By JQ magazine editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02). Justin has written about Japanese arts and entertainment for JETAA since 2005. For more of his articles, click here.
Spring has sprung in the Big Apple, and that means one thing: a new season of sounds, colors, and spectacular performing arts to match the blossoming sakura trees throughout the city.
This month’s highlights include:
Friday, April 4, 8:00 p.m.
Kenshi Yonezu 2025 World Tour / JUNK
Radio City Music Hall, 1260 Sixth Avenue
From $175
Kenshi Yonezu, the brains behind the theme songs of popular anime such as Chainsaw Man and the Academy Award-winning Studio Ghibli film The Boy and the Heron, makes his Radio City Music Hall debut! After gaining success with Vocaloid music under the stage name Hachi, Kenshi Yonezu began producing under his real name in 2012. In addition to music, he has attracted attention for his album cover illustrations and video productions. The video for his hit single “Lemon,” the long-running theme song for the TV series Unnatural, is the most-viewed music video in Japan, and topped Billboard Japan’s year-end charts for two consecutive years, leaving a mark on music history both in Japan and abroad. His newest single “Plazma” is the official theme song to the latest installment in the iconic Gundam franchise, Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX -Beginning-. Available everywhere now, the track features electrifying vocals from Yonezu alongside high-tempo synths and electronic rhythms to match the vibrant universe of the mecha and their epic space battles.
April 2-20
In the Pinku: The Return of Roman Porno
Metrograph, 7 Ludlow Street
$17
lIn 1971, facing flagging attendance thanks to competition from television and the specter of bankruptcy, the venerable studio Nikkatsu, the oldest in Japan, remembered the ancient wisdom that “Sex sells”—thus was the Roman Porno line born. Playing alongside the cheaper, independently produced so-called “pink films,” Roman Porno were often more than just salacious—though they were, of course, plenty salacious—for as long as their makers served up the obligatory naked flesh and softcore idylls, they were left free to throw in all the formal flourishes, experimental performances, radical politics, and morbid psychology they so desired. From the ’70s heyday of the Roman Porno to more recent works by Sion Sono and Akihiko Shiota, this six-film series, accompanying a run of Love Hotel, Shinji Somai’s lone venture into Roman Porno, is a trip to the exhilarating intersection of art and smut.
Monday, April 7, 8:00 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.
Hiromi’s Sonicwonder: One Night Special Performance
Blue Note Jazz Club, 131 West Third Street
Limited availability
Since Hiromi’s debut album Another Mind (2003), the world-renowned pianist’s sound has evolved with every release, erasing the lines between jazz and classical, composition and improvisation. This special intimate performance celebrates the release of Out There, Hiromi’s 13th studio full-length album. Born in Hamamatsu, Japan, Hiromi began studying piano when she was six years old. When she was 17, Chick Corea invited her to play with him at a Tokyo concert. She attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, where she was mentored by jazz legend Ahmad Jamal. A prolific artist, she has also recorded the soundtrack to Blue Giant, an animated feature film based on the popular manga. Hiromi is a perennial favorite on DownBeat’s Annual Critics and Readers Poll, and has performed at the world’s finest jazz festivals, including Montreux, Umbria, North Sea, Newport, and Monterey. Her work has been celebrated by media including the New York Times, NPR and NPR Music, and the Washington Post, and she was a featured performer at the Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony in 2021.
April 9, 10, 13
Vampire Hunter D: 40th Anniversary
Various theaters
Various prices
Anime Expo Cinema Nights Presents special 40th anniversary screenings of the cult classic Vampire Hunter D! In the year 12,090 AD, technology and the supernatural have overtaken the world, leaving the land desolate and despotic. The remnants of humanity are scattered into small communities and live in fear of vampires who compose the ruling Nobility. When Count Magnus Lee tastes the blood of Doris Lang, she is forcibly chosen to be his next wife. In an effort to escape her ill-gotten fate, she hires a mysterious vampire hunter known only as D, who comes from a peculiar lineage. Featuring character design by Yoshitaka Amano (Final Fantasy) and music by Tetsuya Komuro (TM Network).
Thursday, April 10, 6:30 p.m.
Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 West 18th Street
$130 per person, $140 from April 1
The Joy of Sake returns to New York for its 20th annual celebration with 587 different labels from throughout Japan and the U.S. available for tasting. Sake-themed appetizers from top New York restaurants add to the enjoyment, making this the event of the year for the city’s sake enthusiasts. Experience the largest and liveliest sake-tasting event in the U.S., with award-winning sakes from the U.S. National Sake Appraisal served in peak condition, plus sake-inspired appetizers to nibble while you sip. The admission fee includes appetizers from participating restaurants and unlimited samplings of sake. Good food, good friends, good sake—it all comes together at The Joy of Sake.
Opens April 17
COLORFUL STAGE! The Movie: A Miku Who Can’t Sing
Various theaters
Various prices
The first theatrical film to feature the iconic character Hatsune Miku, based on the smash hit rhythm game HATSUNE MIKU: COLORFUL STAGE! First released in 2020, the game has become a global smash hit, reaching over 10 million global users in just two years after its release. The film is an all-new story featuring both original characters and the beloved virtual singers from the game. The story follows Hoshino Ichika, a high school musician who encounters a version of Hatsune Miku who is not able to sing, and asks for help to reach others through her music. Miku must rely on the help of others to find a way to sing again to connect with the hearts of her listeners. In addition to the original characters to the film, the movie also features the main cast and Virtual Singer performers of the original game, with the voice cast of the original game returning to their respective roles for the film.
April 18 (NJ), April 24-26 (NYC)
Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon: The Super Live
New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), Palladium Times Square
$64-$231
One of the most popular manga series of all time, Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon is a global cultural phenomenon. Created by Naoko Takeuchi, Sailor Moon has since sold over 46 million copies world-wide and has been translated into over 17 languages. It has been adapted as an anime and a live action TV series which has aired in over 40 countries. With book, lyrics and direction by Kaori Miura (Musical: The Prince of Tennis, Tokyo Revengers The Musical), choreography by Satomi Toma, and music by Go Sakabe and KYOHEI, the visually stunning interpretation of Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon: The Super Live follows the stories of Usagi Tsukino, a teenage girl who transforms into the heroic Sailor Moon. Together, with her fellow Sailor Guardians, she battles many dark forces to protect the Earth from evil. This newly staged version of Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon: The Super Live features an all-female Japanese cast. With a mix of action, heartfelt moments and iconic music, this production sees the Manga characters brought to life on stage in an epic story-telling live show experience guaranteed to wow audiences night after night, creating an unforgettable experience for fans and newcomers alike. Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon: The Super Live will be performed in Japanese with English.
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