Ayumi plans ahead for afterlife!?

Japanese pop diva, Ayumi Hamasaki, at only 31 is making sure that her place in the afterlife will be as lavish as possible. According to tabloid 'Nikkan Sports,' she has been reported to have purchased a prime piece of land in the Aoyama Cemeteryand intends to make it her family's resting ground.

The "neighborhood" had many graves with exquisite designs and houses the remains of many other famous Japanese people. According to the same tabloid, Hamasaki's mother has already designed a tombstone with the carved words "Hamasaki Family" in English and Japanese characters.

>I think it's great to think ahead, even planning for the afterlife. Somehow it seems like an omen to buy a grave site at such a young age.. but what more can I expect from the extravagant pop idol. Much love Ayumi-chan!~
Read More......

New One Piece movie + bonus gift!

Japanese movie-goers who see this year's One Piece Film "Strong World" will receive the "0th volume" of Eichiro Oda's One Piece manga. Oda launched his manga about the young captain Monkey D. Luffy in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump magazine 12 years ago in 1997, but the manga in the upcoming "One Piece Kan-zero" bonus gift will depict the world of One Piece from 20 years ago. Oda was only a junior high student 20 years ago when he thought of the earliest concepts that would become the popular manga/anime that One Piece is today.

Munehisa Sakai's One Piece Film "Strong World" is the 10th film based on Eiichiro Oda's manga. For the first time, Oda will be personally overseeing the film's production. He created the story and has drawn over 120 pages of rough drawings for the production of the movie.

Naoto Takenaka (actor, Aikou Kaitou (TV host) and Kousuke Kitajima (Olympis gold-medal winner) are among guest voices for the cast. The movie will open in Japan on December 12.

Here's One Piece Movie 10 - "Strong Hold" trailer:



I have to say, I have never watched an episode of One Piece anime or read any of the manga^^; but I hear it's a great and the movie looks awesome! For all those who are fans, you must see the movie when it comes out!~
Read More......

Jpop icon Crystal Kay celebrates 10 years

Crystal Kay, 23, is the pioneer for interracial artists in Japan. She was born to African American U.S. service father and a South Korean mother. "There is still come racial things going on," claims a mild-mannered Crystal Kay. "Some people can't accept there are a lot of foreigners out there, even in the industry." "I consider myself a Japanese artist because I was born and raised here, but nationality-wise I look, and am, foreign."

Crystal Kay grew up in Yokohama to a musical family. Her mother was a singer and her father wrote music for fun. She was even lucky enough to meet legends like Diana Ross and Bobby Brown as a child. She loved Michael and Janet Jackson, Speed and Namie Amuro.

Kay debuted, at only 13 years old with her "Eternal Memories" song in 1999, in a time when J-Pop world wasn't very influenced by foreign music. But Crystal and many others have had a great impact on the J-Pop scene that is increasingly recognizing mixed race acts. "It's very flattering to be acknowledged as one of the first, if someone tells me that my music means something. Hopefully I can set a good example!" Now, she has eight top 10 albums and is currently celebrating 10 years in the business with her her first "Best of" collection and a tour!

Her rise to the top of the charts shows the mass appeal for R&B in Hip Hop influenced by a new generation of singers, such as Japanese artists like Koda Kumi. Others include Anna Tsuchiya (half Polish American) and popular African American enka singer Jero.

Her desire to ht the international scene still remains. She had hoped to do it by 18, but she sees the 10-year celebration as a turning point in her career and the right time to plan much further ahead.

"In these 10 years I have been all over the place, and that's a good thing. I got to experience a lot of things musically, bot now I think its time for me to create something a little more focused, which suits me best and what says 'This is Crystal's style.'"

Best of Crystal Kay was released on September 2, 2009

Here's Crystal Kay ft. Mflo - "I Like It":



"Girl U Love":



If you like this, listen to the rest of the album! It's great and she's so beautiful!^^
Read More......