Image from Detroit Metal City

VIZ PICTURES PREMIERES THE ZANY HEAVY METAL HIJINKS OF DETROIT METAL CITY FOR J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2010

Live Air Guitar Performance, Special Cosplay Award and Panel Discussion Highlight The VIZ Cinema Theatrical Premiere Of Live Action Comedy That Features Appearances By Gene Simmons And Marty Friedman

VIZ Pictures brings the zany heavy metal comedy of Detroit Metal City (DMC) for an exclusive theatrical premiere at VIZ Cinema at 7:00pm during the J-Pop Summit Festival, taking place next Saturday, September 18th. Tickets for the premiere are $15.00 and are available at www.vizcinema.com or the theatre box office. A pre-show reception with snacks and beverages will be held in the cinema lobby beginning at 6:00pm.

To further celebrate the J-POP Summit Fest premiere event, at 5:00pm on the outdoor NEW PEOPLE stage, VIZ Pictures will stage a performance by San Francisco air guitar champion Matthew "Cold Steel Renegade" Feldstein and also invites fans to a “Let’s Talk DMC” panel discussion led by Patrick Macias, Editor of Otaku USA magazine, and two other special guests.

A cos-play contest hosted by San Francisco anime convention Anime On Display will award free tickets for the premiere to contestants dressed as a Detroit Metal City character.

The Top DMC cos-players will each win a free ticket to the movie premiere at 7:00pm, and the Top 2 DMC cos-players will re-appear on the NEW PEOPLE stage at 5:00pm to battle for a Grand Prize package that includes a $50 gift card to VIZ Cinema, a Death Note Collection Blu-ray and more. Fans may pre-register for contest at www.aodsf.org or simply visit the Animation On Display booth at the J-Pop Summit Festival.

Detroit Metal City takes the zany rock antics inspired by films like Spinal Tap to hilarious new extremes in this film directed by Toshio Lee and based on the popular manga comic created by Kiminori Wakasugi. It features notable appearances by Gene Simmons from the legendary band, KISS, and Marty Friedman of Megadeth, and stars Kenichi Matsuyama, one of the most adored actors in Japan today and also known widely for his role as 'L' in the Death Note films (also available from VIZ Pictures).

In the film, Soichi Negishi (played by Kenichi Matsuyama) is a sweet and shy young man who dreams of becoming a trendy singer songwriter. But for some reason, he is forced into joining the devil worshiping death metal band “Detroit Metal City” (DMC). In full stage make-up and costume, he transforms into Johannes Krauser II the vulgar-mouthed lead vocalist of the band. But he must keep this a secret from his crush, Yuri Aikawa, who despises death metal. What would she think if she found out? But against Negishi’s will, DMC rises to stardom. Things get even more complicated when the legendary king of death metal, Jack IL Dark (played by Gene Simmons), challenges DMC to a duel in the film’s climactic finale. What will be the fate of innocent Negishi as he climbs to the top of the death metal world?

Detroit Metal City will continue to play at VIZ Cinema until September 30th. Tickets are $10. 

Please visit www.DMCtheMovie.com or VIZ-Pictures.com for more information about the film.

About VIZ Pictures, Inc.:
Based in San Francisco, California, VIZ Pictures, Inc. licenses and distributes selective Japanese live-action films and DVDs, with focus on Japanese "kawaii (cute) and cool" pop culture.  VIZ Pictures 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, 20TH CENTURY BOYS, and TRAIN MAN: DENSHA OTOKO. VIZ Pictures is also the producer of NEW PEOPLE, a part of the J-Pop Center Project, a unique entertainment destination bringing Japanese pop culture through film, art, fashion, and retail products.  For more information please visit www.viz-pictures.com or www.newpeopleworld.com.

The J-Pop Summit Festival 2010 presents a variety of fun Japanese pop-inspired attractions including fashion shows, a theatrical film premiere, live art performances, and mini-concerts by some of Japan’s hottest bands. Innovative artists and companies from the Bay area and Japan will join in with an array of products for sale in open air displays on both sides of Post Street and a food court highlighting Japanese cuisine will further complement the celebration. More details are available at: www.J-Pop.com.