The movie producers’ favorite, Yamazaki Kento (22) and actress Hirose Alice (21) will be starring in the adaptation movie of the Japanese mystery novel, “Hyouka”.  This has been written by Yonezawa Honobu selling 2.5 million copies in total. This has also been adapted into an anime series under Kyoto Animation from April to September 2012. It consists 22 episodes.

2017 is a very important year for pop-rock band Mr.Children, as it marks the 25th anniversary since the group first signed to a major record label.  The band will be kicking off the celebrations early by releasing their Asadora theme “Hikari no Atelier” as a single, the group’s first in over two years, on January 11th.

In addition to “Hikari no Atelier”, the single will also include rearranged studio live versions of several classic tracks and a pair of lives from their “Niji” Hall Tour earlier this year. All of these songs were performed by an ensemble consisting of the four core band members, SUNNY (Keyboard & Backing Vocals), Takuo Yamamoto (Saxophone), icchie (Trumpet), and duo Charan-po-Rantan’s Koharu (Accordion).

Read on below for a look at the cover and track list for Mr.Children’s brand new single.

Back in September we reported that alternative rock band cinema staff would be releasing a brand new EP on November 30th.  Now, ahead of the release of “Vektor E.P”, the group have made the music videos for both of its lead tracks available on their Youtube channel.

The video for “Ego” was directed by Masakazu Fukatsu and is set in a mysterious Chinese restaurant, alternating between shots of the band performing and patronizing the venue.  On the other hand, Behind’s PV was directed by Ryoji Aoki and filmed outside in several locations known for their extremely low temperatures.

You’ll find the shortened music videos for both “Ego” and “Behind” just below the cut.

Well-known singer/songwriter Masayoshi Yamazaki has revealed that he will be releasing a new album titled “LIFE” on December 14th.  “LIFE” will be Yamazaki’s first studio length offering since 2013’s “FLOWERS” and will include his previously released singles “Sora e” (theme song for the film “Doraemon:  Shin Nobita no Nihon Tanjou”) and “Kimi no Namae”, as well as new songs like Tokyu Hands’ 40th anniversary track “Take Me There” and “Pioneer”, which was written with legendary piano player Billy Joel in mind.

This new album will be released in two different editions, with the Special variant coming packaged with a DVD that contains live footage from his 2015 tour “String Quartet -HARVEST-“.  Further, he will follow up the release of “LIFE” by embarking on a new 20-stop tour entitled “YAMAZAKI MASAYOSHI ONE KNIGHT STAND TOUR 2016-2017” between December and February of next year.

You’ll find the cover and complete track list for “LIFE” just beneath the cut, so please do read on below.

Hot on the heels of the release of their single “In the Morning”, up-and-coming rock act Mrs. GREEN APPLE have announced that their second full-length album will be available in stores on January 11th.  This eponymous record (“Mrs. GREEN APPLE”) will be released in two different versions, though the contents of its Limited Edition have not yet been made known to the public.

This album will consist of 13 tracks in total, including the aforementioned “In the Morning” and their second single “Samama Festival!”, as well as newly recorded versions of B-sides “umbrella” and “Oz”.  In addition, it will also house a re-imagined variant of “FACTORY”, a song which to this point was only available on their original live-limited release “Introduction”.

Read on below for a look at the full track list for “Mrs. GREEN APPLE”, and anticipate further information about this album as it becomes available.

Tokyo Girls Style has decided to show more than one side themselves their latest release. Two music video versions have been made for their latest single “Mille Feuille“; a cool version and a cute. Being more focused on dancing and showing a more mature side, the cool version gives us TGS performing the choreography dressed in sleek deep blue outfits to the electronic song. The cute version shows a brighter and more colorful video, as the girls bake a cake. Dance scenes from the cool version are interwoven into some parts of the cute version. Watch both videos to find which version of Tokyo Girls Style you prefer.

It seems like everywhere you turn these days you find your self face to face with popular meme “Pen-Pineapple Apple-Pen” by Piko-Taro and the take over doesn’t seem to be stopping. This past week a version of the song made it’s way on to legendary children’s show Sesame Street (you know you’ve made it when you’re on Sesame Street). There we find Elmo and Cookie Monster dressed as Piko-Taro performing their own version of the meme called “Cookie-Butter-Choco-Cookie“. Not too far into the video they are joined by Piko-Taro himself, as he teaches Elmo and Cookie (and the kids watching at home) the “Cookie-Butter-Choco-Cookie” dance. Come take a look at the cuteness!

We’re back with this week’s edition of Oricon Flashback. This is where we look back on what topped Oricon this week 5, 10, 15, and 20 years ago. Think of it as a way to reminisce and learn about the past of Japanese music.