Tokyo International News Agency

A special video message has been released featuring American actor Robert Downey Jr., who portrays the iconic villain Doctor Doom in Marvel Studios' upcoming theatrical release *Avengers: Doomsday* (hitting theaters December 18), personally announcing his official Japanese dub voice actor. Veteran voice actor Toshiyuki Morikawa has been cast in the role. Furthermore, Downey Jr. openly expressed heartfelt respect for the late voice actor Keiji Fujiwara, who voiced his characters in Japan for many years, sparking an emotional wave of praise and gratitude across social media. Downey Jr. achieved worldwide acclaim as Iron Man / Tony Stark, laying the cornerstone of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Throughout that era, Keiji Fujiwara, who tragically passed away in 2020, consistently delivered Tony Stark's voice for Japanese audiences. While Downey Jr. is making a brand-new return to the MCU as Doctor Doom in this latest installment, his message to Japanese fans highlighted his c...

Popular idol group Arashi celebrated the 27th anniversary of their CD debut on November 3. From the early hours of the morning, related hashtags such as “#Arashi27thDebutAnniversary” and “#ArashiDebutDay” trended widely across social media, with heartfelt congratulatory messages pouring in from passionate fans nationwide. More than a quarter of a century has passed since the five-member group made their sensational debut on November 3, 1999, with the hit single “A•RA•SHI,” yet their cultural presence remains as powerful as ever. On X (formerly Twitter), the timeline was filled with affectionate tributes such as “Happy 27th Anniversary,” “Thank you for being in our lives,” and “I will always love you,” often paired with emojis representing each member’s signature image color, highlighting the enduring bond between the group and their dedicated supporters. Adding to the celebrations, highly anticipated...

It has been announced that Golden Love It! , an evening spin-off special of TBS's popular morning live variety show Love It! , will air on Thursday, November 26, at 8:54 p.m. This broadcast marks the special's first return to television in two years. As soon as the announcement was shared via the show's official social media channels, "Golden Love It" instantly trended on X (formerly Twitter). Fans exploded with excitement, posting enthusiastic comments such as, "This is too hype!", "I have a reason to live again!", and "We've been waiting for this!" While previous editions had become a year-end holiday tradition, this year's special is scheduled for a late-November Thursday evening in a roughly two-hour prime-time slot. According to media reports, the program will feature an all-out entertainment showcase packed with handpicked games and segments, raising high expectations for unique prime-time festivities distinct from the r...

During the special "Dance Cover Project" celebrating the 200th broadcast of the popular music program "CDTV Live! Live!," a special unit consisting of artists from LAPONE Entertainment performed Sakanaction's famous hit "Yoru no Odoriko," creating a massive buzz. The five performers who took part in this special stage were Ren Kawajiri and Kazuma Mamehara from JO1, along with Taichi Taniguchi, Ken Hiramoto, and Shotaro Tanaka from DXTEEN. Among them, Shotaro Tanaka, the youngest member of DXTEEN, drew explosive attention across social media platforms. Right from the broadcast, his name "Shotaro Tanaka" began trending on X (formerly Twitter). Praise poured in with comments such as, "He has such a cute face yet his dancing is insanely sharp," "The chair choreography was amazing," and "He has incredible proportions and looks so cool." Viewers were captivated by the striking gap between his usual cute and charming pe...

During the new recruit physical examination for the upcoming Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament on November 2nd, an unprecedented incident occurred when Anatoli Zadroznoi, an Estonian recruit from the Hidenoyama stable, completely broke the grip strength dynamometer during testing. His extraordinary and unconventional strength has sparked amazement among officials and reporters alike. Celebrating his 20th birthday on the day of the exam, Zadroznoi arrived with an imposing physique, standing 179 centimeters tall and weighing 128 kilograms. During the grip strength test, as he squeezed the device with all his might, a sharp snapping sound echoed through the room, and the instrument broke, becoming completely unusable. In a moment of panic, a nurse present at the scene hurriedly intervened, saying, "Please refrain from taking photos of the broken equipment," vividly demonstrating his out-of-the-ordinary power. Zadroznoi entered the sumo world through the introduction of his legendary ...

As morning and evening temperatures drop more sharply and the dry season sets in earnest, Kenei Pharmaceutical's "Baby Vaseline" series is attracting significant attention on social media. On the social platform "X," the product trended as users shared posts about purchasing it for winter moisturizing care, alongside glowing recommendations from longtime fans. One of the factors fueling this buzz is the promotional campaign featuring popular TV personalities Daisuke Sakuma and Soya Igari. Their charming and harmonious banter in the newly released advertisements and related content has captured the hearts of fans, leading to enthusiastic posts such as "Their interaction warms my heart" and "The commercial inspired me to start using it again this year." Of course, the product's proven practicality is also a reason for its enduring support. User posts highlight many positive aspects: "It is soft, spreads easily, and is convenient to app...

During a popular segment titled 'Meikyoku Live! Live!' on the TBS music program 'CDTV Live! Live!', Masaya Sano of the popular idol group Aぇ! group performed a stellar cover of Akiko Kobayashi's classic hit 'Koi ni Ochite -Fall in love-'. Immediately after the broadcast, his crystal-clear vocals and emotional expressiveness sparked a massive response, causing the song title to trend on social media and creating a wave of excitement. In the same broadcast, Sano and his group performed their song 'Emotion', overwhelming viewers with his powerful drumming. However, in his solo corner 'Meikyoku Live! Live!', he shifted gears completely, delivering a gentle, soothing, and pure rendition of the quintessential Showa-era love ballad. This gap in performance and his undeniable vocal prowess drew a flurry of praise on social media, with comments such as 'I can't believe this is the same person who was violently drumming just moments ago' an...