VoCE July 2008 Cover

Erika will be on the cover of VoCE magazine's July 2008 issue. The issue will be published on May 23, 2008.

http://i-voce.boxerblog.com/contents/2008/04/index.html

COFFRET D'OR Update

Two new (low quality) images of Erika in the new Kanebo COFFRET D'OR campaign ads have been released. The images will be used for the summer campaign and will begin on June 16, 2008.

Erika in London

Pictures of Erika in London have come out! It's sad that she can't even go to London without Japanese reporters following her around. She also seems to be smoking in the first picture...



From ESC

A silent departure, Erika back in London

The work that had to be done is done and Erika flew back to London. Once again departing from Narita Airport, Erika and Tsuyoshi left Japan at 11:30 in the morning. It has been 15 days since they came back to Japan and Erika's welcome-back message 'Oh, shit!'
It looks like they reserved a first class lounge in an 'Virgin Atlantic' airplane. It didn't take long until the press noticed the couple and so they both hurried to check in. Erika wore a long white coat and her beloved huge sunglasses. Tsuyoshi had a white coat as well, making the couple's look perfect.

She has been asked how long they will stay in London this time. "Please, just a short note," but Erika's facial expression didn't change at all. Later when they were boarding the plane, they've tried it again, but this time in English. "How long will you stay in London?" Although she might have understood that already, she probably hasn't been in the mood to answer. All in all they didn't answer any of the questions.

As expected her stay didn't last very long, but during those 15 days she has been able to shoot a CM and to celebrate her 22nd birthday. This time the couple is expected to stay abroad for a longer time. Erika also will remain her studies at a language school there to increase her English skills.

Translated by HPriest@ESN

'Oh $#&%!' Foul-mouthed starlet Sawajiri's Career Crisis

Having snuck off to London for three months with a boyfriend more than twice her age, actress Erika Sawajiri announced her return to Japan by proclaiming "Oh shit" after dropping her make-up kit at Narita Airport. If she's seriously thinking about her career prospects, Shukan Bunshun says she might use exactly the same phrase.
"She's having a great time taking things easy over there in her 'trial marriage.' She came back to Japan for work, but will go back to London in the middle of April," a reporter says. "This time, she's gonna stay there for a really long time."

Sawajiri, 21, has been living in the British capital with Tsuyoshi Takashiro, a hyper-media creator (whatever that is), who at 43 is 22 years older than her. Sawajiri's career has virtually been on hold since September last year, when she threw a tantrum at a news conference where she was supposed to be promoting her new movie. Her petulant display caused an uproar in the media, and though she quickly went into damage control and apologized, she's since done little work.

"There were reports of her going crazy at the Led Zeppelin concert in London in December and then she flew off to Britain not long into the New Year. Since then, she hasn't tried to hide her relationship with Takashiro and has had no problem being photographed with him," another celebrity beat hack following Sawajiri in London says.

"She's using a pricey apartment Takashiro is renting as her base and going to English classes every day. She's also going out doing a lot of shopping and taking in the tourist traps. She went and saw a lot of old English castles and has flown over to Spain. Takashiro has apparently got a lot of bases in Europe where he can do his work and she's apparently gone on a trip to the Caribbean with him, too."

Takashiro is actually a bit of a celebrity in his own right.
"The apartment they're living in is in a pricey area of London. They're paying about 700,000 yen a month in rent. They're not showing any concerns about money, shopping at an exclusive supermarket near their place, eating out a lot and staying in five-star, luxury hotels despite having their own apartment," the hack says. "Takashiro's connections have seen her go out to quite a few parties at night. And he's always with her when she goes out to buy clothes for the dos. Sawajiri does things at her own pace and is not scared to speak her mind, but Takashiro just stands by, gently grinning."

What remains uncertain is whether Sawajiri is taking a break, or deliberately holding back on more work to show she is reflecting on her bad behavior last year.

"Actually, she hasn't got any TV or movie work in the pipeline at all. The only work she does have is for a few existing contracts for commercials," a TV industry insider tells Shukan Bunshun. "The situation is totally dependent on whether Sawajiri wants to do more work or not. Her talent agency is waiting with bated breath."

Several offers made to Sawajiri were withdrawn following her hissy fit, and though the spoiled brat act was not generally seen as being career-threatening then, things have changed now.

"Her agency is pretty keen to get her a high profile job she can use for a 'comeback' appearance, but life is so good for her at the moment, I doubt she's in a hurry to do it," an entertainment beat reporter says. "Considering she was a good money earner for them, I guess the agency would be pretty peeved."

A reporter for a women's magazine, however, says Sawajiri should think deeply about what she's doing.

"If nothing else, her time away from the limelight has showed the entertainment world here that it doesn't really need Sawajiri," the women's gossip rag hack tells Shukan Bunshun. "There are loads of actresses similar to her popping up all over the place."

Erika Shoots New CM in Tokyo

Erika's first project since her arrival in Tokyo. She started filming her new CM at "Kadokawa Daiei Motion Picture Company" in Tokyo, Chofu City. Short after 9 in the morning, Erika arrives at the studio with a high-class sports car, appearing in a white jacket and sunglasses. She didn't respond to any questions by the journalists. It is known that within this month she plans to go back to England and probably visit other European countries as well.
From HPriest@ESN