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.

Sunday, February 28, 2021

Superman and Lois - Official Trailer

SUPERMAN and LOIS
"One of the best Superman renditions in a long time.
Highly recommended!"
- anim8trix
After years of facing supervillains, monsters and alien invaders, the world's most famous superhero, The Man of Steel aka Clark Kent and comic books' famed journalist Lois Lane come face to face with one of their greatest challenges ever -- dealing with being working parents in today's society. Complicating the already daunting job of raising two boys, Clark and Lois worry about whether their sons, Jonathan and Jordan, could inherit their father's Kryptonian superpowers as they grow older. Returning to Smallville to handle some Kent family business, Clark and Lois are reacquainted with Lana Lang and her Fire Chief husband, Kyle Cushing. The adults aren't the only ones rediscovering old friendships in Smallville as the Kent sons are reacquainted with Lana and Kyle's rebellious daughter, Sarah. Of course, there's never a dull moment in the life of a superhero, especially with Lois' father, Gen. Samuel Lane looking for Superman to vanquish a villain or save the day at a moment's notice.
Only on the CW

Saturday, February 27, 2021

Star Wars: The Bad Batch - Official Release Date

STAR WARS: The Bad Batch
The official release date has been announced for Star Wars: The Bad Batch, an all-new animated Original Series from Lucasfilm Animation, only on Disney+. 

Friday, February 26, 2021

Disney and Pixar's Luca: Official Trailer

Disney PIXAR's LUCA
The first trailer for the latest animated feature from Disney and Pixar, Luca!
Coming June 2021.

Thursday, February 25, 2021

Black Myth: Wukong - Official 13 Minutes Gameplay

Black Myth: Wukong
[Source: Sportskeeda] Black Myth: Wukong is an upcoming single-player role-playing game that has been developed by Game Science. The game is based on a classic 16th-century Chinese novel called “Journey to the West.” Players control the character Sun Wukong, who is also known as the Monkey King and has the ability to transform into flying insects and a giant monster.

In the novel, Wukong learns Taoism, becomes immortal and masters combat as well as language. He also acquires the 72 methods of heavenly transformation that allow him to transform into many animals and objects at will.

At first, not much was revealed about Black Myth: Wukong, which is still a few years away from its release.

However, a 13-minute gameplay trailer was recently released. In the trailer, we get to see quite a few of Wukong’s powers that were mentioned in the book. He has a trademark black iron staff that can change length according to his will.

We also got to see a plethora of boss fights that players will have to engage in to complete Black Myth: Wukong.

Recently, IGN China was able to conduct a set of interviews with various game science developers. The interviews revealed a lot of new information.

Black Myth: Wukong was in development for two years and will have more than 15 hours of playtime. It is expected to be released somewhere in 2023.

There are more than a 100 enemy types in the game, and it is a darker, more complex version of the original novel. The area in the trailer is called Black Wind Mountain and apparently took more than 6 months to build! Furthermore, the gameplay trailer of Black Myth: Wukong featured three monkeys. Players will have to wait and see which one is Wukong. 

Players can use multiple transformations during each fight, and there are different approaches that can be applied to the game. Finally, Black Myth: Wukong is the first of the three games planned by Game Science that will all be based on different Chinese stories. The idea is to create a separate Black Myth Universe, not very much unlike the Marvel Universel.

Watch the Trailer

Wednesday, February 24, 2021

First Trailer for Amazon's INVINCIBLE

I N V I N C I B L E
Here's the official trailer for Season 1 of Amazon's Invincible, which will premiere on the streamer on March 26, 2021. Invincible is an adult animated superhero show that revolves around seventeen-year-old Mark Grayson (Steven Yeun), who's just like every other guy his age — except that his father is the most powerful superhero on the planet, Omni-Man (J.K. Simmons). But as Mark develops powers of his own, he discovers that his father's legacy may not be as heroic as it seems.

Tuesday, February 23, 2021

BEM Movie: Become Human - Official Trailer

BEM Movie
The plot of the series revolves around three yokai (supernatural creatures), Bem, Bela and Belo, who arrive at a large coastal city and come across an evil atmosphere, which was brought about by immoral behavior by humans and mischief caused by monsters and yokai. They therefore decide to stay in the city, fighting against other monsters and yokai which attack humans, making a few friends along the way. Even though the three yokai are often abused and discriminated against by other human beings due to their appearance, they still strive in protecting the human populace of the city from other monsters, one day hoping to become human beings in return for their good actions.
Trailer

Monday, February 22, 2021

Monster Hunter Featurette

Monster Hunter Featurette
Behind our world, there is another: a world of dangerous and powerful monsters that rule their domain with deadly ferocity. When Captain Natalie Artemis (Milla Jovovich) and her elite unit are transported through a portal from our world to a new world, they are in for the shock of their lives. In her desperate attempt to get home, the brave lieutenant encounters a mysterious Hunter (Tony Jaa), whose unique skills have allowed him to survive in this hostile land.
Capcom’s Monster Hunter video games bring a wide world of creatures to life… most of them rather terrifying. In order to make an accurate adaptation, the new Monster Hunter movie had to successfully translate those beasts from video game pixels to the screen. The film is available digitally today and we have an exclusive look at a clip from the bonus content featurette “Monsters.” Writer and director Paul W.S. Anderson explains how they developed some of the many creatures Captain Artemis and Hunter battle in the movie.

Sunday, February 21, 2021

The Legend of Jiang Ziya

J I A N G   Z I Y A
Jiang is tasked in the war to take down the fox spirit clan leader who instigated a large war. Jiang captures her and is tasked in her execution in heaven. However, he sees an innocent girl possessed by the fox spirit and cannot let her be killed by the Great Revered Master. The Master banishes him to earth for releasing the fox spirit and falling for its illusion.

Jiang spends ten years on earth despondent with his Tiger God friend who watches over him. Jiang finds an amnesiac young fox spirit girl who looks like the girl asking for help during the execution of the fox spirit. They fight but evantually decide to journey together to find her father figure the truth with Tiger God on the trail. At the destination is the old king who has become disillusioned and tries to kill the fox girl. The demon shadow foxes that have been following the fox girl take her away. Jiang follows and sees the fox clan leader ("nine tails") alive. She explains that the girl is actually a concubine for the old king who was given up and abandoned by her father. And that the fox clan leader can never die without the young girl dieing due to being tied together by a fate bracelet, created by the Master.

Jiang manages to save the girl with the Tiger God but loses his trusty stead. The Tiger God now believing Jiang was right about the girl and needs to find the truth. So Tiger God sacrifices some of his power to spirit Jiang to the heavens to speak to the Master. The Master explains Jiang wasn't denied Godhood because he didn't kill the fox clan leader but because he showed kindness. A true upper God should not have any kindness and focus only on the greater good. Jiang is able to plead for an answer to stop the girl from having to die eternally. Master tells him to pass her through the gate of reincarnation and she will be saved in the next life.

Jiang goes to the gate but is followed by the fox spirit clan leader. Tiger God realizes he followed Jiang not because he was jealous lauded as the greatest hero but because Jiang is a true hero. So he stays behind to sacrifice himself, by slowing the fox clan leader, to buy Jiang time. Jiang promises that the next life will save the girl and she will have a better life with a proper loving father. She passes through but the fox clan leader shows up and attacks the gate of reincarnation. Jiang can't stop her and she explains the truth of the war when it breaks and only wronged fox ghosts appear. She explains that they were wronged because they started the war based on Master's promise to make the fox clan leader a God and to rise up the fox clan. However, Master lied and used the fox clan as a scape goat to unite all Heaven, Human, and Demon worlds together against a common enemy for the 'Greater Good'. So under her duress doomed her clan and try to destroy heaven with the power of all the fox ghosts. Jiang tries to save the girl still within the omega ghost fox striking heaven. Heaven activates there nuclear weapon to kill the fox spirit.

Jiang cannot save the girl but realizes the power to do so does not come from Heaven granted powers but within himself to save any one person be it from Heaven, Human, or Demon realm. He finally regains his powers turning stark white and releases the grudges of the ghosts up towards the girl. The girl wakes up and asks has she reincarnated to her better life before the Heaven nuke kills her and all the ghosts. Jiang is despondent but sees the bird of the afterlife take all the ghost spirits hoping the girl isn't gone forever. The Heavens applaud Jiang's long con of finally luring and killing the fox clan leader. So summons him to be a true God. Jiang now knows how corrupt the true Gods and Master are with their justice and breaks the bridge to Heaven. Forever severing the Heaven's grip on the Human realm.

Saturday, February 20, 2021

EDENS ZERO

E D E N S   Z E R O
At Granbell Kingdom, an abandoned amusement park, Shiki has lived his entire life among machines. But one day, Rebecca and her cat companion Happy appear at the park's front gates. Little do these newcomers know that this is the first human contact Granbell has had in a hundred years! As Shiki stumbles his way into making new friends, his former neighbors stir at an opportunity for a robo-rebellion… And when his old homeland becomes too dangerous, Shiki must join Rebecca and Happy on their spaceship and escape into the boundless cosmos.
Trailer

Friday, February 19, 2021

What is really behind the firing of GINA CARANO?

STAR WARS powerplay behind
the firing of GINA CARANO
Ever since the public firing of Gina Carano from Star Wars on February 10th, more information of the powerplay that went on behind the scenes of Lucasfilm has come out. It is now becoming clear how this connects to the larger strife between the Kathleen Kennedy and Jon Favreau factions of Lucasfilm, and why Gina Carano was the one who had to go. In this video then, we will go through the events that culminated with the firing of Gina Carano, and why the Kennedy faction of Lucasfilm had it in for her in particular.
 
 
UPDATE
KATHLEEN KENNEDY in hiding after
Gina Carano STAR WARS backlash

Thursday, February 18, 2021

The Rising of the Shield Hero - Season 2

The Rising of the Shield Hero - Season 2
The Rising of the Shield Hero is an anime series adapted from the light novels of the same title written by Aneko Yusagi. At 2019's Crunchyroll Expo, it was announced that the series will receive a second and third season. At 2020's virtual Crunchyroll Expo, it was announced that the second season will premiere in 2021. Masato Jinbo will replace Takao Abo as director, and the rest of the staff members will reprise their roles, with production by Kinema Citrus and DR Movie.

Wednesday, February 17, 2021

♪ JUST LIKE FIRE ♪

JUST LIKE FIRE
• Music : Just like fire
• Artist : P!nk
• Movie : Ballerina / Leap

Tuesday, February 16, 2021

Spookiz: The Movie

Spookiz: The Movie
At an elementary school in the countryside, human kids live during daytime and monster kids live during the night. The monster kids who avoid being discovered by humans make their own secret school life. One day, a human girl leaves her cellphone behind and this makes the two kinds, who should never meet, encounter each other. Can a human girl and monster be friends?

Monday, February 15, 2021

JUSTICE LEAGUE: THE SNYDER CUT Trailer

J U S T I C E L E A G U E 
-- THE SNYDER CUT --
The full new official trailer for Zack Snyder's JUSTICE LEAGUE cut has arrived! PLOT: In Zack Snyder's Justice League, determined to ensure Superman’s (Henry Cavill) ultimate sacrifice was not in vain, Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) aligns forces with Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) with plans to recruit a team of metahumans to protect the world from an approaching threat of catastrophic proportions.
The task proves more difficult than Bruce imagined, as each of the recruits must face the demons of their own pasts to transcend that which has held them back, allowing them to come together, finally forming an unprecedented league of heroes. Now united, Batman (Affleck), Wonder Woman (Gadot), Aquaman (Jason Momoa), Cyborg (Ray Fisher), and The Flash (Ezra Miller) may be too late to save the planet from Steppenwolf, DeSaad, and Darkseid and their dreadful intentions.

Sunday, February 14, 2021

Happy Valentine's Day!

Love is in small things
A short animation about what love is

"I feel love is something that emits light from small things and comes in ways that we can easily overlook in our daily lives. So I work to find little moments of ordinary love and translate them into illustrations and animations."   - Puuung

Saturday, February 13, 2021

Justice Society: World War II - Official Trailer

Justice✬Society
: World War II

The Flash speeds into the middle of an epic battle between Golden Age DC Super Heroes and Nazis in Justice Society: World War II, the next entry in the DC Universe Movies series!

Justice Society: World War II finds modern-day Barry Allen – prior to the formation of the Justice League – discovering he can run even faster than he imagined, and that milestone results in his first encounter with the Speed Force. The Flash is promptly launched into the midst of a raging battle – primarily between Nazis and a team of Golden Age DC Super Heroes known as The Justice Society of America. Led by Wonder Woman, the group includes Hourman, Black Canary, Hawkman, Steve Trevor and the Golden Age Flash, Jay Garrick.

Stream it on April 27, 2021 & own it in 4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray combo pack & Blu-Ray on May 11, 2021.

Friday, February 12, 2021

Backlash Over Lucasfilm's Firing of Gina Carano

Can Gina Carano Be UN-CANCELLED?
Disney Reeling From Fan BACKLASH!

Sources claim the situation with Gina Carano is in flux and evolving rapidly as Disney panics over fan backlash at the firing of Gina Carano. Is Disney preparing to bend the knee? Here's what we've been told about why she was fired, and why they may be walking that firing BACK.
 
UPDATE!
Gina Carano Fights Back!
DESTROYS Disney Cancel Culture, 
Will Star In Movie From Daily Wire

Thursday, February 11, 2021

Why You Should Read 'The Wandering Inn'

The Wandering Inn
 By Pirateaba
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED - The audio book version of The Wandering Inn is one of those hidden treasures that you stumble upon and wonder why you've never heard of it before. The story is basically a Dungeons and Dragons isekai adventure, where characters from our modern world are mysteriously transported to a land of goblins, drakes, giant ants, faeries, and the undead, just to name a few. The two main characters, Erin Solstice and Ryoka Griffn, try to make a living using the meager skills that they have while attempting to assimilate themselves into the strange cultures of magic and a mystifying leveling system much like a DnD game. Erin finds an abandoned inn and becomes an innkeeper. Ryoka has a passion for barefoot running and becomes a messenger, since technology like phones or cars do not exist in this world. They undergo many trials and tribulations as they try to adapt to this strange world while at the same time using their natural talents just to survive. But they can't help but wonder as to why they were summoned to this world in the first place. Could it be that someone is interested in their knowledge of our modern day technology? Bullets and bombs would make excellent weapons to conquer a world such as this where swords and shields are the primary weapons of war. So both Erin and Ryoka must be very careful of not revealing too much of what they know. This new world has become a place they both love, and the last thing they need is someone stealing their knowledge to make nuclear weapons. Not that they know how to make nukes. But the people there are smart. And if the girls were to let slip that E = mc2, who knows where that could lead. And what's worse is that Erin and Ryoka are not the only ones brought to this world. There are dozens. Maybe hundreds. And someone is hunting them down...

The narrator for The Wandering Inn audio book is Andrea Parsneau. Her talent for doing multiple characters in distinct voices with various accents for both male and female is unparalleled. It is Miss Parsneau's narration that absolutely brought out the best of this book. I highly recommend getting the Audibke version, and spend a few days escaping this drab world and exploring The Wandering Inn where friends and adventurers await. You can get the audio book here: The Wandering Inn on Audible.com.
- anim8trix
"No killing Goblins."
So reads the sign outside of the Wandering Inn, a small building run by a young woman named Erin Solstice. She serves pasta with sausage, blue fruit juice, and dead acid flies on request. And she comes from another world. Ours.
It’s a bad day when Erin finds herself transported to a fantastical world and nearly gets eaten by a dragon. She doesn’t belong in a place where monster attacks are a fact of life, and where humans are one species among many. But she must adapt to her new life. Or die.
In a dangerous world where magic is real and people can level up and gain classes, Erin Solstice must battle somewhat evil goblins, deadly rock crabs, and hungry [necromancers]. She is no warrior, no mage. Erin Solstice runs an inn.

She’s an [innkeeper].

In this video, we will present and promote a Fantasy Web Novel dear to our heart, The Wandering Inn; the first of a series on web comics, web novels, and webtoons reviewed by our team!

The Web Serial: https://wanderinginn.com/

The Amazon Ebook: https://www.amazon.com/Wandering-Inn-...

Here are the links towards the fanarts which made up the video, so go check them out! https://wanderinginn.com/fanworks/

 

 
 

Wednesday, February 10, 2021

The Wanting Mare: Exclusive Official Trailer

T H E   W A N T I N G   M A R E
In the world of Anmaere, north of the city of Whithren, wild horses run through the moorlands and up the coast. These horses are the city's most valuable export, and as a result are hunted, trapped, sold and shipped across the sea once a year. For those in Whithren, this trade passage creates lucrative and exciting possibilities: the chance to escape their constantly sweltering city to head to the Western continent of Levithen, or just to begin again.
Meanwhile, in a small house just north of the city, a young woman dies in childbirth. Her last words are an attempt to tell her daughter of the life she'll have and her inheritance of a recurring dream that must be kept secret; for it contains the memories of another age long before us, one where magic and myth were alive in the world.
That daughter now left behind is Moira. She grows alone in Whithren, without anyone to explain her dream, her unique difference, or her place in the world. As a result, she resolves to leave Whithren at all costs, and employs the help of Lawrence, a wounded young man engaged in the criminal enterprise of stealing tickets.
This begins a series of events that echo over the next thirty-five years of their life, the life of a child found screaming on the rocks, and through the alleys and coasts of Whithren; a city hidden in the fog, wanting in heat, now beginning again.

Tuesday, February 9, 2021

KID COSMIC Flies into NETFLIX

KID COSMIC
Created by Craig McCracken
The KID, an imaginative and odd 9 year old boy who lives with his free-spirited Grandpa in a sparsely populated town accidentally finds and activates 5 cosmic rings of power in a space ship wreck, sending a signal out of the whereabouts of the most powerful and desirable artifacts in the cosmos. Now the Earth is about to be ground zero for an epic battle for ultimate power! The KID gives the rest of the powerful rings to locals who become the good guys... even though they're bad at it.
an animation series starring Keith Ferguson, Jack Fisher & Amanda Céline Miller. Now available on Netflix.

Monday, February 8, 2021

Proof the SW Sequels Are in an Alternate Reality

Filoni ALREADY Proved The Sequels
Are in an Alternate Reality!
In this Star Wars Theory we go over the shocking evidence that the Mandalorian already retconned the sequel trilogy using Ahsoka and the World Between Worlds, as seen in Star Wars Rebels used by Ezra Bridger and Ahsoka Tano to save her from Darth Vader.Could Ahsoka herself be the linchpin that holds two possible alternate timelines? One where Ahsoka Lives! And the other, where she dies.

Sunday, February 7, 2021

Alita Battle Angel - Legends Never Die

Legends Never Die
Movie: Alita: Battle Angel
Song: Legends Never Die (ft. Against The Current)

Saturday, February 6, 2021

The Curse of Evangelion

UNDERSTANDING  EVANGELION
What is the meaning of life? Can people ever find happiness? Can it be found by understanding Evangelion? This video examines the themes of the Evangelion franchise and its war against the audience.

Friday, February 5, 2021

Pacific Rim: The Black

Pacific Rim: The Black
As Kaiju rising from the sea overrun Australia, two siblings search for their parents as they fight to survive, together. Premieres March 4 only on Netflix.

Thursday, February 4, 2021

Animated Short [Meteoric Salvation]

Honkai Impact 3rd new animated short
[Meteoric Salvation]

Though dreadful gloom grips this endless night
I will burn like a star and give hope its light
For your vows are mine and I shall make things right

Watch the Anime

Wednesday, February 3, 2021

The SpongeBob SquarePants Anime OPENING

The SpongeBob SquarePants Anime
Nanatsu No Taizai

Parody of Nanatsu No Taizai season 3 opening 1 ROB THE FRONTIER
Watch the Anime

Tuesday, February 2, 2021

When the Band of Brothers Meets Silent Hill

SCP: O V E R L O R D
A secret NGO investigates the home of an esoteric cult on suspicion that they are more than meets the eye.
Directed by Stephen Hancock
Written by Evan Muir 
Soundtrack by Evan Muir & AfterInfinity
VFX by MrKlay

Monday, February 1, 2021

Callum & Rayla Moments For 27 Minutes Straight!

Best Callum and Rayla Moments From
THE DRAGON PRINCE
The series is set in a fantasy world on the continent of Xadia which is rich in magic derived from six primal elements: the Sun, the Moon, the Stars, the Earth, the Sky, and the Ocean. Centuries ago, the dragons, elves, and humans of Xadia lived in peace. However, the humans, being unable to utilize magic naturally, began to use dark magic, which is fueled by the life essence of magical creatures. As a consequence, they were driven away to the west, and the continent was split in two by a massive river of lava.

1000 years later, the human King Harrow of Katolis and his advisor, the dark mage Viren, have killed the dragon king, Avizandum "Thunder", and supposedly destroyed his heir's egg. In retaliation, Moonshadow elf assassins attempt to kill Harrow and his heir Ezran. Ezran, his half-brother Callum, and the young assassin Rayla discover that the egg was not destroyed; they undertake to return the egg to Xadia. Viren seizes power after Harrow's assassination and sends his children Claudia and Soren to kill the princes and recover the egg. At the end of the first season, the egg hatches into the Dragon Prince, Zym.

In the second season, Viren attempts to rally the other human kingdoms to war against Xadia; he also makes a secret alliance with the mysterious, imprisoned elf mage Aaravos, with whom he communicates through a magic mirror and a caterpillar-like creature. Meanwhile, Callum becomes the first human to directly access primal magic, connecting with the Sky Arcanum. By the end of Season 2, Viren is imprisoned for treason for having illicitly used Harrow's seal, and for abusing his powers of dark magic. Ezran learns of his father's death and returns to Katolis to claim the throne.

In the third season, Ezran is manipulated into abdicating the throne amid pressure for war and rejoins Callum and Rayla to return Zym to his home, the Storm Spire. Viren, restored to power, leads the human armies against Xadia, amassing even more dark magic with the help of Aaravos. Soren defects to resist his father's evil goals. Viren's army is defeated by the elves and their allies. Rayla throws herself and Viren from the summit of the Spire, and Callum uses Sky magic to save Rayla. Zym is returned to his mother. Claudia revives Viren using dark magic, and Aaravos's caterpillar enters metamorphosis.