What is the Best Anime of 2017?

2017 was an excellent year for Anime, and here are some of our favorites!

And our pick for BEST ANIME of 2017 is...

Star Wars The Last Jedi Trailer Spoof

An animated parody of the Star Wars: The Last Jedi trailer! The Force is wide awake now and sipping non-decaf. Join Luke, Rey, Ren, Finn, Poe, porg, Snoke and multi-syllable characters like Leia, Phasma and - whoah slow down now - Chewbacca on the space adventure trailer spoof of a very sheltered lifetime! And remember, he who Jedis last, Jedis longest.

Short Film about a Journey to Mars

I C A R U S

When a Mars colony's communication satellite is damaged, Emilia Riley embarks on a seemingly harmless repair excursion. [Award winner and official selection in over 100 film festivals.]

A Look at Anime in the Past 100 Years

How many of these anime do you recognize as we celebrate the Past 100 Years and look forward to 100 more!

Fans Recreate Famous Lightsaber Duel

‘Star Wars’ Fans Recreated The Obi-Wan Vs. Darth Vader Duel From ‘A New Hope’ With Impressive Results

[Source: Uproxx] The fateful duel between Darth Vader and Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars: A New Hope has taken some flack from fans in recent years for its relatively clunky and slow action. Fair or not, that’s just how it is. Of course, we know that Sir Alec Guinness, who was 63-years-old when filming, wasn’t able to perform in a fast-paced duel, and the special effects of the time couldn’t allow for more than a few clashes of a lightsaber. It was 40 years ago, and it was great for what it was, but the prequels showed that the Jedi are infatuated with running, jumping, and flipping in their lightsaber duels, so what’s the deal with the pokiness of it all?

Some of these questions can be translated into fans trying to make their own personal retcon for the technical issues of 1977 into an explanation for why one of the most important duels in Star Wars history is also one of the most underwhelming for some. Maybe it helps them sleep at night. But some of the fans that still lay in bed staring at the ceiling are highly-trained in the ways of computer-generated effects, and have taken it upon themselves to recreate the duel.

FXItInPost is hard at work remaking the entire, second battle between Obi-Wan Kenobi and his former apprentice, but for now, they have made a short teaser at what a more impressive and physical duel between Vader (the Vader we see at the end of Rogue One which takes place probably a few weeks before this), and the Obi-Wan who finally ends Darth Maul on Tatooine just ahead of his time with Luke and the gang.

Here’s the original:

And this is the recreation, showing more physicality and emotion behind each swing of the laser sword:

For good measure, here’s the first fight between Obi-Wan and Darth Vader, which is missing the part where Anakin tells Obi-Wan to give his son his lightsaber when he’s old enough:



And finally, the real Darth Vader. Perfection.

"Orbit Ever After" Sci-Fi Short Film

Orbit Ever After

Life in space isn't easy. And living in orbit, indefinitely, with only your close family for company is even worse. A science fiction romance where two star-crossed lovers overcome all probabilities and sacrifice all they have in order to be together.

Wishing You a Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays!

And a Wonderful New Year!

12 Days of Christmas by the Loud House Choir

Game of Thrones History and Lore

"Histories and Lore" is a series of short animated videos included in Blu-ray release of each TV season of Game of Thrones.

This DARK series shines Bright!

D  A  R  K

[Source: Syfy] Dark, the Stranger Things-esque Netflix drama that's earned a quick cult following, has been ordered for a second season, Variety reports. After making a big splash with Season 1's debut — and earning glowing reviews — the mind-bending series has mostly broken free from these comparisons and garnered popularity in its own right.

 

“When we first heard about Dark, we realized very early on that we hadn’t seen anything like this show before — in Germany or anywhere else in the world,” Netflix’s VP of international originals, Kelly Luegenbiehl, told Variety of the series, which arrived on Netflix earlier this month after an appearance at Toronto International Film Festival.

The supernatural German-set and -produced series involves the disappearance of children and the negotiation of nostalgia and reality in equal measure — not to mention some big twists that see the story unfold in two different time periods.

Netflix also said that Dark is one of the few non-English shows on its platform to break through and reach audiences around the world, although the company hasn't provided hard numbers on that.

Creators Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese, both of whom will return for the second season, said in a statement that they “are thrilled that our story has been a success with a global audience. And our fans can be sure that we have plenty of surprises in store for the second season of Dark.”

New Trailer for "ANNIHILATION"

A N N I H I L A T I O N

The film is based on Jeff VanderMeer's best-selling "Southern Reach Trilogy" and the movie is written and directed by Alex Garland who directed the film "EX Machina" and wrote "28 Days Later." The film stars Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson, Tuva Novotny and Oscar Isaac.

The Voice of Daphne Passes Away

Heather North, the voice of Daphne on

Scooby-Doo for over 30 years, dies at 71

[Source: Syfy] Actress Heather North, who voiced Daphne Blake for the animated Scooby-Doo franchise for more than 30 years, has passed away at the age of 71.

 

According to The Hollywood Reporter, North died on Nov. 30 at her home in the Studio City area of Los Angeles after a long battle with an undisclosed illness.

North's acting career -- which included a stint on the daytime soap opera Days of Our Lives and parts in movies like Disney's 1971 The Barefoot Executive, opposite Kurt Russell -- took a turn into pop culture immortality when she replaced Stefanianna Christopherson as the voice of Daphne on the second season premiere of Scooby Doo, Where Are You! in September 1970.

North continued voicing "Danger Prone Daphne," one of the two female members of the teen detective team, in The New Scooby-Doo Movies from 1972 to 1973, and many other versions of the cartoon property in the years to follow, including TV series and direct-to-video movies. Aside from Scooby and Shaggy, Daphne made the most appearances out of all the regular characters. North voiced Daphne for the last time in 2003's Scooby-Doo and the Monster of Mexico.

The Pasadena native's other TV credits included Gidget, The Fugitive, The Monkees, My Three Sons, Adam-12 and more. Her husband of 44 years, H. Wesley Kenney, was an Emmy Award-winning producer and director who directed every episode of the classic sitcom All in the Family's 1974-1975 season. Kenney died in January 2015.

North is survived by a son, two stepchildren, and a granddaughter... and decades of Scooby-Doo cartoons that will remain her lasting legacy.

Tales from Earthsea - Power of a Name

The Power of a Name

Tales from Earthsea, known as Gedo Senki in Japan, was a polarizing fantasy film from Studio Ghibli, and debut feature of Goro Miyazaki - son to the most beloved animator of all time. In this video, we take a look at how it came to be, why it was so divisive and exactly what is in the power of a name. 

Tales from Earthsea is based off a series of books known as the Earthsea Cycle by Ursula K. Le Guin - to avoid confusion between the two we refer to the film under it's Japanese name during the video

Peter Jackson presents an epic new saga...

M O R T A L   E N G I N E S

Thousands of years after civilization was destroyed by a cataclysmic event, humankind has adapted and a new way of living has evolved. Gigantic moving cities now roam the Earth, ruthlessly preying upon smaller traction towns. Tom Natsworthy (Robert Sheehan)—who hails from a Lower Tier of the great traction city of London—finds himself fighting for his own survival after he encounters the dangerous fugitive Hester Shaw (Hera Hilmar). Two opposites, whose paths should never have crossed, forge an unlikely alliance that is destined to change the course of the future. 

Mortal Engines is the startling, new epic adventure directed by Oscar®-winning visual-effects artist Christian Rivers (King Kong). Joining Rivers are The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogies three-time Academy Award®-winning filmmakers Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, who have penned the screenplay. The Universal and MRC adaptation is from the award-winning book series by Philip Reeve, published in 2001 by Scholastic. 

On board as producers are Zane Weiner (The Hobbit trilogy), Amanda Walker (The Hobbit trilogy) and Deborah Forte (Goosebumps), as well as Walsh and Jackson. Ken Kamins (The Hobbit trilogy) joins Boyens as executive producer. Universal will distribute the film worldwide. www.mortalengines.com

'Mary & The Witch's Flower' coming January 2018

Mary and The Witch's Flower

[Source: aintitcool] Mr. Miyazaki has retired about a million times now, and so far it may be permanent this time! Japanese director Hiromasa Yonebayashi (“The Secret World of Arrietty”, “When Marnie was There”) adds “MARY” to his collection of Ghibli-style works he has directed. He did a great job holding a candle to Miyazaki himself in storytelling in “The Secret World of Arrietty”. His direction is a little different than what we are used to, but still manages to maintain the whimsy and charm of Miyazaki films we know and love.

Studio Ponac, founded by ex Ghibli employee Hiromasa Yonebayashi, gets to label “MARY” as their first film. They even got several of the key animators from Ghibli on board, as you can see from the art.

“MARY AND THE WITCH’S FLOWER” will be select theaters DUBBED January 18th, and then will go nationwide on January 19th! 

Ralph McQuarrie's Star Wars concept trailer

The Star Wars: Concept Trailer

A long time ago in a galaxy far far away... we might have seen a version of Star Wars that featured a Han Solo with green skin and gills, Stormtroopers with lightsabers, and a female heroine named Luka Starkiller. Many of these anomalies can be seen in concept artist, Ralph McQuarrie's early illustrations of the Star Wars universe. While looking back at these early paintings we can't help but wonder what Star Wars would have been like had it remained loyal to the concept art and early drafts of the script. The DAVE School graduating class of August and October 2017 have answered that question by bringing Ralph McQuarrie's paintings to life in a concept trailer for what might have been... The Star Wars. Find out more about our Visual Effects program at daveschool.com

A Disturbing Animated Feature From Spain

BIRDBOY: The Forgotten Children

There is light and beauty, even in the darkest of worlds.

Winner of Spain's Goya Award for Best Animated Feature (where the director separately won Best Animated Short Film in the same year), Alberto Vázquez's debut feature is a darkly comic, mind-bending fantasy based on his own graphic novel and award-winning short film. Striking graphic imagery brings to life a discordant world populated by adorable (and adorably disturbed) animated critters, searching for hope and love amid the ruin. Stranded on an island in a post-apocalyptic world, teenager Dinky and her friends hatch a dangerous plan to escape in the hope of finding a better life. Meanwhile, her old friend Birdboy has shut himself off from the world, pursued by the police and haunted by demon tormentors. But unbeknownst to anyone, he contains a secret inside him that could change the world forever.

Anime Viewing Schedule for December 16, 2017

A N I M A T R I X   N E T W O R K
Saturday, December 16, 2017

Wood Dale Public Library

"MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

Main Meeting Room, 10:15 am to 5:00 pm

10:15 - 11:05    Gamers! 11-12 (End)

11:05 - 11:55    Princess Principal 11-12 (End)

11:55 - 12:45    Saga of Tanya the Evil 9-10

12:45 - 1:35      Made in Abyss 9-10

1:35 - 2:15        Club Meeting / Announcements

2:15 - 2:40        Little Witch Academia (2017 TV series) ep 15
2:40 - 4:40        In This Corner of the World (Movie)

All anime presented are fan-subtitled unless otherwise noted.

 

Start watching the exciting anime series: Made in Abyss and Princess Principal!

ANIME DESCRIPTIONS ARE BELOW

Full Trailer for New Jurassic World Movie

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom 

In Theaters June 22, 2018

It’s been four years since theme park and luxury resort Jurassic World was destroyed by dinosaurs out of containment. Isla Nublar now sits abandoned by humans while the surviving dinosaurs fend for themselves in the jungles. 

When the island’s dormant volcano begins roaring to life, Owen (Chris Pratt) and Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) mount a campaign to rescue the remaining dinosaurs from this extinction-level event. Owen is driven to find Blue, his lead raptor who’s still missing in the wild, and Claire has grown a respect for these creatures she now makes her mission. Arriving on the unstable island as lava begins raining down, their expedition uncovers a conspiracy that could return our entire planet to a perilous order not seen since prehistoric times. 

With all of the wonder, adventure and thrills synonymous with one of the most popular and successful series in cinema history, this all-new motion-picture event sees the return of favorite characters and dinosaurs—along with new breeds more awe-inspiring and terrifying than ever before. Welcome to Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. 

 Stars Pratt and Howard return alongside executive producers Steven Spielberg and Colin Trevorrow for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. They are joined by co-stars James Cromwell, Ted Levine, Justice Smith, Geraldine Chaplin, Daniella Pineda, Toby Jones, Rafe Spall and Isabella Sermon, while BD Wong and Jeff Goldblum reprise their roles. 

Directed by J.A. Bayona (The Impossible), the epic action-adventure is written by Jurassic World’s director, Trevorrow, and its co-writer, Derek Connolly. Producers Frank Marshall and Pat Crowley once again partner with Spielberg and Trevorrow in leading the filmmakers for this stunning installment. Belén Atienza joins the team as a producer.

Animated Spider-Man introduces Miles Morales

SPIDER-MAN: Into the Spider-Verse

Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the creative minds behind The Lego Movie and 21 Jump Street, bring their unique talents to a fresh vision of a different Spider-Man Universe, with a groundbreaking visual style that’s the first of its kind. “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” introduces Brooklyn teen Miles Morales, and the limitless possibilities of the Spider-Verse, where more than one can wear the mask.

Trailer for ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL hits the Net

ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL

[Source: Syfy] James Cameron and Robert Rodriguez are hoping to turn the tide in the field of live-action anime. The full trailer and synopsis for their adaptation of the classic manga Gunnm by Yukito Kishiro was released today, bearing the title Alita: Battle Angel.

 

The film is being directed by Rodriguez (Sin City, Grindhouse), who also wrote the screenplay alongside Cameron and Laeta Kalogridis (Terminator Genisys, Shutter Island). In partnership with longtime collaborator Jon Landau, Cameron will also produce this "action-packed story of hope, love and empowerment," as described in 20th Century Fox's synopsis.

The cast is impressive, beginning with Rosa Salazar (The Maze Runner) in the title role. Starring alongside her will be three Oscar winners — Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly, and Mahershala Ali — along with Ed Skrein (Deadpool), Jackie Earle Haley (Watchmen), and Keean Johnson (TV's Nashville).

Alita is a creation from an age of despair. Found by the mysterious Dr. Ido while trolling for cyborg parts, Alita becomes a lethal, dangerous being. She cannot remember who she is, or where she came from. But to Dr. Ido, the truth is all too clear. She is the one being who can break the cycle of death and destruction left behind from Tiphares. But to accomplish her true purpose, she must fight and kill. And that is where Alita's true significance comes to bear. She is an angel from heaven. She is an angel of death

The Birch – Webby award-winning short film

T H E   B I R C H

"He who breaks me shall come undone"

A bullied schoolboy takes drastic measures against his tormenter, summoning an ancient being in the woods using a spellbound book passed down through the generations of his family.

Zelda's "Breath of the Wild" WINS Best Game

'Zelda' Wins Game Of The Year

At The 2017 Game Awards

[Source: Kotaku] The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild managed to snatch the 2017 Game Awards GOTY from a crowded field of contenders that included Mario Odyssey, Persona 5, Horizon: Zero Dawn, and somewhat controversially, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds.

“I want to take all of the joy and warmth I’m feeling right now receiving this award and put that back into making Zelda games, to continue to try and surprise all of you,”Nintendo’s Eiji Aonuma said in his acceptance speech.

Here’s the full list of winners:

Trailer for a new Indie Superhero Movie

JUPITER'S MOON

The director of the critically acclaimed White God employs his uniquely talented eye to create this riveting Palme d’Or nominated supernatural thriller. Adorned with heart-pounding car chases and sensational gunfights that are complemented by beautifully fluid and kinetic camerawork, Kornél Mundruczó brings spectacle that rivals any Hollywood production to tell a timely European story. 

A young refugee called Aryan is shot while illegally trying to cross the Hungarian border to escape his war-torn home. While tending him back to health, a doctor at a refugee camp discovers that Aryan has gained an extraordinary talent – he can levitate at will. But the doctor has his own predicament that he needs to escape from and offers to smuggle Aryan out of the camp if, in return, he helps him make some money by using his new miraculous gift. 

With Jupiter’s Moon, Mundruczó marks himself as one his generation’s most visionary directors by touching on eternally mythic themes and contemporary political issues alike with visually mind-bending aplomb.

Jupiter's Moon opens in cinemas and online January 5 , 2018.

Mechas vs Monsters at Tokyo Comic-Con

Pacific Rim: Uprising

Tokyo Comic-Con 2017 Reel

Join Pacific Rim Uprising stars John Boyega, Scott Eastwood, Rinko Kikuchi, Cailee Spaeny and director Steven S. DeKnight on a journey behind the scenes of this epic global production. Discover an explosive new world of monsters and mechs, and meet the new generation of heroic Jaeger Pilots born into the aftermath of the Kaiju war.

"I Kill Giants" Comes to the Big Screen

Zoe Saldana’s Fantasy-Drama
‘I Kill Giants’ Acquired by RLJE Films

{Source: Variety] RLJE Films has acquired the U.S. rights to the fantasy-drama “I Kill Giants,” starring Zoe Saldana, Madison Wolfe, and Imogen Poots, for a 2018 release.

“I Kill Giants,” which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, is based on the 2008 graphic novel by Joe Kelly and Ken Niimura. Anders Walter directed from a screenplay by Kelly. XYZ Films is handling worldwide rights on the movie, which was backed by Ingenious and financed by Umedia with the participation of Having Me Films.

Wolfe portrays a teenage girl who chooses to escape the realities of school and a drab family life by retreating into her magical world of titans and giants. With the help of her new friend Sophia (Sydney Wade) and her school therapist (Saldana), Barbara will learn to battle her giants and face her fears — tackling the bullies at school, her sister (Poots), and her difficult home life.

The producers are Chris Columbus, Michael Barnathan, Kyle Franke, Joe Kelly, Kim Magnusson, Martin Metz, Adrian Politowski, and Nick Spicer. Peter Bevan, Johanna Hogan, Michelle Miller, Susan Mullan, Justin Nappi, Mark Radcliffe, Xinyue Sun, and Wei Zou exec produced the pic.

“We’re thrilled to acquire an amazing film that was so well received at the Toronto International Film Festival,” said Mark Ward, RLJ Entertainment’s chief acquisitions officer.

Saldana was last seen in “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” and will appear next in “Avengers: Infinity War.” She is filming James Cameron’s “Avatar” sequels. Wolfe starred in “The Conjuring 2.”

Ward and Jess De Leo from RLJE negotiated the deal with Nate Bolotin at XYZ Films on behalf of the filmmakers.

Teaser for the Jurassic Park Sequel

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, and B. D. Wong will reprise their roles from the preceding movie Jurassic World and are joined by newcomers Toby Jones, Rafe Spall, Justice Smith, Daniella Pineda, Ted Levine, Geraldine Chaplin, and James Cromwell; additionally, Jeff Goldblum will reprise his role as Dr. Ian Malcolm from the original film and its 1997 sequel. Universal Pictures has scheduled the film for release in the United States on June 22, 2018.

A New Era Has Begun at Marvel...

C.B. Cebulski is Marvel's
new editor-in-chief

[Source: Syfy] The Axel Alonso era at Marvel Comics has ended, and the C.B. Cebulski era has begun.
 

Marvel Entertainment President Dan Buckley announced in a statement Friday that Cebulski, who's been with the company in various roles for 15 years, will take the helm of Marvel's editorial division effective immediately. The company said that Marvel and Alonso "mutually" parted ways, but Alonso himself has not yet made a statement on his departure.

Cebulski started at Marvel in 2002 as an associate editor, where his most high-profile success was the launch of Runaways by Brian K. Vaughan and Adrian Alphona. The series was a runaway (pun intended) success with readers and cemented Cebulski's reputation for spotting talent and assembling effective creative teams.

He grew into one of the company's top talent scouts, frequenting conventions around the world searching for new creators to enrich the company. In 2011 he was promoted to vice president of international brand development for the company. In that capacity he's been a key force in Marvel's quest to expand its publishing arm to Asia, with new characters originating from countries like South Korea and Japan.

“C.B. is one of the most well-known, liked and respected editors and personalities in the comics industry. He has a keen understanding of the Marvel brand, and knows the importance of publishing within the larger Marvel ecosystem,” Buckley said in a statement (via The Beat). “As our characters continue to reach unprecedented levels of global popularity, we need to ensure our core comic business sets the standard with fresh and compelling graphic storytelling that excites both our longtime fan base and new fans. Marvel has set a high bar for super hero stories for over 75 years, and we believe C.B. is perfectly positioned to take Marvel Comics to new heights.”

In addition to overseeing the creative and editorial direction of the company, Cebulski will also continue to recruit and develop new talent, which has long been his specialty.

Alonso began his career at Marvel in 2000, where he was a senior editor on the X-Men line. In 2011 he replaced Joe Quesada's as the company editor-in-chief. His tenure in that job has been marked by several high sales years for Marvel, as well as successful events like Avengers vs. X-Men and Secret Wars. His tenure has also sometimes been marked by controversy, including fan criticism over excessive crossover events, fan diversity, and, most recently, the decision to convert Captain America into an agent of Hydra during the Secret Empire event. 

It's unclear where Alonso will head next, or what Cebulski's first major decision will be in his new capacity, but this is a major and exciting creative shake-up at Marvel.

Studio Ghilbi has new Leadership

Kiyofumi Nakajima Appointed
as Studio Ghilbi President

[Source: Variety] Japanese anime powerhouse, Studio Ghilbi has appointed a new president, Kiyofumi Nakajima, who was director of the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, Tokyo since 2005. He replaces Koji Hoshino, who moves into the chairman spot after serving as Ghilbi president since 2008.

As president Nakajima is in charge of the studio’s business side, including the construction of a projected theme park in Aichi Prefecture in Western Japan. Studio co-founder Toshio Suzuki will continue to serve as head of production, focusing on the new Hayao Miyazaki film now in the works. Titled “Kimi-tachi wa Do Ikiru ka” (literally, How Do You Live?), it officially started production in October with a completion date set some time in the next three or four years.

Trailer for the Anime "Batman Ninja"

B A T M A N   N I N J A

Batman is somehow teleported back to Japan’s earliest days along with some of his arch-enemies, but the caped crusader has some heroes willing to help him as well. The Dark Knight goes up against Joker, Harley Quinn, Gorilla Grodd, Poison Ivy, Two-Face, Deathstroke, and the Penguin with help from period-appropriate versions of Catwoman, Robin, Nightwing, Red Robin, Alfred, and the Red Hood.

A Simon's Cat Christmas Collection

Happy Holidays!

"There was an idea…" Infinity War Trailer

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR

Moviegoers first learned about the Infinity Stones in the first “Guardians of the Galaxy”. There hasn’t been an official plot released for the movie “Infinity War”, but it is based on the six-issue comic series “The Infinity War”, which came out in 1992 written by Jim Starlin with art by Ron Lim, Ian Laughlin, Al Milgrom, Jack Morelli and Christie Scheele.

‘Star Wars’ Revolt!

EA’s day of reckoning is here after ‘Star Wars’ game uproar, $3 billion in stock value wiped out

[Source: cnbc] Electronic Arts' shareholders are running for the hills this month and for good reason. The company's profitable business model is now at risk after angry gamers revolted over its aggressive in-game moneymaking strategy in "Star Wars Battlefront II." EA's stock is down 8.5 percent month to date through Tuesday compared with the S&P 500's 2 percent gain, wiping out $3.1 billion of shareholder value. Its competitors Take-Two and Activision Blizzard shares are up 5 percent and 0.7 percent respectively during the same time period. After EA gave a December quarter sales forecast slightly below Wall Street estimates on Oct. 31, some analysts suspected it was due to the "Stars Wars" title. The shares ... 

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The Big Unfriendly Giant

G  D  A  N  S  K

Gdansk is the first in a series of medieval giants. Inspired by the artwork of Jakub Różalski. Here is a short clip.