Fuji TV is to air a four-night series of dramas next month featuring some of the hottest young female talent. All playing roles quite different from their images, the actresses will portray the hopes and struggles of today’s young female Japanese. The first episode will air on February 27 and feature Ueto Aya (20) as an office worker who dreams of the glamourous life and works nights as a hostess. Horikita Maki (17) stars on night two, as a girl who makes money from men in online chatrooms. Personal favorite Yamada Yu (photo, 21) plays an aspiring actress who works as a “cabaret club” hostess. In the final episode Ueno Juri (19), who made her name in the movie “Swing Girls,” plays a pachinko parlour worker who has no luck with men. The four episodes, under the omnibus title “Tsubasa no Oreta Tenshi-tachi” (Angels With Broken Wings), are based on stories by writer Yoshi, who is known as an author of online fiction.
• Popular voice actress Mizuki Nana celebrated her 26th birthday at the Nippon Budokan on Saturday. Despite the record snowfall in the capital, 8500 dedicated fans turned out for the show. Mizuki is particularly popular among the “akibakei” set, who frequent the Tokyo “otaku” mecca of Akihabara. She has released over a dozen singles and her voice has featured in many more anime and computer games.