Matsumoto Jun (24) got a rapturous welcome from fans and students at USC yesterday. He was at the University of Southern California for a special screening of his latest movie, a remake of the Kurosawa Akira classic “Kakushitoride no Sanakunin.” The venue was chosen for its connection between Kurosawa’s original and USC alumnus George Lucas’s “Star Wars.” Among the audience were future filmmakers and actor Anthony Daniels (62), who played the role of C3PO. At a discussion following the screening, the 300 attendees gave it a big thumbs up. “MatsuJun” said of his role as Takezo, “I put a bit of Spiderman, a bit of Captain Jack Sparrow, of all sorts of Hollywood heroes into the part. I wanted to capture the essence of Hollywood.” A member of the idol group Arashi, who are somewhere in the middle of the Johnny’s Jimusho hierarchy, he’s probably better known in the U.S. as an actor, especially since a subtitled version of his 2005 TBS drama series “Hanayori Dango” was aired here. But among those welcoming him yesterday were 36 members of the Arashi Secret Agency fan club. The movie opens in Japan on May 10.
• Former members of 80s idol group Hikaru Genji seem to be getting a lot of press these days. Morohoshi Kazumi (37) donned his roller skates for the first time in 13 years yesterday when he took part in a preview of the “Voyage/Tabidachi” stage show at the Shibuya Muscle Theater. he said he’s been practicing seven hours a day to get back the skills that once were the hallmark of his group. Another member, Ohsawa Mikio (39), got married to a former model at the weekend, while Akasaka Akira (34) was arrested on drug charges in October of last year.
• Restaurateur and former comedian Ohshima Naoya (36) and former talento Takeda Kayoko (30) are engaged after a relationship of two years. The couple plan to hold a wedding reception at a Tokyo hotel on May 18. Ohshima was a member of the now defunct comedy group Dronz, who made their name in 1997 on the variety show “Susume! Denpa Shonen” but broke up in 2003. He now works as an actor and runs a nabe restaurant in the Ebisu district of Tokyo. Takeda is the great-great-granddaughter of Yoshihara Shigetoshi, the first ever governor of the Bank of Japan.
• Korean vocal unit Touhoushinki have entered the latest Oricon singles chart at No.1 with “Beautiful You/Sennen Koiuta.” It is the 23rd single release from the five-member group in the three years since they debuted in Japan.
• Rock trio C-C-B played their first concert in 18 years in Tokyo yesterday. The band, who broke up in 1990 and are best known for the hit “Romantic ga Tomaranai,” started a nationwide tour at the Omotesando FAB venue.
• A couple of celebrities announced new arrivals yesterday. Brazilian-born bossa nova singer Ono Lisa (45) said on her blog that she recently gae birth to her third child. Meanwhile comedian Tanaka Naoki (37) of the duo Cocorico is a father for the second time. He announced by fax that his wife, talento Kohinata Shie (28), had another baby boy on April 24.