ACF 1131: "DOCUMENTARY of AKB48 – To Be Continued" licensed by NEW PEOPLE Entertainment & will have U.S. premiere at J-Pop Summit Festival in S.F.

NEW PEOPLE ENTERTAINMENT LICENSES THE
JAPANESE POP MUSIC BIO FILM
DOCUMENTARY OF AKB48 -- TO BE CONTINUED

New Film Follows The Rise To International Fame

Of Japan’s Most Popular Pop Idol Group

And Will Have Exclusive U.S. Premiere August 28th

At The 2011 J-Pop Summit Festival In San Francisco

NEW PEOPLE Entertainment, a film division of NEW PEOPLE, Inc. that focuses on the licensing and distribution of Japanese films and media, has announced that it has licensed the film, DOCUMENTARY of AKB48 – To Be Continued, in the U.S. and Canada. The film follows the unstoppable all-female Japanese idol group, AKB48, and offering an insightful glimpse into the challenges that the group’s members have faced during their rise to international stardom. A trailer is available to view at: www.newpeopleent.com/AKB48

The U.S. premiere of DOCUMENTARY of AKB48 – To Be Continued will take place on Sunday, August 28th at 1:00pm at NEW PEOPLE’s cinema as part of the 2011 J-Pop Summit Festival. Tickets to the DOCUMENTARY of AKB48 are $12 and on sale now at www.newpeopleworld.com/films.

The annual J-Pop Summit, held in San Francisco’s Japantown, celebrates Japanese pop culture and is highlighted by a variety of film screenings, panel discussions, DJ dance parties, fashion shows, and live performances from several notable Guest of Honor artists. More information on J-Pop Summit Festival is available at www.J-Pop.com.

AKB48 was conceived in 2005 by Yasushi Akimoto, one of Japan’s most respected music producers. Starting 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.

“Pop culture and J-Pop music fans will delight in the news of our licensing of the DOCUMENTARY of AKB48 and we invite them to attend the special North American premiere at NEW PEOPLE during the upcoming J-Pop Summit,” says Seiji Horibuchi, President and CEO of NEW PEOPLE, Inc. “AKB48 has become massively popular in Japan and also enjoys a fast-growing U.S. fan base. This is a group unlike any other in pop music and we hope more people will discover AKB48 through this film. Stay tuned for more news coming soon on the release of the DOCUMENTARY of AKB48 on DVD!”

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 1129: Sentai Filmworks announces license of "Ice"

Sentai Filmworks recently announced the licensing of the all-female, future epic ICE. Directed by Makoto Kobayashi (Dragon’s Heaven) and with character designs by Masaya Onishi (Ghost Stories) ICE is ultimately the creation of Renaissance man Yasushi Akimoto, whose varied and prolific career as writer, TV producer and professor includes the creation of the Japanese Idol super-groups AK48 and Onyanko Club. With that background, it’s no surprise that many members of the huge girl group AK48 ended up contributing their voices to the apocalyptic tale in which all humans bearing a Y chromosome have been wiped from the face of the Earth.

ICE will be available this November through many digital distributors as well as on bilingual DVD.

Synopsis: Some strange virus, whether planned or accidental, has wiped out most of the population. The survivors? Beautiful women. Faced with the possible extinction of their entire race, some of these new Amazons have decided to live out their final days in the pursuit only of fleshly pleasures. Others choose to use their beauty, their might, and their minds to fight back and reclaim the planet once more. Revenge may be a dish best served cold, but anime has never been hotter than ICE!