NEW PEOPLE ENTERTAINMENT TO RELEASE JAPANESE SCI-FI THILLER GANTZ ON DVD AND BLU-RAY IN AUGUST



Sci-Fi Live-Action Film Based On Hit Anime/Manga Series Features Two Of The Biggest Stars Of

Japanese Cinema



San Francisco, CA – August 2, 2011 – NEW PEOPLE Entertainment, a film division of NEW PEOPLE, Inc. that focuses on the licensing and distribution of Japanese films and media, will delight sci-fi, action and anime/manga fans across North America with the release of GANTZ on DVD (SRP $24.92) and Blu-ray/DVD combo-pack(SRP $29.99) on August 30th. The film, which is unrated, features both English and Japanese dialogue options and a bonus disc with an exclusive director’s interview and film trailers.



To celebrate the film’s release, a special screening of GANTZ is scheduled for Friday, August 26th at 7:00pm in San Francisco at NEW PEOPLE’s Cinema as part of the 2011 J-Pop Summit Festival. The film will be shown in Japanese with English subtitles. Get a great deal by purchasing a ticket bundle that also includes the brand-new DVD or Blu-ray plus a poster. Tickets and more information are available at http://www.newpeopleworld.com/films.



In addition, the San Francisco theatrical premiere of GANTZ II: Perfect Answer will also take place during the J-Pop Summit Festival on both Saturday, August 27th and Sunday August 28th. The film will also be shown in Japanese with English subtitles. Complete details on the J-Pop Summit are available at: www.J-Pop.com.



GANTZ is based on a hit manga series created by Hiroya Oku and stars leading Japanese actors Kazunari Ninomiya (Letters from Iwo Jima) and Kenichi Matsuyama (Death Note, Detroit Metal City). The film tells the story of two childhood friends that are accidentally killed while trying to save another man’s life. Rather than find themselves in the hereafter, however, they awaken in a strange apartment in which they find a mysterious black orb they come to know as “GANTZ.” Along with similar abductees, they are provided with equipment and weaponry and manipulated into playing a kind of game in which they are sent back out to the greater world to do battle with alien beings, all while never quite knowing whether this game is an illusion or their new reality.

“GANTZ first thrilled domestic audiences when we presented the film theatrically in a special one-night-only premiere at over 300 movie theatres nationally earlier this year that was attended by thousands of people across North America,” says Seiji Horibuchi, President and CEO of NEW PEOPLE, Inc. “Anticipation has risen steadily since then and fans now have the exclusive opportunity to own the film on DVD and Blu-ray with our release on August 30th. GANTZ features two of the biggest stars in Japanese cinema and remains true to the innovative storyline from the original manga series. Fans won’t want to miss this exciting release and stay tuned for news coming soon on the upcoming release of the film’s action-packed sequel, GANTZ II: Perfect Answer!”



Kazunari Ninomiya, best known in America for his role in Clint Eastwood’s 2006 blockbuster, Letters from Iwo Jima, is both an actor and a singer. He is also world-renowned as a member of the Japanese boy band “Arashi,” which topped Japan’s music charts in 2009 with the three best-selling singles.



Kenichi Matsuyama is currently one of the most sought-after actors in Japanese film and he has won several awards including Japanese Academy Awards Best New Actor (2007) and Most Popular Actor (2009). Matsuyama is widely recognized for his part as L in Death Note (2006), Death Note II: the Last Name (2006) and Death Note: L, change the WorLd (2008) and also for his portrayal of Johannes Krauser II in the outlandish rock and roll comedy, Detroit Metal City (2009).





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.