The Spring 2023 issue of the revived fashion creator magazine Zipper was released on March 23.

This issue focuses on the major fashion and beauty trends this spring and the globally-popular eight-member boy group ATEEZ appears on the cover clad in retro-pop Harajuku fashion. The deluxe edition also comes with a double-sided poster.

Zipper ended its 24-year history in December 2017, but in March 2022, ASOBISYSTEM teamed up with DONUTS Inc. to revive the magazine as a quarterly release. The fashion magazine, popular with Gen Z, is known for sharing details aspects of Harajuku culture and will continue to share more from the creative center of Tokyo for years to come.

The Pony Canyon YouTube channel has revealed a new trailer for the DVD and Blu-ray release of the drama series Do Not Say Mystery, scheduled for August 3, 2022.

Viewership for the series, which aired in January 2022, broke the all-time record for a commercially broadcast TV drama series and became a hot topic for months after. The DVD and Blu-ray releases will include plenty of extras, including Masaki Suda’s birthday event, round table discussions, and more.

The drama was based on Yumi Tamura’s manga series of the same name, serialized in Monthly Flowers magazine since 2017. In the story, Kunou Totonou, a perceptive college student who is often forced to think his way out of dangerous situations, is questioned by police after he is suspected of killing his classmate.

@田村由美／小学館　©フジテレビジョン

FRUiTS, a magazine capturing the essence of Harajuku culture through fashion, will release a special issue in collaboration with women’s sneaker store atmos pink and SNKRGIRL, the first and only sneaker news site for women in Japan.

SNKRGIRL, Japan’s first and only sneaker media for women by women, is participating in this special collab with FRUiTS, the legendary street photo magazine that introduced Harajuku culture to the world, and atmos pink, the popular Tokyo-based sneaker select store for women.

Bikkuriman Sticker

FRUiTS editor-in-chief shot the images for the special issue. Female sneaker lovers are becoming more common in the Japanese fashion scene, with #SneakerGirls often trending on social media.

The new issue will feature popular influencers who attended SNKRGIRL’s recent Harajuku Snap Party, as well as models, dancers, and women from many other walks of life. The magazine will be a way to see what Harajuku fashion looks like in 2022, and each issue will include a special Bikkuriman sticker!

The cover features influential model YURINO, a big name in the fashion and sneaker scene. Readers can enjoy an interview between Harajuku fashion expert Kaoru Takami and FRUiTS editor-in-chief too, so don’t miss it!

Mister Donut is teaming up with Gion Tsujiri, a traditional green tea maker in Uji, Kyoto, for some tasty new treats starting March 25 for a limited time. Four new items will be available until the end of April. To celebrate the new collaboration, a new TV commercial starring actor Masaki Suda has started airing nationwide.

Fresh Pon de Uji Green Tea

Fresh Pon de Uji Green Tea with Brown Sugar Syrup

Uji Hojicha Warabimochi

Uji Hojicha Mochi with Whipped Cream

In the new ad, Suga is seen in a manly kimono with one of the new products in hand. Remaking on the soft and chewy texture of the new items–which are kneaded with Gion Tsujiri’s Uji Green Tea–Suda slowly falls in love with Mister Donut and commands viewers to do the same. How could you not?

Which of these new items look the best? 

Interview

――How do you feel about the Fresh Pon de Uji Green Tea and the Fresh Pon de Uji Green Tea with Brown Sugar Syrup?

“They’re so crazy delicious. Each of them are so moist and smell so yummy, and the topping…I mean, that’s everyone’s favorite, right?”

――Speaking of toppings, what are some of your favorites?

“I love garlic and green onion on just about everything. Cheese is also my go-to. Condiments are everything.”

――How about the Warabimochi and the Whipped Cream Mochi? 

“I can’t get enough of them. I’d definitely buy them myself. They aren’t too bitter, and I could really enjoy the rich aroma of the hojicha. It’s honestly amazing that Mister Donut can come out with these creative new items so often. This isn’t like memorizing lines in a play or following a formula. It must take so much work.”

――Do you prefer matcha or hojicha?

“That’s really tough. (laugh) I like both. I love the flavor of matcha but I think hojicha has flavors that aren’t as common. I find myself eating a lot of chocolate, drinking lattes, or grabbing hojicha more often.”

――How did it feel to shoot the Mister Donut commercial in a kimono?

“It was so lightweight, it felt great. The stylist told me that it was entirely made of silk. I typically only wear kimono during rehearsals or things like that, but I’d love to wear something like this during a festival. Someday.”

――The new commercial will begin airing during graduation season. Is there anything you’d like to ‘graduate’ this year since it’s the last year in your 20s? 

“That’s true, I am almost 30. I hadn’t thought about it! In my job, everyone is so polite to me, and I have the habit of leaving things up to other people. I need to be more personally responsible. For example, if I have to be somewhere for a meeting in the morning, I always get up at the last minute. Why don’t I get up 10 minutes earlier, you know? I need to be better.”

――What would you like to tell those who are coming of age this year? Do you have anything to say to students and working adults who will start new grades and jobs in the spring? 

“As you grow older, you have less and less to do outside of work. I’m really impressed by people who do something consistently during their free time. I thought I should have done something like that back when I was a teenager, so I tried saving ¥500 coins last year. It was hard to do, even though it was something so small. After a year, I had saved up about ¥40,000 and I felt satisfied, so I stopped. But doing something each day outside of work is important.”

The cover of the May 2022 issue of B.L.T Magazine will be graced by second-generation members of the idol group Sakurazaka46! The new issue will go on sale on March 24.

The group will release its 4th single, Samidare yo, on April 6. Hono Tamura, Karin Fujiyoshi, Hikaru Morita, and Rena Moriya will be dressed in vivid red outfits against a bright blue sky on the new cover, and fans of the group won’t want to miss getting their hands on this commemorative issue! A 22-page long photoshoot is also included inside, so look forward to seeing the members in vintage clothing!

Popular Harajuku-based fashion magazine Zipper, which ceased publication in 2017, will return in March 2022! The rebirth of the magazine is being spearheaded as a joint venture between DONUTS Inc. and ASOBISYSTEM.

Zipper was first published in 1993 as a way to say “NO!” to traditional style. It continued to inspire creative minds for 24 years until it ceased publication in 2017, and many Harajuku-based celebrities and influencers cite the magazine as a major source of inspiration over the years. Now, this beacon of individuality and fashion is making a triumphant comeback right when the world needs it most.

In addition to the magazine, Zipper will also be available on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter, opening up the brand to fans of Japanese fashion around the world. More details will be announced in the future.

MIKIMOTO has released new imagery and a new short film of actor Masaki Suda wearing the brand’s new jewelry collection ‘PASSIONOIR.’ A making-of video has also been uploaded to YouTube, and it’s hard not to want all of these incredible pieces. 

The Making of ‘PASSIONOIR’

The new styling visuals and short movie capture the passion put into the project by Masaki Suda, who is constantly accepting new challenges as an actor. Bringing his unique energy to the collection, new items were released sequentially on December 9, 10, 13, and 14. Over the past six consecutive weeks, a new video has been uploaded by MIKIMOTO highlighting the luxury brand’s new items. 

‘PASSIONOIR’ is a combination of the words ‘passion’ and ‘black,’ and black pearls are the centerpiece of the new release. Mixing the innocent beauty of pearls with jet-black power, these pieces are sure to add style to any ensemble. 

The music video for Utakata-Uta (RADWIMPS feat. Suda Masaki),theme song for the blockbuster movie It’s a Flickering Life, will be released on YouTube at 22:00 on August 13, 2021.

The video was directed by Suda Masaki and produced by Yamada Kento, who has worked with RADWIMPS multiple times in the past.

You can set a reminder to watch the video as it premiers on the RADWIMPS official YouTube channel.

Utakata-Uta / Official Music Video on YouTube Premier

The Utakata-Uta is the first RADWIMPS feat. Suda Masaki tag-team production, garnering widespread attention from fans and media. The video features Suda Masaki and Noda Yojiro, who play Gou and Terashin in It’s A Flickering Life. Their characters work in the same movie studio and discuss their dreams for the future. 

The project started upon the completion of filming, when Noda Yojiro gave the demo to film producer Yamada Yōji as a heartfelt gift.

While it wasn’t written as a theme song, the producer was so impressed by the demo that he designated the song as the movie’s official theme song, saying “The song connects the past and present, reality and fiction, even reaching heaven. I was convinced that having Suda and Noda, who played Gou and Terashin, singing it would complete the film.”

Noda was full of love and respect for the movie, commenting that “When Mr. Shimura died, I wanted to leave something like a lingering scent and weave things such as the emotions that we had felt throughout the lyrics. Even if the world we build is purely a sound, that sound is something that will last forever.” 

The song is full of nostalgic melodies and impressive singing from both Noda Yojiro and Suda Masaki, while the lyrics overlap with the feelings and situations of their characters, Gou and Terashin.

‘Utakata Uta,’ the theme song for the new movie God of Cinema, will be available on various streaming services at midnight on August 6, 2021, including iTunes and RecoChoku! Performed by rock band RADWIMPS and featuring Suda Masaki of Kamen Rider fame, it’s a mellow track which is sure to stir up plenty of emotion. 

The evocative CD jacket was shot by Miko Okada, an award-winning photographer from Iwate Prefecture. Art Director Ryosuke Miyashita was inspired to collaborate with her after seeing a series of her photographs titled ‘CELL,’ inspired by the lights she saw coming from apartments and homes from a train window. In the same vein, the cover art was based on the abstract concept of how people spend their evenings in different ways, giving a nostalgic and warm feel. The song does the same, making the listener ponder how many different lives intersect and come together. 

As announced by RADWIMPS front man Yojiro Noda on August 2, Suda Masaki will also be performing with RADWIMPS at the upcoming FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL ‘21 on August 20, 2021. This will mark the first time ‘Utakata Uta’ will be performed in front of a live audience, so look forward to it!

Japanese actor and singer Masaki Suda appeared in a new commercial for Mister Donut which hit Japan last week. The name of the commercial translates to “there’s always something good inside the box.”

On January 27, 2020, Mister Donut celebrated its 50th anniversary. The doughnut chain boasts around 960 stores in Japan. In their latest commercial, they promote the joy of opening a box of their doughnuts when ordering takeout.

VOGUE GIRL is a leading new-generation web magazine picking up the latest in international trends for women. Its most popular feature is Girl of the Month which offers a close-up of a different girl every month where they serve their own fashion stories.

This month features Yuriyan Retriever who is celebrating her loss of 36kg, showcasing a fresh new look and positive mindset. She is serving curves, power, humour, and cuteness with her eye-catching combination of makeup with abstract colours and a sensual mini dress.

“It’s not because she has lost weight that she has become more beautiful,” the editor of her feature explains, “but rather that living a healthy and positive lifestyle has caused her to shine and given her much more confidence. ” They go on to describe the photo shoot itself being a fun experience thanks to Yuriyan’s erratic posing and dazzling expressions, and how they have never seen a shoot before that has resulted in so many laughs amongst the staff.

In her upcoming appearance in ’90 Second Challenge’ on VOGUE GIRL’s official YouTube channel, Yuriyan will talk about her morning routine before work, the music she listens to when working out, her favourite body parts, and more.

The 100th issue of Japan’s popular photo magazine TV GUIDE PERSON will be released on December 9, 2020, featuring Japanese boy band Kanjani Eight on the front cover.

TV GUIDE PERSON‘s first issue was released in March 2012 and has welcomed countless acts on the front cover.

Kanjani Eight is a five-member boy band from Japan’s Kansai region. Their latest single, Re:Live, was released on August 19 this year. Their front cover shoot was taken by Singaporean photographer Leslie Kee who has shot photos for the fashion and music industries, advertisements, and more around the world.

The magazine features a long interview with the Kanjani Eight members, including their thoughts on the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, what 2021 holds for the group including their “Road to Re:LIVE,” and more.