4K restoration of 1993 Japanese animated film Ninja Scroll (獣兵衛忍風帖) in Pittsburgh, October 4 and 7.

A new 4K restoration of 1993 Japanese animated film Ninja Scroll (獣兵衛忍風帖) will play at the Row House Hollywood on October 4 and 7.

Jubei is a masterless ninja who travels the land alone, lending his services to those with gold—or a worthy cause. His fearsome abilities have served him well, but a plot to overthrow the government threatens to end his wandering ways—and possibly his life.

There are five shows in total and tickets are available online. The Row House Hollywood is located at 1449 Potomac Ave. (map), one block south of the Potomac T Station.

Documentary Always Lalisa in Pittsburgh area, October 14 and 17.

An upcoming documentary Always Lalisa, following Blackpink's Lisa, will play in the Pittsburgh area on October 14 and 17.

Always Lalisa is a feature-length documentary following global superstar LISA during a transformative year away from Blackpink, the K-pop phenomenon that made her one of the world's most recognizable performers. As the group pauses activities, LISA embarks on the first true chapter of her solo career, confronting the question of who she is beyond Blackpink. The film follows LISA as she writes, records, and releases her debut solo album, Alter Ego, makes her acting debut in the third season of The White Lotus, and prepares for her first major solo performance at the 2025 Coachella Music Festival. Born and raised in Thailand, LISA left home at fourteen to train in South Korea's demanding K-pop system, ultimately rising to global superstardom. But forging her own path, particularly in the Western music market, brings new pressures, relentless scrutiny, and the challenge of redefining herself on her own terms. Intimate, emotional, and revealing, Always Lalisa captures an artist at a crossroads, documenting a year of risk, reinvention, and self-discovery as LISA begins to define not only her next chapter, but the woman and artist she wants to become.

It is scheduled to play locally, so far, at the Cinemark theaters in McCandless and Monroeville, and tickets are available online.

2025 Japanese animated film cocoon – One Summer of Girlhood (cocoon 〜ある夏の少女たちより〜) in Pittsburgh, from September 3.

The 2025 Japanese animated film cocoon – One Summer of Girlhood (cocoon 〜ある夏の少女たちより〜) will play in Pittsburgh from September 3. A synopsis from the distributor GKIDS:

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 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), the film is a devastating yet beautiful plea for peace.

It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront (tickets here) and the Row House Hollywood from the 4th, (tickets here). The Row House Hollywood is located at 1449 Potomac Ave. (map), one block south of the Potomac T Station.

2023 movie Past Lives at Northland Public Library, September 16.

The 2023 movie Past Lives will play at Northland Public Library on September 16, this month's installment of the Movie Matinee series.

After Nora and Hae-Sung meet at twelve years of age, Nora moves away. Not until twentyfour years later do they meet again. In Korea “inyeon” means destined to be together whether it’s in the now, the past or the future. He just wants to see her one last time. Can she say goodbye?

he movie will play at Northland from 1:30 pm, and the library is located off of McKnight Road and Rt. 19 in McCandless Township (map). It is free and open to the public.

1988 Japanese animated film Akira (アキラ) in Pittsburgh, in standard format and a 4K re-release, from September 3.

The 1988 Japanese animated film Akira (アキラ) in Pittsburgh, in both standard format and a 4K re-release, from September 3.

In 1988 the Japanese government drops an atomic bomb on Tokyo after ESP experiments on children go awry. In 2019, 31 years after nuking the city, Kaneda, a bike gang leader, tries to save his friend Tetsuo from a secret government project. He battles against anti-government activists, greedy politicians, irresponsible scientists and a powerful military leader until Tetsuo's supernatural power suddenly manifest. A final battle is fought in Tokyo Olympiad exposing the experiment's secrets.

The 4K re-release screens at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark theater in Robinson, while the standard format plays at the AMC Loews Waterfront. Tickets are available online.

New Chinese computer-animated film All Wishes Come True (八仙) stays in Pittsburgh through (at least) September 9.

The Chinese computer-animated film All Wishes Come True (八仙), which opened in Pittsburgh on August 28, will remain in the area through (at least) September 9.

On a wondrous island where mortals and Immortals dwell as one, a legendary vault holds a fortune beyond dreaming. Lü Dongbin and Zhongli Quan have a plan. To crack that vault, these two mortals will pull off the impossible: pose as Immortals themselves. They gather six more misfits along the way: He Xiangu, Tieguai Li, Han Xiangzi, Cao Guojiu, Lan Caihe, and Zhang Guolao. Eight ordinary souls, one extraordinary heist, and death waiting for anyone caught trying to outsmart the heavens. But something far worse is already closing in: a shadow conspiracy that could undo the balance of all things. And our eight bumbling schemers stand right in its path. Inspired by the beloved Chinese legend of the Eight Immortals crossing the sea, All Wishes Come True! opens in theaters this summer.

It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and tickets are available online.

Two performances of KPOP WARRIORS LIVE at Kelly Strayhorn Theater, September 12.

Kelly Strayhorn Theater will host two performances of KPOP WARRIORS LIVE on September 12.

Get ready for an unforgettable live experience with KPOP WARRIORS LIVE:  a high-energy, family-friendly show packed with music, dance, acrobatics, comedy, and spectacular stage performances!

Step into a colorful world inspired by the excitement of K-pop, where powerful choreography, dazzling costumes, dynamic characters, and nonstop entertainment come together in one action-packed production.

Featuring talented dancers, circus performers, interactive games, fun surprises, and audience participation, KPOP WARRIORS keeps kids and families engaged from beginning to end.

Young fans will love seeing their favorite K-pop-inspired heroes come to life on stage, while parents will enjoy a fast-paced show filled with humor, energy, and memorable moments for the whole family.

Perfect for K-pop fans, young audiences, and families looking for a unique live entertainment experience.

Don’t miss KPOP WARRIORS LIVE – music, action, comedy, and adventure all in one incredible show!

Tickets are available online. The Kelly-Strayhorn Theater's Alloy Studios is located at 5530 Penn Ave. in East Liberty (map). 

Progress slow but steady on Pittsburgh's first YangGuoFu Mala Tang, coming to Squirrel Hill.

Progress is still underway on YangGuoFu (also known as YGF Malatang), a chain of build-your-own malatang bowls, aiming to open its first Pittsburgh-area location in Squirrel Hill.

Founded in 2003 in Harbin, China, YGF Malatang began as a humble street-side stall built on one belief: great food should be fresh, flavorful, and uniquely yours. We handpicked ingredients, simmered broth daily, and let guests craft their own bowls — interactive, vibrant, and deeply personal. That founding spirit — individuality and flavor discovery — drives us today as we bring authentic Malatang to the Americas. At YGF, every bowl is crafted fresh and unmistakably yours.

It will be located at 5870 Forbes Ave. (map) in what was most recently Evelyn James Interiors. Signage first went up in November 2025, and they were initially aiming for a mid-January opening. There are over 6,000 YGF Malatang restaurants worldwide, and locations in New York, California, Georgia, Florida, Texas, and Washington. (Ownership did not respond to requests for Pittsburgh-area updates.)

Korean film Train to Busan (부산행) at Parkway Theater, September 5.

Tickets are now available for the 2016 Korean film Train to Busan (부산행) at the Parkway Theater on September 5, part of an Asian Movie Madness series this month.

Train to Busan – terrifying 10th anniversary, in a newly remastered and revived version

A workaholic father and his young daughter board a high-speed bullet train from Seoul to Busan. A catastrophic viral outbreak sweeps across South Korea during their journey. Trapped in narrow train compartments, a small group of passengers must fight off hordes of infected individuals to stay alive.

The theater is offering movie tickets for $10, sold at the door only, or movie + dinner (chicken on a stick with rice and a spring roll) for $20. The theater is located at 644 Broadway Ave. in McKees Rocks (map).

Hello Kitty Cafe Truck at Ross Park Mall, September 26.

via @HellyKittyCafeTruck

The Hello Kitty Cafe Truck will return to Ross Park Mall on Saturday, September 26.

Hello Pittsburgh! The Hello Kitty Cafe Truck is returning to Ross Park Mall on Saturday, 9/26! Come say hello to us near The Cheesecake Factory & LL Bean between 10am-7pm and pick up some supercute treats & merch, while supplies last! See you there!

More information about the truck and its tours available via Sanrio. Ross Park Mall is located in Ross Township in the North Hills, just off McKnight Road (map).

Mango Mango Dessert coming soon to Cranberry for its second Pittsburgh-area location.

Mango Mango Dessert's second Pittsburgh-area location will be in Cranberry, where work is underway at 1720 Route 228 (map). Mango Mango is a chain of Hong Kong style desserts that opened its first Pittsburgh-area spot in Squirrel Hill in 2024, during a flurry of activity when a number of national and international Asian dessert and boba chains that first took notice of Pittsburgh, including Gong Cha, Tiger Sugar, Wushiland, Kyo Matcha, and Tsaocaa. The menu includes photogenic sundaes, parfaits, ice cream, crepe cakes, and jellies, often centered around the eponymous fruit.

Robust lineup of AAPI exhibitions and performances at Kelly Strayhorn Theater this fall, from October 5.

The Kelly Strayhorn Theater has announced its Fall 2026 lineup and it features numerous exhibitions and performances by local AAPI artists. An excerpt from its press release:

Our upcoming season features a powerful lineup of AAPI artists. The season is led by WITH OURSELVES, WITH EACH OTHER by artist Maree ReMalia, a Korean adoptee and ballerina-turned-experimental dance-maker. The work explores her experience as she navigates the grief of losing a parent who raised her and the absence of a parent she never met. ReMalia's performance also comes with a movement workshop and a community dinner where people can dive deeper into the loaded topics of adoption, memory, loss, and joy.

Curated alongside is Remind Me, My Dream, a visual arts exhibition by JADED, Pittsburgh’s first AAPI artist collective celebrating AAPI art & culture in Pittsburgh.

In November, KST's Freshworks residency will showcase musician lys scott, a first-generation LGBTQIA+ Thai American artist, exploring the liberation of individuality, sexuality, and relationships with their immigrant family.

Community Dinner with Maree ReMalia

Co-Presented by KST and Hatch Arts Collective

Monday, October 5 | 6:00pm - 8:00pm

Kelly Strayhorn Theater | 5941 Penn Ave.

Pay What Moves You: $0 - $25

Acts of Remembrance Workshop with Maree ReMalia and David Bernabo

Co-Presented by KST and Hatch Arts Collective

Wednesday, October 7 | 6:00pm - 8:00pm

Kelly Strayhorn Theater | 5941 Penn Ave.

Pay What Moves You: $10 - $25

Maree ReMalia: WITH OURSELVES, WITH EACH OTHER

Co-Presented by KST and Hatch Arts Collective

Co-Directed by Adil Mansoor, Produced by and Created with Hatch Arts Collective

Friday, October 23 | 7:30pm - 8:45pm (with post-show discussion)

Saturday, October 24 | 2:00pm - 3:15pm (with ASL interpretation) | 7:30pm - 8:45pm (followed by karaoke afterparty with Liana Maneese in the KST lobby)

Kelly Strayhorn Theater | 5941 Penn Ave.

Pay What Moves You: $20 - $35

JADED: Remind Me, My Dream

Friday, October 23 - Friday, December 18

Opening Reception: Friday, October 23 | 5:30pm - 7:30pm

Kelly Strayhorn Theater | 5941 Penn Ave.

Pay What Moves You: $0 - $20

Freshworks: lys scott, chronicles of a crazy girl

Friday & Saturday, November 6 - 7 | 7:30pm - 9:00pm (including post-show discussion) 

KST’s Alloy Studios | 5530 Penn Ave.

Pay What Moves You: $15 - $30

The Kelly-Strayhorn Theater's Alloy Studios is located at 5530 Penn Ave. in East Liberty (map). 

Ebisu Life Store coming to Cranberry.

Work is underway on an Ebisu Life Store in Cranberry. It will be located at 20217 Route 19 Suite 203 in a former Party City in a strip mall near the Walmart at the intersection of Route 19 and Old Freedom Rd, and aims to open later this year. From their Instagram:

At the end of this year an Ebisu Japanese Life Store will be opening in Cranberry Township, PA! This 7,000 sq ft store will be packed with claw and gatchapon machines, Japanese beauty, exciting snacks and drinks to try, anime figures, stationery, and much more!

Stay tuned for more information on the Grand Opening and exciting events in store! 🌸🇯🇵

Ebisu Japanese Life Store is a Chinese chain specializing in Japanese goods, with its stores featuring cosmetics, snacks, homegoods, stationary, gacha machines, and more. It opened its first area location in Squirrel Hill in October 2024. 

Pittsburgh's JLPT N5 exam sells out in 42 minutes; only 15 N1 seats remain.

For the second straight year, the University of Pittsburgh is sesrving as a testing location for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT). Registration opened for N1 (the most difficult level) on August 18, for N2 on August 21, for N3 on August 24, for N4 on August 26, and for N5 (the simplest level) at 11:00 am EST today. After roughly 42 minutes, all 45 N5 slots for Pittsburgh were gone, and most other levels were sold out within the day. At the time of this post, only 15 N1 slots remain.

1926 Japanese silent film A Page of Madness (狂った一頁) returns to Pittsburgh, with metal and electronic score, September 2.

The Silent Light presents the 1926 Japanese silent film A Page of Madness (狂った一頁), with accompaniment by live metal and electronic score, on September 2 at Row House Hollywood.

Experience Kinugasa’s lost 1926 silent horror masterpiece A Page of Madness like never before, reimagined with a blistering live metal and electronic score by The Silent Light. This cinematic ritual of chaos and sound will be performed one night only live at Row House-Hollywood  on September 2, 2026.

11th Pittsburgh Chinese Cultural Festival (相约第11届匹兹堡中华文化节), September 19 in Mellon Park.

The Pittsburgh Chinese Cultural Center will present the 11th annual Pittsburgh Chinese Cultural Festival (相约第11届匹兹堡中华文化节) on September 19.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, September 19 at Mellon Park! Bring your family and friends for a lively day filled with captivating performances, interactive art demonstrations, fun games, and delicious food. Early birds can enjoy warm-up performances starting at 10:30 AM, with the official festival kickoff at 11:00 AM (running through 5:00 PM). See you there!

9月19日（周六）Mellon Park 带上家人与朋友，一起享受精彩绝伦的舞台表演、丰富有趣的艺术互动展示、热闹的互动游戏以及地道的各色美食。上午10:30起将带来精彩的预热表演，文化节将于11:00正式拉开帷幕（持续至下午5点）。期待您的到来！我们不见不散！

The event runs from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm in the southern half of Mellon Park (map, not the half with the spray park and baseball fields).

4K presentation of Ghost in the Shell (攻殻機動隊) for film's 30th anniversary, in Pittsburgh from September 17.

A 4K presentation of Ghost in the Shell (攻殻機動隊) for the film's 30th anniversary will play in Pittsburgh from September 17. A synopsis, from the Anime News Network:

In the year 2029, the barriers of our world have been broken down by the net and by cybernetics, but this brings new vulnerability to humans in the form of brain-hacking. When a highly-wanted hacker known as "The Puppetmaster" begins involving them in politics, Section 9, a group of cybernetically enhanced cops, are called in to investigate and stop the Puppetmaster. The pursuit will call into question what makes a human and what is the Puppetmaster in a world where the distinction between human and machine is increasingly blurry.

It is scheduled to play locally, so far, at the AMC Loews Waterfront, the AMC Westmoreland in Greensburg, and---on the 20th and 23rd only, for now---at the Cinemark theaters in McCandless, Monroeville, and Robinson. Tickets are available online.

AAPI Flourishing Symposium: Breaking the Silence & Building Support at University of Pittsburgh, September 18.

The University of Pittsburgh's School of Social Work will present AAPI Flourishing Symposium: Breaking the Silence & Building Support on September 18.

The symposium is designed to bring together researchers, students, practitioners, and community members to explore flourishing, mental health, and well-being within Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities. We hope to create a space for conversations around issues that are often difficult to discuss openly, while highlighting research and approaches that can strengthen individual, family, and community well-being.

'Breaking the Silence' reflects that many issues in our community have gone unspoken, and our needs have too often been overlooked in research, practice, and broader conversations about well-being. 'Building Support' reflects our goal of moving beyond awareness toward connection, resources, research, and sustained support that help our communities flourish.

We've started out small (if voices aren't loud, people don't care, and fundings are limited). The hope is to establish this AAPI Flourishing Symposium as an annual gathering over the coming years, creating an ongoing space to build connections across disciplines and communities, highlight emerging scholarship, support students and early-career researchers, and strengthen collaboration around AAPI flourishing and well-being.

The event runs from 10:00 am to 2:30 pm in 2017 Cathedral of Learning and online, and registration is required.

The program of events:

• 10:00 - 10:10 - Opening Remarks
• 10:10 - 11:10 - Keynote Presentation: Rona Hu, MD (Stanford University)
• 11:10 - 12:10 - Keynote Presentation: Katie K. Koo, PhD (University of Georgia)
• 12:10 - 12:50 - Lunch
• 12:50 - 13:30 - Emerging Research: Max Halvorson, PhD (University of Washington)
• 13:30 - 14:00 - Student Presentation
• 14:00 - 14:30 - Panel Discussion

KOGO Modern Korean Kitchen opens in Squirrel Hill.

KOGO Modern Korean Kitchen has recently opened in Squirrel Hill, in a spot shared with Diners 2+1 Japanese Cuisine. KOGO offers build-your-own bowls---like a Classic Bulgogi Steak Bowl, Spicy Gochujang Chicken Bowl, and Cumin Fire Chicken Bowl---along with other interesting menu items include Korean Egg Drop Sandwiches (available from 8:45 am through 2:30), poke bowls, sushi rolls, high-protein cups, and konjac jelly drinks. KOGO Modern Korean Kitchen is located at 1722 Murray Ave. (map).

NCT 127 5TH TOUR ‘NEO CITY : SEOUL - THE REDLINE’ in CINEMAS in Pittsburgh, September 20.

The concert film NCT 127 5TH TOUR ‘NEO CITY : SEOUL - THE REDLINE’ in CINEMAS will play in the Pittsburgh area on September 20.

NCT 127 5TH TOUR ‘NEO CITY : SEOUL - THE REDLINE’ in CINEMAS brings the explosive opening of NCT 127’s long -awaited return to the big screen through a special live viewing event in theaters around the world. Marking the group’s first tour in a year and eight months, this event captures the scale, energy, and electrifying performances of NCT 127 as they kick off a new chapter of NEO CITY in Seoul. Broadcast live from KSPO DOME, audiences worldwide are invited to experience the intensity of the concert in a cinematic setting, taking in every moment of the setlist, staging, and onstage charisma with fans across the globe. For NCTzens and K -pop audienc es alike, this cinematic experience is a chance to witness the heat of THE REDLINE together, beyond borders, on the biggest screen possible.

It plays locally, so far, at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark theater in Robinson, and tickets are available online.