Virtual character Hatsune Miku

J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2010 WELCOMES JAPAN’S BIGGEST VIRTUAL IDOL – HATSUNE MIKU – FOR HER EXCLUSIVE U.S. DEBUT

Internet Sensation’s Live Concert To Be Premiered With THX® Audio As Part Of All-Day Japanese Pop Culture Celebration On September 18th

NEW PEOPLE, in cooperation with Tokyo Kawaii Magazine, are proud to present the official North American debut of virtual idol Hatsune Miku as part of the J-Pop Summit Festival 2010, taking place in San Francisco’s Japantown. In her first-ever appearance outside Japan, Hatsune Miku ‘performs’ in a special film concert at VIZ Cinema at NEW PEOPLE on Saturday, September 18th at 3:00pm. Tickets for the screening are $20.00 and are available now at www.vizcinema.com.

Miku Hatsune is a virtual pop idol that has taken Japan by storm. She was born as the premiere product in the Vocaloid2 Character Vocal Series developed by Crypton Future Media. The technology, originally designed for professional musicians, enables users to synthesize singing by inputting lyrics and a melody. In Japan, Vocaloid singers have become the hottest new trend in the pop culture landscape. Miku Hatsune features a singing voice based on samples of voice actress Saki Fujita.

This VIZ Cinema premiere will present a recorded live performance with stunning THX® audio that was originally held in Tokyo on March 9th, 2010. The concert featured Miku Hatsune backed by a “live” band called the 39S Members. She performed 39 songs while being projected on a transparent screen set up on the stage, making her look like a living-sized hologram playing with a live band. More information on Miku Hatsune is available at: http://www.newpeopleworld.com/films/films-9-2010/#miku

The J-Pop Summit Festival 2010 will present a variety of fun Japanese pop-inspired attractions including fashion shows, a theatrical film premiere, live art performances, and mini-concerts by some of Japan’s hottest bands. The celebration is complemented by innovative artists and companies from the Bay area and Japan that will join in with an array of products for sale in open air displays on both sides of Post Street and a food court highlighting Japanese cuisine will further complement the celebration. More details are available at: www.J-Pop.com.

VIZ Cinema is the nation’s first movie theatre devoted exclusively to Japanese film and anime. The 143-seat subterranean theatre is located in the basement of the NEW PEOPLE building and features plush seating, digital as well as 35mm projection, and a THX®-certified sound system.

About Tokyo Kawaii Magazine
Tokyo Kawaii Magazine is a digital magazine app for iPhone. It provides the latest news of Japanese pop culture from Tokyo known as the holy place of Kawaii to the world. Tokyo Kawaii Magazine has not only the latest news on Japanese animation and manga but also Kawaii stuff such as Lolita fashion, street fashion, cosplay, costumes, games, Japanese food, idols, visual-kei bands and internet culture, and popular districts such as Akihabara, Harajuku or Shibuya are also included in every issue. More info at: http://tkmag.jp.

About NEW PEOPLE
NEW PEOPLE offers the latest films, art, fashion and retail brands from Japan and is the creative vision of the J-Pop Center Project and VIZ Pictures, a distributor and producer of Japanese live action film. Located at 1746 Post Street, the 20,000 square foot structure features a striking 3-floor transparent glass façade that frames a fun and exotic new environment to engage the imagination into the 21st Century. A dedicated web site is also now available at: www.NewPeopleWorld.com.