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.

Saturday, October 31, 2015

Teen Titans Halloween



H A P p Y   H a L L o W e E N !
"Scary Figure Dance" - The Titans’ Halloween party is interrupted by the Hive Five robbing a candy factory.


Friday, October 30, 2015

Jimmy Kimmel's Star Wars Halloween Costumes


Jimmy shows off the Star Wars costumes he and other members of our staff are wearing for Halloween.

Thursday, October 29, 2015

Disney Horror Princesses

[Source: Break.com] With Halloween approaching this weekend, we wondered what it would look like if some of our favorite Disney princesses were transformed into blood-thirsty maniacs from your favorite horror movies. Art by Travis Falligant.
 Mulan in The Ring
 
Pocahontas as Jason Voorhees

Tiana as The Candyman
  
Belle as The Wolfman
 
Merida as Chucky
 
Cinderella as Carrie
 
Elsa and Anna as The Shining Twins
 
Jasmine as The Exorcist
 
Sleeping Beauty as Dracula
 
Snow White as Freddie Kreuger

Arielle as The Creature From the Black Lagoon

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

"Conventional" Horror Short Film

C O N V E N T I O N A L
Directed by Karen Gillan
Fun Size Horror is a group of horror-loving filmmakers who strive to play with the genre in new and exciting ways. "Fun size" in this case denotes that most of what is produced under this banner are shorts. So the focus isn't so much on the complex narratives or detailed setups as much as it is on the blood and guts that make horror fun.

This year, one of the people who wrote, directed and starred in one of these shorts is Karen Gillan. Karen is obviously very familiar with genre filmmaking, having starred in Doctor Who and Guardians of the Galaxy on the sci-fi end, appeared in the underrated horror gem Oculus and even worked with my favorite modern horror director, Ti West, on a western called In a Valley of Violence.

In short -- Karen Gillan knows her stuff. And it shows.

"Conventional" centers on fictional B-movie scream queen Rachel Milligan and her complicated relationship with Axe Wound 2, the movie that made her (temporarily) famous. But really, though, Conventional is about the fickle nature of fame. Milligan sports painfully bloated collagen-infused lips curled into a fake smile and a pair of eyes that say "Kill me now." The only people who still seem interested in her are those who cosplay as her fictional slasher from Axe Wound 2, Stu Mac. Her fans love seeing her afraid, and she just loves being seen at all.

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

PIXAR Celebrates 20 Years of Friendship


PIXAR's 20 Years of Friendship
A single friendship can change everything. From Toy Story to The Good Dinosaur, join us in celebrating 20 years of friendship from Pixar Animation Studios.

THE GOOD DINOSAUR
opens in theatres November 25, 2015!

"The Good Dinosaur" asks the question: What if the asteroid that forever changed life on Earth missed the planet completely and giant dinosaurs never became extinct? Pixar Animation Studios takes you on an epic journey into the world of dinosaurs where an Apatosaurus named Arlo makes an unlikely human friend. While traveling through a harsh and mysterious landscape, Arlo learns the power of confronting his fears and discovers what he is truly capable of.

Monday, October 26, 2015

Teen Titans Go! - Night Begins To Shine


Teen Titans Go! - Night Begins To Shine
(from the episode, 40%, 40%, 20%)

Lyrics:
I saw you dance,
from the corner.
I caught your name,
in a conversation.
Playing hard to get,
I can't understand.

When I look at you,
I see the story in your eyes.
When we're dancing,
the night begins to shine.
Night begins to shine,
the night begins to shine.
Night begins to shine.
When we're dancing the night,
begins to shine.

The night begins to shine tonight.
Have my mind made up,
wanna feel your touch.

When I look at you,
I see the story in your eyes.
When we're dancing,
the night begins to shine.
Night begins to shine,
the night begins to shine.
Night begins to shine.
When we're dancing the night,
begins to shine.

Start to doubt,
help my heart is racing.
I took you home,
in the driving rain.
Had my mind made up,
I wanna feel your touch.

When I look at you,
I see the story in your eyes.
When we're dancing,
the night begins to shine.
Night begins to shine,
the night begins to shine.
Night begins to shine.
When we're dancing the night,
begins to shine.
The night begins to shine.

Music Composed by B.E.R. alias Carl Burnett, Franklin Enea, and William J. Reagan.

Sunday, October 25, 2015

Build Your Child Best Stormtrooper Costume Ever


Store-bought costumes are always a bit... lacking, so when TJ Maggio came across Jakk Pacific’s 48 inch First Order Stormtrooper, and that it was the same height as his son, he saw the potential for a really spectacular halloween costume.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XUQU0JM?keywords=jakks%20pacific%2048&qid=1445646041&ref_=sr_1_3&s=toys-and-games&sr=1-3&tag=io9amzn-20&ascsubtag=7263312e5ae8c41795d60567c40290548fa12337&rawdata=[r|http%3A%2F%2Fhsrd.yahoo.com%2F_ylt%3DA2KLtanWQixWtjYBXcGbvZx4%3B_ylu%3DX3oDMTN0cjJhaGQzBGJwb3MDMQRjY29kZQNnYQRjcG9zAzEwBGN0AzEEZwMxNTEzMTFhMC0zM2MyLTNmNmUtOTIzMC0yNTk3N2YwMzI4MzMEaW50bAN1cwRpdGMDMARwa2d0AzQEcG9zAzEEc2VjA3RkLXN0cm0Ec2xrA3RpdGxlBHRlc3QDNDEy%2FRV%3D1%2FRE%3D1446950870%2FRH%3DaHNyZC55YWhvby5jb20-%2FRO%3D2%2FRU%3DaHR0cDovL2lvOS5jb20vaGVyZXMtaG93LXRvLWJ1aWxkLXlvdXItY2hpbGQtdGhlLWJlc3Qtc3Rvcm10cm9vcGVyLWNvcy0xNzM4Mzk1MjM0%2FRS%3D%255EADA_1E1upKfaE1LpZl58FARWVgK6Cc-[t|mod-title[p|1738395234[a|B00XUQU0JM[au|5758699683859709070
The $99 toy is enormous, and with a little work, it can be made into a fully functional Stormtrooper costume for a kid that’s around the 48 inch mark. 
 
Watching the video, it looks like it’s a pretty simple process: cut off the arms and the legs. The toy itself is made from injection-molded plastic and is hollow, so all that really needs to be done is to remove the extra plastic between each armored part and on the inside. 
 
To attach each part so that it didn’t fall off, he used industrial velcro:

I used industrial velcro, cut to size and lengths to make it happen. In this case the shoulder/bicep is hanging from “garter” velcro attached underside of the chest and back plate shoulder.
The end result? One helluva costume and one very happy kid. 

Saturday, October 24, 2015

STAR WARS: The Binks Awakens


A specter is haunting the new Star Wars movie — the specter of Jar Jar Binks. While fans of the series of incredibly hyped for the new film after watching the new trailer that released this week, many of us also remember being incredibly excited after seeing trailers for The Phantom Menace only to have our hopes crushed thanks to the presence of Jar Jar Binks and the atrocious acting of Jake Lloyd. Now a new video posted by YouTuber murdockmotion plays on those fears by inserting Jar Jar into nearly every frame of the new Force Awakens trailer.

Friday, October 23, 2015

Anime Viewing Schedule for October 24, 2015

Saturday, October 24, 2015
Wood Dale Public Library
We know what you're looking for...
"It's right here at this weekend's meeting..."
Main Meeting Room, 10:15 am to 5:00 pm

10:15 - 10:40    Blood Blockade Battlefront 11-12 (End)
11:05 - 11:05    Concrete Revolutio 1
11:05 - 12:45    Parasyte the maxim 22-24 (End)
12:45 - 1:15      Club Meeting / Announcements
1:15 - 1:40        Charlotte 3
1:40 - 2:40        Little Witch Academia: The Enchanted Parade
2:40 - 4:45        Lupin III (Live-Action Movie)
All anime presented are fan-subtitled unless otherwise noted.
 
Keep watching the exciting new anime series: Charlotte and Concrete Revolutio!
ANIME DESCRIPTIONS ARE BELOW

10:15 - 11:05    Blood Blockade Battlefront 11-12 (End)
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 - 11:30     Concrete Revolutio 1
Concrete Revolutio
Plot Summary: [Source: Wikipedia] In the year Apotheosis 41, Earth is currently home to superhumans and paranormal phenomena of all kinds, from aliens and magical girls to ghosts and transforming robots. However, official knowledge of these beings is officially kept under wraps by the governments of the world. The Japanese government has quietly set up the "Super Population Research Laboratory," or the "Superhuman Bureau," to keep track of all superhuman beings in the country and eliminate them if they pose a threat to humanity. In the present, Bureau member Jiro Hitoyoshi finds himself recruiting new superhumans for the Bureau in the course of his job. However, five years later in Apotheosis 46, Jiro turns into a vigilante on the run from the Bureau while the rest of its members deal with the consequences of their earlier actions.

11:30 - 12:45    Parasyte - the maxim 22-24 (End)
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 - 1:15     Club Meeting / Announcements
Convention Highlights
  • Convention Coverage
  • Animation News from around the world
  • Cosplayers/Skits/Masquerade
  • Anime Music Videos
  • And other weird, interesting stuff...

1:15 - 2:05    Charlotte 3-4
C H A R L O T T E
Plot Summary: [Source: Wikipedia] In an alternate world, a small percentage of children are able to manifest superpowers upon reaching puberty. Yuu Otosaka, a boy who awakens the ability to temporarily possess others, hopes to use his power to live an easy going high school life. However, he is caught red-handed by the mysterious Nao Tomori and is forced to transfer to Hoshinoumi Academy (星ノ海学園 Hoshinoumi Gakuen?, "Star Ocean Academy"), where he and the other student council members must help students with abilities.


2:05 - 2:55    Little Witch Academia: The Enchanted Parade OVA
Little Witch Academia: The Enchanted Parade
Plot Summary: [Source: Wikipedia] In Enchanted Parade, Akko, Lotte and Sucy, having gotten in trouble yet again, are forced to team up with three other troublemakers; Amanda O'Neill, Constance Braunschweig Albrechtsburger and Jasmineka Antonenko, and must make an annual witch parade a success or else face expulsion. Not content with how the festival revolves around the mockery and subjugation of witches, Akko becomes determined to make the festival a spectacle that'll show off how awesome modern witches are. As Akko's ambitions for the parade grow, however, she ends up arguing with her friends when they don't feel the same way. However, Akko remains determined to prove Shiny Chariot's ideals of magic to everyone, using the Shiny Rod to borrow some magic from the Sorcerer's Stone for the parade. During the parade, some delinquent kids try to steal the rod, only to be caught by a giant that was sealed away long ago. Luckily, Akko is assisted by the other witches, including the return of Lotte and Sucy. Making up with each other, the three witches combine their power and put a stop to the giant, resulting in the parade becoming a great success.

2:55 - 4:45    Kiki's Delivery Service (Live-Action Movie)
Lupin the Third (Live-Action Movie)
Plot Summary: [Source: Wikipedia] Arsène Lupin III, grandson of the legendary gentleman thief Arsène Lupin, is a member of the Hong Kong-based thieving ring known as The Works, which specializes in stealing valuable objects from wealthy owners. Lupin beats his fellow Works members Fujiko Mine (his would-be lover), Pierre (a computer genius) and Jiro to the theft of a valuable medal in Singapore, but is forced to surrender it to his rival, Michael Lee, when he threatens to kill him and Fujiko. At a meeting of The Works, Fujiko is hailed as the culprit behind the theft (thanks to Michael's machinations), and Thomas Dawson, the leader of the organization, shows them the most valuable item in The Works' possession - the Crimson Heart of Cleopatra, a necklace commissioned by Mark Antony to symbolize his love for the Queen of the Nile. However, a ruby of Cleopatra's intended to complete the necklace has not yet been recovered. A trio of thugs led by Michael - Royal, Saber and Maria - steal the necklace and kill Jiro and Dawson, apparently in revenge for 'Edward Lam', resulting in the dissolution of The Works. Lupin, Fujiko, Pierre and Daisuke Jigen join forces to find Michael and the necklace.
 
Over the course of a year, Lupin and Jigen establish themselves as accomplished thieves, but Jigen grows weary of following Fujiko's false leads. While meeting with her, Lupin is turned in to the police in Thailand. He then meets Inspector Koichi Zenigata of ICPO, who informs him that Michael, using the alias 'Georgio Zhang', is arranging a major buy/sell transaction with Mamrachiao Pramuk, the chairman of Navarone Security (and underworld kingpin). Zenigata wants Lupin to 'steal' the items that they intend to sell to each other for the police so that he can arrest them; in exchange, Lupin's criminal record will be erased. Lupin accepts, and enlists Goemon Ishikawa XIII into the gang.
 
Fujiko arranges a meeting with Michael, who explains that Edward Lam was a member of The Works and a father to them both, but after helping Dawson find the Crimson Heart and the accompanying ruby in Egypt, Dawson betrayed and killed him, and Pramuk then stole the ruby. Michael intends to buy the ruby to complete the necklace. Lupin, who has been spying on the pair, tells Michael that no matter who wins the buy/sell, he will steal the necklace.
 
At the buy/sell, Michael and Pramuk prepare to sell each other the necklace and the ruby respectively. During the transaction, Pramuk tells Michael that he was a former member of The Works, and killed Lam while trying to kill Dawson. Michael attempts to kill himself and Pramuk before the latter can buy the necklace, but Pramuk reveals that Royal, who (along with Saber and Maria) now works for him, disarmed the explosives. Pramuk leaves the buy/sell with both the ruby and the necklace, while Michael walks away with $200 million. Lupin, having listened to Michael and Pramuk's exchange via lip reading technology, calls off the theft, much to Zenigata's frustration.
 
Disheartened, Michael offers to join Lupin's gang to steal back the Crimson Heart and ruby from the Ark, Pramuk's stronghold, and is accepted. Lupin and Michael enter the Ark disguised as Zengiata and Commander Narong of the Thailand Police, and upload a virus into the Ark's networks in the guise of a calling card from Lupin. Jigen, Goemon and Fujiko attack the Ark's main defenses, killing Royal, Saber and Maria in the process, while Lupin and Michael, aided by Pierre and Joseph (another hacker), along with prior research made by Goemon, penetrate the security defenses protecting the Crimson Heart. Pramuk traps the pair in the vault, intending to suffocate them. Michael places Lupin in the vault's safe and blows the vault door up, killing himself but saving Lupin. Lupin and the others are handed over by Pramuk to Zenigata and Narong, but they instead arrest Pramuk for his crimes, using the Crimson Heart as evidence. Zenigata then discovers too late that the necklace and ruby given to him by Lupin were fakes.
 
Later, Lupin deduces that Fujiko was not Michael's real sister, but had pretended to be to give him a reason to live, and he offers her to wear the Crimson Heart (now complete with the ruby) to seal their relationship. However, as Zenigata returns to pursue them, Fujiko escapes on her own with the necklace, Goemon goes his own way, and Lupin and Jigen escape together in their Fiat 500.