Second printing of UNOFFICIAL HATSUNE MIX due November 19th

Who’s that girl with the long green ponytails you’ve been seeing everywhere? It’s Hatsune Miku, the Vocaloid—the synthesizer superstar! Dark Horse Comics’ first edition of Unofficial Hatsune Mix landed in the New York Times Manga Top 10 list and sold out of bookstores across the nation within the first month of release.

Hatsune Miku’s a global cybercelebrity and a cosplay favorite at conventions. Now Miku’s original illustrator, KEI, brings you Unofficial Hatsune Mix—an omnibus manga of the musical adventures (and misadventures!) of Miku and her fellow Vocaloids Rin, Len, Luka, and more—in both beautiful black-and-white and charming color.

Over 170,000 music videos have been uploaded to YouTube using Miku as the singer. Miku has appeared in ads from Toyota USA, Domino’s, and most recently the Late Show with David Letterman.

The second printing of Unofficial Hatsune Mix will be in comic shops November 19 and in bookstores December 2. Preorder your copy of this bestseller today or risk having to wait for a third printing.

Hatsune Miku character designer KEI and live video game demo are coming to 2014 J-POP SUMMIT

Illustration by KEI © SEGA © Crypton Future Media, Inc.

2014 J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL TEAMS WITH KINOKUNIYA USA AND

SEGA OF AMERICA TO PRESENT HATSUNE MIKU CHARACTER

DESIGNER KEI AND A SPECIAL LIVE DEMO OF NEW

HATSUNE MIKU PROJECT DIVA F 2nd VIDEO GAME

Official Artist Illustrator That Designed The World’s First Virtual Pop Star

Welcomed For A Rare Autograph Session; J-POP SUMMIT Attendees

Invited To Browse A Wide Range Of Hatsune Miku Products And Play

The New SEGA Rhythm Music Video Game Set For Fall Release

The 2014 J-POP SUMMIT, San Francisco’s premiere annual celebration of Japanese pop culture, music, fashion and film, is teaming with Kinokuniya Book Stores of America and SEGA® of America to present very special Guest of Honor – KEI – the official character illustrator who designed Hatsune Miku, the wildly popular Vocaloid icon and world’s first virtual pop star.

The 2014 J-POP SUMMIT is set to take place across this city’s Japantown district Saturday and Sunday, July 19th and 20th. Additional information about the 2014 J-POP SUMMIT is available at: J-POP.com.

Retail bookseller Kinokuniya USA and video game developer SEGA of America will be located in two adjoining booths stationed in the heart of the Festival action on Post St. in Japantown. J-POP SUMMIT attendees will be able to meet KEI in person for a series of autograph sessions and browse a wide range of unique Hatsune Miku products and books presented by Kinokuniya.

SEGA of America will showcase Hatsune Miku Project DIVA F 2nd, the highly anticipated new rhythm music game title for the PS3 and PS® VITA platforms that is scheduled to launch in the U.S. this Fall. Attendees are invited to try the game in an exclusive West Coast live demo session happening throughout the weekend in the SEGA booth.

Character designer KEI will appear in-person in the Kinokuniya booth beginning at 1:00pm on both Saturday, July 19th and Sunday, July 20th to have special autograph session for the fans who purchase his illustrated art books, Hatsune Miku Project DIVA F or Hatsune Miku Project DIVA F 2ndOn both days, the first 100 people to purchase either title also will have the opportunity to autograph by KEI. Fans will also receive a free Hatsune Miku poster as a special gift with purchase.

SEGA’s Hatsune Miku Project DIVA F 2nd game title premieres the world’s most famous virtual pop singer in an exciting rhythm video game that features new and classic music tracks. Players can tap, hold, and flick to the beat as they play through 40 addicting songs and four expansive difficulty settings. The game features 20 all-new songs as well as 20 classic Miku tracks, including World Is Mine and DECORATOR. Miku’s friends Rin, Len, Luka, Meiko, and Kaito also join the party and each appears with their own songs to play. Players can fully customize every video with over 100 costumes and 150 accessories for favorite performers. A robust internal editing system also lets players construct custom videos and share them online via PSN. Players can even share creations with friends between the PS3 and the PS VITA.

In addition to the rhythm game, join Miku and friends in the DIVA Room to interact, play mini-games, view special cut-scenes, and relax as players enjoy a slice of the life of a virtual DIVA. Kinokuniya will be accepting pre-orders for Hatsune Miku Project DIVA F 2nd on-site throughout J-POP SUMMIT. After it is released, purchasers may pick up the game at the Kinokuniya San Francisco store, or request to have it delivered.

KEI is a Japanese illustrator and cartoonist. His watercolor-like “Moe” style caught the attention of publisher Dengeki Bunko and KEI made his artistic debut for the novel Kiseki no Hyougen. In 2007, Crypton retained him to create an illustration for their first Character Vocaloid product, Hatsune Miku. KEI’s illustration supported the sale of the groundbreaking software and helped to spark the Vocaloid trend. His fame also led to the creation of other virtual characters such as Kagamine Len/Rin, Megurine Luka and more.

Hatsune Miku, whose name means, “first sound of the future,” is a digital female avatar and the most popular of the Vocaloid Character Series software originally created by Crypton Future Media using Yamaha’s Vocaloid 2 engine to create synthesized vocal tracks. In Japan, Hatsune Miku is a major national phenomenon where she appears in many popular video games and music videos.

The J-POP SUMMIT was the very first event in North America to showcase Hatsune Miku, when it screened her live concert film in the NEW PEOPLE Cinema in 2010. Her fame and worldwide popularity has become a global phenomenon. Hatsune Miku is currently the opening performer for Lady Gaga’s new Artpop Ball U.S. Tour.

About Kinokuniya USA:
Kinokuniya bookstore was founded in January 1927 in Tokyo, Japan. The company now has over 80 stores and 35 sales offices worldwide. Each store offers a wide range of books in Japanese and English, as well as CDs, DVDs, T-shirts, toys and high quality stationary. Kinokuniya USA`s Web site is located at www.kinokuniya.com/us/.

About SEGA® of America, Inc.:
SEGA® of America, Inc. is the American arm of Tokyo, Japan-based SEGA® Corporation, a worldwide leader in interactive entertainment both inside and outside the home. The company develops, publishes and distributes interactive entertainment software products for a variety of hardware platforms including PC, wireless devices, and those manufactured by Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. SEGA® of America’s Web site is located at www.sega.com.

About J-POP SUMMIT Festival
Launched in 2009, J-POP SUMMIT Festival is an annual street fair held in San Francisco, CA that celebrates Japanese popular culture. By introducing the latest in Japanese music, film, art, fashion, gaming, anime, food, as well as niche subcultures, the festival has become a prominent platform to showcase the latest pop trends and creative innovations from Japan.

The 5th annual J-POP SUMMIT held in July 2013 welcomed more than 80,000 attendees, making it one of the largest Japanese festivals in the United States. In addition to the original Festival held in Japantown, new attractions include the J-POP LIVE AT UNION SQUARE concert in downtown San Francisco, the Bay Area’s premier dedicated Japan Film Festival of San Francisco, and sake-tasting and fine foods events at the POP GOURMET Food Festival, which have each further enriched the experience. Additional information about J-POP SUMMIT Festival is available at: J-POP.com.

ACF 1994: Hatsune Miku Magical Mirai 2013 J-POP Concert Film to premiere in L.A. & N.Y.C.

Illustration by CHRIS © Crypton Future Media, Inc

LIVE VIEWING JAPAN ANNOUNCES SPECIAL

L.A. AND N.Y.C THEATRICAL PREMIERES OF

HATSUNE MIKU MAGICAL MIRAI 2013 J-POP CONCERT FILM

The World’s Most Popular Virtual Pop Singer Commemorates Her Birthday

With A Thrilling Live Concert From Yokohama Japan To Be Presented

In Special Theatrical Premieres In Los Angeles And New York City!!!

Live Viewing Japan, a distribution company focused on bringing Japanese entertainment media to an international audience, celebrates the 6th birthday of the world’s renowned virtual idol, Hatsune Miku, with just-announced bi-coastal theatrical premieres in Los Angeles and New York City on August 31st of the Hatsune Miku MAGICAL MIRAI 2013 Concert.

A special commemorative live concert scheduled to take place on Saturday, August 30th at the Yokohama Area in Yokohama, Japan and will presented to U.S. fans and J-Pop lovers the next day in a special delayed broadcast film premiere. Additional details and the specific L.A. and New York City theatre locations will be announced shortly.

Advance tickets are $20.00 each and go on sale soon. New details forthcoming!!

The Hatsune Miku MAGICAL MIRAI 2013 Concert is organized by TOKYO MX and Crypton Future Media, Inc. and sponsored by SEGA Corp. / Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc. / Sony Music Records Inc. / Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. / Sony Music Direct (Japan) Inc. / and NicoNico.

Hatsune Miku, whose name means, “first sound of the future,” is based on an innovative singing synthesizer software character and is the most popular of the Character Vocal Series software originally created by Crypton Future Media, Inc. using Yamaha’s technology.

In Japan, Hatsune Miku is a major phenomenon that grew out of fan-created songs. She has appeared in numerous popular video games and music videos. She’s also played several enthusiastic “concerts,” where she performs on with a live band.

Miku played her very first live concert in the U.S. called, “MIKUNOPOLIS in LOS ANGELES,” at the Nokia Theatre for the 2011 Anime Expo in Los Angeles, CA. The show sold out in only 4 hours, further underscoring the growing substantial popularity she enjoys in North America. To-date, over 100,000 original songs have been written for Hatsune Miku by both fans and professional musicians and composers. The pop diva will also be team up with design house Louis Vuitton for an upcoming 3D Hatsune Miku opera, titled, The End, that will feature no human singers and is scheduled to take place at the Theatre du Chatelet Opera House in Paris on November 13th and 15th, 2013

About Live Viewing Japan:
Live Viewing Japan is a Japanese-based media distribution company focused on bringing a variety of entertainment properties to a global theatre-going audience. More information on the company and its projects is available at www.liveviewing.jp.

ACF 1224: Cosplayer Jessie/RuffleButt in Hatsune Miku outfit

Photograph (c) LJinto

This Thursday, November 10th, 2011, there's a HATSUNE MIKU one-night-only special event set for 9 U.S. cities. (See ACF 1206 for info and details.)

I'm planning to go to one of the two screenings in New York and thought that, in anticipation of that event, I'd feature this photo of cosplayer Jessie, a.k.a. RuffleButt, wearing a costume she made of Hatsune Miku from Vocaloid 2. It's not an official Miku Outfit, but is based on a fan design by artist 29 bit.

For Jessie/RuffleButt's cosplay page, click here.

ACF 1206: HATSUNE MIKU one-night-only special event set for 9 U.S. cities on November 10th, 2011

 World’s First Virtual Pop Idol Has Become

An International Music Sensation And

Will Be Featured In A Special Concert Film For Fans

Live Viewing Japan, a distribution company focused on bringing Japanese entertainment media to an international audience, has announced that it will stage a very special one-night-only Hatsune Miku event simultaneously in nine major U.S. cities on Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 7:00pm (local time).

Hatsune Miku Live Party 2011 39's LIVE in SAPPORO (originally organized by 5bp Inc. in August, 2011) will screen a live concert performance of Hatsune Miku in movie theaters in select markets. More information about this exclusive one-night-only event is available here.

The cities that will host the Hatsune Miku event include:

                                   

Baltimore, MD                                  

Boston (Manchester), MA            

Chicago, IL                                       

Houston, TX                                     

Los Angeles, CA

Orange, CA                                                              

New York, NY – Two locations                                                                 

San Francisco/Bay Area, CA         

Seattle, WA                                      

“We’re very excited to present this unique Hatsune Miku experience for her U.S. fans,” says Live Viewing Japan Exective Director Hiroki Kotani. “Miku has captivated a global audience with a mix of catchy pop music and captivating technology-inspired visuals. Her popularity has opened an entirely new range of possibilities to blend a cute pop idol persona with technology and computer-created graphics. We invite fans to visit the Live Viewing Japan web link for more information and for specific movie theater event locations. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to see Hatsune Miku perform!”

Pop idol Hatsune Miku, whose name means, “first sound of the future,” is a Vocaloid (meaning machine-made vocals) digital female avatar and the most popular of the Vocaloid Character Series software originally created by Crypton Future Media, Inc. using Yamaha’s Vocaloid 2 engine to create organic-sounding synthesized vocal tracks.

In Japan, Hatsune Miku is a major national phenomenon and has appeared in numerous popular video games and music videos. She’s also played several enthusiastic “concerts,” where she performs on stage projected as a 3D hologram and backed by a live band. Miku recently played her first live concert in the U.S. called, “MIKUNOPOLIS in LOS ANGELES,” at the Nokia Theatre for the 2011 Anime Expo, held this past July in Los Angeles, CA. The show sold out in only 4 hours, further underscoring the growing popularity she enjoys in North America. Hatsune Miku was also recently featured in a T.V. commercial for the Toyota Corolla.

Live Viewing Japan has seized on the growing global popularity of Hatsune Miku and has plans to screen her live concert film in several countries including France, Thailand and Brazil.

About Live Viewing Japan:

Live Viewing Japan is a Japanese-based media distribution company focused on bringing a variety of entertainment properties to a global theatre-going audience. More information on the company and its projects is available at: www.liveviewing.jp.

ACF 1066: J-Pop group Supercell's digital release featuring Hatsune Miku debuts tomorrow

Hatsune Miku © Crypton Future Media Inc.

Japanese Group Pop Group Supercell Features
The World’s First Virtual Pop Singer
– Hatsune Miku –
And Releases Full-Length U.S. Debut On June 21st

Supercell Blends Tech-Inspired Vocals With Catchy Pop
Sensibilities And Debuts New Album On Sony Music Direct

Japanese pop group Supercell sees the digital release of its self-titled full-length major label debut in North America tomorrow – Tuesday, June 21st – from Sony Music Direct (Japan), Inc., a division of Sony Music Entertainment Japan, Inc. Supercell Featuring Hatsune Miku will be available exclusively on iTunes and Amazon.

Supercell blends catchy pop melodies and technology-inspired vocals with captivating anime-influenced imagery and notably features the world’s first virtual pop star, Hatsune Miku. The group’s new record features 12 upbeat tracks, driven by the singer’s bright vocals and backed by lush electronic, pop and rock-inspired melodies.

Supercell is a group of multimedia creators and artists led by composer/lyricist Ryo. Hatsune Miku, whose name means, “first sound of the future,” is a digital female avatar and the most popular of the Vocaloid Character Series software originally created by Crypton Future Media using Yamaha’s Vocaloid 2 engine to create synthesized vocal tracks.

The record’s first single, THE WORLD IS MINE, was released in North America on May 10th on iTunes and Amazon and placed as high as Number 4 on the iTunes World Music charts.

In Japan, Hatsune Miku is a major national phenomenon appearing in many popular video games and music videos. She’s also played several sellout “concerts,” where she performed on stage as a 3D hologram backed by a live band. Her international notoriety is spreading to North America, where she’s currently featured in a new commercial for the 2011 Toyota Corolla. Hatsune Miku is also scheduled to perform her first U.S. concert, MIKUNOPOLIS in LOS ANGELES, at the 2011 Anime Expo in Los Angeles, CA July 1-4. Information on the concert is available at: http://mikunopolis.com.

More information on Supercell is available at: http://www.facebook.com/supercell.JPN.

ACF 1048: VIZ obtains U.S. product license rights for Vocaloid virtual pop star Hatsune Miku

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES THE U.S. LICENSE FOR
HATSUNE MIKU

World’s First Virtual “Vocaloid” Pop Singer Is A Phenomenon
In Japan And Prepares To Take North America By Storm

VIZ Media has announced it that holds the U.S. product licensing rights for HATSUNE MIKU, the popular Vocaloid virtual pop singer that has become a massive pop culture phenomenon in Japan. VIZ Media will showcase HATSUNE MIKU among its other properties available for product license at the 2011 Licensing International Expo, held in Las Vegas, June 14th-16th, 2011. VIZ Media will be located in Booth #2481.

The Licensing International Expo is held at Mandalay Bay Convention Center and is the preeminent marketplace for the hottest international brands and properties. It features a show floor of more than 7,000 properties from all of Hollywood’s major film studios, global entertainment companies, Fortune 500 consumer brands, sporting teams, interactive properties, fashion labels, and cutting-edge artists and designers. The annual event celebrated its 30th Anniversary in 2010.

HATSUNE MIKU is a striking, blue-haired digital female avatar and the most popular of the Vocaloid Character Series software originally created by Crypton Future Media and using Yamaha’s Vocaloid 2 engine. The innovative software enables users to create synthesized vocal tracks using HATSUNE MIKU’s vocals by simply typing in lyrics or inputting a melody. Crypton’s Vocaloid program uses vocals that are derived from pre-programmed samples of the voices of many popular actors/singers.



In Japan, the popularity of HATSUNE MIKU has become a national phenomenon. She has appeared in several video games and music videos and has also performed several sellout “concerts,” where she appeared on stage as a 3D hologram, backed by a live band. Most recently she appears in a new commercial for the U.S. market for the 2011 Toyota Corolla. The spot is also available on YouTube, and since its debut on May 4th, the segment has received more than 950,000 hits. The Japanese pop group Supercell also features HATSUNE MIKU as its vocalist and released their first single in the U.S on May 10th. The track, “The World Is Mine,” from their forthcoming full-length album, placed as high as #4 on the iTunes World Music charts.

“HATSUNE MIKU is the world’s first true digital pop star and her notoriety is spreading fast across North America,” says Tracy Hanchett, Director, Consumer Products. “Her development explores a whole new hybrid of digital technology and organic creativity. The HATSUNE MIKU brand is richly developed in Japan, where she stars in several video games by Sega, as well as CDs, books, arcade games, collectible figures, apparel and other accessories. We’re very excited to showcase this new property at the 2011 Licensing International Expo and welcome the opportunity to work with innovative product partners to further cultivate the HATSUNE MIKU brand for a new U.S. market.”

For more information on HATSUNE MIKU and other titles from VIZ Media visit www.VIZ.com.

ACF 721: Encore performance by "Hatsune Miku" Monday night in San Francisco

JAPAN’S TOP VIRTUAL IDOL HATSUNE MIKU
RETURNS TO VIZ CINEMA
FOR A SPECIAL ENCORE PERFORMANCE

Internet Sensation’s Live Concert Film Screens For One Night Only

Hatsune Miku Creator To Also Attend And Give Insights

VIZ Cinema and NEW PEOPLE are proud to present a special encore performance of Hatsune Miku U.S. Live – for One Night Only – on Monday, October 11th at 7:15pm.

The Hatsune Miku’s 39′s Giving Day Film Concert captures the excitement and upbeat fun that was Project DIVA Presents Hatsune Miku’s Solo Concert, which took place earlier this year at the futuristic Zepp Tokyo venue. The concert featured the singer, 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.

Also set to make a very special appearance at the screening will be the man behind the creation of Hatsune Miku, Hiroyuki Ito, president of Crypton Future Media. Prior to the screening, Ito give audiences the back story on the birth and development of Hatsune Miku and the growing international interest in her. Don't miss this rare chance to see this internet virtual phenomenon on the big screen and purchase one of a very limited supply of Japanese First Edition Blu-ray disc sets!

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.

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 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.