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.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

New HOBBIT Trailer

An Unexpected Journey

The second official trailer for 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey', part 1 of Peter Jackson's Hobbit Trilogy. Starring Martin Freeman (Bilbo Baggins), Ian McKellen (Gandalf) and Richard Armitage (Thorin Oakenshield). A curious Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, journeys to the Lonely Mountain with a vigorous group of Dwarves to reclaim a treasure stolen from them by the dragon Smaug. Also starring Benedict Cumberbatch (The Necromancer), Elijah Wood (Frodo), Hugo Weaving (Elrond), Orlando Bloom (Legolas), Cate Blanchett (Galadriel), Andy Serkis (Gollum) and Christopher Lee (Saruman).

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Fan-made Star Wars anime

Here's an awesome concept video of a Star Wars battle in space, created in vintage, '80s Star Blazers glory. It's two rousing minutes of Rebels vs. the Empire, Japanese-style. This spirited fan-film was crafted by British YouTube wizard OtaKing77077 and it cuts straight to the iconic core of Star Wars' universal appeal with elegant camera angles and bold imagery. This dogfight is inspired by classic anime shows like Space Battleship Yamato and the original Gundam series. See the sad fate of a doomed Rebel Blockade Runner under assault by a ruthless Star Destroyer in full attack mode and pray George Lucas may be watching to grant this cool project a future greenlight.

Monday, September 17, 2012

The Secret World


The Secret World is a modern-day massively multiplayer game of myths, legends and conspiracies, where you can become anything you want to be through a powerful progression system free of confinements such as classes and levels. Join the Illuminati, the Dragon or the Templars and join the battle for the power to rule the world.

Dark Days Are Here. Everything Is True.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Zetsuen no Tempest

Premieres on Japan TV October 4, 2012 
The anime adapts Kyou Shirodaira, Arihide Sano, and Ren Saizaki's fantasy mystery manga. The story centers around Yoshino Takigawa (played by Kouki Uchiyama), an ordinary high school student with a mysterious friend named Mahiro Fuwa (Toshiyuki Toyonaga). Mahiro made a deal with a witch named Hakaze to hunt down the killers of his parents and sister. Now Mahiro is missing, and Hakaze confronts Yoshino. Yoshino find himself involved in a crisis that may doom the entire world.

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Friday, September 14, 2012

Toys in the Attic

Legendary Czech stop-motion animation master Jiri Barta's first feature in over 20 years is described as four parts Toy Story and one part David Lynch, as a group of abandoned toys stage an ambitious rescue of their kidnapped friend. 

From NYAFF's description:

Set behind the doors of a dusty attic, the adorable doll Buttercup plays mom to a motley family of castaways: the station master Teddy Bear, clay-animated Schubert, and the Quixotic marionette knight Sir Handsome. In this enchanted world every day is a birthday, until a mysterious black cat kidnaps the beloved Buttercup and takes her to the Land of Evil ruled by the villainous Head of State, who commands an army of mechanical, mustachioed insects and an all seeing spying eye. Both a wonderfully spooky children's fairy tale and Soviet-era allegory, 
Toys in the Attic marks a career highpoint for Barta, who was among the first to raise stop-motion animation to an art form and paved the the way for modern hits like The Nightmare Before ChristmasCoraline, and Fantastic Mr. Fox.

New English language dub features the voices of Forest Whitaker, Joan Cusack and Cary Elwes.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Clone Wars Season 5

Extended Trailer

Season Premiere September 29, 2012

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Digital trailblazer & Disney exec Bob Lambert dies

Bob Lambert
1957 - 2012
Bob Lambert served as senior executive in various departments at Walt Disney Co. for 25 years, helping to usher Disney into the digital era. (Disney / September 11, 2012)
[Source: L.A. Times] Bob Lambert, a widely respected entertainment industry executive who played a pivotal role in the advent of computer animation, died of undisclosed causes Friday at his home in Glendale, his family announced Monday night. He was 55.

Lambert served as senior executive in various departments at Walt Disney Co. for 25 years, helping to usher Disney into the digital era.

While working for Disney Feature Animation, Lambert conceived a strategy for replacing cell animation with CGI production. He worked with Pixar to develop a digital production system that earned Disney an Academy Award for Scientific and Technical Achievement.

“I am deeply saddened by the loss of my friend and former colleague Bob Lambert," said Dick Cook, former chairman of the Walt Disney Studios. "Not only was he a great person, he was a highly respected visionary who forever changed the moviegoing experience by leading the motion picture industry into the digital era. His passing is a great loss."

Lambert was also a founder and chairman of DCI, the six-studio consortium that helped movie theaters transition to digital exhibition by establishing specifications that ensured a uniform and high level of technical performance and quality.

Born and raised in Roanoke, Va., Lambert was a graduate of Virginia Tech. He held 30 patents in media technologies and was named an industry pioneer by ShoWest, the exhibition industry trade show now called CinemaCon.

He was chairman and chief strategic officer of the University of Southern California's Entertainment Technology Center. He left Disney in 2010 and recently served as CEO of the Digital Firm in Los Angeles.

"Bob was one of the most respected technology executives in the media and entertainment business,'' said Kenneth Williams, the executive director of USC's technology center. "Always generous with his time, his friendship and tremendous insight will be greatly missed."

Lambert is survived by his wife Cheryl Murphy, brother Paul Lambert and nephew Nathaniel Lambert.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

DreamWorks Animation Unveils 12-Picture Slate

To Run Through 2016
[Source: Toonzone.net] DreamWorks Animation, SKG, Inc. has announced an ambitious 12-film slate, scheduling the dozen films for release through 2016. The films include a number of sequels and new projects:
  • The Croods (March 22, 2013)
  • Turbo (July 19, 2013)
  • Mr. Peabody & Sherman (Nov. 1, 2013)
  • Me and My Shadow (March 14, 2014)
  • How to Train Your Dragon 2 (June 20, 2014)
  • Happy Smekday! (Nov. 26, 2014)
  • The Penguins of Madagascar (March 27, 2015)
  • Trolls (working title, June 5, 2015)
  • B.O.O: Bureau of Otherwordly Operations (November 6, 2015)
  • Mumbai Musical (working title, Dec. 19, 2015)
  • Kung Fu Panda 3 (March 18, 2016)
  • How to Train Your Dragon 3 (June 18, 2016)
Among the new titles named, B.O.O. will star Seth Rogen and is based on an original idea by Tony Leondis (Igor), who is also attached to direct. How to Train Your Dragon 3 will also have Dean DeBlois directing. The schedule is the most ambitious of any animated film studio, and will mean DreamWorks will have three animated feature releases per year starting in 2013 (with four films slated for 2015).

In addition, 20th Century Fox announced release dates for Epic (May 24, 2013) and Rio 2 (April 14, 2014).

Monday, September 10, 2012

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Live-Action HEAVY METAL TV Show

Starts November on France 4

Short teaser for the announcement of the Broadcast of Metal Hurlant Chronicles on France Television.

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Walking Dead Season 3 Clip

Premieres October 14, 2012
[Source: Syfy.com] A new teaser clip from The Walking Dead's third season has been released, showing Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and company making their way through a dark, creepy prison basement. Guess what they find?

If you guessed Walkers, you're right, because that old prison looks to be filled with the undead. The clip definitely sets the suspenseful mood, and it actually invokes an old Silent Hill videogame vibe, with nothing but the thin beam of a flashlight slicing through the darkness.

Friday, September 7, 2012

Robotics;Notes

With the opening of its official site, the staff and key visual have been revealed for the Production I.G adaptation of 5pb.'s (Steins;Gate) third science adventure game, Robotics;Notes.

Director: Kazuya Nomura (Sengoku Basara 2)
Series Composition: Jukki Hanada (Steins;Gate)
Character Design: Chikashi Kubota (One Piece: Baron Omatsuri and the Secret Island)
Key Animation: Masakazu Yamagishi (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood)
Mechanical Design: Takuma Ebisu (Guilty Crown)

The "augmented science adventure" kicks off when a high school robot club member is inspired by a girl who programs fighting games. He gets some motion capture assistance from a member of the karate club and sets out to create a robot.


The anime will air in the Noitamina block starting in October.

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Call Me Maybe: Wizard World Chicago Comic Con


Just a few days ago at Wizard World Chicago Comic Con a group of Wizard World Digital Team video bloggers got together and produced a crowd-sourced video. This turned out to be an epic undertaking connecting with fans, celebrities and the cosplay community. Celebrity guests included Bruce Campbell, Lesley-Ann Brandt, Katrina Law, Nicole & Brianna Garcia, Jon Bernthal, Adrianne Curry and David Della Rocco! After pulling together content from ten very committed video teams (editing by Nyq Bonaventura) Wizard World would like share with our fans "Call Me Maybe" the unauthorized Comic Con edition.

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

One Piece Nami Special


One Piece special "Nami : Bonds and Friendship and Tears of the Navigator," scheduled aired August 25th, the TV event offered a re-animated account of the origin story of the pirate anime's navigator.

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Megumi Hayashibara in Kaiketsu Zorori



Queen of '90s anime voice acting Megumi Hayashibara (Lina Inverse, Evangelion's Rei) - starring as the heroine of the Sunrise (of Gundam and Code Geass fame) adaptation of Yutaka Hara's Kaiketsu Zorori children book

Monday, September 3, 2012

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Arata-naru Sekai


Arata-naru Sekai is an ambitious multi-media project with a Madhouse (Redline, Hunter x Hunter, Chihayafuru) anime, Hitoma Iruma (Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko) light novel and Kendi Oiwa (Welcome to the N.H.K.) illustrated manga telling different aspects of a time travel story. A new preview offers a look at the interconnected story. A box set of the Past, Present and Future will ship in October for 9,240-yen ($118).