Japan: Last News

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Leading Japanese publisher, Kodansha is to launch an online comic book distribution service from May. Titled K Manga, the operation will go live in May and be exclusive to readers in the U.S. The company is publisher of many of the best-known manga titles in history including “Attack on Titan” and “Ghost in the Shell.” These and some 400 others will be available at the launch of the serialization platform.

Lille’s Series Mania Forum is kicking off today with a packed schedule of talks, screenings and competitions.

Manchester United are reportedly in the race to sign Brighton ace Kaoru Mitoma, with the Japan winger also attracting interest from several other European sides.

NCT Dream have unveiled an English-language version of their hit 2022 single, ‘Beatbox’.The English version of ‘Beatbox’ was released alongside a lyric video, which features behind-the-scenes footage of the boyband at the photoshoot for song.“Yeah, hands up to the top, bring ’em up / Make a beatbox-box and it bump / Everywhere I go make the room hop / Everywhere I go, bring the beatbox,” the boyband sing on the chorus.The English remake of ‘Beatbox’ arrives just weeks ahead of the upcoming North American leg of NCT Dream’s ‘The Dream Show 2: In a Dream’ world tour.The boyband are set to play seven shows across the US, including the states of California, New Jersey and Texas. Tickets for the show are available now via Ticketmaster.NCT Dream are currently set to wrap up the first Asian leg of their tour with a show in Hong Kong this Saturday (March 25).

John Wick: Chapter 4” on Monday evening was a celebratory, yet somber occasion, as star Keanu Reeves and director Chad Stahelski paid tribute to the late Lance Reddick, who starred as Charon in all four “John Wick” films before dying suddenly on Friday. He was 60. “Lance is a people person, a special artist, a gentleman of grace and dignity,” Reeves said on the carpet. “It’s just really something special, every time he stepped on set, to watch the passion he had for his work. It’s really easy to work with him.” “It’s not just one memory. It’s not just one day. It’s a collective. I had Lance in my life almost 10 years,” Stahelski told Variety. “Although that was done over the course of four films, we’ve worked together on other things. I just got to be happy and be proud of the fact that I got to spend so much time with him. We’re going to miss him.”

Will Sharpe is stepping behind the camera once again!

The FADER’s “Songs You Need” are the tracks we can’t stop playing. Check back every day for new music and follow along on our Spotify playlist.

Japanese Breakfast‘s Michelle Zauner has announced that the film adaptation of her memoir, Crying In H Mart, will be directed by Will Sharpe.The book, which arrived in 2021, explores how the death of Zauner’s mother forced a reckoning with the musician’s Korean-American identity.Zauner dealt with her grief by writing music, and explained in a press release that being creative while “embracing of Korean food and culture” made her feel closer to her late mother.The musician previously confirmed in 2021 that there would be a film adaptation of her book. Now, she has revealed that Will Sharpe, who plays Ethan Spiller in The White Lotus, will be on hand to direct.Speaking about Zauner’s memoir, Sharpe told PEOPLE: “There were lots of things that resonated with me as somebody who is half-Japanese, half-British, spent my childhood in Tokyo.

The Japanese House has returned today (March 20) with a new single – listen to ‘BOYHOOD’ below.The singer-songwriter, real name Amber Bain, initially teased her return last month, posting a photo of herself on Instagram with the caption ‘News coming soon’ and directing fans to sign up to her mailing list.The Japanese House last released new music in 2020 in the form of the EP ‘Chewing Cotton Wool’. Her only studio album so far, ‘Good At Falling’, came out the year prior.New single ‘BOYHOOD’ is an ode to the complexities of gender and sexuality, with gentle electronic beats and guitar plucks providing a backdrop for Bain’s soft and harmonious vocals.The accompanying video shows Bain watching a projection of herself from a bed, as one of a pair horseback riding through lush green fields.Speaking of the visuals, she said: “When Katie and I were young and in love, we fantasised about riding off into the distance on her horse Bam Bam, away from all the problems that came from being gay and in love back then.“This song talks about how sometimes, however hard you try, you can’t help but be a product of the things that happened to you or held you back earlier on in life.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter Will Sharpe, who endeared himself to audiences on “The White Lotus,” is directing a feature film adaptation of Michelle Zauner’s 2021 memoir “Crying in H Mart.” Zauner’s novel centers around her relationship with her Korean heritage and her mother, who died from cancer in 2014. Best known as the frontwoman for indie-pop band Japanese Breakfast, Zauner is adapting the screenplay and will also play a part in the film’s music.  According to the official synopsis from MGM, which is backing the movie, “Crying in H Mart” is a “coming-of age story about a half-Korean daughter who returns to small town Oregon to care for her Korean mother. Critical and smothering Chong-mi and creative and independent Michelle struggle to understand each other across a cultural fault line, only learning to see and accept one another through the formative power of music and the vibrant flavors of Korean cooking.”

On the heels of a breakout performance in The White Lotus Season 2, Will Sharpe has been tapped to direct Crying in H Mart for MGM’s Orion Pictures, Deadline can confirm.

Nicolas Raskin has been ruled out of Belgium’s Under 21 internationals against Czech Republic and Japan this week following injury but the midfielder vowed he will “be back soon”.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief “Like & Share” from Indonesia’s Gina S. Noer was named the best picture and collected the Grand Prix on Sunday at the Osaka Asian Film Festival. “All of us on the jury were struck by the film’s clear and powerful message, which affirms young women’s sexual curiosity and desire while clearly saying no to sexual violence. The style of the film is also original. The sweet, poppy feeling that fascinates the audience in the first half of the film becomes darker as the story progresses, making us shudder. “Like & Share,” with its strong message and brilliant direction, is a film that needs to be seen now more than ever,” said the jury in a statement.

LE SSERAFIM have previewed their forthcoming first studio record with a performance of the unreleased track ‘No Return (Into the Unknown)’.On March 18 and 19, the K-pop girl group act held their first-ever fan meeting ‘FEARNADA’ at the Olympic Park Olympic Hall in Seoul, which was also live-streamed to fans worldwide on both days.During the show, LE SSERAFIM performed their entire Korean-language discography from their 2022 mini-albums ‘FEARLESS’ and ‘ANTIFRAGILE’, before wrapping up the show with a brand-new track titled ‘No Return (Into the Unknown)’.The song will be part of the girl group’s upcoming first studio album, which they also announced during the fan meeting. Both LE SSERAFIM and their agency Source Music have yet to share details about the record, aside from its projected release in May.LE SSERAFIM new song "No Return" out of their 1st full-album coming out in May#르세라핌 #FEARNADA https://t.co/ZMMtynuPuM— joe (@elsserafim) March 18, 2023 Last month, American musician Nile Rodgers revealed that he had been working with HYBE founder and producer Bang Si-hyuk (also known as “Hitman” Bang) on new music for LE SSERAFIM.LE SSERAFIM’s upcoming album will be their first domestic release in 2023, following ‘ANTIFRAGILE’ last October.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Japanese animation “Suzume” retained the top spot at the South Korean box office for a second weekend, far outstripping holdover titles and newcomers including “Shazam! Fury of the Gods.” On its second weekend of release, “Suzume” earned $5.65 million, just a small fraction below its opening weekend score of $5.71 million. Underlining its dominance, the film increased its market share from 60% previously to 62%. After 12 days of release, the film has accumulated $15.8 million, according to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic).

Pacific Overtures (★★★★☆) sounds doubly refreshing to ears eager to venture somewhere less familiar in Sondheim-land.The score, with music and lyrics by Sondheim, also simply sounds lovely filling the openness of director Ethan Heard’s in-the-round staging, grazing the graceful, watercolor-hued screens set designer Chika Shimizu has wrapped around the Max Theatre. Alexander Tom conducts a nine-piece orchestra — complete with a booming taiko war drum — that breathes vitality into those plunking, repeated quarter notes that so sing of Sondheim.Heard’s talented cast sings with passion, too, caressing the stories inside the songs to find touching notes of humor, pathos, pride, and prejudice.

Marta Balaga Everyone says: “I love you,” at least in Lille, where Japanese star Tomohisa Yamashita – in town to promote “Drops of God” – brought fans to tears. With one admitting that thanks to his 2005 series “Nobuta Wo Produce,” where he played the character of Akira, she decided not to commit suicide 14 years ago.  “You saved my life,” she said. In between interacting with a clearly overwhelmed audience, Japanese singer, dancer, talk show host and actor (“Call me Tomo,” he told his fans) discussed his multifaceted career, one that started when he was just 11 years old. 

Gutted Yosuke Ideguchi admits he struggled to come to terms that he was "f*****" at Celtic after crashing out of Ange Postecoglou's first-team plans.

A siren-like emergency warning message will be sent by the government to mobile phone users across the UK next month to test a new public alert system.

Django Django have shared a new single titled ‘Don’t Touch That Dial’ alongside the release of the second part of their new album ‘Off Planet’.‘Off Planet’ is the band’s fifth album, and is set to be released in four parts – each representing a separate “planet”. The full 21-song album will arrive on June 16 via Because Music – you can pre-order/pre-save it here.Last month, the band shared the first part of the album (comprising of five tracks) and shared its lead single ‘Complete Me’, featuring Self Esteem.Now, part two of the album (another five songs) has arrived, along with ‘Don’t Touch That Dial’, a new single that features Japanese rapper Yuuko.Of the new single, the band’s Dave Maclean said: “This was a weird instrumental track that came out of looping some little chopped up bits of a studio jam.“I liked the odd groove of the track and I wanted a vocalist on there but I wanted something quite different, so I reached out to Yuuko and she totally got it, and delivered this outstanding top line.”Listen to the new track below.‘Off Planet’ also features guest spots from Jack Peñate, Stealing Sheep, Toya Delazy and more.

Celtic are looking to keep up their impressive start to 2023 when Hibernian travel to Parkhead.