Anime films and culture will now be a regular monthly gig at this Tacoma theater

Anime films, the distinctive Japanese animation art form aimed at adults as well as children, are coming to Tacoma on a regular basis.

The Blue Mouse Theatre in Tacoma’s North End will screen an anime film on the first Friday of every month beginning in May, the theater announced Friday. The films will show at 10 p.m. with the screenings incorporating games, prizes, cosplay and a marketplace.

In an announcement, the Blue Mouse said the series is part of its plant to increase engage with the community. It already screens horror films once a month and shows “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” twice a month.

Anime’s visual story telling combined with intense audience connection via fan conventions, art, cosplay and online forums makes the genre a natural for the Blue Mouse.

“This sense of community and shared enthusiasm has contributed to anime’s growing cultural impact,” the Blue Mouse said.

First film

The series kicks off May 3 with “Weathering With You,” a 2019 Japanese animated romantic fantasy film that follows a 16-year-old high school boy who runs away to Tokyo from his troubled rural home and befriends an orphaned girl who has the ability to control the weather.

“Anime Theatre,” as it’s being called, is curated and hosted by Jesus Areyano , a self-described semi-professional nerd and devoted anime fan.

In addition to showing first run films, the century-old Blue Mouse hosts a variety of entertainment events. On Tuesday, April 23, singer Vicci Martinez returns to her hometown for a show at the theater.

The Blue Mouse is located at 2611 North Proctor Street in Tacoma.

Schedule

Film descriptions provided by the Blue Mouse Theatre.

May 3: “ Weathering With You”

June 7: “ Lupin The 3rd: Castle of Cagliostro ” — This 1979 Japanese animated action adventure comedy film was co-written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. It is the second animated feature film based on the 1967–69 manga series “Lupin III” by Monkey Punch. The film follows gentleman thief Lupin III, who successfully robs a casino only to find the money to be counterfeit. He heads to the tiny country of Cagliostro, the rumored source of the bills, and attempts to save the runaway Princess Clarisse from the Count Cagliostro’s men.

July 5: “ Belle The Dragon and the Freckled Princess ” — This 2021 Japanese animated science fantasy film was written and directed by Mamoru Hosoda and produced by Studio Chizu. The story is inspired by the 1756 French fairy tale “Beauty and the Beast” by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont as well as the 1991 Disney animated film.

August 2: “ 5 Centimeters Per Second ” — This 2007 Japanese romantic drama animated film was written and directed by Makoto Shinkai. The film consists of three segments, each following a period in the life of the protagonist Takaki Tōno and his relationships with the girls around him.

September 6: “ The First Slam Dunk ” — This 2022 Japanese animated sports film was written and directed by Takehiko Inoue and produced by Toei Animation and DandeLion Animation Studio. It is based on Inoue’s “Slam Dunk” manga series. The film follows Ryota Miyagi, the point guard of Shohoku High School’s basketball team.

October 4: “ Mary and the Witch’s Flower ” is a 2017 Japanese animated fantasy film co-written and directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi, produced by Studio Ponoc founder Yoshiaki Nishimura, animated by Studio Ponoc. Based on the 1971 book “The Little Broomstick” by Mary Stewart, it tells a story of a girl named Mary Smith who finds “fly-by-night”, a mysterious flower that can give her the power to become a witch for only one night.

November 1: “ Blue Giant ” is a Japanese jazz-themed manga series written and illustrated by Shinichi Ishizuka. An anime film adaptation produced by NUT opened in Japan in February 2023. The film is the story of Dai Miyamoto, a high school student living in Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, who has a straight personality, but he was living a student life without knowing what he wanted to do in the future until he becomes devoted to learning how to play the saxophone.

December 6: “ The Deer King ” is a Japanese fantasy novel series written by Nahoko Uehashi. After a vicious war, the Empire of Zol controls its rival Aquafa, except for Aquafa’s Fire Horse Territory, where wild dogs that once carried the deadly Black Wolf Fever continue to roam free. When dogs race through a mine, Van, an enslaved former soldier, and a young girl named Yuna are both bitten, but manage to escape. Van and Yuna seek out a simple, peaceful existence in the countryside. But as the deadly disease once again runs rampant, they find themselves at the crossroads of a struggle much larger than any one nation.