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:
Sept. 3-10
Akira (4K restoration & IMAX)
Various theaters
Various prices
Iconic and game-changing, Akira is the definitive anime masterpiece! Katsuhiro Otomo’s landmark cyberpunk classic obliterated the boundaries of Japanese animation and forced the world to look into the future. Akira’s arrival shattered traditional thinking, creating space for future generations of ground-breaking movies. July, 1988—World War III breaks loose. Then, in 2019, in megalopolis Tokyo…As the leader of a group of young robust delinquents, Kaneda spent his nights tearing through the urban wastes, racing his motorbike against rival groups. One night while riding with his gang, his friend Tetsuo suddenly encounters a strange boy―the product of human experimentation—and is injured in the ensuing crash. Shortly thereafter, a military squadron appears on the scene to take the boy and Tetsuo away to an army research facility. Determined to free Tetsuo from capture, Kaneda sneaks into the army research lab. However, a regimen of extreme experimental procedures has awakened a new power in his friend, and now he is consumed by madness…
Sept. 3-10
cocoon – One Summer of Girlhood
Various theaters
Various prices
San and Mayu attend an all-girls school on a warm and tranquil island. When war reaches their shores, they are ordered to help nurse the wounded in a military hospital hidden away in a cave. Amidst escalating death and brutality, the friends struggle to find solace in their fragile lives. Based on the award-winning manga by Machiko Kyo, cocoon – One Summer of Girlhood is the debut feature from Yukimitsu Ina and animation studio SASAYURI, founded by former Studio Ghibli animator Hitomi Tateno. The project brings together legendary veteran animators like Akihiko Yamashita and Shinji Otsuka, known for their work on Princess Mononoke and The Boy and the Heron, with a new, young generation of animating talent. Featuring a stirring score from kensuke ushio (A Silent Voice, Chainsaw Man), cocoon is a devastating yet beautiful plea for peace.
Sept. 4-6. 7:30 p.m.
Theater 555, 555 West 42nd Street
$64.95 standard, $99.99 VIP
Teto Live Show is a fanmade hologram experience crafted by Vocamedley + Vocalverse that takes you through the evolution of Kasane Teto from her UTAU beginnings to the Synthesizer V era. Experience her music like never before, backed by a live band and featuring local virtual singer Mae.exe, an original virtual singer created by local Vocaloid producer Novva Skylar. Current friendship compatibility: 98.7% Remaining 1.3% is attributed to The Baguette Incident™.
Read MoreJQ Magazine: YOASOBI, yama @ Anime NYC, ‘Blank Canvas’ Premiere
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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:
July 31-August 2, August 6, 8:00 p.m.
Bob James Quartet featuring special guest Christian McBride
Blue Note New York, 131 West Third Street
$45 bar, $55 table
The career of multi-Grammy winner Bob James is long, varied and continues to evolve at every turn as he continues to captivate audiences throughout the world for more than 50 years, 58 albums, and innumerable awards. While James is recognized as one of the progenitors of smooth jazz, his music has also had a profound effect on the history of hip-hop, having been sampled frequently since the early days of the genre. A longtime star in Japan, he has recorded a piano duet album with Keiko Matsui, and worked with Seiko Matsuda as a guest vocalist on “Put Our Hearts Together,” written by James and his daughter Hilary in response to the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011. Christian McBride is an eleven-time Grammy-winning bassist, composer, and bandleader. From jazz to R&B, and pop/rock and hip-hop/neo-soul to classical, he is a luminary with one hand ever reaching for new heights—inviting us to join him.
Thursday, August 6, 8:00 p.m.
YOASOBI – Never Ending Stories Tour
Barclays Center, 620 Atlantic Avenue (Brooklyn)
From $63.25
Japanese pop phenomenon YOASOBI has redefined the global reach of J-pop by transforming acclaimed short stories into emotionally resonant, genre-blending anthems that have captivated audiences around the world. Formed in 2019 by composer and producer Ayase and vocalist ikura (Lilas Ikuta), the duo exploded onto the international stage with the record-breaking hit “Yoru ni Kakeru” before following with worldwide successes including “Gunjō,” “Kaibutsu,” “Shukufuku,” and the chart-topping “Idol,” which became the first Japanese-language song to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart. Their cinematic live performances, dazzling visuals, and seamless blend of pop, rock, electronic music, and storytelling have earned them a devoted international following, culminating with their first-ever U.S. arena tour launched in tandem with their latest album, THE BOOK for,. Their previous New York appearance (two years ago to the day) was a sold-out debut at the legendary Radio City Music Hall, demonstrating the group’s remarkable global appeal and setting the stage for their continued rise as one of Japan’s most celebrated contemporary musical exports.
August 8 & 10
Tales from Earthsea 20th Anniversary
Various theaters
Various prices
Part of Fathom Entertainment’s Studio Ghibli Fest! From the legendary creators of Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle, and the director of From Up on Poppy Hill, comes an animated fantasy epic based on the classic book series by Ursula K. Le Guin! As crops dwindle and dragons reappear, mankind stands on the verge of total chaos. Lord Archmage Sparrowhawk, a powerful wizard, and Arren, a troubled young prince, search for the force behind this mysterious imbalance that threatens to destroy the land of Earthsea, in a tale of redemption and self-discovery that will take your breath away. Featuring the voices of Timothy Dalton, Willem Dafoe, Cheech Marin, and Mariska Hargitay.
Read MoreJQ Magazine: JAPAN CUTS, Joe Hisaishi at Carnegie Hall, Mets vs. Dodgers
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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 Studio Ghibli classic, or enjoying a ballgame Japanese heritage-style!
This month’s highlights include:
July 8-18
Japan Society, 333 East 47th Street
$16-$35
North America’s largest festival of contemporary Japanese film returns for its 19th year this summer at Japan Society! Featuring over 30 curated films from across Japan featuring major award-winners, indie darlings, up-and-coming filmmakers, restorations, documentaries, short films, anime and more. JAPAN CUTS Powered by Canon 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 will present lauded actress Suzu Hirose with the CUT ABOVE Award for Outstanding Achievement in Film and host the New York Premiere of A Pale View of Hills starring Hirose as our Centerpiece Film, and the festival will conclude with legendary director Hirokazu Koreeda appearing in-person for the North American Premiere of Sheep in the Box, the Closing Film.
July 10-11
Carnegie Hall, 881 7th Avenue
From $95.25
Renowned composer Joe Hisaishi of Studio Ghibli fame returns to Carnegie Hall for a pair of classical performances leading the Orchestra of St. Luke’s following the release of his most recent album Joe Hisashi Conducts performed with Steve Reich. The program opens with Philip Glass’s Symphony No. 1, “Low,” inspired by David Bowie’s groundbreaking album. In the second half, Hisaishi conducts his major new work, co-commissioned by Carnegie Hall, in its New York premiere. In a compelling dialogue between two minimalist masters, Hisaishi explores the depth and expressive power of the modern orchestra.
July 11-15
Various theaters
Various prices
The latest selection from Fathom Entertainment’s Studio Ghibli Fest! From the legendary Studio Ghibli, creators of Spirited Away and Ponyo, and Academy Award-winning director Hayao Miyazaki, comes a classic tale of magic and adventure for the whole family. When Satsuki and her sister Mei move with their father to a new home in the countryside, they find country life is not as simple as it seems. They soon discover that the house and nearby woods are full of strange and delightful creatures, including a gigantic but gentle forest spirit called Totoro, who can only be seen by children. Totoro and his friends introduce the girls to a series of adventures, including a ride aboard the extraordinary Cat Bus, in this all-ages animated masterpiece featuring the voices of Tim Daly, Lea Salonga, and real-life sisters Dakota and Elle Fanning, in early roles.
Read MoreJQ Magazine: TK from Ling tosite sigure, OKI DUB AINU BAND, Naomi Watanabe
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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 cool 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:
Tuesday, June 2, 7:00 p.m.
Irving Plaza, 17 Irving Place
From $64
Tuesday, June 2, 7:00 p.m.
Irving Plaza, 17 Irving Place
From $64
TK from Ling tosite sigure’s TOUR 2026 ISO×0 NORTH AMERICA marks a historic milestone for the acclaimed Japanese musician, serving as his first-ever headline tour outside of Asia. Best known as the vocalist, guitarist, and creative force behind Ling tosite sigure, TK brings his signature blend of intense post-hardcore energy, atmospheric soundscapes, and emotional songwriting to audiences across North America. The six-city tour travels through San Francisco, Los Angeles, Toronto, New York, Dallas, and Mexico City, celebrating over a decade of his solo career and the global impact of songs like “unravel,” the iconic opening theme from Tokyo Ghoul. With a reputation for technical musicianship, soaring vocals, and genre-defying compositions, TK’s 2026 tour offers international fans a rare chance to experience his immersive live performance in an intimate concert setting.
OKI DUB AINU BAND © Courtesy of the artist
Thursday, June 4, 7:30 p.m.
Japan Society, 333 East 47th Street
$32 members, $43 nonmembers
Back by popular demand after his 2022 sold-out tour – Ainu musician OKI (Oki Kano) returns to Japan Society for a one-night-only blowout concert with his OKI DUB AINU BAND! OKI’s band brings its globally-praised trademark fusion of reggae, African rhythms, electronic dub and folk music of the Ainu, Japan’s northernmost indigenous people. Resurrecting the tonkori, a five-string instrument native to the Ainu, OKI has travelled across five continents on his quest to share reconstructed sounds from Hokkaido that were nearly lost to the world. Followed by a Private Gathering for Artists and Members.
OKI performing with his OKI DUB AINU BAND in Hokkaido, Japan, 2023 © Lorraine Turci
Friday, June 5, 6:30 p.m.
Talk Story: Sharing Ainu Culture with OKI
Japan Society, 333 East 47th Street
Various prices
$20 members, $28 nonmembers
OKI, an avid storyteller and one of the most prominent performers of Ainu folk music in the world, shares personal experiences, anecdotes and Ainu lore alongside talking about the traditional music of the tonkori – an instrument originally used by shamans to commune with the spirits of the natural world. OKI also chats about his recent forays into film directing, and his ongoing efforts to preserve and promote the unique culture of the Ainu people.
Read MoreJQ Magazine: Yuja Wang, ONE OR EIGHT, New ‘Gundam Hathaway’
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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:
Friday, May 1, 8:00 p.m.
Mahler Chamber Orchestra: Yuja Wang, Piano and Director
Carnegie Hall, 881 Seventh Avenue
From $350
For the first time at Carnegie Hall, the Mahler Chamber Orchestra is led by Grammy-winning piano phenomenon Yuja Wang, who directs from her instrument. This exemplary touring ensemble has been a highlight in recent Carnegie Hall seasons, and its collaborations with Wang are highly renowned. It’s an ideal pairing, as Wang is not only one of the world’s leading virtuosos, but also an artist with a true gift for “drawing you into the world of each composer” Financial Times. Featuring concertmaster and leader Matthew Truscott, the evening’s selections will include Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 2 and Symphony No. 1, “Classical,” as well as Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1. With more than 45 musicians spanning over 20 different countries, this show will prove that music is truly the universal language.
Sunday, May 3, 8:00 p.m.
Beacon Theatre, 2124 Broadway
From $88.50
HoYoFair Fan Concert Once Upon HoYoFair LIVE In 2026 will come together in France, Germany, the UK, and the U.S. for six LIVE fan concerts! In celebration of the upcoming 2026, which marks the 5th anniversary of HoYoFair, HoYoverse is excited to announce the HoYoFair Fan Concert—a fan art-driven music feast organized by 54 Entertainment and CHARISMA TANUKI PRODUCTIONS. This unique event will feature musical performances from Honkai: Star Rail, Genshin Impact, Zenless Zone Zero, and Honkai Impact 3rd, all in one show. Fans will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the touching melodies of HoYoverse’s beloved titles.
Monday, May 4, 8:00 p.m.
Japan Society, 333 East 47th Street
$21 nonmembers, $14 members
One late night in an overworked office, Miyabi is offered a bite of home-cooked fish and politely turns down the offer with a white lie. As acts of extreme politeness and Japanese office etiquette begin to stack on top of this innocent lie, office workers are stretched to the breaking point, until a sudden change overtakes Miyabi’s team… In her signature style for finding the farcical in the mundane structures of Japanese society, Kishida Kunio Drama Award winner Kei Ando’s play Earthly Bones dives deep into the inherent absurdities of Japanese office life. NYC-based director Lauren Zeftel and her cast of local actors take audiences on this mad joyride of distinctly Japanese dark humor in an English-language reading.
Read MoreJQ Magazine: Yoko Kanno with Seatbelts, Paul Gilbert, The Joy of Sake
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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 10, 8:00 p.m.
Kings Theatre, 1027 Flatbush Avenue (Brooklyn)
From $99.59
Legendary Cowboy Bebop composer Yoko Kanno takes New York in a pair of spectacular performances presented by Mammoth Live! First, fasten your seatbelts–the original crew is on board. For decades, the music of Seatbelts crossed borders without ever crossing the ocean. Heard, shared, and woven into the lives of listeners around the world, their sound reshaped the very idea of what anime music could be. Raw, unbound by genre, and free, the music continues to live on as the soundtrack to countless lives. Now, at last, Seatbelts arrives in the United States for the very first time, performed as it was meant to be by the original members who created it. This is Seatbelts as it truly is. The guest vocalist is the original voice himself, Steve Conte, an essential part of the Seatbelts legacy. The songs that defined an era will be performed by the very musicians who brought them into existence. This is not a tribute. This is the night the real thing finally lands in America. No destination, just the real sound.
Saturday, April 11, 8:00 p.m.
The Town Hall, 123 West 43rd Street
From $59.50
As a lyricist, songwriter, arranger, music producer, Yoko Kanno has composed music for movies, TV dramas, commercials, animations, and video games, as well as produced and written for various artists. Her notable works include Cowboy Bebop, Genesis of Aquarion, Macross Frontier, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, the film Our Little Sister, and the NHK historical drama Naotora: The Lady Warlord, among others. She also composed the recovery support song for the Great East Japan Earthquake (Flowers Will Bloom – Hana wa Saku), creating several arrangements for it. In the first year of the Reiwa era, she composed Ray of Water, a celebratory piece for the Japanese Emperor’s enthronement, which was performed in honor of the Emperor and Empress at the Imperial Palace. Her recent work includes the music for the Netflix adaptation of Cowboy Bebop and The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House. At Expo 2025 in Osaka, she composed the music for a large fountain art installation. In addition, she also contributed to other pavilion projects at the Expo, including an XR (Extended Reality) production that combined immersive digital visuals with live performance elements, and a haptics-based installation utilizing advanced touch-feedback technology to create new sensory experiences.
Monday, April 13, 8:00 p.m.
Hammerstein Ballroom at Manhattan Center, 311 West 34th Street
From $107.33
Japanese hip-hop powerhouse Creepy Nuts — the duo made up of three-time national rap battle champion R-Shitei and world-champion DJ DJ Matsunaga — announce their first-ever North American tour including their debut performances at Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival 2026! Their breakthrough has been driven by craft rather than trend: R-Shitei’s battle-forged lyricism and DJ Matsunaga’s virtuosic turntablism, paired with productions that fluidly bridge hip-hop, pop, and electronic energy. Their 2024 smash “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born” went Top 10 on Billboard’s Global 200 chart and ranked prominently on Apple Music’s global charts, while “Otonoke” became the most-streamed Japanese song abroad in 2025 and “Mirage” gained traction on Spotify’s Global Viral chart. Creepy Nuts are no longer just Japan’s leading hip-hop act; they are among the most compelling artists to emerge on the global stage in recent years.
Read MoreJQ Magazine: Concert Review – TWICE a Triple Threat at New York’s UBS Arena
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By Vlad Baranenko (Saitama-ken, 2000-02) for JQ magazine. Photos by JYP Entertainment, Sarah Waxberg.
On February 20, the sensational K-pop group TWICE lit up UBS Arena for the second of three sold-out performances in Belmont, New York. The eight members in attendance, along with backup dancers and a live band, transformed the 19,000-seater into a party of lasers, dynamic light effects, and voices that has mesmerized fans of all ages around the world. This writer was fortunate enough to have been invited to witness the spectacle firsthand, enjoying a spellbinding 30-song extravaganza ahead of the group’s tenth anniversary this fall.
Before diving into the concert, it’s noteworthy to mention a bit about the group. Formed in 2015 under JYP Entertainment, TWICE debuted as a nine-member girl group — Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Tzuyu — and quickly rose to prominence with catchy and energetic hits that became their calling card. Early singles like “CHEER UP” established their blend of bubbly pop melodies and sharp choreography, and later releases like “FANCY” and “Feel Special” showed everyone the group’s evolution. In just the last few years, TWICE have hit their share of milestones: In 2023 they became the first female K-pop group to headline major U.S. stadiums, selling out shows at SoFi Stadium and MetLife Stadium, and last year they made history again as the first K-pop girl group to headline Lollapalooza in Chicago. Their English-language single “The Feels” broke into the Billboard Hot 100, and 2024’s mini-album With YOU-th became their first to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Their most recent full-length album, THIS IS FOR, also debuted in the Top 10.
This wasn’t my first time seeing a girl group perform at a major U.S. venue, and I wasn’t expecting the crowd to be any different from the likes of J-pop fans or Hatsune Miku, but I must admit that this mix felt different. Somehow, the teenagers and older fans well into their 30s seemed more mature, dressed in a stylish manner that I wasn’t used to. Needless to say, I later discovered that the outfits many fans adorned were a tribute to the style of the group’s music videos. Multiple people wore the iconic red crochet bonnet, the style associated with TWICE’s “THIS IS FOR” music video. High cut pink fur boots were also abundant, featured in the group’s performance at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show (another first for a K-pop group).
Read MoreJQ Magazine: Nippon in New York – Akira Yamaoka, ‘The Ozu Diaries,’ ‘Kiki’ 4K IMAX
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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 showcases that will transport you to another time and place, a clutch of debut screenings, and live events you won’t want to miss.
This month’s highlights include:
March 2-3, 7:00 p.m.
Akira Yamaoka with Special Guest Raj Ramayya
Irving Plaza, 17 Irving Place
From $41
Acclaimed composer Akira Yamaoka, best known for his haunting and emotional soundtracks to the Silent Hill video game and film series, has announced his first-ever U.S. tour. This pair of highly anticipated NYC dates will bring Yamaoka’s iconic music to life through an immersive live performance experience, blending atmospheric soundscapes, visual storytelling, and the chilling beauty that defined a generation of psychological horror. Opening each night on the tour will be Raj Ramayya, the internationally acclaimed singer, composer, and lyricist known for his work on Cowboy Bebop, Resident Evil, and collaborations with Yoko Kanno. Together, they create a sound that blurs the line between digital isolation and human connection, a haunting and immersive experience that will come to life. Accompanied by a full band, each performance will transport audiences into the world of Yamaoka’s sonic imagination.
Friday, March 6, 6:00 p.m.
Japan Society, 333 East 47th Street
$12 members, $14 students/seniors, $16 nonmembers
During his lifetime, director Yasujiro Ozu maintained a trove of personal diaries that reveal a remarkably intimate side of the legendary filmmaker. Pulling from essays, home movies, archival photos, and recollections of Ozu-gumi (Ozu staff/collaborators) like Kogo Noda and Kinuyo Tanaka, The Ozu Diaries attempts to unmask the mystique surrounding Ozu’s persona. With fascinating anecdotes—such as Ozu hearing a rumor that Setsuko Hara could not act prior to working with her—and contributions by Kiyoshi Kurosawa and Wim Wenders, The Ozu Diaries offers a glimpse of one of cinema’s greatest masters, an auto portrait told through his own words.
9:00 p.m.
$8 members, $14 students/seniors, $16 nonmemembers
35mm presentation! A crowning achievement from Yasujiro Ozu’s late period, Late Autumn—like Good Morning and Floating Weeds before it—reworks the plot of an earlier production: 1949’s Late Spring. Setsuko Hara, no longer the ebullient ingénue, plays the part of serene and composed widow Akiko whose daughter Ayako (Yoko Tsukasa) becomes the unwitting subject of an orchestrated matchmaking. However, the setup does not go according to plan when Ayako outright refuses marriage. Featuring a delightfully feisty Mariko Okada and the soft-spoken, doe-eyed Keiji Sada as secondary players, this Agfacolor comedy is an Ozu melodrama par excellence—observant, witty, and unrelentingly tragic in the face of life’s vicissitudes. Get 25% off when you purchase a ticket for The Ozu Diaries and Late Autumn in the same transaction ($8 off non-members / $5 off for members).
Read MoreJQ Magazine: Nippon in New York – ‘Scarlet,’ TWICE, ‘Homecoming: The Tokyo Series’
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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, a clutch of wide release screenings, and a live K-pop performance you won’t want to miss.
This month’s highlights include:
Opens Thursday, Feb. 5
Angelika Film Center New York, 18 West Houston Street
$19
This historic hit broke a 22-year-old record in late November, becoming the highest-grossing live-action film of all time in Japan with over 12.3 million tickets sold to date, surpassing $111 million USD. In December, it was shortlisted for two Oscar categories — Best International Feature, in addition to Best Makeup and Hairstyling. Nagasaki, 1964. After the death of his father, the leader of a yakuza gang, 14-year-old Kikuo is taken under the wing of a famous Kabuki actor. Alongside Shunsuke, the actor’s only son, Kikuo decides to dedicate himself to this traditional form of theatre. Across decades, the two young men grow and evolve together – from acting school to the grandest stages – amid scandals and glory, brotherhood and betrayals, as each pushes to become the greatest living Kabuki master. Directed by Sang-il Lee (Hula Girls). Written by Satoko Okudera (Wolf Children) and Shûichi Yoshida (original novel). Starring Ryo Yoshizawa (Kingdom), Ryusei Yokohama (Your Eyes Tell) and Ken Watanabe (The Last Samurai).
Opens Friday, Feb. 6
Various theaters
Various prices
Includes special IMAX screenings! From visionary Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Mamoru Hosoda (Mirai) comes a powerful, time-bending animated adventure about Scarlet, a medieval-era, sword fighting princess on a dangerous quest to avenge the death of her father. After failing at her mission and finding herself gravely injured in the Otherworld that exists somewhere between life and death, she encounters an idealistic young man from our present day who not only helps her to heal but shows her the possibility of a future free of bitterness and rage. When confronted again by her father’s killer, Scarlet faces her most daunting battle: can she break the cycle of hatred and find meaning in life beyond revenge? “As we witness heartbreaking conflicts around the world, I believe that finding love and choosing to live together in unity is what will lead us towards something better. That’s why I want to share this new film with the world — now more than ever,” explains director Hosoda.
Feb. 18, 20-21
TWICE – This Is For World Tour
UBS Arena, 2400 Hempstead Turnpike (Elmont)
From $74.20
For the first time, global K-pop superstars TWICE will perform in-the-round on a 360-degree stage, transforming arenas into immersive spaces where fans can experience the show from every angle Most recently, TWICE released their 4th full length album, THIS IS FOR, which debuted in the top 10 on the Billboard 200 chart, marking the group’s seventh consecutive entry on the chart. The girl group also contributed to the official soundtrack for Netflix’s hit film KPop Demon Hunters. Members JEONGYEON, JIHYO, and CHAEYOUNG recorded a special version of the original track “TAKEDOWN,” featured during the film’s powerful end sequence and accompanied by exclusive behind-the-scenes footage from the recording studio. Their rendition of the song went on to reach #58 on the Billboard Hot 100, while TWICE’s hit single “STRATEGY,” also included on the film’s soundtrack, achieved notable success on the Hot 100 as well. These accomplishments set the stage for TWICE’s highly anticipated 10th anniversary this October – a celebration of a decade of groundbreaking success, artistic evolution, and global impact. Members Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Tzuyu will deliver their all-new production and a career-spanning setlist featuring hits like “The Feels,” “More & More,” “FANCY,” and “STRATEGY” to arenas worldwide.
Read MoreJQ Magazine: Nippon in New York – ‘Lupin the IIIrd the Movie: The Immortal Bloodline,’ NieR:Orchestra Concert, ‘All You Need Is Kill’
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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. 4-6
Lupin the IIIrd the Movie: The Immortal Bloodline
Various theaters
Various prices
After fending off a series of skilled assassins, gentleman thief Lupin III and his band of allies follow a strange invitation to an uncharted island. When their plane is shot down, the gang is stranded and soon hunted by the island’s inhabitants, past enemies, and a monstrous immortal being known as Muom, who threatens to destroy Lupin’s legacy. As a deadly toxic fog settles over them, Lupin must confront his greatest enemy in his most daring escapade yet. Legendary director Takeshi Koike (Redline, The Animatrix) returns to the LUPIN THE IIIRD franchise after six years with his latest devilish spin on Monkey Punch’s original manga. LUPIN THE IIIRD: The Movie – The Immortal Bloodline infuses Koike’s signature stylish action with the classic pulpy tones of Monkey Punch’s work for an exhilarating sci-fi tour de force.
Jan. 8-11
Japan Society, 333 East 47th Street
Various prices
$30-$63
A group of refugees fleeing to safety. An uncompromising inspector whose life depends on apprehending the fugitive among the group. Can they cross the border? Recognized as a masterpiece of kabuki theater, Kanjincho draws its tale from the 12th century, featuring deception, quick wit, and a riotous and nail-biting tit-for-tat with impossibly high stakes as its centerpiece. Kinoshita Kabuki gleefully charges across the boundary between bombastic traditional kabuki drama and contemporary theater in a hip and pop culture-drenched take on this surprisingly evergreen tale about transcending borders. Created by brilliant young dramaturg Yuichi Kinoshita with in-demand guest director Kunio Sugihara, experience the international sensation that has cemented Kinoshita Kabuki’s place in the current pantheon of sterling modern theater companies. Performed in Japanese with English supertitles.
Jan. 8-11
Various theaters
Various prices
Fathom Entertainment presents a 40th anniversary presentation with a special featurette celebrating the fans of Labyrinth, filmed on location at the UK’s recent “Labyrinth Experience & Masked Ball,” presented by Thames Con in association with The Jim Henson Company! Frustrated with babysitting on yet another weekend night, Sarah (Jennifer Connelly), a teenager with an active imagination, summons the Goblins to take her baby stepbrother away. When little Toby actually disappears, Sarah must follow him into a fantastical world to rescue him from the Goblin King (David Bowie). Guarding his castle is the labyrinth itself, a twisted maze of deception, populated with outrageous characters and unknown dangers. To get through it in time to save Toby, Sarah befriends the Goblins, in hopes that their loyalty isn’t just another illusion in a place where nothing is as it seems.
Read MoreJQ Magazine: Cirque du Soleil’s ‘LUZIA’ a South of the Border-Tinged Dream Come True
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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 Matt Beard & Anne Colliard.
Under the White Big Top at Atlantic Station, a glowing disc becomes moon and sun, hummingbirds vault through moving hoops, and a sudden downpour sketches patterns in mid-air. This is LUZIA: A Waking Dream of Mexico, Cirque du Soleil’s acclaimed touring production that transforms a night at the circus into a kaleidoscopic travelogue: equal parts high-wire athleticism, live theater, and living mural. The Atlanta engagement runs now through January 25—a perfect holiday send-off and a rare chance to see the company’s first Big Top show to weave real rain into its acrobatics.
LUZIA opens with a parachutist tumbling into a field of golden marigolds before a “Running Woman” unfurls monarch-butterfly wings. From there, the show leapfrogs through an imaginary Mexico: a smoky dance hall inspired by the golden age of cinema; an arid desert rimmed by towering agaves; a cenote where an aerialist arcs just above a shimmering pool. The program’s audacious centerpiece is a curtain of water that “prints” shapes with droplets—flowers, animals, even motifs drawn from Otomí embroidery—then vanishes in an instant.
On treadmills, hoop divers sprint and spring through moving rings; Cyr wheel artists carve hypnotic circles in the rain; and the Russian swing sends flyers soaring 30 feet beneath the tent’s crown. (Note that this is the first Cirque touring production to integrate water at this scale; Cirque’s custom-made 2,600-seat Grand Chapiteau becomes a small village on wheels, complete with kitchens, workshops, and a self-contained water system.)
Reviews have been rapturous since the show’s Montreal premiere back in 2016. New York Theatre Guide called LUZIA “one not to miss,” praising the way it “showcases the best of Cirque’s acrobatic feats amid bright colors, vibrant music, and rich culture.” Atlanta’s ArtsATL admired how the “sumptuous and vibrant world of Mexico” is conjured through costumes, ingenious set pieces, and “excellent acrobatics.” Critics abroad have echoed the praise. Australia’s Herald Sun hailed LUZIA as a “spellbinding love letter to Mexican culture” and marveled at the onstage downpour created with tens of thousands of liters of filtered, heated, and recirculated water—an engineering feat that underscores Cirque’s obsession with detail and safety.
Read MoreJQ Magazine: Nippon in New York – ‘Scarlet,’ ‘Mishima’s Muse,’ Murakami Mixtape
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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.
With Thanksgiving (and the hopes of sensible eating) now just a memory, we turn to colder weather, falling snow, and the new year to come. Fortunately for Japanese culture fans, December is just as busy as the holiday season itself. Whether you’re hosting guests from out of town or looking to squeeze in an event or two in between parties, we’ve got you covered.
This month’s highlights include:
Wednesday, Dec. 3 (IMAX early access), opens everywhere Dec. 5
Various theaters
Various prices
For the first time on the big screen, the Shibuya Incident—the greatest battle in Jujutsu Kaisen to date—will be presented in a special compilation format. Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution presents the debut of the first two episodes of Season 3’s upcoming arc, “Culling Game Part 1” ahead of its January 2026 streaming debut. By connecting the directly linked episodes of the “Shibuya Incident” and “Culling Game,” arcs, fans can relive all the mayhem and heartbreak of the Shibuya Incident and witness the reveal of the Culling Game as the story transforms into a new experience crafted specially for the big screen. The desperate confrontation between Satoru Gojo’s two beloved students comes to the big screen with an early preview. Be the first to experience Yuji and Yuta’s fateful battle with the hotly anticipated kickoff to Season 3 in theatres nationwide!
December 4-6, 7:30 p.m.
Japan Society, 333 East 47th Street
Sold out; limited access seats for $40 may be available for performances on December 5 & 6 only
Hosho Noh School’s U.S. Debut! A pre-performance lecture on noh theater begins one hour prior to the start of each show.
Yukio Mishima immersed himself in Japan’s traditional arts and, notably, traditional noh theater, enchanted by its noble elegance and refined beauty. His love for noh resulted in a series of esteemed dramatic works, Modern Noh Plays, growing to encompass eight contemporary adaptations of noh stories. Now, the distinguished Hosho Noh School, originating in the early 15th century and led by 20th Grand Master Kazufusa Hosho, brings this elegant art form to the U.S. in the company’s historic North American debut. In accordance with centuries-old tradition, each evening features a rotating offering of the authentic classic repertoire of noh alongside comedic kyogen theater (performed by the prominent Yamamoto Tojiro Family). Each play selected for this program served as a source of inspiration for Mishima to adapt as modern stories centuries later.
PROGRAM:
December 4: Noh Music: Shishi (Lion Dance) / Kyogen: Busu (Poison) / Noh: Aoi no Ue (Lady Aoi)
December 5: Noh Shimai (unmasked excerpt): Kantan / Kyogen: Busu (Poison) / Noh: Aya no Tsuzumi (The Silk Drum)
December 6: Noh Shimai (unmasked excerpt): Yoroboshi / Kyogen: Busu (Poison) / Noh: Aoi no Ue (Lady Aoi)
Performed in Japanese with English supertitles.
Dec. 10-14
Peter Jay Sharp Theater at Juilliard, 155 West 65th Street
$20 members, $40
Four exceptional choreographers are working with Juilliard dancers creating new works here on campus. Be the first to see New Dances: Edition 2025. Gianna Reisen has created works for New York City Ballet and the Los Angeles Dance Project and sets her new piece for first-year dancers to sections of Philip Glass’ Einstein on the Beach, with third-year dancers as the narrators. Juilliard alum, former Paul Taylor dancer, and founder of TAKE Dance Takehiro Ueyama is creating a work for second-year dancers to communicate something “human, honest, and hopeful.” Juilliard alum My’Kal Stromile, currently choreographing with the Boston Ballet, has third-year dancers sharing the stage with Dolphin Quartet, playing Paganini live. Jessica Wright from Studio Wayne McGregor introduces the first phase of a large-scale work with fourth-year dancers, before it expands to a multi-part performance McGregor will direct this spring in New York, culminating in the world premiere at Sadler’s Wells East in May, featuring the Juilliard dancers and dancers from London’s Rambert School.
Read MoreJQ Magazine: ‘Angel’s Egg’ 4K Restoration: A Reverie Reborn in Dolby Cinema
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By JQ magazine editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) for JQ magazine. Justin has written about Japanese arts and entertainment for JETAA since 2005. For more of his articles, click here.
Mamoru Oshii’s Angel’s Egg is one of those films that people talk about in a lowered voice, as if it were a mystery that might vanish if confronted too directly. It is a film of austere beauty and radical quiet—70-odd minutes of shadowed corridors, abandoned cathedrals, fossilized leviathans, and two nameless travelers: a girl who cradles a giant egg as if it were her entire future, and a boy who cannot stop asking what’s inside.
Released in 1985 and long unavailable through official channels in North America, Angel’s Egg has gathered its legend through bootleg tapes, festival whispers, and the occasional late-night screening. Now, four decades on, it returns today (Nov. 19) in theaters nationwide in a new 4K restoration supervised by Oshii and presented nationwide by GKIDS, which included Dolby Cinema early access engagements before the general theatrical rollout. For a film that has lived so much of its life in the margins, the chance to experience it in a calibrated premium room with Dolby Vision and Atmos support feels almost paradoxical—and absolutely right.
This anniversary run isn’t just a new coat of paint. The restoration—which debuted on the 2025 festival circuit and now arrives coast to coast—was reconstructed from the original 35mm materials, with a Dolby Cinema version created alongside a rebuilt soundtrack that expands the original mono presentation into 5.1 and Dolby Atmos options. That last detail may raise eyebrows for purists, but in practice the approach respects the film’s fundamental quietude; it simply gives the silence more dimensions.
To remember Angel’s Egg in the context of anime history is to remember how unstandardized the medium felt in the mid-1980s. It premiered in a decade when the OVA market was exploding and when directors like Oshii and artists like Yoshitaka Amano (Final Fantasy, Vampire Hunter D) were testing the boundaries of animation’s visual grammar. The film’s surface—textured stone, dripping water, the faint pulse of bio-mechanical curiosities—speaks in symbols rather than exposition. There is barely any dialogue. The camera (or rather, Oshii’s implied lens) prefers long lateral moves, as if pacing the nave of an endless church, and the compositions are arranged like prints: light carved out of darkness, characters dwarfed by architecture, the egg always nestled in white cloth at the frame’s center.
When viewers call the film “obscure,” they don’t just mean it’s hard to find; they mean it resists the usual ways we talk about plots. If Oshii’s Ghost in the Shell (1995) became the textbook for cyber-philosophy in animation, Angel’s Egg is the poem scrawled in the margins. The imagery anticipates later techno-gothic strains of anime, but without the anchor of a conventional narrative. In this sense, its return to theaters matters historically: one rarely sees repertory engagements for 1980s anime outside of a handful of well-known titles, and the film’s own distributors underscore how rarely screened it’s been in any official capacity. Seeing it at scale isn’t a curiosity; it’s an act of historical restoration.
Oshii’s collaboration with Amano yields a film that looks simultaneously medieval and futuristic. Statues of saints are strapped to rolling platforms and carted through fog-wet streets; hunters hurl harpoons at shadow-fish that pass across stone facades like projected ghosts; the girl and the boy ride a gargantuan, half-submerged machine that could be a cathedral or a vessel or a fossilized beast. The film’s religious aura—crosses, chalices, a literal ark—threads through its central question: does faith require the egg to remain closed, or the courage to break it? The boy, carrying a rifle and speaking in riddles, keeps needling: “What’s inside?” The girl maintains her vigil.
What’s remarkable, especially on a big screen, is how the movie makes time feel tactile. Shots hold until your breathing matches the drip of water; the rhythm of footsteps through an empty hall becomes as musical as Kenji Kawai’s glassy, ascetic score. And then, at intervals, Oshii punctures the stillness with kinetic episodes: a barrage of thrown spears; a dissolve-drunk montage of monuments and bones; an unforgettable nocturne of the boy swinging the egg like a hammer. These moments carry a kind of moral vertigo that’s hard to feel at home; they need the dark, the scale, the sense that the film surrounds you.
Read MoreNippon in New York: ONE PIECE x MERCER LABS, ‘Angel’s Egg’ 4K, ’Kokuho’
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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.
The events of the month ahead promise to be as rich and full as autumn itself—brisk and colorful, with a dash of unpredictability.
This month’s highlights include:
Now through November 30
Mercer Labs, 21 Dey Street
From $55
Since its debut more than a quarter century ago, One Piece has grown into a franchise that currently spans 15 feature films, multiple video games, a trading card game, and a continually expanding catalog of licensed merchandise and location-based entertainment. This all-new exhibition spans 11 rooms at Mercer Labs and is based on the Land of Wano Arc from the One Piece anime series. “We’re thrilled to partner with Mercer Labs to create ONE PIECE x MERCER LABS and bring this cutting-edge immersive One Piece experience to fans in New York City,” said Lisa Yamatoya, Senior Director and Head of Marketing at Toei Animation Inc. “For over 25 years, One Piece has delighted audiences worldwide through the imaginative storytelling and colorful characters created by Eiichiro Oda. This exhibition offers fans and newcomers alike a rare opportunity to step inside the world of One Piece and experience it in an entirely new way.” Join the Straw Hat Crew and step aboard the Thousand Sunny and meet the future King of the Pirates!
Saturday, November 1, 4:00 p.m.
Godzilla in Context: 70 Years of Monster History
Japan Society, 333 East 47th Street
$15-$20
The original Godzilla film was first released on Nov 3, 1954, and this date is now remembered each year as “Godzilla Day,” paying tribute to the birth of Japan’s most famous monster. In honor of this year’s Godzilla Day, Japan Society will host author Steve Ryfle (70 Years of Godzilla) for a special anniversary talk.
Read MoreJQ Magazine: Nippon in New York – ‘100 Meters,’ New York Comic-Con, ‘Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc’
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BBy 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:
Wednesday, October 8, 7:00 p.m.
100 Meters Premiere with Director Kenji Iwaisawa
Japan Society, 333 East 47th Street
$20-$26
East Coast premiere! 100 Meters follows Togashi, a track star who is born to run. As a kid, he is naturally gifted and wins every 100-meter race without effort. But in sixth grade, he meets Komiya, a transfer student who is full of determination but lacks technique. In teaching him, Togashi gives Komiya a new purpose: to win no matter what. Years pass by, and Togashi and Komiya meet again as rivals on the track and reveal their true selves. Helmed by director Kenji Iwaisawa, who quickly rose to prominence for his debut film, ON-GAKU: Our Sound, 100 Meters is a heart-pounding adaptation of the beloved manga by Uoto. The film is written by Yasuyuki Muto (Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway, Tokyo Revengers), with a score by Hiroaki Tsutsumi (Jujutsu Kaisen, Tokyo Revengers, Dr. Stone).
Oct. 9-12
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, 429 Eleventh Avenue
$90 (daily), $280 (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. Special anime-related events presented by Crunchyroll this year include Ghosts, Aliens, and Supernatural Shenanigans! Starring the English Voice Cast of DAN DA DAN, Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill Season 2 – Special Premiere Screening, and TRIGUN STARGAZE Special Premiere ft. Author Yasuhiro Nightow! Also check out signings by The Legend of Zelda manga duo Akira Himekawa, and Scholastic’s Graphix works including Unico: Awakening and The Baby-Sitters Club!
Wednesday, October 8, 7:00 p.m.
Author Talk: Jake Adelstein and The Devil Takes Bitcoin
Japan Society, 333 East 47th Street
$20-$25
Japan Society is honored to welcome bestselling author Jake Adelstein for a special talk and signing in celebration of the release of his newest book,The Devil Takes Bitcoin: Cryptocurrency Crimes and the Japanese Connection. From the author of Tokyo Vice comes the wild, true story of cyber-era commerce, crime, cold-hard cash, and one of the greatest heists in history. The Devil Takes Bitcoin tells the true story of the humble-to-hot commodity, from the former geek website that launched the boom to an inside world of absent-minded CEOs, hucksters, hackers, cybercrooks, drug dealers, corrupt federal agents, evangelical libertarians, and clueless techies. Attendees of this talk and signing will be able to purchase copies of The Devil Takes Bitcoin, Tokyo Vice, and Adelstein’s other books at the event or bring books from home for a signing session following the author’s talk.
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