Next Club Meeting: December 20, 2025, at the Fountaindale Public Library in Bolingbrook from 11:00 am - 5:00 pm

The Animatrix Network is an anime & manga fan club located in the Southwest suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. We usually meet on the third Saturday of each month (except when holidays or conventions coincide). The meetings are free and open to the public. Join us for a day filled with anime.

This site provides news, reviews, commentaries, and previews of the world of anime and everything it inspires in today's pop culture, such as live-action films, comics, music, art, and other weird things to enjoy and contemplate.

Monday, December 8, 2025

The Gundams Have Landed in Chicago!

THE GUNDAM BASE CHICAGO
Opening December 12, 2025
THE GUNDAM BASE CHICAGO is the first official GUNDAM BASE location in the United States, opening December 12, 2025 at the Fashion Outlets of Chicago in Rosemont, Illinois. This 3,000-square-foot destination brings the world of GUNPLA to life with an immersive experience designed for both new builders and lifelong fans.

Visitors can explore exclusive GUNPLA model kits and merchandise, browse stunning displays featuring iconic models, and enjoy a dedicated play area for the Gundam Card Game with opportunities for in-store events and friendly competition.

Whether you’re discovering GUNPLA for the first time or expanding your collection, THE GUNDAM BASE CHICAGO offers a one-of-a-kind destination that celebrates the creativity, community, and craftsmanship of the Gundam universe.
STORE INFORMATION
STORE NAME:       THE GUNDAM BASE CHICAGO
LOCATION:             5220 Fashion Outlets Way, Rosemont, IL 60018
Opening Date:        Friday, December 12, 2025
Hours of Operation:
 Opening Day:             10:00 am – 9:00 pm / CT
 Monday – Saturday:   10:00 am – 8:00 pm / CT
 Sunday:                      10:00 am – 7:00 pm / CT

Sunday, December 7, 2025

By Legendary Director Shingo Yamashita...

Cosmic Princess Kaguya!
A Japanese legend is reborn in the near-future when a high school girl finds a mysterious baby. Iroha Sakayori is a busy high school student whose only escape is the popular online virtual world, Tsukuyomi. Here, people use clones to live out their dreams and pursue creative freedom. But Iroha's ordinary life in Tokyo is suddenly flipped upside down when she finds a baby emerging from a glowing utility pole. The infant quickly grows into a girl her own age, forcing Iroha to face an unbelievable question: Is this girl the modern-day Princess Kaguya? Watch as the legend of Kaguya-hime is told like never before in this near-future sci-fi fantasy.

Saturday, December 6, 2025

This May Signal the Official Decline of Hollywood...

Netflix Officially Buys Warner Bros. Discovery
for a reported $83 BILLION, and it will change Hollywood forever...
Exploring the ramifications of Netflix's acquisition of Warner Bros., and examining its potential impact on theatrical releases and movie quality. These videos analyze the shift in Hollywood's priorities and the changing landscape of film distribution. Will Netflix stay true to its word and still release WB movies theatrically, or will they pull the rug out from underneath directors after the ink has dried and the dust has settled? We'll have to wait and see...

Friday, December 5, 2025

Censorship is getting way too out of hand...

All Manga is Getting Censored by Official Company in The West
K-Manga is going out of their way to censor manga with nothing but black boxes. Literally destroying the original artist's work and making you pay for it. This is extremely disrespectful and this is why people pirate manga and anime. Cause this company is censoring all anime and manga.

Thursday, December 4, 2025

When you can't find a friend... you make one...

Snow Bear
Snow Bear is a hand-drawn animated short film by Oscar-nominated director Aaron Blaise. Featuring over 11,000 traditional drawings, the film blends classic 2D animation with a modern cinematic story. Many viewers have described the film as nostalgic—capturing the warmth, craftsmanship, and emotional storytelling of classic hand-drawn animation. That feeling is intentional. Snow Bear was created one drawing at a time in the spirit of the Disney Renaissance era.

Wednesday, December 3, 2025

See if your Favorite Anime Made the List...

10 Anime That Can Be 2025’s Anime of the Year (So Far)
2025 has already blessed us with some of the most unforgettable anime series of the decade — from dark psychological thrillers to over-the-top shonen action, from hilarious comedies to emotionally devastating masterpieces. In this video, we countdown 10 anime that are currently leading the race for Anime of the Year 2025 — including smash hits like Solo Leveling Season 2, Dandadan, Takopi’s Original Sin, and more. If you're wondering what to watch next, or which shows are truly dominating 2025, this is your ultimate guide.

Tuesday, December 2, 2025

From Kyoto Animation...

Sparks of Tomorrow
Based on a light novel written by Hiro Yuki with illustrations provided by Kazumi Ikeda. Kyoto Animation published the series under their KA Esuma Bunko imprint in August 2018. It is now an anime coming out in 2026.
A Tale of Adventure for Boys and Girls Who Dreamed of the Age of Electricity in a World Shrouded in Smoke!
 
──This was a little while ago. Kyoto in the early 20th century, having evolved differently from the history we know today. In a world where only steam engines had advanced, the city was shrouded in smoke. A boy who lost his brother, with whom he had dreamed of the “Age of Electricity,” and now lives with deep suspicion.

A girl who keeps her dreams for the future and her regrets for her deceased mother hidden in her heart, now living a devout life. The boy and girl meet while seeking the secret of the “20th Century Electrical Catalog,” which depicted their dreams. Surpass who you are now and break through the dreams you once had!

This is the story of <regeneration>.

Monday, December 1, 2025

Romance can blossom when you least expect it...

LOVE THROUGH A PRISM
Yoko Kamio, whose manga "Boys Over Flowers" enraptured readers around the globe, brings a brand-new classic to viewers worldwide. Set at a London art academy in the opening decade of the 1900s, the Netflix Series "Love Through a Prism" follows Lili Ichijoin, a girl enchanted by painting, as she chases her dreams and experiences youth. This ensemble coming-of-age story about young people striving for prismatic radiance against the odds is about to begin. 
Manga author Yoko Kamio provided the original story and character drafts. The series is directed by Kazuto Nakazawa, known for directing the anime sequence of "Kill Bill: Volume 1," as well as creating and directing "B: The Beginning." WIT Studio ("Attack on Titan," "Moonrise") produced the animation, brilliantly portraying the story's dramatic moments against lush backgrounds of London's cityscape and beautiful nature. 

Teaching the value of holding on to and devoting oneself to a heartfelt dream, the Netflix Series “Love Through a Prism” shows how fast romance can blossom and how far it can reach. 

The Netflix Series "Love Through a Prism" starts streaming worldwide on Thursday, January 15, 2026, only on Netflix.

Sunday, November 30, 2025

An Impressive Independent Anime Short...

B â a n
A story of two people in search of a new life, who leave their birthplaces - traveling to a whole different world trying to find a place where they truly belong. Set in the fictional world of Euthania, a land rich in nature with various magical races based on South East Asian Mythology, which is connected to Japan via a warp gate.
“Bâan” in Thai means “Home”

Saturday, November 29, 2025

A cosmic battle awaits!

Marvel Cosmic Invasion
Opening Animation | PS5 & PS4 Games
MARVEL Cosmic Invasion launches in one week on PlayStation! Choose between 15 Marvel Super Heroes in this frenetic action beat ‘em up to fight against the deadly Annihilation Wave threatening the galaxy. From New York City to the depths of the Negative Zone, the future of the Marvel Universe will be fought for across the stars! 

Friday, November 28, 2025

One of the best fantasies ever...

Witch Hat Atelier
In a world where everyone takes wonders like magic spells and dragons for granted, Coco is a girl with a simple dream: she wants to be a witch. But everybody knows magicians are born, not made, and Coco was not born with a gift for magic. Resigned to her un-magical life, Coco is about to give up on her dream to become a witch... until the day she meets Qifrey, a mysterious, traveling magician. After secretly seeing Qifrey perform magic in a way she’s never seen before, Coco soon learns what everybody “knows” might not be the truth, and discovers that her magical dream may not be as far away as it may seem...
Witch Hat Atelier is coming April 2026!

Thursday, November 27, 2025