Next Club Meeting: November 16, 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.

Saturday, June 30, 2012

Amazing Spider-man clips

Opening Next Week!
The Amazing Spider-Man stars Andrew Garfield, Martin Sheen, 
Sally Field, Emma Stone and Rhys Ifans. Check out the new clips below:

Friday, June 29, 2012

The Star Wars I Used to Know

Lucas Spoof
[Source: SyFy.com] George Lucas has been the butt of multiple jokes, and now he's the star of a music video parody inspired by Goyte's "Somebody That I Used to Know." Watch as our Lucas frustration is cleverly expressed in song.

The video is described as "a story of heartbreak to which Star Wars fans everywhere can relate." You know what they're talking about. You hate the constant edits and tinkering that's been done to the original trilogy. You yearn for an unaltered version of the films that you fell in love with as a child. 

But Mr. Lucas has other plans. According to this song:
Now and then I think of all the times I screwed fans over.

I had them believing that the first three films were really done.

But Star Wars will be done my way.

I don't care what you have to say.

I think that they should let it go.

And they'll never get the Blu-Ray of the Star Wars that you used to know
Check out "The Star Wars That I Used to Know" below. And tell us how it stacks up to Goyte's video.



Here's Goyte's original "Somebody That I Used to Know:"

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Things to look forward to at Comic-Con 2012

SDCC 2012's DAY ONE Events Announced
Sneak Peak at all the new Sci-Fi TV Pilots
Wednesday night will get things started off on the right foot, with sneak peek screenings of several hot pilots coming up this fall. Show up early and get a first look at pilots of The CW's Arrow, J.J. Abrams' Revolution, Rockne S. O'Bannon's Cult and 666 Park Avenue.

 Celebrate Galactica's 35th Anniversary
Everything really starts in earnest Thursday, and former Battlestar Galactica star Richard Hatch will bring in Jane Espenson and some former BSG writers to talk about the politics and philosophies of the seminal sci-fi series.


 At Home with the Hobbit
J.R.R. Tolkien fan site TheOneRing.net will take an independent look at the upcoming Hobbit films, including a special presentation from some folks at FX house Weta Workshop. Should show off some great behind-the-scenes content.

The New 52 with DC Editors
DC editor Pat McCallum, and creators Jeff Lemire (Justice League Dark), Rob Liefeld (Deathstroke, Grifter) and Jimmy Palmiotti (All-Star Western) will lead a panel and talk about what's coming up next for DC.

Robert Kirkman Talks Walking Dead
 One event that's sure to pack the hall is the sit-down interview with Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman, where he will discuss the comic and TV series. He'll also do a Q&A, so bring your big questions with you.

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

The Adventures of Jane

Independent Flash Animated Short

Originally entitled: A.D.D. Jane. Meet Jane, she's a small girl with an even smaller attention span. When she is tasked with cleaning her room, her unusual approach takes her on an amazing adventure. Too bad she's barely paying attention!

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Dog With Electric Collar

Independent Animation

The dog lives in the basement apartment on a busy city street, incessantly barking at anything that passes by the window. That is, until its owner decides to strap on an unforgiving electric collar... As the dog sits alone and confused, unable to bark, all hell suddenly breaks loose outside the window. And if that wasn’t bad enough, an evil fly buzzing above is ruthlessly scheming against the dog.

Sunday, June 24, 2012

ZombiU - E3 Game Trailer

Release Date TBA

A first-person shooter for Nintendo's new Wii U console. The story follows a zombie outbreak in London.

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Mysterious Cities of Gold - Sequel

Premieres in France, June 23, 2012


A French-language trailer for the upcoming Mysterious Cities of Gold sequel series has been released. This is the cult animated series hit from the 1980's that sent its lead characters Esteban, Zia, and Tao on a continent-spanning trip exploring South America for lost civilizations, fabled treasures, and leads on Esteban's missing father. The new series will be a direct sequel to the original, sending the trio and their friends to Asia, and the original series' mini-documentaries detailing the real-world history behind each episode will be returning as well.

Friday, June 22, 2012

Pixar's BRAVE opens today

- BRAVE -
[Source: Wikipedia] Merida is an archer living in the Scottish kingdom of DunBroch as a princess with her mother Elinor and her father Fergus. On Merida's birthday, Fergus gives Merida a bow and arrow. While going hunting, Merida's family are attacked by an ancient bear, Mor'du. Elinor and Merida flee. Fergus stays to battle the bear and loses his left leg, vowing to find Mor'du again.

One day, Lords Macintosh, MacGuffin, and Dingwall present their sons to compete for Merida's hand, and a brawl ensues. Merida chooses an archery challenge to determine her suitor. Lord Dingwall's son wins by accident. Merida decides to shoot the three targets herself, causing a falling-out with her mother. Merida destroys part of a sewn tapestry depicting the family and Elinor throws Merida's bow into a fire pit. Merida rides away on her horse in desperation as Elinor quickly retrieves the bow from the fire. Merida follows a trail of Will O' the Wisps, small blue fairies that are said to lead a person to their fate, to a witch's hut. Merida bargains with the witch for a spell that changes her fate. The witch conjures a tart for Merida to give to her mother. Back in DunBroch, Elinor eats the tart and begins to feel sick. Merida takes Elinor up to her room, where Elinor falls off her bed and transforms into a bear. Merida and Elinor return to the witch's cottage, where they find a message left for Merida: the spell will be permanent unless undone by the second sunrise. The witch leaves Merida a riddle, mentioning that a bond must be repaired.

Thursday, June 21, 2012

First Look at Angelina Jolie as MALEFICENT

Premieres March 14, 2014
With Walt Disney Pictures commencing production on MALEFICENT, 
we see the first official image of Angelina Jolie as the titular character. 
A dead-ringer for the original animated version.


Tuesday, June 19, 2012

From Up On Poppy Hill

GKids to distribute Ghibli film

[Source: AICN.com] Entertainment Industry trade magazine Variety reports that GKids has picked up the distribution rights to Studio Ghibli's latest movie, From Up On Poppy Hill. Renowned director Hayao Miyazaki wrote the screenplay for the shoujo manga adaptation, while son Goro Miyazaki directed. 

Gkids will screen the movie this year to qualify for 2013's Academy Awards before a larger March, 2013 release. Earlier this year, the movie won the award for animated feature in the 35th Japan Academy Prizes.

Variety explains that the movie is set in 1963 Yokohama, and follows a pair of high school students who are battling the demolition of a historic building as they deal with their own families' past secrets. There's been a lot of talk about how the movie is the first part of a nostalgia-focus at the studio.

This is the first release of a first-run Studio Ghibli film from GKids, who have been touring a 13-movie Ghibli retrospective across North America. It constitutes a break from the previous run of Disney-distributed Ghibli movies.

Monday, June 18, 2012

Halo 4 - E3 Game Trailer

Coming November 6, 2012

The latest installment in Microsoft's monster hit Halo series looks to be one of the best yet, with Master Chief's return to face an ancient evil that threatens the entire universe. If you like it, there'll be more to come, as Halo 4 marks the beginning of a new trilogy.

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Dark Knight Returns

A New Animated Video Coming This Fall
[Source: Wikipedia] The Dark Knight Returns is set in a dystopian near-future version of Gotham City. A year is never specified, though it has been a full decade since the last reported sighting of Batman, the current American President appears to be Ronald Reagan or someone using his image, and the Cold War is still ongoing. Virtually all superheroes, with the exception of Superman, have been forced into retirement or otherwise driven away by a distrusting populace. Bruce Wayne has voluntarily retired from crime fighting following the death (under unspecified circumstances) of Jason Todd, the second Robin. In the absence of superheroes, criminals run amok, and a gang called the Mutants terrorizes Gotham City.

The return of an old enemy prompts a now 55-year-old Wayne to don the Batman costume once again. Despite Wayne's funding his rehabilitation, including plastic surgery to restore his half-disfigured face, Harvey "Two-Face" Dent has seemingly returned to crime. Batman apprehends Dent, but the populace debates whether Batman's brand of vigilantism has any place in society. The media plays a large role in DKR, with the narrative broken up by news reports and "talking head" editorials debating events in the story as they unfold.

After Batman saves her from a Mutant attack, 13-year-old Carrie Kelley buys herself a knock-off Robin costume, and searches for Batman to aid him. She finds Batman at the city dump, where he is fighting the Mutants. The Mutants' leader defeats Batman in combat, but Kelley distracts him long enough for Batman to pacify him and Kelley pulls Batman into the tank-like Batmobile. Kelley attends to Batman’s wounds as the vehicle drives toward the Batcave. Once home, Batman takes Carrie on as the new Robin despite the objections of his butler, Alfred. With the help of retiring Commissioner James Gordon, the Mutants' leader is allowed to escape from jail, and Batman beats him in a mud fight in front of the assembled gang. The Mutants disband as a result of his humiliation, forming several smaller gangs, one of which, the "Sons of the Batman," uses extremely violent methods (up to and including murder) to "purge" Gotham of its criminal element in what they see as emulation of Batman's methods.

Meanwhile, the return of Batman causes his oldest and deadliest foe, The Joker, to awaken from a years-long catatonic state at Arkham Asylum. The Joker convinces his psychiatrist, Dr. Bartholomew Wolper, that he is sane and regrets his misdeeds. Seeking to discredit Batman, whom he has crusaded against in the media, Wolper appears with the Joker on a late-night talk show. While the police, now led by the anti-vigilante Commissioner Ellen Yindel, attack Batman, the Joker murders everyone in the television studio (including Wolper) and escapes. He finds Selina Kyle, and after finding out what he wants from her gags her, beats her, dresses her in a Wonder Woman costume, and binds her with a gold-covered rope. Batman and Robin free her, and track the Joker to a county fair, where he has already murdered many people. Batman defeats Joker in a violent showdown but stops short of killing him; however, the Joker twists his own broken neck, seemingly with the intent that the police will charge Batman with murder. Batman escapes, but not before another confrontation with the Gotham police, and a citywide manhunt is now on for the Caped Crusader.

After Superman diverts a Russian nuclear warhead which then detonates in a desert, Gotham is hit by an electromagnetic pulse, and descends into chaos during the resulting blackout. Batman and Robin train former Mutants and the brutal Sons of the Batman in non-lethal fighting to stop looting and ensure the flow of needed supplies. In the midst of nuclear winter conditions, Gotham becomes the safest city in America; the U.S. government, seeing this as a credibility-undermining embarrassment, orders Superman to take Batman down. Having been warned of the government's plans by Oliver Queen, the former Green Arrow, Batman confronts Superman. Symbolically, their duel takes place in Crime Alley, where Bruce Wayne's parents were murdered decades earlier. Batman defeats Superman (with the help of Green Arrow and a kryptonite-tipped arrow), but dies from a heart attack immediately afterward. Alfred destroys the Batcave and Wayne Manor and suffers a fatal stroke.

After Bruce's funeral, it is revealed that his death was staged as an elaborate ruse; Clark Kent (Superman) attends the funeral and gives Robin a knowing wink after hearing Bruce's heartbeat as he leaves the grave site, suggesting his silent approval of what will happen next. Some time afterward, Batman leads Robin, Green Arrow, and the rest of his followers into the caverns beyond the Batcave and prepares to continue his fight. His plan, which will take years of training and studying, is to build an army, and to bring sense to a world plagued by something "worse than thieves and murderers". He decides that this will be a "good life – good enough."

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Legend of Korra - Preview Clip

"Turning the Tide"

The battle against the Equalists kicks up a notch in "Turning the Tide," the episode leading into The Legend of Korra's two-part season finale. The antepenultimate chapter premieres on Saturday, June 16, 2012, at 11:00 AM (ET/PT). Korra works to recover from her time spent imprisoned by Tarrlok, but when she is interrupted by Republic City coming under attack from Equalists, she is forced to take action against the evil group and their mysterious leader Amon.

Friday, June 15, 2012

ROSA

A Short Film by Jesus Orellana
In the near future, 
humanity has disappeared, 
leaving behind a large megalopolis devoid of natural life. 
From the destruction awakes ROSA, 
a robot part of the KERNEL project, 
mankind's last attempt to restore the earth's ecosystem 
using recovered samples of long-extinct plant species. 
Wandering among the ruins of the lifeless city, 
Rosa will soon discover that she is not 
the only part of Kernel that has awakened.
  

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Anime Viewing Schedule for June 16, 2012

Glen Ellyn Public Library
Meeting Room B, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
"Excuse me. I'm looking for some anime.
You know the kind I mean. Wink. Wink." 

Saturday, June 16, 2012
10:00 - 10:50    Accel World 1-2
10:50 - 11:15    Space Brothers 1

11:15 - 11:40    Rinne no Lagrange 3
11:40 - 12:30    Mirai Nikki (Future Diary) 15-16
12:30 - 1:20     Sakamichi no Apollon 3-4
1:20 - 1:45       Fate/Zero 7
1:45 - 2:40       Club Meeting / Announcements
2:40 - 3:30       Jormungand 1-2
3:30 - 4:45       Another 1-3


10:00 - 10:50   Accel World 1-2
"Chaos, mayhem, and devastation! Welcome to my world!"
Accel World
[Source: Wikipedia] In the year 2046, Neuro-synchronization, a technology system that allows humans to manipulate their five senses, has become widespread where people can access the internet and enter virtual worlds. Haruyuki "Haru" Arita is a short, fat boy who due to constant bullying has low-self esteem. To escape the torment of real life, he logs-in to the school's virtual world network where he plays squash alone and always gets the highest score. One day Haru attracts the attention of the Student Council Vice-President Kuroyukihime who offers him Brain Burst, a secret program which allows a person to make time appear to stand still in their surroundings by "accelerating" their brainwaves in the real world. Unfortunately, there is a limit to how many times a person can accelerate due to Brain Burst points and the primary way to get more points is to fight and defeat other Brain Burst users in the program's virtual reality massive multiplayer online (VRMMO) fighting game. However, if a user loses all of his/her points the Brain Burst program will uninstall itself and block all re-installation attempts, thus permanently removing the user's ability to accelerate. Kuroyukihime wants Haru's help as she wishes to reach Level 10 and meet the creator of Brain Burst to learn its true purpose. But in order to do that, she must defeat five other Level 9 users who just so happen to be "The Six Kings of Pure Color", the leaders of the six most powerful factions in the Brain Burst world. For helping him, Haru agrees to help Kuroyukihime not only to repay her but to overcome his weaknesses.
Episode 1 "Acceleration": Haruyuki "Haru" Arita is a short, fat boy with low self-esteem who is bullied by a bully named Araya and his gang. To vent his frustration, he enters the school's virtual world where he always gets high scores in squash. Haru's childhood friend, Chiyuri Kurashima, suggest he should report the bullying to the school and have lunch with her but he refuses her pity and pushes her away. As he return to play squash again, he discovers his high scores has been beaten by Kuroyukihime, the popular Student Council Vice-President who invites him for lunch tomorrow to "change his reality". The next day at lunch, Kuroyukihime introduces Haru to Brain Burst, a program that allows users to "accelerate" their brain waves to make time appear to stand still. But Araya and his gang arrives which Kuroyukihime provokes him to hit Haru before both of them log into Brain Burst. While in accelerated mode, Kuroyukihime advises Haru to let Araya punch him and throw himself at her so that the school's cameras and nearby witnesses will catch Araya violently attacking them, ending Haru's bullying. Haru does so which ends with Araya and his gang detained by security. As Haru and Chiyuri heads home, they meetup with Takumu Mayuzumi, Haru's other childhood friend and Chiyuri's boyfriend. But Haru runs away when he thinks he Chiyuri told Takumu about the bullying. Later that night, Haru has a nightmare of being bullied and Chiyuri and Takumu pitying him which he wishes to fly free from his torment before waking up. Despite being told by Kuroyukihime not to go online, Haru forgets and steps out of his home where he is transported into a war-torn world with a new robotic avatar body.
Episode 2 "Transformation": Haru starts to realize Brain Burst is a multiplayer fighting game before he is defeated by another Burst Linker named Ash Roller. At lunch, Kuroyukihime helps explain to Haru the rules of Brain Burst where users fight others to gain points to accelerate. She also explains that his Brian Burst avatar, Sliver Crow, was created from his subconscious particular his inferiority complex. Despite Kuroyukihime offering him to return to his normal life, Haru declines as he wishes to repay her for helping him. After they log out, Kuroyukihime explains to some curious students about her and Haru's relationship, claiming she confess to him but he reject her, much to the students surprise and Haru's horror. Armed with new knowledge by Kuroyukihime, Haru logs into Brian Burst to have his rematch with Ash Roller. After performing a surprise attack, Haru runs to the top of a building, hoping to win by timeout since Ash Roller can't climb buildings due to his motorcycle. However, Ash Roller has upgraded his motorcycle to climb walls where he runs over Haru repeatedly. After suffering from his attacks, Haru manages to figure out Ash Roller's weakness; his motorcycle, which he lifts the rear wheel off the ground to immobilize and finish him off with a headbutt, winning the fight and impressing the other Burst Linkers watching them. As Haru log outs proud with his victory, Chiyuri confronts Kuroyukihime, demanding to know if she is manipulating Haru. 

10:50 - 11:15   Space Brothers 1
"When I grow up, I want to be an astronaut!"
 
Space Brothers
[Source: Wikipedia] When they were young, the brothers Mutta and Hibito promised each other they would become astronauts. Now, in 2025, Hibito has followed his dream to become the first Japanese on the moon, but Mutta has just been fired from his job. His brother reminds him of their childhood promise, and Mutta decides once again to aim for space.
Episode 1 "Little Brother Hibito and Big Brother Mutta": In the Summer of 2006, brothers Hibito and Mutta Nanba spot a strange UFO which flies off to the moon. In 2025, Hibito has since become an astronaut who is due to go on a mission towards the moon. Mutta, on the other hand, has just been fired from his job at an automobile company for headbutting his supervisor and has to move in with his parents. Upon hearing about Mutta's job loss, Hibito sends him an e-mail telling him to listen to the tape they recorded on that day in 2006. In the tape, the young Mutta, upon hearing Hibito's desire to go to the moon, decided his goal would be to go one step further and aim for Mars. A month later, Mutta receives a letter from JAXA saying he has been accepted for an astronaut program.

11:15 - 11:40   Rinne no Lagrange 3
"My new best friend is a giant robot!"
 
Rinne no Lagrange
[Source: Wikipedia] Madoka Kyouno, a schoolgirl from Kamogawa, is the sole member of the Jersey Club and always ready to help others out. One day, she is approached by an alien named Lan who asks her to pilot a robotic aircraft to defend mankind against an evil force.
Episode 3 "Lan Blooms in Kamogawa": As Madoka rushes to fight against the enemy Ovid to protect her town, Lan becomes conflicted about a legend Madoka doesn't know of, the fear of which prevents her from being able to pilot her own Vox Lympha. As the enemy, Kirius, tries to ask Madoka to come to her planet, she refuses and the fight resumes. Feeling Madoka is in danger, Lan overcomes her fear and pilots the Lympha, but finds herself up against Izo. As Lan expresses her guilt towards dragging Madoka into this, Madoka lifts her spirits, enabling her to overcome her fears and transform Lympha into its fighter mode, allowing her to come to Madoka's aid, forcing the enemy to retreat. Afterwards, Madoka and Lan decide to name their Vox units Midori and Orca respectively.

11:40 - 12:30     Mirai Nikki (Future Diary) 15-16
"Darling, I'm not crazy! I only act that way! 
I hope this doesn't put a damper on our relationship."
 
Mirai Nikki
[Source: Wikipedia] Yukiteru "Yuki" Amano is a loner who never really interacts with people and prefers writing a diary on his cell phone with his only companion being an imaginary friend named Deus Ex Machina, the God of Time and Space. However, Yuki soon learns that Deus is real when he makes Yuki participate in a battle royale with eleven other people. Within this "Diary Game", the contestants are given special diaries that can predict the future, with each diary having unique features that gives them both advantages and disadvantages. Within the next 90 days, the contestants must try to kill each other and survive until there is only one person standing, the winner becoming the new God of Time and Space. In order to survive, Yuki tries to find allies, with one of them being another diary user named Yuno Gasai, a girl who is madly in love with him. As the game continues, Yuki soon learns that not everyone can be trusted, not even Yuno, whose obsession to keep both of them alive no matter the cost terrifies him. Yet despite her faults, Yuki continues to trust Yuno since he manages to survive the game thanks to her. Originally, Yuki had no desire to win the game and stoop as low as the other contestants who either cheat, lie, manipulate or kill in order to win. However, that all changes when late in the game, Yuki's parents are killed. Yuki suffers a breakdown over his parents death until Yuno seduces and convinces him that if he becomes the new God of Time and Space, he can bring his parents back to life. Now having a reason to win, Yuki becomes a ruthless, backstabbing, and manipulative terrorist who causes the deaths of thousands of civilians and destruction throughout the city in order to kill the other contestants. Yuki's actions shock his friends, in particular Aru Akise, who had suspicions about Yuno and her motives. By the time Yuno and Yuki becomes the last contestants, Aru and the rest of Yuki's friends chastis him on how he has become just as bad as the other contestants. Aru tries to warn Yuki that Yuno is manipulating him and that she has an ulterior motive. Refusing to accept the truth and wishing to bring his parents back, Yuki kills them until Aru manages to stop him and gives Yuki a clue over Yuno's true identity before he is killed by Yuno herself. Eventually, Yuki learns that the Yuno he known is actually an "impostor" as this "Yuno" is actually from a parallel universe who won the Diary Game. In that universe, Yuno and Yuki were the last contestants and Yuki committed suicide so that Yuno will be the new God and resurrect him. But Yuno became distraught and more insane when she learns that while she can resurrect the dead, she cannot bring back their souls. With the help of Muru Muru, Deus' assistant and now Yuno's after she won the Diary game, both of them travel back in time to Yuki's universe and manipulated it where she killed the Yuno of Yuki's universe and took her place so she could play the game again and find a way to bring back "her" Yuki. As Yuno is about to kill him, Yuki is saved by Minene Uryu, one of his allies and another Diary user who he believed died in the game but was saved by Deus, who had suspicions that the Muru Muru in his universe is not the one he knows but the one from the parallel universe working with Yuno, and gave Minene some of his powers before his death. Their plans foiled, Yuno and Muru Muru travel to another universe to start over again but are followed by Yuki and Minene who are trying to stop them. Finally, Yuno and Muru Muru are stopped when the former learns in this new universe, all the terrible things that happen to everyone in the previous universes never happen including one where her parents were never abusive and lead to her insanity. With Yuno's Muru Muru stopped by Yuki's universe's Muru Muru and the help of the new universe's Diary users, Yuki convinces Yuno to come to her senses and surrender as he loves her. Realizing her mistakes, Yuno instead kills herself, believing this is the best for him and making Yuki the new God of his universe. In the end, despite becoming the new God of Time and Space, Yuki refuses to rule his universe as he has lost everything that he ever loved and cared; his friends, parents and Yuno. But in an unexpected Deus ex machina, the Yuno of the new universe arrives and invites Yuki to her universe as Yuki's Muru Muru had given Yuno and the others of the new universe their other universes memories which convinced that universe's Deus not to hold the Diary game and instead make Yuki and Yuno his new heirs. The series ends with Yuki reuniting with Yuno, his friends, parents and the Diary users in a new, happier universe.
Episode 15 "Double Holder"Aru deduces that the Eighth's diary is a server hosting and sending predictions to the blogs of her apprentices. When Yuki's diary predicts an attack by three of them, Aru has him moved to Kousaka's mansion. His plan is to lure the apprentices in, then deactivate the area's cell phone tower, severing their connection to the Eighth's server. Once the attack begins, however, Yuno appears and cuts the power to the tower remote control, wanting to defend Yuki by herself. Aru and Kousaka rush to deactivate the tower manually, while Yuki keeps Yuno in restraints. Two of Eighth's apprentices, Marco Ikusaba and Ai Mikami, manage to corner Yuki and Yuno by the time Aru deactivates the tower. However, Marco and Ai reveal that they are also the "owner" of a bona fide Future Diary, which has remained unaffected. With no other choice, Yuki releases Yuno, who intimidates the couple into retreating. When the third apprentice sets the mansion on fire, however, Marco and Ai counterattack. Their diaries' ability to predict each other's actions manages to overwhelm Yuno, resulting in her and Yuki getting injured and their diaries taken away. As Yuki and his friends are brooding in the hospital, they are approached by Uryu. 
Episode 16 "Repairing": Aru deduces that Marco and Ai have not destroyed Yuki and Yuno's diaries because they want to take advantage of the information they provide. In order to confuse them, he has Uryu feed Yuki false information. Yuki's father visits him in the hospital, but while Yuki's away, he searches the room for his cell phone. Yuno overhears that he has promised to destroy it in return for the cancellation of his substantial debt and realises he is being used by the Eleventh diary holder. Marco, who's learned all about the situation from Yuki's diary, considers Yuki's father a useful link to Uryu and the Eleventh and calls Yuno, demanding that they bring Yuki's father to an abandoned commercial tower. Once they arrive, Marco places Yuki and Yuno's phones on a table and attacks Yuki's father. As Yuki futilely fights Marco, his father goes over to the table and breaks his phone. However, nothing happens. Yuno, who's realised that the phones were decoys, attacks Ai and successfully retrieves both diaries. Just then, Marco and Ai's apprentice friend sets off explosives. The floor under Yuki collapses and both his father and Yuno reach out to grab him. Meanwhile, Nishijima has uncovered the identity of Eighth, a children's caretaker called Kamado Ueshita, and goes to search her orphanage.

12:30 - 1:20     Sakamichi no Apollon [Kids on the Slope] 3-4
Do you remember the Summer of '66? 
Neither do we, but apparently, it was pretty cool.
Sakamichi no Apollon [Kids on the Slope]
[Source: Wikipedia] The beginning of summer, 1966. Because of his father's job situation, freshman high school student Kaoru Nishimi moves by himself from Yokosuka to Kyushu to live with relatives. Until then, Kaoru was an honor roll student who tended to keep to himself, but meeting notorious bad boy Sentaro Kawabuchi starts to change him. Through his devil-may-care classmate, Kaoru learns the attractions of jazz and finds the first person he can call a “friend.” He also discovers how much fun it is to play music with a pal. Other characters include Sentaro's kind childhood chum, Ritsuko, who is the daughter of a record shop owner; the mysterious upperclassman, Yurika; and Brother Jun, the much-admired leader among their peers.
Episode 3 "Someday My Prince Will Come": Kaoru decides to help Sentaro get together with Yurika, and at the same time distance him from Ritsuko. Sentaro manages to ask Yurika out with great difficulty. Kaoru and Ritsuko join them on a double date. Ritsuko runs off in the middle of the date, and Kaoru sees her crying. Kaoru realizes that Ritsuko has feelings for Sentaro, and he feels responsible for her discomfort. Sentaro and Kaoru get into a fight over a handkerchief that Sentaro got from Yurika. Ritsuko locks Kaoru and Sentaro in the basement of her house to give them a chance to make up, which they do after a duet of "But Not For Me". Kaoru sees Sentaro modelling for Yurika's painting and assumes that the two have taken their relationship to the next level. Kaoru plays "Someday My Prince Will Come" by Bill Evans and tells Ritsuko that he is in love with her.
Episode 4 "But Not For Me": Kaoru is having difficulty with improvisation in his jazz playing. Junichi shows up with an offer for them to play at a bar for Christmas. Kaoru discovers that Sentaro's birthday is on Christmas Day. Kaoru goes to buy a set of drumsticks for Sentaro, and bumps into Ritsuko had the same idea. They decide to buy one each for Sentaro. Kaoru kisses Ritsuko without her permission, and she runs away crying. Kaoru realizes that he is jealous of Sentaro's family, and runs away after yelling at him. Sentaro finds Kaoru and drags him off to the church, where he explains that he's actually half-American, and was often shunned by schoolmates and family alike for that reason. Kaoru regrets shouting at him, and they play the intro of "Moanin'" together on the Church organ. During their live performance of "Blowin' the Blues Away" by Horace Silver at the bar where Junichi works, they are interrupted by a drunk foreigner who insists that they play 'white jazz'. This angers Sentaro and he quits the stage. Junichi and Kaoru perform a redention of Chet Baker's "But Not For Me" to lighten the mood, and everyone is impressed with Junichi's musical talent. Junchi and Yurika awkwardly introduce each other while walking home.

1:20 - 1:45     Fate/Zero 7
"The War for the Holy Grail continues!"
Fate/Zero
[Source: Wikipedia] Fate/zero takes place 10 years prior to the events of Fate/stay night, detailing the events of the 4th Holy Grail War in Fuyuki City. The War of the Holy Grail is a contest in which seven magi summon seven Heroic Spirits to compete to obtain the power of the "Holy Grail," which grants a miracle. After three inconclusive wars for the elusive Holy Grail, the Fourth War commences. Founded by the Einzbern, Matō, and Tōsaka families centuries ago, the Einzbern family is determined to achieve success after three successive failures, no matter the cost. As a result, they have elected to bring the hated magus killer, Kiritsugu Emiya, into their ranks, despite his methods and reputation as a skilled mercenary and a hitman who employs whatever he can use to accomplish his goals. Though Kiritsugu had once wanted to become a hero who could save everyone, he has long since abandoned this ideal upon realizing that saving one person comes at the cost of another's life. For the sake of humanity, he will ruthlessly destroy anything and anyone who threatens the peace of others. However, Kiritsugu finds himself deeply torn between the love he has found for his new family - his wife Irisviel and their daughter Illya - and what he must do to obtain the Holy Grail. Meanwhile, Kiritsugu's greatest opponent appears in the form of Kirei Kotomine, a priest who cannot find any sense of fulfillment in his life and sets his sights on Kiritsugu as the possible answer to the emptiness he feels.
Episode 7 "The Evil Forest": Risei informs all the active Masters that the war is to be put on hold until Caster, whose killings of children are attracting the public attention, is destroyed, with an additional Command Spell as a reward. In Einzbern Castle, Kiritsugu plans to use the hunt for Caster to attack the other Masters, despite Saber's protests that they should give priority to stopping Caster's atrocities. As Kiritsugu confides in Iri that he would rather escape with her and their daughter and live in peace somewhere, Iri detects Caster arriving from the forest with more children to be sacrificed and sends Saber after him. Saber is ambushed and cornered by Caster's summoned monsters until Lancer appears and joins forces with her. As Iri and Maiya leave the castle, Kayneth, who had survived the hotel bombing thanks to his Volumen Hydragyrum, a giant magical blob of mercury, infiltrates the castle to duel Saber's Master. Kiritsugu evades Kayneth using his Calico M950 and launches a surprise attack with his Contender pistol.

1:45 - 2:40     Club Meeting and Announcements

TRON Uprising!
-  E3 Convention Coverage
-  Animation News from around the world
-  Cosplayers/Skits/Masquerade
-  Anime Music Videos
-  And other weird, interesting stuff...
Olivia Wilde's Quorra returns for the July 5 episode of TRON Uprising
 

2:40 - 3:30     Jormungand 1
"It's like Black Lagoon meets Kick Ass, but without all the swearing."
Jormungand
[Source: Wikipedia] The series follows Koko Hekmatyar, a young arms dealer who sells weapons under HCLI, an international shipping corporation that secretly deals in the arms trade. As one of the company's unofficial weapon dealers, she secretly sells weapons in many countries while avoiding the local authorities and law enforcement agencies as most of her work is actually illegal under international law. Traveling with her is her team of bodyguards who are mostly composed of ex-military veterans. Her latest addition to her crew is Jonah, a seemingly emotionless child soldier who is skilled in combat yet ironically hates arms dealers. Jonah joins Koko as he wishes to find the arms dealer responsible for his family's death. What follows is Koko and her crew's escapades around the world.
Episodes 1 "Gun Metal, Calico Road": Koko personally recruits Jonah before they travel en route to Eastern Europe where a local government official has kept a shipment of HCLI MiG-29 fighter upgrades under lockdown from his country's air force for fear it would lead to regional tension with its neighbors. Jonah protects Koko from the government's elite Voshkod 6 unit with Lehm and Valmet backing them up as Koko heads to the harbor to secure the MiG-29 upgrades which forces the official to give up. Later, Koko is informed by HCLI that a rival arms dealer named Kroshkin is trying to sell Hind-D's to the air force. Koko and Jonah, pretending to be the former's younger brother, visits Kroshkin to dissuade him. In truth, the meeting is a diversion to allow Tojo and Valmet to convince the air force to cancel Kroshkin's deal while Lutz, Mao, Ugo and Lehm kill the snipers protecting him. Realizing too late that he has been fooled, Koko orders Jonah to kill him. Koko celebrates with her bodyguards over dinner where they welcome Jonah into their group. However, everyone except Jonah gets sick after eating his scrambled eggs.

3:30 - 4:45     Another 1-3
- Creepy as Hell high school mystery -
"Someone in our class is supposed to be dead...
I'm afraid it might be me."
Another
[Source: Wikipedia] In 1972, popular honors student Misaki died partway through the school year in Yomiyama North Middle School's Class 3-3. The rest of the students and teachers, devastated by the unexpected loss, decided to carry on as if Misaki were still alive, going so far as to keep the desk in the classroom and bringing it to the graduation ceremony. Yet no one could explain why Misaki was present on the graduation photo, deathly pale yet smiling with the rest. In spring 1998, 15-year-old Kōichi Sakakibara arrives in Yomiyama from Tokyo, to stay with his grandparents while his father works in India. He transfers into Class 3-3, but misses the first few weeks by a pneumothorax of his left lung. While in the hospital, he receives a visit from some of his new classmates, though they all act strangely and ask him personal questions. Later, he meets a mysterious girl wearing the school uniform and an eyepatch, named Mei Misaki, who seems to be visiting the morgue. Once recovered, Kōichi goes to school and tries to adapt. His aunt Reiko, a teacher at Yomiyama North, gives him a few pointers, but, like his peers, remains evasive when it comes to their behavior towards Mei, whom they treat as if she doesn't exist. Kōichi is further confounded by the air of mystery around Class 3-3 and its isolation from other classes, even practicing P.E. separately. Tensions suddenly rise when one of Kōichi's classmates, Yukari Sakuragi, slips while running down the stairs and dies, impaled on the sharp end of her umbrella. This is one of many deaths related to class 3-3 which have Kōichi and his friends Mei, Naoya Teshigawara, Tomohiko Kazami, and Yūya Mochizuki, trying to unravel the mystery of 1972's Misaki and the senseless "Curse of Class 3-3".
Episodes 1 "Rough Sketch": Because of his father's work in India, Kōichi Sakakibara moves to his birth town of Yomiyama to live with his grandparents and aunt Reiko. Due to a pneumothorax, he spends his first month there hospitalized, thus missing his first day of school. Three student delegates from his class—Izumi Akazawa, Kazami Tomohiko, and Yukari Sakuragi—visit him, but they act strange and ask him personal questions, trying to find out whether he's lived in Yomiyama before. In a hospital elevator, Kōichi meets a girl with an eyepatch, named Mei Misaki. Once Kōichi recovers, he goes to school, where everyone is seemingly friendly with him; yet, when he asks Yukari where Mei is, she seems shocked, then pretends not to know who he is talking about. During a conversation with Mei on the roof, she tells him not to get too close to her, claiming that their class—Class 3-3—is "much closer to death" than other classes. On his way home, Kōichi sees Mei looking up at the rainy sky. 
Episodes 2 "Blueprint": While Kōichi is talking with classmates Naoya Teshigawara and Yūya Mochizuki, Naoya lets slip that Class 3-3 is cursed. Before Naoya can explain himself, Kōichi spots Mei drawing in the library annex and joins her against Naoya's and Yūya's protests. He asks about her eyepatch, but is interrupted when the school bell rings and the librarian, Mr. Chibiki, arrives and tells Kōichi to leave. Later, troubled by the subject of Mei, Kōichi goes to the hospital and asks a nurse he met during his stay there, Sanae Mizuno, about "a girl who may have died on the night of [his] discharge." Though Sanae doesn't know much about it at first, she later calls him back to say that a junior high school student did indeed die that night—"her name was something like Misaki or Masaki." Kōichi, who was standing in front of a mysterious puppet museum when he got the call, debating whether or not to go inside, is shocked by the revelation and decides to enter. In the museum basement, he finds Mei with a life-sized doll with her likeness. After a brief conversation, Mei decides to show Kōichi what is under her eyepatch. 
Episodes 3 "Bone Work": Mei reveals that one of her eyes is a doll's eye, which can "see things that are not meant to be seen." She then tells Kōichi part of a story concerning a student also called Misaki from 1972, who died partway through the school year but still appeared on the class graduation photo. Much to his chagrin and confusion, Kōichi's fellow students continue to behave strangely when he brings up the story or Mei. In fact, when Kōichi goes to the roof again after seeing Mei there, Naoya calls him, telling him not to "hang out with something that doesn't exist," after which Mei is nowhere to be found on the roof. Sanae later contacts Kōichi, revealing that the girl who died in the hospital was named Misaki Fujioka, not Mei Misaki. In class the next day, Mei explains that Misaki Fujioka was her cousin. She then enigmatically claims she is "something that doesn't exist," and can apparently only be seen by Kōichi, which leaves him stunned. At that moment, Yukari receives bad news about her mother and rushes out of the classroom; shocked upon seeing Mei and Kōichi, she runs the other way, tripping down the stairs. Her umbrella lands point-up and impales her throat, killing her in seconds.

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

The Dark Knight Rises - New Trailer

In Cinemas and IMAX July 20
"The Dark Knight Rises" is the epic conclusion to filmmaker Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy. Leading an all-star international cast, Oscar (R) winner Christian Bale ("The Fighter") again plays the dual role of Bruce Wayne/Batman. The film also stars Anne Hathaway, as Selina Kyle; Tom Hardy, as Bane; Oscar (R) winner Marion Cotillard ("La Vie En Rose"), as Miranda Tate; and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as John Blake. Returning to the main cast, Oscar (R) winner Michael Caine ("The Cider House Rules") plays Alfred; Gary Oldman is Commissioner Gordan; and Oscar (R) winner Morgan Freeman ("Million Dollar Baby") reprises the role of Lucius Fox.

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Star Wars 1313

E3 Extended Game Trailer
LucasArts, a Lucasfilm Ltd. company, announced a new internally developed videogame franchise, Star Wars 1313™. The game will made its formal debut at the 2012 Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles June 5-7. As players take control of a lethal bounty hunter in a never-before-seen dark and mature world, Star Wars 1313 introduces an integrated development approach by bringing together great artists across the Lucasfilm organization, including LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic, Lucasfilm Animation Ltd. and Skywalker Sound. A third person cinematic action adventure game, Star Wars 1313 will bring to life the Coruscant underworld, the most dangerous place in the Star Wars™ galaxy.

Named for Level 1313, a ruthless criminal underground deep below the surface of the planet of Coruscant, the game puts players in control of a deadly bounty hunter as he uses an arsenal of exotic weaponry to hunt down his marks and uncover the truth surrounding a criminal conspiracy. Star Wars 1313 emphasizes epic set pieces and fast-paced combat with a hero who uses human skills and gadgets, rather than supernatural Force powers, to make his way through this dangerous world.

"We're excited to share one of the projects LucasArts has been hard at work developing," said Paul Meegan, President, LucasArts. "Star Wars 1313 dives into a part of the Star Wars mythos that we've always known existed, but never had a chance to visit. We are committed to bringing the best gameplay experience and visual fidelity to life and I truly believe the work we are showcasing at E3 will speak for itself."

More details about Star Wars 1313 will surface in the coming months. Visit www.StarWars1313.com for the latest updates.