JQ Magazine: Nippon in New York — New York Comic Con, ‘RWBY,’ ‘Spirited Away’

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 Japan-centric 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:Oct. 4-7New York Comic ConJacob K. Javits Convention Center, 655 West 34th Street$50 (for Thursday, Oct. 4)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 on Oct. 4-6 from publishers Vertical Comics and Kodansha Comics, and check them out at booth #2109 to pick up con-exclusive merch and pre-release titles like APOSIMZ, Battle Angel Alita and The Ghost in the Shell: Global Neural Network. Special guests this year include Masako Nozawa (discussing the upcoming film Dragon Ball Super: Broly at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden Oct. 5), Toshihiro Kawamoto (Cowboy Bebop) and Akira Himekawa (The Legend of Zelda)!Friday, Oct. 5, 7:30 p.m.Hidejiro Honjoh x ICE: Shamisen EvolutionJapan Society, 333 East 47th Street$38, $30 membersListen to Hidejiro Honjoh, young shamisen prodigy and disciple of Hidetaro Honjoh, create this traditional instrument's 21st-century voice in an evening featuring living composers from the U.S. and Japan. Joined by members of the most sought-after contemporary music group International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), Hidejiro delivers three world premieres composed by Grammy-nominee Vijay Iyer, Nathan Davis and Yu Kuwabara. The program also includes pieces by Yuji Takahashi and Dai Fujikura, along with the U.S. premiere of the full score of Scott Johnson's Up and Back for shamisen, electric guitar, cello and piano. Followed by a MetLife Meet-the-Artists Reception.Oct. 24-28The Food Film FestivalLocations and prices varyTaste what you see on the screen! The Food Film Festival specializes in creating multisensory food and film experiences. At their events, guests watch films about food and simultaneously taste the exact dishes they see on the screen…right in their seats! This year’s events include the world premiere of Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown / Lower East Side (Oct. 24), and Chikarashi: Sustainable, Chef-Driven Poke Bowl (Oct. 26), about the Manhattan-based contemporary sea-to-table eatery inspired by Japanese and Hawaiian cuisine. For a complete listing, click here.Wednesday, Oct. 24, 9:00 p.m.Kikagaku MoyoMusic Hall of Williamsburg, 66 North 6th Street (Brooklyn)$17 advance, $20 day of showKikagaku Moyo (Japanese for Geometric Patterns) is the musical union between five free spirits. Go Kurosawa (drums, Vocals) and Tomo Katsurada (Guitar, Vocals) formed the band in 2012 as a free artist’s collective. They met Kotsuguy (Bass) while he was recording noise from vending machines and Akira (Guitar) through their university. Ryu Kurosawa had been studying Sitar in India, upon returning home he found the perfect outlet for his practice. Since 2013 the band has released four full lengths, two EPs, and a host of singles. They have toured Australia, the United States, Europe and Japan extensively. Their music is a conversation—sometimes delicate and tender other times explosive, but always human and always changing. With support from J Fernandez.Thursday, Oct. 25, 7:30 p.m.RWBY Volume 6 PremiereRegal E-Walk 42nd Street 13, 247 West 43nd StreetAMC Empire 25, 234 West 42nd StreetAMC Kips Bay 15, 570 Second Avenue$12.50Be the first to see the newest episode of RWBY Volume 6 on the big screen—all aboard the Argus Limited! Team RWBY and their friends are taking their first steps towards transporting the Relic of Knowledge to Atlas. Making their way to another continent won't be a simple journey, and the question on everyone's mind isn't "if" things will go wrong...but "when." Presented in English.Oct. 28th-Oct. 30th, various timesSpirited AwayRegal E-Walk 42nd Street 13, 247 West 43nd StreetAMC Empire 25, 234 West 42nd Street$12.50Winner of the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, Hayao Miyazaki’s wondrous fantasy adventure is a dazzling masterpiece from one of the most celebrated filmmakers in the history of animation. Chihiro’s family is moving to a new house, but when they stop on the way to explore an abandoned village, her parents undergo a mysterious transformation and Chihiro is whisked into a world of fantastical spirits ruled over by the sorceress Yubaba. Overflowing with imaginative creatures and thrilling storytelling, Spirited Away became a worldwide smash hit, and is one the most critically acclaimed films of all time. The October 28th and October 30th screenings are dubbed in English and the October 29th screenings are presented in Japanese with English subtitles.Want to stay in the loop on future events? Follow Justin on Facebook and Twitter.