Hirano Aya's first album, Riot Girl, has broken into the charts at #2 for its first day, with sales of 4333 units. Paradiso, by Tube, is #1, with sales of 7500; and Kimaguren's Zushi is #3, with 4200.The cut Riot Girl (video) was chosen as the ED for a new anime music TV show on TV Tokyo called Anisong Plus, which shows every Monday night at 2:30 am, and started on July 7. (mouseover photos for captions)What else has Aaya been doing lately, you ask? Even if you don't ask, I'll tell you.She had two days of live performances with her Zettai Karen Children cast-mates at the summer World Hobby Fair in Tokyo last weekend. She is one of a small group of top seiyuus working with Exile in an anime built around that top Japanese pop group. And she is starting her second movie-dubbing job, the 2005 family space adventure Zathura.The Zettai Karen group of Aya, Shiraishi Ryouko, and Tomatsu Haruka performed mini-lives on Saturday and Sunday at the summer World Hobby Fair. This is a big show of figures and models held twice a year in Tokyo. In her blog, Uryocchi (Shiraishi Ryouko) commented what great legs both Aaya and Haruka have. They will also appear at the Sapporo version on July 21.And on Monday, the new anime Exsamurai エグザムライwas unveiled to a select crowd of 1600 Exile fans. The anime is a kind of future samurai feature, set in "Roppongi Hell City" in 2718, with characters based on and played by members of the group.Exile is one of the most popular Japanese pop groups, with seven members, all male, and numerous top hits since 2001. The anime is produced by Hiro, the group's leader, and directed by Abe Yuuichi, the director of Gundam Evolve, SD Gundam Force, and the Prince of Tennis live-action movie.Aya was impressed with how many people were in the audience. Another league up from her own popularity as a singer. She and Takeuchi Junko (who is also in the anime, and plays Naruto in Naruto) were there. Miyano Mamoru is also in the anime. There is a preview episode (without Aya) on Nico Nico Douga. The anime will be included with an Exile album to be released 23 July.This week as well, Aya begins work dubbing the 2005 US feature film Zathura. She voices Kristen Stewart's character, Lisa. "Two young brothers are drawn into an intergalactic adventure when they, their elder sister, and their house are magically hurtled through space because of the board game they are playing." This is only her second dubbing job.And Aya is all over the magazines this week. A highly-anticipated photo feature in Young Jump Weekly comes out today. She's also in Seiyuu Grand Prix, Voice Newtype, Animedia, Pick-up Voice, Up to Boy, and Free Paper right now.She continues as a seiyuu starring in the wonderful Daughter of Twenty-faces and the forgettable Zettai Karen Children, and also with a role in Macross Frontier, as Meena.
(Read the rest of this entry)