"Mortal Kombat" and "Street Fighter V" Figures Head to San Diego Comic-Con 2017

BLUEFIN PRESENTS 2017 COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL EXCLUSIVES FROM STORM COLLECTIBLES FOR STREET FIGHTER AND MORTAL KOMBAT

Special Figures From Hong Kong Based Storm Collectibles Include Street Fighter V’s Hot Ryu And Mortal Combat’s Noob Saibot; Catch Additional Comic-Con Action Figure Previews Of Upcoming Releases Based On Tekken 7 And King Of Fighters ‘98

Anaheim, CA – Bluefin, the leading North American distributor of toys, collectibles, and hobby merchandise from Japan, Asia and more, previews two of the newest action figure releases from Storm Collectibles as it prepares to showcase Street Fighter V’s Hot Ryu and Mortal Kombat’s Noob Saibot at the 2017 Comic-Con International.

Inspired by two of video gaming’s most popular fighting titles, these new figures will be offered as Limited Edition 2017 Comic-Con Exclusives and will be available only from Bluefin during the convention. Each poseable figure stands 7 inches tall and features more than 30 points of articulation.

Comic-Con attendees are also invited to stop by the Bluefin booth to catch unveilings for upcoming Storm Collectibles releases for its newest video game licenses – Tekken 7 and King of Fighters ’98. A comprehensive selection of previously released Storm Collectibles products will be available from Bluefin throughout the convention.

Comic-Con International is one of the nation’s largest comic book, science fiction and pop culture events, and will take place July 20th–23rd at the San Diego Convention Center, in San Diego, CA. Complete details on Comic-Con are available at: www.comic-con.org.

Bluefin will be located in Booth #401

During Comic-Con, Bluefin and Storm Collectibles are pleased to present SFV designer / Storm Collectibles supervisor, Kiki, for a special appearance and autograph session at the Bluefin booth. Anyone that purchases a Storm Collectible Street Fighter V Hot Ryu figure will receive a poster and autograph from Kiki. (available while supplies list and on a first-come-first-served basis).

Kiki Booth Event Details
Booth Number: Bluefin 401-A
Day1: July 22nd, 2pm-4pm
Day2: July 23rd, 2pm-4pm

Hot Ryu “Street Fighter V” SDCC 2017 Exclusive
Height: Approx. 7 inches · MSRP: $59.99

From the highly popular video game franchise, Street Fighter, comes Ryu as he is seen in one of his most popular alternate costumes...commonly referred to by fans as 'Hot Ryu!' The figure is a completely new sculpt from the standard version of Ryu and is approx. 7" tall and features over 30 points of articulation, allowing fans to pose Ryu in all his special moves including Hadoken, Shoryuken, and Tatsumaki Senpukyaku! The figure set includes 3 exchangeable facial expressions and 4 exchangeable hand part accessories.

Noob Saibot “Mortal Kombat” SDCC 2017 Exclusive
Height: Approx. 7 inches · MSRP: $49.99

One of the things Mortal Kombat is most well-known for are its ninjas. Of course, Scorpion and Sub Zero are the most popular but there many others that are beloved by fans and players. Introducing Storm Collectible's rendition of the mysterious Noob Saibot! The figure stands about 7" tall and has over 30 points of articulation, enabling collectors to recreate all of Noob's iconic moves. Figure includes: 2 fatality decapitation blood effects, 1 skull sculpt accessory, 2 interchangeable masks, 9 pairs of hand accessories, 2 hell-fire effects and 1 spear.


About Storm Collectibles:
Storm Collectibles, a Hong Kong based company, was established in 2007 as a one-stop-source for action figures – designing, producing and distributing high quality, collectible 1/12th, 1/6th and 1/4th scale action figures and statues. The company has a great passion for collectibles and its vision is focused on creating authentic, fully realized likenesses for each collectible figure. Storm Collectible's official licensing partners include Warner Bros., Capcom USA / Japan, Bruce Lee Enterprise, Mike Tyson, and Hulk Hogan. Additional information is available at: www.stormco.com.hk

About Bluefin:
Based in Anaheim, CA, Bluefin built its reputation as a leading distributor of Japanese toys, collectibles, novelty and hobby products. In recent years, Bluefin has grown to include a range of high quality collectible lines from the United States, Hong Kong and Taiwan and established itself as the official North American consumer products and retail development partner for Studio Ghibli. Selling to thousands of specialty, chain and independent stores, Bluefin is an official North American distributor for Bandai Hobby, Bandai Shokugan, and Capcom, and is also an official provider of Bandai Tamashii Nations products, and is also the exclusive and official distributor for Blitzway Studios, Mr. Hobby, SEN-TI-NEL, Storm Collectibles, and X-Plus. Bluefin also represents TruForce Collectibles products worldwide. Additional information is available at: www.bluefincorp.com.

----------------------

DC Comics Announces New WildStorm Title, "Michael Cray"

EXCLUSIVE: WildStorm Expands with Michael Cray
by Tim Beedle

DC’s newest pop-up imprint is readying its Deathblow.

Since his return to comics earlier this year in Warren Ellis and Jon Davis-Hunt’s masterful THE WILD STORM, Michael Cray has been a man without a mission. After failing in his attempt to assassinate HALO mastermind Jacob Marlowe and igniting an international incident in the process, things for the hired gun took a turn for the worse when he discovered that he also had a brain tumor that would most likely take his life.

Or so he thought.

When last we saw Cray, he had been forced out of International Operations, the secret organization that runs the world, when he was approached by Christine Trelane with an offer to join her rival organization. To learn what happens next, fans will have to look to future issues of The Wild Storm along with Cray’s new solo spinoff, which will be landing in stores this fall.

WILDSTORM: MICHAEL CRAY will serve as the second comic series to be released in the WildStorm imprint overseen by Ellis. Written by Bryan Hill with contributions by Ellis and drawn by N. Steven Harris and Dexter Vines, it promises to distill the lofty conspiracies of The Wild Storm through a far more personal lens. And the description of the first issue is both intriguing AND surprising…

Warren Ellis’ critically acclaimed relaunch of WildStorm gets its first solo spinoff series! Michael Cray, professional assassin, has been betrayed by International Operations and has an alien life-form in his head that’s either killing him, transforming him, or both. The only thing that can bring sense to his life is for him to do what he does best: kill the wrong people for the right reasons. But Michael needs support and resources to hit back against I.O., and he gets them in exchange for working with Trelane, taking out her targets, his way. First up? A sociopathic silicon-valley billionaire by the name of Oliver Queen!

Oliver Queen?!? Is the WildStorm imprint about to cross over into the DCU? And it sounds like there’s a lot more to that brain tumor of Cray’s than we realized. Look for the first issue of Wildstorm: Michael Cray on October 11, 2017.

----------------------

"Being Mary Jane" Returns to BET Tues., July 18th

“BEING MARY JANE” Season Four Returns Tuesday, July 18 at 10 PM

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--This summer, BET Networks’ #1 original drama series, starring Gabrielle Union, “BEING MARY JANE” returns just in time to bring the heat. On Tuesday, July 18, 2017 at 10 PM season four returns with ten more episodes giving viewers their fix of the drama in the world of Mary Jane Paul.

Viewers will catch up with Mary Jane as she has bitten off more of the Big Apple than she can chew. After becoming a national anchor on the morning news show “Great Day USA,” Mary Jane is feeling distrustful of Justin (Michael Ealy) after Kara’s (Lisa Vidal) firing. Mary Jane tries to make it work with Lee (Chiké Okonkwo), but resisting Justin is undermining her performance in the coveted co-anchor spot and forces a final reckoning with Lee.

"BEING MARY JANE" is executive produced by Will Packer and Erica Shelton Kodish who serves as the series showrunner and writer. Packer and Shelton Kodish join Gabrielle Union, Mara Brock Akil and Salim Akil as executive producers and co-executive producer Jeff Morrone. The series was created by Mara Brock Akil. BET, Will Packer Productions and Akil Productions will produce the fourth season of the series. Korin D. Huggins, Head of Television for Will Packer Productions, will oversee on behalf of Will Packer Productions.

For video sneak peeks and first looks from the new season of "BEING MARY JANE," visit the official page at BET.com/beingmaryjane. Viewers can also find series updates on Facebook by liking the fan page at Facebook: Facebook.com/BeingMaryJane. Also, join the conversation about the show on Twitter by using hashtag: #BeingMaryJane; follow the show for all updates & special surprises: @BeingMaryJane. For more information about the series visit BET.com.


About BET Networks
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks - BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.

# # #

Follow on Twitter: @BET_PR

--------------------------

"Isn't It Romantic?" with Rebel Wilson Begins Production

Production Underway on New Line Cinema’s “Isn’t It Romantic?”

Rebel Wilson, Liam Hemsworth, Adam Devine and Priyanka Chopra provide topsy-turvy love and laughs under the direction of Todd Strauss-Schulson

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Principal photography has begun on New Line Cinema’s romantic comedy “Isn’t It Romantic?” starring Rebel Wilson (“How to Be Single,” the “Pitch Perfect” films), Liam Hemsworth (the “Hunger Games” films), Adam Devine (“The Intern,” the “Pitch Perfect” films) and Priyanka Chopra (“Quantico,” “Baywatch”), under the direction of Todd Strauss-Schulson (“A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas,” “The Final Girls”).

New York City architect Natalie works hard to get noticed at her job, but is more likely to be asked to deliver coffee and bagels than to design the city’s next skyscraper. And if things weren’t bad enough, Natalie, a lifelong cynic when it comes to love, has an encounter with a mugger that renders her unconscious, waking to discover that her life has suddenly become her worst nightmare—a romantic comedy—and she is the leading lady.

Wilson stars as Natalie, alongside Liam Hemsworth as Blake, a handsome client; Adam Devine, as her earnest best friend, Josh; and Priyanka Chopra as yoga ambassador Isabella.

Strauss-Schulson directs from a screenplay by Erin Cardillo, Dana Fox & Katie Silberman, and Paula Pell. Todd Garner (“Paul Blart: Mall Cop,” “Tag”), Gina Matthews & Grant Scharbo (“13 Going on 30,” “What Women Want”) are producing, with Marty Ewing (“The Accountant,” “It”) and Jeremy Stein (“Into the Storm”) executive producing. Filming is taking place in and around New York City.

Collaborating with Strauss-Schulson behind the scenes are director of photography Simon Duggan (“The Great Gatsby,” “Hacksaw Ridge”), production designer Sharon Seymour (“Argo,” “The Town”), editor Andrew Marcus (“Begin Again,” “Sing Street”), and costume designer Leah Katznelson (“How to Be Single,” “Sleeping with Other People”).

The film is set for a Valentine’s Day release in 2019, and will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

----------------------

Amazon Announces Animated Series, "Niko and the Sword of Light," for July 21st

Amazon Original Kids Series Niko and the Sword of Light Premieres July 21 on Prime Video

New animated series, based on the motion graphic comic by Imaginism Studios, Inc. and Studio NX, features the voice talent of Tom Kenny, Andre Robinson, Steve Blum, Kevin Michael Richardson, Jim Cummings, and Kari Wahlgren

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(NASDAQ: AMZN)—Amazon announced its original animated series for kids ages 6-11, "Niko and the Sword of Light," is scheduled to premiere on July 21, 2017, on Prime Video. The new fantasy adventure series—the first Amazon Original to win an Emmy Award for the pilot before the series launch–features the voice talent of Tom Kenny (SpongeBob SquarePants), Andre Robinson (Doc McStuffins), Steve Blum (Star Wars: Rebels), Kevin Michael Richardson (The Penguins of Madagascar), Jim Cummings (Shrek), and Kari Wahlgren (Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness). The pilot is now available to stream exclusively for Prime members via the Amazon Prime Video app for TVs; connected devices, including Fire TV, mobile devices; and online—Prime members can also download the pilot to mobile devices for offline viewing at no additional cost to their membership.

    “This show is amazing!! It provides a rare place where both my son loves it and I love it for him to watch.”

“We’re excited for kids and families to enter into Niko’s unique, rich world and meaningfully connect with the series characters as they tag along on epic adventures together,” said Tara Sorensen, Head of Kids Programming at Amazon Studios. “The series pilot was extremely popular among viewers, who were won over by the show’s quirky engaging storylines and humor, and we can’t wait to present them with many more exhilarating escapades in Season 1.”

Niko and the Sword of Light follows 10-year-old Niko, the last of his kind in a strange, fantastical world, as he embarks on an epic quest to defeat the darkness and bring the light back to his land. Armed with his magic sword, brave Niko journeys to the Cursed Volcano, making new friends and powerful foes along the way, all while uncovering secrets about his mysterious past. Based on the motion graphic comic by Imaginism Studios, Inc., the studio behind character and concept designs for Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland and Men in Black 3, and Studio NX (The Carrot and Rabbit Show, Tree Fu Tom), Niko and the Sword of Light is animated by Titmouse (Motorcity, Metalocalpyse, Turbo FAST, Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja) and executive produced by Rob Hoegee (Generator Rex, League of Super Evil, Storm Hawks, Teen Titans) who also serves as showrunner.

Below are what customers have said about Niko and the Sword of Light:

•     “Best new animated kids show in a long time.”
•     “This show is amazing!! It provides a rare place where both my son loves it and I love it for him to watch.”
•     “Watched this with my 4.5 year old daughter and we both LOVED it. She immediately asked to watch the next episode. I love the characters designs and motivations.”
•     “Great characters and animation featuring young children of color. We are thirsty for this!”
•     “Wonderful, imaginative, uplifting.”

The Niko and the Sword of Light pilot is currently available to stream and enjoy using the Amazon Prime Video app for TVs; connected devices, including Amazon Fire TV and mobile devices; and online at www.amazon.com/originals. Customers who are not already a Prime member can sign up for a free trial at www.amazon.com/prime. For a list of all Amazon Video compatible devices, visit www.amazon.com/howtostream. Niko and the Sword of Light is also available as part of Amazon FreeTime Unlimited, the all-you-can-eat subscription service designed from the ground up for kids. FreeTime Unlimited is available exclusively on Amazon devices, including Amazon Fire TV and Fire tablets, and a year-long subscription is included with every Fire Kids Edition.


About Amazon Originals Kids Programming
In 2014, Amazon Studios began introducing Original Kids Series for Prime Video, kicking off with the Emmy award-winning series, Tumble Leaf, about a delightfully curious blue fox, and his best friend Stick, a quirky caterpillar, as they embark on a fun and nature-filled adventure. Today, customers can enjoy 13 Original Kids Series including Just Add Magic, Annedroids, Dino Dana, Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street, and An American Girl Story which consists of four separate specials. Five additional series are confirmed to debut later this year including Danger & Eggs, Emmy award-winning Niko and the Sword of Light, Emmy award-winning Lost in Oz, Sigmund and the Sea Monsters, and If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.

The mission of Amazon’s original preschool series is to inspire lifelong creative learning in children beginning at the preschool age. The aim is to validate, maintain and foster young children’s creative, joyful, and curious learning spirit through offering core content that is integrated with skills children need now and for the future. This is accomplished by integrating a curriculum thread through all preschool shows including The Stinky & Dirty Show, Creative Galaxy and Wishenpoof, working with established creators and educational advisors that comprise the Thought Leader Board and developing learning experiences that extend beyond the screen. All of this is to give parents confidence that these programs will provide valuable skills and life lessons that children can use in their real life—while being entertaining at the same time.

To date, Amazon Original Kids Series has won numerous awards including 16 Daytime Creative Arts Emmys, 3 Annie Awards, 20 Parent’s Choice Awards, 1 Annecy, and many more. Prime Video’s growing line-up of award-winning and critically-acclaimed Originals for kids and families are available to stream and enjoy using the Amazon Prime Video app for compatible TVs, connected devices, including Amazon Fire TV and mobile devices, or online at www.amazon.com/kidsoriginals.

About Amazon Video
Amazon Video is a premium on-demand entertainment service that offers customers the greatest choice in what to watch and how to watch it. Amazon Video is the only service that provides all of the following:

    Prime Video: Thousands of movies and TV shows, including popular licensed content plus critically-acclaimed and award-winning Amazon Original Series and Movies from Amazon Studios like Transparent, The Man in the High Castle, Love & Friendship, and kids series Tumble Leaf, available for unlimited streaming as part of an Amazon Prime membership. Prime Video is also now available to customers in more than 200 countries and territories around the globe at www.primevideo.com.

•     Amazon Channels: Over 100 video subscriptions to networks like HBO, SHOWTIME, STARZ, PBS KIDS, Acorn TV, and more, available to Amazon Prime members in the US as add-ons to their membership. To view the full list of available channels, visit www.amazon.com/channels.
•     Rent or Own: Hundreds of thousands of titles, including new release movies and current TV shows available for on-demand rental or purchase for all Amazon customers.
•     Instant Access: Customers can instantly watch anytime, anywhere through the Amazon Video app on compatible TVs, mobile devices, Amazon Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, and Fire tablets, or online. For a list of all compatible devices, visit www.amazon.com/howtostream.
•     Premium Features: Top features like 4K Ultra HD, High Dynamic Range (HDR) and mobile downloads for offline viewing of select content.

In addition to Prime Video, the Prime membership includes unlimited fast free shipping options across all categories available on Amazon, more than two million songs and thousands of playlists and stations with Prime Music, secure photo storage with Prime Photos, unlimited reading with Prime Reading, unlimited access to a digital audiobook catalog with Audible Channels for Prime, a rotating selection of free digital games and in-game loot with Twitch Prime, early access to select Lightning Deals, exclusive access and discounts to select items, and more. To sign-up for Prime or to find out more, visit: www.amazon.com/prime.

About Amazon
Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit www.amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews.

------------------------

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from July 9th to 15th, 2017 - Update #31

Support Leroy on Patreon.

PIXAR - From YahooMovies:  At the D23 Expo, Pixar surprises with details on "The Incredibles 2," including that the story focuses on "Elasti-Girl."

----------
OBIT - From Variety:  Veteran film producer Evzen Kolar has died at the age of 67, Tuesday, July 11, 2017.  He produced a number of film including Sean Connery's rogue James Bond film, "Never Say Never Again," and "Street Smart," the film for which Morgan Freeman earned his first Oscar nomination.

----------
MOVIES-TV - From ShadowandAct:  Tyler Perry has signed an exclusive film.TV/short form video deal with Viacom that runs through 2024.  The film portion of the deal begins immediately, while the TV/short form video begins in 2019 after Perry deal with OWN ends.

----------
MUSIC - From THR:  Beyonce reveals first image of her recently born twin children (a boy and a girl).

----------
TELEVISION - From YahooTV:  A stuntman on AMC's "The Walking Dead" television series has died after an on-set accident.

----------
MUPPETS - From TheWrap:  Steve Whitmire, the puppeteer who has given voice to Kermit the Frog since Kermit creator Jim Henson's death in 1990 has been fired by Disney.

----------
TELEVISION - From YahooTV:  Here are your 2016-17 Emmy nominations.  NBC's "Saturday Night Live" and HBO's "Westworld" lead with 22 nominations each.

From YahooTV:  Emmy nominations are out today.

----------
COMICS-FILM - From TheWrap:  Director Matt Reeves has scrapped the script Ben Affleck and Geoff Johns wrote for "The Batman," and is starting again on a completely new take.

----------
CELEBRITY:  From YahooStyle:  See Meryl Streep's "Obamas" bag.

----------
LGBTQ - From YahooCelebrity:  Yes, Neil, James Woods is "utterly ignorant and classless."

----------
MOVIES - From THR:   Blake Lively is set to star in a spy thriller, "The Rhythm Section," from the James Bond producers, Eon Productions.

----------
MOVIES - From THR:  David Ayer has left Universal's reboot of the film "Scarface" as director.

----------
MOVIES - From THR:  Quentin Tarantino's next project is reportedly a movie about the infamous Charles Manson/Manson Family murders.

From IndieWire:  Tarantino wants Brad Pitt and Jennifer Lawrence for his Manson Family murders film.

----------
MOVIES - From Variety:  Clint Eastwood has cast three soldiers to play themselves in his film, "The 15:17 to Paris," based on their real-life story.

----------
MOVIES - From ThePlaylist:  Charlize Theron says that the script for the "Mad Max: Fury Road" prequel, "Furiosa," is ready to go.

----------
TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Twisty the Clown, a character from American Horror Story: Freak Show will return for "American Horror Story" Season 7.

----------
OBIT - From THR:  The actor Ji-Tu Cumbuka died at the age of 77, Tuesday, July 4th, 2017.  He was known for his appearances in the epic TV miniseries, "Roots."  He also appeared in such films as "Harlem Nights," "Mandingo," and "Brewster's Millions."  You may not know his name, but when you see the picture of him posted with the article, you will recognize him this fine actor.

----------
COMICS-FILM - From ShadowandAct:  Disney's cable network, Freeform, is already preparing Marvel Comics' "Cloak and Dagger" for television.  Now, they are also prepping Marvel's "New Warriors."  Jeremy Tardyand Kate Comer have been cast in the show.

----------
TELEVISION - From Variety:  George R.R. Martin, whose novels became the Emmy-winning HBO series, "Game of Thrones," is the executive producer of a new HBO series based on the novel, "Who Fears Death," by Nnedi Okorafor.

----------
MOVIES - From Variety:  Barry Jenkins first film since "Best Picture" Oscar winner, "Moonlight," will be "If Beale Street Could Talk" from Annapurna Pictures.

----------
TELEVISION - From THR:  HBO unveils a trailer for Season 9 of Larry David's beloved sitcom, "Curb Your Enthusiasm."  Season 8 ended in 2011.

----------
TELEVISION - From Variety:  Bill Skarsgard is playing "Pennywise" in the upcoming film adaptation of Stephen King's novel, "It."  He is also going to be a series regular in Hulu's Stephen King series, "Castle Rock."

----------
MOVIES - From EntertainmentWeekly:  The "Jurassic World" sequel, "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom," has recently finished filming, and EW talks about what it knows about the film.

----------
BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficeMojo:  The winner of the 7/7 to 7/9/2017 weekend box office is "Spider-Man: Homecoming" with an estimated take of $117 million.

From TheWrap:  Four reasons why "Spider-Man: Homecoming" is another Marvel Cinematic Universe hit.

From YahooMovies:  "Spider-Man: Homecoming" as a $117 million opening weekend.

From Deadline:  "A Ghost Story" scares strong at specialty box office.

----------
BOND - From ScreenRant:  Daniel Craig has reportedly agreed to a deal to return to play James Bond for a fifth time in what would be the 25th EON Bond movie.

----------
OBIT - From YahooNews:  The actor Nelsan Ellis has died at the age of 39, Saturday, July 8, 2017.  Ellis was best known for the role of Lafayette Reynolds on the HBO series, "True Blood."

TRAILERS:

From EW:  The first teaser for Disney and Ava DuVernay's "A Wrinkle in Time."

"Tokyo Gegegay," "Zoomadanke," Among Music and Dance Artists at J-Pop Summit 2017

J-POP SUMMIT 2017 ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL MUSIC AND DANCE ARTISTS AND OTHER KINETIC LIVE PERFORMERS

The San Francisco Bay Area’s Premiere Japanese Pop Culture Event Presents Anison Singer May’n, Kendama Performers Zoomadanke, Vogue-Inspired Dance Team TOKYO GEGEGAY, And Renowned Studio Ghibli Singer Azumi Inoue And Daughter Yuyu

San Francisco, CA – J-POP SUMMIT 2017, one of the world’s biggest Japanese pop culture events, has announced additional dance and music artists set to perform at this year’s festival.

This year’s event will be highlighted by an exciting 2-day slate of live music from a wide range of top Japanese pop, anison (anime song), dance, electronica, enka (Japanese soul) and rock artists that will complement an extensive roster of immersive experiences and attractions inspired by the wonders of Japanese pop culture.

Just-added artists that are scheduled to perform include anison rock singer, May’n, world-renowned professional Kendama performers from Japan, Zoomadanke, the vogue-inspired dance performance group, TOKYO GEGEGAY, and the mother and daughter singing duo of Azumi Inoue & Yuyu; the widely renowned singer of theme songs to beloved anime films from the legendary Studio Ghibli, and her daughter Yuyu.

The newly added artists complement other live performers previously announced that include BAND-MAID, Babyraids Japan, Misaki Iwasa (Former AKB48) and YANAKIKU.

J-POP SUMMIT 2017 takes place on Saturday and Sunday, September 9th and 10th at the Fort Mason Center for Arts and Culture located in San Francisco’s Marina district. Attendees will experience the festival’s theme of ARTS, EATS and INNOVATIONS; a vibrant celebration of Japanese pop culture featuring live music, Japanese food and travel attractions, and interactive technologies. The festival is accented by ramen vendors, sake-tasting, and additional events highlighted by celebrity Guests of Honor. Festival details are available at www.J-POP.com.

J-POP SUMMIT 2017 (Fort Mason Center-only) Tickets are available for VIP, 1-Day, 2-Day, and Kid’s Passes (ages 0-12). Adult single-day passes start at only $35.00 each; 2-day passes start at only $50.00 each. Additional ticket purchase details can be found at:

http://www.J-POP.com/2017/Tickets.

About May’n
As one of the must-see Japanese female rock vocalists of a new generation, May’n has performed a wide array of music for anime. She drew initial acclaim as the singing voice of Diva of the Galaxy, Sheryl Nome, in the anime series, Macross Frontier. In 2014, she made a long-time dream come true by completing her biggest world tour ever consisting of 47 cities in Japan and multiple foreign countries, including her first-ever appearance at J-POP SUMMIT in San Francisco. More details available at: http://www.j-pop.com/guests/mayn.

About Zoomadanke
Zoomadanke is one of the most famous professional Kendama performers in Japan. The duo consists of Takeshi Kodama (Kodaman) and Hiroki Iijima (Easy). They are pioneers who blend the elements of Kendama, which is a traditional Japanese wooden toy, with dance and music to create a new style of live performance. Their stylish and acrobatic performances also have captured a growing international following. More details are available at: http://www.j-pop.com/guests/zoomadanke.

About TOKYO GEGEGAY
TOKYO GEGEGAY is an eccentric art and dance performance group led by Munetaka Maki, aka MIKEY, along with four girls: housewife BOW, yoga instructor MARIE, University student MIKU, and the Colleen Bawn of the group, YUYU. TOKYO GEGEGAY recently won the 10th Japan Dance Forum Award. This award is given to an individual or a group with a remarkable year of creative activity and who has made a major contribution to dance scene in Japan. The group also has performed in the Philippines and Thailand. By crossing cultural borders, the troupe has leveraged the power of dance and has received extremely positive coverage from fans and the media. More details available at: http://www.j-pop.com/guests/tokyo-gegegay.

About Azumi Inoue & Yuyu
Making her debut in 1983, Azumi Inoue first gained notice as the singer of the end theme for Hayao Miyazaki’s Studio Ghibli anime movie, Laputa: Castle In The Sky with “Carrying You.” Performing as a singer on many early Studio Ghibli movies, she is also known for such favorites as the opening and closing themes for My Neighbor Totoro: “Stroll” and “My Neighbor Totoro;” and incidental music for Kiki’s Delivery Service: “Changing Seasons” and “Maho No Nukumori.”

Yuyu is the daughter of Azumi Inoue. In 2012 Yuyu made her debut at the age of seven on the public broadcasting channel NHK, performing the song “6 Sai No Ballad” (6 Year-Old’s Ballad) for the TV show, Minna No Uta, which has a 50-year history, was bombarded with requests for the song, making it a huge hit. In 2014, her song, “Hanbun Otona” (Half an adult), a duet performed with her mother Azumi Inoue, was also broadcast on NHK’s Minna No Uta, making it her third consecutive song to be shown on the program. She is currently a 12-year-old junior high school student.

More details are available at: http://www.j-pop.com/guests/azumi-inoue-yuyu/

Visit www.J-POP.com for additional festival information and a comprehensive listing of all the J-POP SUMMIT 2017 attractions and events.

About J-POP SUMMIT
J-POP SUMMIT is one of the world’s biggest Japanese pop culture events held annually in San Francisco, CA. As an open playground of discovery and diversion inspired by the wonders of Japanese pop culture, J-POP SUMMIT presents ARTS, EATS and INNOVATIONS; a vibrant celebration of Japanese pop culture featuring live music, Japanese food and travel attractions, and interactive technologies. With more than 20,000 attendees for two days, the festival has become an immersive landing platform for new trends from Japan.

Official website: www.j-pop.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JPOPSummit/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JpopSummitFest

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jpopsummit

----------------------------