Category: Ninomiya Kazunari

Ninomiya Kazunari to star in Fuji TV drama

by Fiona

Arashi’s Kazunari Ninomiya (27) is confirmed to be starring in a new drama series this fall. Titled “Freeter, Ie wo Kau,” the show will feature Ninomiya as a part-time worker trying to get his life back together for the sake of his family. Karina (26) will play the female lead.

The show is Ninomiya’s first starring role in a drama series since the 2008 “Ryusei no Kizuna.” As an actor, he has recently been focused on filming for his upcoming movies “Ooku” and “GANTZ.” In contrast with those spectacular big screen roles, his character in this home drama will be a “freeter” (a term used to describe young people without full time employment, not counting students and homemakers).

The story is based on a book of the same name by Hiro Arikawa, published last year. The story revolves around a young man named Seiji Take (Ninomiya), who quits his job after three months. With no dreams, no savings, and a poor relationship with his family, he becomes a hikikomori (shut-in) in his own room. However, after his mother falls ill with depression, he ends up having to take on a part-time job at a construction site. Because of that, he soon decides to work towards rebuilding his life: “Even though I’m just a freeter, I’m going to buy a house for the sake of my family.”

One of the people he meets at the construction site is Manami Chiba (Karina), who graduated from a top-class university and joined a well-known general contracting firm. Manami, proud to be working as an on-site supervisor, is the complete opposite of Seiji. But while their personalities clash at first, they gradually come to understand each other.

Filming already started earlier this month. The show will air on Fuji TV on Tuesdays at 9:00pm, starting in October.

From Tokyograph

Woot, I can’t believe it has been two years since he’s been in a drama. It feels like yesterday that I was watching the last episode of Ryusei no Kizuna. Freeter sounds interested and very Nino-like. LOL I cannot wait to see this.

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Ninomiya Kazunari – Gantz Press Conference

by Fiona

The press conference was held on August 5th, here’s the coverage from Super News:

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0v4VZj3fHc

Nino looks so tiny compared to the other cast members, though, still very cute. Love his little wave and his recent hairstyle. Wasn’t this held a bit too early? The theatrical release will not be until January 2011, they just want to keep us on the edge all the time.

I had also locate an article regarding the 500,000 yen costumes for the movie:

GANTZ cast talk about iconic 500,000 yen body suit

Not only were the stars of “GANTZ” excited to wear the characteristic body suit, so were their cast members, it was revealed at the film’s press conference in Tokyo this afternoon, reports Eiga.com, Mainichi Shinbum Digital, and Oricon.

Arashi’s Kazunari Ninomiya (27), Kenichi Matsuyama (25), and the cast of sci-fi film “GANTZ” talked about working on the film.

The press conference was also watched live by 2000 fans in Hibiya park, central Tokyo.

Nino and Matsuyama play two friends, Kei Kurono and Masaru Kato, who die in a train accident, but are then mysteriously recalled back along with several other dead people to hunt down and kill aliens. The movie is a live action version of the manga series of the same name, which has to date sold more than 11 million copies and also has a large fan base in Europe.

All of the cast members had revealed that they were big fans of the manga before production. Nino had said this had given him some problems during filming.

“I thought that if we were going to do a live action version, we should do it properly.

“But (as an actor) I couldn’t talk about how the movie should be directed, and that made me a little sad. But I put everything I could into this movie,” he said.

The popstar had said the characteristic GANTZ body suit, which had cost 500,000 yen to make, was the centre of attention all throughout filming.

“There was a lot of waiting time (during filming) so people who didn’t wear the suit would be playing around and trying it on. I’m talking about (co-star) Yoshitaka-san”

A shocked Yuriko Yoshitaka was fast to explain herself.

“Why did you bring that up now!?

“I thought everyone had gone home so I thought this was my chance and tried it on. But then, Ninomiya-san hadn’t gone home yet.

“But when I put it on it was more revealing than I had imagined…and I threw it off because I got embarrassed,” she said.

Currently in post-production, film producer Takahiro Sato said he wants to create a movie that could compete with Christopher Nolan’s “Inception”. He also added that the female body suit actress Natsuna wears outlines her womanly figure clearly.

Nino quickly responded by saying, “you’re making it sound like this is a pervert movie! It’s science fiction”.

Nino also said that being a fan had created other problems in his private life.

“When I heard rumours it would be turned into a live action movie I was excited, but when I heard I would be starring in it I got a little depressed.

“It means I can’t talk about it a lot with my GANTZ fan friends,” he said.

The star said one of the reasons why he had taken up the role was because of his co-star.

“I was concerned about who would play Kato. But they told me they were thinking of Matsuyama-san and I just went, ‘if Matsuyama-san’s involved, I want to be a part of this’,” he said.

Matsuyama could not hold back a smile at the remark.

“I feel very privileged to hear Ninomiya-san speak of me like that. I couldn’t think of anyone else to play Kurono but Ninomiya-san as well,” he said.

With a budget of 40 billion yen and filming which had taken almost six months to finish, film director Shinsuke Sato said he wanted to create a movie that would not simply be a copy of the manga, but something that could stand on its own.

From Momoedgewood

The conversation between Nino and Yoshitaka was LOL, her description certainly makes the film sounds kind of hentai. Awww poor Nino, it’s awesome that he was able to star in one of his favorite manga, but discuss with his friends about his participation is prohibited. I would be the same, I truly about that the live-action will live up to everyone’s expectations. The Nino fanboying was mecha kawaii as well!

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Ohoku’s themesong and extended trailer

by Fiona

Japanese film “Oooku” has just selected Arashi’s song “Dear Snow” to be the theme song for the film. This is not surprising due to the main actor in the film being Arashi’s own Ninomiya Kazunari, but is great news for Arashi fans none the less.

The film is about an alternate universe Japan in the Edo era where all of the male population is affected with a mysterious disease that forces the society to become matriarchal. Based on the manga of the same name, it draws upon aspects of gender role reversals to make a stunning semi-historical drama. Nino will be starring opposite female lead Kou Shibasaki.

At the present time no more details about “Dear Snow” being in the film are known. Arashi’s new album “Boku no Miteiru Fuukei” will be released on August 4th, but “Dear Snow” is not confirmed as a track on the album at this time.

From Tokyohive

What a nice surprise! I was certain that the themesong would be performed by another artist. There are no complaints though. I’m really curious to see what the song will be, I’m sure the lyrics will be something very meaningful.

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2InMnWz6m7A

Aaah~ the movie looks so amazing!! XD Did you see Nino’s almost smooch scene? That nearly killed me. LOL This adaption certainly looks brilliant along with its stunning cast, I really wish that October will arrive soon! **Reminds self to finish reading the two volumes of the manga that are laying the shelf.

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