'Kill Bill' Actress to Make JPOP Debut

Chiaki KuriyamaActress Chiaki Kuriyama is best known internationally for appearing in Quentin Tarantino's 'Kill Bill Vol. 1' as Gogo Yubari, the bloodthirsty, 17-year old assassin with a penchant for swinging meteor hammers and disemboweling helpless barflies. Now, though, the world will get to see her in a completely different (and presumably softer) light, as the 25-year old has recently announced her plans to release a debut single titled 'Ryusei no Namida.'

The song, which is scheduled to come out on February 24th, will also be featured in the upcoming animated film 'Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn,' and will be sold in no less than three unique versions: a normal edition, a limited CD-DVD combination edition, and an even more special Gundam edition.

Duel Jewel Announces New Mini-Album

Duel JewelJapanese visual rock band Duel Jewel has announced that they'll soon be releasing a brand new mini album. The group's latest is expected to drop on February 24th, and, for their fans, the news comes not a moment too soon. The album, titled 'Will,' marks Duel Jewel's first release since their 'Revive' album came out last June. At the moment, the disc is reported to feature five tracks, though not much else is known about the style or structure of the songs.




Hiroki Uchi to Star In 'Guys and Dolls' Musical

Hiroki Uchi, formerly of the JPOP groups NEWS and Kanjani Eight, will reportedly perform as the lead role in an upcoming Tokyo production of the hit musical 'Guys and Dolls.' The 23-year old will play the role of Sky Masterson in the musical, which is scheduled to run from April 3rd- April 30th at the Theatre Creation in Hibiya, Tokyo.

Avex Unveils New JPOP Girl Group

For the first time since 2003, JPOP label Avex has unveiled a new girl group. Meet Tokyo Joshiryu (AKA Tokyo Girls' Style). The five piece outfit, aged 11-13, was revealed on January 1st, one by one, and Avex just activated their official website today. According to the label, the group aims to make a splash not just in Japan, but throughout all of Asia. Though they don't have a specific date set for their first CD release, they'll hold their first live performance on February 7th.

Kuroki Meisa Tests JPOP Waters

Fresh off the release of her second album, Japanese actress Kuroki Meisa says she's excited about pursuing her nascent musical career. Meisa, whose album 'Attitude' was released on New Year's Day, says she's eager to start touring and doing live concerts. She released her first album, titled 'Hellcat,' back in April, and fans soon tuned in thanks to her hit single 'Bad Girl.' Though she is best known for her acting, of course, the 21-year old says she's grown up with music, and fondly remembers dancing to Janet Jackson as a child growing up in Okinawa. She also says fans should expect to see a lot more dance-centric music coming from her in the near future.

The Brilliant Green Releases New Single

Just after announcing their new deal with Warner Music Japan, Japanese rock group The Brilliant Green has released their first single under the label. It's the group's first new track in over 2 years, when they released 'Ash Like Snow.' The latest single, 'Like Yesterday,' will come out on February 24th, and will be available for streaming on the group's newly designed MySpace page.

Exile, Big Bang Win Big At JPOP Awards Show

On Wednesday, the entire JPOP world turned their attention to the 51st Japan Record Awards, and for the second consecutive year, the grand prize of Japan Record Award went to Exile, for their hit single 'Someday.' Exile was among 11 candidates up for the grand prize, which they won in 2008 for the song 'Ti Amo.' In the New Artist category, Big Bang took home top honors, becoming the first ever KPOP group to garner the title. The full list of this year's nominees is below:

Best Song:
"Aki no Miyajima" - Kaori Mizumori
"Infinity" - Girl Next Door
"YELL" - Ikimono Gakari
"Omae wo Tsurete" - Daisuke Kitagawa
"Someday" - Exile
"Stand by U" - TVXQ
"Tegami ~Shinai Naru Kodomotachi e~" - Ryoichi Higuchi
"Tokimeki no Rumba" - Kiyoshi Hikawa
"Mata Kimi ni Koi Shiteru" - Fuyumi Sakamoto
"Lick me" - Kumi Koda
"Rain Is Fallin'" - w-inds. x G-Dragon (Big Bang)

READ MORE