JQ Magazine: Nippon in New York – Koji Suzki, ONE OK ROCK, ‘Naruto: The Symphonic Experience’
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:
Courtesy of Litcgshow.com
May 3-4
Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, 1255 Hempstead Turnpike (Uniondale)
$15-$100
The Long Island TCG Show is a highly anticipated event for all TCG (Trading Card Game) enthusiasts. Vendors from all over the region will be selling an impressive selection of TCG products, including Pokémon cards, Yu-Gi-Oh cards, Magic: The Gathering cards, and more! At the Long Island TCG Show, attendees can explore a vast array of TCG merchandise, from the latest booster packs to rare and unique finds. Connect with other TCG enthusiasts to discuss your favorite games, cards, and strategies with other like-minded individuals who share your passion. Special guests include Chuck Huber (Dragon Ball series), Dante Basco (Avatar: The Last Airbender), and Veronica Taylor (Pokémon, Sailor Moon). Don't miss out on the opportunity to discover both modern and vintage TCG products and connect with fellow enthusiasts at this highly anticipated event!
Courtesy of Nyphil.org
May 7-9, 7:30 p.m.
Wu Tsai Theater, David Geffen Hall, 10 Lincoln Center Plaza
From $68
David Newman leads the NY Phil in a program that highlights the storytelling power of John Williams's unforgettable soundtracks. Join us to celebrate the music behind your favorite movie moments — Hedwig soaring above the Hogwarts grounds, Indiana Jones saving the Ark of the Covenant, Elliott riding his bike through the sky with E.T., and many more! ABOUT THE ARTISTS: David Newman is an accomplished conductor and creator of music for film. In his 30-year career he has scored more than 110 films, ranging from War of the Roses, Matilda, Bowfinger, and Heathers to Girls Trip, Night School, and Serenity. His music has brought to life the critically acclaimed dramas Brokedown Palace and Hoffa; comedies Galaxy Quest and Throw Momma from the Train; and award-winning animated films Ice Age, The Brave Little Toaster, and his Academy Award–nominated score to Anastasia. American soprano Diana Newman brings fresh and intense performances to opera houses and concert stages across the United States and Europe. Her 2024–25 season highlights include the North American premiere of Missy Mazzoli’s The Listeners with Opera Philadelphia in the role of Danica, her Atlanta Opera debut as Erste Dame in Mozart’s The Magic Flute, and Bernstein’s Symphony No. 3, Kaddish, with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s conducted by James Conlon.
©I・K/AMPC
Friday, May 9, 5:30 p.m.
Japan Night Reception & Concert
Edison Ballroom, 240 West 47th Street
$75-$125
Celebrating this year’s Japan Parade and Street Fair the following day featuring Grand Marshal Masaharu Morimoto (Iron Chef), the launch of Japan Night allows more artists, performers, and companies to showcase their expressions of modern and traditional Japanese culture. The evening will begin with a reception and sake tasting including MIO Sparkling Sake by Takara Sake USA Inc. with hors d’oeuvres, beer and wine. An exciting concert hosted by NBC news correspondent Emilie Ikeda will follow. Scheduled to perform are the cast of ATTACK on TITAN: The Musical; MIYABI Koto Shamisen Ensemble, led by renowned Japanese koto player Masayo Ishigure; a visual presentation of traditional Japanese crafts presented by title sponsor ASP Group; and closing in spectacular fashion, a live performance by Sayaka Yamamoto, singer-songwriter and former captain of the pop idol group NMB48.
Courtesy of Narutoinconcert.com
Sunday, May 11, 2:00 p.m.
Naruto: The Symphonic Experience
Kings Theatre, 1027 Flatbush Avenue (Brooklyn)
From $49
Naruto: The Symphonic Experience is a live concert that brings the beloved anime to life on a grand scale. This two-hour event features a film montage of iconic scenes from over 220 episodes, synchronized to a live orchestra performing Toshio Masuda’s original score. Fans will relive Naruto Uzumaki’s journey to become Hokage, facing rivalries, challenges, and growth along the way. The orchestra performs not only Masuda’s unforgettable soundtrack but also the series' most famous openings and endings, inviting the audience to sing along with the music they love. This interactive element draws fans closer to Naruto, celebrating the powerful, shared bond the music creates. Whether you’re a devoted fan or new to the series, Naruto: The Symphonic Experience offers an exclusive, unforgettable way to celebrate Naruto’s epic journey and music in a truly one-of-a-kind setting.
GKIDS
May 11-13
$19, $9 members
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.
Kodai Kobayashi
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.
Maki Takagi
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.
© 1989 Eiko Kadono/Hayao Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli, N
May 17-21
Various theaters
Various prices
Celebrate this beloved coming-of-age story from the legendary Studio Ghibli 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. English dub version features the voices of Kirsten Dunst, Janeane Garofalo, Phil Hartman, and Debbie Reynolds.
Courtesy of Japansociety.org
Wednesday, May 28, 7:30 p.m.
Ring with Introduction by Author Koji Suzuki
Japan Society, 333 47th Street
$20 members, $25 nonmembers
This special event is presented by Japan Society in collaboration with Kodansha USA. The evening includes an introduction by original Ring author Koji Suzuki. Screening is followed by a book signing with Suzuki. Attendees will be able to purchase copies of Ring, Spiral, Loop and Koji Suzuki’s other books at this event or bring books from home for a signing session following the screening.
Investigating the urban myth of a cursed videotape that kills its watchers within seven days of viewing, journalist Reiko Asakawa (Nanako Matsushima) discovers a series of unnatural teenage deaths tied to a tangible, real-life tape when her niece falls victim to the curse. While tracking it down, Reiko unwittingly exposes her son to the tape, pitting her in a race against the clock to discover the secrets behind its origin. A dirgelike procession of contorted corpses, grainy video footage and disturbing imagery, director Hideo Nakata’s brooding J-horror classic unleashes a barrage of nightmare fuel that feeds off of technological anxieties of our modern era. Influential on both sides of the Pacific, Ring led to a popular franchise that spans more than 10 films in Japan and is widely credited as leading to a Japanese horror boom in the U.S., including a smash 2002 English-language adaptation directed by Gore Verbinski and starring Naomi Watts.
Courtesy of Oneokrock.com
Friday, May 30, 8:00 p.m.
ONE OK ROCK DETOX North American Tour 2025 with Stand Atlantic
Prudential Center, 25 Lafayette Street (Newark)
From $57.92
ONE OK ROCK is gearing up for an electrifying return on the road with their highly anticipated DETOX NORTH AMERICAN 2025 TOUR. This tour, bearing the same name as their latest album released in February and produced by Rob Cavallo (Green Day, Linkin Park, My Chemical Romance), marks the band’s most ambitious journey across the United States and Canada to date, including three arena shows, which showcase the band’s growing fan base. The 15-city tour will kick off in Vancouver and will visit major cities including two nights at The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, a stop at the Prudential Center in Newark, and more before concluding in Minneapolis on June 7th. Joining them as special guests on all dates are pop-punk band Stand Atlantic.
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