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.
After failing to avenge her father's murder, Princess Scarlett wakes up in the "Land of the Dead." In this world full of madness, she must take revenge on her sworn enemy. If she does not avenge her nemesis and reach the "Endless Place," she will become "nothingness" and cease to exist.
Enslaved by an evil tyrant who wishes to destroy her people, barbarian huntress Red Sonja must unite a group of unlikely warriors to face off against Dragan the Magnificent and his deadly bride, Dark Annisia.
Red Sonja is an upcoming American sword and sorcery film directed by M. J. Bassett and written by Tasha Huo, based on the Marvel Comics/Dynamite character of the same name. The film stars Matilda Lutz as the title character, alongside Wallis Day, Robert Sheehan, Michael Bisping, Martyn Ford, Eliza Matengu, Rhona Mitra, and Veronica Ferres.
Virgin Punk: Clockwork Girl Conditions for Receiving Bounty:
Bring the brain of a wanted criminal possessing illegal Somadea to authorities. Whether the target is alive or dead… is irrelevant.
The year is 2099. Humanity has advanced, overcoming all injuries and illnesses with the development of the Medical Android Technology “Somadea.” However, along with the development of Somadea, crimes misusing said technology have rapidly increased. Somadea grants physical abilities far superior to those of normal flesh and blood, and by illegally modifying it, Somadea can be misused for criminal purposes. To deal with these Somadea crimes, the government established the Bounty Hunter System. Civilians registered as bounty hunters are permitted to kill illegal Somadea users designated as wanted criminals by the police. In return, they are rewarded with large amounts of bounty money. In this unforgiving world, Ubu Kamigori makes a living hunting down criminals as a bounty hunter. But one day, when she returns home from a job, she finds the man with whom she has a sordid history waiting there – Mr. Elegance. And so, her destiny begins to unravel. A tale woven by mechanical girls and the smell of gunpowder smoke, this suspenseful action begins!
A Yasuomi Umetsu X SHAFT Collaboration Yasuomi Umetsu is an incredibly talented writer, director, and character designer from Japan who has captivated fans from all over the world with his unique worlds from works such as KITE (1998) and MEZZO FORTE (2000), among others. In recent years, he has worked in multiple capacities, including directing the opening and ending sequences of various popular titles and working as an animator. This occasion marks his return as animation director, for the first time in 10 years, with the title VIRGIN PUNK.
Animation studio SHAFT joins forces with Director Yasuomi Umetsu to animate the visuals for this title. The studio has created and gifted the world with much-loved titles such as Puella Magi Madoka Magica and the Monogatari series.
VIRGIN PUNK is the progeny of Yasuomi Umetsu and SHAFT, an entirely original animation series created and planned by this talented team.
Yuya Takahashi, a screenwriter known for his work on the Kamen Rider series and drama Mountain Doctor, takes the reins of the script. Maximizing the unique animated expressions found in VIRGIN PUNK, he depicts the anguish experienced by Ubu, the story’s protagonist, who must live her life as a bounty hunter, painting a story of the intense characters that draw her in with their desires and chaos, interwoven into her life.
‘Tobe! Kujira no Peek’ is the story of two brothers who find a small, injured albino whale, hide it in a secluded inlet, and nurse it to health. The whale is discovered by a circus leader who takes it captive, and the boys seek to free it. This is a family movie with a cute, cartoony whale. It has other expected elements like a cruel group of bullies and the greedy circus owner, indifferent to the animal’s pain. The movie is of note for several reasons. First, it was directed by Kouji Morimoto, who apparently had some serious animator connections in the early 90’s; this movie has many quality keys. Second, the character art is by Satoru Utsunomiya, who has a distinct and original style. Subjects move with fluidity but have simplified, geometrical facial features, hair, and body shapes. This is perhaps exemplified through the eyes, big yet low in detail, just beady and shiny. Fans of his work on Gosenzo-sama may want to investigate. The movie is set in a coastal town in Spain and is realized with beautiful art direction of the architecture and coastal formations.
The MCU just introduced the Marvel villain who will absolutely help Daredevil: Born Again earn its TV-MA rating. Continuing after the events of the original Netflix series as well as Daredevil (Charlie Cox) and Kingpin's subsequent MCU appearances, Born Again is set to bring Matt Murdock's story back to the forefront, operating as a lawyer by day and a New York vigilante by night. However, the show has also been confirmed to include none other than the incredibly dangerous Daredevil villain from the comics known as Muse. Daredevil: Born Again is expected to largely be focused on the mayoral campaign of Wilson Fisk (Vincent D'onofrio), one that would no doubt give him an impressive level of control of the city of New York. As such, it will be interesting to see how Daredevil responds, both as Matt Murdock and as a vigilante. However, the debut of Muse may be a threat that may temporarily unite both Murdock and Fisk, while also guaranteeing the need for Daredevil: Born Again's more mature rating than most MCU projects.
From Capcom, led by Adi Shankar, and animated by Studio Mir comes Devil May Cry - a Netflix animated series based on the hit video game franchise. Johnny Yong Bosch as Dante.
A look at the Ranma 1/2 remake, streaming on Netflix
On a training journey in the Bayankala Mountain Range in the Qinghai Province of China, Ranma Saotome and his father Genma fell into the cursed springs at Jusenkyo (呪泉郷). The cursed spring causes any afflicted to assume the physical form of whatever drowned there hundreds or thousands of years ago whenever they come into contact with cold water, which reverts on contact with hot water but resumes with exposure to cold water. Genma fell into the spring of a drowned panda while Ranma fell into the spring of a drowned girl.
Soun Tendo is a fellow practitioner of Musabetsu Kakutō Ryū (無差別格闘流) or "Anything-Goes School" of martial arts and owner of a dojo. Genma and Soun agreed years ago that their children would marry and carry on the Tendo Dojo. Soun has three teenaged daughters: the polite and easygoing Kasumi, the greedy and indifferent Nabiki and the short-tempered, martial arts practicing Akane. Akane, who is Ranma's age, is appointed for bridal duty by her sisters with the reasoning that they are the older sisters and can dump the duty on her, and that they all dislike the arranged engagement and think Akane's dislike of men is the right way to express it to the fathers. At the appointed time, the Saotomes arrive in their new forms given by the cursed springs, confusing the Tendos, and ultimately leading to Akane seeing Ranma changing from girl form to boy form in the tub, much to her horror. It takes several more pages for the situation to be explained to Soun Tendo and his daughters. Both Ranma and Akane refuse the engagement initially, having not been consulted on the decision, but the fathers are insistent and they are generally treated as betrothed and end up helping or saving each other on some occasions. They are frequently found in each other's company and are constantly arguing in their trademark awkward love-hate manner that is a franchise focus.
Ranma goes to school with Akane at Furinkan High School (風林館高校, Fūrinkan Kōkō), where he meets his recurring opponent Tatewaki Kuno, the conceited kendo team captain who aggressively pursues Akane, but also falls in love with Ranma's female form without ever discovering his curse (despite most other characters eventually knowing it). Nerima serves as a backdrop for more martial arts mayhem with the introduction of Ranma's regular rivals, such as the eternally lost Ryoga Hibiki who traveled halfway across Japan getting from the front of his house to the back, where Ranma spent three days waiting for him. Ryoga, seeking revenge on Ranma, followed him to Jusenkyo where he ultimately fell into the Spring of the Drowned Piglet. Now when splashed with cold water he takes the form of a little black pig. Not knowing this, Akane takes the piglet as a pet and names it P-chan, but Ranma knows and hates him for keeping this secret and taking advantage of the situation. Another rival is the nearsighted Mousse, who also fell into a cursed spring and becomes a duck when he gets wet, and finally, there is Genma and Soun's impish grand master, Happosai, who spends his time stealing the underwear of schoolgirls.
Ranma's prospective paramours include the martial arts rhythmic gymnastics champion (and Tatewaki's sister) Kodachi Kuno, and his second fiancée and childhood friend Ukyo Kuonji the okonomiyaki vendor, along with the Chinese Amazon Shampoo, supported by her great-grandmother Cologne. As the series progresses, the school becomes more eccentric with the return of the demented, Hawaii-obsessed Principal Kuno and the placement of the power-leeching alternating child/adult Hinako Ninomiya as Ranma's English teacher. Ranma's indecision in choosing his true love causes chaos in his romantic and school life.
DRAGONKEEPER Travel back in time to ancient China, find your destiny, and become a DragonKeeper.
As ancient China falls under the rule of an evil Emperor, a fiery young girl rebels. Alongside a powerful dragon, she embarks on a journey to recover the last remaining dragon egg and save the world.
Crunchyroll is excited to bring Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle to theaters as an epic trilogy event!
Trilogy Coming to Theaters!
It is the Taisho Period in Japan. Tanjiro, a kindhearted boy who sells charcoal for a living, finds his family slaughtered by a demon. To make matters worse, his younger sister Nezuko, the sole survivor, has been transformed into a demon herself. Though devastated by this grim reality, Tanjiro resolves to become a “demon slayer” so that he can turn his sister back into a human, and kill the demon that massacred his family.
In Season 2 of Star Trek: Prodigy, these six young outcasts who make up the Prodigy crew are assigned a new mission aboard the U.S.S. Voyager-A to rescue Captain Chakotay and bring peace to Gwyn’s home world. However, when their plan goes astray, it creates a time paradox that jeopardizes both their future and past.
PADDINGTON IN PERU brings Paddington's story to Peru as he returns to visit his beloved Aunt Lucy, who now resides at the Home for Retired Bears. With the Brown Family in tow, a thrilling adventure ensues when a mystery plunges them into an unexpected journey through the Amazon rainforest and up to the mountain peaks of Peru.
'Moana 2' is officially making a splash! Dwayne Johnson and Auli'i Cravalho reprise their roles for the animated sequel, which is in theaters on November 27. The film follows Moana's adventures as she answers a call from her ancestors to sail new skies and reconnect her community across the ocean.
Prepare to be transported to the intriguing world of "Kuramerukagari." This captivating tale weaves together the lives of its characters with the rich tapestry of a coal mining town known as the "Hakoniwa."
In this labyrinthine town, where each day brings new twists and turns, we meet Kagari, a spirited girl who runs a mapmaking business, and Yuya, a young dreamer yearning to escape the confines of the "Hakoniwa." As their paths intertwine, alongside the town's eccentric residents, they become embroiled in a conspiracy that threatens to unravel the very fabric of their community.
At the heart of it all lies Kagari's extraordinary talent for mapmaking, as her drawings hold the key to the fate of the "Hakoniwa." Together, Kagari, Yuya, and their newfound allies must navigate through shadows and secrets to uncover the truth and protect their home.
Join us on a journey of discovery and intrigue, where the lines between reality and illusion blur, and the power of friendship and determination reign supreme. "Kuramerukagari" promises an unforgettable adventure that will leave you spellbound until the very end. Don't miss the chance to explore the depths of the "Hakoniwa" and witness the destiny that unfolds through Kagari's maps.
GODZILLA x KONG: The New Empire The guardians of nature. The protectors of humanity. The rise of a new empire.
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.
A dutiful damsel agrees to marry a handsome prince, only to find the royal family has recruited her as a sacrifice to repay an ancient debt. Thrown into a cave with a fire-breathing dragon, she must rely on her wits and will to survive. Millie Bobby Brown stars in Damsel.
Deadpool & Wolverine is the next installment in the MCU featuring our favorite blood-soaked hero Deadpool as he gets sucked into the MCU with the help of the TVA.
Deadpool & Wolverine releases in theaters on July 26
Based upon recently declassified files of the British War Department and inspired by true events, THE MINISTRY OF UNGENTLEMANLY WARFARE is an action-comedy that tells the story of the first-ever special forces organization formed during WWII by UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill and a small group of military officials including author Ian Fleming. The top-secret combat unit, composed of a motley crew of rogues and mavericks, goes on a daring mission against the Nazis using entirely unconventional and utterly “ungentlemanly” fighting techniques. Ultimately their audacious approach changed the course of the war and laid the foundation for the British SAS and modern Black Ops warfare.
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare – In theaters April 19
Starring Henry Cavill, Eiza González, Alan Ritchson, Alex Pettyfer, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Babs Olusanmokun, Henrique Zaga, Til Schweiger, with Henry Golding, and Cary Elwes.
In Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, the Spengler family returns to where it all started – the iconic New York City firehouse – to team up with the original Ghostbusters, who’ve developed a top-secret research lab to take busting ghosts to the next level. But when the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second Ice Age.
Frozen Empire is exclusively in movie theaters March 22
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.
