Next Club Meeting: April 20, 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.

Monday, September 30, 2013

New Poster for CATCHING FIRE

THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE begins as Katniss Everdeen has returned home safe after winning the 74th Annual Hunger Games along with fellow tribute Peeta Mellark.  Winning means that they must turn around and leave their family and close friends, embarking on a “Victor’s Tour” of the districts.  Along the way Katniss senses that a rebellion is simmering, but the Capitol is still very much in control as President Snow prepares the 75th Annual Hunger Games (The Quarter Quell) – a competition that could change Panem forever.

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Kill La Kill - English Subtitled Trailer

PLOT: Ryūko Matoi is a girl who travels with a single red scissor blade, searching for the wielder of the other blade who killed her father. She arrives at Honnōji Academy, a high school that lives in fear. It is ruled over by the fearsome student council, led by the student council president, Satsuki Kiryūin, who use powerful uniforms to crush anyone in their path. After suffering a crushing defeat at the hands of Satsuki, Ryūko comes across a possessed school uniform named Senketsu, who puts himself on Ryūko, granting her special abilities. Teaming up with Senketsu, Ryūko stands up against Satsuki and the student council to liberate Honnōji Academy from their iron grip and find out the truth behind her father's murder.

Saturday, September 28, 2013

Disney's FROZEN - New Trailer

Walt Disney Animation Studios, the studio behind "Tangled" and "Wreck-It Ralph," presents "Frozen," a stunning big-screen comedy adventure. Fearless optimist Anna (voice of Kristen Bell) sets off on an epic journey—teaming up with rugged mountain man Kristoff (voice of Jonathan Groff) and his loyal reindeer Sven—to find her sister Elsa (voice of Idina Menzel), whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom of Arendelle in eternal winter. Encountering Everest-like conditions, mystical trolls and a hilarious snowman named Olaf, Anna and Kristoff battle the elements in a race to save the kingdom.

The film is directed by Chris Buck ("Tarzan," "Surf's Up") and Jennifer Lee (screenwriter, "Wreck-It Ralph"), and produced by Peter Del Vecho ("Winnie the Pooh," "The Princess and the Frog"). Featuring music from Tony® winner Robert Lopez ("The Book of Mormon," "Avenue Q") and Kristen Anderson-Lopez ("In Transit"), "Frozen" comes to cinemas in 3D on November 27, 2013.

Friday, September 27, 2013

Anime Viewing Schedule for September 28, 2013

Saturday, September 28, 2013
Wood Dale Public Library
"Something tells me not to tick her off..."
Main Meeting Room, 10:15 am to 5:00 pm
(Click on links to view Video Previews)
10:15 - 11:05    My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU eps. 3-4 [Video]
11:05 - 11:30    Blood Lad eps.2
[Video]
11:30 - 12:20    Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet eps. 9-10 [Video]
12:20 - 1:10      Red Data Girl eps. 11-12 (end) [Video]
1:10 - 1:50        Club Meeting / Announcements [Video]
1:50 - 2:15        Sword Art Online ep. 20
[Video]
2:15 - 3:05        Attack on Titan eps. 16-17 [Video]
3:05 - 4:35        Blue Exorcist [Movie] [Video]

10:15 - 11:05    My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU (Episodes 3-4)
Plot Summary: [Source: Wikipedia] The story follows loners, the pragmatic Hachiman Hikigaya and beautiful Yukino Yukinoshita who despite their varying personalities and ideals, offer help and advice to others as part of their school's Service Club. It largely depicts various social situations faced by teens in a high school setting and the psychology driving their interactions.
Episode 3 "Sometimes The God of Romantic Comedies Does Good Deeds": During gym class, Hachiman practices against a wall by himself since as usual by his own scheme, he doesn't have a tennis partner. At lunch, Hachiman eats alone at his favorite spot because of the nice sea breezes that blow in from the shore but is interrupted by Yui. While they chat, they are both interrupted by Saika Totsuka and Hachiman is fooled by his androgynous appearance. The following day, Hachiman pairs up with Saika for tennis who asks Hachiman to join the Tennis Club to help raise their strength. Unsure of what to do, Hachiman asks Yukino for advice. Just then, Yui shows up with Saika who requests that the club help him with tennis practice, which takes a few days with no improvement. At the tennis court, Yumiko and her posse show up and demand to use the court. Hayama Hayato and Yumiko make wager with Hachiman and Yui to have a double tennis match with the winner being able to use the court and help Saika practice. As Yumiko and Hayato steadily gain the upper hand, Yui sprains her ankle but gets Yukino as her replacement. After a bit of pregame banter with Yumiko, Yukino steadily dominates the game until her stamina runs low, and entrusts the game to Hachiman. Hachiman uses his knowledge of the sea breeze's speed and direction and is able to win the match. Although, everyone ignores the Service Club's victory since Hayato protects Yumiko from injuring herself after Hachiman's final serve. At the end, Yukino leaves with Yui while Saika thanks Hachiman, who remarks that the "god of romantic comedies" is a retard for the end pairing which seems homosexual. As Hachiman returns to the club room, he walks in on Yui and Yukino changing and is knocked out with a tennis racquet before complementing the "god" on his sense of humor.
Episode 4 "In Other Words, He Has Few Friends": On they way to school, Hachiman and his sister, Komachi Hikigaya talk about the car accident Hachiman had been involved in on what was supposed to be his first day of High School. At school, Hachiman is once again reprimanded by Shizuka for his "Workplace Visit Survey" where he tries to justify becoming a "house-husband". At the Service Club meeting, Yui and Hachiman receive a mysterious chain text implicating 2F's Kakeru Tobe, Ōoka, and Yamato as delinquents. At this time, Hayato enters the club room and requests that the Service Club help him stop the text from circulating, which they accept. They realize that the texts are connected to the upcoming three-person-per-group Workplace Visit and since Hayato's clique has four people, one of them is spreading the rumors to get someone knocked out of the group. Yukino has Yui and Hachiman gather information on the three suspects, but Yui fails to gather any information due to her inability to remain subtle. Hachiman decides to instead Hayato's clique, noticing that when Hayato is around they are all lively. Hayato then approaches Hachiman and asks of his progress, just as Hachiman observes that the clique is now quiet and awkwardly checking their phones now that Hayato is no longer with them. Realizing the situation, Hachiman explains to everyone at the Service Club, that he doesn't know who the culprit is, but explains that their behavior when Hayato isn't around suggests they are only acquaintances, with Hayato being their mutual friend, therefore they are literally competing for his attention. He solves the case by suggesting that Hayato have the three of them group and have a chance to get to know each other better, which seems to work. As thanks, Hayato groups with Hachiman along with Saika for the Workplace Visit. 

11:05 - 11:30     Blood Lad (Episode 2)
 
Plot Summary: [Source: Wikipedia] Blood Lad follows Staz, a vampire from the surreal "Demon World", and Fuyumi, an ordinary girl who accidentally wanders into the Demon World through a portal. Subsequently after meeting each other, Fuyumi is killed by a carnivorous plant and turned into a ghost, causing Staz to take responsibility and pledge to help bring her back to life.
Episode 2  "Back Home, But Not Really": The Black Curtain exits inside Fuyumi's room and Staz immediately begins criticizing her plain lifestyle. Afterwards, Staz suggests that he enroll as a transfer student at Fuyumi's high school and they run into her upset father but Staz sprays him with his diluted saliva altering his behavior and explaining that it possesses the property of controlling humans. later, Staz enters into a fit of excitement while marveling at the human world, and upon arriving at Fuyumi's school, sprays its entire population with his saliva thus allowing her to fit in as if she never left. Fuyumi soon learns that the chemical only creates false memories, at which point, her body starts disappearing much to her shock. Staz has her suck some of his blood, which restores her demon existence. Afterwards, Staz finds himself strangely uninterested in sucking the blood of humans other than Fuyumi. Later they return to Fuyumi's house to discover a woman calling herself Bell Hydra. Bell reveals that she didn't leave the Black Curtain out by choice and that she had known about Staz's doppelganger to which Staz wrongly deduces that she intends to blackmail him into giving up his territory, before she uses spatial magic to transport him to point in the human world and threatens to kill Fuyumi if he doesn't get an item from a demon clothing store for her. Afterwards, Bell explains that she had been looking for the person who stole the Black Curtain from her. Meanwhile, Staz enters into a pointless fight with the store owner, until Bell and Fuyumi show up with the latter explaining that Bell had only been testing Staz in her search for someone with powerful magic. Finally Bell reveals that the only thing capable of bringing Fuyumi back to life is "The Book of Human Resurrection" which she had sold to the boss of the Demon World's Western District: Wolf. In the epilogue, a shocked Staz reveals that Wolf is his old friend and rival.


11:30 - 12:20     Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet (Episodes 9-10)
Plot Summary: [Source: Wikipedia] In the distant future, mankind has taken to the stars and formed the Galactic Alliance of Humankind (人類銀河同盟 Jinrui Ginga Dōmei). The Alliance is engaged in a perpetual war with a tentacled alien species known as the Hideauze (ヒディアーズ Hidiāzu). 16-year-old Ensign Ledo is a soldier in the Galactic Alliance, piloting a Machine Caliber (マシンキャリバー Mashin Kyaribā), 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. Ledo quickly discovers that he is on board a massive fleet of ships on an ocean-covered planet. Chamber tells him that local star charts reveal the planet is Earth, the birthplace of humanity, a place that members of the Alliance were only familiar with from stories and believed was a myth.
Episode 9 "Deep Sea Secret": Ledo starts his offensive on the whalesquid nest, assisted by Pinion's crew and their barrage of depth charges, obliterating the enemies without much effort. While investigating an ancient facility, Ledo finds some records and upon accessing them, he learns that the Hideauze were once humans who underwent heavy genetic modification to adapt themselves to space environment, calling themselves "Evolvers", and viewing their efforts as blasphemy, the rest of mankind declared war on them, leading to their current conflict after both sides abandoned Earth that was under the fifth ice age by that time, except for the ancestors to the current humans and whalesquids living in the planet. In shock with this revelation, Ledo shouts in despair when Chamber slays a Hideauze (human sized) child without his permission. Back at the Gargantia, both Bebel and Amy show signs of how much they miss him.
Episode 10 "Island of Ambition": With all the Hideauze in the area killed, Pinion and his crew manage to salvage ancient technology not seen anywhere, but instead of sharing it with the rest of mankind as originally planned, Pinion claims that they have the right to keep it to themselves, and sends a message to the other fleets warning them to keep out of their territory. As the message reaches the Gargantia, the fleet had just reorganized itself and there is the concern that other ships may leave to join Pinion's side as well. With the technology salvaged by them, Pinion's fleet defeats a hostile pirate crew who in return asks for a place among them, and he agrees. Ledo, still in shock upon learning the truth about the Hideauze hears from Chamber that the lightbugs that mankind use as power source were also created by the Hideauze as well which further proves their discovery. Ledo then questions if there is still a need to keep fighting the Hideauze after all they learned and the Machine Caliber replies that it came with the conclusion that the Gallactic Alliance and the Hideauze are too different to coexist, as one side evolved and perfected their civilization while the other relenquished civilization altogether, thus their conflict is inevitable. Chamber then informs Ledo about a transmission from a Gallatic Alliance vessel and as a huge fleet approaches them, Ledo sees Commander Kugel's Machine Caliber atop it and finds that he is alive.

12:20 - 1:10    Red Data Girl (Episodes 11-12 End)
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.

1:10 - 1:50     Club Meeting / Announcements

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


1:50 - 2:15    Sword Art Online (Episodes 20)
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 20 "General of the Blazing Flame": Kirito and Leafa reach the meeting place just as the Salamanders prepare to attack the Sylphs and Cait Siths. Seeing that they have no chance against them in a direct confrontation, Kirito rushes forward and addresses the Salamander General Eugene. Kirito bluffs that he is an ambassador for the Spriggans-Undines alliance, and cautions him that to attack them would be tantamount to declaring war on the other four factions. Eugene does not believe him and challenges him to a duel. Though both are equally skilled, Kirito is severely disadvantaged by Eugene's superior sword, which can phase ethereally and bypass his defenses. Kirito conjures a huge smokescreen, making use of it to borrow Leafa's sword and attack from Eugene's blind spot. Drawing his second sword to block Eugene's attack at the last instant is enough to surprise him, and Kirito proceeds to win the duel. After Eugene is defeated, he is revived by Sakuya, the leader of the Sylphs, and leaves in peace with his army. Now exposed as a traitor, Sigurd is contacted by Sakuya who strips him of his title and has him banished from the Sylph territory. After learning that the now allied Sylphs and Cait Siths plan an expedition to the World Tree in a couple of days, Kirito donates a large sum of money to Alicia, leader of the Cait Siths, to aid them in their war effort and departs ahead with Leafa. Meanwhile, Asuna makes use of the code she had previously learned to open the cage and escape. 

2:15 - 3:05    Attack on Titan (Episodes 16-17)
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 16  "What to Do Now: Prelude to the Counterattack, Part 3": Jean manages to acquire another Maneuver Gear from a dead soldier and escape thanks to Annie, Connie, and Marco distracting the Titans. With Titan-Eren now fully awake and carrying the boulder towards the gate as planned, Ian orders everyone to distract the Titans away from Eren at all costs, with some of them sacrificing their lives in the process. Eren finally blocks the open gate with the boulder, and a tearful Rico fires a yellow flare to signal that the operation was a success. As Armin tries to pull out Eren from his Titan body, they are surrounded by two Titans but are then saved by the timely arrival of Levi. With the gate finally sealed, the army eliminates all of the Titans remaining in Trost except two which are captured for research. As the army counts their casualties and dead, a shocked Jean finds Marco's dead and half-eaten body, Sasha's group is horrified to find a pile of corpses regurgitated from a Titan, and Annie mourns one of her dead comrades. Meanwhile, Eren is locked up in a cell guarded by the Military Police where he is visited by Levi and Commander Erwin Smith of the Recon Corps. After listening to his story and reasons for wanting the Titans dead, Levi allows Eren to join the Recon Corps under his command but warns if he ever betrays them or goes berserk again, he will personally kill him.
Episode 17  "Female Titan: 57th Expedition Beyond the Walls, Part 1": During their expedition, the Recon Corps set up a formation where several scouts spread around the main group where they will report by flare gun if a Titan is nearby so the main group can steer to avoid them. After Armin's squad manages to kill an Abnormal Titan, a Titan with a feminine body, suddenly appears from the right flank at high speed. Much to Armin's shock, the Female Titan's body can withstand their blades and is intelligent enough to kill his seniors easily. The Female Titan captures Armin but after removing his hood and seeing his face, she leaves him alive and continues running. Armin is picked up by Reiner and Jean who reveals that their right flank was wiped out by the Titans, which makes Armin realize it was the Female Titan's work and she is possibly another Titan Shifter like Eren. When the three of them give conflicting sources on where Eren is in the formation, they realize the Female Titan's target is Eren and they must stop her. Despite their failed attempts to attack, she leaves them and heads to where Eren is: the center of the group.

3:05 - 4:35    Blue Exorcist the MOVIE [Feature Presentation]
Movie Plot Summary: [Source: Wikipedia] The atmosphere in True Cross Academy is lively and boisterous in the days leading up to the grand festival held only once every 11 years. During this time, Rin Okumura is entrusted with the responsibility of suppressing a berserk Phantom Train. In the aftermath of his failed mission, he meets a devil whose appearance is that of a young boy with a mysterious connection to the ongoing festival.

Based on the TV Anime Series:
The story revolves around Rin Okumura, a teenager possessing abnormal strength and endurance who, along with his twin brother Yukio, was raised by Father Shiro Fujimoto. One day, Rin learns that he is the son of Satan, the strongest of all demons. Witnessing Shiro dying to protect him, Rin ends up doing what his guardian asked him never to do: draw the demon-slaying blade Kurikara, which restrains his demonic powers, from its scabbard. From that moment on, Rin not only gains permanent demonic features like fangs, pointed ears, fiery "horns" and a tail, but also the power to ignite himself into blue flames that can destroy almost anything they touch. At Fujimoto's funeral, Rin has an encounter with Fujimoto's friend Mephisto Pheles, who agrees with Rin's wish to become an Exorcist like his guardian to become stronger and to defeat Satan. Rin enrolls at the prestigious True Cross Academy, which is actually the Japanese branch of an international organization dedicated to protect the human realm, Assiah, from demons and other creatures from the demon realm, Gehenna. Rin takes part in a special Exorcist course, the existence of which is known only by a few. Much to his surprise, he finds that his brother Yukio is already a veteran Exorcist and will be one of his teachers.

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Multi-Part Live-Action Patlabor

7-part series starts next April, followed by Mamoru Oshii's 2015 feature film
[Source: AnimeNewsNetwork] At a press conference, the stars appeared on the project's actual Chiba-area set in costume alongside an 8-meter-tall (about 26-foot-tall) Ingram robot.
The Next Generation project is not a remake of the earlier Patlabor anime stories, but a completely new work. The story is set in Tokyo in 2013, and it represents the "third generation" of Patlabor.  The Tokyo Metropolitan Police has disbanded its Section 2 Division 1 of  police robots, and Section 2 Division 2 barely survived the budget cuts  due to the long recession. 

Former Hello! Project singer and actress Erina Mano will star as pilot Akira Izumino (as opposed to the anime's heroine Noa Izumi). The cast also includes Seiji Fukushi as Yūma Shiobara, Rina Oota as Ekaterina Krachevna Kankaeva ("Kasha") from Russia, Shigeru Chiba reprising his anime role as maintenance squad chief Shigeo Shiba, and Toshio Kakei as Captain Keiji Gotōda (the successor to the anime's Captain Kiichi Gotō). 

The project will begin with a seven-part series that distributor Shochiku will run in special theatrical engagements in Japan, starting next April. The seven parts are composed of an episode 0 (about 10 minutes long) and 12 full episodes (about 48 minutes long) helmed by the project's chief director Mamoru Oshii and other directors. Then, Oshii is directing and writing a feature-length film (about 100 minutes long) that will open in 2015. The title of the feature will be announced later.

The production is budgeted at 2 billion yen (US$20 million), and principal photography is running from June to the end of December. The two life-size Ingram robots were built at the cost of several tens of millions of yen (several hundred thousand US dollars).

Oshii commented that the seven-part series will have a "slapstick" ambience, while the feature film will be serious. Oshii and Kei Yamamura are writing the scripts for the series, and Kenji Kawai is returning to the franchise to compose the music for both the series and the feature film.

The production company Tohokushinsha Film Corporation announced at France's Japan Expo in July that Oshii is involved in next year's live-action project of HEADGEAR's Mobile Police Patlabor anime.

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Ratings for Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. are in...

TV's Best Drama debut in four years! ABC’s follow-up to the Marvel movies by way of Joss Whedon on Tuesday night opened to 12.1 million total viewers while scoring a 4.7 rating in the coveted 18-49 demo, per finals — aka this fall’s highest-rated drama debut to date, if not the most watched.
Extended look at the upcoming season of "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D."

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

First Look at Disney's Live-Action Cinderella

[Source: Yahoo! News] Here is our first look at Lily James as Cinderella!

Riding a horse while showing more skin than the classic 1950 animated character ever revealed, this new image of Rella is just the first indication of the changes that Disney has in store.

Disney states that the look, crafted by "Cinderella" director Kenneth Branagh, honors the tradition of the iconic princess while giving it a new spin of Branagh's own, according to a statement released on Monday

"She combines knockout beauty with intelligence, wit, fun, and physical grace," Branagh says of the Lily James version.

Best known as Lady Rose MacClare on "Downton Abbey," James's Rella has flowing blonde hair and wears a dress that looks somewhat similar to the animated Cinderella's ball gown. Cinderella's outfit also shows off some ... wait for it ... cleavage! And no, the original Disney character didn't come close to showing as much.
 
Seen gamboling through a field on horseback, Cinderella looks to be a strong and capable horsewoman — an aspect of the character that hasn't been seen much of in the past. Overall, the image suggests that while this "Cinderella" will still be a period piece, it will give its leading character a more modern and independent streak than Cinderellas of yore.

Lily James (Photo: Ben A. Pruchnie/Getty Images)

In spite of Cinderella's updates — which include a name change — Branagh plans to honor our favorite moments from the '50s animated feature. "It is impossible to think of Cinderella without thinking of Disney and the timeless images we’ve all grown up watching. And those classic moments are irresistible to a filmmaker," he says.

Matching the updated look, the first official synopsis included in Disney's statement reveals that Branagh and screenwriter Chris Weitz ("About A Boy" and "The Golden Compass") are giving the beloved fairy tale a few modernish twists. In their version, Cinderella begins the story as Ella. Her new name is actually a mean-spirited insult given to her by her Stepmother (played by Cate Blanchett), who turns her into a lowly servant after the death of her mother.

While riding through the woods, Ella meets a handsome stranger who she believes works at the nearby Royal Palace. It turns out, he's really the charming Prince (Richard Madden of "Game of Thrones"), which certainly puts a different spin on their romance. And when Ella is prevented from attending a ball at the Palace by her hard-hearted stepmother and ill-mannered sisters (Holliday Grainger and Sophie McShera), she's given some unexpected help by an elderly beggar woman (Helena Bonham Carter) — who turns out to be more than Ella could ever imagine. Can you say Fairy Godmother?

"Cinderella" is currently scheduled to dance into theaters on March 13, 2015.

Monday, September 23, 2013

First Look at Disney’s “The Pirate Fairy”

In conjunction with last week’s International Talk Like a Pirate Day, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment has released the following first-look images from The Pirate Fairy, set for release in a Blu-ray Combo Pack in Spring 2014.
Starring the voice talents of Christina Hendricks as Zarina (at left in the photo above) and Tom Hiddleston as James (at right).

Sunday, September 22, 2013

Next Club Meeting is September 28, 2013

End of Summer Means Back to School
Get the answer to your troubles at the Animatrix Network!

Wood Dale Public Library
520 N. Wood Dale Road
Wood Dale, IL  60191
Main Meeting Room
Saturday, September 28, 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 September 28, 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

Saturday, September 21, 2013

Nintendo Video Game Founder dies at 85

Hiroshi Yamauchi
(1927 - 2013)
"One of the great pioneers of the video game console system..."
  • [Source: VentureBeat.com; by Dean Takahashi] Hiroshi Yamauchi, the shrewd Japanese businessman who moved Nintendo into the video game business and made it a world leader, has died on September 19, 2013. He was 85.

    He ran Nintendo for 53 years and remained the second-largest shareholder at the time of his death. Under his leadership, Nintendo entered the video game business, coming up with its first Nintendo Entertainment System home game console and launching beloved games with characters such as Mario. He retired in 2002 after guiding Nintendo through four generations of game consoles and several generations of game handhelds.

    Nintendo told the press it was in mourning over the “loss of the former Nintendo president Mr. Hiroshi Yamauchi, who sadly passed away this morning.”

    He died of pneumonia at a hospital in central Japan, the company said. The funeral is Sunday.

    “The entire Nintendo group will carry on the spirit of Mr. Yamauchi by honoring, in our approach to entertainment, the sense of value he has taught us — that there is merit in doing what is different — and at the same time, by changing Nintendo in accordance with changing times,” said Satoru Iwata, Nintendo’s CEO and president who succeeded Yamauchi.

    Yamauchi was the grandson of Nintendo’s founder, Fusajiro Yamauchi, who started the company in 1889 as a maker of Hanafuda playing cards. Yamauchi took over in 1949.

    Yamauchi had a huge impact on today’s generation of leaders at Nintendo, including game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, who designed Donkey Kong as Nintendo’s entry into the U.S. arcade game market. The game launched in 1981 and it was a gigantic hit in the arcades. Miyamoto’s Super Mario Bros. helped the NES become the dominant home console in the 1980s.

    Miyamoto went on to create hits such as The Legend of Zelda, Starfox, and many other games. Yamauchi assigned his son-in-law, Minoru Arakawa, to lead the American operation.

    Yamauchi’s business savvy showed when he clashed with Sega and Atari in the 1980s and 1990s for control of the video game market. Through the entrepreneur Henk Rogers, Yamauchi was able to secure the rights to Tetris, a simple block color-matching game that became a giant hit on Nintendo’s platforms. Yamauchi also recognized the brilliance of Miyamoto and gave him plenty of room to be creative.

    Yamauchi stepped down as president in 2002 and left the board in 2005. Yamauchi was one of Japan’s richest men and was once owner of the Seattle Mariners Major League Baseball team.

Friday, September 20, 2013

The Real Housewives of Disney

Lindsay Lohan's fourth time hosting "Saturday Night Live" brought forth some memorable sketches, but perhaps none more so than "The Real Housewives of Disney." Sure, thanks to Bravo we all know what the Real Housewives of New York, Atlanta and Beverly Hills are like (in the words of Tina Fey, "a fire in a wax museum"), but what about our favorite fictional women of privilege? What are their dinner parties and fundraisers and balls-to-the-wall brawls like? Finally, our questions are answered.

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Ruby Gloom

"Look at the Bright-side,
even in the Dark..." 
 
  • Ruby Gloom is a young girl who can find happiness in anything. "Look on the bright side" is her mantra. There isn't a single thing in the world that gets her down or a single negative that she can't turn into a positive. Her positive attitude has been shown to be helpful, as it allows Ruby to act as the voice of reason in the mansion, while her friends tend to lose focus on real issues. Ruby also has a crush on Skull Boy, who is one of her friends. One episode, "Sunny Daze", involves Ruby, Skull Boy, and Iris trapped in a cave looking for Misery. This caused Ruby to nearly reveal her feelings to Skull Boy. Also at the end of the episode "Happy Yam Ween", while having fun with paper, she kept on cutting Skull Boy holding hands with her and him alone. There have been several moments that confirm that Ruby has a crush on Skull Boy, such as in the episode "Quadro-Gloomia" when Frank and Len get inside Ruby's head and experience her feelings for Skull Boy first hand. Her positive outlook also makes Ruby very loyal to her friends and there's nothing she wouldn't do for any of them. She likes to have quiet time to write in her diary and knit.

  • The Ruby Gloom franchise that led to the television show was created by the American company Mighty Fine Ruby Gloom began as a stationery line, and was featured on pencil cases, backpacks, clothing, keychains, and plush toys which were sold through doeworld a subsidy of Mighty Fine. Books were also made for the series, the first being Ruby Gloom's Keys to Happiness in 2004, as well as two calendars for 2004 and 2005. Ruby Gloom was depicted as a small girl with bright red hair, who wears a black dress and red and yellow striped socks. She has a pet cat named Doom Kitty, and was described as "The Happiest Girl in the World." Ruby was originally marketed to the goth subculture, but was later adapted for kids. The product line had an interactive website where users could chat in a forum, and click around for free things such as desktop icons and screensavers. The words: "Ruby Gloom is happy in her own way. Even though she is frowning, to her, a frown is only a smile upside down. In fact, Ruby is so happy, she could just die" greeted viewers as they entered the website. Towards the end of 2004 the website changed to forum only dubbed "The Mansion" By the end of 2004 the website had been redesigned and featured an interactive mansion to explore and user submitted artwork. Ruby is shown on the roof with her cat Doom and was given a smile for the first time. By 2006 "The Mansion" forum was removed, and the website had taken on its show format geared more towards kids.

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Fairy Tail the Movie

The Phoenix Priestess
Funimation to release Phoenix Priestess on Blu-ray/DVD on December 10

Follow Fairy Tail's dream team - Natsu, Gray, Erza, Lucy, Wendy, Happy, and Carla - as they lend a helping hand to a girl with little memory and a grudge against wizards. As they uncover clues about her mysterious past, a lunatic prince hatches a half-baked plan to sacrifice her in exchange for immortality. When the fool unleashes an ancient force, a raging war becomes the fiercest inferno Fairy Tail has ever faced. Can the guild with a heart of gold save the planet from a fiery finish?
Starring the Voice Talents of:
Original manga creator Hiro Mashima was in charge of story planning and visual design for the film's all-new plot, and he also drafted the guest character designs and image concept art. 

The film opened in Japan last year, and Funimation will release the film in a Blu-ray Disc+DVD Combo Pack on December 10. The pack will include the Fairy Tail the Movie Prologue: "The First Morning" anime, trailers, and "clean" creditless opening and ending sequences.