Campus calendar

An animated affair Cool Japan panel and screening MIT/Harvard Cool Japan, a group devoted to the study of pop culture in Japan, hosts the Boston-area premiere of "Tekkon Kinkreet" (above). The anime film, the first feature-length anime to be directed by an American, Michael Arias, won the Japan Academy Prize for best animated feature film in 2008. The R-rated story focuses on youth violence in the context of corruption and is based on a 1996 Japanese comic book, or manga. The film will be preceded by a panel discussion entitled "Virtual Worlds, Real Politics: Youth, Violence and Capitalism." Panelists will be on hand after the film for a Q&A and discussion. Panel 6-7 p.m., screening 7-8:45 p.m., Q&A 8:45-9:30 p.m. Free. Harvard University, Tsai Auditorium, CGIS South Building, 1730 Cambridge St., Cambridge. web.mit.edu/cooljapan/

Boston Ballet II at BU Boston Ballet II, the pre-professional dance troupe that dances independently and with the Boston Ballet, will perform during Boston University's Dance Showcase 2008. The showcase will also include works from choreographers Sun Ho Kim, Dawn Kramer (with video artist Stephen Buck), Margot Parsons, DeAnna Pellecchia (with musician Ed Broms), Micki Taylor-Pinney, Ann Brown Allen, and Lynn Modell (with video artist Harvey Nosowitz). 8 p.m. $15. Boston University Dance Theatre, 915 Commonwealth Avenue (entrance on Buick Street), Boston. 617-358-2500. www.bu.edu/fitrec

"The Bluest State" Ford Hall Forum presents "The Bluest State: How Democrats Created the Massachusetts Blueprint for American Political Disaster." Jon Keller hosts a lecture and discussion about "the ups and downs of our Bay State's political culture." Though there is some promise of a new frontier of American leadership, we can't promise this won't turn into a night of Mass.-bashing: Liberals may want to be prepared to defend themselves in case schadenfreude starts oozing from conservatives in the audience. 6:30-8 p.m. Free. C. Walsh Theater at Suffolk University, 55 Temple St., Boston. 617-557-2007. www.fordhallforum.org

Illusionist at UMass-Lowell Award-winning illusionist Jason Bishop will return to UMass-Lowell with his assistant, Kim Hess, to perform high-tech illusions involving LCD and plasma screens, state-of-the-art lighting, and contemporary soundtrack. And, oh, yes: There will be levitation! 2 and 4 p.m. $12. UMass-Lowell Center for the Arts, 35 Wilder St., Lowell. 978-934-4444. www.uml.edu/centerforarts

"String Theories" artists talk String theory is fascinating, but it can really blow your mind. Four artists take on the connection between art and physics in "String Theories," an exhibit at the New England School of Art & Design at Suffolk University. Here's a taste: Paul Andrade's complex patterns and layered paints take on the idea of parallel dimensions; Lou Cohen gives a musical performance; Keith Francis tracks vibrations through color; and William Frese explores the theories during a short film. The artists will be on hand during a gallery talk on Tuesday, joined by guest speaker Hong Liu, an associate professor of physics at MIT. Talk Tue 1 p.m. Gallery Mon-Fri 9 a.m.-9 p.m., Sat 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun noon-5 p.m. Free. The New England School of Art & Design at Suffolk University, 75 Arlington St., Boston. 617-573-8785. www.suffolk.edu/nesad/ gallery