Noodle Cart May: SNS Edition

With many studios, theaters and sets closed down for social distancing purposes, many artists turned to the internet to ply their craft and entertain their fans as best they could from the comforts of their own homes. This article has an unusually long SNS section because of it, I kept things that would normally skip making the drama and movie section be the brunt of this article. I hope you enjoy it and what our faves have been doing to keep us happy at home.

Marriage

Birth

• Yuka & Aoki Munetaka welcome their first child (TH)
• Kasuga Toshiaki  of "Audrey"  welcomed a baby girl on May 8th (TH)
• Aibu Saki  gives birth to her second child (TH)
• Harada Natsuki gave birth to her 2nd child in Sep 2019 as announced by her agency on 1 May 2020
• Ishibashi Anna announced the arrival of her first baby i.e. a girl through her agency on 5 May 2020
• Hayami Akari announces her first pregnancy during a YouTube live broadcast with Momoiro Clover Z on 24 May 2020; due to give birth in autumn

Death

• Shiga Kotaro April 20, 2020 age 71 (TH)
• Wada Shu April 23,  2020 age 81(TH)

• Shiraishi Mai's graduation from Nogizaka46 postponed (TH)
• Okai Chisato retires from show business (TH)
• Kamiki Ryunosuke launches the debut 25th-anniversary project. Detail will be available on Twitter and his official page (TH)
• Kageyama Yuuka to resume her activities with Hinatazaka46 after a 2-year hiatus.  (TH)
• Johnnys office donates over 330 million Yen worth of medical supplies (AJ)
• NEWS member Tegoshi Yuya has been refrained from participating in the limited time unit “Twenty ★ Twenty” for ‘going out unnecessarily’ during this pandemic’s restriction period. And, on May 23, he was caught at a bar with friends -We have decided that it is unavoidable that he refrain from all entertainment activities,” the statement read. “At this time, when we have to overcome the difficult situation in Japan as a whole, it is unacceptable to act against the wishes of everyone who wants to regain their normal lives.”Johnnys apologizes “However, we could not make him understand until today, we apologize and take responsibility for his actions.”  (AJ)
• Music Station held 2 shows consisting of stay at home performances from artists. May 15 and May 22
• Mackenyu Arata, Takayuki Yamada, & Niki Niwa criticized for ignoring stay at home requests to vacation in Okinawa. (AJ)
• The DVD of the stage play "CALIGULA" starring Suda Masaki will be released on 19 August 2020;  depending on where you buy this from, there will be different bromide cards given  (Chiaki)
• Winter 2020 Drama Academy Award Winners (Chiaki)
• Utada Hikaru  hosts Instagram live every Sunday in May (TH)
• Kimura Takuya joins Instagram (TH) and reveals a photo of him hanging out with Kamenashi Kazuya & Yamashita Tomohisa  (TH)
• Hamasaki Ayumi releases 122 videos to TikTok (@ayu_19980408) (TH)
• Kubota Masataka covers HAPPY END's 'Kaze wo Atsumete' for Mt.RAINIER CM (TH)
• Shison Jun reveals song he created with his fans (TH)
• Ishikawa Sayuri launches her own Youtube Channel (TH)
• Youtube's Music Week stay at home with me had many artists contribute such as Daichi Miura, Aimer, MIYAVI, IRI, m-flo, THE ORAL CIGARETTES, Leo Ieiri, and Ai Otsuka. (4/29-5/6) (AJ)
• Johnny's Smile Up Project continued with several updates 
• Nishikido Ryo and Akanishi Jin's No Good TV released 9 episodes in May
• Arashi's Remote Picturebook storytime covers 6 fairy tales to entertain children (and fans) for a few minutes so parents can get things done.
• Satoh Takekeru's No Plan Drive released 8 episodes
• Celebrities such as Seto Asaka, Hirose Suzu, Hirose Alice, Ihara Rikka, Suzuki Anne, Suzuka Ouji, etc. are taking part in a promotion for staying at home courtesy of their management agency, Foster/Foster plus Youtube (NT)
• Former AKB48 member Nishino Miki has blogged that while staying at home, she is going to use her time to study to become a dietary advisor and prepare for the exam which is two and a half months away. (NT)
• Kawaguchi Haruna youtube channel reaches 1 million subscribers and features her playing Animal Crossing: New Horizons. (NT)
• Watanabe Naomi  Youtube channel "NAOMI CLUB" is set up in April. (NT)
• Fukada Kyoko  shares a drone video of herself surfing on her IG (NT)
• Miho Ohwada  blogs about losing her mother, Okae Kumiko,  to COVID-19 (NT)
• Ueno Juri shows her progress in learning the guitar while staying at home on IG (NT)
• Mizuhara Kiko's clothing brand, OFFICE KIKO, held an online shopping festival  “OK presents ONE WORLD HOME PARTY.” on May 24th. (AJ)
• Shinoda Mariko shares pictures of her baby on Instagram (NT)
• Yamashita Tomohisa thanks his followers for his 1st anniversary of his Instagram (NT)
• Oshima Yuko's Instagram posts now in English and Japanese  (NT)
• Arashi does a  COVID-19  charity event "Arashi no Waku Waku Gakkou"  where Johnny's fan club members can pay to watch them starting on May 2.  (Chiaki)
• Kaku Kento, Emoto Tokio, Okada Masaki & Ochiai Motoki form the theatre group Gekidan Nenichi and streamed their first work "Hada no Kiroku" online on May 21, 2020. (Natalie) watch it here 
• The cast of "Pipuru ~ AI to kekkon seikatsu ga hajimemashita" - Kaji Yuuki, Ayaka Wilson, Oohara Sakurako & director Sakai Mai held a live chat session via Periscope on the 7th of May, 2020.  (Chiaki)
• 15 actresses from agency FLaMme including Toda Erika, Fukuda Mayuko, Arimura Kasumi, Kichise Michiko & Matsumoto Honoka participated in a video relay suggested by Hirosue Ryoko where they shared what they had been up to at home during this period  (Chiaki)
• V6 has released all 66 music videos for their singles to date on their official YouTube channel i.e. from 1995's "MUSIC FOR THE PEOPLE" to their latest unreleased single "It's My Life" for a limited time only (Chiaki)
• Shison Jun & Mizuhara Kiko star in the new online drama "Remote na Koi" which will be shown on TikTok between 8 and 14 June 2020; 7 episodes (90 secs each), to be released daily at 7 pm; filmed from their homes & featuring them wearing their own clothes
• An English subtitled version of the short film"One Cut of the Dead Mission: Remote" has been released on YouTube!  (Psycho Drama)
  
  

• New Episodes of Terrace House: Tokyo 2019-2020 were postponed and then ended, celebrities react to the passing of pro wrestler Hana Kimura at the age of 22. (AJ)
• The above Instagram post on May 29 (for me) leads me to believe there is a season 3 of 99.9: Keiji Senmon Bengoshi sometime in the future.
• Supporting cast line-up of NTV Summer 2020 drama "Watashitachi wa douka shiteiru" - Takasugi Mahiro, Kishii Yukino, Wada Soukou, Okabe Takashi, Maehara Kou, Yamazaki Ikusaburo, Sudo Risa, Nakamura Yuri, Suzuki Nobuyuki & Sano Shiro (Chiaki)
• WOWOW  showed a complete guide SP of "Oedo Great Journey ~ The Oisemairi ~ " at 11.50 pm on 1 May 2020, before the drama began its run on 6 June 2020  (Chiaki)
• NTV's "Gochi ni narimasu" shown on 30 April 2020 was done virtually for the first time where the members guessed the prices of takeaway and delivered delicacies from their respective locations (Chiaki)
• NHK showed its 2019 Taiga drama "Idaten" on NHK World and its website for overseas audiences with English subtitles and narration *A/N It looks like it is just the first arc and to make it just 6 episodes they must have removed the rakugo parts of the drama (Chiaki)
• Morita Misato stars in new horror drama series "Ano ko ga umareru..." showing via FOD from 18 July 2020; 10 eps; new episodes released at midnight every Saturday; Co-stars include Ogura Yuka, Matsumoto Taishi, Haba Yuichi, Yamashita Yorie, Ashina Sei, etc. (Chiaki)
• To mark the launch of "Taiyo wa ugokanai", WOWOW  showed 7 Fujiwara Tatsuya's films from 16 May - "The Incite Mill", "22 nenme no kokuhaku-watashi ga satsujinhan desu -", "Sanbunnoichi", "Wara no tate", "Battle Royale", "Battle Royale Requiem" & "Diner". (Chiaki)
• NHK will suspend the broadcast of its Taiga drama "Kirin ga kuru" for the time being until further notice due to filming disruptions caused by the COVID-19 situation; this will take place after Ep 21 is shown on 7 June 2020 (Chiaki)
• Yoshida Yo & Ooizumi Yo star in new WOWOW drama "2020 nen Gogatsu no koi" showing from 28 May 2020 at 9 pm on Thurs, 4 eps. Set in Tokyo during May 2020 where a former couple who got divorced 4 years ago talk on the phone for the first time (Chiaki)
• Kikkawa Koji & Shison Jun star in Kansai TV Spring 2020 drama "Tantei Yuri Rintaro", starting from 16 June 2020 in the Tues 9 pm timeslot over 5 weeks. Based on novel series by Yokomizo Seishi and shot entirely on location in the Kansai region (Chiaki)
• Karasawa Toshiaki to star in TV Asahi's Japanese remake of American drama "24 - TWENTY FOUR -" which is titled "24 JAPAN": 24 eps to be shown from Oct 2020, plays Shidou Genba, the leader of CTU's (counter-terrorism unit) First Branch Team A (Chiaki)
• Kiyohara Kaya is the heroine of NHK's 104th-morning drama "Okaeri Mone" showing in the 1st half of 2021: plays Nagaura Mone who was born on an island in Kesenuma, Miyagi and describes her journey to find a purpose in life & later becomes a weather forecaster
• NHK will be showing new drama SP "Taiyo no Ko GIFT OF FIRE" starring Yagira Yuuya, Arimura Kasumi & Miura Haruma at 3 pm on 11 Jul 2020 (BS8K) and at 7.30 pm on 15 Aug 2020 (NHK General, BS8K & BS4K)
• Hirose Arisu to star in "Shimi" - one of the segments in FujiTV drama SP "Yo ni mo kimyou na monogatari Summer 2020". Shot before the state of emergency declaration & was initially scheduled to be shown in spring
• TV Asahi announced on 30 May 2020 that it has resumed the filming of the following Spring 2020 dramas - "BG ~ Shinpen Keigonin ~ 2", "Tokusou 9", Keishicho Sousa Ikkacho 2020", "Kaseifu no Mitazono 4" and "M Aisubeki hito ga ite".
• Hayashi Kento to be lead in Fuji TV drama "Sekai wa 3 de Dekite iru", the story about 3 young people living with and after corona. Hayashi to play three characters in this drama. Broadcast on June 11. (ハズキ)
• Uragami Seishuu joins Hongo Kanata and Nakajo Ayami in summer drama "56 nenme no Shitsuren". The time travel & food love story will start airing on July 11th. (Psycho Drama)
• 

  Teasers/Trailers/Visuals
  Kigeki Aisai Monogatari 60s Trailer NetFlix Ju-On 1m38s Trailer	Jiko Bukken Kowai Madori 30s Trailer

• Furukawa Yuuki & Ryuusei Ryo to be double leads in the new movie "Restart wa tadaima no ato de", based on the manga by Kokomi, showing in autumn 2020 and; shot on location in Nagano Prefecture (Chiaki)
• The mook "CLUSTER Ookura Tadayoshi x Narita Ryo [Kyuuso wa cheese no yume wo miru]" has been released on 1 May 2020; the movie's release has been postponed until further notice (Chiaki)
• The release of the new movie "Hand Zenryoku" will be postponed until further notice; the original release date was 22 May 2020 (Chiaki)
• The release of the new movie "Suiyoubi ga kieta" will be postponed until further notice; the original screening date was 15 May 2020(Chiaki)
• Kiyohara Kaya stars in the new movie "Uchuu de ichiban akarui yane", based on Nonaka Tomo's novel; showing in cinemas in autumn 2020; co-stars include Ito Kentaro, Mizuno Miki, Yamanaka Takashi, Daigo Kotaro, Sakai Maki & Yoshioka Hidetaka (Chiaki)
• The release of the new movie "Ura Aka" has been postponed until further notice; original release date was 12 June 2020 (Chiaki)
• The release of the new movie "Okusama wa, toriatsukai chuui" will be postponed until further notice; original release date was 5 June 2020 (Chiaki)
• Sawada Kenji will take over Shimura Ken's role in the new movie "Kinema no Kamisama"; Shimura passed away due to pneumonia caused by COVID-19 on 29 March; he was supposed to join the filming from April; movie to be released in 2021 (Chiaki)
• Tsuchiya Tao stars in the new movie "Aishuu Cinderella", showing in spring 2021; plays Koharu who loses everything in 1 night & gets an unexpected proposal from a doctor-single father; just when she thinks she has attained happiness, she commits a serious crime (Chiaki)
• Supporting cast line-up of the new movie "Nozomi", starring Tsutsumi Shinichi & Ishida Yuriko - Okada Kenshi, Kiyohara Kaya, Matsuda Shota, Ichige Yoshie, Ryu Raita & Kato Masaya; showing in cinemas in Oct 2020 (Chiaki)
• Supporting cast line-up of the new movie "Jiko Bukken Kowai Madori", starring Kamenashi Kazuya - Nao, Seto Koji, Kinoshita Houka, Eguchi Noriko, MEGUMI, Mao, Takigawa Eiji, Kato Ryo, Uno Shohei, Takada Junji, Kote Shinya, etc. (Chiaki)
• Ayano Go & Tachi Hiroshi star in the new movie "Yakuza to Kazoku The Family", showing in 2021; set in 1999, 2005 & 2019; describes how a young man gives upon himself by joining a gang & his rise up the ranks over the years with the help of the gang's leader. (Chiaki)
• Warner Bros announced today that the release of the new movies "Rurouni Kenshin Saishusho The Final / The Beginning", originally scheduled on 3 July and 7 Aug 2020, will be pushed back to the Golden Week holidays in 2021 due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation. (Chiaki)
• Snow Man to star in the movie version of "Takizawa Kabuki ZERO 2020 The Movie" showing within 2020; filming to take place this summer while the stage scenes will be done without a live audience
• Yamazaki Kento, Yoshizawa Ryo & Hashimoto Kanna to return in the new movie "Kingdom 2"; the first movie released in April 2019 achieved box office takings of JPY 5.73bn. (Chiaki)
• If you feel like watching some Japanese indie releases, then it's time to make your way to https://japanesefilmfest.org/streaming/ They're streaming a whole selection of indie movies with English subs! (Psycho Drama)
•  "Kimi ga Sekai no Hajimari starring Matsumoto Honoka reveals supporting cast including Nakata Seina, Katayama Yuki, Kaneko Daichi, Kai Shouma, and NITRODAY's Omuro Pei. Itabashi Shunya, Yamanaka Takashi, Masaki Sawa, Morishita Yoshiyuki, Eguchi Noriko, and Furutachi Kanji, are also part of the cast.  It'll be released this summer.  (Psycho Drama)
• 8th "Jinrou Game" movie adds Nakajima Ken, Uchikuri Uchikura, Hanayagi Nozomi, Sakanoue Akane, Momoka, Asakura Fuyuna, Moriyama Akiho, Hoshi Reira, Yamanouchi Suzu,  Fukuzaki Nayuta, Miyama Ryoki, Morimoto Naoki and Kurosawa Shinnosuke, to its cast.  "Jinrou Game: Death Game no Uneinin" will be released in November and stars Ogoe Yuuki. It's the first time the movie series will have a male lead  (Psycho Drama)

Sources: 

^{Edited by: Cookie (1st editor)  BrightestStar (2nd editor)}