotaka?, born August 27, 1982) is from Ebina-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture. He is a graduate of Atsugi High School and the Faculty of Social Sciences, Hosei University. He plays the guitar and harmonica, and has written lyrics and melodies to some of the band's songs. His nicknames are Hocchi and Yama-chan.

Yoshiki Mizuno (水野良樹, Mizuno Yoshiki?, born December 17, 1982) is from Ebina-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture. He is a graduate of Atsugi High School and the Faculty of Social Sciences, Hitotsubashi University. He is the leader of the band, and plays the guitar and vocals. He has also written lyrics and melodies to some of the band's songs. His nickname is Yocchan.

Kiyoe Yoshioka (吉岡聖恵, Yoshioka Kiyoe?, born February 29, 1984) is from Atsugi-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture. Her parents are farmers. She is a graduate of Ebina High School and the Showa Academia Musicae Junior College. She is the band's lead vocalist, and has written lyrics to some of the band's songs. Her older brother was a classmate of both Hotaka and Yoshiki at high school. Her nicknames are Yosshie, Kiyoe-chan and Kiyorasu (by Shouko Nakagawa). She joined the band in high school when she suddenly saw Yamashita and Mizuno singing in front of the train station. She used to belong to a children theatrical company.

Musical style
Ikimono-gakari's musical style stems from their original lounge rock style found on their first three mini albums under Cubit Club. Their primary instruments were the acoustic guitar, the electric guitar, and the harmonica. Their initial music was considerably slower; "Natsu Koi" on Sakura Saku Machi Monogatari is considerably faster in tempo compared to the same song on Makoto ni Senetsu Nagara First Album wo Koshirae Mashita.... Guitarist and band leader Yoshiki Mizuno also sang considerably more on their indie albums.

With the release of their first major-label album, Sakura Saku Machi Monogatari, their style changed to a more conventional rock style, but still keeping with their traditional guitar-harmonica combination. They also began to add other elements to their songs, such as strings and tambourines, as evidenced by "Sakura" and "Kira Kira Train". Additionally, they recorded songs with faster tempos, such as "Ryūsei Miracle" and "Hinageshi".

Ikimono-gakari began to shift to a more mainstream pop sound with their second and third albums, Life Album and My Song Your Song. Songs like "Kimagure Romantic" differed greatly from their songs during the Sakura Saku era. Life Album saw the revival of a couple of songs from their indie albums; "Hana wa Sakura Kimi wa Utsukushi" from Makoto ni Senetsu... and "Chikoku Shichau yo" from Jinsei Sugoroku Dabe. "Kuchidzuke", also from Jinsei Sugoroku Dabe. was revived on My Song Your Song.

HOME MADE KAZOKU

HOME MADE KAZOKU (Home Made 家族, translated in English as Home Made Family) is a Japanese hip hop trio signed to Ki/oon Records, a subsidiary of Sony Records.

BiographyHome Made Kazoku is a three member band consisting of members Micro, Kuro and founding member, DJ U-Ichi. The band was originally created in 1996 under a different name and went through many members before finally settling on being a trio with the name Home Made Kazoku in 2001. From 2001 to 2003, the band performed independently in various Nagoya nightclubs. In early 2004, the band was chosen to be part of a country-wide tour known as the Japan Club Tour. During the tour, the trio gained many fans from their club performances as well as finally being signed to a major label, Ki/oon Records.

Shortly after being signed, the group released a mini-album containing the song "Home Sweet Home (Reborn)". The song became wildly popular and went on to become one of the most requested songs of Japanese radio stations for the year. In July of the same year, their first single, Summer Time Magic, was released and sat at a comfortable 15th on the Oricon charts for nearly 10 weeks. After a series of singles, including Thank You!!, which was used as the second ending theme to the popular anime Bleach and Shōnen Heart, which was used as an opening theme to the anime Eureka Seven, the band's first full length album was released. "Rock the World" entered the Oricon charts and peaked at 5th in its first week. It would stay in the top 20 for the next two months and end up selling 191,744 copies as well as becoming the 78th best selling album of 2005, a sign of the band's new found popularity.

After their first album, the group went on a series of tours and released a string of singles as well as their second and third albums, "Musication" and "Familia". Of special note, tickets to their second tour were sold out within the span of one hour, a record in Japanese music. In January 2007, it was announced that they would perform the first ending theme to the anime Naruto: Shippūden entitled Nagareboshi (Shooting Star) which entered the Oricon charts at 10th place. One of the group, Micro, was featured on the abingdon boys school song "Lost Reason" as it appeared on their self-titled album. Home Made Kazoku has performed for a promotional commercial for a product called "Walky Walky" with their song "Easy Walk". It was also announced that their new single NO RAIN NO RAINBOW will be used as the movie theme for the second Naruto Shippūden Movie which will be out on the 2nd of August 2008.

Style
Home Made Kazoku usually displays a very up-beat mood in their music, sometimes described by fans as "feel-good music". The pace of the songs may vary from moderately slow and calm to moderately fast and energetic. Following a trend within Japanese pop, the group makes use of english phrases within the music. This use is rather extensive, as nearly every song contains some amount of english. Most songs utilize the language in the refrain as well as in isolated instances throughout a song.

The subject matter of the music usually concerns love, harmonious communication with others, and summer festivities. Additionally, most of the music videos seem to take place in the spring or summer, harkening back to their up-beat mood and liveliness.

Hideaki Takizawa

Hideaki Takizawa (滝沢 秀明, Takizawa Hideaki?, born March 29, 1982) is a Japanese actor and member of the J-pop duo Tackey & Tsubasa from Tokyo, Japan. In 2002, when he reached the age of 20, he debuted with Tsubasa Imai in the group Tackey & Tsubasa under the record label Avex Trax. That same year, he graduated from Johnny's Junior. Tackey & Tsubasa have released many popular singles such as "Ho! Summer" and "Venus". He gained fame as an actor after starring in Japanese dramas such as Majo no Jōken and Strawberry on the Shortcake. He has just got done with the series Orthros no Inu

Haruma Miura

Doramas:
Bloody Monday 2 as Takagi Fujimaru (TBS, 2010)
Samurai High School as Mochizuki Kotaro (NTV, 2009)
Gokusen 3 SP as Kazama Ren (NTV, 2009)
Bloody Monday as Takagi Fujimaru (TBS, 2008)
Galileo: Episode Zero as young Manabu (Fuji TV, 2008)
Gokusen 3 as Kazama Ren (NTV, 2008)
Binbo Danshi as Shiraishi Ryo (NTV, 2008)
14 Sai no Haha as Kirino Satoshi (NTV, 2006)
Children (WOWOW, 2006)
Komyo ga Tsuji (NHK, 2006)
Unfair (Fuji TV, 2006)
Ima Ai ni Yukimasu (TBS, 2005)
Fight as Okabe Kiyoshi (NHK, 2005)
Division 1 Aozora Koi Hoshi (Fuji TV, 2005)
Musashi as Jotaro (NHK, 2003)
Manatsu no Merry Christmas (TBS, 2000)
Doyo Wide Gekijo (TV Asahi, 1995)

Movies:
Gokusen THE MOVIE as Kazama Ren (2009)
Crows ZERO II (2009)
Naoko (2008)
Negative Happy Chainsaw Edge as Noto (2007)
Koizora as Hiro(2007)
Akihabara@Deep (2006)
Catch A Wave (2006)
Mori no Gakko (2002)
Sennen no Koi - Hikaru Genji Monogatari (TOEI, 2002)
Nile (TOEI, 1999)
Jubaku Spellbound (TOEI, 1999)

EXILE

About Exile
EXILE is a 14-member Japanese pop music band.

EXILE leader Hiro was originally in the band ZOO, which split up in the mid-1990s. ZOO had had a hit with "Choo Choo TRAIN". In 1999 Hiro started a new group J Soul Brothers, which changed its name to EXILE in 2001. In November 2003 they remade "Choo Choo TRAIN", which became a huge success in Japan, selling well over a million copies.

Focusing on [pahuoma] HIRO are formed with man 5 of MATSU, USA, MAKIDAI and vocal SASA the vocal & the dance unit which 1999 birth.Measure debut is carried out.So far fusion of song and dance music “Follow me” and “D.T.B which it starts sending to world in theme. (Do The Basic)”, “Fly away” expresses their individual world views, fascinating the performance which is their true height those which are seen.But SASA which is active as a vocal as a writer of the self you secede in order to expand the width of activity with 2001 summer.2 names of ATSUSHI and SHUN join with the secession of this SASA as new [vuokarisuto].As for ATSUSHI although you being recognized capability with certain audition program, the outstanding talent who is defeated regrettably with last selection.And SHUN wins in the vocal contest of local TV station sponsorship about [tsuwamono].It is born with joining of [vuokarisuto] these powerful 2, as a vocal and & the dance unit which consist of man 6 of twin vocal ATSUSHI, SHUN and [pahuoma] HIRO, MATSU, USA and MAKIDAI changes.From they who increase expression power unit name rename heart machine complete change and EXILE.At 2001 September 27th “Your eyes only~ ambiguous my contour ~” you debut.20 single and 4 original albums release.In addition the best album of 3 types which are leased in 2005 breaking 2,000,000 with sum total.After that the activity has always been rich in entertainment characteristic e.g., topic is called with collaboration of the century, GLAY×EXILE.2006 March 29th, release of 4th original album “ASIA” in the [tsu] [te], SHUN changes over from here in solo, keeps being active as wooden place Siyunsuke clearly. And June of the same year, directing to EXILE 2nd chapter, [pahuoma] AKIRA joined, it announced the opening of EXILE, Vocal Battle Audition 2006 ~ASIAN DREAM~ remained undefeated from midst approximately 10,000, existence impression preeminent singing and TAKAHIRO which had edge correct lux were chosen.TAKAHIRO the second chapter of EXILE which joins as a new vocal now, starts from here.

Members

Performers

* Hiro, real name Hiroyuki Igarashi (五十嵐広行, Igarashi Hiroyuki?) June 1, 1969 – leader of the group
* Makidai, real name Daisuke Maki (眞木大輔, Maki Daisuke?) October 27, 1975
* Matsu, real name Toshio Matsumoto (松本利夫, Matsumoto Toshio?), born May 27, 1975.
* Usa, real name Yoshishiro Usami (宇佐美吉啓, Usami Yoshishiro?), born February 2, 1977.
* Akira, real name Ryōhei Kurosawa (黒沢良平, Kurosawa Ryōhei?), born August 23, 1981 – was a member of Rather Unique and joined the group 2006 summer.

Vocalists

* Atsushi, real name Atsushi Satō (佐藤篤志, Satō Atsushi?), born April 30, 1980.
* Takahiro, real name Takahiro Tazaki (田崎敬浩, Tazaki Takahiro?), born December 8, 1984 – the new vocalist chosen to replace Shun during the "EXILE Vocal Battle Audition 2006 ~Asian Dream~" summer audition.

Former member

* Shun, real name Shunsuke Kiyokiba (清木場俊介, Kiyokiba Shunsuke?), born January 11, 1980 – currently a solo artist under his real name.

Chieko Kawabe

Chieko Kawabe (Kawabe Chieko) is a female J-pop singer, model, radio host and actress. She was born on February 24, 1987 in Tokyo to a Japanese father and a Spanish-Filipino mother. She is a graduate of Tokyo Toshima Ku.

Starting at the age of twelve, Kawabe played the role of Ami Mizuno/Sailor Mercury in the Sailor Moon Musicals, or Sera Myu. She started in 2000, in the Fan Kansha event for the 2001 musical, Transylvania no Mori, Kaiteiban. She continued for a couple more years, appearing in five musicals total, finishing with the 2002 special musical, 10th Anniversary Special. During her reign of these musicals, she appeared in some of the more special musicals, including the Death Vulcan special revue show, the second half of the musical being an entire musical revue showing, and the first Sera Myu DVD, the 2002 10th Anniversary event. She also appeared as a musical guest for the next Fan Kansha, performing signature solo song, "Drive Me the Mercury" with the next Mercury actress, Wakayama Manami. She appeared again in the Sailor Moon world as Usagi Tsukino's best friend, Naru Osaka in the 2003-2004 live action series, Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon.

Two years after her role in these musicals, Kawabe set off on her own, releasing the single "Be Your Girl" on April 27, 2004. This particular single took off successfully, with the song 'Be Your Girl' becoming the ending theme song to anime "Elfen Lied" and her other song, 'Hoshi ni Negai Wo' being the end theme song to Otogizoshi. Since that initial release, she has had off and on success, releasing a few more singles. Her next single, Shining, was released on November 24, 2004. This single took fairly well also, with her songs Shining, Cry Baby, and Quiet Riot. This single brought Kawabe closer into the pop scene of Japan, more so than her previous album.

In January 25, 2005, the single Kizunairo was released. This contained the songs Kizunairo, I Can't Wait, and Hidamari. Notable for this single, is the song I Can't Wait, the theme song to the Japanese version of the show Lizzie McGuire. Shortly after this, was the release of her first, and thus far only, full album, Brilliance. This album has eleven songs total, some of which were from previous albums, but nonetheless, this album was quite popular and proved Kawabe's talent and musical skill. This was followed by the single "Candy Baby" in July, 2005.

Almost a year passed before any more releases were made, but in April, 2006, Kawabe released another single, Sakura Kiss, which had two songs, the song 'Sakura Kiss' being the theme song to the new anime, Ouran Host Club. The single was semi-successful reaching #71 on the Oricon 200 and charting for 6 weeks.

As of now, it's unclear as to if Kawabe is on her way towards coming back, or if her singing career has slowly drawn to a close, but there is no doubt that her songs are still known for their unique lyrics and interesting beats.

Currently Chieko is a weekly host on a popular radio station in Harajuku and has returned to the modeling world. There is a possibility of her doing more music soon.

Buono!

Buono! (ボーノ, Bōno?, Italian adjective for 'good', more specifically when used to imply food possesses a pleasant palate) is a Hello! Project unit consisting of three Hello! Project Kids members: Momoko Tsugunaga and Miyabi Natsuyaki from Berryz Kobo, and Airi Suzuki from °C-ute.

The unit was officially announced at the Nakayoshi magazine Festival 2007 on July 21, 2007, at Tokyo's Sunshine City in Ikebukuro, and formed to sing both the opening and ending themes for the anime adaptation of the Shugo Chara! manga. Buono! continued to record all the ending and opening themes for the first season of the anime. As of the second season, though, Buono! only recorded the ending theme, as the opening theme was handled by Shugo Chara Egg!, another group formed for the sake of performing Shugo Chara! music.

Aqua Timez

The band formed in 2000 after two of the original members met on the internet and discovered that they attended the same university. At their formation with all their current members in 2003, the band's name as Aqua Times, the correct spelling of their current name. No major releases came from the band during this period. The band renamed themselves to Aqua Timez in 2005. Their first release under this name was a mini-album which charted well on Oricon.

In 2006, the group would go on to release their second mini-album with seven songs. Later in the same year, it was announced that they would provide the theme song to the movie version of the anime BLEACH. The song, Sen no Yoru wo Koete. (Passing Through One Thousand Nights)entered the Oricon singles chart with the 5th position and would go on to sell over 100,000 copies.

Later that year, the full first album for the band was released. Kaze wo Atsumete was their first full length album and reached a peak position of 3rd on the Oricon charts. Since its release, the album has sold over 200,000 copies. Shiori, their third single, was used in commercials for a brand of beverage known as Mitsuya Cider.

The following year in 2007 the band would return to BLEACH. Their fourth single, ALONES, was used as the 6th opening song for the anime.

Once again, in 2009, the band would return to BLEACH. Their song Velonica was used as an opening for the anime.

Their first single, Ketsui no Asa ni, was used as a song in the movie version of Brave Story.

Members
Vocal：太志 （ふとし）, aka Futoshi; born May 10, 1980
Bass：OKP-STAR （おーけーぴーすたー）; born March 25, 1977
Guitar, Programming：大介 （だいすけ）, aka Daisuke; born April 12, 1977
Keyboard：Mayuko （まゆこ）; born September 18, 1977
Drums：TASSHI （たっしー）; born August 21, 1978
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Aki Toyosaki's

Aki Toyosaki (豊崎 愛生, Toyosaki Aki, born October 28, 1986) is a Japanese seiyū and singer born in Tokushima Prefecture, Japan.She had her first major voice acting roles in 2007, voicing Amuro Ninagawa in Kenkō Zenrakei Suieibu Umishō and Su in Shugo Chara!.
Her career as a musician began with her performance of the opening and ending themes of the anime series K-On! in April 2009. In the same month, she and three other voice actresses debuted as the musical group Sphere with their single "Future Stream". Later, K-On!'s ending theme was given Animation Kobe's "Best Song" award.

Toyosaki had her first major role as voice actor in 2007, providing the voice of Amuro Ninagawa, the main character of the anime series Kenkō Zenrakei Suieibu Umishō.She was then featured in Minami-ke and Shugo Chara! as Yoshino and Su, respectively.In 2008, Toyosaki reprised the two roles in Minami-ke:Okawari and Shugo Chara!! Doki.

She went on to voice Najimi Tenkūji in the 2009 series Akikan! and held the leading role in K-On!, providing the voice of protagonist Yui Harasawa.She later took the roles of Koyoi Bessho, in Hatsukoi Limited, and Kana Nakamichi, the protagonist of Kanamemo.In Minami-ke: Okaeri, she reprised her role as Yoshino a second time.

In addition to voice acting, Toyosaki has also appeared on camera. Her first acting job was on Shikoku Broadcasting's informational variety show Saturday Naisho!! (土曜はナイショ!!?) from 2003 to 2004.She, Ayahi Takagaki, Haruka Tomatsu, and Minako Kotobuki appeared twice on the Anime Song Plus (アニソンぷらす, Anison Purasu?) television show as the musical group Sphere on April 20, 2009, and July 27, 2009.During its run in July 2009, Toyosaki also narrated the show.

Toyosaki's first musical performance was with fellow voice actress Eri Kitamura on the Minami-ke Weather (みなみけ　びより, Minami-ke Biyori?) image song CD on April 23, 2008.She then performed the opening and ending themes of the 2009 anime series K-On!, "Cagayake! Girls" and "Don't say 'lazy'" respectively, with voice actresses Yōko Hikasa, Satomi Satō, and Minako Kotobuki.Both themes were released as singles on April 22, 2009.The "Cagayake! Girls" single sold about 62,000 copies during its debut week, ranking fourth on Oricon's latest weekly singles chart, while the "Don't say 'lazy' " single sold about 67,000 copies during its debut week, placing second on the chart.The opening and ending singles remained on the chart during the week of April 27 to May 3, falling to sixth and fifth, while selling an additional 19,963 and 22,094 copies.On June 23, 2009, "Don't say 'lazy'" was awarded Animation Kobe's "Best Song" award.

Toyosaki then performed the opening theme of the 2009 Hatsukoi Limited series, titled "Future Stream" with Ayahi Takagaki, Haruka Tomatsu, and Minako Kotobuki.Shortly after, the four formed the musical group Sphere (スフィア, Sufia?). They are affiliated with Music Ray'n, an artist management and publishing group of Sony Music Entertainment Japan.The theme was released as the group's first single on April 22, 2009.

Toyosaki, Hikasa, Satō, and Kotobuki performed the insert song, a song that occurs within the episodes of the anime, "Light and Fluffy Time" for K-On. It was released as a single on May 20, 2009.On June 17, 2009, Toyosaki released a K-On! image song single titled "Yui Hirasawa". The single ranked third on Oricon's weekly singles chart during the week of June 15 to 21, selling 31,384 copies.

Shortly after, Toyosaki, Kaoru Mizuhara, and Rie Kugimiya performed "Heart Connected to You", the opening theme of Kanamemo, which was released August 5, 2009.On June 25, 2009, she provided the narration of a television advertisement for the performance of "Blue Feather", a single by the musical group Binecks.The Hatsukoi Limited Character File Vol. 3 image album, released July 23, 2009, includes a song featuring Toyosaki.In July, the anime series Sora no Manimani debuted with the Sphere performed opening theme "Super Noisy Nova", which was released as a single on July 29, 2009.

Filmography

2003

* Saturday Naisho!!: Herself

2006

* Red Garden: Female Student

2007

* Kenkō Zenrakei Suieibu Umishō: Amuro Ninagawa
* Minami-ke: Yoshino
* Shugo Chara!: Su

2008

* Bihada Ichizoku: Ai Shiratori
* Dolly☆Variety: Sora Aoki
* Minami-ke: Okawari: Yoshino
* Net Ghost PiPoPa: Siren
* Shugo Chara!! Doki—: Su

2009

* Akikan!: Najimi Tenkūji
* Aoi Hana: Miwa Mogi
* Asura Cryin': An Ōhara
* Hatsukoi Limited: Koyoi Bessho
* Kanamemo: Kana Nakamachi
* K-On!: Yui Hirasawa
* Minami-ke: Okaeri: Yoshino
* The Sacred Blacksmith: Lisa
* Spice and Wolf II: Merta
* To Aru Kagaku no Railgun: Kazari Uiharu
* Umi Monogatari: Anata ga Ite Kureta Koto: Oshima
* Umineko no Naku Koro ni: Asmodeus

Discography

Toyosaki released seven singles:

* "Cagayake! Girls" (2009)
* "Don't say 'lazy'" (2009)
* "Future Stream" (2009)
* "Light and Fluffy Time" (ふわふわ時間, "Fuwafuwa Taimu"?) (2009)
* "Yui Hirasawa" (2009)
* "Super Noisy Nova" (2009)
* "Heart Connected to You"(君へとつなぐココロ,"Kimi he to Tsunagu Kokoro"?) (2009)

Aya Hirano

Hirano Aya is a Japanese seiyuu, actress and singer who has had roles in several anime including the immensely popular Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu (涼宮ハルヒの憂鬱; The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi) as the title character, Suzumiya Haruhi.

She was previously a member of the U-15 idol group Springs.

Information

In 1998 Aya joined the Tokyo Jidougekidan acting troupe and began to appear in television commercials. She made her voice-acting debut with the anime Tenshi no Shippo three years later, but began to concentrate more on being a part of the U-15 idol group Springs.

After graduating high school in 2006 she began to work full-time as a voice actress and picked up several roles, including Suzumiya Haruhi in The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi. She performed several songs for the show, including the opening song, "Bouken Desho Desho?", whose CD single sold out on the day of release. After this role her popularity skyrocketed and she has since had roles in popular anime such as NANA and Death Note.

During April and May 2007 Aya appeared on the covers of 2 magazines THE 声優マガジン VOICHA in which she did some cosplay and in Seiyuu Grand Prix. She also appeared for the first time on NHK’s Anime Giga TV show.

Trivia

* Aya spent some time in the United States during her childhood. She is also very interested in Egypt.

Awards

* [2007] First Voice Actor Newcomer Actress Award

Profile

* Bust: 73cm
* Waist: 60cm
* Hips: 78cm
* Hobbies: Guitar, reading
* Favorite food:Olive
* Abilities: Foresight, Piano

Akanishi Jin

Akanishi Jin is a former member of the boyband KAT-TUN and also one of the most popular members of said group. Apart from acting in several dramas, he is known for penning several songs for KAT-TUN, such as Hesitate, Care, Murasaki and Love or Like.

It was announced in October 2006 that Akanishi would take an indefinite hiatus from KAT-TUN in order to study language abroad. The official statement posted a minimum time of six months depending on his success in his studies and during a press conference also cited health issues.

On the 18th of April 2007, Johnny's Entertainment announced the return of Akanishi. At a press conference held on April 20th, he mentioned that he took voice lessons in America during the latter half of his stay so that he would not fall behind once he got back.

He was also present at the Sendai concert soon after where he performed Real Face during the encore. Although he admitted that he had forgotten most of his lyrics while on hiatus, the other members of KAT-TUN were quick to assure him that they would re-teach him everything he needed to know.
Rocking in LANDS

At the fashion event of Tokyo Girls Collection on September 5, 2009. Jin appeared as a special guest to promote his new movie, Bandage. He performed the movie's theme song which marked his as the solo debut under the temporary group [LANDS]. It was released on November 25, 2009 and each copy contained a postcard to enter a drawing for tickets to LANDS special concert, held on January 16, 2010 in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area. On January 13, 2010, LANDS released their album, Olympos.
Going solo

In 2010, he began a series of solo concerts, Star Live You & Jin, comprising a total of 32 shows from February 7, 2010 to February 28, 2010. The song "A Page" featured at his concerts, was released as part of [KAT-TUN]'s 11th single, "Love Yourself (Kimi ga Kirai na Kimi ga Suki)," on the 2nd limited edition on February 10, 2010. He composed and arranged the song "A Page." He also co-wrote its lyrics.

Announced on March 24, 2010, Akanishi's solo tour You & Jin had a 3 show tour in Los Angeles, California on June 19 and June 20. The solo tour tickets were sold out in the first hour when it began to sell on April 15. In the last show of his You&Jin concert Akanishi announced a tour in the United States. In July 2010, it was announced that he would leave the band KAT-TUN, becoming a solo artist of Johnny's & Associates.

On November, his futuristic tour Yellow Gold 3010, took part in Chicago, New York, Houston, Los Angeles and San Francisco. The tour featured was held entirely in English, including 14 English-language songs that are mostly written and produced by the singer himself.

On December 9th it has been announced his global record contract with Warner Music Japan.

Early life
Born in the Chiba Prefecture on July 4, 1984, Akanishi is the eldest child. His family consists of his parents and a younger brother, Reio, who also works in the entertainment industry as an actor under the stage name, Fuuta. His given name, Jin ("benevolence"), comes from one of the five Confucian virtues. He moved to Tokyo in the first grade. He is the best friend of Tomohisa Yamashita and the two remain close today. In 1997, when he was still in grade school, a classmate sent in a photo of him to idol magazine, Myojo, and he was featured in the "Cool Classmates" corner of the issue.[8] Akanishi expressed interest in the entertainment industry and his mother thus sent in an application to Johnny's Entertainment on his behalf in 1998. Though he technically failed his audition on November 8, 1998, he was told to stay when he tried to return his number plate to a man who happened to be Johnny Kitagawa himself. He entered Johnny & Associates at the same time as future bandmates Kazuya Kamenashi and Yuichi Nakamaru.

Acting career

Akanishi made his debut as an actor in 1999 in a cameo appearance in the second episode of NTV's romance comedy, P.P.O.I., and also had small roles in TV Asahi's Best Friend, Omae no yukichi ga naiteiru and in NHK series, Haregi, Koko Ichiban. He also started appearing in musicals from 2000 taking on supporting roles in Millennium Shock (2000), Show Geki Shock (2001-2002), Dream Boy (2004) and Dream Boys (2006). Akanishi returned to the small screen in 2005 in the second season of the award-winning and popular NTV school drama, Gokusen, starring opposite Yukie Nakama and bandmate Kazuya Kamenashi. The show won "Best Drama" at the 44th Television Drama Academy Awards and ended its run with an average viewership rating of 27.8%. He also had a supporting role in NTV's romance series, Anego, the same year.

In 2007, Akanishi starred in his first lead role in Yukan Club, a school comedy series, alongside bandmate Junnosuke Taguchi and was voted "Best Actor" at the 11th Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix. He made his debut as a voice actor in 2008 for the Japanese dub of Speed Racer, providing the voice for protagonist Speed played by Emile Hirsch.[20]

In 2009, Akanishi was cast as the lead actor in the movie, Bandage, directed by Takeshi Kobayashi and which is scheduled for release on January 16, 2010. This will be his big screen debut.

Mai Kuraki

Profile

~Chinese starsign: Dog
~Hobbies: Watching movies, making accessories, listening to music, drawing
~Favorite singer: Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, Lauryn Hill, Backstreet Boys
~Favorite colour: Black, white, pink, red, orange
~Favorite food: Fruit, pasta
~Favorite music: R&B
~Respects: Her parents

Information

Kuraki Mai (also known as Mai-K to her fans) had always wanted to be a singer ever since she saw a movie about Michael Jackson's life and watched Whitney Houston's concert videos. Around her second year in junior high school, she began making demo tapes, hoping that she would get a record deal.

Her chance to sing came when she was in junior high school when a member of staff from her current label, GIZA Studio caught her fresh talent and immediately sent her to Cybersound Studio in Boston to record her US debut single, "Baby I Like" under the pseudonym "Mai-K" which eventually became her nickname. The studio staff were so impressed with her vocal abilities that they encouraged her to go back to Japan and record. She did so and released her Japanese debut single, "Love, Day After Tomorrow" on December 8 the same year. Love, Day After Tomorrow hit the top spot in the Oricon Chart, selling more than 1 million copies. Since her debut at sixteen, her singles and albums have never failed to reach top 3 positions on the charts.

Kuraki has worked with a some of GIZA’s most talented composers such as Tokunaga Akihito from doa, songwriter Ohno Aika and guitarist for GARNET CROW, Okamoto Hitoshi. Kuraki has also collaborated with TAK MATSUMOTO (guitarist from B'z) in "Imitation Gold" and Singaporean singer, Sun Yan Zi (Stephanie Sun).

Despite Kuraki infrequent TV and magazine appearances, she has a very large fan base and is often compared to Utada Hikaru because of their similar R&B styles. On March 21st 2005, Kuraki graduated from Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto where she studied modern culture and society.

Career
She was influenced at an early age by Whitney Houston's singing and Michael Jackson's dancing. In her second year of junior high school, she submitted a demo tape to the GIZA recording label and won a contract. She debuted in the United States in 1999 with the song "Baby I Like," recorded under the pseudonym Mai K. Her first Japanese single, "Love, Day After Tomorrow," was released later in the year. It became a big hit in Japan and sold about a million copies. Kuraki now holds the record of having all 23 of her singles in the top-ten since her debut according to the Oricon's female artists ranking record.

Kuraki's career has been somewhat overshadowed by that of her slightly younger contemporary, Utada Hikaru. Despite this, Kuraki's album Delicious Way sold more than 4 million copies and became the best selling album of 2000 in Japan, cementing her status with singers like Ayumi Hamasaki and Utada Hikaru. Her second album, Perfect Crime, sold more than 2 million copies in 2001.

Her all-African-American tour band, Experience, is also somewhat profilic. They were featured in the music video for "Stand Up", and released one single featuring Kuraki Mai's vocals and a Michael Jackson tribute album.

Her English-language ventures, the single Baby I Like and the album Secret of My Heart were both major flops, even though they were the flagship releases of the GIZA USA label.

Year 2002 was a year of success for Kuraki Mai. January that year, "Winter Bells," the 10th opening theme for the popular anime Detective Conan, reached the top position of the Oricon charts. FT Shiseido chose "Feel fine!" as the theme song for its 100 year celebration campaign. The single release of the song briefly held the daily top spot against Ayumi Hamasaki's "Free & Easy", but lost out the weekly top spot.

In October 2003, she released a rock cover of a Momoe Yamaguchi, a 1970's idol, song, "IMITATION GOLD" as part of Tak Matsumoto's HIT PARADE project, which claimed the top position on the Oricon charts, despite selling less than 50,000 copies on the first week. On New Year's Day of year 2004, Kuraki released her compilation/best album Wish You The Best and became the best selling album in the month of January plus the 7th best selling album for the year 2004 in Japan. Since the release of "Love,needing," she have been featuring more retro-sounding songs. In March 2005 she graduated from Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto. Recently, her 6th studio album "DIAMOND WAVE" was released on 2 August 2006. This is the first time she is using her single title to be the same as the album and also the first time there are only three instead of four hit singles to be included in her album.

To date, Kuraki has recorded 7 studio albums (5 of which went to #1), 26 singles (3 of which went to #1), a compilation album, and 8 DVD/Videos. To this day, she continues to be one of Japan's biggest pop acts.

Trivia

- She owns a Border Collie dog named "Casper"
- She holds the Oricon record for the most consecutive top 10 single hits for a female solo artist since her debut. As all of her singles have charted, this record is still growing.