Animatrix Network

Next Club Meeting: September 23, 2017, at the Wood Dale Public Library from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The Animatrix Network is an anime & manga fan club located in the Southwest suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. We usually meet on the fourth 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, such as live-action films, comics, music, art, and other weird things to enjoy and contemplate.

Thursday, August 17, 2017

Celebrating 100 Years of Anime

Los Angeles Anime Film Festival

Celebrates 100 Years of Anime

[Source: ToonZone] Did you know anime is now 100 years old? Don’t you think that sounds like a good excuse to throw as many landmark anime films on the big screen at the same time?

Then you’re way ahead of the Los Angeles Anime Film Festival (LA-AFF), which features a blockbuster lineup of anime hits, one after another, starting tomorrow. The LA-AFF takes place September 15th through the 17th and all programs will be showcased at the Regal L.A. LIVE: A Barco Innovation Center in Downtown Los Angeles.

The festival begins with the North American debut of No Game No Life Zero and wraps up with Akira, and is sandwiched in the middle with My Neighbor Totoro, Summer Wars, Ghost in the Shell, Cowboy Bebop: The Movie and more. Here’s the full schedule and lineup:

Opening Gala Screening – Friday, September 15 No Game No Life Zero, dir. Atsuko Ishizuka, Japan, 2017
*North American Premiere
Namakura Gatana (Special Presentation)

Closing Film – Sunday, September 17 Akira, dir. Katsuhiro Otomo, Japan, 1988

Festival Lineup 009 Re:Cyborg 3D, dir. Kenji Kamiyama, Japan, 2012 Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day, dir. Tatsuyuki Nagai, Japan 2013 Cowboy Bebop: The Movie, dir. Shinichirō Watanabe, Hiroyuki Okiura, Yoshiyuki Takei, Japan, 2001 Ghost in the Shell, dir. Mamoru Oshii, Japan, 1995 Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, dir. Mamoru Oshii, Japan, 2004 (35mm) Kiki’s Delivery Service, dir. Hayao Miyazaki, Japan, 1989 King of Prism by PrettyRhythm dir. Masakazu Hishida, Japan, 2016
*North American Premiere Love Live! The School Idol Movie, dir. Takahiko Kyogoku, Japan, 2015 Metropolis, dir. Rintaro, Japan, 2001 Miss Hokusai, dir. Keiichi Hara, Japan, 2015 My Neighbor Totoro, dir. Hayao Miyazaki, Japan, 1988 Paprika, dir. Satoshi Kon, Japan, 2006 (35mm) Pigtails, dir. Yoshimi Itazu, Japan, 2015 Porco Rosso, dir. Hayao Miyazaki, Japan, 1992 Red Turtle, dir. Michaël Dudok de Wit, France/Belgium/Japan, 2016 Summer Wars, dir. Mamoru Hosoda, Japan, 2009

Tickets for each individual screening are now available at http://la-aff.eventbrite.com.

Wednesday, August 16, 2017

Tales of Alethrion proloque

T H E F I R S T H E R O

The Tales of Alethrion proloque "The First Hero" is about Alethrion, whom the land is named after, and a lovely backpacker girl called Amerath. They are the original creators of the map which we see later in The Reward, carried by Vito and Wilhelm. It is the first tale that takes place long before many of the other episodes in the series which we hope to get funded through Kickstarter.

Tuesday, August 15, 2017

Watch the first episode of DuckTales!

DuckTales! Woo-oo!

Watch the first full episode here!

Donald Duck takes Huey, Dewey and Louie to Scrooge McDuck's mansion where they uncover family secrets, leading to an epic road trip to the Lost City of Atlantis.

Based on the Emmy Award-winning series treasured by a generation of viewers, Disney XD's animated comedy-adventure series "DuckTales" chronicles the high-flying adventures of Duckburg's most famous trillionaire Scrooge McDuck, his mischief-making triplet grandnephews, Huey, Dewey and Louie, temperamental nephew Donald Duck and the trusted McDuck Manor team: big-hearted, fearless chauffer/pilot Launchpad McQuack, no-nonsense housekeeper Mrs. Beakley and Mrs. Beakley's granddaughter, Webby Vanderquack, resident adventurer and the triplet's newfound fierce friend.

Monday, August 14, 2017

A LootCrate Power Beat Down

IRONMAN vs OPTIMUS PRIME

Sunday, August 13, 2017

Dolby Presents: Silent, a Short Film

S I L E N T

"Silent" is an animated short film created by Academy Award® winning Moonbot Studios (http://moonbotstudios.com). It celebrates how storytellers, inventors, and technology work together to create cinema magic.

The story follows two street performers who dream of bringing their "Picture and Sound Show" to life. When they discover a magical contraption inside an old theatre, they embark on a cinematic adventure of sight and sound to find the audience they always wanted.
The sound was created by Oscar® nominated sound designer Steve Boeddeker (http://www.skysound.com/bio/steve_boe...).

"Silent" debuted at the Scientific and Technical Academy Awards on February 15, 2014.

Saturday, August 12, 2017

Marvel knows how to have fun!

GUARDIANS' INFERNO

Dust off those far out platforms and enjoy this blast from the past! Get the “Inferno” music video + more bonus features when you bring home "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" to Digital Aug 8, Blu-ray Aug 22 & new to 4K UHD.

Friday, August 11, 2017

EW reveals images of THE LAST JEDI

Entertainment Weekly has released a ton of exclusive pictures for

T H E L A S T J E D I

EW has two different covers

Rose and Finn journey to a crazy casino on a planet called Canto Bight.

Chewie with a Porg, a cute penguin-like creature from Ahch-To

Finn's piloting one of those red dust ship things from the trailer

These "Force-nuns" are caretakers of Ahch-To

The Praetorian Guard are back

Rey training on Ahch-To

"Just a scratch"

Kylo gets a new starfighter

Poe and BB-8 are sticking with Leia

"For the last time, I don't want yer Jedi Scout cookies!"

Rian directing Carrie Fisher

Rian Johnson and producers, Ram Bergman and Kathleen Kennedy

Finn and Rose

Thursday, August 10, 2017

Mysticons take flight later this month

Nickelodeon and Nelvana’s CG Fantasy Series “Mysticons” Premieres August 28

[Source: ToonZone] A mythic quest to save the world unfolds in Nickelodeon’s newest animated series, Mysticons, premiering Monday, August 28, at 4 p.m. (ET/PT). Produced by Corus Entertainment’s premier animation company Nelvana, the half-hour action series rich in story and mythology follows four girls who transform into legendary warriors, Mysticons, who band together to save their realm from evil. The series airs at 4:00 p.m. (ET/PT) through Friday, Sept. 1, and continues with premieres in its regular timeslot of Sundays at 12:00 p.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon. Beginning August 30, fans can watch encore episodes Wednesdays at 9:00 p.m. (ET/PT) on Nicktoons.

Created and executive produced by Sean Jara (Johnny Test), Mysticons is a contemporary urban fantasy series about four girls from different walks of life who are transformed into the legendary Mysticons. Arkayna, Zarya, Emerald, and Piper are drawn together by a prophecy to battle evil and protect the realm as unexpected heroes who work together to become epic warriors and ultimately, the closest of friends. The heroes team up as the stakes are raised when the evil Queen Necrafa is released from her prison and embarks on a mission to destroy them and their home, Drake City.

In the series premiere, “Sisters in Arms,” the legendary Dragon Disk brings together the four girls and bestows upon them magical powers.

The Mysticons voice cast includes: Alyson Court (The Big Comfy Couch) as “Arkayna Goodfey,” Drake City’s princess who is desperate to be a regular teen, while balancing being Mysticon Dragon Mage; Nicki Burke (Barbie: The Pearl Princess) as “Zarya Moonwolf,” a tough and fiercely protective street kid with roguish charm, known as Mysticon Ranger; Evany Rosen (Hotel Transylvania: The Series) as “Emerald Goldenbraid,” an innovative engineer and Arkayna’s best friend, known as Mysticon Knight; and Ana Sani (Mia and Me) as “Piper Willowbrook,” an optimistic and fun-loving street kid who doubles as Mysticon Striker.

Visit Nick.com, the Nick App, Mysticons.com, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to learn more about Mysticons. A sneak peek full-length episode is also currently available on Nick.com and the Nick App, along with platforms including iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu, Xbox, PlayStation and Nick On Demand.

Wednesday, August 9, 2017

Anime Viewing Schedule for August 12, 2017

A N I M A T R I X N E T W O R K
Saturday, August 12, 2017

Wood Dale Public Library

"Time to Destroy Stuff!"

Main Meeting Room, 10:15 am to 5:00 pm

10:15 - 11:05 Gamers! 3-4

11:05 - 11:55 Re:Zero - Starting Life in Another World 22-23

11:55 - 12:45 Knight's and Magic 1-2

12:45 - 1:35 Princess Principal 3-4

1:35 - 2:15 Club Meeting / Announcements

2:15 - 2:40    Little Witch Academia (2017 TV series) ep 11
2:40 - 3:30    Saga of Tanya the Evil 3-4
3:30 - 3:55    Restaurant to Another World 2
3:55 - 4:45    Made in Abyss 3-4

All anime presented are fan-subtitled unless otherwise noted.

Start watching the exciting anime series: Made in Abyss and Princess Principal!

ANIME DESCRIPTIONS ARE BELOW

Dolby Presents: Escape, an animated short

E S C A P E

A cinematic poem about the world-changing power of invention, the short film Escape is the latest example of animated storytelling that showcases state-of-the-art Dolby technologies. Combining techniques such as miniatures and animation with the spectacular imaging of Dolby Vision and the moving audio of Dolby Atmos, Escape invites the audience to imagine and experience a joyous vision of the future. It is a story of persistence and passion that is intended to inspire individuals to never give up on their hopes and dreams.

After crash-landing on a desolate planet, a lone space explorer must find a way to make her new home habitable. The teenage heroine is an older version of the central character in our Emmy award–winning film, Silent, known there as “the Kid.” This intrepid character displays courage, passion, determination, and curiosity as she transforms the barren landscape she has found into a beautiful planet.

Singer Imogen Heap developed an original soundtrack that wraps the audience in Dolby Atmos sound, unveiling the lead character’s changing emotions as she faces the challenges of a dark, disturbed landscape and persists to transform it into a place of joy and delight.

Monday, August 7, 2017

The ANIMATRIX Store!

What a wonderful surprise! If you're ever down in Harlingen, Texas, stop by the Valle Vista Mall and check out the ANIMATRIX Store! That even looks like our original font.

Sunday, August 6, 2017

Next club meeting is August 12, 2017

A N I M A T R I X N E T W O R K

Unlike Comic-Con, there's no need to be
waiting in line for our next club event!

Wood Dale Public Library

520 N. Wood Dale Road

Wood Dale, IL 60191

Main Meeting Room

Saturday, August 12, 2017

10:15 AM - 5:00 PM

Map
Public Transit Options

Our next club meeting will be at the Wood Dale Public Library,
Main Meeting Room (on your far right as you enter the front doors),
from 10:15 AM to 5:00 PM
(until the library closes).

There is public transportation available.
A Metra train-stop is located within walking distance.

Please note: If you are driving, please park your car
on the south side of the building (not the front) in order to
make room for other library patrons.

A Viewing Schedule will be posted soon.

Hope to see you all there!

(Click below for maps)

Recommended Anime

SAGA of TANYA the EVIL

Saga of Tanya the Evil, known in Japan as Yōjo Senki. For having insulted God, an arrogant Japanese salaryman, in the moment of his sudden death, is sentenced to be reborn in a world similar to WWI Germany with magic, in an empire torn apart by countless wars with all nearby countries. The salaryman is reborn as Second Lieutenant Tanya Degurechaff of the Imperial Army, a 9-year-old soldier girl.

According to God, whom Tanya calls "Being X", if she's not able to die a natural death, or she refuses to have faith in Him, her soul will leave the circle and be sent to hell for the countless sins that Tanya has committed in her previous life.

In search for an escape, Tanya decides to enter into the Empire's Mages Division and fight in World War I, hoping to reach a high enough rank as fast as possible to remain far from the battlefield and in this way avoid the risk of being killed.

Even if she's now forced to speak with a young girl's lisp, Tanya soon turns into a ruthless soldier who prioritizes efficiency and her own career over anything else, even the lives of those beneath her.

Flashback Corner - Remember This?

BATTLE of the PLANETS cast five young people as G-Force, consisting of Mark, Jason, Princess, Keyop, and Tiny. G-Force protects Earth from planet Spectra and other attacks from beyond space. The most prominent field commander of the Spectra forces was a villainous, masked individual known as Zoltar. Zoltar would receive his orders directly from a being he would refer to as "Luminous One". The Luminous One would appear as a ghost-like, disembodied, floating head. Who, or what this being actually was, is never explained in any detail throughout the series. The main ship of the G-Force team was called the Phoenix, which could carry, transport and deploy four smaller vehicles, each operated by one team member. The four vehicles included a futuristic race car with various hidden weapons driven by Jason; this vehicle was concealed within the Phoenix's nosecone. The "galacti-cycle", a futuristic motor cycle the Princess rode, was stored within the left wing capsule of the Phoenix. Keyop's "Space Bubble", an all-terrain, tank-like vehicle capable of VTOL as well as being a submersible craft, was held in the right storage capsule of the Phoenix. And lastly, a futuristic jet fighter Mark pilots was stored in the top rear section of the Phoenix command island structure, and which used its tail fin to make up the center tail fin of the Phoenix. The fifth crew member, Tiny, was assigned to pilot the Phoenix rather than one of the detachable craft.

A regularly featured plot device was the transformation of the Phoenix into a flaming bird-shaped craft able to handle virtually any exceptional situation by functioning as a sort of giant, super blowtorch called the Fiery Phoenix. The Phoenix’s primary weapon was a supply of rockets called "TBX missiles" in the series. It also occasionally flaunted a powerful solar-powered energy blaster, although the team had the misfortune of choosing very cloudy days to use it.

The G-Force team themselves would use a combination of martial arts skill, ninja-like weapons, and their "cerebonic" powers to dispatch hordes of enemy soldiers and overcome other obstacles. Their bird-like costumes include wing-like capes that could fan out and function nearly identically to parachutes and/or wing suits, enabling the G-Force members to drift or glide down to safety from heights which would otherwise prove fatal.

The G-Force members stay in contact through a wrist-band communicator device which also serves as a way for them to change instantly into their G-Force uniforms or back into their civilian clothes. Other weapons seen displayed by various team members include: Mark's sonic boomerang, a bird-shaped boomerang with razor sharp wings; Jason's and Tiny's multi-purpose gadget guns, which can be outfitted with grappling hook and line, drill bits, etc.; and Keyop's and Princess's yo-yo bombs, which could be used as bolas, darts, and explosive devices. Other weapons include feathers with a sharpened steel quill that could be used as deadly throwing darts, and mini-grenades shaped like ball bearings with spike studs.

Recommended Comic

VALERIAN and LAURELINE: The series focuses on the adventures of the dark-haired Valérian, a spatio-temporal agent, and his redheaded female colleague, Laureline, as they travel the universe through space and time. Valérian is a classical hero, kind-hearted, strong and brave who follows the orders of his superiors even if he feels, deep down, that it is the wrong thing to do. On the other hand, his partner Laureline combines her superior intelligence, determination and independence with sex-appeal, making her one of science fiction`s most notable heroines. Influenced by classic literary science fiction, the series mixes space opera with time travel plots. Christin`s scripts are noted for their humour, complexity and strongly humanist and left-wing liberal political ideas while Mézières` art is characterised by its vivid depictions of the alien worlds and species Valérian and Laureline encounter on their adventures. The series was a landmark in European comics and pop culture, and influenced other media as well – traces of its concepts, storylines and designs can be found on sci-fi films such as Star Wars, The Fifth Element, and Avatar.

Gaming Corner

SUBMERGED is a third-person combat-free game in which you explore a mysterious flooded city and discover the beauty of desolation in vast outdoor environments. You take on the role of Miku, a young girl who has brought her wounded brother to the city in their small fishing boat. Navigate the flooded city streets by boat, scale the drowned buildings, and use your telescope to scour the city for the supplies needed to save your dying sibling. As you explore the city at your own pace, you encounter the habitat that flourishes in this colorful place and discover hidden objects that piece together the story of a broken world and a broken family.

Game Features

- Vast outdoor environments with a rich, colorful and vibrant habitat present the player with a beautiful place to linger during the day or night, and encounter the mysterious remnants that watch you from the rooftops.

- A serene and relaxing game experience; take your time to enjoy the sunrise and beautiful vistas, listen to the sound of the ocean, or observe the playfulness of the creatures that inhabit this place. There is only one pace in this game and that’s your own.

- Discover the hidden objects that piece together the story of redemption, sacrifice and determination, and learn more about how the city came to be this way.

- Cruise through the city streets in your small powered fishing boat, using your telescope to identify which of the various buildings contain supplies and mark them on your map.

- Discover the best path to the objects you spotted from afar. Dock your boat at tall buildings and landmarks and climb the vines, ladders, ledges and pipes as increasingly difficult navigation puzzles.

- Developed by an independent studio based in Australia, consisting of AAA veterans who have previously worked on the BioShock series, with music from BAFTA award winning composer Jeff van Dyck.

Mighty Orbots - Remember this?

MIGHTY ORBOTS

In the future, Earth is threatened by various enemies, but none worse than the organization called Shadow, lead by the cybernetic menace known as Umbra. Against this, the Galactic Patrol strives to protect Earth, but the mild mannered young scientist, Robert Simmons, does more. In times of peril, he secretly fights as the leader of the Orbots, a team of unique artificially intelligent robots each equipped with their own unique capabilities that are invaluable in this war. Together, whether individually or united as parts of a giant combined robot, they represent Earth's most powerful defense.