Next Club Meeting:October 19, 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.
Get ready to dive into the ultimate countdown. We're about to unveil the Top 10 Best Anime of 2023! From mind-bending plots to heart-pounding action, this list has it all. Don't miss out on the anime gems that made 2023 unforgettable.
WHO IS AZUREUS AZUREUS is an intergalactic warrior who uses special technology to navigate a series of parallel worlds controlled by a sinister enemy. A quest for revenge evolves into a world-bending journey that will leave the fate of the realm in the balance. Who "AZUREUS" is and what he looks like under the mask will be an ongoing mystery throughout the series and video games. AZUREUS is a very atypical protagonist, especially when it comes to animation.
OVERVIEW OF THE GAME We are developing an insane 3D meets 2D combat-based side scroller for mobile, PC, and console. The game is directly linked to the global AZUREUS world and the series. We will take full advantage of the combat elements and unique world and story aspects of Azueus. It's going to look super flashy and be very fast-paced and fluid. I promise you this game is going to take the side-scrolling combat genre to new territory. Wait till you see how dope this thing is going to look and play.
The Axiom Chronicles is an action-adventure animated series that follows one brave teen boy's fight to free his people from the robots that have enslaved them. This series will explore the hero's journey, emphasizing themes of courage, destiny, and embracing one's calling.
On a dystopian planet in the far reaches of the cosmos, an evil sentient
mechanical entity known as the Mechno-Hive has enslaved the organic
races as their labor force. By controlling an ancient and mysterious
crystaline power source known as the Axiom, they exert their tyrannical
will on the entire planet.
The fate and future of the planet, and it’s occupants lies in the hands
of a young hero named Rake. It falls to Rake to learn to control the
ultimate power of the Axiom for good, and bring peace to the world he
calls home.
SAURIA "Blood for Blood" is the first film in the "SAURIA" Animated Series.
This film explores the ongoing war between the imperialistic BlueSong Empire and the more barbaric Kindred of the Tusk clan. The film follows a captive Tusk Kindred war chieftain named Taurox. Taurox is one of the greatest and most feared fighters in all of SAURIA, but the BlueSong are a very prideful and honorable people. Instead of executing him on the spot or leaving him to rot in a cell, they have decided that his execution must be a public event. He must die in arena combat. Fair arena combat. When he inevitably falls this will prove BlueSong superiority over the greatest fighter that opposes them. How long will SAURIA's greatest fighter last against the might of the BlueSong Empire?
Anime NYC is New York City’s anime convention held November 17-19, 2023! A showcase of the best of Japanese pop culture in the biggest city in America, Anime NYC brings anime fans together for three days of unique exhibits, exclusive screenings, and appearances by some of the biggest creators in Japan!
GODSPEED follows the journey of Iris, a young woman, and her adorable karaoke-bot sidekick named Bowie as they navigate the desolate landscape and abandoned homes of their crumbling world. Her path takes an unexpected turn when they stumble upon a mysterious broadcast that holds the key to their escape. To get the message, she must survive a planet-ending storm. Featuring the voices of Troy Baker (The Last of Us), Claudia Black (Farscape, The Nevers), Bryce Charles (Big Nate), Coty Galloway & Olan Rogers (both from Final Space) and a few surprises.
Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town is a 1970 stop motion Christmas television special produced by Rankin/Bass Productions in New York, New York. The film is narrated by Fred Astaire and stars the voices of Mickey Rooney, Keenan Wynn, Robie Lester, Joan Gardner and Paul Frees, as well as an assistant song performance by the Westminster Children's Choir. The film tells the story of how Santa Claus and several Claus-related Christmas traditions came to be. It is based on the hit Christmas song, "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town", which was written by J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie for Leo Feist, Inc. and introduced on radio by Eddie Cantor in 1934; and the story of Saint Nicholas. The special was created using Japanese stop motion animation called "Animagic", in which all the characters are made out of wood and plastic and animated via stop-motion photography. The special was originally telecast December 13, 1970, by ABC, which continues to air the special every year, along with its sister network Freeform, as of 2022 (commemorating the special's 50th anniversary), although, at times, both networks have edited the special to make room for commercials.
After a newsreel prologue stating that children around the world are preparing for the arrival of Santa Claus, a postman named Special Delivery "S.D." Kluger is introduced when his snowmobile/mail truck breaks down. After that, he tells the story of Santa in response to several letters sent from children. The story begins with a baby named Claus arriving on the doorstep of Burgermeister Meisterburger, the ill-tempered mayor of the gloomy Sombertown. Meisterburger orders his minion, Grimsley, to take Claus to an orphanage, but on the way there, a gust of wind blows the baby away. A group of animals takes Claus to the Kringles, a family of elves. The Kringles rename him Kris and raise him as their own, teaching him the practice of making toys.
When Kris is old enough, he travels to Sombertown, accompanied by a lost penguin he names Topper. Meanwhile, Meisterburger trips on a toy duck, so he enacts a law prohibiting toys. Kris arrives in town and bestows toys on the children, even giving one to Miss Jessica, their schoolteacher. Meisterburger arrives and orders Kris arrested, but Kris flees into the woods with Topper. Kris and Topper are captured by the wicked Winter Warlock, but the Warlock befriends Kris after he is given a toy train. To prevent further toy deliveries, Meisterburger orders all doors and windows locked, but Kris enters by the chimneys and places toys in the children's stockings. Meisterburger sets a trap for Kris, while his soldiers capture Winter and the Kringles.
Jessica visits the prison and converses with Winter, who has no magic left, except for some corn that enables reindeer to fly. With the reindeer's help, Kris and his friends escape. Soon after, Kris grows a beard as a disguise and returns to his "Claus" name. He marries Jessica and travels to the North Pole to build a toy workshop. With the death of Meisterburger, the toy ban is nullified, and Kris is deemed a saintly figure, becoming Santa Claus. Due to the enormous demand for toys, Santa limits his trips to one night a year; that being Christmas Eve, the holiest night of the year, and the perfect time for giving. After finishing the story, S.D. Kluger remembers that he has to deliver the letters to Santa. He leaves in his now-mended truck with Topper, Winter and a parade of children, singing "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town".
After three death-defying adventures defeating world-class villains with his unmatched courage and mad martial arts skills, Po, the Dragon Warrior (Golden Globe nominee Jack Black), is called upon by destiny to … give it a rest already. More specifically, he’s tapped to become the Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace. That poses a couple of obvious problems. First, Po knows as much about spiritual leadership as he does about the paleo diet, and second, he needs to quickly find and train a new Dragon Warrior before he can assume his new lofty position. Even worse, there’s been a recent sighting of a wicked, powerful sorceress, Chameleon (Oscar winner Viola Davis), a tiny lizard who can shapeshift into any creature, large or small. And Chameleon has her greedy, beady little eyes on Po’s Staff of Wisdom, which would give her the power to re-summon all the master villains whom Po has vanquished to the spirit realm. So, Po’s going to need some help. He finds it (kinda?) in the form of crafty, quick-witted thief Zhen (Golden Globe winner Awkwafina), a corsac fox who really gets under Po’s fur but whose skills will prove invaluable. In their quest to protect the Valley of Peace from Chameleon’s reptilian claws, this comedic odd-couple duo will have to work together. In the process, Po will discover that heroes can be found in the most unexpected places. Kung Fu Panda 4 is directed by Mike Mitchell (DreamWorks Animation’s Trolls, Shrek Forever After) and produced by Rebecca Huntley (DreamWorks Animation’s The Bad Guys). The film’s co-director is Stephanie Ma Stine (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power).
Kung Fu Panda 4 opens in theaters on March 8, 2024.
Set in Godtenber, an area at the foot of Mt. Fuji with neighborhoods that vary wildly in terms of city-scape and culture, Hi-DRIVERS follows the lives of teams of street racers who gather and compete in daily races where the only rule is that "speed is everything".
Legendary Pictures’ cinematic Monsterverse follows up the explosive showdown of “Godzilla vs. Kong” with an all-new adventure that pits the almighty Kong and the fearsome Godzilla against a colossal undiscovered threat hidden within our world, challenging their very existence—and our own. “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” delves further into the histories of these Titans and their origins, as well as the mysteries of Skull Island and beyond, while uncovering the mythic battle that helped forge these extraordinary beings and tied them to humankind forever.
Once again at the helm is director Adam Wingard. The film stars Rebecca Hall (“Godzilla vs. Kong,” The Night House”), Brian Tyree Henry (“Godzilla vs. Kong,” “Bullet Train”), Dan Stevens (“Gaslit,” “Legion,” “Beauty and the Beast”), Kaylee Hottle (“Godzilla vs. Kong”), Alex Ferns (“The Batman,” “Wrath of Man,” “Chernobyl”) and Fala Chen (“Irma Vep,” “Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”).
The screenplay is by Terry Rossio (“Godzilla vs. Kong” the “Pirates of the Caribbean” series) and Simon Barrett (“You’re Next”) and Jeremy Slater (“Moon Knight”), from a story by Rossio & Wingard & Barrett, based on the character “Godzilla” owned and created by TOHO Co., Ltd.. The film is produced by Mary Parent, Alex Garcia, Eric Mcleod, Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni and Brian Rogers. The executive producers are Wingard, Jen Conroy, Jay Ashenfelter, Yoshimitsu Banno, Kenji Okuhira.
Once again, Wingard is collaborating with director of photography Ben Seresin (“Godzilla vs. Kong,” “World War Z”), production designer Tom Hammock (“Godzilla vs. Kong,” “X,” “The Guest”), editor Josh Schaeffer (“Godzilla vs. Kong,” “Molly’s Game”), costume designer Emily Seresin (“The Invisible Man,” “Top of the Lake”). The composers are Tom Holkenborg (“Godzilla vs. Kong,” “Mad Max: Fury Road”) and Antonio Di Iorio (additional music on “Godzilla vs. Kong,” the “Sonic the Hedgehog” films).
Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures Present a Legendary Pictures Production, A Film By Adam Wingard, “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.” It is slated for release nationwide only in theaters and IMAX on April 12, 2024 and beginning 10 April 2024 internationally, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures except in Japan, where the film will be distributed by Toho Co., Ltd and in mainland China, where it will be distributed by Legendary East.
Kaiju No. 8 is set in a world in which monsters named kaiju
regularly cause disasters. Japan is the country with the highest rate
of kaiju attacks in the world and, to combat them, it establishes the Anti-Kaiju Defense Force (日本防衛隊, Nihon bōei-tai, lit. "Japanese Defense Force"). Kaiju are assigned a “fortitude level” – a scale indicating their overall strength, and are classified as honju – more dangerous, stronger kaiju and yoju
– smaller kaiju that can accompany or sprout off from the honju. Kaiju
that have high fortitude levels or abnormal characteristics are given a
number as an identifier based on when they first appear and are
classified as daikaiju.
Defense Force officers wear power suits made from kaiju remains that
grant them increased strength, speed and durability. The suits have a
total power output measured in the form of a percentage (referred to as
"unleashed combat power") which vary from person to person depending on
their ability with a maximum of 100%. The Defense Force consists of
general officers and platoon leaders, with varying levels of unleashed
combat power, and captains and vice-captains whose combat power exceeds
90% and who lead divisions. Daikaiju remains are used to create stronger
weapons named Numbers (ナンバーズ, Nanbāzu) that some individuals can use if they are deemed compatible and that are named after the daikaiju they are made from.
After their town is destroyed by kaiju, childhood friends Kafka Hibino and Mina Ashiro both vow to become members of the Defense Force to fight kaiju together. Mina, now 27, has since become the captain of the Defense Force's Third Division while Kafka, now 32, has failed the examination numerous times and works as a member of a clean-up crew that dispose of kaiju remains after battle. Kafka meets a young part-time worker in his company, Reno Ichikawa, an aspiring Defense Force member, who reignites his desire to become part of the Defense Force. However, a small kaiju enters Kafka's body through his mouth and he gains the ability to turn into a kaiju. After escaping from the Defense Force, Kafka is given the code name "Kaiju No. 8" and decides to apply while keeping his kaiju form a secret.
Kafka and Reno are able to pass the examination and are inducted into the Third Division together with Kikoru Shinomiya, a kaiju-slaying prodigy, who finds out about Kafka's condition after he saves her from a humanoid kaiju, later named "Kaiju No. 9," who becomes their primary adversary. While fighting off an attack orchestrated by Kaiju No. 10, a daikaiju created by No. 9, Kafka reveals his kaiju form when he transforms to save the Third Division base from being destroyed and is, reluctantly, apprehended by Mina and taken into custody to be disposed of. While imprisoned, Kafka is tested in battle by the Director General of the Defense Force, Isao Shinomiya, who uses the Numbers 2 weapon made from the remains of Kaiju No. 2. Kafka survives the battle proving that he can control himself while transformed and avoids being disposed of. Kafka is transferred, along with Kikoru, to the First Division led by captain Gen Narumi where they are tasked to prevent another attack planned by No. 9. Kafka, Kikoru and Gen succeed in defeating two versions of No. 9 which are revealed to be decoys. The real one attacks Isao and absorbs him and his Numbers 2 weapon after which No. 9 becomes stronger and prepares for an invasion of Japan with new kaiju.
GET READY FOR An R-rated, animated musical comedy set in Hell.
Yes, you read that right!! Created by Vivienne Medrano, Hazbin Hotel follows Charlie Morningstar, the princess of Hell, as she pursues her seemingly impossible goal of rehabilitating demons to peacefully reduce overpopulation in her kingdom. Starring Erika Henningsen, Stephanie Beatriz, Alex Brightman, Keith David, Kimiko Glenn, Blake Roman, Amir Talai, Christian Borle, and Joel Perez. Guest starring Broadway veterans Darren Criss, Jeremy Jordan), Daphne Rubin-Vega, Patina Miller, and Jessica Vosk. With original music and lyrics from platinum-certified artist Sam Haft and Emmy-nominated Andrew Underberg.
Based on one of the greatest video game series of all time, Fallout is the story of haves and have-nots in a world in which there’s almost nothing left to have. 200 years after the apocalypse, the gentle denizens of luxury fallout shelters are forced to return to the irradiated hellscape their ancestors left behind — and are shocked to discover an incredibly complex, gleefully weird and highly violent universe waiting for them. From executive producers Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, the creators of Westworld, starring Ella Purnell, Aaron Moten, Walton Goggins and more.
Based on James Clavell’s novel, FX’s Shōgun is set in Japan in the year 1600 at the dawn of a century-defining civil war. Lord Yoshii Toranaga is fighting for his life as his enemies on the Council of Regents unite against him, when a mysterious European ship is found marooned in a nearby fishing village.
The world is on the brink. Victoria Neuman is closer than ever to the Oval Office and under the muscly thumb of Homelander, who is consolidating his power. Butcher, with only months to live, has lost Becca’s son as well as his job as The Boys’ leader. The rest of the team are fed up with his lies. With the stakes higher than ever, they have to find a way to work together and save the world before it’s too late. Starring Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, Antony Starr, Erin Moriarty, Jessie T. Usher, Laz Alonso, Chace Crawford, Tomer Capone, Karen Fukuhara, Colby Minifie, Claudia Doumit, and Cameron Crovetti, and welcoming Susan Heyward, Valorie Curry, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan, The Boys Season 4 premieres 2024.
A N I M A T R I X N E T W O R K Saturday, December 16, 2023
Fountaindale Public Library
VIEWING SCHEDULE
11:15 - 12:05 The Apothecary Diaries 3-4
12:05 - 12:55 Undead Girl Murder Farce ep 10-11
12:55 - 1:40 Club Meeting
1:40 - 2:40 Blue-Eyed Samurai ep 1
2:40 - 4:40 PLUTO ep 1-2
"Follow us to the last club meeting of the year!"
Fountaindale Public Library 300 W. Briarcliff Road
Bolingbrook, IL 60440
Peggy J. Danhof Board Room
(Second Floor)
From 11:15 AM to 5:00 PM
All anime presented are fan-subtitled unless otherwise noted.
Don't miss these exciting anime series: Goblin Slayer II and Dark Gathering
* ANIME DESCRIPTIONS ARE BELOW *
11:15 - 12:05 The Apothecary Diaries 3-4
The Apothecary Diaries
Plot Summary: The series is set in a fictional country modelled after Ming-era China. Maomao, a young girl who works as an apothecary in the red-light district,
is kidnapped and sold to the Imperial Palace as a servant. However, she
still retains her curious and eccentric personality and plans to work
there until her years of servitude are over, without drawing the
attention of anyone. One day, after hearing the rumors that the
emperor's children are critically ill, she begins to investigate the
cause, using her experience as a pharmacist, and successfully solves the
mystery of their illness. Even though she intends to remain anonymous,
her actions eventually catch the attention of an influential eunuch, and soon finds herself solving various mysteries in the royal court.
12:05 - 12:55 Undead Girl Murder Farce 10-11
Undead Girl Murder Farce
Plot Summary: Taking place between the late 19th century and early 20th century in a world filled with supernatural and magical creatures, Tsugaru Shinuchi, a half-demon, alongside servant Shizuku Hasei, leave Japan and embark on a journey across Europe to retrieve the body of Aya Rindo, who was decapitated by an unknown villain prior to the start of the series with only Aya's head as the living evidence for the journey.
12:55 - 1:40Club Announcements
"Make a wish they said. Now I can't stop it!"
WISH
Con+Alt+Del
Godzilla Minus One
Movie Trailers Media Reviews
Video Games
1:40 - 2:40 Blue Eye Samurai ep 1
Blue Eye Samurai
Plot Summary: During Japan's Edo period (17th century), half-white half-Japanese swordsmaster Mizu quests for vengeance against four European white men who illegally remain in Japan during the closing of its borders by the Tokugawa shogunate. Meanwhile, Princess Akemi, the only daughter of the Daimyo of Kyoto Lord Daiichi Tokunobu, tries to convince her father to approve of her marriage to Taigen, a young and accomplished Samurai
of humble origins. Mizu arrives at the Shindo Dojo and requests a
meeting with its master to procure the location of Heiji Shindo. When
the request is denied Mizu battles the better part of its students
including their prized Samurai Taigen and wins before obtaining the
information Mizu requires and leaving Taigen dishonoured. The latter knew
Mizu in their childhood as he and a group of children used to taunt Mizu's mixed race appearance.
2:40- 4:40PLUTO ep 1-2
P L U T O
Plot Summary: Pluto follows the Europol robot detective Gesicht in his attempts
to solve the case of a string of robot and human deaths around the
world where all the victims have objects shoved into or positioned by
their heads, imitating horns. The case becomes more puzzling when
evidence suggests a robot is responsible for the murders, which would
make it the first time a robot has killed a human in eight years. All
seven of the great robots of the world (the most scientifically advanced
which have the potential to become weapons of mass destruction) seem to
be the killer's targets, and the murdered humans are connected to
preserving the International Robot Laws which grant robots equal rights.
This animated series follows a group of gamers as they compete in the first-ever neural reality battle-royale game, named "Ruin." However, a malicious virus appears and transforms their utopia into a hellish reality...
In the near-future tech dystopia of San Francisco, the Tournament of Ruin is about to debut a brand new fully immersive technology – Neural Reality! Lee wins the opportunity to join the ranks of 100 of the world’s best gamers competing in a team battle-royale.
Lee is in way over his head, and no one knows that there’s something inside the game – something brutal and murderous– something that is hunting them one by one.
It’s like the game is haunted somehow. There’s a secret here that runs much deeper than anyone suspects. The dream quickly turns into a nightmare when the players mysteriously lose their ability to log out. Lee and company must survive long enough to crack the secrets of Neural Reality before they lose their minds and become the ghosts of Ruin.
Harley Quinn, The Joker, and the Suicide Squad cause havoc in ISEKAI*, an all-new original anime series from Warner Bros. Japan and WIT Studio. *ISEKAI(異世界): Term for "another world" in Japanese.
In the crime-ridden city of Gotham, Amanda Waller, the head of A.R.G.U.S., has assembled a group of notorious criminals for a mission: Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Peacemaker, Clayface, and King Shark. These Super-Villains are sent into an otherworldly realm that's connected to this world through a gate. It's a world of swords and magic where orcs rampage and dragons rule the skies an "ISEKAI"!. With lethal explosives planted in their necks, there's no running or hiding, and failing the mission means a one-way ticket to the afterlife!. Can Harley Quinn and her crew conquer this perilous ISEKAI realm?!. Brace yourselves for the pulse-pounding saga of the elite task force known as the "Suicide Squad" as they embark on a jaw-dropping adventure!
