“SWIM!” is an NTV drama that originally made it’s premier in January, 2017 and is the very first competitive swimming drama in Japan. Starring Ryo Matsuda, Shuto Miyazaki, and Tomoru Akazawa it follows the story of three students trying to keep their swimming club afloat.

Shuhei (Ryo Matsuda), Daiki (Shuto Miyazaki) and Reo (Shintaro Anzai) are obsessed with only one thing in their lives, swimming. Even though they pour their hearts and souls into passing the entrance exams for “Ryuho High School”, a private academy renowned for its top-notch swim team, only Reo manages to get in, leaving their friendship seemingly broken beyond repair. Shuhei and Daiki wind up at “Higashigaoka High School”, where the swim team is facing impending dissolution. Alongside Haruyoshi (Tomoru Akazawa), the lone other member of the team, the trio finds themselves armed with a new purpose in life – finding five new members to save their club!

“SWIM!” will be making it’s oversea television debut via GEM TV on March 21st, 2017. It will air every Monday and Tuesday at 9pm (Singapore, Philippines, Hong Kong) and at 8pm for Thailand and Indonesia. Click here for more info on GEM TV.

Check out the full interview with Ryo Matsuda below, Shuto Miyazaki’s can be found on page 2, while Tomoru Akazewa’s is on page 3.

Electro Rap duo Charisma.com just released a new Music Video for “not not me“, title track of the unit’s upcoming album set to be released on March 22nd via Warner Music Japan.

The track is a soothing mid-tempo Electronic number with a linear structure, and makes its simplicity and freshness its main attractions, featuring a slightly melancholic vibe balanced by a catchy chorus that will easily get stuck in your head. The video is set to a rotated angle, and is edited to look like a continuos long shot, showing the two girls having some sort of problem with a car, and playing with the perspective of the video: it’s simple yet engaging, and… it may make you feel a bit dizzy after watching it. Maybe. But it’s definitely entertaining to watch.

Alternative Idol unit BiSH wrapped up its “BiSH NEVERMiND TOUR” yesterday at Zepp Tokyo, after seven dates that brought the six relentless girls all across Japan in their second nationwide tour. In front of 2.700 fans, the unit’s leader Cent Chihiro Chitti announced that they will hold a one-man live show at Chiba’s well known Makuhari Messe venue on July 22nd, as Final of the “BiSH NEVERMiND TOUR RELOADED” kicking off on April 1st.

Rise my fellow fangirls and fanboys, for the Free! fandom is not dead and we now have a reason for our existence.  On sunday, the event for the High Speed! -Free! Starting Days- anime film announced the release of two compilation movies as well as an all-new theatrical anime project for the Free! franchise.  The first compilation film, Free! -Timeless Medley- Kizuna (Bonds), will open on April 22 will recap the first season that aired in 2013.  Moreover, this film will focus primarily on the member of the Iwatobi swim club.  Meanwhile, Free! -Timeless Medley- Yakusoku (Promise) compilation film will open on July 1 and recap the second season, Free!: Eternal Summer, that aired in 2014.  The second movie will center around the relationship of Samezuka Academy swim club members Rin and Sousuke.  Last but certainly not least, Free! -Take Your Marks- theatrical anime project is a sequel to Free! Timeless Medley, and it will screen in theaters in Japan this fall. The theatrical anime will take place in early spring as Haruka is about to graduate from high school.

AKB48 will release their 48th single “Negaigoto no Mochigusare” on May 31, 2017.  This single will be a W-center by ‘next generation’ members Jurina Matsui (SKE48) and Miyawaki Sakura (HKT48 & AKB48).  The titular track will feature 35 members from the 48Group and the single will include a song by the newly formed STU48 as a B-side.  Along with serving as the theme song of the NHK All-Japan School Choir Competition, the single will also contain the voting tickets for the 49th single senbatsu sousenkyo.  This year, the sousenkyo will take place on June 17, 2017 at Toyosaki Seaside Park, Toyosaki Villa SUN Beach in Okinawa.

Two songs from 2017 were certified Gold this month for selling 100,000 copies: Doughnuts Hole’s “Otona no Okite” and Mr.Children’s “Hikari no Atelier.”

Two songs were certified Million this month for selling 1,000,000 copies: Sandaime J Soul Brothers’s “R.Y.U.S.E.I.” and the movie version of RADWIMPS’s “Zen Zen Zense.”

Here is what you’ve all been waiting for, the winners of The 2016 Arama! Japan Awards, selected by you, the readers of Arama! Japan! We had a great turnout for our second awards show, and the winners can be seen after the jump!

Today, the former leader of Morning Musume Sayumi Michishige finally made her long awaited return to the entertainment scene, holding a special event called “SAYUMING LANDOLL” at the Cotton Club venue in Tokyo.

Instead of holding a concert or dinner show, Sayumi decided to create her own show that would probably be best described as a musical. The story follows “Toto”, played by Sayumi, who is an apprentice of the futuristic circus group “Sayumingland”. The show heavily incorporates the use of projection mapping, comparable to what Perfume has done at concerts. Following the theme of “hope” and “rebirth”, the flashy images and “illusions” received rave reviews from fans who were able to attend the opening show. Six new songs were performed, along with her two previously released solo songs “Lalala no Pipipi” and “Shabadaba Doo”. Many of the new songs have a J-electropop flair to them, and features song writing/production credits by Seiko Oomori, CMJK, and Kaoru Okubo among others.

While on hiatus for nearly two and a half years, Sayumi got the itch to sing and dance again and decided on her return. Sayumi jokingly said she decided to graduate at 25 since it was the peak of her cuteness, at 27 years old now it looks like Sayumi is far from fully spreading the gospel of Kawaii! “SAYUMING LANDOLL” will run until April 16th, a special CD featuring the new songs will be sold at the venue starting on April 10th.

Pictures from “SAYUMING LANDOLL” as well as video footage can be seen below.