Top Ten Events 11-18 Oct: Scotland Loves Animation, Why? + Sex and God

This week Scotland Loves Animation return with what will be their third annual celebration of all things anime – Scotland Loves Anime – taking place first across Glasgow (12-14 Oct), and then Edinburgh a week later (15-21 Oct). Throwing up arguably their best programme yet, the line-up includes the European premiere of the Anime Mirai Project, a nurturing scheme showcasing some of the best young animators currently coming out of Japan, plus a showing of Gorō Miyazaki's much-heralded coming of age tale, From Up on Poppy Hill, and a late night screening of Gyo: Tokyo Fish Attack, in which Japan is invaded by mutated sea life – obviously a winner. Real our full preview here.

Edinburgh's dynamic Magnetic North theatre company (yes, they who brought you David Shrigley's bizarre mock TV cookery show, Pass The Spoon) return with a conceptual new piece in which female playwright Linda McLean weaves together four monologues on faith, lust, and family, each from the perspective of a different woman from a different period of the twentieth century. You get that? Just go see it. It's showing at Edinburgh's Traverse, then Paisley Arts Centre and Glasgow's Tron Theatre.

Earth guitarist and principal member Dylan Carlson takes to the road lonesome in support of his first major solo project outside of Earth, for which he's combined field recordings from various megalithic sites of human/fairy encounters in the UK with a series of guest vocals. Could it sound any more epic? You've got three chances to catch him on Scottish soil, as he first takes to Edinburgh's Sneaky Pete's – with support from experimental freak-folker Wounded Knee – then Glasgow's Art School Union, and Aberdeen's The Tunnels.

Kicking off official with their autumn/winter markets, the ever-lovely Little Birds Market return for another outing, taking over the first two floors of Sloans with a 26-strong selection of stalls – amongst them a pop-up shop of vintage clothing and accessories from My Vintage Closet, Some Enchanted Evening, and Get Dreaming, plus various craft, jewellery, textiles, and upcycled sellers (i.e. too bloody many to name). We'll be heading straight for the high tea at their very own cake salon, as per.

Gallery and bookshop combined, Good Press (pictured) lay focus on making original works of art available to everyone, oft in the form of their beautiful art-zines produced by their own publishing house. For their latest exhibition, The Family Show II, they've collected together a batch of work from a vast selection of artists – each of which will be available to buy for the affordable sum of 30 quid. We're loath to say Christmas is a-coming, but, well, Christmas is a-coming...

All Night Horror Madness tickets: The infamous gore-fest that is All Night Horror Madness returns for its fifth installment on Sat 13 Oct, and you can win a pair of tickets simply by telling us what your favourite scary movie is and why. Closes 11 Oct.
Sparks tickets: Ron and Russell Mael (aka Sparks) are all set to play an entire tour as a duo using just voice and keyboards for the VERY FIRST TIME (excited much?!). We've got tickets up for grabs for their Edinburgh date (21 Oct). Closes 19 Oct.
Document 10 festival passes: Glasgow’s most loved documentary film festival (that'd be Document – keep up, eh?) celebrates it tenth anniversary this month, marking the occasion with a programme of the highest calibre – for which you can win one of two all-access festival passes here. Closes 16 Oct.
Play Poland tickets: Win one of three pairs of tickets to any event at the Play Poland Film Festival, aiming to present and promote contemporary Polish cinema all across the UK - and you can use your tickets for whichever city you may wish! Closes 19 Oct.
VIP Sonica passes: Cryptic and CitizenM celebrate the launch of sonic art festival Sonica 2012 by offering one lucky reader the chance to be a Sonica VIP for the night, including accommodation in a boutique hotel! Full listings here. Closes 29 Oct.
Celebration Day tickets: Y'all can win one of five pairs of tickets to see Celebration Day; Led Zeppelin's two-hour-plus tour de force tribute concert for Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun, recorded live in 2007 and now hitting cinemas. Closes 14 Oct.
Mercury tickets: Get your Queen on with top Freddie Mercury tribute act, er, Mercury, who have apparently received the blessing of Freddie Mercury’s own Mama, no less. Closes 11 Oct.
Damien Dempsey tickets: Get your ears acquainted with the lovely Damien Dempsey, aka 'the Bob Marley of Dublin', as he introduces his brand new album in what will be a Scottish exclusive at the Paisley Spree. Closes 15 Oct.
Skinny On Tour: Guess where The Skinny's own lovely Kyla is reading her trusty copy of the magazine (yes, it's a bog somewhere) and you could win yourself a boozy prize courtesy of our chums at Vino Wines. Closes 31 Oct.