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 MusicSensation And

Will Be Featured In A Special Concert Film For Fans

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

Hatsune Miku Live Party 2011 39's LIVE in SAPPORO (originally organized by5bp Inc. in August, 2011) will screen a live concert performance of HatsuneMiku in movie theaters in select markets. More information about this exclusiveone-night-only event is available here.

The citiesthat 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 forher U.S. fans,” says Live Viewing Japan Exective Director Hiroki Kotani. “Miku has captivated a global audience witha mix of catchy pop music and captivating technology-inspired visuals. Herpopularity has opened an entirely new range of possibilities to blend a cutepop idol persona with technology and computer-created graphics. We invite fansto visit the Live Viewing Japan web link for more information and for specificmovie theater event locations. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to see HatsuneMiku perform!”

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

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

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

About Live Viewing Japan:

Live Viewing Japan is a Japanese-based media distribution companyfocused on bringing a variety of entertainment properties to a globaltheatre-going audience. More information on the company and its projects isavailable 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.