Next Club Meeting: December 14, 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.

Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Course of Nature - Short Animated Film


C O U R S E   of   N A T U R E
In a world where rain is produced by puppy-like rain clouds, Mother Nature’s young daughter sets them free to save them from evaporation. CGI Animated Course of Nature Short Film by Lucy Xue and Paisley Manga from Ringling college of art and design.

Monday, May 30, 2016

Rosa Salazar to Lead ‘Battle Angel Alita’

R O S A   S A L A Z A R   is...
Looks like James Cameron and Robert Rodriguez have finally found their female lead for Alita: Battle Angel.

According to Collider, Rosa Salazar (Insurgent, Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials) -- who has quite the résumé already for a young up-and-coming actress -- has nabbed the title role of the cyborg bounty hunter, beating out Maika Monroe (It Follows), Bella Thorne (Amytiville: The Awakening) and Disney sensation Zendaya (Spider-Man: Homecoming).

The dynamic duo had been looking for the perfect lead for quite some time -- even though the 20th Century Fox movie has yet to be greenlit, hence the current lack of a planned release date -- with their search narrowing down to these four actresses a month ago.

Cameron was originally slated to helm the sci-fi movie that's been a passion project of his for years but, being otherwise occupied with his ever-expanding Avatar movie franchise, Cameron personally chose Rodriguez to replace him as director last year. Even though he's no longer sitting in the director's chair, he'll stay on as producer.

With a screenplay penned by Laeta Kalogridis (Shutter Island) and James Cameron, Alita: Battle Angel is the live-action adaptation of Yukito Kishiro’s super popular Japanese cyberpunk manga series, Battle Angel Alita.

Set in the 26th century, the story revolves around an amnesiac female cyborg named Alita who’s discovered by a scientist in a scrapyard and rescued. Having no memory of her past except for her deadly martial arts skills, she becomes a skilled bounty hunter, tracking down vicious criminals. The upcoming action-adventure movie will explore a young woman’s journey of self-discovery and search for love.
B A T T L E   A N G E L   A L I T A

Sunday, May 29, 2016

Disney Infinity 3.0 - The Movie


This video shows all cutscenes and boss battles from the Star Wars: The Force Awakens Playset in Disney Infinity 3.0.

Saturday, May 28, 2016

Star Wars Emoji


Join emoji-fied versions of Rey, Finn, Kylo Ren, Poe, Chewbacca, Han Solo, Princess Leia and more Star Wars characters as they retell The Force Awakens, while we all wait for Rogue One.

Friday, May 27, 2016

Anime Viewing Schedule for May 28, 2016

Saturday, May 28, 2016
Wood Dale Public Library
Set weapons to Obliterate!
"Dead or alive, you're coming with me... to the anime meeting!"
Main Meeting Room, 10:15 am to 5:00 pm

10:15 - 11:05    Flying Witch eps 2-3
11:05 - 11:30    Macross Delta ep 1
11:40 - 12:20    Noragami Aragoto 8-9
12:20 - 1:05      Club Meeting / Announcements
1:05 - 1:55        Lupin the Third (2015) eps 12-13 (end)
1:55 - 2:45        Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress 3-4
2:45 - 4:45        The Empire of Corpses (Movie)
All anime presented are fan-subtitled unless otherwise noted.
 
Start watching the exciting new anime series: Noragami Aragoto and Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress!
ANIME DESCRIPTIONS ARE BELOW

Thursday, May 26, 2016

Battleborn's Prologue

B A T T L E B O R N
Battleborn’s prologue mission begins with a gorgeous animated sequence, followed by an excellent single-player story mission. Then it goes away.

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Star Trek Beyond Official Trailer

S T A R   T R E K :   B E Y O N D
"Star Trek Beyond," the highly anticipated next installment in the globally popular Star Trek franchise, created by Gene Roddenberry and reintroduced by J.J. Abrams in 2009, returns with director Justin Lin ("The Fast and the Furious" franchise) at the helm of this epic voyage of the U.S.S. Enterprise and her intrepid crew. In "Beyond," the Enterprise crew explores the furthest reaches of uncharted space, where they encounter a mysterious new enemy who puts them and everything the Federation stands for to the test.

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Next Club Meeting is May 28, 2016

A N I M A T R I X   N E T W O R K
"Anime Central 2016 Cosplay Coverage"

Wood Dale Public Library
520 N. Wood Dale Road
Wood Dale, IL  60191
Main Meeting Room
Saturday, May 28, 2016
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

Monday, May 23, 2016

Ghostbusters (2016) New Trailer


G H O S T B U S T E R S
A paranormal researcher (Melissa McCarthy), a physicist (Kristen Wiig), a nuclear engineer (Kate McKinnon) and a subway worker (Leslie Jones) try to rid New York of ghosts that can possess humans.

Sunday, May 22, 2016

Anime Central 2016 Cosplay - Sunday

SUNDAY, MAY 22, 2016
Last pics of awesome cosplayers at Anime Central.

Saturday, May 21, 2016

Anime Central 2016 Cosplay - Saturday

SATURDAY, MAY 21, 2016
Lots of pics of awesome cosplayers at Anime Central.

Friday, May 20, 2016

Anime Central 2016 Cosplay - Friday

FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2016
First pics of awesome cosplayers at Anime Central.

Thursday, May 19, 2016

Anime Central 2016 is this Weekend!


May 20 - 22, 2016
Hyatt Regency O'Hare,
Rosemont, IL
    • Anime Central (ACen) is Chicago’s and the Midwest’s largest anime, manga and Japanese popular culture convention. The convention is currently held in Rosemont, IL, less than 30 minutes from downtown Chicago. As part of its mission, ACen brings fans together with guests from the Japanese and US sectors of the anime and manga industry, as well as gaming, cinema, and Asian culture personalities. The event includes a huge exhibit hall, a massive video game room, concerts, dances, educational panels and workshops, premiere screenings, autograph sessions, 24-hour video rooms, tabletop gaming and much, much more! Attendees can attend a dance with 5,000 of their favorite friends and cheer while amazing DJs spin, enjoy an incredible concert, or visit the largest artist’s alley found in any US anime convention.

      Wednesday, May 18, 2016

      Overwatch Animated Short | “Dragons”


      O V E R W A T C H :   D R A G O N S
      “Dragons” explores the history of conflict between the scions of the Shimada clan: Hanzo and Genji. In this episode, we follow Hanzo as he returns to the siblings’ family home in Hanamura to seek redemption . . . and confront the ghosts of the past.

      Tuesday, May 17, 2016

      Details emerge on 'Attack On Titan' Game

      'Attack On Titan' Game
      Shows Off Its Pre-Order Bonuses 
      With the Western release of Attack on Titan: Wings of Freedom looming, Koei Tecmo has been keen to show off the game’s pre-order bonuses.

      While some of these were in the Japanese release, others are new. For instance, the cleaning costumes for Eren and Levi are included like in the Japanese version but also Mikasa’s festival costume as well (pictured above).

      In the US, these will be bundled with the game at pretty much every retailer but in Europe the two costume sets will be split between outlets, with GAME getting the cleaning costumes and mostly everyone else getting the festival costume.

      If you buy the game online via the PlayStation store, then you will instead get a selection of avatars to use on the PlayStation Network.

      European fans shouldn’t feel put out though, as they’ll be getting a collector’s edition boxset containing all manner of trinkets. Along with a copy of the game, the boxset will include an art book, a muffler towel, six pin badges, the game’s soundtrack and a download code for an alternative special costume for Armin.

      Currently this boxset looks to be exclusive to the European release of the game and there are no plans yet to make it available in the US.

      The game itself is good though, as I played through and greatly enjoyed the Japanese version on PS4.

      Developed by Omega Force, it’s a big departure from their Dynasty Warriors games but they nailed the core mechanics here. This was something many were concerned about, as getting the controls and mechanics for the Three Dimensional Maneuver Gear correct has been something of an obstacle for previous Attack on Titan games.

      While the Japanese version of the game was available on PS4, PS3 and Vita, the Western release will be also coming to PC and the Xbox One.

      Attack on Titan: Wings of Freedom is released in Europe on August 26th and in the US on August 30th.

      Monday, May 16, 2016

      Aaron Eckhart stars in new exorcism film

      I N C A R N A T E
      "Possession is a Disease" 
      Confined to a wheelchair after a horrific accident, Dr. Seth Ember (Aaron Eckhart) is an “Incarnate” — gifted with the rare ability to delve into the minds of possessed people in order to exorcise their demons from the inside out. When the Vatican enlists him to exorcise a particularly troubled young boy, Ember is shocked to discover inside him the same evil spirit responsible for the death of his wife and child years before. Now, with the young boy’s life in his hands and his own personal redemption at stake, Ember desperately searches for a way to destroy the demon before it kills him and unleashes its terror upon the world…

      Incarnate opens September 30.

      Sunday, May 15, 2016

      Darwyn Cooke passes away at 53

      Legendary Comics Creator
      DARWYN COOKE
      (1962 - 2016)
      [Source: blastr] Darwyn Cooke, one of the most celebrated comic book writers and artists of his generation, passed away overnight at his home in Florida, just one day after his wife announced he'd received treatment for an "aggressive" form of cancer. He was 53. 

      Cooke's family announced his passing early this morning on his official website, asking that the public respect their privacy and requesting that donations be made in his name to the Canadian Cancer Society and to the Hero Initiative, a nonprofit group that helps comics creators with medical expenses. 
      Cooke's first comics work dates back more than 3 decades, but his breakthrough with superheroes didn't happen until the early '90s, when he joined producer Bruce Timm's team at Warner Bros. animation. After working as a storyboard artist on both the Batman and Superman animated series -- where his art style fit right in -- he created the iconic main titles for Batman Beyond. Then, it was time to go back to comics.

      In the 2000's, Cooke cemented himself as one of DC Comics' finest creators, collaborating on a Catwoman run with Ed Brubaker and winning an Eisner for his issue of the anthology project Solo. His most famous work, though, might be the miniseries The New Frontier, a story that redefined the way we look at Silver Age superheroes and became indispensable to readers who want to know the history of the DC Universe. In recent years, Cooke busied himself with several adaptations of Donald Westlake's Parker novels, winning three Eisners for four different adaptations as he produced a group of definitive crime comics.

      Cooke was one of the most acclaimed comics creators of his age, winning 13 Eisner Awards for his penciling, writing, lettering, and design work. His art style was timeless, as much at home in the pages of a superhero epic as in the pages of noir story. He was also beloved by his peers, as the outpouring of tributes today proves.

      Saturday, May 14, 2016

      Assassin's Creed - Trailer

      A S S A S S I N ’S   C R E E D
      Through a revolutionary technology that unlocks his genetic memories, Callum Lynch (Michael Fassbender) experiences the adventures of his ancestor, Aguilar, in 15th Century Spain. Callum discovers he is descended from a mysterious secret society, the Assassins, and amasses incredible knowledge and skills to take on the oppressive and powerful Templar organization in the present day. ASSASSIN’S CREED stars Academy Award nominee Michael Fassbender (X-Men: Days of Future Past, 12 Years a Slave) and Academy Award winner Marion Cotillard (The Dark Knight Rises, La Vie en Rose). The film is directed by Justin Kurzel (Snowtown, Macbeth); produced by New Regency, Ubisoft Motion Pictures, DMC Films and Kennedy/Marshall; co-financed by RatPac Entertainment and Alpha Pictures; and distributed by 20th Century Fox.

      ASSASSIN’S CREED hits cinemas December 21, 2016.

      Friday, May 13, 2016

      Voltron: Legendary Defender unites on Netflix


      V  O  L  T  R  O  N
      L E G E N D A R Y   D E F E N D E R
      The Netflix original series DreamWorks Voltron Legendary Defender reimagines one of the most popular fan-favorite shows of all time in this all-new comedic action-packed show from executive producer Joaquim Dos Santos (The Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender) and co-executive producer Lauren Montgomery (The Legend of Korra). Five unsuspecting teenagers, transported from Earth into the middle of a sprawling intergalactic war, become pilots for five robotic lions in the battle to protect the universe from evil. Only through the true power of teamwork can they unite to form the mighty warrior known as Voltron.

      DreamWorks Voltron Legendary Defender debuts on Netflix June 10, with a special hour-long origin story called "The Rise of Voltron," followed by 10 episodes.

      Thursday, May 12, 2016

      Disney is ending its Infinity video game line

      Inf3_marvel_toybox_captain_america_cw_1_desktop 
      I N F I N I T Y      E  N  D  S
      [Source: Polygon] Disney announced today that it would be discontinuing its Infinity video game line and shutting down its internal studio, Avalanche Software.

      In a statement, Disney's chairman of consumer products and interactive media, Jimmy Pitaro, said they have changed their approach to console gaming and would be transitioning "exclusively to a licensing model." Part of that change means that Disney would be closing its Avalanche Software studio, putting close to 300 people out of work, but Pitaro said it was a decision the company did not make lightly.

      "This was a difficult decision that we did not take lightly given the quality of Disney Infinity and its many passionate fans," Pitaro said.

      Disney will take a $147 million charge to offset the cancellation and was primarily taken from an inventory write-down. Other factors, like severance for employees and other assets, were also taken into the costs. The news follows reports that Disney missed its Wall Street estimate for annual revenue and earnings, leading to a 6 percent drop in stocks during after-hours trading.

      During an earning's call following the news, Disney CEO Bob Iger explained why the company decided to drop completely out of the game development business.

      "We thought we had a really good opportunity to launch our own product in that space; the console space, but also the toys to life space," Iger said. "In fact we did quite well with the first iteration and did OK with the second, but that business is a changing business and we did not have enough confidence in the business in terms of being stable enough to stay in it."

      Iger pointed to the loss the company took when they shuttered the game, most of which was due to the still existing inventory of toys, as a prime example of that risk.

      "We just feel it is a changing space and that we're just better of managing the risk of that business by licensing instead of publishing," he said. "We made a good product. I give the developer a lot of credit for the product they made.

      "The truth of the matter is that the risk we cited when we initially started this finally caught up with us."

      In March, vice president of Disney Interactive, John Vignocchi, told Polygon that while the company wouldn't be investing in another major update to the line this year, the company was still behind the franchise.

      "The company has been completely behind Disney Infinity. If you look at all of the creative content coming out this year, you can see they are still proud and still 100 percent behind us," he said.

      Despite Disney's success in other markets, including its enormous film universe, an earnings report from earlier this yearshowed that its Infinity line hadn't been performing as well as the company expected it to. Still, Vignocchi told Polygon that with Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars being added to Disney's universe, the line was still safe.

      "Disney Infinity will support all of the major events and theatrical releases at Walt Disney in 2016," Vignocchi said. "This year we will release four new playsets, each introducing unique gameplay for the platform. Each of the playsets will represent new content from our core properties."

      On the Disney Interactive blog, John Blackburn, senior vice president and general manager of the Infinity franchise said that from the beginning, the goal of the company and the line was to create a community that made Disney Infinity feel more like a game. Blackburn said that through the efforts of their team, they felt like they accomplished that goal.

      Blackburn said that there would be two final releases from the line, including three more chapters from Alice Through the Looking Glass and the Finding Dory playset in June.

      Disney has not yet announced its plans for support of the titles moving forward beyond general statements that nothing will change in the immediate future. Details on the game's sun-setting are expected to be announced in the future.

      Wednesday, May 11, 2016

      The new redesign of the Power Rangers

      P O W E R   R A N G E R S
      [Source: blastr.com] The studio has released the first official shot of the new costumes, showcasing the “translucent extraterrestrial armor that crystallizes around their bodies,” as opposed to the usual spandex and plastic from the original series. It’s certainly a bold design choice, though they do make a point to keep some homages to the original designs. The helmets are somewhat similar to the classic suits, and hey, they did keep the colors.

      “The show was about kids coming of age, about metamorphosis,” director Dean Israelite (Project Almanac) told Entertainment Weekly. “These suits needed to feel like they were catalyzed by these kids and their energy, their spirit.” 

      The big-screen reboot stars Becky G as Yellow Ranger Trini, Ludi Lin as Black Ranger Zack, Dacre Montgomery as Red Ranger Jason, Naomi Scott as Pink Ranger Kimberly, and RJ Cyler as Blue Ranger Billy. Elizabeth Banks is also attached to play main villain Rita Repulsa.

      Tuesday, May 10, 2016

      New DOOM Launch Trailer

       D   O   O   M 
      The latest iteration of the deadly Doom franchise is set to unleash fresh hell next week, and we've got the final launch trailer for your prurient pleasure, with enough insane creature slaughter sequences to shatter all sensibility.  We've all waited a dozen years for a decent new Doom game, and it appears this edition by Bethesda and iD Software will be well worth the delay, with the crystal-clear Unreal 4 engine being utilized to amp up the gorgeous graphics and its notorious level of brutal melee action ratcheted up to maximum kill-tensity. 

      Fling your mind into this manic new trailer and tell us if you're primed to deliver some righteous demon punishment when Doom drops for Xbox One, PS4 and PC on May 13, 2016.

      Monday, May 9, 2016

      Hé Mademoiselle - ESMA 2015


      Being a prey to the males she meets in the street, that is the daily life of this young Parisian girl. What will happen to her suitors?

      Sunday, May 8, 2016

      HAPPY MOTHERS DAY


      In Korean, "Wedding" has the meaning of "Going husband's house". In other words, "Leaving her home". This is a story about a woman, who was a baby, daughter, lady, wife, and mom.

      Friday, May 6, 2016

      Alden Ehrenreich to play Young Han Solo

      Y O U N G   H A N   S O L O
      Multiple sources are now confirming that 26-year-old Alden Ehrenreich, who played budding movie star Hobie Doyle in the Coen Bros.’ “Hail Caesar,” has signed to play the lead in Lucasfilm’s untitled Young Han Solo movie. The “Star Wars” prequel will be directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, the fellows behind “22 Jump Street” and “The Lego Movie.” Screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan (“Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “The Empire Strikes Back,” “The Force Awakens”) and his son Jon scripted.
      A L D E N   E H R E N R E I C H

      Thursday, May 5, 2016

      Simpsons Couch Gag | Rick and Morty | Adult Swim


      Two great worlds collide . . . violently. Do not miss the Rick and Morty Season Premiere, July 26th!

      Rick and Morty is Adult Swim's most scientifically accurate animated comedy. Created by Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon, it catalogues the bizarre misadventures of a bored scientific genius/drunkard and his socially awkward grandson, Morty. Their exploits tend to have unintended consequences for Morty's dysfunctional family, especially his unfailingly mediocre father, Jerry. Watch Rick and Morty battle everything from interdimensional customs agents to Cronenberg monsters now, only at http://AdultSwim.com.

      Wednesday, May 4, 2016

      May the Fourth Be With You!

      STAR WARS DAY!
      [Source: STAR WARS.com] Say “May the 4th Be With You” out loud and you’ll hear the pun that Star Wars fans worldwide have turned into a rallying cry to proclaim their love of the saga. It’s the worldwide day to say “May the Force be with you” to all, and celebrate the beloved Star Wars story that binds our galaxy together.

      One of the earliest known records of “May the 4th” used in popular culture is in 1979, as described here by author Alan Arnold while he was chronicling the making of The Empire Strikes Back for Lucasfilm:

      Friday, May 4
      “Margaret Thatcher has won the election and become Britain’s first woman prime minister. To celebrate their victory her party took a half page of advertising space in the London Evening News. This message, referring to the day of victory, was ‘May the Fourth Be With You, Maggie. Congratulations,’ further proof of the extent to which Star Wars has influenced us all.”

      Once the Internet allowed Star Wars fans around the world to connect with one another, May the 4th soon became a grassroots tradition each year, with fans online and offline proclaiming it “Star Wars Day.”

      While the idea of May the 4th did not start with Lucasfilm, the film company that created Star Wars has fully embraced the spirit of fandom that makes the day so special. StarWars.com as well as the official Star Wars social media channels (hashtag #StarWarsDay) help spread the word and showcase fan activity. More and more official partners have offered sales, giveaways and exclusives, and have hosted parties and other activities to mark the day.

      May the 4th kicks off a season of celebration, particularly since the month of May has always been important to Star Wars fans. The six live-action movies of the Star Wars saga debuted in May (starting with the original Star Wars on May 25, 1977). The month of May includes George Lucas’ birthday (May 14, 1944), and has been the traditional start date of the popular Star Wars Weekends at Walt Disney World Resort.

      With the launch of a new era of Star Wars thanks to The Force Awakens — which continues with Rogue One later this year — this day to celebrate the saga and its amazing fans is bigger (and more fun) than it’s ever been.