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It’s finally official. Rumors and sketchy reports of a Hollywood project starring Keanu Reeves as a medieval samurai were confirmed yesterday by a formal press conference and cast announcement in London. To be directed by Carl Rinsch and with a budget reported at $170-200 million, “47 Ronin” is an adaptation of the famous Chushingura story of samurai loyalty and revenge based around real events that took place in the early 1700s. The story has been adapted countless times for stage, TV and the big screen but never before in English.

The choice of Reeves (46) for the lead role as a Japanese warrior has many people scratching their heads, but the latest report says his character Kai will be “half-Japanese, half-British.” And he will have some seriously heavyweight Japanese acting support. Named to the cast yesterday were (left to right):

Asano Tadanobu (37), star of “Mongol” and Miike Takashi’s “Ichi the Killer,” who has a couple of other Hollywood projects coming up – a supporting role in “Thor” and “Battleship”. He will play shogunate official Kira Yoshinaka;

Kikuchi Rinko (30), nominated for an Oscar for her supporting role in “Babel.” She has the role of the mysterious lady Mizuki who helps Kira in his quest for power;

Sanada Hiroyuki (50), best known overseas for his roles in “The Last Samurai,” “Speed Racer” and the final season of “Lost.” He will play the key role of chief samurai Oishi Kuranosuke;

Shibasaki Kou (29), who made her movie debut in 2000 in Fukasaku Kinji’s acclaimed “Battle Royale.” Shibasaki said she is “so excited” to play Reeve’s love interest Mika, the daughter of samurai Asano Naganori.

Rinsch caught the attention of movie studios with the storytelling of his commercials, such as the short sci-fi film “The Gift,” and at one point he was named to direct a prequel to Ridley Scott’s “Alien.” More recently Universal Studios have signed him to follow up his debut on the Reeves feature with a remake of “Creature From the Black Lagoon.” Speaking yesterday about 47 Ronin, he said, “What drew me to it were the universal themes. Love, hate, revenge, these are ideas that translate all over the world. This take is so different, it’s about visualising the dream of Japan from a Western view. Instead of it being a historic epic we wanted to turn it into a fantasy.” Shooting starts March 14 in Hungary and will later move to Shepperton Studios in the UK, with unspecified plans to also shoot in Japan. The movie will be in 3D and has a release date of November, 2012.

Japan Zone eagerly awaits the movie’s release for one other reason – we were chosen by the 47 Ronin production team to supply a variety of costume items for the movie. So if you want to be seen in the same footwear as Keanu Reeves and Co., visit our Japan Store!

The popular “tsuppari rock” band Kishidan has drawn the ire of a leading Jewish human rights group with its ill-advised fashion sense. The Simon Wiesenthal Center, based in Los Angeles, has complained to the band and their management agency, Sony Music Artists Inc., about the SS-like uniforms they wore in an interview aired on MTV Japan on February 23.

Kishidan are not the types to take themselves too seriously and usually appear in the retro style of teenage bosozoku gangs, with coiffed hair and stylized school uniforms. But in a statement, associate dean of the SWC Rabbi Abraham Cooper said, “Such garb like the uniform worn by Kishidan is never tolerated in the mainstream of any civilized country outside of Japan. As someone who has visited Japan over 30 times, I am fully aware that many young Japanese are woefully uneducated about the crimes against humanity committed during World War II by Imperial Japan in occupied-Asia, let alone about Nazi Germany’s genocidal ‘Final Solution’ against the Jews in Europe.” He added, “But global entities like MTV and Sony Music should know better.”

In the last few years, band leader Ayanokoji Sho has used other personas, appearing as the commercially successful but controversial DJ Ozma, in the overtly commercial band FANTA, and even as a Las Vegas showgirl with comedy duo Tunnels.
Related stories:
Japanese Music Just Got a Bit Weirder (Mar. 11, 2010)
Tunnels, Kishidan Frontman are Yajima Biyoshitsu (Sep. 26, 2008)

Mattchan Sues Flash for Libel
Top Yoshimoto Kogyo comedian Matsumoto Hitoshi (47) has sued the Kobunsha publishing company for libel, it was revealed yesterday. The lawsuit is over an article published in the weekly gossip magazine “Flash” last September 7. The article claimed that Matsumoto, one half of the duo Downtown (profile), was out partying on the town at a time when he was on leave from work while recovering from hip surgery. As the medical leave affected his work schedule for more than a month, any suggestion that he was exaggerating his physical condition would have commercial implications. Matsumoto has asked for ¥11 million in damages and a public apology.

For a relatively minor celebrity, talento Komukai Minako (25) is getting quite a bit of media attention. She finally returned from the Philippines to Narita International Airport on February 25, where police were waiting with an arrest warrant issued earlier this month. Komukai is accused of buying stimulant drugs last May, while still on a suspended prison sentence for a previous drug-related charge. She has denied the charges, insisting that the Iranian man who says he arranged the drug deal was simply a confidant.

Reporters went out to Narita twice during this month only to learn that Komukai had not used her ticket and was still in Manila. About 100 reporters finally got the photos they wanted as she arrived on Friday night wearing a revealing white t-shirt under a black jacket. She was quickly whisked away by officers from the organized crime squad, who took her to the Musashino police station.

It was revealed yesterday that freelance announcer Kobayashi Mao (28) is five months pregnant. The good news must come as a welcome change for her husband, kabuki star Ichikawa Ebizo (33, photo), who is still reeling from the drunken assault scandal that derailed his career less than three months ago. Ebizo declined to speak with reporters who camped outside his Tokyo home yesterday, but he and his wife’s management agencies announced the news to the media by fax. Meanwhile his father, kabuki veteran Ichikawa Danjuro (64), speaking to reporters after a performance at the Misonoza theater in Nagoya, thanked them for their congratulations and said he was delighted to become a grandfather.

The trial of former gang member Ito Rion (27), who is accused of inflicting serious injuries on Ichikawa last November, is currently underway at the Tokyo District Court. So although those injuries now appear to be fully healed, the actor is continuing to maintain a low profile. During his court testimony, Ito said that he was provoked in part by a head butt that the drunken Ichikawa inflicted on his gang boss, though the actor has so far not faced any criminal charges in the case.

Yamada Yoji (79, profile) is perhaps Japan’s greatest living movie director, and certainly one of its most accomplished. This year sees the 50th anniversary of his directing career and yesterday the first details of his upcoming movie project were announced. “Tokyo Kazoku” (Tokyo Family) is to be in part an homage to one of the most revered Japanese movies of all time, Ozu Yasujiro‘s 1953 classic “Tokyo Monogatari” (Tokyo Story) and it has a very strong ensemble cast. Set for a 2012 release, it will star Sugawara Bunta (77) and Ichihara Etsuko (75) as a couple who travel to Tokyo from a small island in the Seto Inland Sea to visit their children but don’t find the welcome and attention they expected. Though the premise is the same as in Ozu’s movie, Yamada will add such modern theme as Japan’s aging population and the increase in old people living and dying alone.

Commenting on the casting, Yamada said, “Sugawara-san’s has a much tougher image than Ryu-san (Ryu Chishu, the star of Ozu’s film) but I think that toughness adds tension to the ordeal of dying alone in one’s old age.” Regarding Ichihara, he said, “She has played common folk since she was a young actress and is one of the few who can really play an elderly country woman. She also has a rare sense of humor.” The main difference with Ozu’s film is that the couple’s younger son, played by Tsumabuki Satoshi (30), is still alive and living with his girlfriend, Aoi Yu (25), and their roles get almost equal billing. Tsumabuki won as best actor at last year’s Blue Ribbon Awards for his role in the critically acclaimed “Akunin,” while Aoi won for her supporting role in Yamada’s “Otouto.” The strong cast continues through the family – elder son will be played by Nishimura Masahiko (50), his wife by Natsukawa Yui (42), the daughter by Muroi Shigeru (52) and her browbeaten husband by rakugo-ka Hayashiya Shozo (48).

Talento and singer Leah Dizon (24) has headed back home to the U.S. as a single mother. It was reported yesterday by her management agency that she and her Japanese stylist husband divorced at the end of last year. Dizon returned home with their infant daughter and is said to be studying acting in the hope of returning to work in Japan.

The half French-American, half Chinese-Philippina Dizon was born in Las Vegas and raised in Los Angeles but long harbored a dream of becoming a star in Japan. She started by blogging with photos of herself in cosplay outfits, which caught the attention of agencies in Japan. Through the release here of photo books she built up enough of a fan base that when she made her official recording debut in February 2007, it was a smash hit. Singles and an album followed and Dizon seemed to be gaining a real foothold in the Japanese market. But a shotgun wedding in October 2008 and the birth of a baby girl six months later put her career on hold and she never regained that momentum.

Named after the Star Wars character Princess Leah, she was touted as a U.S. import into the talento world. She was often referred to as the “gravurekai no kurofune” or “Black Ship of the Pin-up World,” a reference to the so-called black ships of Admiral William Perry that helped end Japan’s centuries of isolation in the mid-1850s.

Actor Eita (28) has been in a state of shock since the suicide last week of his father (55). He returned from a movie location in Yamagata Prefecture late Friday night to attend the funeral, which was held in Tokyo on Saturday. He was accompanied by his wife, singer Kimura Kaela (26) and their baby son. His father’s suicide note apologetically named Eita as the chief mourner or host of the funeral, though it has been reported that he asked his two brothers to support him in that role. Elder brother, Nagayama Ryoya, is a model and former actor, while younger brother Kento (21) is still in the business.

Their father ran a yakiniku (Korean barbeque) restaurant named Edoya, a name that took one character from the name of each son.

“Heaven’s Story,” a movie by Japanese director Zeze Takahisa won a prestigious critics award at the 2011 Berlin International Film Festival on Friday. The movie appeared in the festival’s Forum category for avant-garde and experimental films. The award was given by the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI), a group that is not actually part of the film festival’s organization. Japanese films have now taken the award for the last three years running. Yukisada Isao’s “Parade” won last year and “Love Exposure” by director Sono Shion was the winner in 2009. Zeze, who is currently filming in Japan, released a statement expressing his gratitude that his work was appreciated by an international audience.

An epic film in nine parts, with a challenging running time of four hours and 38 minutes, “Heaven’s Story” has multiple characters and is based around the story of a woman out to revenge the murder of her parents and sister. The strong cast includes Watanabe Makiko, Sugata Shun, Emoto Akira, Murakami Jun, Sato Koichi and the young Tsuruoka Moeki. Zeze, a native of Oita Prefecture, began making films while studying at Kyoto University. He has a distinguished career as a “pink” (softcore porn) film-maker.

Model/talento Mori Izumi (28) has been caught having an affair with a much older – and married – pro surfer, according to today’s issue of weekly magazine “Friday.” The grand-daughter of leading fashion designer Hanae Mori (85), Izumi has been a regular on the variety show circuit for the last few years. With her mixed-race looks, wealth and family background, she would have to considered a good catch. So why get involved with a married man old enough to be her father? Well, her management told the magazine that Mori claims she didn’t know he was married and that the affair has already ended.

The man in question is Koshizoe Ken (57), an advisor to the Japan Pro Surfing Association. He is married to former actress Kotegawa Nobuko (48), sister of actress Kotegawa Yuko (51). He has a history of two-timing as he was already married with a child when he got involved with Kotegawa. He met Mori about three years ago when she visited a Tokyo surfing shop that he manages. The pair were photographed at Mori’s Tokyo apartment and at her holiday home in Chiba Prefecture.

Kabuki actor Kataoka Ainosuke (38) has a secret family, according to today’s issue of weekly magazine “Josei Seven.” The magazine reports that Kataoka and a 43-year-old bar hostess he has known since the early 90s have a son who is currently in the 5th grade. Mother and son are said to be living in Kyoto but have been spotted going in and out of Kataoka’s high rise apartment in Osaka.

Kataoka was thrown into the spotlight at the end of last year when he was named as a last-minute replacement for actor Ichikawa Ebizo (33), who abruptly dropped out of a scheduled role following a drunken assault scandal in late November. With all the major names fully booked during the busy new schedule the pressure was on the little-known Kataoka, but he received good reviews for his performances at the Minamiza theater in Kyoto (photo). Unusually for an actor in the traditional theater world, Kataoka was born into a family with no kabuki connections. He became a child actor at the age of 5 and became a student of Kataoka Nizaemon XIII at the age of 9, taking the stage name of Chiyomaru. He succeeded to the name Ainosuke VI in 1992, as his mentor Kataoka Hidetaro (69) had no sons. The Josei Seven article says that around the time his own son was born Ainosuke was still a struggling actor whose career would likely have ended if he had revealed that he had a wife and child.