MOSCOW, ID – The University of Idaho will spotlight the world of Studio Ghibli during its upcoming AsiaPOP! symposium, a multiweek celebration of Japanese animation and culture running from Monday, Aug. 25, through Friday, Sept. 12.
The event series will feature film screenings, lectures, cultural exhibits, music, and interactive activities, all centered on the influence of the iconic animation studio. Admission to all events is free and open to the public.
Featured Guests
Speakers include Steve Alpert, a former senior executive at Studio Ghibli who helped bring the studio’s films to international audiences; Kaitlyn Ugoretz, assistant professor of religion and popular culture at Nanzan University in Japan; and Lien Fan Shen, professor of animation at the University of Utah. The Sixth Station Trio, a San Francisco-based violin, cello, and piano ensemble, will also perform music inspired by Ghibli films.
Event Highlights
- Aug. 25–Sept. 12: “Ghibli and the Natural World” exhibit and a life-size Totoro display, ISUB Reflections Gallery.
- Aug. 26: Screening of “My Neighbor Totoro” (1988), Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre.
- Sept. 2: Screening of “Grave of the Fireflies” (1988).
- Sept. 4: Ghibli cosplay contest and Asian Studies Library open house.
- Sept. 8: Totoro origami with the Japan Club.
- Sept. 9: Screening of “Pom Poko” (1994).
- Sept. 10: Lecture and workshop by Lien Fan Shen on manga aesthetics, followed by a Ghibli-themed concert by the Sixth Station Trio.
- Sept. 11: Lecture by Kaitlyn Ugoretz on spirituality in Studio Ghibli films and a lecture by Steve Alpert on the studio’s global audience.
Sponsors and Contact
AsiaPOP! Studio Ghibli is organized by the U of I Habib Institute for Asian Studies, with support from the College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences, the College of Art and Architecture, and the Lionel Hampton School of Music.
