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Givenchy has named Nanao as its new Japan ambassador, marking the first time the French fashion house has appointed a Japanese actress as a face of the brand, it said. A model, actress and TV personality, Nanao has starred in a variety of series and movies since embarking on her career in 2009, including action comedy “Hell’s Garden” and TV show “Ninja ni Kekkon wa Muzukashii,” the story of two ninjas from rival clans who get married without knowing each other’s true identities. Givenchy creative director Matthew M. Williams praised her attitude. “I really admire Nanao for her professional versatility as well as her personal energy and style. She will make an ideal Japan ambassador, and I look forward to working together,” he said in a statement. To mark the announcement, Nanao posed for a series of images shot by her close friend Leslie Kee, a Singaporean photographer based in Japan. “Givenchy is a timeless brand that elevates me as a woman and an actress. I am very much looking forwa...

My Family brings to life the family of Haruto Narusawa, the CEO of a game company. On the surface, Narusawa looks like he has the perfect family, with a loving wife and a sensible daughter. But behind closed doors, he does not care about his family and neglects them for work. One day, he receives a phone call claiming that his daughter has been kidnapped. The kidnapper demanded a ransom of 500 million yen (about S$5.2 million). What should have been a relatively easy sum to fork out for a CEO turns out challenging as Haruto’s company faces a crisis. Getting pushed to their wits’ end, Haruto must work with his estranged wife to decide the best course to take to save their only daughter. The first two of 10 episodes are now on Disney+. Here’s why you should catch this thrilling Japanese drama. 1. It sees Arashi’s Kazunari Ninomiya and Mikako Tabe working together again Kazunari Ninomiya plays Haruto Narusawa, while Mikako Tabe portrays his wife, Michiru Narusawa. It has been 15 years sin...

While many believe it's uncommon for shojo series to tackle mature issues with well-developed realistic characters, Ai Yazawa’s NANA toes the line between shojo and josei, standing out as one of the few series that manage to present its readers and viewers with a serious and mature topic. Since it won the Shogakukan Manga Award in 2002, NANA has lost nothing from its popularity -- in fact, over a decade later, it still holds up.The allure of NANA lies in its realistic yet enchanting characters, making its audience feel as if they are falling in love for the first time. The show features a wide range of characters with powerful backstories. NANA follows the story of two young women with the same name who decide to move to Tokyo for different reasons. Nana Osaki wants to become a professional musician and make it big, while Nana Komatsu wants to be close to her boyfriend without financially depending on him. The two Nanas find themselves sitting next to each other on the train to Tok...