Post by Steven Horowitz (Aichi-ken, Kariya-shi, 1992-94)

JET alum Paige Cognetti, who has served as the Mayor of Scranton, Pennsylvania since 2019, recently announced her campaign to run for Pennsylvania’s 8th congressional district in 2026.

Her announcement follows JET alum Taylor Wettach’s recent announcement to run for Congress in Iowa.

For more information about her, check out these links:

• Times Leader, “Scranton Mayor Cognetti announces campaign for Congress to ‘clean up corruption’”
• Politico: “Scranton mayor launches House campaign, goes after Rob Bresnahan’s stock trades“
• Wikipedia: “Paige Cognetti“
• Campaign page: “Paige for Scranton“

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A few more JET alums in politics!

• JET alum Vanessa Grossl, who was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives (District 88) in 2025 and attended the National Association of Japan America Societies (NAJAS) which was recently hosted in Lexington, KY.
• JETAA Northern California’s Ellen Kamei, who is the current mayor of Mountain View, CA; 
• JETAA Hawaii’s Nadine Nishioka who ran for State Representative in 2004;
• Brooklyn’s own Anthony Bianchi (Aichi-ken, 1987-89) who has served as a City Councilman in Aichi-ken, Inuyama-shi for many years and made headlines as the first North American to hold elected office in Japan.
• Virginia Second District Representative (and JET alum) Jen Kiggans, who recently spoke about her formative time on JET during a Virginia reception held at the Japanese Ambassador’s Residence.
• Nashville District 17 Council Member Terry Vo, who has generously volunteered for a JETAADC career panel in the past in addition to previously serving as an officer for Music City JETAA.
• JET alum Kyle Schlachter (Kyoto) is the mayor of Littleton, Colorado (incidentally, where US JETAA Executive Director Jessyca Livingston also lives!)

Ganbatte Paige-san!

If I missed any other JET alums in politics of note, feel free to email me at stevenwaseda [at] jetwit dot com!

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 the summer winds fade into fall colors, the weeks ahead are shaping up with these exciting events, ready to be enjoyed after Labor Day.

This month’s highlights include:

Opens Friday, September 5

LINDA LINDA LINDA 4K

IFC Center, 323 Sixth Avenue

$15, $18

LINDA LINDA LINDA is an effervescent, tenderhearted snapshot of youth about the unparalleled joy of jamming out with your friends. The soundtrack fuses bangers from iconic Japanese bands The Blue Hearts and Base Ball Bear with original music composed by James Iha of the Smashing Pumpkins. The beloved classic from Nobuhiro Yamashita (Ghost Cat Anzu) has been called one of the greatest Japanese films of the 21st century (Indiewire). In celebration of its 20th anniversary, the utterly charming and timeless classic returns with an all-new 4K restoration! For Kei, Kyoko, and Nozomi, their dream of playing the final high school concert together is dashed when their lead vocalist quits the band. Desperate, they recruit the very first person they see: Korean exchange student Son, played by Doona Bae (The Host, Broker), whose comprehension of Japanese is limited at best. It’s a race against time as the group struggles to learn three songs in three days for the festival’s rock concert. Also starring Aki Maeda (Battle Royale), Yu Kashii (Death Note), and Shiori Sekine (of the hit band Base Ball Bear).

September 6-7

Sushi-Con

Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 West 18th Street

$150 general admission, $200 VIP admission

The biggest sushi expo in the U.S. returns! Indulge in unlimited tastings of the freshest seafood, meats, sushi, and more, including the world’s finest-grade bluefin tuna, yellowtail, sea bream, salmon, sea urchin, wagyu beef, and much more! Globally renowned exhibitors from True World Foods, a pioneer in the seafood industry for over 40 years, will showcase the finest seafood purveyors from around the world. This year’s enhanced event will feature top-tier restaurants from New York and New Jersey. Watch an iconic tuna cutting demonstration and experience the incredible process as executive chefs expertly slice a giant 400-pound bluefin tuna, presenting the freshest premium tuna right in front of you!

Opens Thursday, September 11

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle

Various theaters

Various prices

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle, the first feature film in the three-part cinematic trilogy, will come to theatres including Imax and premium large formats. This latest theatrical feature film in the epic saga is set in the same universe as the 2020 global phenomenon Demon Slayer: Mugen Train, which earned $507 million worldwide and remains the highest-grossing movie of all time. As the Demon Slayer Corps members and Hashira engaged in a group strength training program, the Hashira Training, in preparation for the forthcoming battle against the demons, Muzan Kibutsuji appears at the Ubuyashiki Mansion. With the head of the Demon Corps in danger, Tanjiro and the Hashira rush to the headquarters but are plunged into a deep descent to a mysterious space by the hands of Muzan Kibutsuji. The destination of where Tanjiro and Demon Slayer Corps have fallen is the demons’ stronghold – the Infinity Castle. And so, the battleground is set as the final battle between the Demon Slayer Corps and the demons ignites!

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By Chang-Hyun Choi for JQ magazine. Photos courtesy of COVER Corp.

Last week hololive production returned to New York City, featuring showcases of their world-renowned virtual talents or “vtubers,” who combine VR/AR technologies with a wide range of online and in-person experiences, such as streaming, music, fan meetings, concerts, and much more.  

In NYC, these vtubers captivated thousands of fans with their hololive English 3rd Concert -All for One- at the historic Radio City Music Hall on August 23 and 24, along with the hololive STAGE World Tour ’25 -Synchronize!- at the Javits Center as part of Anime NYC, the East Coast’s largest anime convention, on August 22. In addition, various interactive experiences were held as part of hololive Meet throughout that weekend, combining unique fan meetings and karaoke with virtual visits from hololive vtubers from across the world. The fans arrived in the city equipped with merch promoting their favorite talents, ready to show off their passion by cheering loudly and waving their penlights at these events.    

In this exclusive interview, JQ had a special opportunity to chat with Takanashi Kiara, an idol phoenix vtuber of hololive English and one of the pioneers of the English vtubing world. She shared with us her thoughts and impressions about performing at the hololive English 3rd Concert -All for One-, along with her experiences in NYC with other hololive members.  

We really appreciate this opportunity to speak with you. First could you introduce yourself to our readers?

Hi, I’m Takanashi Kiara, from hololive English -Myth-, which is the first generation. Together with four of my colleagues at the time, we basically created the branch, hololive English. I’m from Austria actually, in Europe–not Australia, very important to note that. I was born and raised in Austria, so I speak German, but there’s no German branch so I’m in the English branch. I also speak fluent Japanese because I lived in Japan for a while, so people know me as, like, the multilingual, talkative, dancing entertainer that I am. And I really like to also do a lot of fun streams and bangin’ music. So, check it out!

This weekend was the hololive English 3rd concert All for One. For you, this wasn’t your first time performing at such a concert. In fact, you’ve performed at all three of them. What was your impression of All for One as a veteran of these hololive English concerts?

Well first of all, it was really awesome to come back to New York because I really enjoyed my time here last time. And then last time we already had a great venue but this time the venue was even bigger, even more legendary and well-known. Personally, being from Austria, I don’t really know many venues here but even I have heard of and have seen the Radio City Music Hall. So, it’s actually quite the honor to be there and something I will probably forever be able to show to my friends and my family and be like, “Look where I was standing in front of this ocean of fans that have so much love and passion for us!” It’s just amazing seeing the passion every time and they’re all such a great crowd, so supportive, and this time I could share the stage with Justice, our new generation. It was their first time and it was so cute and lovely to see them, see their excitement. They were really nervous and it was also super cute to see, but then they did their best and gave it their all and I feel like a very proud parent. It’s kinda tacky or cheesy to say that, but a lot of things have happened over the past five years, so with all the change that’s been going on and I’m not going to lie, certainly things that make me feel a little bit lonely or sad, seeing some of my gen mates not being on stage with us anymore, compared to last year. Last year Myth was still standing there with five people and now we were only standing there with three people. But I definitely got cheered up and motivated thanks to the energy of not just Justice, but my kohai in general, so I’m really grateful for that. It’s giving me new life basically, new energy.

On the note of seeing Justice perform for the first time, you’ve also seen the other generations of hololive English debut on the big stage. Can you comment on any differences in seeing Justice here compared to those previous experiences?

I have to say Justice is so unique, they have such great charms, they’re so funny, they’re such great entertainers. The things they bring to the table are just endless, like seeing Elizabeth belt out notes that are like…her voice, her voice is the voice of a century I would say. It’s mind-blowing to me that such a talent is on stage with me together and I feel honored to be with her there, too. And also all the other members too, like Cecilia suddenly bringing out her violin and stuff. That was magical and beautiful, and fascinating. And then Gigi with her incredible energy that never ends and her charm, her wit. She’s just such a great comedian and she acknowledges that, too. And Raora’s the cutest cat ever. I’ve been spending a lot of time with her backstage and bonding so much with her. I feel like we get along so well because we’re both culturally from the same area and I can really feel that connection. I hope that people can feel that charm and that unique personality from her as much as I do.

So, it’s incredible and I’ve been saying this these past days, but I am so glad that hololive or also vtubing in general can give such talents that maybe might be overlooked otherwise, a stage to shine on and a place to be in. And I feel the same way for me, like I’m really glad that I got such a great opportunity. I was really lucky to join hololive in a time where the world was scrambling and it changed my whole life. And this seems to have also changed the lives of my kohai and I’m really, really happy to see them succeed like that.

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Post by Steven Horowitz (Aichi-ken, Kariya-shi, 1992-94)

It’s not every day that a JET alum runs for Congress. The last time it happened (at least that I’m aware of) was when JET alum Rob Cornilles ran for Congress in Oregon in 2012. And before that when David Boling ran for Congress in Arkansas in 2010.

So it’s exciting to share that JET alum Taylor Wettach, a 2013-14 JET originally from Muscatine, Iowa, has launched his campaign for Congress in Iowa.

Here’s a link to his campaign website: https://taylorwettachforcongress.com/

Here’s an article from LawFuel.com about Taylor leaving his law firm to run for office: https://www.lawfuel.com/simpson-thacher-alumni-taylo-wettach/

And below is a cute video he posted that shares his “elevator pitch.”

Other notable JET forays into politics include JET alum Vanessa Grossl who was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives (District 88) in 2025 and attended the National Association of Japan America Societies (NAJAS) which was recently hosted in Lexington, KY. Also, JETAA Northern California’s Ellen Kamei, who is the current mayor of Mountain View, CA; Paige Cognetti who is the current mayor of Scranton, PA and recently announced her campaign for US Congress; JETAA Hawaii’s Nadine Nishioka who ran for State Representative in 2004; and of course Brooklyn’s own Anthony Bianchi who has served as a City Councilman in Aichi-ken, Inuyama-shi for many years and made headlines as the first North American to hold elected office in Japan.

Update: 08.13.25: A few more JET alums in politics!

JETAA USA Country Rep Vivian Chen mentioned that she saw Virginia Second District Representative (and JET alum) Jen Kiggans speak about her formative time on JET during a Virginia reception held at the Japanese Ambassador’s Residence. And that JET alum and Nashville District 17 Council Member Terry Vo has generously volunteered for a JETAADC career panel in the past in addition to previously serving as an officer for Music City JETAA.

USJETAA Executive Director Jessyca Livingston shared, “My own mayor in Littleton, Colorado, is JET alum Kyle Schlachter! He was in Kyoto along with his wife.” 

Ganbatte Taylor-san!

If I missed any other JET alums in politics of note, feel free to email me at stevenwaseda [at] jetwit dot com!

By Chang-Hyun Choi for JQ magazine. Interpretation assistance by Miyuki W. Myrthil. Photos by Esther JY Kim.

Known for her powerful vocals and electric performances, anisong and J-pop global sensation LiSA kicked off her first-ever North American Another Great Day tour in New York City with two sold-out concerts at Terminal 5 on June 18-19, followed by stops in Los Angeles on June 23-24 and Mexico City on June 28. Notably, these were her debut solo shows in America, and her first show in Mexico in nine years. 

Fans excitedly shook their penlights and sang along with their favorite songs from hit anime such as Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Fate/Zero, and Solo Leveling. LiSA’s performances showcased her artistry and tenacity, combining her incredible singing with breathtaking visuals across consecutive nights. She crafted an unforgettable experience for New Yorkers who got the chance to cheer and even dance together with LiSA to her setlist full of thrilling and emotional songs.      

In this exclusive interview, JQ had a chance to sit down with LiSA to chat about her experiences performing in New York City and her vision for this momentous overseas tour.

First of all, congratulations on your two sold-out concerts in New York City!

Thank you!

What was your impression of the crowd, and do you feel any differences performing here than elsewhere?

It was so surprising to witness such high energy, high voltage energy from the start. The way they called me and called my name, the LiSA calls, were so great, and most impressive was the way the New York City audience was dancing to my music, swaying to my music. They definitely know how to enjoy music, and that’s something that’s so unique.

The crowd had a huge response to your songs from hit anime series such as Demon Slayer and Sword Art Online, but we also got to hear songs like “WiLD CANDY” and the recent “RED ZONE.” What thoughts went into making your New York City or overseas setlists?

I’m entering into the 15th year of my career, and for this being my first North American tour, I wanted to bring out all the songs that I think the fans got to know me for, the songs that they must have been waiting for me to perform in America, so those are the songs that I put together. Also, songs like “WiLD CANDY” and “RED ZONE” are songs where I love to see how the audiences react to them. Those are the kinds of thoughts and processes that I put into creating the setlist.

It was very impressive that you spoke English for most of the MC Parts.

Really?

Yes! Was there anything more you’d have wanted to tell the fans if you had more time?

I definitely wanted to share in the great time with the fans who have been looking forward to meeting me, who got to know me through anime and my music, and also I wanted to share that “今日もいい日だ” or “Today’s Another Great Day,” the catchphrase that I have. That phrase means to appreciate and feel gratitude for the good parts of the day. I wanted to share that moment and phrase with the audience here.

今日もいい日だ, or Today’s Another Great Day, is a phrase that you’ve kept very close to your heart as LiSA. What does it mean for your first North American tour to be called that, to share those words?

It was definitely a happy day and the reason I made the title “Another Great Day” is because I wished for the day to be another good day and it has become that, and so I feel so great and I feel grateful that such a day happened.  

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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. 

After the outdoor fireworks, enjoy some summer events in the cool indoors, whether it’s taking in North America’s largest annual Japanese film festival, checking out a Kurosawa or Studio Ghibli classic, or enjoying a musical, Pokémon-style!

This month’s highlights include: 

July 10-20

Japan Cuts 2025

Japan Society, 333 47th Street

Screenings with Receptions: $26 Nonmembers/ $18 Members / $23 seniors & students

Screenings with Q&As: $24 Nonmembers/ $17 Member / $22 seniors & students

All Other Screenings: $20 Nonmembers / $14 Members / $18 seniors & students

Short Films: $10 Nonmembers / Free for Members / $5 seniors & students

North America’s largest festival of contemporary Japanese film returns for its 18th year this summer at Japan Society! Join us July 10-20 for 30 curated films from across Japan featuring major award-winners, indie darlings, up-and-coming filmmakers, restorations, documentaries, experimental and short films and anime. JAPAN CUTS Powered by GU is a showcase of the latest in Japanese cinema, featuring both today’s most popular actors and directors as well as tomorrow’s pioneering talent. Become part of our passionate filmgoer community for premieres, parties and celebrity guests in the heart of America’s biggest city! Leading this year’s highlights: JAPAN CUTS Powered by GU will present legendary director Kiyoshi Kurosawa with the CUT ABOVE Award for Outstanding Achievement in Film, host the premieres of his new film Cloud and recent remake of Serpent’s Path, as well as showcase revivals of License to Live and a new 4K restoration of the original Serpent’s Path.

July 16-17

JUJUTSU KAISEN: Hidden Inventory / Premature Death

Various theaters

Various prices

Before they were enemies, Satoru Gojo and Suguru Geto were high school classmates and friends. The two powerful sorcerers are tasked with protecting Riko Amanai, a student who has been designated to be sacrificed as the Star Plasma Vessel, until she can fulfill her duty. Pursued by a religious cult and other curse users, they are the only sorcerers capable of carrying out such a difficult task – but this mission will set their destinies, and challenge the two sorcerers in ways unimaginable. The beloved and deeply emotional Hidden Inventory / Premature Death arc from the global phenomenon JUJUTSU KAISEN returns to the big screen, reaching all new heights for fans and newcomers alike.

Friday, July 18, 7:30 p.m.

Keiko Matsui

City Winery, 233 West Street (Pier 26)

$25-$70

“This album is about the hope that we all carry inside of us,” shares internationally acclaimed pianist, composer and humanitarian, Keiko Matsui, who has worked with everyone from Miles Davis, Stevie Wonder, Bob James, and Hugh Masekela. “I have this dream where we can each cherish our own happiness and learn to accept and care for one another.” There is a reason why the stunning, soft-spoken, and petite powerhouse with such a commanding presence at the piano has amassed a devout following through the years. “When I tour around the world and witness how my music cuts through our differences and connects everyone, it makes me feel euphoric!” exclaims Keiko, who harnesses this joy on her 30th recording Euphoria. She enlists an all-star contingency of special guests including vocalist, and daughter of Donny Hathaway, Lalah Hathaway, trumpeter Randy Brecker, guitarist Mike Stern, saxophonist Kirk Whalum, vibist Joel Ross, harmonica player Grégoire Maret and pianist/arranger John Beasley. Keiko concludes, “During the past few years, I have witnessed the loss of life and seen people’s sadness and it has been really painful, but it has helped to remind me of the precious gift of time and the importance of gratitude for what I have now,” confides Keiko.” “Euphoria is my gift to my fans around the world.”

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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. 

After an unusually warm spring, it’s finally starting to feel like summer. Enjoy some seasonal events this month that celebrate the best of both fine and pop art.

This month’s highlights include: 

Monday, June 2, 7:00 p.m.

Hayao Miyazaki’s Future Boy Conan

Japan Society, 333 47th Street

$14-$18

4K digital restoration! Japan Society presents the first three episodes of Future Boy Conan on the big screen. Before becoming globally beloved for films including My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away, Hayao Miyazaki worked in television animation, and Future Boy Conan holds a significant place in anime history as his first project as a director. Created in 1978, this 26-episode series was never officially licensed in the United States until now and remained unavailable to U.S. audiences for over 40 years. Based on Alexander Key’s 1970 novel The Incredible Tide, it was reimagined by Miyazaki and can be viewed as a template for much of Miyazaki’s later work. Set in a world after a terrible war that destroyed civilization, created massive floods, and caused the Earth’s axis to shift, Conan lives an isolated life on an island until a mysterious girl named Lana washes ashore. She’s pursued by shadowy operatives who seek to use her in a scheme to control what’s left of the planet, and Conan soon embarks on a daring journey to save Lana and uncover the secrets of his broken world. Future Boy Conan’s environmental theme, family tone, strong female characters and sense of wonder would be revisited again and again throughout Miyazaki’s career, and we invite audiences to discover where it all began.

June 5-12

DAN DA DAN: EVIL EYE

Various theaters

Various prices

In celebration of the return of DAN DA DAN, the theatrical premiere, releasing as DAN DA DAN: EVIL EYE, kicks off the thrillingly eerie EVIL EYE arc, which began in the last episode of the first season. The DAN DA DAN: EVIL EYE theatrical event screens last season?s start of the EVIL EYE arc, along with the first three episodes of the new second season, in addition to an exclusive interview with series co-directors Fuga Yamashiro and Abel Gongora. DAN DA DAN follows Momo, a high school girl from a family of spirit mediums, and her classmate Okarun, an occult geek. In this new arc, Momo and Okarun set out on their latest adventure, traveling to a hot springs town home rented by Jiji, Momo?s childhood friend and former crush, with the goal to solve the mystery surrounding his family. When they arrive, strange locals derail their investigation before it can properly begin, and the group soon learns there’s more lurking under the surface of the town than they could possibly have imagined.

June 5 & 7, 7:30 p.m.

Shun Ishiwaka: Jazz Transcending

Japan Society, 333 47th Street

Confidently straddling the jazz, pop and classical worlds and slipping into all the spaces in between, Shun Ishiwaka is rapidly becoming a worldwide percussion sensation. Recognized for his exceptional versatility, Ishiwaka has been summoned by many prominent international jazz musicians, such as Federico Casagrande, Tony Allen and Jason Moran, for their sessions in Japan. Now, it’s his turn to come ashore to the U.S. to place himself front and center in two distinctive events. Save 20% when you purchase a ticket to both Jazz Transcending programs. Offer only valid for tickets purchased in the same transaction.

The Dragon Painter

SILENT FILM WITH LIVE PERFORMANCE

Thursday, June 5 at 7:30 pm

$24, $33

Dir. William Worthington, 1919, 61 min, silent with live accompaniment. With Sessue Hayakawa, Tsuru Aoki, Edward Peil, and Toyo.

Last heard performing the drum score within the 2023 megahit jazz anime film Blue Giant playing alongside jazz legends Hiromi and Tomoaki Baba, percussionist Shun Ishiwaka gives his onstage debut at Japan Society in a live film-screening “concert.” Playing an improvised, original score on drum set and vibraphone, Ishiwaka infuses bursts of jazz-inflected color and dreamlike grooves into the classic silent film The Dragon Painter.

Shun Ishiwaka with Adam O’Farrill: Improvisation Duo

JAZZ CONCERT

Saturday, June 7 at 7:30 pm

$36, $48

Trailblazer Shun Ishiwaka and “blazing young trumpet talent” (The New York Times) Adam O’Farrill join forces for an evening of transcendent, uninhibited music and improvisation. While both share the luminous status as recent collaborators of the jazz virtuoso Hiromi (Ishiwaka performed with her in the mega-hit jazz anime movie Blue Giant; O’Farrill is a member of her Sonicwonder project), this concert is the first time for these new talents to light a spark together.

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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

Wolf Children

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.

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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. 

Photos by Anthony Mulcahy.

On March 29, the Town Hall of New York became a community united in decades of song as a world-renowned anime composer made her NYC debut with Yoko Kanno Live!, her first U.S. concert since a 2013 solo piano gig at Otakon in Baltimore.

For this special performance–the seeds of which were planted when Kanno made a surprise appearance at 2023’s Cowboy Bebop 25th Anniversary Concert – The Music, also at Town Hall–the cultural icon was paired with two dozen musicians led by saxophonist, composer and bandleader Logan Richardson and the Blues People Big Band.

Town Hall artistic director Melay Araya kicked off the evening with a shoutout to the capacity crowd of space cowboys in the house, noting that Kanno was joining Bob Dylan, Nina Simone and Whitney Houston in the honor of making their New York concert hall debuts at Town Hall.

With the first half of the show dedicated to Cowboy Bebop, Richardson and his 16-piece big band started with jazzy small-combo pieces like “COSMOS,” “Odd Ones” and “Slipper Sleaze.” Introducing Kanno to the stage, Richardson remarked what an honor it was to rehearse and share a stage with such a legendary and exuberant figure. The two shared a special chemistry, with the deadpan, mostly seated Kansas City native providing a contrast to the bouncy, crimson-clad Kanno, who literally covered every inch of the stage conducting the various members of the orchestra from song to song.

A pair of vocal numbers brought out additional guest vocalists, reprising their original contributions to recordings made more than two decades ago. Australia’s Scott Matthew delivered the goods on “lithium flower” from Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, while Utica’s own Steve Conte provided vocals, acoustic guitar and rock star swagger on “Could You Bite the Hand?” from Wolf’s Rain.

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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.

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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. 

Start the new year right by heading down to your local concert venue, cinema, or arts center for some fantastic new year’s fare. Whether you enjoy movies, travel, or orchestral performances, treat yourself and catch a break from the cold.

This month’s highlights include:

Jan. 8, 9, 12

Paprika – 15th Anniversary

Various theaters

Various prices

Anime Expo Cinema Nights presents the final film ever made by visionary director Satoshi Kon (Perfect Blue, Tokyo Godfathers) with his mind-bending thriller Paprika, which has been restored in 4K for these exclusive theatrical screenings! When a machine that allows therapists to enter their patients’ dreams is stolen, all hell breaks loose. Only a young female therapist, Paprika, can stop it. Dreams become reality and vice versa in this psychological fantasy you won’t want to miss! Featuring the voice talents of Megumi Hayashibara, Kōichi Yamadera, and Tôru Furuya.

Saturday, Jan. 11, 2:00 and 8:00 p.m.

FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH Orchestra World Tour

Carnegie Hall, 881 Seventh Avenue 

From $53.50

FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH features new symphonic arrangements of the music of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, with scores by Nobuo Uematsu with contributions from Mitsuto Suzuki, Masashi Hamauzu, and other composers and arrangers, performed by the Shinra Symphony Orchestra and chorus of over 100 musicians led by conductor Arnie Roth. These concerts will have composer Masashi Hamauzu in attendance and include a special performance of Nobuo Uematsu’s “No Promises to Keep” by the song’s original vocalist Loren Allred. A limited number of VIP Meet & Greet tickets will be available for purchase as an add-on to a concert ticket. The VIP Meet & Greet add-on grants access to the post-concert meet & greet event with artists including an autograph and photo opportunity.

Jan. 15-18, 7:30 p.m.

Shuji Terayama’s Duke Bluebeard’s Castle

Japan Society, 333 East 47th Street

$36, $48

Bluebeard is given a Harajuku makeover in Duke Bluebeard’s Castle, a wild burlesque-like subversion of the French gothic horror legend. Shuji Terayama, father of Japan’s angura (underground) theater movement in the 1960s and ’70s, was repeatedly drawn to the story of Bluebeard’s wives and the locked castle door, culminating in this mind-bending game of cat-and-mouse that questions the very nature of theater itself. Saturated with dark magic tricks, fiddlers and accordion players, aerial dance and more, Project NYX, led by Kanna Mizushima, brings a cross-dressing cast of nearly 30 members to Japan Society for a production directed by illustrious Korean-Japanese experimental theater director Kim Sujin. Find out who escapes the castle in this macabre, magic-infused Lolita fashion spectacle. On Friday, January 17, a pre-performance lecture on Shuji Terayama led by University of California, Los Angeles Professor Emerita of Theatre Carol Fisher Sorgenfrei will begin at 6:30 p.m. All ticketholders for Duke Bluebeard’s Castle are welcome to attend this one-night-only pre-performance event with a valid ticket as space allows. Performed in Japanese with English supertitles.

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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. 

In the dog days of summer, it’s best to escape the heat in a place that’s cozy and cool. For those into both cutting-edge and classic anime, this month offers a diverse trio of theatrical revivals—all in the comfort of indoor air conditioning.

This month’s highlights include:

August 2-8

Moving

Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center, 144 West 65th Street

$16, $19

A noted influence on Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, Hirokazu Kore-eda, and Kiyoshi Kurosawa, among many others, Shinji Sōmai was a consummate filmmaker’s filmmaker, and Moving is one of his most remarkable achievements. It follows the gradual, frequently messy untangling of love between a divorced couple in Kyoto as experienced by their 11-year-old daughter Renko (Tomoko Tabata, giving easily one of the greatest child performances in film), but evolves into something altogether stranger and more elemental by its conclusion. What’s so exceptional about Moving is its frank understanding of adolescent feeling and the emotional fluctuations borne out by loss and growing up, rendered in an exquisite color palette and via dexterous long takes. It’s a film that is as genuinely heartbreaking as it is funny and touching. This August, Film at Lincoln Center is thrilled to present the long overdue New York theatrical release of Moving in its brand-new 4K restoration, which won the Best Restored Film Award at the 2023 Venice Classics. A selection of the Un Certain Regard section at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival. A Cinema Guild release. Screenings feature an exclusive video introduction from Ryûsuke Hamaguchi!

August 3-7

Ponyo

Various theaters

Various prices

From Academy Award-winning director Hayao Miyazaki! Perfect for audiences of all ages, Ponyo centers on the friendship between five-year-old Sosuke and a magical goldfish named Ponyo, the young daughter of a sorcerer father and a sea-goddess mother. After a chance encounter, Ponyo yearns to become a human so she can be with Sosuke. As to be expected with Miyazaki, the film is awash in pure unbridled imagination and visual wonder–but it is the tender love, humor, and devotion exhibited by Ponyo and Sosuke that form the emotional heart of the film.

Sunday, August 4, 8:00 p.m. 

FLOW – 2024 Anime Shibari Tour

Hammerstein Ballroom at Manhattan Center, 311 West 34th Street

From $44

Fresh from their 20th anniversary, FLOW will be playing an anime song ONLY concert all around the world! After debuting in 2003, FLOW has an established reputation for hit anime works, including themes for anime series Naruto (“GO!!!,” many others), opening themes for Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion (“COLORS,” “WORLD END”), and the opening theme for Tales of Zestiria the Cross (“Kaze no Uta”). They have written songs for numerous other anime works as well. Since 2006 they have been active playing shows not only in Japan but overseas, performing over 60 live performances in 19 countries in Asia, North America, South America, Europe, and the Middle East, transcending borders as a live band. Heavily streamed, their song “Sign” for the opening of Naruto Shippuden has been played over 120 million times worldwide on Spotify.

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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. 

After the outdoor fireworks, enjoy some summer events in the cool indoors, whether it’s taking in North America’s largest annual Japanese film festival, checking out a Kurosawa or Studio Ghibli classic, or enjoying an anime con, Brooklyn-style!

This month’s highlights include:

July 5-18

Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai

Film Forum, 209 West Houston Street

$11 members, $17 general

The epic 1954 masterpiece returns to the big screen, remastered for the very first time in 4K by Toho! In 16th century Japan, as proud samurai end up as masterless, wandering ronin and farmers are terrorized by marauding bandits, a village patriarch counsels resistance. How? Hire samurai, “hungry samurai.” Under the calm leadership of Takashi Shimura (Kurosawa regular and Ikiru and Godzilla star), that magic number enlist for a war against 40 mounted bandits, winding up at the most hair-raising battle ever filmed. One of the most influential films of all time, but nothing can top the original: Kurosawa’s orchestration of swords, spears, arrows, men, horses, rain, wind, and mud; blazing tracking shots; giant close ups; chiaroscuro lighting; telephoto lenses that put us underfoot as horses crash amid struggling men; deep focus shots that render the tip of a sword poking into the lens equally clear with scurrying figures fifty feet away, transitions that effortlessly whip us from scene to scene; and ensemble performances that give three dimensionality to every character, topped by Toshiro Mifune’s eventual transition from manic goofball to tortured, self-hating tragic hero. Voted in the 1979 Kinema Junpo critics poll as the Best Japanese Film ever.

July 10-21

JAPAN CUTS 2024

Japan Society, 333 East 47th Street 

$5-$25, based on film category/event

North America’s largest festival of contemporary Japanese film returns for its 17th year this summer at Japan Society! Join us July 10-21 for 30+ curated films from across Japan featuring major blockbusters, indie darlings, up-and-coming filmmakers, restorations, documentaries, experimental and short films, and anime. JAPAN CUTS is a showcase of the latest in Japanese cinema, featuring both today’s most popular actors and directors as well as tomorrow’s pioneering talent. Become part of our passionate filmgoer community for premieres, parties, and celebrity guests in the heart of America’s biggest city! This year’s festival features three International Premieres, 14 North American Premieres, five U.S. Premieres, three East Coast Premieres and four New York Premieres, plus three parties during the course of the festivities!

“We couldn’t be more amazed by this year’s festival,” says Peter Tatara, Director of Film at Japan Society, who organized this year’s festival with Japan Society Film Programmer Alexander Fee. “This year’s JAPAN CUTS presents an abundance of powerful, engaging and unexpected films together with rare appearances from some of their most imaginative creators. JAPAN CUTS is a reflection of the breadth of Japan’s contemporary film industry, and this year absolutely celebrates the scope and storytelling of what Japanese cinema brings to the world.”

Leading this year’s guests, JAPAN CUTS will present acclaimed actor Mirai Moriyama (Shadow of Fire) with the CUT ABOVE Award for Outstanding Achievement in Film and acting legend Tatsuya Fuji (Great Absence) with a Lifetime Achievement Award! Further guests include directors Gakuryu Ishii (The Box Man), Ema Ryan Yamazaki (The Making of a Japanese), Kei Chika-ura (Great Absence), Masanori Tominaga (Between the White Key and the Black Key), Noriko Yuasa (Performing KAORU’s Funeral), Shinya Tsukamoto (Shadow of Fire), and actress Tomoko Tabata (Moving)! Click here for tickets to all films, and here for the complete list of special guests. 

July 13-17 

Princess Mononoke

Various locations

Various prices

From the legendary Studio Ghibli, creators of Spirited Away, and Academy Award-winning director Hayao Miyazaki comes an epic masterpiece that has dazzled audiences worldwide with its breathtaking imagination, exhilarating battles, and deep humanity. Inflicted with a deadly curse, the young warrior Ashitaka heads west in search of a cure. There, he stumbles into a bitter conflict between Lady Eboshi, the proud people of Iron Town, and the enigmatic Princess Mononoke, a young girl raised by wolves, who will stop at nothing to prevent the humans from destroying her home and the forest spirits and animal gods who live there. The English-language version features the voice talents of Gillian Anderson, Billy Crudup, Claire Danes, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Billy Bob Thornton (July 14 and 16 screenings).

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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.

Stay warm this winter with some hot local events, from live showcases that will transport you to another time and place, some new film screenings, and a rock performance you won’t want to miss.

This month’s highlights include:

Feb. 2-3

Point Break

Metrograph, 7 Ludlow Street

$17, $10 members

From Academy Award-winning director Kathryn Bigelow, Point Break stars Keanu Reeves as Johnny Utah, an FBI agent who goes undercover among the beach bums in order to investigate a hunch about surfers who are possibly moonlighting as bank robbers, in the film that cemented Reeves as a new, very California cool kind of action star. With Patrick Swayze as the group’s guru and kingpin, Point Break is the kind of smart, fun, sexy, exciting action film desperately lacking in today’s Hollywood. This all-new 4K restoration is courtesy of Shout! Factory in association with Resurgence Media Group.

Tuesday, Feb. 6, 7:30 p.m.

Mr. Big: The Big Finish 2024

Sony Hall, 235 West 46th Street

$45 standing room only, $85 VIP reserved seating

One of the most successful American exports to rock Japan, Mr. Big is putting on their signature top hats and old shoes one last time for a worldwide tour, aptly titled “The Big Finish.” Since the band’s original drummer and co-founder, Pat Torpey, lost his battle with Parkinson’s disease in 2018, joining Mr. Big on drums for this special final world tour will be longtime friend of the band Nick D’Virgilio (Spock’s Beard, Big Big Train). Of note for this final run is the band’s decision to perform the entirety of their breakthrough platinum-selling 1991 album Lean Into It from start to finish as a featured highlight of the live setlist, along with other tunes from Mr. Big’s entire career. Lean Into It is the perfect litmus testament to the band’s inherent dexterity at blending a variety of styles together, whether it’s the heady rocking brew of “Green-Tinted Sixties Mind,” the power-drilled and power-chorded identity checklist “Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy,” or the truly heartfelt sentiments found within “To Be With You,” Mr. Big’s chart-topping, worldwide #1 smash hit single.

Feb. 7, 8, 11

Paprika — Satoshi Kon Fest

Various theaters

Various prices

Anime Expo Cinema Nights presents the final film ever made by visionary director Satoshi Kon (Perfect Blue, Tokyo Godfathers) with his mind-bending thriller Paprika, which has been restored in 4K for the first time ever! When a machine that allows therapists to enter their patients’ dreams is stolen, all hell breaks loose. Only a young female therapist, Paprika, can stop it. Dreams become reality and vice versa in this psychological fantasy you won’t want to miss! Featuring the voice talents of Megumi Hayashibara, Kōichi Yamadera, and Tôru Furuya.

Read More

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 the summer sun fades into fall colors, the weeks ahead are shaping up with these exciting events, ready to be enjoyed all through Halloween.

This month’s highlights include:

Sunday, Sept. 24, 6:00 p.m.

Fox Lake/Hanabie

Gramercy Theatre, 127 East 23rd Street

$53.66

Hanabie is a sensational hybrid-girl-band with their original genre, “Harajuku-core,” which is a mix of metalcore and hardcore with Akihabara culture. Formed in 2015, members Yukina, Matsui, Hettsu and Chika are now on a massive 21-date American tour, including the Louder Than Life and Aftershock festivals! Joining them on these and upcoming dates are Denver’s Fox Lake, a hip-hop-injected metal band that most recently released their Fear & Loathing EP in June. For videos and more info on future gigs, visit www.foxlakeband.com.

 Oct. 1-2, 12, 14

The Boy and the Heron

Alice Tully Hall, 1941 Broadway

$25 students, $30 non-members 

U.S. premiere as part of the 61st New York Film Festival! The first feature in a decade from Hayao Miyazaki is a ravishing, endlessly inventive fantasy that is destined to be ranked with the legendary animator’s finest, boldest works. While the Second World War rages, the teenage Mahito, haunted by his mother’s tragic death, is relocated from Tokyo to the serene rural home of his new stepmother Natsuko, a woman who bears a striking resemblance to the boy’s mother. As he tries to adjust, this strange new world grows even stranger following the appearance of a persistent gray heron, who perplexes and bedevils Mahito, dubbing him the “long-awaited one.” Indeed, an extraordinary and grand fate is in store for our young hero, who must journey to a subterranean alternate reality in the hopes of saving Natsuko—and perhaps himself. Uniting the countryside surreality of My Neighbor Totoro with the Alice in Wonderland–like dream logic of Spirited Away and the personal historical backdrop of The Wind Rises (NYFF51), yet fabricating something ingeniously original, The Boy and the Heron is a deeply felt work of eccentric beauty brimming with inspired images that lodge in the mind, from the adorable to the grotesque. Moving from earthbound serenity to a universe of boundless imagination, Miyazaki’s long-anticipated film seeks, once and for all, a world without malice. Presented in Japanese with English subtitles.

Oct. 5, 7, 11 

Evil Does Not Exist

Alice Tully Hall, 1941 Broadway

Howard Gilman Theater, 144 West 65th Street 

$25 students, $30 non-members

U.S. premiere! Deep in the forest of the small rural village Harasawa, single parent Takumi lives with his young daughter, Hana, and takes care of odd jobs for locals, chopping wood and hauling pristine well water. The overpowering serenity of this untouched land of mountains and lakes, where deer peacefully roam free, is about to be disrupted by the imminent arrival of the Tokyo company Playmode, which is ready to start construction on a glamping site for city tourists—a plan, which Takumi and his neighbors discover, that will have dire consequences for the ecological health and cleanliness of their community. The potent and foreboding new film from Oscar-winning director Ryûsuke Hamaguchi (Drive My Car and Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy, both NYFF59) is a haunting, entirely unexpected cinematic experience that reconstitutes the boundaries of the ecopolitical thriller. Intensified by a rapturous, ominous score by Eiko Ishibashi, this mesmeric journey diverges from country-vs-city themes to straddle the line between the earthy and the metaphysical. Presented in Japanese with English subtitles. Q&A with Ryûsuke Hamaguchi on Oct. 5 & 7.

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