As revealed on CAPSULE’s official website, Yasutaka Nakata (member of CAPSULE and music producer of Perfume and Kyary Pamyu Pamyu) is scheduled to make an appearance at the 27th Tokyo International Film Festival. He will be presenting the sci-fi film Appleseed Alpha which saw video and digital releases this past summer and carries the main theme “Depth” that Nakata himself contributed. The illustrious festival takes place in Roppongi Hills between October 23rd-31st this year, and Nakata’s appearance will occur on the 28th. The movie’s director Aramaki Shinji is also expected to appear.

In additional news, after over two months of no further updates on the previously announced 2014 album release, the official site of electronic duo CAPSULE recently updated the header image to a new version of the “album coming soon” advertisement (pictured), possibly indicating that their 15th original album will indeed be released before the year is up or that it may be delayed until 2015. This comes on the back of significant fan speculation regarding the feasibility of an album release within 2014 and after the magazine MARQUEE recently revealed that work for the album was still not complete. Stay tuned for further updates in the near future.

Popular folk-pop/rock duo Yuzu have published a Live Music Video for their song ‘Hikare’ to their official Youtube channel, the footage taken from their recent concert tour ‘YUZU ARENA TOUR 2014 Shinsekai’.  The live performance is considerably longer than the song would be normally, giving viewers a glimpse of both the tour’s stage design and the duo’s impressive showmanship.

Yuzu are set to release a new DVD and Blu-ray of their recent concert tour on November 26th of this year, the release including two discs of live footage.  The first disc, dubbed the ‘Retro Future Edition’ will present a specific set of lives in conjunction with CG animation, the presentation meant to be representative of the tour’s title and theme (‘New World’).  The second disc (the ‘Classic Edition’) will contain a more conventional set of lives from one of Yuzu’s concerts during the tour.

Take a look at the live performance of ‘Hikare’ and the track list for Yuzu’s new Live DVD / Blu-ray below.

Taylor Swift will be heading back to Japan this November to promote her latest album “1989”. “Shake It Off”, a song from her album, is currently dominating the charts in the United States, coming in at #1 for two consecutive weeks.

Swift has stated that she is really looking forward to promotions in Japan. To get her fans pumped up as well, she asked them to send in pictures of themselves with the year they were born attached to the photo. It’s the same look that Swift used for her “1989” album cover.

With the pictures, her staff created a ‘lyrics’ video of “Shake It Off”. Among some of the pictures were SKE48/Nogizaka46 member Rena Matsui, Pro soccer player Maya Yoshida, and talent Mari Sekine.

Check out the video below!

Actor Yutaka Takenouchi (43) and actress Kana Kurashina (26) confirmed that they are dating on October 17th. The two jointly made their announcements on the same day that tabloid magazine “FRIDAY” was set to release pictures of them together.

Takenouchi commented through his agency, “I am sorry for alarming you all. Kurashina and I have both gotten close to one another. I would be grateful if you all warmly watch over us.”

Kurashina also made a comment through her agency, “Like he stated, I am confirming that we have gotten close. I would be happy if you could warmly watch over us as both of our agencies have.”

The couple met on the set of TBS drama “Mou Ichido Kimi ni, Propose”.

Former Otona-AKB48 member Mariko “Mariri” Tsukamoto (38) is set to have her modeling debut in the December issue of “Be ST” (美ST) magazine.

Tsukamoto who is a housewife and mother of two, beat out 5,066 women this past April for the chance to be an Otona-AKB member. She graduated from the group on September 1st and during her four months in AKB she participated in CMs, concerts, and handshake events.

There will also be an interview in the same magazine. She states, “I don’t regret being in AKB48. When I would return home there were times that I was so exhausted that I would just fall asleep in the entryway. There were also days that I cried a lot in front of my husband. I am very grateful to my family and the kind members. I really felt that I could do anything once I started and age was no longer a thing that could hold me back.”

On September 25th, it was reported that Tsunku (45)’s laryngeal cancer was in complete remission. However, on October 17th he relayed through his agency that he was hospitalized once again for an operation due to his cancer.

According to his agency, his vocal cord swelling and pain was not getting any better. Upon inspection of his vocal cords, they found more cancer. All of this took place after the announcement of him being in complete remission.

Tsunku commented, “I will be recovering from this procedure for a little while and I will come back once I am feeling better, so please wait for me! I am sorry for causing you all various troubles and worries!”

(via: Sanspo)

The iconic cyberpunk series Ghost In The Shell is the latest anime/manga in talks for a live-action Hollywood production. The superstar in talks to play the protagonist Motoko Kusanagi is none other than Scarlet Johansson.

The film is set to be directed by Rupert Sanders, whose first feature film “Snow White and the Huntsman” (2012) grossed nearly $400 million worldwide. Scarlet has been making quite a name for herself in the action genre. She currently plays Marvel’s “Black Widow” and her summer action film “Lucy” was an unexpected worldwide blockbuster.

It’s been rumored that Margot Robbie was offered the role before Scarlet, but news of her accepting a role in the upcoming action film “Suicide Squad” may have possibly detoured that.

Some fans have been critical that two Caucasian actresses are the front-runners to play a Japanese character, the ill-fated live action Dragonball film had a similar fate. However, Scarlet’s A-list status will no doubt make Ghost In The Shell a highly anticipated release.

(via Deadline)

C-ute are the cover girls for the latest issue of UTB magazine!

The girls are decked out in chic black and white outfits as well as a simple all white one, showing off both their fierce and cute sides.

2015 looks to be a promising year for the girls, as previously reported Maimi Yajima will be appointed as the leader of Hello!Project once Sayumi Michishige graduates from Morning Musume ’14 in November. C-ute are currently on the road for their fall tour “MONSTER”. The tours finale will take place on November 11th at Nippon Budokan.

Check out the photoshoot below!