This entry will continue to update news on the Koiuta/PROGRESS double single (恋詩-コイウタ / PROGRESS), released on 4 June 2008. You can order your copy of the new single here:

CD Japan | HMV | Tower | Shinseido

Koiuta/PROGRESS finishes the week at Number 2

After charting in the lead early in the week, final Oricon figures have confirmed that Tackey and Tsubasa were pipped at the post by GReeeeN’s “Kiseki”. Kiseki finished with a final figure of 72,977, while Koiuta/PROGRESS came in at 68,973. On the bright side, this number was higher than both of T&T’s last two singles, Samurai (57,771 units in the first week) and x~Dame/Crazy Rainbow (65,613), although both went to Number One. Thank you to everyone who supported this single, and if you haven’t purchased your copy yet you can try the links above. Here’s to Week 2!

Reports of the AVEX Koiuta/PROGRESS “Mini LIVE” Special Event at Shibuya AX

On Sunday 8 June, Avex held a Koiuta promotion at Shibuya AX which allowed lucky fans to watch special offshot screenings, receive autographs and giveaways and as a special surprise, Tackey and Tsubasa also appeared and performed a number of their songs, including tracks from the new single. At certain music outlets around Japan fans also received a free poster when purchasing the CDs. There were 5 sessions in all, and Tackey and Tsubasa also announced later releases and stayed to watch videos with the fans. Sugoi ne? Dorothy has more information at her site here, and Takizawa-Hideaki.net has posted a pic of T&T at the event.

Updated 12 July with more english subs:
1. Koiuta english lyrics translation
2. Download Koiuta “Koiban” version 20 minute mini-drama with english subs
3. Watch/read about Koiuta “Koiban” version 20 minute mini-drama
4. Watch/download Koiuta “TV” version PV
5. Watch PROGRESS Waseda Academy CM
6. Watch/Info on Tackey and Tsubasa’s TV and radio appearances

Links with ENGLISH SUBTITLES updated as they become available. See below.
Special thanks to all the folks who continue to upload these clips so quickly and share them with everyone, especially Dorothy at Take Your Hands, Michelle at Takki.us and D2pink.

19 June 22:00 TV Kanagawa Avex Channel-a (Part 2)
DOWNLOAD PART 1 | PART 2 Credit: D2pink (Join with HJsplit)

12 June 22:00 TV Kanagawa Avex Channel-a (Part 1)
DOWNLOAD PART 1 | PART 2 Credit: D2pink (Join with HJsplit)

15 June 18:00 NHK (BS2) Shounen Club Premium
DOWNLOAD PROGRESS | DOWNLOAD KOIUTA Credit: Lovespiral

12 June 21:00 FujiTV Tunnels no minnasan no okage deshita
DOWNLOAD Credit: Michelle @ Takki.us

12 June 25:20 TBS Muchaburi! (むちゃぶり！) (Tsubasa)
STREAMING Credit: Wribbit and Dorothy @ Take Your Hands
DOWNLOAD PART 1 | PART 2 Credit: D2pink (Join with HJsplit)

8 June 10:00 FujiTV Waratte Iitomo! SPECIAL (笑っていいとも！増刊号)
STREAMING Credit: Dorothy @ Take Your Hands
DOWNLOAD PART 1 | PART 2 Credit: aamyssh (Join with HJsplit)
DOWNLOAD with English subs Credit: Takki.us fansubs

7 June 09:30 TBS King’s Brunch (王様のブランチ）
DOWNLOAD Credit: D2pink
DOWNLOAD with ENGLISH SUBS Credit: Michelle @ Takki.us

7 June 06:00 FujiTV Mezamashi Saturday
STREAMING Credit: Dorothy @ Take Your Hands
DOWNLOAD WITH ENGLISH SUBS Credit: Michelle @ Takki.us

7 June 18:00 FujiTV Music Fair 21
STREAMING Credit: Dorothy @ Take Your Hands
DOWNLOAD with ENGLISH SUBS Credit: Michelle@Takki.us
HDTV Venus Performance PART 1 | PART 2 Credit: D2pink (Join parts with HJsplit)
HDTV Koiuta Performance PART 1 | PART 2 | PART 3 | PART 4
Credit: D2pink (Join parts with HJsplit)

6 June 20:00 TV Asahi Music Station
WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES Credit: NEWShFAN
DOWNLOAD Credit: Michelle @ Takki.us

5 June TBS Utaban (うたばん)
STREAMING Credit: Dorothy @ Take Your Hands
DOWNLOAD Credit: Michelle @ Takki.us
DOWNLOAD with ENGLISH SUBS Credit: enshinge and ohmiya

4 June FujiTV Waratte Iitomo! (笑っていいとも！）
STREAMING Credit: Dorothy @ Take Your Hands
DOWNLOAD Credit: Michelle @ Takki.us

2 June TV Asahi MOVE! Ikemen Juku (ムーブ イケメン塾) (Kansai local)
DOWNLOAD with ENGLISH SUBS Credit: Michelle @ Takki.us

2 June 20:00 Fuji TV HEY!HEY!HEY! Music Champ
DOWNLOAD with ENGLISH SUBS Credit: Michelle @ Takki.us
DOWNLOAD HIGH QUALITY KOIUTA Performance Credit: Lovespiral

31 May 19:57 Fuji TV Mecha x 2 IKETERU! (めちゃ×２イケてるッ！)
STREAMING Credit: Dorothy @ Take Your Hands
DOWNLOAD with ENGLISH SUBS Credit: Michelle @ Takki.us

Koiuta “TV” version PV

1. download - Takitsuba love spiral (you may need to join)
2. streaming - Take Your Hands

Koiuta 20 minute “Koiban” version mini-drama

1. download - NEWsFAN’s site

Koiuta english lyrics translations

By qwe
By gorochan

Watch PROGRESS CM

Koiuta mini-drama PV report

Tackey and Tsubasa’s new promotional video for Koiuta takes the form of a 20 minute long mini drama, billed as a “fantasy love story” with “Koiuta” as its motif. The mini drama is described as a “first for the industry”.

“Many artists have previously made music videos that have elements of a television drama, but this will be the first time an actual drama is included with the song’s release,” says the online news site, Tokyograph. Tackey and Tsubasa have not appeared in a drama together since Tsubasa appeared as the famous archer, Nasuno Yoichi, in the 2005 Taiga drama Yoshitsune, in which Tackey played the title character.

The story is about a girl who, after losing both her parents and her sight in an accident at the age of 15, has closed off her heart and is depressed and alone, afraid to leave the house. Tackey and Tsubasa play the two men who are looking out for her in their own way.

In the original drama special, Tsubasa plays “Shinji” a kindhearted man who has a crush on his childhood friend (whom some online sources name “Nao”) played by Matsuoka Rinako 松岡璃奈子 (24). Tackey plays an immortal “angel” who is watching over the girl, even though he can’t touch her. Even though angels do not have emotions like humans, it seems TackeyAngel is also in love with her, but he cannot get involved in the lives of humans or else he will disappear and lose his eternal life. He ultimately needs to help her through Shinji, but at what consequence to himself?

Tackey explains that he and Tsubasa have approached the song as men who are not adept at expressing feelings of love.

The Koiuta 20 minute “minidrama” is available with the Limited Edition Version A of the Koiuta/PROGRESS single. That’s the “Koiban” (Love Letter) version.

Television and Radio appearances

The following list details Tackey and Tsubasa’s TV and radio appearances over the coming weeks. (NB: Start times listed are local Japanese time.) We will try and update this listing with a WATCH or LISTEN link when the item has aired, when possible. Thanks to all the diligent uploaders out there!

TELEVISION

23 May dwango.jp* Koiuta CM on air WATCH
24 May 17:00 TBS CHANNEL ★ROCK (チャンネル★ロック) (Tackey) WATCH
26 May 14.55 NTV Anapara (アナパラ) WATCH
27 May 20:00 TBS Ogosho Japan! (大御所ジャパン！) (Tackey) WATCH
29 May Waseda Academy Homepage (早稲田アカデミ) PROGRESS CM starts airing WATCH
31 May 19:57 Fuji TV Mecha x 2 IKETERU! (めちゃ×２イケてるッ！) WATCH
2 June 15:49 TV Asahi MOVE! Ikemen Juku (ムーブ イケメン塾) (Kansai local) WATCH
2 June 20:00 Fuji TV HEY!HEY!HEY! Music Champ WATCH
3 June 20:00 TBS Ogosho Japan! (大御所ジャパン！) (Tackey) WATCH
4 June 12:00 FujiTV Waratte Iitomo! (笑っていいとも！）WATCH
5 June 19:54 TBS Utaban (うたばん) WATCH
6 June 20:00 TV Asahi Music Station WATCH
7 June 06:00 FujiTV Mezamashi Saturday WATCH
7 June 09:30 TBS King’s Brunch (王様のブランチ) WATCH
7 June 18:00 FujiTV Music Fair 21 WATCH
8 June 10:00 FujiTV Waratte Iitomo! SPECIAL (笑っていいとも！増刊号) WATCH
10 June 20:00 TBS Ogosho Japan! (大御所ジャパン！) (Tackey) WATCH
11 June 25:20 TBS Muchaburi! (むちゃぶり！) (Tsubasa) WATCH
12 June 21:00 FujiTV Tunnels no minnasan no okage deshita WATCH
12 June 22:00 TV Kanagawa Avex Channel-a (part 1) WATCH
15 June 18:00 NHK (BS2) Shounen Club Premium WATCH
17 June 17:00 NHK (BShi) Shounen Club Premium WATCH
19 June 22:00 TV Kanagawa Avex Channel-a (part 2) WATCH

RADIO

29 May 24:00 JOQR (part of “Rekomen”) Tsubasa no to base (翼のto base) LISTEN
30 May 25:00 Nippon Broadcasting AM1242 Takizawa Denpajou LIVE SPECIAL (タッキーの滝沢電波城 ) LISTEN TRANSLATION
31 May 22:30 Nippon Broadcasting AM1242 Takizawa Denpajou (タッキーの滝沢電波城 ) LISTEN
31 May 17:00 J-WAVE 81.3FM Tokyo Remix Zoku (東京REMIX族) (Tsubasa, comment) LISTEN
2 June 17:00 79.5FM NACK AFTER5
2 - 5 June 06:00 FM Yokohama 84.7 Morning Steps (Tsubasa )
3 June 20:00 BayFM 78MHz ON8
3 June 22:00 Nippon Broadcasting AM1242 Yanpisu LISTEN
3 June 25:00 Nippon Broadcasting AM1242 Cream Stew’s All Night Nippon
4 June JOQR AM 1134 KHz Seibu vs Yokohama game (Tsubasa guest commentator) LISTEN
4 June NHK-FM Fresh Sound Hokkaido(フレッシュサウンド北海道)
4 June FM JAGA POWER BOMB！DIAL！！
4 June FM-Niigata SOUND SPLASH
4 June FM Akayama Twilight Pavement
4 June Radio Kansai Sanae’s Cafe
5 June 17:00 80.0MHz FM Tokyo FM Wonderful World LISTEN
5 June 24:00 JOQR (part of “Rekomen”) Tsubasa no to base (翼のto base) LISTEN
6 June FM Tochigi (B★BOX Friday - Hyper)
6 June FM Oita Dou Morning
7 June 10:00 FM Fuji 78.6 Countdown Connections
7 June 13:00 FM Yokohama 84.7 Air Cruise
7 June 22:30 Nippon Broadcasting AM1242 Takizawa Denpajou (タッキーの滝沢電波城 )
7 June Radio Kansai JAMxJAM
7 June MBS-R UK Beat Flyer 1179
8 June 18:00 J-WAVE 81.3FM Asience Spirit of Asia LISTEN
8 June FM Port NIGHT-I
8 June FM Niigata BREAK SPOT!
9 June 22:00 ABC Music Paradise LISTEN
9 June 25.05 MBS Radio SOUND KINGDOM
10 June 23:00 Tochigi Housou Deli POP-J
12 June 17:00 Fukushima FM RADIO GROOVE (レディオグルーブ)
12June 24:00 JOQR (part of “Rekomen”) Tsubasa no to base (翼のto base) LISTEN
13 June 23:30 CBC Radio HYPER - NIGHT (ハイパーナイト若狭敬一のワカサギ)
19June 24:00 JOQR (part of “Rekomen”) Tsubasa no to base (翼のto base) LISTEN

There are a number of downloadable, reasonably-priced software programs for streaming foreign TV and RADIO on your PC. Here’s a great primer on streaming Japanese TV from an Arashi blog. Some serious googling can uncover all sorts of goodies!

Sources:. Avex, Take Your Hands, Tokyograph, Sports Hochi, atfy-takizawa.com, Mezamashi TV, ttmokomokomoko, wing911taki, lovespiral, Michelle, milktealover89, yoimalin, sweetwater329, D2pink