“Hitmaker” Oda Yuji (37) is to have his first movie starring role since the incredibly successful “Bayside Shakedown 2” in 2003. In “Kencho no Hosi” (Star of City Hall), he will star alongside Shibasaki Kou (24) as an elite bureaucrat. The “human drama with a light comedy touch” is based on a novel by the same name and deals with a currently popular theme – bureaucrats out of touch with the people. The movie is scheduled to open in February 2007.
• The latest group to be launched by Hello! Project, the people that brought you Morning Musume, features four of the most popular idols around. Former Momus members Ishikawa Rika (20), Goto Maki (20), and Abe Natsumi (24) are joined by Matsuura Aya (19) to make up Def Diva. They recently filmed the video for their debut single “Sukisugite Bakamitai,” which is due for release on October 19. The video features the four in hot pants, long boots and bared midriffs strutting their stuff to a disco beat, with 30 models from the JJbis fashion magazine as extras.
• Actor and singer Oshio Manabu (27) has announced that he’s going to give up acting and focus on his musical career. He plans to quit his management agency at the end of the year and join an indie music label. The announcement came as a big surprise as Oshio has been very popular in TV dramas since his 1997 debut in “Ai, Tokodoki Uso.” But it’s ben difficult for him to juggle a working schedule that includes acting, performing live and releasing three albums under the artist name Liv. A relationship with popular actress Yada Akiko (26) was revealed in late August and her fan club was disbanded shortly afterwards. This and Oshio’s decision to put an end to his own fan club has media speculating that marriage is on the cards.