One of the most anticipated Fall drama series “Pretty Proofreader” finally begun airing last month on NTV. Satomi Ishihara stars in the main role as Etsuko Kono, a curious fashionista constantly asking “why?” and “how?”

Etsuko’s lifelong dream is to become an editor at a fashion magazine, but constantly receives one rejection after the other. Etsuko finally receives an offer from a large publishing house only to find out that the job offer is for the “least glamorous” department in the company, the proof reading department. Not easily discouraged, Etsuko dons a chic ensemble and heads off to her proofreading job. Etsuko is the type of woman who isn’t satisfied unless she meticulously investigates every single issue, which results in a very unique proofreading style often resulting in her getting into trouble! Whether it’s forcing her way into uncharted places that are difficult to enter, or infiltrating a crime scene that’s being investigated by a tabloid so she can get the facts herself, Etsuko goes all-out to take proofreading to new dimensions. “Long live unglamorous jobs!”

A representative from GEM TV recently sat down with Satomi where she delved into the character of “Etsuko”, preparing for the role, and of course commenting on her wonderufl co-stars Masaki Suda and Tsubasa Honda. Check out the interview below.

2016 hasn’t been your year has it? Don’t worry it hasn’t been most people’s either. But it’s almost through! And here to give you a little more motivation is Kobushi Factory with their music video for “Kobushi no Hana“. While the video itself is very simple (the girls are just running through the streets and meeting up on a beach); the message of the song is something you might want to pay attention to. For a little pick me up to make it through the rest of the year, watch the video below.

This week, AKB48 topped the Oricon single chart with their new single “High Tension”, selling 1,180,047 copies in its first week.

Sexy Zone topped the Oricon album chart with their new best album “Sexy Zone 5th Anniversary Best”, selling 151,329 copies in its first week.

Bruno Mars topped the Oricon digital album chart with his new album “24K Magic”, selling 9,090 copies in its first week.

Hello, Arama! Japan readers and welcome to this week’s installment of #1 Song Review! Last week saw KinKi Kids defeat Hoshino Gen. Gen is back again this week, facing off against a newcomer. Find out what various staff members thought of the songs that topped the physical and digital charts this week and share your thoughts on them too!

From November 18 – 20, this year’s Cup of China took place in Beijing. This was the fifth event in the International Skating Union’s 2016 – 2017 Grand Prix Series. Japan sent 2 skaters to this competition, neither of which finished in the top 3.

Mai Mihara finished in fourth place with a total score of 190.92, 1.65 points behind the third place finisher, Russia’s Elizaveta Tuktamysheva. This score is a new personal best for Mai. Mai’s short program received a score of 68.48, placing her in third place, 2.27 points behind Elena Radionova of Russia. This score is also a new personal best for Mai. She nailed a triple lutz-triple toe loop combination in the beginning of her program and landed a double axel and triple flip late on. She also received top marks for all three of her spins. “This is a score that I thought I’d never manage so I’m really happy,” said Mai, who bettered her previous personal best by 2.73. “I’m glad I ended with a smile. I won’t get satisfied and will skate through to the end.” Mai’s free skate was given a score of 122.44, placing her in fourth place, 1.36 points behind Canadian Kaetlyn Osmond. “It’s so frustrating not to be able to skate without making a mistake,” Mai said afterwards. “There’s a huge difference between third and fourth place. I just fell apart mentally.”

This week’s episode featured RADWIMPS. The band is currently on a high in light of their soundtrack for the animated film “Kimi no Na wa.” Due to their recent success, RADWIMPS is now making their SONGS debut. RADWIMPS also performed four songs.

RADWIMPS – Ningen Kaika / AADAAKOODAA / Kokuhaku / Toaru Haru no Hi

Hot on the heels of Vogue Japan releasing their list for 2016’s “Women of the Year” is GQ Japan and their picks for “Men of the Year“. Under the theme of “Seize the Day- Set the Pace“, GQ Japan chose the men that they felt did just that. In doing so the men’s magazine says that the recipients of this title have ushered in a new age of style. The list of those who’ve shined in 2016 is below.

2016 is coming to a close in less than two months. With that we will be seeing entertainment outlets (including our own here at Arama!Japan) release their top picks for the year. One of the first to let their opinions be heard is Vogue Japan with it’s list of “Women of the Year“. Having overwhelming success in their fields, these women have inspired Vogue Japan readers with how they handle their lot in life with grace, beauty and determination. Previous recipients of this award include BabyMetal, Chitose Abe, Suzu Hirose, and Fukumi Shimura. The list of influential women who made the cut this year is posted below.