TOYOTA x STUDIO4˚C PRESENTS THE “PES (PEACE ECO SMILE) PROJECT” AND TOP LIVE J-POP/J-ROCK MUSIC ACTS LoVendoЯ AND SWEETY AT 2013 J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL

Sample New “Cross Collaboration” Anime Project As Well As Live

 Girls Band LoVendoЯ and J-Pop Group Sweety, Music Video Screenings & Special In-Person Appearance By PES Anime Director Hidekazu Ohara

San Francisco, CA, July 22, 2013 – Toyota Motor Sales & Marketing (TMSM) has announced its participation with “PES (Peace Eco Smile),” a collaborative animation project with STUDIO4ºC, and its Diamond Level Sponsorship of the 2013 J-POP Summit Festival, taking place Saturday, July 27 and Sunday, July 28, 2013 in San Francisco, CA, to present a range of special animated programming and live music events for the annual Japanese pop culture celebration.

At its booth during J-POP Summit, Toyota Motor Sales & Marketing will present “PES (Peace Eco Smile),” a new collaborative animation project with STUDIO4ºC, a leading Japanese animation studio. A prominent PES tent will be stationed in the center of the Festival to host PES screenings, live appearances by a variety of special Guests of Honor and music video screenings by a variety of hot J-Pop and J-Rock acts.

Toyota Motor Sales & Marketing and J-POP Summit are also proud to present the exclusive U.S. concert debut of the new girl band, LoVendoЯ, and girl’s pop trio, Sweety. This will be the first time that LoVendoЯ and Sweety will perform live in the United States.

The 2013 J-POP Summit will offer numerous attractions and events including live bands, edgy fashion shows, anime and live-action film premieres, Guest of Honor appearances, live art performances, merchants and vendor booths. Full details are available at www.J-POP.com.

Performing Artists:

LoVendoЯ

Reina Tanaka (Vocals), Marina Okada (Vocals), Yuki Uozumi (Guitar), Marin Miyazawa (Guitar)

Led by the dynamic singer Reina Tanaka, a former star of "Morning Musume。” this new 4-piece girl band will make their U.S. debut on the J-POP Summit Main stage in Japantown’s Peace Plaza on Saturday, July 27^th. This new group is Reina Tanaka’s first project after she took part in "Morning Musume。," one of the most popular idol groups in Japan, and includes three additional members that were chosen from among 4,000 candidates in a nationwide audition!  More information available at: http://lovendor.jp.

LoVendoЯ Talk & Music Video Screening

TOYOTA x STUDIO4ºC Meets ANA Tent

Saturday, July 27; 11:00am - 11:30am

LoVendoЯ & Sweety LIVE Performance

Pagoda Stage Peace Plaza

Saturday, July 27; 5:00pm – 6:00pm

LoVendoЯ LIVE Performance

Union Square

Sunday, July 28; 2:30pm - 3:00pm

LoVendoЯ Merchandise Sales & Autograph Session

TOYOTA x STUDIO4ºC Meets ANA Tent

Saturday, July 27; 11:30am - 12:00pm

Sunday, July 28; 5:00pm - 6:00pm

※Autograph session limited to the first 50 customers who purchase a LoVendoЯ CD.

Sweety

Yurika Takagi (Vocals), Yui Hasegawa (Vocals), Sayaka Takenouchi (Vocals)

The trio Sweety was formed while the group members were attending the Holy Peak Voice Actor’s School. They made their debut with the ending theme song of the popular anime series, “Sengoku Collection,” which was televised on TV Tokyo. The members of Sweety also work as voice actresses. Their newest single “My Line” was released on June 3, 2013; their second album, “Back Into My World,” debuted in August 2012.

More information at: http://www.holypeak.com/sweety/home.html

Sweety LIVE, Talk & Music Video Screening
TOYOTA x STUDIO4ºC Meets ANA TENTSaturday, July 27; 2:30 pm - 3:00 pm

Sweety Talk & Music Video Screening

TOYOTA x STUDIO4ºC Meets ANA TENT

Sunday, July 28; 12:00pm - 12:30pm

Sweety Photography, Merchandise Sales & Autograph Session

TOYOTA x STUDIO4ºC Meets ANA Tent

Saturday, July 27;   3:10pm - 3:30pm

Sunday, July 28;    12:30pm - 1:00pm and 4:30pm – 5:00pm

Panel Discussion Event:

PES (Peace Eco Smile) Project: Next Generation “Cross Collaboration”

Sponsored by Toyota Motor Sales & Marketing, PES is a series of full-scale animated works by a variety of top directors and creative visionaries from Japan’s animation industry. Toyota recognizes the "Toy" in its own corporate name as the origin of lively and cheerful joy. As part of ToyToyota projects aimed at spreading the joy of mobility, Toyota and leading anime company STUDIO4ºC have partnered to create PES (Peace Eco Smile), an innovative anime series that explores the joy of driving and the importance of safety by following a curious alien. .

As part of this year’s new collaboration project, “Next Generation - PES” content presented during the 2013 J-POP Summit Festival, famed anime director Hidekazu Ohara will appear in person to discuss thoughts he has incorporated into his works and also take part in a special autograph session. Every director of the PES series is unique but each conveys a similar idea of environmental conservation. Through the animated works, PES hopes to convey these messages globally. More info is available at: http://www.toytoyota.com/pes/en.

Director Hidekazu Ohara Talk Event: PES Next Generation

TOYOTA x STUDIO4ºC Meets ANA Tent

Saturday, July 27; 1:30pm - 2:30pm (w/ Sweety)

Director Hidekazu Ohara Autograph Session

TOYOTA x STUDIO4ºC Meets ANA Tent

Sunday, July 28;　1:00pm - 1:30pm

PES Collaboration Music Video Screenings

Visitors are invited to sample dynamic music videos by a range of top J-Pop artists including LoVendoЯ, Sweety, Una, Akaiko-en, and Petit Milady.

Sweety PES Season 1 Screening

TOYOTA x STUDIO STUDIO4ºC Meets ANA Tent

Saturday, July 27; 1:00pm - 1:30pm

5 PES Music Videos Loop Screening

TOYOTA x STUDIO STUDIO4ºC Meets ANA Tent

Saturday, July 27; 12:30pm-1:00pm; 3:30pm-4:00pm; 4:30pm-6:00pm

Sunday, July 28; 11:00－12:00; 1:30pm-3:00pm; 4:00pm-4:30pm

About J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL

The J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL is an annual Japanese Pop Culture celebration that features live bands and artists from Japan, pop culture panel discussions, film premieres, fashion and DJ dance events, and celebrity appearances. The Festival is hosted by NEW PEOPLE in cooperation with the Japantown Merchants Association. In 2012, the two-day event attracted 65,000 attendees. More information about J-POP Summit Festival is available at: J-POP.com.