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.
As spring continues and the weather continues to warm, New Yorkers can enjoy activities all over the city both indoors and out.
This month’s highlights include:
May 11-13
Various theaters
Various prices
New 4K remaster with both sub and dub screenings! College student Hana falls in love with a “wolf man” and together they have two half-human, half-wolf children, Ame and Yuki. The young family’s happy but humble life comes to an abrupt end when the father is tragically killed during a hunt. After struggling to raise her children in the busy city, Hana boldly decides to move to a dilapidated house in the countryside, in hopes that her children may one day decide their own path to happiness – whether “human” or “wolf.” This heart-wrenching modern fairy tale is a staggering work of beauty and emotion from Academy Award-nominated director Mamoru Hosoda. Rich with gorgeous animation and set to a poignant musical score, Wolf Children is a sweeping tale about self-discovery and the bonds of family.
Wednesday, May 14, 8:00 p.m.
Ichiko Aoba with Wordless Music Quintet
Kings Theatre, 1027 Flatbush Avenue (Brooklyn)
$42-$68
Ichiko Aoba has the power to bend space around her, pulling listeners from reality and surrounding them in the comforting fabric of her imagination. She’s been casting these spells since her debut at 19 years old, making picturesque dioramas with only her voice and guitar. But in recent years, she’s turned a corner and let a new process take hold.
The Japanese singer, songwriter, composer, and multi-instrumentalist tapped into the full breadth of her ability, marrying the classical guitar of her earlier work with lofty orchestral sweeps. She went big with Windswept Adan (2020), crafting a story about her deepening bond with nature. Collaborating closely with arranger Taro Umebayashi and creative director Kodai Kobayashi, the three of them freely shared ideas—both aural and visual—crystallizing a collective vision. The universe of Windswept Adan was so vast that it also included the script for an imaginary movie, drawings by Ichiko, and stunning photos by Kobayashi. For her new album, Luminescent Creatures, she opens an even wider portal into her mind. With support by Hayden Pedigo.
Friday, May 16, 7:30 p.m.
Shakuhachi Vogue – A Visual Concert
Japan Society, 333 47th Street
$43 nonmembers, $32 members
Traditional instrument supergroup The Shakuhachi 5 makes its East Coast debut in this provocative “visual concert.” Offering a dazzling repertoire spanning four centuries, including a work written for the ensemble by Dai Fujikura and a brand-new commission from Rome Prize winner Lisa Bielawa, these five shakuhachi rockstars aspire to boost the image of their primitive bamboo instrument as a hot, trendsetting device, seen throughout ukiyo-e woodblock imagery. In collaboration with NY based video/sound designer Tei Blow, music will be synced to a hypnotizing video collage of ukiyo-e from the Edo period, featuring swaggering, shakuhachi-wielding vagabonds and wandering Zen Buddhist monks. Performing a 400 year span of repertoire, the accompanying backdrop prints recall the shakuhachi-wielding vagabonds and wandering Zen Buddhist monks that are the band’s historic musical predecessors.
May 17-21
Various theaters
Various prices
Celebrate this beloved coming-of-age story from the legendary Studio Ghibli and Academy Award-winning director Hayao Miyazaki, about a resourceful young witch who uses her broom to create a delivery service, only to lose her gift of flight in a moment of self-doubt. It is a tradition for all young witches to leave their families on the night of a full moon and fly off into the wide world to learn their craft. When that night comes for Kiki, she embarks on her new journey with her sarcastic black cat, Jiji, landing the next morning in a seaside village, where her unique skills make her an instant sensation. English dub version features the voices of Kirsten Dunst, Janeane Garofalo, Phil Hartman, and Debbie Reynolds.
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