Viz to Open J-Pop Entertainment Complex

Viz Pictures and its affiliate J-Pop Center Project have announced the development of New People, a 20,000 square foot contemporary building located at 1746 Post Street in San Francisco’s Japantown that will host a variety of contemporary Japanese pop culture venues. The complex will hold its grand opening this August.

With three stories above and a basement cinema below, New People will offer the latest films, art, and retail brands from Japan. The spacious 143-seat underground cinema is equipped with High Definition digital projectors and THX-certified sound. Its focus will be on the latest and hottest films from Japan, along with classics, documentaries and anime – making it the only cinema of its type in the United States.

An entire floor will be devoted to trend-setting clothing labels from Japan including Baby, The Stars Shine Bright, Black Peace Now, 6% DOKIDOKI, and a short-term rotating storefront to showcase a new brand every two to three months. Baby, Black Peace Now, and 6% are pioneers of Harajuku street fashion. Their New People storefronts will be their retail debut in United States.

New People will also tout a café featuring organic roast Blue Bottle Coffee and Japanese delicatessen Delica rf-1, an inventive New People retail store, and a 2,000 square foot art gallery showcasing the work of new generation artists inspired by Japanese pop culture.

“New People is a truly unique space devoted to creativity and self expression, and will become a cultural destination unlike any other in the United States,” says Seiji Horibuchi, the founder and CEO of VIZ Pictures and the founder of VIZ Media as well as the J-pop Center Project. “New People will help nurture Japanese pop culture and also connect the public with its diverse creators. As North America continues to embrace a variety of hip trends from Japan, we look forward to expanding the vision of New People globally through film, art and other multimedia and forging innovative cross-cultural creative partnerships.”