JQ Magazine: Nippon in New York – ‘Gundam’ Movie Trilogy, One Piece Music Symphony, ‘ATTACK on TITAN: The Musical’
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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 the summer days fade 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:
Oct. 2 & 6
Various theaters
Various prices
Iconic Events Releasing and Bandai/Namco this month bring the original trilogy of Gundam movies to the big screen! In Universal Century year 0078, the space colony Side 3 declares itself the Principality of Zeon and launches a war of independence against the Earth Federation. Eight months have passed since the war entered a deadlock. Learning of a secret plot by the Federation Forces, the Zeon Forces launch reconnaissance followed by an attack against Side 7. A young boy by the name of Amuro gets wrapped up in the war, and by coincidence ends up piloting the mobile suit Gundam and defeating the enemy. The Federation’s White Base, having lost its proper crew in the battle, escapes from Side 7 with forces still in training and civilians both. Presented in Japanese with English subtitles.
Oct. 3-5
Japan Society, 333 East 47th Street
$55-$72 (waitlist for Oct. 4-5 only, click here for details)
The National Theatre makes its triumphant arrival with bunraku theater in New York City for the first time in 32 years! Witness a stunning production of traditional Japanese puppet theater, with two quintessential climaxes from bunraku repertoire: Date Musume Koi no Higanoko (Oshichi, the Greengrocer’s Daughter) and Sonezaki Shinju (The Love Suicides at Sonezaki). Known for its globally influential three-person puppet manipulation technique invented in the mid-18th century, bunraku has been designated as an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. Featuring scenography by Kazuo Oga, art director for many classic Studio Ghibli anime such as My Neighbor Totoro and Princess Mononoke, this performance offers Americans a rare opportunity to glimpse the rich culture not only of bunraku, but of Japan’s second-largest city ahead of Expo 2025, held in Osaka. A pre-performance lecture on bunraku led by Hunter College Professor Claudia Orenstein begins one hour before each evening performance. Performed in Japanese with English supertitles.
Opens Oct. 4
Various theaters
Various prices
This heart-wrenching story is the stunning feature-length directorial debut from Kiyotaka Oshiyama that will leave you in tears and inspire you to chase your own artistic dreams. Popular, outgoing Fujino is celebrated by her classmates for her funny comics in the class newspaper. One day, her teacher asks her to share the space with Kyomoto, a truant recluse whose beautiful artwork sparks a competitive fervor in Fujino. What starts as jealousy transforms when Fujino realizes their shared passion for drawing. Based on the acclaimed manga by Tatsuki Fujimoto (Chainsaw Man), Look Back captures the highs and lows of pursuing artistic excellence and the special bonds formed through creative collaboration.
Sunday, Oct. 6, 7:30 p.m.
City Winery, 25 Eleventh Avenue (Pier 57)
$30-$55
Since gaining prominence in the early 2000’s, ukulele marvel Jake Shimabukuro has mesmerized audiences with his innovative and dynamic style, taking the instrument to dizzying new heights. Over a dozen solo albums, Shimabukuro has shown a knack for moving effortlessly between genres, sometimes in the same song. After being taught the instrument by his mother at age four, Jake became a local phenom, performing on his own and in a local group Pure Heart. Early in his solo career he became a YouTube sensation when his cover of George Harrison’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” went viral. Now, Shimabukuro joins forces with Mick Fleetwood to release their new album Blues Experience album due October 18, which, promises to be a powerful fusion of their distinct musical styles, blending Jake’s innovative approach to the ukulele with Mick’s legendary rhythm. Fans can look forward to an album that pushes boundaries while honoring the timeless quality of the music they both cherish. This solo performance will feature new cuts from this bold and forward-looking album deeply rooted in tradition.
Available Oct. 8
$19.95 MSRP
Otaku no Video bursts onto Blu-ray in stunning high definition, featuring the original Japanese language with English subtitles! The year is 1982–one year into the glorious New Anime Century. Unfortunately, college freshman Ken Kubo has yet to bask in the brilliant light of this prosperous era! Instead, he’s either hitting tennis balls or playing hanky-panky with his high school sweetheart. But a chance encounter with an old friend unlocks his true anime nerd potential, turning his aim away from the ace and toward the top! With a loyal circle of new allies at his side, Kubo may just become the greatest nerd known to man–the Otaking! Meanwhile, an intrepid crew of documentarians use their filmic brushes to paint a vivid portrait of the anime obsessed. Director Takeshi Mori (Gunsmith Cats) and the anime madmen of GAINAX (Neon Genesis Evangelion) call up all their friends for the most explosive club meeting ever caught on celluloid! Bolstered by Kenichi Sonoda’s (Bubblegum Crisis) charming character designs and the great Kohei Tanaka’s (Gunbuster) rousing soundtrack.
Thursday, Oct. 10, 7:00 p.m.
Author Talk and Signing: Jake Adelstein
Japan Society, 333 East 47th Street
$20-$25
In this special talk and signing moderated by Eric Ozawa, bestselling author Jake Adelstein celebrates of the release of the newest book, Tokyo Noir: In and Out of Japan’s Underworld. Adelstein has been an investigative journalist in Japan since 1993, reporting in both Japanese and English. From 2006 to 2007 he was the chief investigator for a U.S. State Department-sponsored study of human trafficking in Japan. He has been writing for The Daily Beast, The Japan Times and other publications since 2011, and was a special correspondent for The Los Angeles Times. Considered one of the foremost experts on organized crime in Japan, he works as a writer and consultant in Japan and the United States. He is the author of Tokyo Vice: An American Reporter on the Police Beat in Japan (Vintage), which is also the basis for the Max series starring Ansel Elgort and Ken Watanabe, and also The Last Yakuza: Life and Death in the Japanese Underworld.
Friday, Oct. 11, 8:00 p.m.
Kings Theatre, 1027 Flatbush Avenue (Brooklyn)
$59-$146
It’s time to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the One Piece anime with a 50-piece orchestra performing music from every era live on stage with the best moments projected in perfect sync on a giant screen! Relive the best moments from the Straw Hat Crew’s thrilling adventures together with the sound of the show’s most vibrant music. The music program will feature fan-favorite songs, such as “We Are!,” “Sai sai saikyo!!!,” “Oitsumerareta,” and “Binks no Sake,” and a few new pieces specifically made to celebrate the occasion.
Oct. 11-13 8:00 p.m.
New York City Center, 131 West 55th Street
$45-$400
ATTACK on TITAN: The Musical is a new live 2.5D Musical entertainment based on the wildly popular manga by Hajime Isayama. Directed by breakdance world champion Go Ueki (HYPNOSISMIC -Division Rap Battle- Rule the Stage), ATTACK on TITAN: The Musical had its world premiere in Japan in 2023 to great success. The New York City Center engagement marks the musical’s first international performance. ATTACK on TITAN: The Musical has book by Masafumi Hata, music supervision by KEN THE 390, and lyrics by Kaori Miura, and combines conventional musical theater techniques with state-of-the-art technology, performed by a cast of 35. A century ago, the grotesque giants known as Titans appeared and consumed all but the last remnants of humanity forcing the survivors to take refuge behind giant walls. Today, the threat of the Titans is a distant memory, and a boy named Eren Yeager yearns to explore the world beyond his current circumstances. What began as a childish dream, though, will become an all-too-real nightmare when the Titans return and humanity is forced once again to the brink of extinction.
Oct. 16 & 20
Mobile Suit Gundam II: Soldiers of Sorrow
Various theaters
Various prices
With evacuees from Side 7 onboard, the White Base crosses the Pacific Ocean and heads west towards the continent of Eurasia. Amidst that journey filled with battle, Amuro has a fight with Bright and runs away, suffering from the deaths of Matilda, who he had feelings for, and Ryu, who was like a big brother to him. The White Base lands at the Belfast base in Ireland. It’s then that Char appears, having stepped back from the front lines. With that, Amuro and Char end up clashing in the battle surrounding the Earth Federation Headquarters of Jaburo. Presented in Japanese with English subtitles.
Oct. 17-21
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, 429 Eleventh Avenue
$75 (daily), $240 (4-day pass)Breaking attendance records each year, the East Coast’s biggest gathering for fans of comics, film, anime and manga returns with its biggest roster of Hollywood talent to date, featuring exclusive screenings, gaming, cosplay photo ops, and more! Enjoy interactive panels and content from brands like Viz, Atsuko and Bandai Namco, and check out exclusive booths and artists alley to pick up con-exclusive merch and pre-release titles. Alongside new announcements and the world premiere trailer of Zenshu at the Crunchyroll Industry Panel, special guests will appear at different panels during the convention including Fairy Tail creator Hiro Mashima, Overlord director Naoyuki Ito and The Beginning After the End author TurtleMe! Fans at the event can also get all the convention swag and exclusive merch available at the Crunchyroll booth [1643], and immerse themselves in the Solo Leveling experience featured in the space.
Oct. 23 & 27
Mobile Suit Gundam III: Encounters in Space
Various theaters
Various prices
Having officially been inducted into the Federation Forces as the 13th Independent Unit, the White Base enters the neutral colony Side 6 to serve as a decoy. There Amuro reunites with his father Tem, and meets a mysterious girl named Lalah Sune. Lalah turns out to be a pilot for the Zeon Forces’ Newtype unit under Char’s command. The chance encounter between Amuro and Lalah leads the pair to tragedy. As for the war, the battle moves from Zeon’s key strategic position of Solomon to the space fortress A Baoa Qu for the final battle. Presented in Japanese with English subtitles.
Oct. 26-30
Kiki’s Delivery Service 35th Anniversary
Various theaters
Various prices
Celebrate this beloved coming-of-age story from the legendary Studio Ghibli, creators of Spirited Away, 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. Don’t miss this delightfully imaginative and timeless story of a young girl finding her way in the world. Select screenings of the English-language version features the voices of Kirsten Dunst, Janeane Garofalo, Phil Hartman, and Debbie Reynolds.
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