Yamane Yoshiaki (photo left, 29), one half of the comic duo Ungirls, has been romantically linked with popular talento Yamakawa Erika (23). The two first met on a variety show in May where they were paired together to do a bit of ballroom dancing. Ungirls have been one of the more unusual comic acts to enjoy the recent comedy boom. With Yamane and his partner Tanaka Takushi (29) both being tall and incredibly skinny, their visual impact and general nerdiness has made them hugely popular, especially with young girls. But not many would imagine Yamane as a romantic partner, so this latest showbiz couple is sure to turn lots of heads.
• Veteran actor Watari Tetsuya (63) has made his debut as a voice actor. He provided one of the voices for the upcoming new Sega action-adventure game for Play Station 2, “Ryu ga Shiku.” The cast also includes actress Mihara Junko (40) and former wrestler Fujiwara Yoshiaki (56). The game cost ¥2.4 billion to develop and is due for release this winter. Watari and Sega chairman Satomi Hajime were classmates at Aoyama Gakuin University and have been friends since. Sega and Watari, as president of the Ishihara Promotions agency, have also cooperated on supporting cancer charity work.
• Hamasaki Ayumi‘s latest TV commercial for Panasonic will feature the pop diva dressed as a maiko (apprentice geisha) in a striking red kimono and speaking in the distinctive Kyoto dialect. Ayu (26) has appeared in a long series of ads for the company’s digital cameras, the latest of which is the Lumix. She also wrote a new song for the commercial, “Will,” which goes on sale on September 14.