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Cincinnati Anime Film Festival Releases Inaugural Screening Lineup

The film festival kicks off July 11 with a screening of Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie: Pyramid of Light.

Jun 5, 2024 at 2:03 pm

The inaugural Cincinnati Anime Film Festival is happening at the Hollywood Drive-in Theatre, just behind Manga Manga in College Hill. Photo: Provided by College Hill CURC

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The inaugural Cincinnati Anime Film Festival is coming this summer with a lineup of screenings for all ages that spans two months. Organizers released the lineup for the festival this week.

College Hill comic book shop Manga Manga is hosting the festival, which will be held at the Hollywood Drive-in Theatre, just behind Manga Manga, with weekly screenings beginning July 11 and running through Aug. 8. Kicking off the festival on Thursday, July 11 will be Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie: Pyramid of Light, an adventure-fantasy film based on Kazuki Takahashi’s Yu-Gi-Oh! manga and fictional trading card game.

The rest of the lineup includes:

Thursday, July 18: Spirited Away: Live on Stage (starring Kanna Hashimoto)
Saturday, July 20: Spirited Away: Live on Stage (starring Mone Kamishiraishi)
Thursday, July 25: The First Slam Dunk
Thursday, Aug. 1: Metropolis
Thursday, Aug. 8: Weathering with You

With the exception of Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie: Pyramid of Light, all movies will be presented in Japanese with English subtitles. All screenings start at 8:45 p.m., with the entrance to the parking lot opening at 7:30 p.m. Manga Manga will stay open until 9 p.m. on screening nights, with many of the manga versions of the films available to purchase.

Manga Manga also plans to host a free festival wrap-up celebration on its patio Friday, Aug. 9 from 6-8 p.m. where attendees can discuss the movies.

Tickets for the Cincinnati Anime Film Festival are on sale now for $25 per car, or $6 if you want to bring your own chair and radio. You can get tickets online here or at the door.

Manga Manga, 5908 Hamilton Ave., College Hill. More info: cincyanimefilmfest.com.

Slideshow

27 Hidden-Gem Summer Adventures in Greater Cincinnati

Have a Wholesome Carnival Day at Stricker’s Grove’s Open-to-the-Public Days11490 Hamilton Cleves Road, RossJust outside Hamilton County in Ross lies a tiny amusement park that looks like it popped up from the past. Stricker’s Grove is a family-owned theme park that’s available for rent, but is also open to the public four days of the year: Fourth of July, Family Day (second Sunday in August), Labor Day and Customer Appreciation Day (sometime in October). The amusement park features a variety of vintage-looking rides, including the wooden roller coaster Tornado, a merry-go-round, Tilt A Whirl and a Ferris Wheel. You can also play 18 holes of mini golf, video games in the arcade, skeeball, horseshoes or at the shooting gallery.

Bike, Hike or Kayak at Miami Whitewater Forest9001 Mt Hope Road, Crosby TownshipOn the western edge of Hamilton County is a park that is basically a summer camp for all ages. If you love being active and outdoors, Miami Whitewater Forest offers endless opportunities for adventurers. Hit the boathouse to rent a kayak, stand-up paddle board or other watercraft to take out onto the lake. You can also rent a bike there to conquer the nearly 8-mile-long Shaker Trace Outer Loop trail, which takes you through scenic prairies and wetlands and offers great opportunities for wildlife viewing. Or, lace up your boots and meander through forests and across streams on the Badlands, Oakleaf, Tallgrass Prairie or Timberlakes trails. They also sell concessions during the summer, making it a perfect picnic location.

Enjoy a Free Summer ConcertWe all want to see the show of the summer at the big players like Riverbend, Andrew J Brady and Heritage Bank Arena, but when you crave some tunes in a relaxed atmosphere that you can enjoy from a camp chair, many Cincinnati-area parks and other gathering spaces offer free summer concert series featuring local and regional musicians and bands. Catch a show at Rockin’ the Roebling at The Banks, Wildcard Wednesdays at Factory 52, Music on Mills in Norwood, Concerts in the Park in Delhi or the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra’s series at Devou and Tower parks, just to name a few. Bring a blanket or chair, some snacks and beverages and enjoy the laid-back vibe.

Put on Your Dancing Shoes for Salsa on the Square520 Vine St., DowntownBust out your best moves or learn how to salsa every Thursday night at Fountain Square during the summer. Salsa on the Square is free and features live local and regional Latin bands that specialize in salsa, merengue, cumbia and Latin jazz. There are also large, instructor-led dance classes to help you get the moves down, and Mazunte is there to serve up tacos, tostadas and guacamole. For a refreshing drink after all the dancing, grab a margarita at Fountain Square’s full-service bar.

Take a Journey on the Water in a Kayak or CanoeThe Queen City boasts many canoeing and kayaking rentals, including Loveland Canoe & Kayak, Morgan’s Outdoor Adventures, Green Acres and Scenic River Canoe Excursions, plus some road trip-worthy locations within a few hour's drive – all perfect for floating a weekend away. Check with each business about reservations, specific rental fees and what you can and can’t bring with you. (We’re looking at you, ca-brewers). If you’re searching for a little more of an aquatic adventure, the 23rd annual Paddlefest on the Ohio River is happening Saturday, Aug. 3. Paddlefest is open to kayaks, canoes and standup paddleboards, as well as participants of all paddling experience levels. Motorized boat traffic will be prohibited on the river during this time, making for smooth paddling, and you can choose between the full 9-mile route or a 4.5-mile route.

Visit the Midway at a Church Festival or County FairAs fish frys are synonymous with the Lenten season in Cincinnati, so too are church and parish festivals with summer. The Catholic Telegraph has a full list of Cincinnati-area fairs, full of carnival rides, games, live music, funnel cake, beer and even light gambling. One of the premier events of the summer though is Holy Trinity - St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church’s annual Panegyri — an event that’s a whirlwind of Greek food, Greek music and dancing and shopping for artisan goods — like My Big Fat Greek Wedding brought to life. For a similar vibe, the Hamilton County Fair is back June 27-30 with a midway full of rides and games, livestock displays, demolition derbies, arts and crafts exhibits, tons of fried food, giant tomatoes and all the rest of the wholesome county antics you’d expect.

Board the Cincinnati Dinner Train for a Culinary AdventureAll aboard this vintage train featuring restored ‘50s-era dining cars. The Cincinnati Dinner Train leaves the station every Saturday March-December from the rear parking lot of the Green Sales Company in Roselawn and traverses south to the downtown Cincinnati riverfront before reversing course back north. On board, you’ll receive a four-course dinner with an entree (a choice of prime rib, salmon or chicken in a white wine sauce), along with an appetizer, salad, vegetable, baked potato and dessert. The train has a strict business casual dress code, but travelers are also highly encouraged to dress in their 1940s best.

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About The Author

Katherine Barrier

Katherine Barrier is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati’s journalism program and has nearly 10 years of experience reporting local and national news as a digital journalist. At CityBeat, she oversees the digital and social media strategies, edits web and print content and writes for the dining and arts...