Spiral Symphony: A Chorus of Transformation and Renewal: The 28th Greater Pittsburgh Lunar New Year Fair and Show, January 26.

The Carnegie Museum of Art will host "Spiral Symphony: A Chorus of Transformation and Renewal: The 28th Greater Pittsburgh Lunar New Year Fair and Show" on January 26.

Inspired by the Year of the Snake, the 28th Greater Pittsburgh Lunar New Year Celebration heralds the new year with a resplendent celebration of change and rebirth. Presented by the CASTP Organization, with support from Carnegie Museum of Art, this multicultural festival harmonizes ancient Lunar New Year traditions with global customs. Guests will embark on a mesmerizing journey through spiraling rhythms and evolving melodies, where the snake’s wisdom and symbolism come alive in spectacular performances and hands-on activities. This immersive experience invites attendees to shed the old and embrace the new, fostering a joyous chorus of global unity and growth as we step into the promising dawn of a new year.

The fair will be from 11 a.m.–2:30 p.m. and the concert will begin at 2:30 p.m.

Japanese metal band HANABIE。returns to Pittsburgh, March 12.

Japanese metal band HANABIE。will return to Pittsburgh on March 12, part of their US tour with Kim Dracula. Their Reddit fanpage provides an introduction:

Loud rock band HANABIE。formed at their school light music club in June 2015. Centering in Kichijōji, Tokyo, they started performing live around areas such as Shinjuku and Tachikawa.

The sound of Hanabie features the sound mixture of metalcore, hardcore, Hip-Hop, and J-POP. Their 1st album, "Girls Manifest" was released in 2020. With this album, they have established their own genre "HARAJUKUCORE"

Their live performances have a speed and power that exceeds expectations and captivates their audience. Yukina's powerful screaming/growling vocals never leave anyone without being amazed, along with this excellent melodic lines given by the clean voice of Matsuri, this is a complete basis for an amazing metalcore band but as for them it isn't enough they add different layers of voices between rap lines. If vocally they are great, in the instrumental part they're not left behind, aggressive, heavy, and dynamic. Certainly to define this band you need at least two words: dynamic and powerful.

The band played Preserving Underground in New Kensington in September 2023 and the Roxian Theatre in September 2024.

Ticket presale for the all ages show at the Roxian Theatre in McKees Rocks (map), 6:30 pm, is happening now.

1962 Japanese film Harakiri (切腹) in Pittsburgh, January 9 - 15.

The 1962 animated film Harakiri (切腹) will play in Pittsburgh from January 9 through 15.

In 18th-century Edo, a masterless samurai (Tatsuya Nakadai) wanders into the virtuous House of Iyi, asking to commit ritual seppuku (suicide). He is met with skepticism by the clan’s retainers, who have learned of drifting ronin making similar requests as a means of extortion. Nevertheless, the samurai promises to disembowel himself, but not before imparting the tragic circumstances that have led him to this final act. Adorned by stunning chiaroscuro compositions, an unnerving Toru Takemitsu score, and a bitingly acerbic script by Kurosawa scribe Shinobu Hashimoto, director Masaki Kobayashi’s slow-burn rebuke of authority culminates in a scathing takedown of the bushido code and the shallow valor it vowed to uphold.

It plays in Japanese with English subtitles at the Harris Theater in downtown's Cultural District (map) and tickets are available online.

Tuvan throat singers Alash Ensemble return to Pittsburgh, March 7.

Alash Ensemble will return to perform in Pittsburgh on March 7.

Alash are masters of Tuvan throat singing, a remarkable technique for singing multiple pitches at the same time. Masters of traditional Tuvan instruments as well as the art of throat singing, Alash are deeply committed to traditional Tuvan music and culture. At the same time, they are fans of western music. Believing that traditional music must constantly evolve, the musicians subtly infuse their songs with western elements, creating their own unique style that is fresh and new, yet true to their Tuvan musical heritage.

The group will perform at the First Unitarian Church in Shadyside (map) from 7:30 pm. Tickets are available for purchase at Jerry's Records, Vinyl Remains, Long Play Cafe, Government Center, and online for $25, or for $30 at the door.

Additional day added for album making-of documentary RM: Right People, Wrong Place (still playing) in Pittsburgh on December 14 and 15.

An extra day has been added for the album making-of documentary RM: Right People, Wrong Place, which played in Pittsburgh-area theaters on December 5 and 8 and will stay here on December 14 and, now, December 15.

A film that chronicles artist RM's eight-month production of his second solo album, “Right Place, Wrong Person,” while candidly recording the endless concerns of the person Kim Namjoon, and the things he immerses himself in and loves.

It plays on December 14 at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark in Robinson, and on the 15th at the Cinemark in Robinson, and tickets are available online.

Lunar New Year Celebration at University of Pittsburgh, January 22.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will host a Lunar New Year Celebration on January 22.

Celebrate the Year of the Snake! Fun Activities & Delicious Snacks. Come join us and bring in the Lunar New Yeat with joy and excitement!

It runs from 12:00 to 1:30 pm in the Global Hub on the first floor of Posvar Hall (map), and is free and open to the Pitt community.

2006 Japanese animated film Paprika (パプリカ) in Pittsburgh, January 8, 9, and 12.

The 2006 Japanese animated film Paprika (パプリカ) will play in Pittsburgh on January 8, 9, and 12, part of the 2024-2025 Anime Expo Cinema Nights series.

Anime Expo Cinema Nights presents the 15th anniversary and a 4K restoration of the last film ever made by visionary director Satoshi Kon with his mind-bending thriller PAPRIKA. When a machine that allows therapists to enter their patients’ dreams is stolen, all hell breaks loose. Only a young female therapist, Paprika, can stop it.

It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark in Robinson. Tickets are available online; the shows on the 8th and 12th are in Japanese with English subtitles, while the shows on the 9th are dubbed in English.

2016 Japanese animated film A Silent Voice (聲の形) in Pittsburgh, December 15 and 16.

The acclaimed 2016 Japanese animated film A Silent Voice (聲の形) will return to Pittsburgh on December 15 and 16.

“A Silent Voice” follows the poignant and moving story of Shoya Ishida, a school bully, and Shoko Nishimiya, a young girl with a hearing disability. Their story begins in sixth grade when Shoko transfers to Shoya’s elementary school and quickly finds herself bullied and isolated due to her hearing disability. Years later, the tables turn, and Shoya finds himself the victim. “A Silent Voice” depicts the struggles and challenges of adolescence alongside coming-of-age outside the norm.

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

Concert film Babymetal: Legend-43 in Pittsburgh, December 11 and 15.

The upcoming concert film Babymetal: Legend-43 will play in Pittsburgh December 11 and 15.

Anime Expo Cinema Nights Presents a special concert film of the band BABYMETAL with their worldwide tour Legend-43. In April 2023, SU-METAL (Vocal, Dance), MOAMETAL (Scream, Dance), and MOMOMETAL (Scream, Dance) entered a new stage as the newly born BABYMETAL. Since then, they have embarked on their largest world tour, "BABYMETAL WORLD TOUR 2023 - 2024," which took them to 25 countries, including Japan. The headline tour, excluding festivals and guest acts, drew a cumulative audience of more than 280,000 people for a total of 98 performances. The final chapter of the world tour, the first Okinawa performance "TOUR FINAL IN JAPAN LEGEND - 43", has been fully filmed. The film is BABYMETAL's first live film that allows viewers to experience all of the diverse music, unique worldview, production that only a tour final can offer, and the overwhelming performance of BABYMETAL, which has evolved even further during their world tour.

Babymetal performed in the Pittsburgh area in September 2023. The movie is scheduled to play locally, so far, at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark in Robinson, and tickets are available online.

NCT Mystery Lab: DREAM( )SCAPE in Cinemas in Pittsburgh-area theaters, December 11 and 14.

The concert film NCT Mystery Lab: DREAM( )SCAPE in Cinemas will play in Pittsburgh-area theaters on December 11 and 14.

NCT DREAM’s third world tour, ‘THE DREAM SHOW 3: DREAM()SCAPE,’ is coming to the big screen once again, bringing back the vibrant world bathed in Pearl Neo Champagne! Join the journey as the story of the Mystery Lab unfolds—a special laboratory where the secrets of growth are discovered on the path to one’s dreams, and where the prescription for comfort and healing is shared. Captured from Seoul's Gocheok Sky Dome, witness their breathtaking performances that radiated youthful energy, plus the passionate efforts behind the scenes. Don’t miss NCT DREAM Mystery Lab: DREAM()SCAPE in Cinemas—a stage for both escaping into dreams and embracing new beginnings.

It is scheduled to play locally, so far, at the AMC Loews Waterfront, AMC CLassic Westmoreland, and the Cinemark theater in Robinson. Tickets are available online.

Concert Seventeen [Right Here] World Tour in Japan: Live Viewing in Pittsburgh-area theaters, December 14.

Seventeen [Right Here] World Tour in Japan: Live Viewing will play in Pittsburgh-area theaters on December 14.

The Kyocera Dome Osaka concert of K-pop icon SEVENTEEN’s world tour ‘SEVENTEEN [RIGHT HERE] WORLD TOUR IN JAPAN’ will be broadcast live in cinemas in the US and Canada on Saturday, December 14, 2024 at 7PM (local time)!

From the newest track to iconic hits and hidden gems, SEVENTEEN’s unique and diverse performances that audiences around the world have been waiting for will come to life in cinemas across various countries and regions, with large screens and high-quality sound!

Get ready to experience the powerful energy, infectious humor, vibrant charm, and unit stages full of personality as SEVENTEEN bring an unparalleled, cohesive performance on screen that only they can deliver.

It will play locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark theaters in Monroeville, North Hills, and Robinson. Tickets for the 7:00 pm shows are now available online.

1988 film My Neighbor Totoro (となりのトトロ) in Pittsburgh-area theaters, December 7 - 11.

The 1988 film My Neighbor Totoro (となりのトトロ) will play in Pittsburgh-area theaters from December 7 through 11 as part of this year's Studio Ghibli Fest.

From the legendary Studio Ghibli and Academy Award®-winning director Hayao Miyazaki, comes a classic tale of magic and adventure for the whole family. When Satsuki and her sister Mei move with their father to a new home in the countryside, they find country life is not as simple as it seems. They soon discover that the house and nearby woods are full of strange and delightful creatures, including a gigantic but gentle forest spirit called Totoro, who can only be seen by children. Totoro and his friends introduce the girls to a series of adventures, including a ride aboard the extraordinary Cat Bus, in this all-ages animated masterpiece[.]

It plays locally in many area theaters, including Cranberry Cinemas, Waterworks Cinemas, AMC Loews Waterfront, AMC CLassic Westmoreland, and the Cinemarks in Monroeville and Robinson. Some shows are in Japanese with English subtitles while others are dubed in English, and tickets are available online.

"Korean Literature in the World Today" with author Han Junghyun, December 3 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh Asian Studies Center will present "Korean Literature in the World Today" on December 3 with author Han Junghyun.

Join us for a talk by Han Junghyun, a fiction writer from South Korea, as she discusses contemporary Korean literature and her role in shaping it. Her debut short novel, The Language of Adolf and Albert, won the Dong-a Ilbo New Writer’s Contest in 2015. Since then, she has received several prestigious awards, including:

• Today's Writer Award for Juliana Tokyo (2019)
• Young Writer's Award and Queer Literature Award for Our Wish is a Science Boy (2020)
• Kim Yu Jeong Literature Award and BUMA Democratic Uprising Literary Award for Kyoko and Kyoji (2021)

Join us to hear more about her literary journey!

It runs from 5:00 to 6:30 pm in 4130 Posvar Hall (map). 

"We Learn" Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Korean classes resume at Carnegie Library in Oakland, Saturdays from December 7.

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 December 7 through February 22, after finishing its most recent session on November 16.

Compilation film Solo Leveling: ReAwakening, featuring first two episodes of season 2, in Pittsburgh, from December 5.

The compilation film Solo Leveling: ReAwakening will play in Pittsburgh from December 5.

Solo Leveling -ReAwakening- features a catch-up recap of the first season coupled with an exclusive sneak peek of the first two episodes of the highly anticipated second season in one momentous theatrical fan experience. Over a decade has passed since a pathway called a "gate" which connects this world and another dimension suddenly appeared, and people with superhuman powers called "hunters" have been awakened. Hunters use their superhuman powers to conquer dungeons inside the gates to make a living, and Sung Jinwoo, a hunter of the lowest rank, is considered the Weakest Hunter of All Mankind. One day, he encounters a double dungeon, a high-level dungeon hidden inside a low-level one. In front of a severely wounded Jinwoo, a mysterious quest window pops up. On the verge of death, Jinwoo decides to take on the quest, which makes him the only person who can level up.

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

NCT Mystery Lab: DREAM( )SCAPE in Cinemas in Pittsburgh-area theaters, December 11 and 14.

The concert film NCT Mystery Lab: DREAM( )SCAPE in Cinemas will play in Pittsburgh-area theaters on December 11 and 14.

NCT DREAM’s third world tour, ‘THE DREAM SHOW 3: DREAM()SCAPE,’ is coming to the big screen once again, bringing back the vibrant world bathed in Pearl Neo Champagne! Join the journey as the story of the Mystery Lab unfolds—a special laboratory where the secrets of growth are discovered on the path to one’s dreams, and where the prescription for comfort and healing is shared. Captured from Seoul's Gocheok Sky Dome, witness their breathtaking performances that radiated youthful energy, plus the passionate efforts behind the scenes. Don’t miss NCT DREAM Mystery Lab: DREAM()SCAPE in Cinemas—a stage for both escaping into dreams and embracing new beginnings.

It is scheduled to play locally, so far, at the AMC Loews Waterfront, AMC CLassic Westmoreland, and the Cinemark theater in Robinson. Tickets are available online.

Kiki's Delivery Service (魔女の宅急便), Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (風の谷のナウシカ), Spirited Away (千と千尋の神隠し), and The Boy and the Heron (君たちはどう生きるか) comprise Studio Ghibli Week at Row House Lawrenceville, from November 29.

The Row House Lawrenceville will feature four films for its annual Studio Ghibli Week starting November 29: 1998's Kiki's Delivery Service (魔女の宅急便), 1984's Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (風の谷のナウシカ), 2001's Spirited Away (千と千尋の神隠し), and 2023's The Boy and the Heron (君たちはどう生きるか).

Studio Ghibli Week runs through December 5. Tickets and movie information is available online. The single-screen theater is located at 4115 Butler St. (map).

Album making-of documentary RM: Right People, Wrong Place in Pittsburgh, from December 5.

The upcoming film RM: Right People, Wrong Place will play in Pittsburgh-area theaters from December 5.

A film that chronicles artist RM's eight-month production of his second solo album, “Right Place, Wrong Person,” while candidly recording the endless concerns of the person Kim Namjoon, and the things he immerses himself in and loves.

It plays locally December 5 through 8, and December 14, at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark in Robinson, and tickets are available online.

Page Turners Book Club: Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa, December 12 in Oakland and online.

The December installment of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh's Page Turners Book Club is Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa, held on December 12 at the Main branch in Oakland and online.

Join us once a month for discussions as lively as the page-turning titles we read!! December’s discussion will be on the Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa, translated from the Japanese by Eric Ozawa.

Note: This book discussion is a hybrid event. Attendees are welcome to join in-person, which takes place in the Director’s Conference Room on the first floor of CLP-Main Library, or virtually using the link provided in your RSVP confirmation email. Some copies of the title will be available at CLP-Main at the New & Featured desk. Newcomers are always welcome!

This title is available for checkout in our Catalog, and also as an eBook on Hoopla and as an eAudio on Hoopla.

The event runs from 5:30 to 6:30 pm. A synopsis:

1994 film Pom Poko (平成狸合戦ぽんぽこ) in Pittsburgh-area theaters, November 26.

The 1994 film Pom Poko (平成狸合戦ぽんぽこ) will play in Pittsburgh-area theaters on November 26, part of this year's Studio Ghibli Fest.

From the legendary Studio Ghibli and Academy Award®-nominated director Isao Takahata, comes an action-packed ecological fable about the clash between nature and human civilization. The tanuki (raccoon dogs) of Tama Hills find their fun-loving community under attack when their quiet woodlands are threatened by encroaching developers looking to create still more houses and shopping malls. Desperate to survive, the tanuki band together and learn the ancient art of transformation, shape-shifting into a comical variety of humans and spirits as they undertake a last-ditch plan to scare away the humans and save their home, in this deeply affecting, funny and heartfelt look at what it means to live in the modern world.

It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the CHartiers Valley Luxury 14, and tickets are available online.