2002 Studio Ghibli film The Cat Returns (猫の恩返し) in Pittsburgh, June 26 and 27.

The 2002 Studio Ghibli film The Cat Returns (猫の恩返し) will play in Pittsburgh on June 26 and 27 as part of this year's Studio Ghilbli Fest. A synopsis, from the distributor:

In this sequel to Whisper of the Heart, a quiet suburban schoolgirl, Haru, is pitched into a fantastical feline world and must find her inner strength to make her way back home. Walking with her friend after a dreary day at school, Haru eyes a cat with a small gift box in its mouth attempting to cross a busy street. The cat fumbles the package in the middle of the road as a truck is rapidly bearing down. Haru manages to scoop the cat away to safety. To her amazement, the cat then gets up on its hind legs, brushes itself off, and thanks her very politely.

Strange behavior indeed, but this is nothing compared to what happens later that evening when the King of Cats shows up in a feline motorcade replete with vassals, maidens, and even Secret Service cats. In a show of gratitude for saving his son’s life, the king cat showers Haru with gifts – including a large supply of individually wrapped live mice – and decrees that she shall marry the cat prince and come to live as a princess in the secret Kingdom of Cats.

It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark theaters in McCandless, Monroeville, and Robinson, and tickets are available online. Please note, the June 26 show at 3:00 pm is dubbed in English, while 7:00 pm and June 27 shows are in Japanese with English subtitles.

Japanese films Macross Frontier: The False Songstress (劇場版 マクロスF 虚空歌姫 〜イツワリノウタヒメ〜) and Macross Frontier: The Wings of Farewell (劇場版 マクロスF 恋離飛翼 〜サヨナラノツバサ〜) in Pittsburgh, June 16 and 30 (respectively).

The Japanese animated films Macross Frontier: The False Songstress (劇場版 マクロスF 虚空歌姫 〜イツワリノウタヒメ〜) and Macross Frontier: The Wings of Farewell (劇場版 マクロスF 恋離飛翼 〜サヨナラノツバサ〜) will play in Pittsburgh on June 16 and June 30, respectively. A synopsis of 2009's The False Songstress:

It is the year 2059. Following the near destruction of the human race 50 years prior, humankind has embarked upon an interstellar emigration project. The Macross Frontier fleet is on its way towards the center of the galaxy when it encounters a hostile alien species known as the Vajra. A concert by touring popstar Sheryl Nome becomes ground zero of an attack where both flight school trainee Alto Saotome and aspiring singer Ranka Lee are caught up in the chaos. Shocked by the experience, Alto resolves to join a private military contractor, the Strategic Military Services (S.M.S.) to protect his friends and soon finds himself piloting the latest state-of-the-art variable fighter, the VF-25 Messiah. All the while, with both Alto and Sheryl’s encouragement, Ranka begins the rigorous pursuit of becoming an idol singer. As a budding love triangle starts to bloom between the three, suspicions are raised as to what the Vajra’s actual objective is and who is really behind the attacks. When Sheryl learns that her home, the Macross Galaxy fleet, has been attacked, she calls the S.M.S. into action and Macross Frontier becomes the stage for an epic showdown!

And 2011's The Wings of Farewell:

In the aftermath of the events of The False Songstress, Sheryl Nome remains aboard the Macross Frontier as her health begins to rapidly deteriorate. Meanwhile, Ranka Lee has become a singing sensation in her own right and prepares for her debut concert just as a joint military operation to hunt down the Vajra Queen gets underway. After losing his VF-25 variable fighter as a result of the skirmish, Alto Saotome is hospitalized and the two songstresses rush to his side. Just as their love triangle is about to reach its climax, the architects behind the Vajra attacks are uncovered and Sheryl finds herself behind bars, accused of treason. It’s now a race against time for Ranka and the Strategic Military Services (S.M.S.) to rescue their friend and stop the real conspirators controlling the Vajra, all while trying to protect their alien homeworld. The climactic finale of emotions, music and mecha action comes to a close as Alto must face one of the most important choices of his life.

They will play in Japanese with English subtitles at the AMC Loews Waterfront and Cinemark theater in Monroeville, and tickets for False Songstress and The Wings of Fairewell are available online.

1964 film Mothra vs. Godzilla (モスラ対ゴジラ) at Row House Cinema, June 9.

The 1964 Japanese film Mothra vs. Godzilla (モスラ対ゴジラ) will play at Row House Cinema on June 9.

Journalists Ichiro Sakai and Junko cover the wreckage of a typhoon when an enormous egg is found and claimed by greedy entrepreneurs. Mothra’s fairies arrive and are aided by the journalists in a plea for its return. As their requests are denied, Godzilla arises near Nagoya and the people of Infant Island must decide if they are willing to answer Japan’s own pleas for help.

The show is in Japanese with English subtitles, and tickets for the 7:25 pm show are available online. The single-screen theater is located at 4115 Butler Street in Lawrenceville (map).

Pittsburgh Pirates acquire Taiwanese baseball player Yu Chang (張育成).

The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired Taiwanese baseball player Yu Chang (張育成) from the Cleveland Guardians today for cash considerations. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes of the infielder:

Chang, 26, was designated for assignment on Thursday. He has played parts of four years in Cleveland, hitting .208 with a .637 OPS in 131 games, with his best year coming in 2021.

Chang played 89 games that season and hit .228 with a .693 OPS, compiling 14 doubles, three triples, nine home runs, 39 RBIs and 32 runs scored.

. . .

He’s been worth 8 Outs Above Average, per Baseball Savant, and is capable of playing all four infield positions.

Assuming he plays for the Pirates he will be the second Taiwanese player in team history, after Wei-Chung Wang in 2019, though there have been numerous Taiwanese prospects in the minor league system over the last two decades.

Kpop Dance Workshops at Yanlai Dance Academy, July 31, August 7, 14, 21.

Yanlai Dance Academy will once again offer Kpop Dance Workshops, with this summer's sessions scheduled for July 31, August 7, 14, and 21.

Join us for an hour-long class where you will learn a popular K-pop dance! Or join us for all 8 classes!
Ages 10 and up. All dance levels welcome!
Drop-in $15. All 8 classes $100.
Specific song schedule will be released June 10.
Class 1: July 31 | 3:45-4:45pm | TBD
Class 2: July 31 | 4:45-5:45pm | TBD
Class 3: Aug 7 | 3:45-4:45pm | TBD
Class 4: Aug 7 | 4:45-5:45pm | TBD
Class 5: Aug 14 | 3:45-4:45pm | TBD
Class 6: Aug 14 | 4:45-5:45pm | TBD
Class 7: Aug 21 | 3:45-4:45pm | TBD
Class 8: Aug 21 | 4:45-5:45pm | TBD
Follow Yanlai Dance Academy on Facebook or Instagram for up-to-date-information

Yanlai Dance Academy is located at 2260 Babcock Boulevard in the North Hills (map).

2021 Japanese film Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko (漁港の肉子ちゃん) in Pittsburgh, June 2.

Showtimes were just announced for the 2021 Japanese film Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko (漁港の肉子ちゃん), which will play in Pittsburgh on June 2. A synopsis, from the distributor:

From acclaimed director Ayumu Watanabe (Children of the Sea) and STUDIO4℃ (Tekkonkinkreet, Mind Game, Animatrix), Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko is a heartwarming and moving comedy-drama about an unconventional family, based on the popular novel by Kanako Nishi.

Nikuko is a brash, jolly, scattered, and passionate woman in an otherwise sleepy seaside town in northern Japan. She’s also the single mother of 11-year-old Kikuko, who is her opposite in many ways. Kikuko is a string-bean of a young girl, pensive, quietly curious, and methodical in how she approaches life in this small harbor town.

Nikuko embarrasses Kikuko as any mom of a preteen would, but Nikuko’s bold spirit makes her especially well-known in a town where Kikuko herself wants nothing more than to simply blend in. As Kikuko navigates the everyday social dramas of middle school, enhanced with touches of magical realism from her ever-present imagination, a shocking revelation from the past threatens to uproot the pair’s tender relationship.

This one night event will feature an exclusive introduction by director Ayumu Watanabe and Executive Producer Sanma Akashiya.

It will play at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark Theaters in McCandless, Monaca, Monroeville, and Robinson, and tickets are available online.

Free Korean Learning Circle classes for beginners and intermediates continue at Carnegie Library in Oakland in June.

via the Republic of Korea's Flickr page.

The Carnegie Library Main Branch in Oakland will continue to host "We Learn: Beginner Korean Learning Circle" and "We Learn: Intermediate Korean Learning Circle" in June.

The beginners' class runs every Saturday from 1:00 to 2:00 pm.

In this beginner-level class, we will use the textbook published by the Korean government for foreigners who learn Korean as a secondary language. We will start from writing/reading Korean characters, ‘Hangul’, and learn how to organize sentence structures. Register for the event here.

And the intermediate class runs every Saturday from 11:00 to 12:00 pm.

In this intermediate-level class, we will cover the textbook published by the Korean government for foreigners who learn Korean as a secondary language. We will cover basic Korean grammar and vocabulary, and practice how to speak and write using what we’ve covered in each lecture.

Registration is required for the intermediate class as well.

The library is located at 4400 Forbes Ave. (map) and is accessible by buses 28X, 54, 61C, 61D, 67, 69, 71A, 71B, 71C, 71D, and 93.

Onigiri (Rice Ball) Workshop with Ginger Brooks Takahashi, June 17 in Oakland.

via 5th Luna

The JADED public art programming series will present an Onigiri (Rice Ball) Workshop with Ginger Brooks Takahashi on June 17. From the JADED Instagram page:

Learn how to make onigiri (Japanese rice balls, perfect for taking on picnics or in a lunch box) with various fillings and wraps! The workshop will be limited to 20 people maximum.

After the workshop, we will convene outdoors with a picnic open to the wider public community (open to AAPI allies as well) from 5-7PM! Bring other dishes to share with others!

The workshop will be held at Phipps Conservatory in Oakland (map). Registration is required and can be made online.

Full video release of Pittsburgh Opera's In A Grove, based on short story by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa, now available online through summer.

In case you missed the May 15 release, Pittsburgh Opera's video of In A Grove, the opera based on short story by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa that played in Pittsburgh this past February and March, is now available online through the summer.

If you missed our world premiere run this past February, this is your chance to see what onStage Pittsburgh calls "an all round, world-class collaboration," and what the Wall Street Journal dubs "alluring and dramatically hypnotic."

Music by Christopher Cerrone, libretto by Stephanie Fleischmann, based on the short story by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa. Antony Walker conducts; Mary Birnbaum directs.

Izakaya coming soon to Bakery Square.

An izakaya from the Richard Deshantz Restaurant Group and Chef Michael Taylor of Gi-Jin is coming soon to Bakery Square, NextPittsburgh writes. As the Bakery Square Instagram page says, an izakaya is "a type of Japanese bar that serves alcoholic drinks and snacks." Bakery Square is a mixed-use development in Larimer, across from Mellon Park and a block from the East Liberty Target (map).