A teaser for upcoming film “The Last Recipe” starring Arashi member Kazunari Ninomiya has been released to the official Toho YouTube Channel.

Based on the 2014 novel “Kirin no Shita wo Motsu Otoko” by Keiichi Tanaka, the story follows chef Mitsuru Sasaki (Kazunari Ninomiya) that has lost his passion for his craft, until he receives a request to prepare specific dishes as “last meals” to people before they die. With the ability to replicate a dish just tasting it once, he tries to find the legendary recipe of Chef Naotaro Yamagata, played by Hidetoshi Nishijima, who went to Manchuria in the 1930’s.

Ninomiya will be joined by Go Ayano, who will play Sasaki’s character’s childhood best friend. Kansai Johnny’s Jr member Daigo Nishihata will join Nishijima, playing the Yamagata’s assistant chef and Aoi Miyazaki plays the role of Yamagata’s wife. Additionally, actor Yutaka Takenouchi will be playing the role of Taizo Miyake, an army colonel.

The teaser for upcoming film “Hyouka: Forbidden Secrets” starring Kento Yamazaki and Alice Hirose has been released to YouTube, Cinra reports.

Based on the 2001 youth mystery novel “Hyouka” by Honobu Yonezawa, the story follows high school freshman Hotaro Oreki (Kento Yamazaki) who meets Eru Chitanda (Alice Hirose) after joining the Classic Literature Club. They come across the Hyouka anthology, the official publication of the club published 33 years ago, and begin to reveal the truth behind the club and the mystery of their school festival.

Yamazaki and Hirose will be joined by Fujiko Kojima as Mayaka Ibara and Amane Okayama as Satoshi Fukube.

The latest trailer for Netflix’s live-action adaptation of “Death Note” has been released to YouTube.

In the trailer, Light Turner (Nat Wolff) stumbles upon the titular Death Note, a journal in which he can write anyone’s name and kill them at any time and in any way he wants. It formerly belonged to Ryuk, a shinigami or “death god” of whom this trailer gives its first sneak peek of, voiced by Willem Dafoe. Ryuk explains the Death Note to Light and watches the chaos unfold as Light decides to take justice into his own hands.

“It’s not going to solve a few crimes,” he says. “It’s going to solve all crime.”

The new footage also features Mia (Margaret Qualley), who encourages Light to use the journal, as well as Lakeith Stanfield’s portrayal of the character L, the genius detective who embarks on a mission to stop Light.

To celebrate her 30th anniversary as a solo singer on August 31, chanteuse Shizuka Kudo has announced she will be releasing her first original album in 12 years to show gratitude to those who have supported her over the span of her career.

Kudo Shizuka initially got her start at the age of 14 when she joined the idol group Seventeen Club in 1984. The group didn’t last long, and Kudo auditioned for idol group Onyanko Club after completing high school in May 1986, eventually becoming the 38th member of the group. With the group’s disbandment in 1987, Kudo made her solo debut with Aki-P penned single “Kindan no Telepathy” less than two weeks prior to the group’s farewell concert.

With a string of successful singles to her name–11 #1 singles overall–Kudo married Takuya Kimura of popular boyband SMAP in 2000, and eventually shifted her focus from her career to her family. Together, they have two children named Kokomi and Mitsuki.

Last month we reported that popular rock act Mr.Children would be releasing a brand new single, their second of the year, on July 26th.  A preview of the lead track, “himawari”, has now been made available in the newly released trailer for film “Kimi no Suizou wo Tabetai”, which it will be serving as the theme song for.

The trailer focuses on the older I’s (Shun Oguri) reflection and reconsideration of the past, marking the first time that any of this narration has been heard.  These scenes are well complemented by “himawari”, which combines emotive strings with a bracing band sound led by guitar and drums.

You’ll find this trailer, and as such the snippet of “himawari” right after the cut.

Fresh off of the release of two compilation albums last year, singer/songwriter Hideaki Tokunaga has returned to producing new material, a single already available this week and an album to follow it three weeks later on July 19th.  Both titled “Baton”, though the album is stylized as “BATON”, these releases are intended to express the various shapes which different kinds of love can take in our world, from serving as one’s inspiration in life to far more personal articulations of those feelings.

His first new studio effort since 2013’s “STATEMENT”, Tokunaga began writing these 10 songs nearly three years ago, and though he has altered them in the intervening period they still convey exactly what he intended from the very start.  Masayuki Sakamoto, who supervises Tokunaga’s “VOCALIST” cover project, also contributed to this album, along with arrangers Masayoshi Furukawa, Akihisa Matsuura, and Ichizo Seo, the first time that the latter has worked with Tokunaga in 16 years.

Read on below to find the music video for lead song “Baton”, as well as the covers and track lists for both the single and the album.

DADARAY, the jazz-rock band consisting of the Gesu no Kiwami Otome. bassist,  Kyujitsu Kacho, indigo La End/Gesu no Kiwami Otome. live support singer Etsuko & indie pop pianist, REIS (who you may also know as NIKIIE who gave us such jams like the brilliant DUTY FRIEND) have released their 3rd EP of the year & 2nd of the month following the enjoyable DADAWOMAN – EP.

Like their previous EPs, Enon Kawatani of indigo La End & Gesu no Kiwami Otome. has composed all of the songs. The EP is out in two forms, the normal CD edition & a CD+DVD limited edition which includes performances from their tour “DADARAY Presents DADAPLUS vol. 1 ~OSAKA~” held in the Umeda Shangri-la venue.

On June 28, LILI LIMIT will put out their newest release, “LAST SUPPER EP.” This release will come in two edition: a CD+DVD limited edition and a CD only regular edition. The limited edition’s DVD will contain footage from a concert LILI LIMIT held at Tokyo’s DAIKANYAMA UNIT last December.

LILI LIMIT recently released the music video for the opener on the latest EP, “LAST SUPPER.” The song is more upbeat and light compared to LILI LIMIT’s usual fare. As expected, the video features the members of the band mimicking Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting “The Last Supper.” Check it out below, along with more information on their new EP!