San Francisco Bay Guardian Holds a Special Event to Screen 20th Century Boys at New People Viz Cinema

Guardian Arts Series Invites Fans To RSVP For V.I.P. Reception Party And Screening Of Exciting SciFi Action Film At The Unique Japanese Pop Culture Venue

San Francisco, CA, December 10, 2009 – NEW PEOPLE, a dynamic entertainment destination bringing the latest examples of Japanese popular culture to North American shores, joins with the San Francisco Bay Guardian newspaper as the Guardian Arts Series presents a complementary V.I.P. screening of 20th Century Boys 1: Beginning of the End on Thursday, December 17th at VIZ Cinema.

Theatre-goers can enjoy snacks and beverages at San Francisco's gateway to Japanese pop culture during a special reception from 6:00pm - 7:15pm with the film scheduled to screen at 7:30pm. The Guardian Arts Series presents a variety of exciting and affordable events appealing to the Bay Area's arts enthusiasts

To attend this event, please RSVP to an invitation posted on the NEW PEOPLE web site at: www.NewPeopleWorld.com or also on the San Francisco Bay Guardian's web site at: www.sfbg.com/promo. Only those who RSVP will be eligible to attend and reception capacity will be limited to 300 persons. The private screening of 20th Century Boys will be open to the first 125 people who check in at the V.I.P. reception so get there early!

Also browse the Guardian's Facebook page for another opportunity to attend! The deadline to enter the Facebook contest is December 14th. NEW PEOPLE and VIZ Cinema are located at 1746 Post St. in the heart of San Francisco's historic Japantown.

Based on the best-selling manga series by Naoki Urasawa, this first chapter of the 20th Century Boys film trilogy revolves around the “Book of Prophecy” written by a boy named Kenji and his friends, who imagine a hero who will stand up to an evil organization plotting to destroy the world. Thirty years later, a series of global catastrophes occur exactly as they were described in their book. With the power of music, will Kenji be able to save the world from destruction?!

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.

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.