Next Club Meeting: November 16, 2024, 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, such as live-action films, comics, music, art, and other weird things to enjoy and contemplate.

Sunday, June 30, 2013

PBS: The Movie (PBS Meets The Avengers)

 
To be blunt: Science, technology, and education are important to us. But we live in a world where the little news we hear of schools, research, and the arts is when they're laying their heads on the chopping block. We live in a world where celebrity and "reality" entertainment is winning the war for our attention. Though this may just seem like it's playing off a funny trope, we do need superheroes in our world. Super men, women (and puppets), like those actualized by PBS, who inspire young generations to be scientists, teachers, and artists. But those heroes will not appear unless we create them.

Saturday, June 29, 2013

E3 2013: Metal Gear Solid 5

Red Band Trailer

  • Konami has released a 'Red Band Trailer' for its Metal Gear Solid 5. Konami offered a brief glimpse of the game during Microsoft's E3 press conference, when it confirmed the game for Xbox One. The Xbox E3 conference opened with a gameplay trailer of Metal Gear Solid, confirming it will feature open-world gameplay, real-time weather, various modes of transport, realistic passage of time, deeper stealth action, and dynamic CQC. The footage contains additional gameplay, running up to almost 10 minutes. 
  •  

    Friday, June 28, 2013

    Thursday, June 27, 2013

    Wednesday, June 26, 2013

    New Teaser for Miyazaki's THE WIND RISES!

    Here is a teaser trailer for the newest film from acclaimed director Hayao Miyazaki. THE WIND RISES will tell the story of Jiro Horikoshi, the man who designed fighter planes that were used by the Japanese in World War II. 
    THE WIND RISES will open in Japan on July 20th, but no release date has been set for the U.S. yet. Hopefully, we will get the opportunity to check it out soon.

    Tuesday, June 25, 2013

    George Lucas Gets Married!

    Congratulations to the newlyweds George Lucas and Mellody Hobson!

    [Source: HuffPost] The visionary "Star Wars" filmmaker wed the Ariel Investments president before an intimate gathering at Skywalker Ranch, in Marin County, California, at 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 22. 

    The ceremony was officiated by journalist Bill Moyers, who famously interviewed the writer Joseph Campbell at Skywalker Ranch for a landmark documentary series in 1988. According to Arianna Huffington, who was in attendance, Moyers spoke so movingly that several married couples said afterward that they felt they'd renewed their own vows.

    "It only takes one person to have met the love of your life," Moyers, who was a Baptist minister before launching his illustrious career in journalism, told the bride and groom. Moyers went on to quote the 13th-century Persian poet Rumi: "When I heard my first love story, I was thinking of you."

    Lucas' longtime friend and collaborator Steven Spielberg gave the toast from the groom's side, joking that The Force finally had a name: Mellody. John W. Rogers, Hobson's fellow executive at Ariel Investments, spoke on behalf of the bride. And director Francis Ford Coppola read a poem by Maya Angelou.

    Van Morrison flew in from Ireland to perform at the reception, which took place on the Skywalker Ranch soundstage. Janelle Monae also performed, and former New Jersey Senator Bill Bradley, who has known Hobson since she was 17, gave away the bride and offered a toast before the cake-cutting ceremony. 

    This is the first marriage for Hobson, 44, who wore a white dress by Peter Soronen and changed skirts between the ceremony and the party. Lucas, 69, has been married once before, to film editor Marcia Griffin. They adopted a daughter together, and Lucas adopted two more children after they divorced, in 1983. Lucas' son, Jett, was his best man, and his daughters, Katie and Amanda, served as bridesmaids. 

    In addition to serving as president of Ariel Investments, Hobson is chairman of Dreamworks Animation and a financial contributor with CBS.

    Lucas' contributions to popular culture include the Indiana Jones saga, which he co-created with Spielberg, and "American Graffiti," which he directed in 1973. Last October, Lucas sold his production company, Lucasfilm Ltd., to the Walt Disney Company for $4.05 billion. "Star Trek" director J.J. Abrams soon signed on to direct the first in a series of planned "Star Wars" sequels, set to begin filming early next year.

    Monday, June 24, 2013

    Star Wars VII: Return of the Empire


    • Disney Star Wars. The adventure continues! Starring Sam Macaroni, Timothy Delaghetto, ShayCarl, Ed Bassmaster, Liz Katz and Alex Farnham. Spanish, German and French subtitles available.

    Sunday, June 23, 2013

    Live-Action Gatchaman Trailers

    GATCHAMAN!


    • The Cast: Tori Matsuzaka (.hack//The Movie , live-action Kyō, Koi o Hajimemasu, Samurai Sentai Shinkenger, Kamen Rider Decade) stars as Ken, the head of the eponymous team. Gō Ayano (second-in-command Jō), Ayame Gōriki (explosive yoyo-wielding Jun), Tatsuomi Hamada (youngest member Jinpei), and Ryōhei Suzuki (main pilot Ryū). 

    • The five serve as agents of the International Science Organization in Tokyo at the beginning of the 21st century. Galactor, a mysterious group whose technology far surpasses that of humans, has declared war on the entire world and has already subjugated half of it. A mysterious crystal-like object called a "stone," is humanity's only hope. Those who are able to draw out the power of the "stones" are forced to train as Earth's ultimate weapon, a five-person team called "Gatchaman." 

    Saturday, June 22, 2013

    Producing Parker - Animated Television Sitcom

    (Parker Kovak: twenty-something, attractive, single, neurotic, producer)
    • Every once in a while, a show comes along that is offbeat, charming, and unabashedly naughty, and in these modern times, they're ingredients for a hit show, but yet it flies in under the radar totally missed by the mainstream audience only to be discovered a few years later after its series end. Such a show is Producing Parker. And it is worth checking out.
    (The Cast: Dee, Simon, Massimo, Parker, and Blake)
    • Producing Parker is a Canadian animated television sitcom that debuted May 4, 2009 on TVtropolis. Episodes began airing on Global in fall 2009. The plot revolves around the behind-the-scenes antics of a female-targeted daytime television talk show, and stars Parker Kovak (Kristin Booth), the producer of "The Dee Show", and Dee (Kim Cattrall), its self-absorbed and high maintenance host. 
    (Massimo the talking dog offers questionable advice to Parker's hectic love life)
    • Producing Parker gained some notoriety through its sexy main character often finding herself in compromising and extremely embarrassing situations where she is in various degrees of undress. The show's cast also includes Peter Keleghan and Aaron Abrams. Kim Cattrall was awarded a Gemini for "Best Performance in an Animated Program or Series" in 2010. 
    (Parker meets the sexy intern, Chicago Hyatt. Yes, that's her name.)
    • The series was produced by Breakthrough Animation and ran for two consecutive seasons, ending in 2011. 
    (What just happened?)
    • Characters
      Parker Kovak (Kristin Booth): The overworked, underpaid daytime talk show producer of The Dee Show. A kind-hearted but mildly neurotic woman in her late twenties. She is of Eastern-European descent.
      Dee (Kim Cattrall): The ageless, alcoholic, nymphomaniac, very glamorous and very high maintenance star of The Dee Show. She was raised by a family of cougars in the California mountains.
      Simon Nolan (Aaron Abrams): The left wing, slacker writer for The Dee Show, and Parker's good friend who has a relatively secret crush on her.
      Chicago Hyatt (Sarah Cornell): Parker's attractive, yet under-qualified "loose" blonde intern, as well as her unwitting confidant. She is also Blake's third cousin.
      Blake Bellamy (Peter Keleghan): The young, charming, absent-minded British station owner of Bellamy Broadcasting, and cousin of Chicago. Parker has a crush on him and he has, as he puts it, "some sort of feeling" for her.
      Massimo (Jamie Watson): Parker's talking dog, and her main companion. A refined cannine friend who enjoys the fine arts, good wine and endlessly chasing his own tail.
      Hal (David Huband): Handy man and operator on The Dee Show. Also known to be a contractor/olympic diver/dog groomer/ordained satanist minister.
      Russell (Jamie Watson): Dee's flamboyant, image-driven gay personal stylist and best friend.
      Victoria Lafayette (Karen LeBlanc): Victoria is the charitable host of The Victoria Show whom Dee sees as her arch-enemy and who once hired Parker as her producer. She runs several international charities. She physically resembles Queen Latifah and her personality is similar to Oprah's.
      Antique Annie (Julie Lemieux) She is the elderly host of an Antiques roadshow style show. In the episode "Dee Mother Load" it is hinted that she is Dee's biological mother.
      Dr. William Perry (Martin Roach): A chemist and relationship fidelity expert who is featured as a recurrent guest on The Dee Show and also acts as a de facto physician for the show's crew.
      James Hard (Peter Keleghan): Television news anchor of "Hard News Report"
      Jeremy: Chicago's friend and lover, and also works as the mail carrier of The Dee Show.


      Friday, June 21, 2013

      The Zombie Song - HISHE

      World War Z and the lonely zombie...
      • Since the Resident Evil HISHE, fans have requested a full version of what became "The Zombie Song."

      Thursday, June 20, 2013

      Calvin and Hobbes the Movie

      As real as your imagination...
      • While growing up, Calvin's imagination always kept him sane. He didn't have many friends, so he created one. As he got older, he tried to leave childish things behind. But his imagination had a different plan.

      Wednesday, June 19, 2013

      Anime Viewing Schedule for June 22, 2013

      Saturday, June 22, 2013
      Wood Dale Public Library
      Main Meeting Room, 10:15 am to 5:00 pm
      (Click on titles to view Video Previews)
      10:15 - 11:05    Accel World 20-21
      11:05 - 11:30    Rinne no Lagrange 15
      11:30 - 12:20    Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai! 11-12 (end)
      12:20 - 1:10      Red Data Girl 5-6
      1:10 - 1:50        Club Meeting / Announcements
      1:50 - 2:40        Sword Art Online 15-16
      2:40 - 3:30        Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet 5-6
      3:30 - 4:45        Attack on Titan 7-9


      10:15 - 11:05    Accel World 20-21
      Plot Summary: [Source: Wikipedia] In the year 2046, Neuro-synchronization, a technology system that allows humans to manipulate their five senses, has become widespread where people can access the internet and enter virtual worlds. Haruyuki "Haru" Arita is a short, fat boy who due to constant bullying has low-self esteem. To escape the torment of real life, he logs-in to the school's virtual world network where he plays squash alone and always gets the highest score. One day Haru attracts the attention of the Student Council Vice-President Kuroyukihime who offers him Brain Burst, a secret program which allows a person to make time appear to stand still in their surroundings by "accelerating" their brainwaves in the real world. Unfortunately, there is a limit to how many times a person can accelerate due to Brain Burst points and the primary way to get more points is to fight and defeat other Brain Burst users in the program's virtual reality massive multiplayer online (VRMMO) fighting game. However, if a user loses all of his/her points the Brain Burst program will uninstall itself and block all re-installation attempts, thus permanently removing the user's ability to accelerate. Kuroyukihime wants Haru's help as she wishes to reach Level 10 and meet the creator of Brain Burst to learn its true purpose. But in order to do that, she must defeat five other Level 9 users who just so happen to be "The Six Kings of Pure Color", the leaders of the six most powerful factions in the Brain Burst world. For helping him, Haru agrees to help Kuroyukihime not only to repay her but to overcome his weaknesses.
      Episode 20 "Domination": Having been fully healed by Lime Bell, Dusk Taker makes short work of Cyan Pile after he snaps and charges, defeating him in horrific fashion. As Silver Crow is overcome by rage, a sinister power awakens within him and urges him to destroy Dusk Taker. He then manifests a power similar to Dusk Taker's, though the timer ends the battle before it can escalate any further. Upon returning to the real world, Haruyuki and Takumu confront Chiyuri, who claims she has joined up with Seiji and his "group" of her own will. Believing there is something more to this, Haruyuki tells Takumu about the Incarnate System, suggesting they should find a way for him to learn it before facing Seiji again. As Haruyuki grows fearful of the dark power within him, he calls up Kuroyukihime for a little bit. Later, Haruyuki and Takumu believe they may be able to learn something about the Incarnate System from Yuniko (Scarlet Rain). At school, Haruyuki finds himself under suspicion over the camera found in the girl's shower room and is again socially tormented, with only Sky Raker's words of protecting his friends supporting him, whilst Seiji smirks at his own deviance.
      Episode 21 "Insurrection": As they make their way to meet up with Yuniko, Haruyuki explains to Takumu how Seiji had set him up, and dragging Chiyuri along. After hearing about their situation, Yuniko agrees to teach Haruyuki and Takumu about the Incarnate System, explaining the different skills that can be performed with them. Silver Crow demonstrates the ability he achieved via his training with Sky Raker, with Scarlet Rain suggesting he give it a name so he can have easier access to it, thus he dubs it Laser Sword. As the type of skills an avatar can learn depends on the user's personal traumas, Takumu explains how he was bullied in elementary school, which gave rise Cyan Pile's combat ability. As Scarlet Rain begins training Cyan Pile, Haruyuki logs out to learn more about how Seiji masks himself from the matching list. He is then joined by Yuniko's ally, Blood Leopard, who takes him to Akihabara to begin the investigation. They arrive and enter Akihabara's virtual world and proceed to the Akihabara Battle Grounds, a neutral fighting arena for Burst Linkers which is also being plagued by another unlisted Burst Linker called Rust Jigsaw who enters the Dive Cafe where Haruyuki and Blood Leopard's real bodies are.


      11:05 - 11:30   Rinne no Lagrange 15
      Plot Summary: [Source: Wikipedia] Madoka Kyouno, a schoolgirl from Kamogawa, is the sole member of the Jersey Club and always ready to help others out. One day, she is approached by an alien named Lan who asks her to pilot a robotic aircraft to defend mankind against an evil force.
      Episode 15  "The Kamogawa Equipment": As Kamogawa prepares for an intergalactic conference, Asteria calls Madoka, Lan and Muginami about a Vox Particle Control Experiment, the same that Dizelmine attempted on Lan. She explains about how she wants to try to use the power of the Voxes in a peaceful way to put Villagiulo and Dizelmine off their plans. Madoka agrees to undergo the experiment, and although the initial attempts show no reaction from her, Asteria manages to prompt a reaction from Madoka by embarrassing her. However, as they attempt to stop the experiment when Dizelmine and Villagiulo attempt to contact them, Madoka's levels continue to rise, causing a strange red phenomenon to appear in the sky, which starts forming strange creatures. Meanwhile, Madoka is haunted by visions of what appears to be the girl she saw in her vision, warning her not to open the Rin-ne flower. When Madoka regains her sense, she finds all the creatures had been destroyed and more Rinne flowers have appeared.

      11:30 - 12:20     Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai! 11-12 (end)
      Plot Summary: [Source: Wikipedia] Yūta Togashi is a boy who, during junior high school, had 'adolescent delusions' (中二病 chūnibyō, lit. "junior high school second grade illness"), believing that he possesses supernatural powers and dubbing himself the 'Dark Flame Master,' therefore alienating himself from his classmates. Finding his past embarrassing, Yūta attempts to start off high school where he does not know anyone, free from his old delusions. This proves to be difficult, however, as a delusional girl in his class, Rikka Takanashi, learns of Yūta's past and becomes interested in him. As the plot progreses Rikka becomes more attached to Yūta, who despite finding her delusions irritating and embarrassing, accepts her. He helps Rikka with a number of things, including founding and maintaining her club and tutoring her. When he joins her on her summer vacation, Yūta learns that when Rikka was very young her father, whom she was very close to, died unexpectedly due to a terminal illness, causing her to fall into her delusions. After Yūta agrees to help Rikka search for the 'Ethereal Horizon' (不可視境界線 Fukashi Kyōkaisen), which she believes will lead her to her father, she becomes romantically interested in him and vice versa.
      Episode 11 "One Winged Fallen Angel": As Tōka moves out of the house and sets off for Italy, Rikka has been spending the last three weeks trying to become a normal person and starts to get along with others. However, Sanae is less than happy about it, especially when Rikka announces she is disbanding the club. As Yūta and Rikka clear out the magical goods from her room to prepare for her mother's arrival, Yūta wonders if he is doing the right thing. As Rikka heads off to visit her father's grave, Sanae confronts Yūta about how Rikka had wanted him to accept her delusional side. Despite feeling the same way, Yūta ends up lashing out at Sanae instead, believing it would be no good even if he told her.
      Episode 12 "Eternal Engage": As Yūta worries about having not seen Rikka in a while, Sanae ends up discarding her other persona whilst Kumin starts impersonating Rikka. Later that night, Yūta learns that Rikka has moved in with her mother and grandparents. As Yūta starts to feel guilty, he finds a letter from his past self, prompting him to go after Rikka. Along the way, he encounters Kumin, who relays a message from Rikka about how she had previously met him two years ago, around the time of her father's death, coming to admire his chūnibyō syndrome and start her own. Arriving before Rikka, Yūta finally accepts both her and his own chūnibyō side, taking her to the 'Ethereal Horizon', giving Rikka the opportunity to properly say goodbye to her father. Rikka soon resumes her chūnibyō play, despite Yūta still finding it a little embarrassing.

      12:20 - 1:10    Red Data Girl 5-6
      Plot Summary: [Source: Wikipedia] The story revolves around Izumiko Suzuhara, a 15-year old girl who has been raised at Tamakura Shrine, part of the Kumano Shrines World Heritage Site. She destroys any electrical device that she comes into contact with. Despite being shy, she wants to try living in the city. Her guardian Yukimasa Sagara recommends that she enroll at Hōjō High School in Tokyo, accompanied by his son and Izumiko's childhood friend Miyuki Sagara. While in Tokyo, an entity named "Himegami" appears. Izumiko learns that she is a yorishiro, a vessel for a shinto spirit known as a kami, while Miyuki learns that he is a yamabushi, a warrior tasked with protecting her.
      Episode 5 "The First Makeup": Once summoned to view the damage wrought unto Mayura from Ichijou's booby trap, Masumi is not slow in absorbing the spirits that has been coerced into the teen onmyouji's service after having quickly made short work of him; the next morning, Izumiko and Miyuki compare notes about the Souda triplets. Miyuki mirrors Izumiko's elation at having friends with specialized capabilities but is concerned about Mayura's possible ulterior motives and the turbulence endemic to Mayura capitalizing upon her perspective of him as a weakling to be exploited at will -- an admonishment to Izumiko against confessing the goddess the fruit of this; as has been previously demonstrated the case, Miyuki's father Yukimasa arrives with the news of his employment as a teacher at the school which angers Miyuki to where he lashes out at Izumiko. Miyuki's inability to constructively cope with Yukimasa capitalizing upon that which he hates about himself ignites a circus where Izumiko wanders to a building where an awkward request by the former student council president Hodaka Murakami ultimately provides the requisite critical mass for Izumiko to loudly object the testostrone tempest brewing in her presence by castigating Mikyuki's destructive criticism of her as tattling to Yukimasa; upon The Goddess making it clear that Izumiko's volition is all that counts, the home commute is much calmer as Miyuki tells Izumiko to not expect a lot from him with an air of humilty promising to do what he can.
      Episode 6 "The First Sleepover": The train ride to Souda-ke becomes the backdrop against which Izumiko learns more about Mayura's collaborative prologue with Manatsu and is explained the syllabus of the student council camp retreat. Professor Souda becomes an admirer once he learns of Miyuki's yamabushi tutelage and experiences at Houjou Academy during a vespertine social engagement; upon recovering herself from being inebriated as she computes Manatsu's insight about the Souda Mayura Fan club, Izumiko's engagement with Masumi makes it clear that Tokakusi Mountain is an important destination. Upon arriving at the mountain, Mayura finds herself in an adversarial divergent concourse with Rena Akinokawa and Jean Honoka Kisaragi; after the student council meeting, Mayura explains Izumiko the complexity of Houjou Academy political and social mechanics. Galvanized by her hatred of onmyouji -- especially Ichijou Takayanagi whose recent operation was so easily nullified, Mayura Souda's ultimate goal is to become a World Heritage candidate -- a prestigious status that affords many benefits; in spite of his attempts to temper her expectations of him, Miyuki soon finds that Mayura has prepared a field test for him and is not taking no for answer!

      1:10 - 1:50     Club Meeting / Announcements

      -  Convention Announcements 
      -  Anime Central Coverage
      -  Animation News from around the world
      -  Cosplayers/Skits/Masquerade
      -  Anime Music Videos
      -  And other weird, interesting stuff...


      1:50 - 2:40    Sword Art Online 15-16
      Plot Summary: [Source: Wikipedia] In the year 2022, the Virtual reality Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (VRMMORPG) Sword Art Online (SAO) is released. With the Nerve Gear, a virtual reality Helmet that stimulates the user's five senses via their brain, players can experience and control their in-game characters with their minds. On November 6, 2022, all the players log in for the first time, and discover that they are unable to log out. They are then teleported to a place where Kayaba Akihiko, the creator of SAO, issues them a challenge; if they wish to be free and log out of the game, they must reach the 100th floor of the game's tower and defeat the final boss. However, if their avatars die in game, their bodies will also die in the real world. The story follows Kirito, a skilled player who is determined to beat the game. As the game progresses Kirito eventually befriends a female player called Asuna who becomes his partner and lover. After the duo discovers the identity of Kayaba's avatar in SAO, the couple confronts and defeats him, freeing themselves and the other players from the game. Upon returning to the real world, Kirito learns that Asuna is trapped along a small group of SAO players against their will in another VRMMORPG called Alfheim Online (ALO) as a part of a plan devised by Nobuyuki Sugō with the intention of brainwashing Asuna and marry her in an attempt to take over her family's company. Helped by old friends from his time in SAO along new allies, Kirito manages to thwart Nobuyuki's plans and finally reunite with Asuna in the real world. Soon after, Kirito embarks in another VRMMORPG called Gun Gale Online (GGO) to investigate the mysterious connection between the game and deaths ocurring in the real world. He eventually discovers that the cuplrits behind the deaths include former members of a murderous guild he has previously confronted in SAO. After solving the murders in GGO, Kirito is recruited to assist in the development of a state-of-the-art game interface far more realistic and complex than those of the games he had previously played, but he eventually gets trapped in a game called UnderWorld (UW) where the flow of time is thousands of times faster than in the real world and is currently finding a way back to reality.
      Episode 15 "Return": Two months after being freed from SAO, Kazuto's sister, Suguha, has been constantly worrying about him. The pair have a kendo spar, and though Kirito loses, Suguha is both shocked and curious about his unusual yet proficient sword fighting skills as a result of his time in SAO. Later, Kazuto goes to the hospital to visit Asuna who, along with 300 other players, has yet to wake up even after the SAO incident. It is there that he meets an associate of Asuna's father, Nobuyuki Sugou. Much to Kazuto's fury, Sugou tells him that he intends to be adopted into Asuna's family while she is still comatose as a precursor to marriage. Claiming that this is his right since it was his company, RECTO Progress Inc., had been keeping Asuna alive after SAO's developer Argus went bankrupt, he informs Kazuto that the ceremony will occur in a week and tells him not to see her again. Later at home, Kazuto breaks down before Suguha, who tells him not to give up, despite knowing Kazuto is actually her cousin and harboring her own feelings for him. The next morning, Kazuto receives an e-mail from Egil with a screenshot of an avatar resembling Asuna from another game.
      Episode 16  "Land of Fairies": Kazuto visits Agil, who explains that the screenshot he sent originated from ALfheim Online (ALO), an MMO where players take the role of fairies capable of flight. He explains that the figure resembling Asuna was spotted somewhere on the game's World Tree. Noticing that RECTO created the game, Kazuto decides to don his Nervegear once again and take up his role as Kirito in ALO. After selecting his character race as a Spriggan and diving in, he enters a strange warphole which leads him to a forest, where he finds to his surprise that his stats are identical to his SAO avatar's, with the exception of his dual wielding skill. He also discovers that he still has the SAO in-game item containing Yui's data, which he activates to bring Yui into ALfheim as a Navigation Pixie. Yui deduces that the game is made using a copy of SAO's servers, which was why all common skills and stats from SAO had been carried over to Kirito's ALO avatar. As Kirito gets used to his flight controls, two Sylph players named Leafa and Recon are being chased by Salamander players. Just as Recon is defeated and Leafa outnumbered, Kirito crash lands before her and steps in to help defeat the assailants.

      2:40 - 3:30    Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet 5-6
      Plot Summary: [Source: Wikipedia] In the distant future, mankind has taken to the stars and formed the Galactic Alliance of Humankind. The Alliance is currently engaged in a genocidal war with a plant-like alien species called the Hideauze. 16-year-old Ensign Ledo is a soldier for the Galactic Alliance, piloting a Machine Caliber, an AI-automated, humanoid-shaped battle suit, which he refers to as 'Chamber'. After a failed attempt by the Alliance forces to destroy an enemy super-weapon, Ledo is knocked into a wormhole and loses consciousness. When he awakens, he learns from Chamber that he has been in cryo-stasis for 6 months while his wounds were healing. Ledo learns that he and Chamber have been 'found' by a rag-tag band of 'primitive' human scavengers. Escaping, Ledo quickly discovers that he is on board a massive floating ship on an ocean covered planet. Chamber tells him that local star charts reveal the planet is Earth, the birth-place of humanity, a place members of the Alliance only knew of in stories and believed was a myth.
      Episode 5 "Calm Day": Although Chamber claims that he must remain on standby until reestablishing contact with his superiors, Ledo decides to look for a job, but he fails to find a vacant post up to his skills, or willingness. Soon after, the Gargantia stops moving for maintenance, taking advantage of the absence of winds or waves, in an event known as "calm day", with all workers having a free day except repairmen. Despite being a repairmen himself, Pinion invites Ledo and Amy, along her fellow couriers Melty and Saya for a swim. However, Pinion finds himself unable to cook due to an energy shortage, and sends Ledo on an errand while looking for a way to solve it, while other members of the fleet arrive to join them. Amy and her friends are asked for an errand on the top of a high tower and they take the opportunity to make a race. During the race, Amy saves Ledo from being pursued by some transvestite men who intend to hire him, and after the girls' job is finished, they return to the party with Ledo arriving soon after bringing the item Pinion asked him to fetch; a bottle of sauce. Ledo is then informed that Pinion arranged the party to cheer him up, as he did not manage to find a job, and enjoys it with them until the wind resumes and the calm day ends. Amy then accompanies Ledo as he resumes his search for work.
      Episode 6 "Festival": Ledo decides to work as a fisherman, but he finds himself unable to pilot a regular yumboro and sends Chamber to assist the other fishermen instead. Pinion then invites Ledo for lunch and offers him a position at his crew, but Bellows appears and also offers him a job at her salvage team. In the occasion, Amy and her friends dance to the crowd and Ledo mistakes a cooked octopus for a Hideauze and is about to shoot it until the others assure him that it is not an enemy, but food instead. Chamber, who finds himself causing a mess among the fishermen asks for Ledo's help and he uses his mecha to properly help the workers have a nice catch. Later that night, Amy spends some time alone with Ledo, and the pair become closer. A natural ocean lighting puts Ledo in state of alert and he arms himself to defend Amy, until she calms him down and dances to him upon his request. In the following day, Ledo does salvage work with Bellows and things go smoothly until an underwater creature appears, and with Chamber identifying it as a Hideauze, Ledo abandons his work to confront it.


      3:30 - 4:45    Attack on Titan 7-9
      Plot Summary: [Source: Wikipedia] In an alternative, middle-ages setup, the human population is dwindling in numbers. With the advent of Titans, giant humanoid creatures that attack and devour any human on sight, what remains of civilization is protected by three concentric walls, hundreds of kilometers long and around fifty meters tall, called Wall Maria (the outermost wall), Wall Rose and Wall Sina (the innermost wall housing the capital). All efforts to expand the human territory beyond the walls have failed so far, but the citizens inside remained safe for a hundred years, until two unusual Titans, a colossal one, sixty meter tall and another one, covered with a hardened shell, break through Wall Maria, bringing the other Titans inside, forcing mankind to once again face its greatest threat to ensure its survival. The series follows the story of Eren Jeager, a young boy whose father disappears after his mother is killed during the fall of Wall Maria. Years later he enlists into the army, accompanied by his adopted sister Mikasa Ackerman and their childhood friend Armin Arlelt. When the Titans threaten to break further through Wall Rose, Eren discovers that he possesses the ability to temporarily transform himself into a Titan. Seen as a threat by some, and a ray of hope by others, Eren joins his companions in a war to protect what still remains of mankind, making use of his newfound power while looking for answers to the mysteries surrounding the Titans, the walls, and his own existence.
      Episode 7 "The Tiny Blade: Battle of Trost District, Part 3": The surviving squads, unable to climb out to the inner walls due to their maneuvering gears being low on gas, lose their fighting morale while the nearby supply depot becomes overrun by Titans. Mikasa learns from Armin that the 34th squad along with Eren died. Seemingly unfazed, Mikasa rallies the others to reclaim the supply depot and becoming inspired, they join her in the attack. Mikasa ends up running out of fuel and falls into an alleyway, leading Jean to assume command. However, he loses his nerve when he watches some of his comrades being eaten by the Titans. As a Titan approaches Mikasa, she at first accepts her fate but instinctively starts fighting back after remembering Eren's words of perseverance. As she prepares to attack with a small blade, another Titan appears behind her, and brutally kills the Titan in front of her much to her confusion. Armin and Connie show up, and they are all surprised to see not only the Rogue Titan fighting other Titans, but that it also shows knowledge of their weak points using hand-to-hand combat techniques while completely ignoring the humans. Armin gives Mikasa his gas tanks and blades so that she can go support everyone at the supply depot. Mikasa, however, refuses to leave him behind and ponders on the Rogue Titan's strange behavior.
      Episode 8  "I Can Hear a Heartbeat: Battle of Trost District, Part 4": With the supply depot area swarming with Titans, Armin has the idea of using the Rogue Titan to defeat them. Connie and Mikasa agree with his plan and defeat the Titans attacking it, before rushing there. Meanwhile, Jean and the others reach the supply depot despite suffering more casualties on the way, with Armin, Connie and Mikasa arriving soon after. Armin's plan works, but while the Rogue Titan fights the enemies outside, seven smaller Titans lurk around the fuel storage area. With their gears out of fuel, Armin comes with another plan. The survivors draw the Titans' attention to an elevator and shoot them in the eyes to blind them, while seven of them will jump from the ceiling to finish them off. Connie and Sasha fail to kill their targets but are saved by Mikasa and Annie. Having successfully replenished their fuel, the soldiers prepare to retreat, but they see the Rogue Titan defeating all the other giants and falling down, and much to their shock, watch Eren emerging from its body. Mikasa reaches Eren and cries upon confirming that he is alive, while Armin notices that somehow his severed limbs had recovered as well. 
      Episode 9  "The Left Arm's Trace: Battle of Trost District, Part 5": The Recon Corps led by Captain Levi and his squad successfully retake a town from the Titans until they are called for an emergency at Trost as the Titans have invaded the city. When Eren was eaten and swallowed by the Titan, he finds himself in its stomach along with bodies of its victims, some of whom are still alive. His anger over the Titans causes Eren to burst out of the Titan's stomach by transforming into a Titan himself and going on a rampage against them. When Eren regains his consciousness, to his confusion, he, Armin, and Mikasa are surrounded by the Army who are aiming their weapons at him. It is revealed that after Mikasa and the others saw Eren emerge out of the Rogue Titan, they all agreed to keep it a secret and bring him back inside Wall Rose. However, Commander Kitz Weilman and his men did see it and have Eren cornered with Armin and Mikasa defending him. Kitz accuses Eren of being a Titan spy and demands to know what he is, but Eren has no idea since he has no memories of becoming a Titan or how his limbs grew back. Hoping to resolve the situation, Eren honestly answers he is human but a fearful Kitz orders the cannons to fire on them. As the three of them try to escape, Eren remembers his lost memories of his father giving him an injection, telling him to reclaim Wall Maria and go to their home's basement with his key. In order to protect Armin and Mikasa from the cannons, Eren partially transforms himself into the Rogue Titan. 

      Tuesday, June 18, 2013

      Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag

      E3 2013 Cinematic Trailer

      • It's 1715 and pirates rule the Caribbean. Watch as Captain Edward Kenway, a brash and brutal pirate assassin, skillfully conquers his enemy at sea and uncovers a valuable, secret treasure.

      Monday, June 17, 2013

      Official Mad Max Game E3 Announce Trailer

      The World Goes Mad 2014!

      • Play as Mad Max, a lone warrior who must embark on a perilous journey after his Interceptor is stolen by a deadly gang of marauders. A reluctant hero with an instinct for survival, Max wants nothing more than to leave the madness behind and find solace in the storied "Plains of Silence".

      Sunday, June 16, 2013

      Watch Dogs E3 2013 Gameplay

      "Watch Dogs" Trailer and Gameplay

      • In Watch Dogs, players will be immersed in a living, breathing and fully connected recreation of Chicago.


      Saturday, June 15, 2013

      Next Club Meeting is June 22, 2013

      At E3, it was PS4 vs Xbox One,
      and this was the result:
      "#@*!...Can't share games!... Must be online to play!... $100 difference!..."

      Wood Dale Public Library
      520 N. Wood Dale Road
      Wood Dale, IL  60191
      Main Meeting Room
      Saturday, June 22, 2013
      10:15 AM - 5:00 PM

      Our next club meeting will be at the Wood Dale Public Library
      Main Meeting Room (on your right as you enter the front doors), 
      on June 22, 2013, 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