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 othe 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.

2026 Korean action horror movie Colony (군체) in Pittsburgh, from August 27.

The 2026 Korean action horror movie Colony (군체) will play in Pittsburgh from August 27.

Horror master Yeon Sang-ho (Train to Busan) directs a new Korean zombie thriller starring Gianna Jun and Koo Kyo-hwan. Professor Se-jeong (Jun) is thrust into a bloody nightmare when a rapidly mutating virus is released during a biotech conference causing authorities to seal the facility. Trapped inside with no escape, Se-jeong along with a small group of survivors must fight to stay alive while the infected undergo horrific transformations.

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

New Chinese computer-animated film All Wishes Come True (八仙) in Pittsburgh, August 28 - September 2.

The Chinese computer-animated film All Wishes Come True (八仙) will play in PIttsburgh on August 28.

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.

Korean films Train to Busan (부산행), Colony (군체), and Japanese film Ichi the Killer (殺し屋１) comprise Asian Movie Madness at Parkway Theater in McKees Rocks in September.

Three films will comprise Asian Movie Madness at the Parkway Theater next month: Train to Busan (부산행) on September 5, Colony (군체) on September 12, and Ichi the Killer (殺し屋１) on September 18. Ticket information is coming soon. The theater is located at 644 Broadway Ave. in McKees Rocks (map).

2026 Chinese film Dear You (给阿嬷的情书) in Pittsburgh, from September 3.

The 2026 Chinese film Dear You (给阿嬷的情书) will play in Pittsburgh from September 3.

A debt-ridden grandson travels to Thailand to find the grandfather he believes abandoned their family, hoping the man behind years of qiaopi letters and remittances can help pay his debts. Instead, he uncovers a lifelong act of love and sacrifice. Inspired by overseas Chinese traditions, DEAR YOU has become a breakout success, touching global audiences with its story of family and devotion.

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

Tuvan throat singers Alash Ensemble return to Pittsburgh, October 15.

Tuvan throat singers Alash Ensemble will return to Pittsburgh on October 15.

ALASH ensemble is a trio of master throat singers (xöömeizhi) from Tuva, a tiny republic in the heart of Inner Asia. The ancient art of throat singing (xöömei) developed among the nomadic herdsmen of this region. Alash remains grounded in this tradition while expanding its musical vocabulary with new ideas from the West.

The group will perform at the First Unitarian Church in Shadyside (map) from 8:00 pm. Tickets are available for purchase in-person at Jerry's Records (Squirrel Hill), Vinyl Remains (Mt. Lebanon), Government Center Records (North Side), and Pleasant Dreams Records (Polish Hill), or online via Humanitix (charges 10% service fee).

"We Learn" Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Korean classes resume at Carnegie Library in Oakland, Saturdays from September 12.

via the Republic of Korea's Flickr page.

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh branch in Oakland will resume its free "We Learn" Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Korean classes Saturdays from September 12 through November 14, after its current session concludes on August 29. 

Tickets for 2026 SCREENSHOT: Asia Film Festival now on sale.

The lineup for the 2026 SCREENSHOT: Asia Film Fest was announced a few days ago, and tickets are now available online. This year's festival features 13 works, so far, at locations throughout Oakland and downtown. Most relevant to readers of this site are films from Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, Indonesia, Korea, China, and the Philippines:

• Before the Bright Day (南方時光, Taiwan) - September 18, 1:30 pm, Frick Fine Arts Auditorium
• Sleep No More (Monster Pabrik Rambut, Indonesia) - September 18, 8:00 pm, Harris Theater
• Gloaming in Luomu (罗目的黄昏, China) - September 19, 11:00 am, Cathedral 332
• Filipiñana (Philippines) - September 19, 7:00 pm, Harris Theater
• Two Seasons, Two Strangers ( 旅と日々, Japan) - September 20, 11:00 am, Frick Fine Arts Auditorium
• Queer Taiwan: Works from Jo-Fei Chen (Where is my Love?, Incidental Journey) - September 20, 3:00 pm, Carnegie Museum of Art
• Ky Nam Inn (Quán Kỳ Nam, Vietnam) - September 21, 6:30 pm, Public Health G24
• 3670 (Korea) - September 22, 7:00 pm, Harris Theater
• The Yoshida-Ryo Dormitory (対話のゆくえ　京都大学吉田寮, Japan) - September 23, 7:00 pm, David Lawrence 121

Tickets are free for anyone with a University of Pittsburgh ID and for Carnegie Mellon University students. The festival runs from September 16 through 23.

Seats remain for N1, N3 Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) in Pittsburgh in December; N4 and N5 registration opens later this week.

The University of Pittsburgh will once again serve as a testing site for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) this year, with registration for N1, the highest level, having opened on August 18. There are currently seats available for N1 and N3, though N2 is sold out. Registration for N4 and N5, the lowest level, will open on August 26 and 28, respectively, at 8:00 am EST. The tests will be held on Sunday, December 6, and registration can be completed online.



The test is offered at locations throughout the country, but 2025 was the first time it was offered in Pittsburgh.

Oakland's Mount Everest Sushi closes.

Mount Everest Sushi has recently closed in Oakland after nine years of operation. It opened in April 2017 at 128 Oakland Ave., replacing the popular Sushi Boat and offering (at the time) poke, sushi rolls, sushi tacos, and sushi donuts.

The Yoshida-ryo Dormitory (対話のゆくえ 京都大学吉田寮) named 2026 Japan Documentary Film Award (JDFA) winner.

The 2025 Keizo Fujikawa documentary The Yoshida-ryo Dormitory (対話のゆくえ 京都大学吉田寮) has been named the 2026 Japan Documentary Film Award (JDFA) winner.

We are thrilled to announce this year's winner, the 2025 film Yoshida-Ryo by documentary filmmaker Keizo Fujikawa. Yoshida-Ryo Dormitory explores this centuries-old communal living space where its inhabitants are slated for eviction. Through a colorful array of characters, the film shows the struggles and wonders of living through consensus, as well as the fraught role of interdependence in the contemporary world. As one of our judges notes, "[the film] captures the essence of the universal, fundamental issue of the world we live in by digging deep into a very local, small world. I felt what's happening at Yoshida-ryo is happening everywhere, or it had happened already."

The movie will be screened at an awards ceremony on September 23 at 7:00 pm in 121 David Lawrence Hall on the University of Pittsburgh campus (map) as part of next month's SCREENSHOT: Asia Film Festival. 

He JDFA's official site provides an overview of the award:

The Japan Council of the University of Pittsburgh and SCREENSHOT: ASIA invites submissions every two years for its Japan Documentary Film Award. This biennial prize is awarded to one exemplary documentary film promoting the understanding of Japan and Japanese culture. The documentary should tell us something interesting about Japan and/or speak to Japanese culture, history, social phenomena, practices, or events. The award is available to feature-length films from all countries, and in all languages.

Previous award winners include:

• 2018 - Sennan Asbestos Disaster (ニッポン国VS泉南石綿村)
• 2020 - An Ant Strikes Back (アリ地獄天国)  
• 2022 - Maelstrom
• 2024 - Fists and Prayers (拳と祈り ー袴田巖の生涯ー) 

Japanese movies Godzilla, Shin Godzilla at Rangos Giant Cinema, September 12.

The Rangos Giant Cinema will present the 1954 movie Godzilla and the 2016 movie Shin Godzilla on September 12. The original movie will play at 7:30:

“Godzilla,” the film that sparked a worldwide sensation, finally makes it to a screen that’ll do it justice. When a prehistoric beast is mutated by hydrogen bombs, Japan becomes the focus of his aggression. Battle the monster alongside Dr. Serizawa to save his country from the monumental monster on Sat., Sept. 12 at 7 p.m.

And the 2016 installment starts at 9:30 pm:

Japan is terrorized by a seemingly unstoppable beast mutated by the carelessness of man. This reimagining of the original classic is a pulse pounding thriller that will leave you on the edge of your seat. On Sat., Sept. 12 at 9:30 p.m., “Shin Godzilla” makes its terrifying debut on the largest movie screen in Pittsburgh.

Tickets are available online. The Rangos Giant Cinema is located inside the Kamin Science Center, formerly known as the Carnegie Science Center, which is located at 1 Allegheny Ave. on the North Shore (map).

1988 Japanese film Akira (アキラ) in Pittsburgh, from September 3.

The 1988 Japanese film Akira (アキラ) will play in the Pittsburgh area 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.

It plays locally, so far, at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the AMC Westmoreland in Greensburg, 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 4.

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 4. 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, (tickets here). The Row House Hollywood is located at 1449 Potomac Ave. (map), one block south of the Potomac T Station.

2025 Japanese film Exit 8 (8番出口) returns to Pittsburgh, September 4 through 10, part of Holding (Liminal) Space film series.

The 2025 Japanese film Exit 8 (8番出口) will return to Pittsburgh on September 4, part of a Holding (Liminal) Space film series at the Row House Lawrenceville.

A man trapped in an endless sterile subway passageway sets out to find Exit 8. The rules of his quest are simple: do not overlook anything out of the ordinary. If you discover an anomaly, turn back immediately. If you don’t, carry on. Then leave from Exit 8. But even a single oversight will send him back to the beginning. Will he ever reach his goal and escape this infinite corridor?

The movie played in Pittsburgh throughout much of April. Tickets for this next run are available online. The Row House Lawrenceville is a single-screen theater located at 4115 Butler St. in Lawrenceville (map).

2025 Japanese animated film The Last Blossom (ホウセンカ) in Pittsburgh, August 30 and 31.

The 2025 Japanese animated film The Last Blossom (ホウセンカ) will play in Pittsburgh on August 30 and 31. A synopsis from GKIDS, the distributor:

Former yakuza Akutsu is serving life in prison after a middling career in the underworld. On the night he lays dying in his cell, he reminisces with his only companion, a smart-mouthed flower growing out of a can, about the choices that brought him here, the woman he loved, and a child he would give everything to protect. Is redemption out of reach?

From director Baku Kinoshita and writer Kazuya Konomoto, creators of ODDTAXI, and award-winning Studio CLAP (Pompo the Cinephile), THE LAST BLOSSOM is a thrillingly original work from animation’s most inventive new talent. Moving across time and memory, the film is an unforgettable meditation on found family, sacrifice, and the complicated pieces that join together to make a life.

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

Free "We Learn: Japanese Study" at Carnegie Library branch downtown, Fridays from September 4.

"Osaka, Japan" by Pedro Szekely (Creative Commons).

The CLP - Downtown branch will host free "We Learn: Japanese Study" sessions on Fridays from September 4 through October 2.

Enjoy learning the basics of the Japanese language and culture from a certified, native Japanese instructor. We will learn greetings, etiquette and manners, survival phrases for traveling to Japan, visiting interesting tourist locations, and ordering food and shopping. We will also learn reading and writing – Hiragana, Katakana, Kanji, Emoji, Anime and Manga. Each session is designed to be interactive and fun. The agenda can vary based on the interests of the students.
・10:30 – 11:00 (Writing)
・11:00 – 12:00 (Conversation)
We Learn groups are volunteer-facilitated peer learning groups.

The library is located at 612 Smithfield St. (map).