The movie “Mayonaka no Yaji-san, Kita-san” is to be released in the US. The film, which stars Nagase Tomoya (photo, 26) – a member of the Johnny’s band Tokio and the boyfriend of singer Hamasaki Ayumi – and kabuki actor Nakamura Shichinosuke (22), is scheduled to show at 30-40 theaters in major US cities by next summer. It opened in Japan in April and was a minor hit, grossing ¥800 million at the domestic box office. A DVD version is set to go on sale next month. The movie is based on the manga of the same name, and tells the comic story of two gay samurai traveling on the Tokaido highway. The promo image shows the pair straddling a Stars and Stripes-decorated Harley Davidson.
• 28-year old Canadian English teacher Adam James Anderson was arrested last week on vandalism charges after he and a Japanese friend were caught spray painting a building in the trendy “ura-Omotesando” area of Tokyo. The two were said to have been drunk when caught in the act by police shortly before 4am on September 19. The arrest, which was made last Friday, made the news headlines because the Japanese person arrested was Mori Tsutomu (24), the grandson of world-famous fashion designer Mori Hanae. The younger Mori is said to work as a website designer. No details about Anderson were given other than that he is resident in the Nishi-ogi Kita area of Suginami Ward in Tokyo (literally just down the road from us at Japan Zone!). Graffiti has become increasingly common in metropolitan areas in recent years, though few people are caught in the act.