JQ Magazine: Nippon in New York — ‘Alita: Battle Angel,’ Urusei Yatsura Returns, Puppet Theatre
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 anime screenings, and a theatrical performance you won’t want to miss.
This month’s highlights include:
Now playing
Various locations/prices
The number one movie in the world! From visionary filmmakers James Cameron (Avatar) and Robert Rodriguez (Sin City) comes Alita: Battle Angel, an epic adventure of hope and empowerment based on the acclaimed manga series by Yukito Kishiro. When Alita (Rosa Salazar) awakens with no memory of who she is in a future world she does not recognize, she is taken in by Ido (Christoph Waltz), a compassionate doctor who realizes that somewhere in this abandoned cyborg shell is the heart and soul of a young woman with an extraordinary past. As Alita learns to navigate her new life and the treacherous streets of Iron City, she discovers a clue to her past through unique fighting abilities that those in power will stop at nothing to control.
Tuesday, Feb. 19
$19.99 MSRP
After decades out of print, the hilarious manga classic that launched the career of Rumiko Takahashi (Ranma ½, Inuyasha) returns in all-new deluxe English editions! Beautiful space alien princess Lum invades Earth on her UFO, and unlucky Ataru Moroboshi’s world gets turned upside down! Will Lum become Earth’s electrifying new leader? Or will Ataru somehow miraculously save Earth from space alien onslaught? In a high-stakes game of tag, Ataru must touch Lum’s horns in ten days—or aliens will take over the earth! As it turns out, the game of tag is only the beginning of Ataru’s troubles, as he continues to attract strange encounters with otherworldly beings like beautiful snow spirit Oyuki and the sexy crow goblin Princess Kurama!
Friday, Feb. 22, 7:00 p.m.
Saint Vitus, 1120 Manhattan Avenue (Brooklyn)
$20-$70
Fluent in Japanese, this ex-Cacophony/Megadeth axeman’s overwhelming love of Japanese music and the Japanese language found him moving to Tokyo in 2003. It is there where his career took off in very unexpected ways. Currently he is a constant fixture on Japanese television (appearing on hundreds of network programs of all types, and as the face of long running campaigns for Fanta/Coca Cola, Sumitomo Bank, Suntory etc.), as well as appearing in major motion pictures. He is also the author of two hardcover books in Japanese detailing his unusual views on the current Japanese music scene, as well as two best-selling manga-related books, which are both in their eighth editions now. Catch Friedman as he supports his latest release, One Bad M.F. Live!!, with his band featuring Kiyoshi (bass), Jordan Ziff (guitar), and Chargeeee (drums). Featuring support by Immortal Guardian.
Feb. 28-March 2, 7:30 p.m.
Hachioji Kuruma Ningyo Puppet Theater
Japan Society, 333 East 47th Street
$40, $33 Japan Society members
Koryu Nishikawa, the fifth grand master of Hachioji Kuruma Ningyo Puppet Theater, returns to NYC (and marking the first bunraku performance at Japan Society in a decade) with four female-focused stories from classic literature: Kuzunoha, about a mother’s undying love for her child; Date Musume Koi Higanoko, which depicts a woman’s heroic sacrifice for her lover; Tsuri On’na, a comical piece about “fishing” for a wife; and Yugao, a new work from Nishikawa based on a story from The Tale of Genji, in which the jealous spirit of one of Genji’s lovers possesses a young woman he’s courting. Kuruma ningyo, literally meaning "puppets on wheels," refers to the company's unique technique in which the puppeteer sits atop a three-wheeled dolly, adding an element of dynamism and power to each character. Don’t miss this rare chance to see a full-scale production with chanters and shamisen players. Performed in Japanese with English titles. A pre-performance lecture begins one hour prior to the start of the performance. The Feb. 28 performance is followed by a MetLife Meet-the-Artists Reception.
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