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, August 31, 2015

Japan's Fox Village


F O X   V I L L A G E
[By Rachel and Jun] We went with Sharla and Chris to the Fox Village at Mt. Zao!! It was the most incredible place I've been in my life! I highly, highly recommend this for anyone visiting Japan. However, getting there is a bit tricky! You either need to drive a car, take an expensive taxi, or catch a questionable ride on a city bus in a city southwest of Sendai called Shiroishi. The details are on the website (in Japanese). The bus costs 200 yen and doesn't actually stop at Fox Village, so apparently you need to tell the driver to stop there AND pick you up again on the way back, lol. Good luck adventuring?!


Sunday, August 30, 2015

See Captain America: Civil War's Superhero Teams

CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR
[Source: Yahoo!Games] Shooting recently wrapped on the next Captain America movie, and now some promo art has emerged, revealing new information about the film.

Captain America: Civil War will tell the story of the conflict between Captain America and Iron Man, following government registration of superhero activity. These new images show exactly how the various heroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe will side when the two factions go to war. Check out the images below:
Iron Man, who favors registration, has War Machine, Black Panther, The Vision, and Black Widow to fight on his side. On the other, Captain America is backed by Hawkeye, Ant-Man, Winter Soldier, Falcon, and SHIELD agent Sharon Carter. The big omission here is Spider-Man, who will be making his Marvel Universe debut in Civil War.

The film is directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, who helped turn the second Captain America movie, 2014's The Winter Soldier, into a $700 million smash. It stars Chris Evans, Robert Downey, Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, and Paul Rudd and hits cinemas on May 6, 2016.

Saturday, August 29, 2015

New Teaser Trailer for Star Wars VII


[Source: Yahoo!Movies] A new teaser has debuted for “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” featuring John Boyega’s character, Finn, wielding a blue lightsaber as he appears to face off with Adam Driver’s Kylo Ren in a continuation of the much-discussed scene from the first “Force Awakens” trailer, which introduced the concept of a crossguard lightsaber to a galaxy far, far away.

The video dropped on Instagram as a demonstration of the platform’s newly introduced landscape and portrait orientation options for photos and videos.

Driver’s enigmatic character has inspired plenty of speculation in the lead-up to the release of “Episode VII,” with reports revealing that his character is not a Sith in the vein of Darth Vader or Darth Maul — instead, Kylo Ren is a member of an order known as the Knights of Ren, who built his unorthodox weapon from scratch.

“The movie explains the origins of [Kylo Ren’s] mask and where it’s from, but the design was meant to be a nod to the Vader mask. [Ren] is well aware of what’s come before, and that’s very much a part of the story of the film,” director J.J. Abrams recently explained.

Ren works under Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis), described by Abrams as “a powerful figure on the Dark Side of the Force,” who provides the ominous voiceover for the Instagram teaser.

“The Force Awakens” bows in theaters on Dec. 18. “Jurassic World” helmer Colin Trevorrow was recently announced as the director for “Star Wars: Episode IX” during Disney’s D23 Expo, with Rian Johnson previously confirmed as the writer and director for “Episode VIII,” which is scheduled for for release on May 26, 2017. “Episode IX” is scheduled for release in 2019, while a Han Solo origin film, directed by “The Lego Movie” and “21 Jump Street” helmers Chris Miller and Phil Lord, will bow in theaters on May 25, 2018. The first standalone film in the franchise, “Star Wars: Rogue One,” will debut on December 16, 2016, and is directed by “Godzilla’s” Gareth Edwards.

Friday, August 28, 2015

Anime Viewing Schedule for August 29, 2015

Saturday, August 29, 2015
Wood Dale Public Library
Convention Coverage of Summer 2015
"The Titans have broken through the walls!"
Attack on Titan (Live-Action Movie)
Main Meeting Room, 10:15 am to 5:00 pm

10:15 - 10:40    Blood Blockade Battlefront 7-8
11:05 - 11:55    Aldnoah Zero 21-22
11:55 - 12:45    Parasyte the maxim 18-19
12:45 - 1:25      Club Meeting / Announcements
1:25 - 2:15        Death Parade 11-12 (End)
2:15 - 3:05        Gangsta 1-2
3:05 - 4:45        Attack on Titan (Live-Action Movie)
All anime presented are fan-subtitled unless otherwise noted.
 
Keep watching the exciting new anime series: Aldnoah Zero and Death Parade!
ANIME DESCRIPTIONS ARE BELOW

10:15 - 11:05    Blood Blockade Battlefront 7-8
Blood Blockade Battlefront
Plot Summary: [Source: Wikipedia] It centers around the crime fighting organization "Libra" and their battles in Jerusalem's Lot, formerly known as New York City. Jerusalem's Lot was created in a single night when a portal to the "Beyond" opened, and now it is a paranormal melting pot of monsters, magic and the everyday mundane city life. It's up to Libra to prevent the horrors of this city from spreading to the outside world.  Leonard Watch is a young man whose special power, the "All Seeing Eyes" catches the attention of Libra.

11:05 - 11:55     Aldnoah Zero (Episodes 21-22)
Aldnoah Zero
Plot Summary: [Source: Wikipedia] In 1972, an ancient alien hypergate was discovered on the surface of the moon. Using this technology, humanity began migrating to Mars and settling there. After settlers discovered additional advanced technology, the Vers Empire was founded, which claimed Mars and its secrets for themselves. Later, the Vers Empire declared war on Earth, and in 1999, a battle on the Moon's surface caused the hypergate to explode, shattering the Moon and scattering remnants into a debris belt around the planet. Cut off from Mars, the remnants of the Vers Empire established several massive orbital space stations within the debris belt and a ceasefire was established. 15 years later, in 2014, an attack on the Vers princess during a peace mission causes the Empire to launch a new attack on Earth, this time determined to conquer it once and for all.

11:55 - 12:45    Parasyte - the maxim (Episodes 18-19)
P a R a S y T e
Plot Summary: [Source: Wikipedia] Parasyte centers around a 17-year-old teen named Shinichi Izumi, who lives with his mother and father in a quiet neighborhood in Tokyo. One night, worm-like aliens called Parasites invade Earth, taking over the brains of human hosts by entering through their ears or noses. One Parasite attempts to crawl into Shinichi's ear while he sleeps, but fails as Shinichi is wearing headphones, and enters his body by burrowing into his arm instead. In the Japanese version, it takes over his right hand and is named Migi, after the Japanese word for 'right'; Tokyopop's version, in which the images are flipped horizontally, has the Parasite take over Shinichi's left hand and it is named Lefty. Because Shinichi was able to prevent Migi from travelling further up into his brain, both beings retain their separate intellect and personality. As the duo encounter other Parasites, they capitalize on their strange situation and gradually form a strong bond, working together to survive. This gives them an edge in battling other Parasites who frequently attack the pair upon realization that Shinichi's human brain is still intact. Shinichi feels compelled to fight other Parasites, who devour humans as food, while enlisting Migi's help.

12:45 - 1:25     Club Meeting / Announcements
Convention Highlights
  • Convention Coverage
  • Animation News from around the world
  • Cosplayers/Skits/Masquerade
  • Anime Music Videos
  • And other weird, interesting stuff...

1:25 - 2:15    Death Parade 11-12 (End)
D E A T H   P A R A D E
Plot Summary: [Source: Wikipedia] Somewhere there is a mysterious bar known as the Quindecim, where a lone bartender named Decim works. Whenever two people die at the exact time and emerge from the bar's elevators, those two must participate in a Death Game with their lives on the line, the results of which will reveal what secrets led them there and what their fate will be afterwards.


2:15 - 3:05    Gangsta 1-2
G A N G S T A
Plot Summary: [Source: Wikipedia] The series revolves around two "Handymen" who take on jobs for both the mob and the police force that no one else can handle. The two, named Worick Arcangelo and Nicolas Brown, work in the town of Ergastulum, which is full of mafia, hoodlums, prostitutes, and dirty cops. First episode opens with Nic watching as Alex is berated by Barry, her boss, for not earning enough money. Later, while Nic and Worick are dealing with some thugs, they see her being abused by an irate customer. As she walks away, one of them (later revealed to be Nic) tosses her a handkerchief to wipe blood off her face. The two Handymen then meet up with the police officer Chad, who hires them to eliminated Barry's gang, which has been encroaching on mafia turf. Before they leave, Nic asks if they can take a trophy. Worick then meets up with Alex, who asks him to thank Nic for the handkerchief, and Worick tells her that they have been hired to kill her boss. Nic is then seen attacking the gang, and Worick shows up in time to finish off Barry. Alex shows up and takes Worick's gun, firing several shots into Barry's body in a fit of despair as she's relieved to no longer be under his control but is now rudderless. Speaking with Chad afterward, Worick reveals that they have chosen Alex as their trophy. Chad protests, but Nic cows him into acceptance with a display of his superhuman strength. At the end of the episode, Worick asks Alex if she can answer their phone for them while he is out.

3:05 - 4:45    Attack on Titan (Live-Action Movie)
Attack on Titan (Live-Action Movie)
Plot Summary: [Source: Wikipedia] The film begins with the narrator explaining how about 100 years ago, the Titans suddenly appeared and decimated most of humanity. To stop their advance, humanity built the Walls and peacefully lived there for another 100 years.

In the Monzen district, Armin Arlert is sent to find his friend, Eren Jaeger, who was fired yet again from his job. Accompanying him is Eren's girlfriend, Mikasa Ackerman. They find Eren in a field standing atop a dud bomb. Eren expresses his desire to leave the Walls and see the outside world, especially after they realize that the ocean does exist. The three attempt to leave the Walls but were caught by the Garrison, who nearly arrest them after being mistaken as renegades, but are saved by Souda, the captain of the Garrison. Souda explains to them that the military is assembling a scouting regiment to explore beyond the walls and attempts to coerce Eren into joining. However, the Wall is suddenly attacked by the Colossal Titan, which tears a large hole into it; allowing the Titans entrance and massacre the Garrison. Armin, Eren and Mikasa go their separate ways in the escape. Eren saves a woman with a baby from being trampled. However, she drops the baby and Mikasa rushes over to save it and Eren and the mother was forced into a church. Despite Eren's attempts to go back for them, he can only catch a glimpse of Mikasa and the child with the Smiling Titan right behind them before he was prevented from opening the doors. He manages to get out of the church just in time before the Titans tear it open and eat everyone inside it. Unable to find Mikasa and thinking her dead, a devastated Eren stumbles along the ruins of the Monzen district.

2 years later, Eren and Armin are reunited as they both volunteer for the Scouting Regiment, along with the farm girl Sasha Blouse, Jean Kirstein, Sannagi; a farmer with siblings waiting for him, the couple; Fukushi and Lil and the single mother, Hiana. The two also find Souda, now a drunkard who volunteers as a medic for the Regiment after losing his wife and daughter to the attack two years ago. The team, led by Military Police Commander, Kubal and Squad Leader, Hange Zoe, move out into one of the towns of the Outer Wall. After Hiana hears a child's cries, Eren accompanies her into exploring, only to find that the child they've been hearing was actually a Titan. The group are attacked by Titans and are forced to run into town. However, before the Titans could eat them, they are saved by Captain Shikishima and Mikasa (whom Sannagi has told them about earlier as the "Goddess" under Shikishima's regiment), who survived the attack from two years ago. The group safely makes it to the town and rest up for the night. After Souda tells them the name of Eren's girlfriend, Jean and Sannagi realize that their Squad Leader and the girl are one and the same. Later on, Eren confronts Mikasa over what happened. Mikasa tells him that the baby she saved was eaten while she survived with nothing but large scar on her left side, leading to her bitterness and apathy. After realizing that Mikasa and Shikishima are most likely together, Eren was once again devastated and comforted by Hiana.

In the middle of the night, the group are attacked, leading to Hiana and Fukushi's deaths in the hands of the Titans. The explosives they've been protecting is stolen by an old man and Lil throws a pot of fire on it before overpowering the thief and driving it straight into the center of the town and the truck explodes with them inside of it. Jean attempts to convince Eren to escape but instead, Eren uses his gear to attack the Titans under Shikishima's tutelage before losing his leg in the process. Armin is captured by a Titan, with the efforts of the group to fell it not working. Eren, however, grabs him from the Titans mouth and throws him out, being eaten in the process. Eren finds Hiana's body inside the Titan who ate him and expresses his desire to kill all the Titans.

Though crushed by Eren's apparent death, Mikasa keeps fighting until she loses gas on her gear and comes face to face with the same Titan that ate Eren. Before it can eat her, however, the Rogue Titan emerges from its stomach and begins to combat the other Titans. The Titans retreat and the Rogue turns on the group. Souda and especially Mikasa realize that the Titan is Eren and Mikasa cuts Eren open from the Rogue's corpse before he is lost. Hange realizes the reason why the nape is the weak spot of the Titans as Eren emerges and Shikishima watches the scene with an amused smile on his face while dramatically eating an apple.

Thursday, August 27, 2015

Next Club Meeting is August 29, 2015

'Attack on Titan'
Live-Action Movie
"No longer are we food for the Titans... We FIGHT!"

Wood Dale Public Library
520 N. Wood Dale Road
Wood Dale, IL  60191
Main Meeting Room
Saturday, August 29, 2015
10:15 AM - 5:00 PM

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

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

COOTIES

S E P T E M B E R   1 8 ,  2 0 1 5
C   O   O   T   I   E   S
From the minds of Leigh Whannell (co-creator of Saw and Insidious) and Ian Brennan (co-creator of Glee), COOTIES is a horror comedy with unexpected laughs and unapologetic thrills. When a cafeteria food virus turns elementary school children into little killer savages, a group of misfit teachers must band together to escape the playground carnage. The film stars Elijah Wood (The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings), Rainn Wilson (The Office), and Alison Pill (The Newsroom) as teachers who fight to survive the mayhem while hilariously bickering in an uncomfortable love triangle on the worst Monday of their lives. The Sundance hit COOTIES will be one of the debut releases of the newly-launched Lionsgate Premiere label, which will release the film on September 18th in select theaters and on demand.

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Meet the Cast of 'STAR WARS: Rogue One'

[Source: StarWars.com] Lucasfilm announced that their first film in the new standalone Star Wars stories series, Rogue One, has begun principal photography. Gareth Edwards (Godzilla, Monsters) is directing Rogue One, which tells the story of resistance fighters who have united to steal plans to the dreaded Death Star. The film is produced by Kathleen Kennedy and is slated for a December 16, 2016 release.
Photo Credit: Jonathan Olley © Lucasfilm 2016
The filmmakers have assembled a stellar cast, including Felicity Jones, nominated for an Academy Award for her leading role in The Theory of Everything; Diego Luna, who was featured in 2008’s Oscar-winning Milk and 2013’s Elysium; Ben Mendelsohn, recently nominated for an Emmy for his leading role in Bloodline and co-starring in the upcoming Mississippi Grind; Donnie Yen, Hong Kong action star and martial artist who starred in Ip Man and Blade II; Jiang Wen, who co-wrote, produced , directed and starred in the award-winning Let the Bullets Fly and Devils on the Doorstep; Forest Whitaker, recently featured in the critically-acclaimed Lee Daniels’ The Butler and winner of an Academy Award for his leading role in 2006’s The Last King of Scotland; Mads Mikkelsen, who starred in The Hunt and was the memorable villain from 2006’s Casino Royale; Alan Tudyk, who plays a performance-capture character in Rogue One, stars in the soon-to-be-released Con Man series and Trumbo, which releases this November; and Riz Ahmed, who was recently featured in Nightcrawler and starred in the BAFTA-winning film Four Lions.
Star Wars: Rogue One. L to R: Actors Riz Ahmed, Diego Luna, Felicity Jones, Jiang Wen and Donnie Yen.
Rogue One takes place before the events of Star Wars: A New Hope and will be a departure from the saga films but have elements that are familiar to the Star Wars universe,” says Kathleen Kennedy. “It goes into new territory, exploring the galactic struggle from a ground-war perspective while maintaining that essential Star Wars feel that fans have come to know. Gareth is such an innovative director and I’m so excited to be working with him and the extraordinary ensemble cast he’s selected for ‘Rogue One.’”

Veteran ILM visual effects supervisor John Knoll, who shares a long history with the Star Wars movies, dating back to the mid-1990s, originated the idea for the movie. Allison Shearmur (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Cinderella), John Knoll, Simon Emanuel (The Dark Knight Rises, Fast & Furious 6) and Jason McGatlin (Tintin, War of the Worlds) are executive producers. Kiri Hart and John Swartz (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) are co-producers.

To create the lived-in, realistic feel of Rogue One, Edwards chose Greig Fraser (Zero Dark Thirty, Foxcatcher) to be his director of photography and Neil Corbould (Black Hawk Down, Gladiator, Saving Private Ryan) to be his special effects supervisor. Star Wars and Lucasfilm veteran Doug Chiang (Star Wars: Episodes I-II, Forrest Gump) and Neil Lamont (supervising art director for the Harry Potter series, Edge of Tomorrow) will be the production designers. Additional crew members will include stunt coordinator Rob Inch (World War Z, Marvel’s Captain America: The First Avenger), creature effects supervisor Neal Scanlan (Prometheus) and co-costume designers Dave Crossman (costume supervisor for the Harry Potter series, Saving Private Ryan) and Glyn Dillon (costume concept artist for Kingsman: The Secret Service, Jupiter Ascending).