My Neighbor Totoro
Enjoy a free screening of the delightful animation "My Neighbor Totoro" as a part of the University of Idaho's AsiaPOP! Studio Ghibli symposium.
"From 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 featuring the voices of Tim Daly, Lea Salonga and real-life sisters Dakota and Elle Fanning, in early roles." - GKIDS
AsiaPOP! Studio Ghibli is organized by the University of Idaho's Habib Institute for Asian Studies and co-sponsored by the College of Letters, Arts…
Tuesday, August 26, 2025, 7:00 PM – 8:45 PM.
Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre
508 S. Main Street, Moscow, ID.
Ghibli and the Natural World Opening Reception
Attend the opening reception for the AsiaPOP! Studio Ghibli exhibit at Reflections Gallery. Learn about the environmental themes found in many Studio Ghibli films and take an insta-worthy picture with a life-size Totoro! Light refreshments will be served at the reception. The exhibit's normal hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. running from Aug. 25-Sept. 12.
AsiaPOP! is organized by the University of Idaho's Habib Institute for Asian Studies and is co-sponsored by the College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences, the College of Art and Architecture and the Lionel Hampton School of Music.
University Location: Reflections Gallery - Idaho Student Union Building - Main Campus.
Thursday, August 28, 2025, 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM.
"Grave of the Fireflies"
Attend a free screening of "Grave of the Fireflies" as a part of the AsiaPOP! Studio Ghibli symposium.
"As the Empire of the Sun crumbles upon itself and a rain of firebombs falls upon Japan, the final death march of a nation is echoed in millions of smaller tragedies. This is the story of Seita and his younger sister Setsuko, two children born at the wrong time, in the wrong place, and now cast adrift in a world that lacks not the care to shelter them, but simply the resources. Forced to fend for themselves in the aftermath of fires that swept entire cities from the face of the earth, their doomed struggle is both a tribute to the human spirit and the stuff of nightmares. Beautiful, yet at times brutal and horrifying. Based on the retellings of survivor Nosaka Akiyuki, Grave has been universally hailed as an artistic and emotional tour de force, one of the rare films that truly deserves to be called a masterpiece." - GKIDS
AsiaPOP! 2025 is organized by the Habib Institute for Asian Studies, and is co-spons…
Tuesday, September 2, 2025, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM.
Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre
508 S. Main Street. Moscow, ID.
Studio Ghibli cosplay and Asian Studies open house
Dress like your favorite Studio Ghibli character and attend the Asian Studies Library open house in Admin 204. In addition to Japanese snacks, there will be J-Pop on the speakers, manga on the shelves, and loads of fun as illustrious professors Becca Scofield (History) and Abigail Coleman (Theater) judge costumes and award prizes from the VandalStore. Don't want to dress up, no problem, all are welcome at this AsiaPOP! Studio Ghibli event. For full cosplay contest rules, email class-asia@uidaho.edu or see UIAsianStudies on Insta.
AsiaPOP! Studio Ghibli is organized by the Habib Institute for Asian Studies and co-sponsored by the College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences, the College of Art and Architecture and the Lionel Hampton School of Music.
Thursday, September 4, 2025, 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM.
Pom Poko
Enjoy a free screening of a Studio Ghibli deep cut, "Pom Poko," as a part of the University of Idaho's AsiaPOP! Studio Ghibli symposium.
"In this brilliant and often overlooked Studio Ghibli masterpiece from Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Isao Takahata, the forests are filled with groups of magical tanuki, mischievous raccoon-like animals from Japanese folklore that are capable of shape-shifting from their standard raccoon form to practically any object. The tanuki spend their days playing idly in the hillsides and squabbling over food – until the construction of a huge new Tokyo suburb clears the nearby forest and threatens their way of life. In an effort to defend their home, the tanuki learn to transform into humans and start playing tricks to make the workers think the construction site is haunted, ending in a spectacular night-time spirit parade, with thousands of ghosts, dragons and other magical creatures descending on the city — in an abundance of fantastical characters that would not be matched o…
Tuesday, September 9, 2025, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM.
Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre
508 S. Main Street, Moscow, ID.
From Nausicaä to Manga Aesthetics: A workshop and lecture
Dive deep into Hayao Miyazaki's manga version of "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind" in this hybrid manga drawing workshop/lecture. Professor Lien Fan Shen examines Nausicaä's visual elements, pacing and sequence of storyboarding. This combined workshop-lecture blends close reading with hands-on drawing exercises, helping participants apply manga-inspired techniques to craft emotionally rich narratives in participants’ own creative projects. The session is free and open to the public. Attendees who intend to draw should bring their sketch pad and drawing tools.
Lien Fan Shen is an artist, scholar and professor of Animation in the Department of Film and Media Arts at the University of Utah. Shen’s scholarly writing explores anime, manga and visual culture. Her animated documentary Seeing Through the Eyes of Crocodiles won awards in Shanghai and Boston. Her recent works include an online comic The 21st Century Girls and Their Romance, published on Creative Comic Collection.
AsiaPOP! Studio Ghibli is organize…
University Location: Clearwater-Whitewater - Idaho Student Union Building - Main Campus.
Wednesday, September 10, 2025, 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM.
The Music of Studio Ghibli by Sixth Station Trio
The beloved songs of composer Joe Hisaishi have moved viewers of Studio Ghibli films for years. Come enjoy a live performance by Sixth Station Trio of your favorites from films such as Howl’s Moving Castle, Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke and more, as a part of the AsiaPOP! Studio Ghibli symposium. The performance is free and open to the public and is an ASUI Centennial Fine Arts Endowment Event.
Sixth Station Trio is a professional violin, cello and piano trio based in San Francisco. Since their debut in 2023, Sixth Station Trio has kept a busy schedule, including performances at Grace Cathedral, the Asian Art Museum, Old First Concerts, The Game Developer’s Conference, Fanime and Super MAGFest/MAGWest and have been featured in the San Francisco Chronicle, SF Gate and on KTVU Channel 2 News, among others.
AsiaPOP! Studio Ghibli is organized by the Habib Institute for Asian Studies and is co-sponsored by the College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences, the College of Art and Architec…
University Location: Auditorium - Administration Building - Main Campus.
Wednesday, September 10, 2025, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM.
'Miyazaki Is My Religion:' Studio Ghibli and Spirituality
The worlds of Studio Ghibli are full of gods, spirits, monsters and magic. This talk explores religious themes and imagery in the animated films of Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, the directors’ outlook on religion and the impact they have had on fan’s spiritual lives.
Kaitlyn Ugoretz is an instructor and associate editor at the Nanzan Institute for Religion and Culture in Japan. Her research focuses on how popular culture and digital technology are helping spread the Japanese religion called Shinto around the world. Ugoretz hosts the award-winning YouTube channel Eat Pray Anime, which explores the religious history and culture behind everyone’s favorite Japan-related media. She consults on Japanese culture for TV, comics and games, including Upper Deck’s recent myth-based TCG Rush of Ikorr (2025).
The talk is free and open to the public as a part of the AsiaPOP! Studio Ghibli symposium. AsiaPOP! is organized by the University of Idaho's Habib Institute for Asian Studies and co-sponsored by the College of…
University Location: Clearwater-Whitewater - Idaho Student Union Building - Main Campus.
Thursday, September 11, 2025, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM.
ACMS presents Lyyra
Lyyra is a new all-women vocal ensemble from The VOCES8 Foundation, based in the USA. With velvety richness and star-like brilliance, Lyyra showcases the full spectrum of women’s vocal artistry across classical, jazz, pop and folk. This vibrant group is redefining the role of upper-voice ensembles, creating world-class musical experiences that inspire and elevate the choral landscape.
Hosted by the Auditorium Chamber Music Series.
Tickets at uitickets.com or at the door (card only).
University Location: Auditorium - Administration Building - Main Campus.
Thursday, September 25, 2025, 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM.
For more info visit uitickets.evenue.net.