Next Club Meeting:September 20, 2025,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.
Take a look at the Official Trailer for Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu, the theatrical continuation of the Disney+ series The Mandalorian distributed by Lucasfilm. Fans will embark on a brand-new journey with Din Djarin and Grogu with Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu, in theaters in May 2026.
In theaters in May 2026
The movie stars Pedro Pascal, Sigourney Weaver, Jeremy Allen White, and more. The film is directed by Jon Favreau and written by Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, and George Lucas.
Thunderbirds Returns to Cinemas in Spectacular 4K!
60 years after its TV debut, Thunderbirds is back on the big screen. This September, experience Trapped in the Sky and Terror in New York City as you’ve never seen them before — beautifully restored in 4K and showing in 150+ UK cinemas.
Relive the action, share the magic, and be part of a
landmark celebration of Gerry Anderson’s timeless classic.
Production：Independent animation team "Studio Harutonari"
This is a beautiful, touching, poignant story... which is surprising how all of that fit into just 16 minutes. Could not hold the tears back. Everything mulled so nicely, from the voicing and the swooping melodies, to the dreamlike paint palette that feels like something we have all seen, if not "felt". Really nice! Loved it. Not saying that it is the best anything ever, though it kind of is for what it is. Feels like this was a small scale production and it proves that one can make something amazing with limited possibilities/resources.
Following his victory over Katana Man and his Yakuza, Denji awakens from the same cryptic dream in which Pochita warns him to never open the door he's standing behind, no matter what. Before he can comprehend Pochita's words, Denji is suddenly uppercutted by Power, who is revealed to have drank too much blood from her battle with the Yakuza's zombies. Makima sends Power to have her blood drained and decides to pair Denji with the Shark Fiend Beam. Seeing that Denji is annoyed by Beam's enthusiastic demeanor, Makima proposes a date with him for the following day. The two spend their date together by having a non-stop movie marathon until midnight. During one of the movies, Denji notices Makima tearing up over an emotional scene, a rare moment of vulnerability from the emotionless woman. Afterward, Denji asks Makima if he does have a heart, to which she confirms it by checking his pulse, leaving him in good spirits.
Exclusively in movie theatres October 24
While patrolling in the daytime, Denji finds himself running into a telephone booth to avoid getting drenched by the sudden rain. At the same time, a purple-haired girl named Reze approaches Denji inside the telephone booth. Wanting to impress Reze, Denji decides to perform a magic trick by pulling out a flower from his mouth, having obtained it earlier from a charity event. Reze thanks Denji for the flower and asks him to come visit her at the café she works at. Reze returns to the café and readies herself to work, only to find Denji already seated at one of the tables. From there, Denji tries the bitter taste of coffee for the first time, while Reze promptly introduces herself after learning his name.
Over time, Denji and Reze begin spending more time together as he starts visiting her more often. Meanwhile, Aki Hayakawa and the Angel Devil are partnered together as buddies, but the two are unable to get along initially due to their differing views on handling their duties. While grabbing lunch, Reze learns that Denji has never gone to school and asks him to explore a nearby school with her at night. Unbeknownst to the two, a serial killer working with the Typhoon Devil plans on targeting Reze to lure Denji out for his heart. Inside an undisclosed school, Reze guides Denji through the hallways and teaches him simple subjects such as grammar and mathematics. She also expresses concern upon learning how Denji lives out his life working under Public Safety. The two decide to go swimming in the school’s pool, where Reze helps Denji learn how to swim. Afterward, Denji and Reze rest in the classroom as it begins to rain.
Reze asks Denji whether he prefers to be the town mouse or country mouse, to which he chooses the town mouse, as he prefers food and fun over safety. Elsewhere, the Angel Devil informs Aki the origins of the fable and admits that he prefers being the country mouse to avoid being further involved in the city's dangers. Seeing that is what Denji prefers, Reze proposes to meet up again the next day at a festival to have more fun together. Denji complies and slowly realizes that he now has feelings for two women: Reze and Makima. As Reze heads to the restrooms in good spirits, a serial killer emerges from the shadows and chases her onto the school's balcony. Before the deranged figure can kill her, Reze swiftly disarms him and slowly strangles him to death. Getting back up, the unfettered Reze coldly tells the Typhoon Devil to dispose of the serial killer's corpse before heading back to check on Denji.
On the day of the festival, Denji and Reze spend time playing various games, eating food, and eventually watching the fireworks at a nearby fence. As the two enjoy the peaceful evening, Reze makes up her mind and asks Denji to run away together. Denji is initially confused but Reze tells him she loves him and promises to protect him from harm. Despite this, Denji turns down Reze's offer as he still wants to continue his job and visit her from time to time. Disappointed, Reze attacks Denji and prepares to take his heart out by force. Out of nowhere, Beam quickly grabs Denji and carries him to safety. Pulling the grenade pin on her neck, Reze transforms into her Bomb Hybrid form to give chase. Beam and Denji barely manage to evade her explosives as they arrive at Division 2's headquarters, where Aki and his old coworkers are spending time together. Beam frantically informs the Devil Hunters that the Bomb Devil is in alliance with the Gun Devil but cannot say anymore as he promised Makima. Not too long after, Reze arrives at the headquarters, ready to cause another massacre. Aki takes Denji to safety alongside the Angel Devil and Beam while Division 2 holds off Reze for the time being.
Reze manages to catch up to Aki's group after slaughtering Division 2, only to be stopped by Galgali and Kobeni. This diversion gives Denji enough time to recover and transform before confronting Reze directly. Before they fight, Denji expresses frustration that every woman he meets tries to kill him, wondering if any woman will see him for who he is. Reze tells Denji she does like him but Aki shoots down that claim. The two Hybrids engage in an explosive battle that ends with Reze overpowering Denji using her explosives to brutally subdue him. Before Reze can escape with Denji, Aki attacks her from behind to free Denji. Aki is soon joined by Galgali, forcing Reze to call in the Typhoon Devil, who immediately begins causing havoc and chaos throughout the city. After being rejuvenated once more with help from the Angel Devil and Beam, Denji devises a new strategy to counter Reze by using his chains to ride on Beam's shark form.
Denji and Beam ride back into the fray for their rematch against Reze and the Typhoon Devil. While Denji and Reze go all out against each other, the Typhoon Devil's swarming mass of flesh tears up the battlefield. The Angel Devil is nearly sucked into the Typhoon Devil's swirling body but Aki saves him, not wanting anyone else he cares about to die again. However, touching the Angel Devil reduces his lifespan by two months. Regardless, the Typhoon Devil meets its end by Denji, who ends up cornered by Reze after she takes Beam out of the fight. Knowing that she cannot use her powers underwater, Denji restrains Reze with his chains and throws the both of them into the ocean. The two reminisce about their time swimming together before losing consciousness. Denji and Reze eventually awaken on the beach, having been dragged out by Beam. Reze reveals that her feelings for him were nothing but a ruse, but Denji asks her to run away with him. Reze declines the offer but Denji promises to wait for her at the café at noon.
In the aftermath of Reze's attack, Kishibe tells Aki of an urban legend regarding the Soviet Union and reveals that Reze was one of the children experimented with by the Soviets to serve the government's needs. Elsewhere, Reze changes her mind regarding Denji's proposal to run away together and heads back to the café. Before she can reach Denji, Reze is intercepted by Makima, who is revealed to have watched her the entire time she was bonding with Denji. With help from the Angel Devil, Makima subdues Reze and seemingly kills her. As she loses consciousness, Reze recalls the reason she couldn't bring herself to kill Denji was because she empathizes with him for being unable to live a normal life. At the café, a depressed Denji realizes Reze never arrived and believes she stood him up. Power suddenly barges in and asks Denji if the flowers he has are for her. Denji doesn't respond as he bluntly devours the bouquet, much to Power's annoyance.
WE'RE MAKING AN ACTUAL ANIME!! Huge shoutout to Kadokawa and GeeXPlus for helping make this dream come true! And yes, we're ALSO making a webcomic/manga! It'll be out sooner than the anime, but both will be out later this year! Shoutout to Storygrounds for helping to make that happen, as well!
Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle raked in $70 million on its opening weekend -- almost as much as Elio made during its entire run. We talk about the insane box office, and what this means for anime in the US.
The Continent awaits. Here’s your exclusive first clip of Liam Hemsworth as Geralt of Rivia in The Witcher: Season 4. Returns October 30th, only on Netflix.
SISU: ROAD TO REVENGE is a wall-to-wall cinematic action event, a sequel to the original sleeper hit SISU. Returning to the house where his family was brutally murdered during the war, “the man who refuses to die” (Jorma Tommila) dismantles it, loads it on a truck, and is determined to rebuild it somewhere safe in their honor. When the Red Army commander who killed his family (Stephen Lang from Don’t Breathe) comes back hellbent on finishing the job, a relentless, eye-popping cross-country chase ensues - a fight to the death, full of clever, unbelievable action set pieces.
A magical and beautifully animated journey through time, Arco is a dazzling adventure about a 10-year-old boy from a peaceful, distant future who accidentally travels back to the year 2075 and discovers a world in peril. As Arco develops a charming and touching friendship with a young girl named Iris, they band together and along with her trusted robot caretaker Mikki, set out on a quest to get Arco home, while the two children may also be the only ones who can save our planet. A wondrous odyssey filled with hope and optimism for our future, Arco is an enchanting fable from breakout filmmaker Ugo Bienvenu, produced by Remembers’ Bienvenu and Felix de Givry, and mountainA’s Natalie Portman and Sophie Mas.
Get a new look at Onirism, a colorful, kid-friendly action-adventure with some serious third-person shooter chops, ahead of its 1.0 version launch on September 25 after six years in Early Access. BunBun must be rescued!
Onirism's voice cast includes award-winning K-pop sensation and recently Billboard-chart topping artist AleXa (voicing protagonist Carol in the English version of Onirism), and Anna Lauzeray-Gishi, who played Kiriko in Overwatch (and voices Carol in the French version). In addition, the developer notes, "YouTube personalities Benzaie and Bob Lennon lend their voices to key characters, bringing fan-favorite energy and charisma to the Onirism universe."
Metal Eden, a first-person sci-fi action shooter developed by Reikon Games. Players will set out as ASKA, an android created on the basis of the human mind, to free the lost colony of Moebius. Take up arms with a suite of different weapons and abilities to dispatch enemies, gain upgrades, and save humanity in Metal Eden, available now for PlayStation 5 (PS5), Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam).
Plastic beach, meet concrete jungle. Gorillaz have crossed over and crash-landed into a whole new universe as the latest Fortnite Icons: http://fn.gg/FestivalS10 Snag the 2D and Noodle Outfits now in the Item Shop with the Noodle & 2D Bundle, complete with themed cosmetics and the DARE Emote — and earn the Murdoc and Russel Outfits through the Fortnite Festival Season 10 Music Pass!
Marvel Zombies, an animated horror installment to the Marvel Cinematic Universe distributed by Marvel Studios. This series re-contextualizes the Marvel Universe as Earth's mightiest heroes go head-to-head against a zombie outbreak, turning even the strongest of them into undead nightmares.
Marvel Animation’s Marvel Zombies will be a four-part event on September 24, streaming exclusively on Disney+.
After the Avengers are overtaken by a zombie plague, a desperate group of survivors discover the key to bringing an end to the super-powered undead, racing across a dystopian landscape and risking life and limb to save their world.
Marvel Zombies stars Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Rudd, Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Tessa Thompson, Simu Liu, Awkwafina, Hailee Steinfeld, Wyatt Russell, Randall Park, Iman Vellani, Dominique Thorne, and more. The series is executive produced by Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Brad Winderbaum, Dana Vasquez-Eberhardt, Bryan Andrews, and Zeb Wells, and is produced by Danielle Costa, Carrie Wassenaar.
This Aussie adult animation follows the introverted space princess Saira on a laugh-out-loud adventure through the far reaches of gay space! Featuring the voice talents of Shabana Azeez, Bernie Van Tiel, Aunty Donna, Kween Kong, Gemma Chua-Tran, and Richard Roxburgh.
In Australian and New Zealand cinemas September 11
In this solo animated feature by Denver Jackson, Natomi (Breanna Pearl) is living a fearful life in a post-apocalyptic world consumed by war, when her father, Terric (Phillip Sacramento), transports her to a magical world called Esluna. There, Natomi encounters the queen, Idena (Chelsea Krause), who fears Natomi will take her place as ruler. Guided by her childhood companion, a stuffed bear named Miito (Max Lindsey) and a mysterious old warrior, Bataar (Andrew Lander), Natomi must face Idena and find the god of this world, her father.
When a demonic uprising threatens to end the world as they know it, a monk and an excommunicated priest join forces to protect a powerful young boy and the next generation of magic. As dark forces close in, the unlikely trio must confront their inner demons.
Nelvana is no more. The legendary Canadian animation studio behind Droids, Ewoks, Care Bears, Rock & Rule and so many, many more suddenly and quietly closed its doors on Friday with zero fanfare. People are blaming Corus' monetary woes and even The Orange One cutting funding to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
In this live-action-inspired cinematic teaser for Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Movie (2026), the Hashira reunite to confront a growing demonic threat that shakes the very balance between humanity and darkness. From the blazing resolve of Rengoku to the silent strength of Giyu, each Pillar brings their own fire to the battlefield.
Japan is fractured into many independent nations entangled in ceaseless war. At the center lies Ashina, a land of sacred earth and ancient mystery. Two decades after Sword Saint Isshin Ashina reclaimed the region in a brutal coup, a new threat emerges from within: The Interior Ministry. Desperate to protect his homeland, Isshin’s grandson Genichiro turns to forbidden powers. The only hope lies in a kidnapped boy — the Divine Heir — and his silent protector: a loyal shinobi known only as Sekiro.
This is the story of a lord and his retainer — and their quest to restore balance to a nation on the edge.
A teenager makes a terrifying extraterrestrial her friend after it crashes nearby in the desert. The youngster manages to deal with her sad mother and the mother's violent boyfriend while simultaneously protecting her dangerous new buddy.
Knights of Guinevere is a psychological thriller that welcomes you to a planet-wide theme park in the clouds!… And the shadows below, where a broken Princess Android is two dreamers’ tickets to better lives, or the end of them.
A rag-tag group of Microsian misfits are brought together to pursue Microsia’s most wanted villain, Baron Karza, after he breaks into a prison and forces an imprisoned Time-Traveler to create a Space Bridge that sends him to Earth. Once there, the evil Baron uses his dark Micronergy-fused powers to control a human teenager (Cameron), who builds a mysterious piece of technology for the villain, which he will use for a soon-to-be revealed nefarious plot.
Season 2 of the Dexter Prequel "Original Sin” just got cancelled by Showtime, Paramount and Skydance; despite already having been given the greenlight several months ago, as they want to focus on flagship series Dexter Resurrection starring Michael C. Hall … and that should worry Alex Kurtzman and his iteration of Star Trek - because his Starfleet Academy series could be on the chopping block next. Let's visit the latest rumors from behind the scenes...
KPop Demon Hunters Sing-Along was #1 at the box office this weekend, taking out Weapons. Not bad for a WEEKS OLD Netflix release, eh? We talk about how KPop Demon Hunters seemed to tap into the desire to experience a movie together like Star Wars and Marvel USED to...
All 12-year-old Thomas wants is to hang out with his older siblings, who both would prefer not to deal with their over-eager younger brother. One day, when attempting to prove himself, Thomas is injured and loses the ability to walk, but his adventures are only just beginning! He is about to be visited by a small furry creature from another dimension who allows him to visit a magical fantasy world where he might find the ability to heal himself. However, like many things in life, there are consequences for his actions, and Thomas must face an all-consuming monster created from his own shadow, which threatens to eat everything.
"This is a small teaser I did for a story I'm aiming to bring to life someday — a fantastic space odyssey about fate and freedom, purpose and identity. A tale of stars and memories, and the fragile blue planet that ties it all together."
"Boys Have Turned Away From Disney Brand," Variety Says! Oh, Say It Ain't SO!
After years of transforming male franchises into female ones, Disney is now looking to bring the very boys they had spent years rejecting back to the brand. The problem is, now the boys they rejected are rejecting THEM, as Variety magazine has acknowledged it in a new article... GEE, whoever could have seen this COMING folks?!?
DISNEY IS DESPERATE TO BRING BACK MEN!
Disney wants Gen Z MEN to come back to their franchises, and are seemingly admitting that they know they killed off Star Wars and Marvel by making them too female-friendly. They're so desperate they're even looking for NEW franchises -- but they had the two biggest male brands in all of geekdom and they destroyed them in less than a decade!
At just 13, Camille’s life takes a dramatic turn when she is accidentally hurled into the world of Gwendalavir, inhabited by creatures as extraordinary as they are dangerous. She and her friend Salim discover her real name, Ewilan. She learns the truth about her roots and her fate: a native of Gwendalavir, she has inherited a prodigious talent, designing. This turns out to be a decisive weapon in her people’s struggle with the terrible Ts’lich. Ewilan’s arrival brings fresh hope for saving an embattled world. Imagination will be her only limit.
An 11-year-old girl in Afghanistan disguises herself as a boy in order to support her family in this inspiring tale about the power of stories to carry us through dark times.
The Breadwinner is a 2017 animated drama film from Irish animation studio Cartoon Saloon, directed by Nora Twomey. Based on the best-selling novel by Deborah Ellis, the film was an international co-production among Canada, the Republic of Ireland and Luxembourg, and received a limited release on November 17, 2017.
The film had its world premiere at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival in September. The Breadwinner received a nomination for Best Animated Feature at the 90th Academy Awards, but lost to Coco.
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In 2001, Parvana is an eleven-year-old girl who lives in Kabul under the Taliban's Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan just as the War on Terror is beginning. Her father, Nurullah, is a former school teacher who became a hawker after losing his left leg in the Soviet–Afghan War. One day, during supper, he is unjustly arrested after Idrees, a young and volatile Taliban man, thinks he insulted him earlier while the two were selling goods in the market. Because the Taliban forbids women from going out without a male relative, Parvana's family is left without someone to support them, as her elder brother Sulayman died years ago, leaving her, her mother Fattema, her elder sister Soraya, and her youngest infant brother Zaki. When Parvana and Fattema try to go to the prison to appeal Nurullah's arrest, a man beats Fattema, while other men watch, after she shows him a photograph of Nurullah and threatens to arrest them if they go outside again. Parvana comforts Zaki by telling the story of a boy on a quest to retrieve his village's seeds from an evil elephant named the Elephant King.
Later, Parvana tries to buy food for her family, but the hawkers cannot sell her any due to fear of the Taliban. A few men spot Parvana and chase her, and she drops the bag Fattema gave her while running. Parvana eventually makes it back home. To support her family, she decides to cut her hair and dress as a boy. She starts calling herself "Atesh", claiming to be Nurullah's nephew. The plan works, and Parvana is able to get both food and money. On the advice of a friend named Shauzia, who is another young girl disguised as a boy called Delowar, Parvana tries to bribe a prison guard so she can see Nurullah, but the guard sends her away, and so she works to save up more money for a larger bribe, taking on hard labor jobs with Shauzia, who is trying to save enough money to escape her abusive father. Meanwhile, Fattema is forced to write to a relative in Mazar, arranging marriage for Soraya in exchange for shelter and protection. Parvana also meets Razaq, the former patrol partner of Idrees; the illiterate Razaq pays her to read him a letter informing him that his wife was killed by a land mine. He befriends her and continues to meet with her so that she can teach him how to read and write.
Parvana and Shauzia take a hard labor job where Idrees was also present. He makes fun of them for their weakness when Shauzia rests, and shoves Parvana onto the ground. Looking into her eyes, he recognizes her, and after being hit abruptly by Parvana with a brick, tries to kill her as she flees with Shauzia. Parvana and Shauzia manage to hide, and Idrees is abruptly called away to fight in the United States invasion of Afghanistan. When Parvana returns home, Fattema pleads with her to stop the dangerous plot, telling her that her relatives accepted Soraya and that they will be collected the day after next. Parvana agrees on the condition that she gets to visit Nurullah in prison to tell him where they are going, as Razaq has a cousin who works there that will let her in. She tearfully bids farewell to Shauzia, promising that they will meet each other again sometime in the future, which she predicts will be in exactly twenty years. However, as Parvana travels to the prison, Fattema's cousin arrives early and forces them to come with him without Parvana, as the war is starting and the roads will soon be blocked. Fattema eventually stands up to her cousin in a furious manner, refusing to let him take them further, and he leaves the family stranded on the road.
Parvana arrives at the prison, where she finds Razaq. After Parvana reveals that she is Nurullah's daughter, Razaq informs her that his cousin has left to fight, but he will retrieve Nurullah. Parvana witnesses the execution of weak prisoners who are unable to fight. Terrified, she gathers her courage to stay by finishing the tale of the boy, who she turns into Sulayman, revealing that he died after picking up a toy he found in the middle of the street, which was actually a land mine, and it exploded when he picked it up. Razaq is shot on the shoulder while rescuing the weak Nurullah, but the wound was not fatal and he reunites the two. Parvana takes Nurullah away, where they will soon reunite with the rest of the family and escape from Afghanistan together, as the two continue the story they were telling each other at the start of the film.
A squid-like creature, known as a Happian, leaves his home planet with the desire to spread happiness across the universe. He lands on Earth, but quickly finds himself in danger of captivity by its inhabitants. Fortunately, he is found by an unsmiling little girl named Shizuka Kuze, who feeds him and names him Takopii. Feeling indebted, Takopii decides to do everything in his power to bring a smile to her face. The task is easier said than done, however. Shizuka is bullied by her classmates, she does not have a father, and her mother is never home—though the gravity of these issues flies over the naive Takopii's head. Even so, Shizuka does have one source of happiness: her dog Chappy. The connection Shizuka and Chappy share only increases Takopii's desire to make the girl smile. While Takopii's attempts to lift Shizuka's spirits lead to unintended consequences, he is determined to take things into his own tentacles, test his understanding of human beings, and achieve his goal of spreading happiness.
Dungeons & Television Episode 1, "We Are Television"
After fleeing from monsters, the young wizard Marda encounters a strange group led by an elf named Syi. They introduce themselves as the Royal Broadcasting Guild (OHG) Dungeon Location Team, who use a "magic picture box" to televise their adventures to the world, but there are others with conflicting ideas...
X-Men 97, many fans agree, was the best thing Marvel had done in a long time, and yet the powers that be despised the show and abused the showrunner and staff, according to X-Men 97 Creator Beau DeMayo. In a lengthy post which was picked up by The Direct, he reveals more dysfunction behind the scenes at Marvel Studios, and slams Feige's plans for bringing the X-Men back into the franchise.
There's no better way to embrace the calm and aesthetic vibes than with this beautiful Ghibli-themed art video! Showcasing incredible works inspired by Studio Ghibli, these artists bring their creative imagination to life.
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