New People Launches a Kickstarter Funding Project for the 2011 J-Pop Summit Festival

Fundraiser Supports The Expansion of Annual Bay Area Pop Culture Event Featuring MIKU-KITTY As A Main Character! Donators Invited To Special VIP Party

San Francisco, CA, July 20, 2011 – NEW PEOPLE, San Francisco's dynamic entertainment destination showcasing the latest examples of Japanese popular culture, has launched a Kickstarter Funding Project for the 2011 J-Pop Summit Festival, which expands to two days – (Sat/Sun) August 27th & 28th – across the city's Japantown. A Kickstarter page with complete project details is available at http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/j-pop/j-pop-summit-festival-2011.

The J-Pop Summit Festival is a unique gathering of creative trendsetters and artists whose styles influence people around the world. With the theme of “Fashion, Music & Technology,” the 2011 J-Pop Summit Festival celebrates its 3rd year with edgy new multimedia content from Japan and also blends work and products from innovative local artists and merchants to become a one-of-a-kind event that reflects the essence of “pop culture.”

A dedicated web site is now available at J-pop.com and will feature regular updates on programming, talent and events! The site features “Tokyo Beat,” the theme song for this year's festival produced by Popular Vocaloid Unt Zanneeds, who will attend as a guest of honor.

The Kickstarter project seeks to raise awareness of this unique event as well as fund the increased costs incurred with expanding the event to 2 days, while still keeping it free to attend.

All the J-Pop Kickstarter Project Supporters Are Invited Summit Festival VIP parties.

• $20.00 Donation - A General Pass to VIP After Party on Saturday, 8/27where a special limited edition MIKU-KITTY novelty keychain will be given as a gift for attendee's donations.



• $100.00 Donation (only 50 tickets available) - A VIP pass to VIP After Party valid on Saturday 8/27with exclusive entry to VIP Lounge with; Key special photo opportunities with guests and celebrities from Japan; and a special limited edition MIKU-KITTY novelty keychain as a gift for donating

The Summit Festival VIP party will also include "TOKYO FRESHLY SQUEEZED: THE HOTTEST MUSIC VIDEOS FROM JAPAN!,” a series of music videos, supported by MUSIC ON! TV (www.m-on.jp) from Japan, featuring the hottest J-Pop bands and artists performing Visual Kei, J-rock, anime songs, and more to be screened inside NEW PEOPLE's cinema on its THX®-certified sound system. All party attendees are invited to check out the latest musical acts topping the Japanese pop, rock and modern charts!

This year, MIKU-KITTY, a special character collaboration of Hatune Miku and Hello Kitty, will be featured at the J-Pop Summit. The marriage between pop culture icon Hello Kitty and the fast-rising virtual vocaloid idol, Hatsune Miku, is a true mix of J-Pop culture and sure to be an attraction for fans.

“Vocaloid” music has become the latest pop phenomenon sweeping Japan and the trend has spread 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, will return for 2011 with even more exciting projects and products featuring Hatsune Miku!

The J-Pop Summit Festival also brings back many popular attractions such as movie premieres, live bands, fashion shows, and J-Pop artist and celebrity interviews, that have made the annual event a must-attend for fashion, film, anime and music fans as well as hipsters, pop culture enthusiasts, Bay Area residents, and as legions of tourists visiting the city. NEW PEOPLE will also help raise funds during Summit Festival for Japan's ongoing disaster recovery efforts with a “Hope for Japan's Recovery,” drive.

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.

About NEW PEOPLE, Inc.
Based in San Francisco, California, NEW PEOPLE, Inc. (www.newpeopleworld.com) offers the latest films, art, fashion and retail brands from Japan through its unique entertainment destination as well as through licensing and distribution of selective Japanese films. NEW PEOPLE Entertainment (www.newpeopleent.com), a film division of NEW PEOPLE, Inc. strives to offer the most entertaining motion pictures straight from the "Kingdom of Pop" for audiences of all ages, especially the manga and anime generation, in North America. Some titles include DEATH NOTE, GANTZ, KAMIKAZE GIRLS, and THE TASTE OF TEA.