Rise of the Machine Girls (爆裂魔神少女 バーストマシンガール) to close Pittsburgh Japanese Film Festival, April 2.

Tickets are now available for Rise of the Machine Girls (爆裂魔神少女 バーストマシンガール), which will close the fifth annual Pittsburgh Japanese Film Festival at the Row House Cinema on April 2.

Join us for Closing Night of the 5th Japanese Film Festival. We’re closing it out Brew & View style, which means you get beers served to your seat throughout the show! The night will kick off with a compilation of Japan’s whackiest TV game shows (back by popular demand from JFF 2019) and then we’ll watch the Pittsburgh Premiere of RISE OF THE MACHINE GIRLS.

Japan Currents: Healthcare Connections between PA & Japan, March 11 in Pittsburgh.

The Japan-American Society of Pennsylvania will host "Japan Currents: Healthcare Connections between PA & Japan" on March 11.

This event focuses on an industry that is central to the economies of both Pittsburgh and Japan – healthcare technology. After an overview of the economic impacts of the industry, experts from research, products, and care will speak about contributions and opportunities in their sectors.

Join us for a conversation with experts on how this industry connects our region with Japan and moves us toward the future at the Rivers Club on March 11 from 7:30 to 9:00 AM.

It will be held at the Rivers Club downtown (map) and tickets are available online for $15 for students with valid ID, $25 for JASP members, and $35 for the general public.

My Hero Academia: Heroes: Rising (僕のヒーローアカデミア THE MOVIE ヒーローズ:ライジング) continues in Pittsburgh through March 7.

The 2019 animated movie My Hero Academia: Heroes: Rising (僕のヒーローアカデミア THE MOVIE ヒーローズ:ライジング), which opened in Pittsburgh on February 26, will remain in town until (at least) March 7. From the distributor:

Class 1-A visits Nabu Island where they finally get to do real hero work. The place is so peaceful that it’s more like a vacation … until they’re attacked by a villain with an eerily familiar Quirk! Now, Deku and his friends are the island’s only hope.

It plays locally at AMC Loews Waterfront, the Hollywood Theater, the Southside Works Cinema, AMC South Hills Village, the Waterworks Cinema, and the Cinemark theaters in Monaca, Monroeville, North Hills, Pittsburgh Mills, and Robinson. Tickets are available online.

2019 Imaishi Hiroyuki film Promare (プロメア) returns to Pittsburgh, April 7.

The 2019 Japanese animated film Promare (プロメア) will return to Pittsburgh on April 7. The distributor summarizes:

The first feature-length film from the acclaimed studio TRIGGER, creators of the hit series KILL la KILL and Little Witch Academia, and director Hiroyuki Imaishi (GURREN LAGANN, KILL la KILL), Promare uses a bold cel-shaded visual style to tell a blistering action-adventure story, and is the spiritual successor to many of director Imaishi’s former works.

Thirty years has passed since the appearance of Burnish, a race of flame-wielding mutant beings, who destroyed half of the world with fire. When a new group of aggressive mutants calling themselves “Mad Burnish” appears, the epic battle between Galo Thymos, a new member of the anti-Burnish rescue team “Burning Rescue,” and Lio Fotia, the leader of “Mad Burnish” begins.

It will play locally at the Southside Works Cinema in Japanese with English subtitles. Tickets are available online.

Japanese film The Little House (小さいおうち) at Maridon Museum, March 6.

The 2014 Japanese movie The Little House (小さいおうち) will play at the Maridon Museum on March 6, the first installment of this spring's Japanese Film Series.

A woman looks back on her family’s life in Tokyo before and during WWII. A maid arrives from the countryside to work for an upper middle-class family. She fits in well, but everyone’s emotions are stirred up with the arrival of a student.

The movie starts at 6:00 pm. The event is free but reservations are required and can be made by calling 724-282-0123. The Maridon Museum is an Asian art museum at 322 N. McKean St. in downtown Butler (map) that runs film series periodically throughout the year, in addition to art classes, book club meetings, and its regular exhibits.

"Storytime: Chinese and English" in Squirrel Hill, March 7.

via Ed Massery.

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh branch in Squirrel Hill will hold its next "Storytime: Chinese and English" on Saturday, March 7.

Celebrate our city’s diverse culture as we explore new words through songs, action rhymes and stories in both Chinese and English for children and their parents or caregivers.

Storytime runs from 11:00 to 11:30 am and is free and open to the public. The Carnegie Library branch in Squirrel Hill is located at 5801 Forbes Ave. (map), accessible by buses 61A, 61B, 61C, 61D, and 74.

Dagu Rice Noodle (大鼓米线) coming (very) soon to Squirrel Hill.

Signage is now up at Dagu Rice Noodle (大鼓米线), coming to Squirrel Hill. Last week the owners had had been aiming for an opening by the end of February. Dagu Rice Noodle is a chain of Chinese restaurants with its first Pittsburgh location at 5829 Forbes Ave. (map), which most recently housed The Magic Noodle and Sun Penang.

Dumpling Tour of Squirrel Hill's Chinese restaurants on March 27, part of International Association of Culinary Professionals annual conference.

At Everyday Noodles, by Laura Petrilla for Pittsburgh Magazine.

Pittsburgh Magazine's Hal B. Klein will lead a Dumpling Tour of Squirrel Hill's Chinese restaurants on March 27 as part of the International Association of Culinary Professionals annual conference held in Pittsburgh from March 27 through 29.

Pittsburgh long has embraced one of the world’s most universally delightful foods — the dumpling. Here, our love of small, stuffed orbs of dough began with the pierogi. More recently, Pittsburgh’s new wave of immigrants from China has infused Squirrel Hill, one of the city’s most exciting dining neighborhoods, with suan cai jiaozi, xiaolongbao and san xian. Join Pittsburgh Magazine dining critic Hal B. Klein for a tour that’ll have you tasting (and, perhaps, pinching) Pittsburgh dumplings old and new. Transportation will be provided to and from Squirrel Hill, but there will be some walking, too. $125; 1 p.m. to 4 p.m

Ticket information and conference registration details are available at the IACP's website.

The Island of Cats (ねことじいちゃん) to open Pittsburgh Japanese Film Festival, March 20.

The fifth annual Pittsburgh Japanese Film Festival at the Row House Cinema will open on March 20 with two screenings of The Island of Cats (ねことじいちゃん).

Let’s embrace our feline friends for a night of carefree fun! It's Opening Night of The Pittsburgh Japanese Film Festival. We’re turning Row House Cinema into a cat “island” oasis and showing THE ISLAND OF CATS

With live cats on-site, cat decor, photo opportunities with cat guests and more! All attendees get complimentary cat swag, popcorn, and Ramune Japanese soda.

Tickets will be available shortly. The single-screen theater is located at 4115 Butler Street in Lawrenceville (map).

"Japanese Action Comic Punk band" Peelander-Z returns to Pittsburgh, April 28.

Japanese punk band Peelander-Z will play in Pittsburgh on April 28. Wikipedia provides an overview of their live shows:

They perform on stage and appear in color-coordinated costumes, which they state are not costumes, but their skin. The costumes range from sentai style suits, to kimono, to rubber Playmobil style wigs. There is also a tiger costume and a giant squid/guitar costume to coincide with the song "Mad Tiger". Another aspect of their routine is their on-stage antics such as human bowling (diving head-first into bowling pins), pretending to hit each other with chairs in imitation of pro-wrestlers, and mid-performance piggyback rides. They often allow audience members on stage to join in on the fun, and often dive into the audience or hang from a balcony as part of their act.

They will play at Club Cafe on the South Side (map) and tickets for the 21+ show are available online.