ACF 1240: DOCUMENTARY OF AKB48 – TO BE CONTINUED on DVD and digital on December 1st

New Music Biopic Traces The Rise To International

Fame Of Japan’s Most Popular  Pop Idol Group;

Special DVD Online Promotion Offers A Second

NEW PEOPLE Film Title With Any Pre-Order Purchase 

NEW PEOPLE Entertainment, a film division of NEW PEOPLE, Inc. that focuses on the licensing and distribution of Japanese films and media, has announced the release of DOCUMENTARY of AKB48 to be continued on DVD on Thursday. December 1st The new music biopic follows the unstoppable all-female Japanese pop idol group, AKB48, on their incredible rise to fame, and will be sold exclusively online for $19.99 through the NEW PEOPLE store at: store.newpeopleworld.com.

DVD pre-orders will begin today. For a limited time, NEW PEOPLE is offering a FREE bonus DVD title from its catalog to all pre-order purchasers. Select from a list of available titles. DOCUMENTARY of AKB48 to be continued will also be available to stream online at newpeoplechannel.com for $4.99 (for a 48 hour rental) beginning December 1st. The DVD will be available from Amazon by mid-December. Follow NEW PEOPLE Entertainment on Facebook and Twitter for updates. 

AKB48 was conceived in 2005 by Yasushi Akimoto, one of Japan’s most respected music producers. Beginning as a small all-girl singing group based in the Akihabara district of Tokyo – the city’s bustling electronics and anime/pop culture shopping Mecca – AKB48 has grown to 60 members and topped Japan’s Oricon music charts with the two best-selling pop singles in 2010 as well as another two singles ranking in the Top 10. 

“AKB48 created an entirely new format for pop groups and their fame has spread internationally,” says Seiji Horibuchi, President and CEO of NEW PEOPLE, Inc. “This insightful documentary captures AKB48 on-stage and behind the scenes and offers a candid look into the member’s lives and the phenomenal notoriety that surrounds the group. We invite J-Pop and music fans to visit the NEW PEOPLE store online to get the new DVD and to take advantage of a special offer to receive a second DVD title from the NEW PEOPLE film catalog!” 

With a complicated balance of competition and friendship among its members, the group’s bond is extremely strong. DOCUMENTARY of AKB48 to be continued traces AKB48’s history with scenes from concerts and rehearsals, member general elections, and fan activities both in Japan and abroad. The film also includes personal interviews with select members that reveal each of the girls’ personal struggles, joys, path to growth, and dreams.

One unique aspect of AKB48 is that the group is divided into “Teams.” When AKB48 debuted in 2005, originally there were only 24 girls. Now there are 16 girls each on Team A, Team K, and Team B, who are the core members of the group. In addition, there are trainees who are aspiring members. Members total to around 60 girls as some graduate and some new members come in. In the recent years AKB48 has begun holding elections to determine the members who will participate in the recording of upcoming singles. Fans vote for their favorites and the girl ranked Number 1 performs at the center of the group.

ACF 1091: New People expands J-Pop Summit Festival in San Francisco

2011 J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL
Expands To 2-Days In August
In San Francisco’s Japantown

Special Design Contest Also Announced

NEW PEOPLE, San Francisco’s dynamic entertainment destination showcasing the latest examples of Japanese popular culture, has announced the expansion of its annual J-Pop Summit Festival. The 2011 J-Pop Summit Festival will take place August 27th- 28th across the city’s Japantown.

The weekend-long celebration brings back many popular attractions that have made the J-Pop Summit Festival a must-attend event for fashion, film, anime and music fans as well as hipsters, pop culture enthusiasts, Bay Area residents, and as tourists visiting the city. A dedicated web site is now available at J-pop.com and will feature regular updates.

“The expansion of the J-Pop Summit Festival is a result of the overwhelming support from our partners and sponsors and strong attendance by a wide array of people from all backgrounds and interests,” says Seiji Horibuchi, president of NEW PEOPLE, Inc. “From rock music to fashion shows, film premieres, interactive video game displays, and a special focus this year on the ‘Vocaloid’ music phenomenon, there will be something for everyone at this year’s event! We look forward to announcing more details and additional participants and sponsors in coming weeks.”

“Vocaloid” music has become the latest pop phenomenon sweeping Japan and the trend is spreading fast to the U.S. with the advent of personalities like Hatsune Miku, who has become the world’s first true virtual pop star. The J-Pop Summit, where made her first film concert debut last year, returns for 2011 with even more exciting projects featuring Hatsune Miku. More details will be announced soon!

With the recent earthquake and tsunami tragedies in Japan still fresh in everyone’s minds, the J-Pop Summit Festival has incorporated multiple benefit events into the programming. New People and San Francisco Japantown merchants are partnering with Piapro.jp (run by Hatsune Miku’s Crypton Future Media), to host two unique design competitions.

The first is for a banner design, carrying the theme of “Hope for Japan’s Recovery,” to be displayed on Post Street, the main Japantown thoroughfare where the J-Pop Summit Festival will take place. The banner should feature at least one (or more) of the following Volcaloid characters: Hatsune Miku, Rin Kagamine, Len Kagamine, Luka Megurine, MEIKO or KAITO. Special charity goods with the winning design will be available at the J-Pop Summit to benefit Japan’s ongoing relief efforts. Grand Prize will be a roundtrip trip to San Francisco (flexible travel dates) from anywhere in the United States, furnished by NEW PEOPLE and the Japantown Merchants Association. For complete entry details, please visit J-pop.com.

The second competition will be to develop a new character design for “Hatsune Miku U.S. Version” and also will award the winner with a special Grand Prize roundtrip trip to San Francisco (flexible travel dates) from anywhere in the United States, furnished by Crypton Future Media. For complete entry details, please visit J-pop.com.

NEW PEOPLE opened in 2009 and has become a unique must-see attraction of San Francisco’s cultural landscape. The 20,000 square foot contemporary venue features the latest examples Japanese popular culture expressed though film, art, fashion, and a variety of specialty boutiques and ongoing monthly events.

NEW PEOPLE is located at 1746 Post Street in the city’s Japantown.

ACF 912: Bye Bye Kitty!!! exhibition at Japan Society

Makoto Aida (1965– ) Harakiri School Girls (detail), 2002.
Print on transparency film, holographic film, acrylic
46 3/4 x 33 3/8 in. (119 x 84.7 cm).
Courtesy Mizuma Art Gallery. Watai Collection.
Copyright © AIDA Makoto.

Bye Bye Kitty!!!

Between Heaven and Hell

in Contemporary Japaneses Art

Japan Society Gallery
333 East 47th Street, NYC
(between 1st and 2nd Avenues)
March 18 - June 12, 2011

Bye Bye Kitty!!! is a radical departure from recent Japanese exhibitions. Moving far beyond the stereotypes of kawaii and otaku culture, Japan Society’s show features sixteen emerging and mid-career artists whose paintings, objects, photographs, videos, and installations meld traditional styles with challenging visions of Japan’s troubled present and uncertain future. Each of the three sections, Critical Memory, Threatened Nature, and Unquiet Dream, not only offers a feast for the senses but also demolishes our preconceptions about contemporary Japan and its art.

ACF 877: Japan Fashion Now exhibit extended at The Museum at FIT (NY)

JAPAN FASHION NOW at FIT has been extended! The show has been getting great feedback and is now extended through April 2nd. JAPAN FASHION NOW is the first exhibition to explore contemporary Japanese fashion in all its radical creativity, from designer fashion to street style, including menswear. Some of the most interesting designers have their pieces showcased, including Jun Takahashi of Undercover, Daisuke Obana of N.Hollywood, Takeshi Osumi of Phenomenon, and others. Check here for more info!

ACF 845: Event Reminder: Japan Society (NY) celebrates Japanese New Year's today

Japan's New Year's Day Celebration: Oshogatsu

Japan Society (NY) will celebrate the Japanese New Year's holiday today, Sunday, January 16th, 2011. There will be lion dancing (shishi-mai) accompanied by live taiko drumming (Gagaku court music in Session II only). Many traditional New Year's activities for children, including special New Year's calligraphy (kakizome), kite-making/flying (takoage), A funny face game (fukuwarai) and traditional rice pounding (mochi-tsuki), will also be featured.

Recommended for all ages.

There will be two separate celebration sessions:
Sunday, January 16, 2 PM — 3 PM - Session I
Sunday, January 16, 3 PM — 4 PM - Session II

TICKETS
$12 / $5 Japan Society members
Children ages 2 or under free
(Gagaku court music in Session II only)

Buy Tickets Online or call the Japan Society Box Office at (212) 715-1258, Mon. - Fri. 11 am - 6 pm, Weekends 11 am - 5 pm.

This event is a part of CelebrASIA NYC New Year’s Festivities for Families. Members of collaborating institutions (Asia Society, China Institute in America, The Korea Society and Rubin Museum of Art) can purchase member discounted tickets for this event by providing a promotional code. To purchase tickets using the promotional code, contact the Japan Society Box Office at 212-715-1258 during the box office hours.

ACF 727: The J-Pop Influence - lecture at Japan Society tonight, Tuesday, October 12th

The J-Pop Influence:
A Western Obsession
Tuesday, October 12, 6:30 PM

I just got notified about this event at Japan Society, so wanted to pass it on immediately.

Simone Legno, creator, Tokidoki; and Matthew Waldman, Chief Creative Officer & President, Nooka, Inc. will discuss how modern Japan has influenced the design of their clothing, accessories, watches and toys.

Buy Tickets Online or call the Japan Society Box Office at (212) 715-1258.

Japan Society is located at 333 East 47th Street, between 1st and 2nd avenues, New York, NY 10017

ACF 714: Obake! An Evening of Ghosts, Spirits, & Fun at NY's Japan Society

Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797-1861)
The Ghost of Asakura Tōgo
Attacks Orikoshi Masatomo
(Detail of color woodblock)
American Friends of the British Museum
(The Arthur R. Miller Collection, 19612)

Japan Society (NY) has a terrific evening planned to start this year's Halloween weekend:

Kick off your Halloween weekend—Japanese style—and join us as we thank our members for their support and welcome our new friends. Put on your Japan-inspired attire and enjoy a special evening at Japan Society. Watch a ghostly film, take night gallery tours, indulge in Japanese treats and libations, and meet fellow lovers of Japan.

Special gift courtesy of Kidrobot for the best costume!

Schedule:
7:00-10:00 PM - Food, drinks and music by DJ Aki
7:30-9:00 PM - Screening of House (Hausu) by acclaimed director Nobuhiko Obayashi
8:00-8:30 PM - Gallery tour with docent extraordinaire David Moors
9:00-9:30 PM - Second gallery tour
9:30 PM - Best costume prize announcement

TICKETS
FREE for Japan Society members / $15 non-members.

Members: Please call the Box Office at (212) 715-1258 to reserve your complimentary tickets to this performance.

Non-members: Buy Tickets Online or call the Japan Society Box Office at (212) 715-1258, Mon. - Fri. 11 am - 6 pm, Weekends 11 am - 5 pm.

Japan Society is lovcated at 333 East 47th Street (between 1st and 2nd avenues), New York, NY 10017

ACF 693: Japan Fashion Now exhibit at The Museum at FIT (NY)

The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology (MFIT) presents Japan Fashion Now, the first exhibition to explore contemporary Japanese fashion in all its radical creativity, from avant-garde high fashion to street and subcultural styles, from menswear to new designers.

Approximately 100 ensembles from featured designers, Jun Takahashi (Undercover), Hirooka Naoto (h.NAOTO), Takeshi Osumi (Phenomenon), and others will be showcased.

The exhibition is on view through Jan. 8, 2011. For more info, visit the museum's website.

ACF 689: Japanese female trio Shone Knife to perform at Asia Society on Sept 25th

©SHONEN KNIFE

The Japanese all-women trio Shonen Knife has built a solid worldwide following with their Ramones meets The Beatles brand of sticky-sweet punk-pop. Shonen Knife will be performing a unique concert at the Asia Society in conjunction with and inspired by the Yoshitomo Nara art exhibition.

Nara calls himself a fan and has designed the cover for the group's album Happy Hour. Shonen Knife also has made major fans out of alt-rock's elites, including Sonic Youth, Nirvana, Redd Kross, among others.

When: Saturday, September 25th, 2010, 8:00pm to 9:30pm
Where: Asia Society, 725 Park Avenue, New York, NY
Cost: $15 members; $17 students/seniors; $20 nonmembers

Buy Tickets Online

Click for Directions

Co-presented with New York-Tokyo

This program is part of the Citi Series on Asian Arts and Culture

ACF 680: Screening of 77 Boadrum is part of special nightly J-Pop events in S.F.

The 77 Boadrum performance at Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park in Brooklyn, NY

NOISE POP MEETS J-POP IN A MUSICAL SCREENING OF 77 BOADRUM AS A SPECIAL WEEK OF NIGHTLY EVENTS CONTINUES AT NEW PEOPLE

J-Pop Week Offers 5 Nights Of Pop Culture Inspired Film, Fashion, Music
And Anime Events That Culminate In J-Pop Summit Festival
On Saturday September 18th

Still more news about J-Pop Festival in San Francisco. I love being in New York, with all the Asian film and cultural events it offers, but what's been coming out about this festival has really made me wish I could be there. Lucky for all you who can make it.

NEW PEOPLE teams up with Noise Pop, organizers of the leading independent music festival in the Bay Area, for a special theatrical presentation of 77 Boadrum today, Thursday, September 16th at 7:30pm at VIZ Cinema. A pre-screening reception begins at 6:00pm, hosted by Shochu distiller Haamomii.

77 Boadrum is a documentary of the Japanese free-rock group the Boredoms’s astounding concert that took place July 7th, 2007 at 7:07pm in the Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park in Brooklyn, NY and featured 77 drummers performing simultaneously. The film will be preceded by a music video screening of Cornelius’ Synchronized & Sensurround. General admission tickets for the film screening are $10.00.

Boredoms founder Eye Yamataka

The Boredoms are one of Japan’s most iconoclastic experimental musical acts. Formed in Osaka in 1986 by Eye Yamataka, along with frequent collaborator Yoshimi, the Boredoms acknowledge no limits of genre or form, there are no boundaries, and no ceiling on the possibilities of experience and expression. For more than 20 years, the band has redefined the concept of noise and experimentation within pop, punk, and psychedelic music.

For a pre-event reception beginning at 6:00pm, NEW PEOPLE will offer J-Pop gift bags and present inventive spirits and beverages provided by Bay Area Shochu distiller, Haamonii. Haamonii is a new low calorie Japanese spirit created from over 400 years of tradition that mixes like vodka but with far less calories and a very smooth, floral-inspired taste. Haamonii, which means harmony in Japanese, also won a gold medal from the Beverage Tasting Institute.

J-Pop Week continues at NEW PEOPLE every night through Friday, September 17th with a variety of events celebrating Japanese and Asian film, anime, fashion design, music and other forms of pop culture. Special gift bags containing a variety of fun premiums will be given to all ticket holders each night. Check www.J-Pop.com for a complete list of nightly events.

The J-Pop Summit Festival 2010 takes place Saturday, September 18th in San Francisco’s Japantown and 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. Innovative artists and companies from the Bay area and Japan 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. Complete 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 Noise Pop

Established in San Francisco in 1993, Noise Pop started as a yearly festival of independent music that featured the best local bands the city had to offer. Over the last 16 years it has grown into a widely respected brand. Noise Pop prides itself on bringing exposure to emerging artists, many of whom have gone on to widespread acclaim, including the White Stripes, Modest Mouse, The Flaming Lips, Death Cab for Cutie, The Shins, Bright Eyes, The Donnas, Jeff Tweedy (of Wilco) and Silversun Pickups. More info at: www.noisepop.com.

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.

ACF 651: 2010 J-Pop Summit coming to San Francisco's Japantown in September

NEW PEOPLE, a dynamic entertainment destination bringing the latest examples of Japanese popular culture to North American shores, will expand its upcoming 2010 J-Pop Summit Festival, happening on Saturday, September 18th in San Francisco’s Japantown, with a special series of just-announced events taking place at the venue each night during the week leading up to the Festival. Tickets are now available on www.J-Pop.com.

Beginning on Monday, September 13th and continuing every evening through Friday, September 17th, different aspects of Japanese and Asian film, anime, fashion design, music and other forms of pop culture will be celebrated in a series of unique screenings, interactive discussions, multimedia presentations and live performances. Special gift bags containing a variety of fun premiums will be given to all ticket holders each night.

“The 2010 J-Pop Summit Festival is shaping up to become one of the biggest events of its kind in the country and is devoted to celebrating Japanese pop culture in all its forms,” says Seiji Horibuchi, founder of NEW PEOPLE and CEO of VIZ Pictures. “We’re very excited to announce this roster of special events taking place at the VIZ Cinema theatre and throughout the entire NEW PEOPLE venue, and invite the public to enjoy of variety of inspired film, fashion, music and art each night leading up to the big all-day street celebration on Saturday September 18th!”

More details on the 2010 J-Pop Summit Festival are available at: http://www.j-pop.com/. Additional news alerts over the coming weeks will detail specific events and appearances.

TOKYOSCOPE TALK, Vol. 6: Bad Girls & Wild Women
Monday, September 13th at 6:00pm

Join hosts Patrick Macias (Editor, Otaku USA), and Tomohiro Machiyama (founding editor, Movie Treasures magazine) for a unique look at sexy Stray Cats, Female Prisoners, Delinquent Bosses and other captivating and sexy bad girl roles from Japanese cinema. The evening will be complemented by a theatrical screening of the lurid prison film Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion. Adults only due to mature subject matter; 18+ General admission tickets for the discussion and film screening are $20.00.

ANIME NIGHT with Animation On Display & Crunchyroll
Tuesday, September 14th at 7:00pm

Animation On Display, San Francisco’s very own anime convention, joins forces with leading online content provider Crunchyroll for a theatrical presentation of Makoto Shinkai's "5 Centimeters Per Second”. The evening will also include a special VIP reception, open to the public, as well as a Q&A session about the film. Come meet other anime fans and join the fun with a special evening celebrating anime! General admission tickets for the film screening are $10.00.

6%DOKIDOKI HARAJUKU FASHION NIGHT Featuring Designer Sebastian Masuda
Wednesday, September 15th at 6:00pm

Join eclectic clothing designer and 6%DOKIDOKI founder Sebastian Masuda for a trip through the colorful and edgy world of Harajuku fashion. Masuda will offer insights and a history on the evolution of fashion from this ultra-hip district in Tokyo that has gone on to gain a worldwide audience as well as preview some of his latest designs. 6%DOKIDOKI shop girls Yuka and Vani will offer a mini-fashion show of some of the company’s newest ensembles and audience members are invited to try out for a chance to model new designs to be showcased at the J-Pop Summit Festival on Saturday, September 18th. General admission tickets for the lecture and fashion show are $20.00.

Noise Pop Meets J-Pop: Film Screenings of 77 Boadrum, preceded by Cornelius - Synchronized & Sensurround
Thursday, September 16th at 5:30pm Happy Hour; Screening at 7:00pm

Join Noise Pop, organizers of the leading independent music festival in the Bay Area, for a special theatrical presentation of 77 Boadrum. On July 7, 2007, Japanese free-rock group the Boredoms staged a live performance featuring 77 drummers at the Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park in Brooklyn, NY. 77 Boadrum is the official live documentary of this incredible event – complete with behind the scenes rehearsal footage, interviews, and of course, the actual performance. With intense, chaotic energy that melds into a No-Wave rock infused format, the Boredoms have garnered international attention for the member’s incredible rhythmic power, clever melodic punches, and sheer chaotic intensity. Since exploding onto the scene in 1997, Japanese musician Cornelius has dazed and amused fans worldwide with his freeform pop aesthetic and playful sense of humor. His short music videos are edgy and exceptional, the live ones being seen for the first time in the U.S. There will be a complementary Happy Hour before the screening. General admission tickets for the film screening are $10.00.

MYX VIP Party
Friday, September 17th at 6:00pm

MYX® is the only music entertainment and lifestyle channel dedicated to the Asian American community, utilizing music, culture and entertainment. The network will showcase several of its music, youth culture and lifestyle programs including Music Bang, 360VM, Vinyl Addiction, and That’s My Jam in a special evening showcasing the exciting and diverse worlds of Asian pop music, fast import street racers, designer vinyl and collectable toys, and lots more! MYX can be seen on Channel 368 on Comcast’s Digital Preferred Tier in the San Francisco Bay Area, Comcast ON DEMAND, Cox Digital Basic Cable, DIRECTV 2067 and RCN. Free admission. RSVP at www.j-pop.com.

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 in San Francisco 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 available at: http://www.newpeopleworld.com/.