Next Club Meeting: April 20, 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.

Tuesday, January 31, 2023

A Music Video Tribute to Studio Ghibli...

「AMV」COMING HOME
Anime: Karigurashi no Arriety, Kaze Tachinu, Howl's Moving Castle, Gedo Senki, When Marnie Was There
Music: Coming Home - Rival/Arc North/Cadmium: 
Edited by: CRAWFFEE

Monday, January 30, 2023

A New Anime Sci-fi/Fantasy Series has Begun!

THE LEGEND of HEROES
TRAILS of COLD STEEL - NORTHERN WAR

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel – Northern War depicts the Northern War, a conflict between the Erebonian Empire and the North Ambria State, and placed during the time skip between the video games Trails of Cold Steel II and III. It follows Lavian Winslet, a girl born in North Ambria, a poor country in the northwest of Zemurian continent. She enlists in the Northern Jaegers, the largest mercenary corps in Zemuria to protect her hometown, while distinguishing herself from her grandfather, Vlad, the renounced hero who betrayed their country. Prior to the start of the anime, Lavian assembles a platoon with Martin S. Robinson, Iseria Frost and Talion Drake for a secret mission to Erebonia, an imperialistic country to the south, to gather information about the "Imperial Hero" whose existence spells a threat to their country.

Sunday, January 29, 2023

The Gang Returns to Save the Boiling Isles!

The Owl House
Season 3 Episode 2, "For the Future"
Luz and her friends race against Belos to confront
the Collector and save the Boiling Isles.
Luz, a self-assured teenage human girl, accidentally stumbles upon a portal to a magical new world where she befriends a rebellious witch, Eda, and an adorably tiny warrior, King. Despite not having magical abilities, Luz pursues her dream of becoming a witch by serving as Eda's apprentice at the Owl House and ultimately finds a new family in an unlikely setting.

Saturday, January 28, 2023

"Nice to see you again, citizens!"

CARNIVAL ROW
A growing population of mythological immigrant creatures struggles to coexist with humans after the creatures' exotic homelands are invaded by the empires of man. The creatures are forbidden to live, love or fly with freedom, but hope lives in darkness. Human detective Rycroft "Philo" Philostrate and a refugee faerie, Vignette Stonemoss, rekindle a dangerous affair despite being in an increasingly intolerant society. Vignette has a secret that endangers Philo's world during his most important case yet -- a string of gruesome murders threatening the uneasy peace of the Row.
February 17th, we return to Carnival Row. Starring Orlando Bloom and Cara Delevingne.

Friday, January 27, 2023

From Zero to Hero... and Back Again...

INVINCIBLE - Season 2
INVINCIBLE is an adult animated superhero series that revolves around 17-year-old Mark Grayson (Steven Yeun), who’s just like every other guy his age — except his father is the most powerful superhero on the planet, Omni-Man (J.K. Simmons). But as Mark develops powers of his own, he discovers his father’s legacy may not be as heroic as it seems. From Robert Kirkman, the creator of The Walking Dead.

Thursday, January 26, 2023

Gaslamp Fantasy awaits you, Realmwalker!

~ NIGHTINGALE ~
Set out on a journey of survival and adventure, into the mysterious and dangerous Fae Realms of Nightingale! Become an intrepid Realmwalker, and venture forth alone or with friends - as you explore, craft, build and fight across a visually stunning Gaslamp Fantasy world.
Nightingale is a first-person, PVE, open-world survival crafting game played solo or cooperatively with friends. Build, craft, fight and explore as you venture through mystical portals into a variety of amazing and fantastical realms.
You are stranded beyond our world, cut off by the collapse of the arcane portal network. This catastrophe has left you fighting to survive in a labyrinth of beautiful and dangerous Fae realms.
Your goal: become a skilled Realmwalker, and navigate the web of trans-dimensional portals. Only then can you discover your way to the magical city of Nightingale, the last known bastion of humanity. Check out Nightingale, a new game from Inflexion Games.

Wednesday, January 25, 2023

Enter a School for Spies Only!

SPY CLASSROOM
After a gruesome war wreaked havoc on the general populace, the governments of the world turned to a more elusive tactic to further their agendas—a war fought in the shadows.

Lily, a beautiful girl with white locks, is a student in one of the many institutions that train youths into becoming capable spies. Unfortunately, despite scoring well in the written exams, she only manages to barely pass her practicals. With no real world skills to speak of, her hopes of graduating are dismal—until she is offered an opportunity to join the mysterious team "Tomoshibi" and partake in an Impassable Mission.

Excited by the prospect of working with the elite, Lily enthusiastically accepts. However, she is struck dumb when she arrives at Kagerou Palace and the true purpose of Tomoshibi and its hopeless situation comes into light. Joined by other problematic female spies along with a mysterious young man spearheading the operation, Lily realizes that this is not the ideal escapade she had pictured.

Tuesday, January 24, 2023

Let’s get this party started!

Dungeons & Dragons:
Honor Among Thieves
A charming thief and a band of unlikely adventurers undertake an epic heist to retrieve a lost relic, but things go dangerously awry when they run afoul of the wrong people. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves brings the rich world and playful spirit of the legendary role-playing game to the big screen in a hilarious and action-packed adventure.
Watch the New Trailer
Only in Theaters, March 31, 2023.

Monday, January 23, 2023

Dance Competition! Who Will Win?

M3GAN vs. WEDNESDAY: THE DANCE OFF
Let's find out which one has the killer moves.
 
First: Wednesday Addams

 
Next: M3GAN

Sunday, January 22, 2023

Demons are coming. One man stands in their way...

G I S A K U
Somewhere in Spain, a samurai waits patiently to fulfill a mission that was once entrusted to him: to protect the Izanagi Key from evil. The Key, made up of powerful pieces, closes a door that crosses the threshold of the world. Gisaku is the story of a fight between good and evil, in which a group of very opposing characters must work as a team to prevent Gorkan, the Lord of Darkness, from fulfilling his objective: to invade the world with his demonic hordes . In the course of their mission, Riki, Gisaku, Yohei, Linceto and Moira will be forced to overcome their internal conflicts and overcome numerous difficulties.

Saturday, January 21, 2023

Rock on, Matilda!

MATILDA the MUSICAL
"Revolting Children" Dance Scene
Re-cut to Rob Zombie's "Dragula"
Based on the book by Roald Dahl and original songs by Tim Minchin, Matilda The Musical is the story of an extraordinary little girl who, armed with a vivid imagination and a sharp mind, dares to take a stand and change her own destiny.

Friday, January 20, 2023

Combining ancient lore with dazzling animation...

NEW GODS: YANG JIAN
From ZHAO Ji and Light Chaser Animation
Thirteen years after Yang Jian (known to some as Erlang Shen) imprisoned his sister beneath a mountain, the once powerful god now scrapes by as a penniless bounty hunter. When a mysterious woman hires him for a new job, Yang Jian soon finds himself chasing down a familiar figure. He must stop Chenxiang, his long-lost nephew, who is in search of the magical lotus lantern that will free his mother, even if it will bring catastrophe. As Yang Jian confronts the actions of his past, he must face a host of dangerous vigilantes seeking the same treasure with the power to alter the balance of their worlds. This latest entry in the New Gods universe from Light Chaser Animation (WHITE SNAKE, NEW GODS: NEZHA REBORN) features awe-inspiring action sequences set against breathtaking and wildly imaginative environments. Combining ancient lore with dazzling animation, New Gods: Yang Jian is a timeless adventure of epic proportions featuring one of China’s legendary mythic figures.
Watch the Trailer
In theaters January 20

Thursday, January 19, 2023

Cleanse the Sins of the World...

U N D E R W A T E R
Contest ICST XVII | Drama Category - 1st Place
A mysterious man casts a mystical spell in order to submerge the entire planet in water. But what will happen to our world?

Wednesday, January 18, 2023

Anime Viewing Schedule for January 21, 2023


 A N I M A T R I X   N E T W O R K
Saturday, January 21, 2023
Fountaindale Public Library
VIEWING SCHEDULE
          11:10 - 12:30   Made in Abyss: Season 2 Eps 11-12
          12:30 - 12:55   Trigun Stampede ep 1
          12:55 - 1:30     Club Meeting
          1:30 - 2:20       Call of the Night 9-10
          2:20 - 2:45       Lycoris Recoil 10 
          2:45 - 4:45       New Gods: Nezha Reborn (Movie)
 
Happy First Meeting of 2023
"Those are, literally, some Killer Dance Moves!"
 
Fountaindale Public Library
300 W. Briarcliff Road
Bolingbrook, IL 60440 
Board Room, Second Floor 
 
From 11:10 AM to 5:00 PM

All anime presented are fan-subtitled unless otherwise noted.
 
Don't miss the exciting anime series: Lycoris Recoil and Made in Abyss
* ANIME DESCRIPTIONS ARE BELOW *

Tuesday, January 17, 2023

The Mandalorian is Back!

THE MANDALORIAN - Season 3
The journeys of the Mandalorian through the Star Wars galaxy continue. Once a lone bounty hunter, Din Djarin has reunited with Grogu. Meanwhile, the New Republic struggles to lead the galaxy away from its dark history. The Mandalorian will cross paths with old allies and make new enemies as he and Grogu continue their journey together. The series stars Pedro Pascal, Katee Sackhoff, Carl Weathers, Amy Sedaris, Emily Swallow and Giancarlo Esposito. The Mandalorian, Season 3 March 1 on Disney+.

Monday, January 16, 2023

Hey Bro, I got a sequel for you...

Step inside the Pitch Meeting that led to
Avatar: The Way Of Water

2009’s Avatar was the highest-grossing movie of all time. Naturally, that meant sequel-time, and FAST. Okay maybe not fast. Maybe not even slow-paced. Maybe THIRTEEN YEARS LATER James Cameron has brought us back to the world of Pandora, along with all the characters whose names we definitely remember.
Avatar: The Way Of Water definitely raises some questions. Like why spend so much money bringing back Colonel Quarritch to life, the guy who famously failed the last time he attempted something similar to this mission? Why does Jake suddenly decide that it’s suddenly time to run away after literally heading into battle regularly? Where did all the ocean people go in the third act? How many decades until the next movie? To answer all these questions, check out the pitch meeting that led to Avatar: The Way Of Water.

Sunday, January 15, 2023

Next Club Meeting is January 21, 2023

A N I M A T R I X   N E T W O R K 
"I fell asleep watching the Oscars in 1998!"
"What did I miss?"

Don't miss the first Club Meeting of the Year!
  M O N T H L Y   M E E T I N G

Fountaindale Public Library
300 W. Briarcliff Road
Bolingbrook, IL  60440
Board Room (2nd Floor)
Saturday, January 21, 2023
11:15 AM - 5:00 PM
 
We will be in the BOARD ROOM on the Second Floor.
 
Hope to see everyone there!

 
A Viewing Schedule will be posted soon.
 
Hope to see you all there!

(Click below for maps)

Saturday, January 14, 2023

When you're lost in the dark, look for the light...

THE LAST OF US
Joel and Ellie, a pair connected through the harshness of the world they live in, are forced to endure brutal circumstances and ruthless killers on a trek across post-pandemic America. The producers don't seek to replicate what it's like to play a video game; they seek to transport viewers to its world for nine episodes, allowing them to get lost in a story that's undeniably brutal and heartbreaking, but also offers hope for what comes next.
Watch the Trailer
Series Premieres January 15, 2023

Friday, January 13, 2023

Jinkies! Another Mystery! Who did this!?

VELMA
VELMA is an adult animated comedy series telling the origin story of Velma Dinkley, the unsung and under-appreciated brains of the Scooby-Doo Mystery Inc. gang. This original and humorous spin unmasks the complex and colorful past of one of America’s most beloved mystery solvers.
Now Streaming!

Thursday, January 12, 2023

Ready to deliver some more packages...

DEATH STRANDING 2
Hideo Kojima's ambitious post-apocalyptic epic is getting a sequel, featuring the return of Norman Reedus as Sam and Lea Seydoux as Fragile.

Wednesday, January 11, 2023

'The Boys' have spawned a New Generation...

"The Boys" College Spinoff:
GEN V

Welcome to Godolkin University, a safe space for you to thrive. This is your first look at GEN V, The Boys college spinoff series arriving on Prime Video in 2023. Starring Jaz Sinclair, Chance Perdomo, Lizze Broadway, Shelley Conn, Maddie Phillips, London Thor, Derek Luh, Asa Germann, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Sean Patrick Thomas, Marco Pigossi, Clancy Brown, Alexander Calvert and Jason Ritter. Also featuring guest appearances from Jessie T. Usher, Colby Minifie and P.J. Byrne reprising their roles from The Boys.

Tuesday, January 10, 2023

The Best Cosplays of 2022!

IT’S 2022 REWIND!
A YEAR'S WORTH OF COSPLAY AWESOMENESS
2022 has come to an end and its time to look back at some of the amazing cosplayers that were featured in some of the cosplay music videos shown this season! The cosplayers in this Rewind CMV were from some awesome conventions such as IKKiCON, Katsucon, Nishi Fest, Kameha Con, Star Wars Celebration, A-Kon, RTX, Comicpalooza, Bell County Comic Con, Anime Houston, Colossalcon Texas, Power Morphicon, BanzaiKon, Anime Texas, Ecchi Expo & Holiday Matsuri. See what cosplayers were featured in this exciting Director's Cut CMV of the Cosplay Rewind!!! So what are you waiting watch the season finale to the 2022 season of the Director's Cut CMV series!!!! LIKE, SHARE, SUBSCRIBE, SHARE & REPEAT!!! CONVENTIONS SHOWN IKKiCON, Katsucon, Nishi Fest, Kameha Con, Star Wars Celebration, A-Kon, RTX, Comicpalooza, Bell County Comic Con, Anime Houston, Colossalcon Texas, Power Morphicon, BanzaiKon, Anime Texas, Ecchi Expo & Holiday Matsuri.

Monday, January 9, 2023

"I need to get out of a toxic relantionship..."

RENFIELD
Nicolas Cage stars as the world's worst boss, Count Dracula, in the upcoming RENFIELD in theatres April 14. Dracula's henchman, Renfield, wonders what life would be like without serving his dark master. Stars Nicolas Cage as Dracula, Nicholas Hoult as Renfield, and Awkwafina as... Awkwafina (of course). LET'S EAT!

Sunday, January 8, 2023

"Remember, it used to be way worse..."

Mushoku Tensei: Season 2
Last we saw, Eris had left Rudeus to venture on her own in hopes of becoming strong, and the same was the case with Ruijerd who left in search to find other members of his Race. The OVA that was released in March 2022 showed specifically what Eris was doing to get stronger while in the Holy Land of the Sword. As for what’ll happen to Rudeus in Mushoku Tensei: Season 2, well, he’ll head to the city of Rosenburg to find his mother Zenith. Completely alone now, Rudeus also takes on an A-rank mission to spread his fame, although that’s a risk that may have repercussions he doesn’t realize.

Saturday, January 7, 2023

More Than Meets the Eye...

TRANSFORMERS
RISE OF THE BEASTS
Returning to the action and spectacle that have captured moviegoers around the world, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts will take audiences on a ‘90s globetrotting adventure and introduce the Maximals, Predacons, and Terrorcons to the existing battle on earth between Autobots and Decepticons. Directed by Steven Caple Jr. and starring Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback, the film arrives in theatres June 9, 2023.

Friday, January 6, 2023

To Hell and Back...

Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku
Captured during an assassination mission, Gabimaru the Hollow is sentenced to be executed, but nothing seems to kill him due to his superhuman body. Believing his love for his wife to be subconsciously keeping him alive, executioner Yamada Asaemon Sagiri offers him the chance to be pardoned of all crimes by the Shogunate if he finds the elixir of life on Shinsenkyo, a legendary realm recently discovered southwest of the Ryukyu Kingdom. After losing five expedition teams sent to the island, this time the Shogunate sends a group of death row convicts. The convicts are each given a Yamada Asaemon executioner, who they must return with in order to obtain the pardon.

Thursday, January 5, 2023

"There's something Alien out there..."

--- 65 ---
After a catastrophic crash on an unknown planet, pilot Mills (Adam Driver) quickly discovers he’s actually stranded on Earth… 65 million years ago. Now, with only one chance at rescue, Mills and the only other survivor, Koa (Ariana Greenblatt), must make their way across an unknown terrain riddled with dangerous prehistoric creatures in an epic fight to survive. From the writers of A Quiet Place and producer Sam Raimi comes 65, a sci-fi thriller starring Adam Driver, Ariana Greenblatt, and Chloe Coleman. Written, directed, and produced by Scott Beck & Bryan Woods - the film is also produced by Sam Raimi, Deborah Liebling and Zainab Azizi.

Wednesday, January 4, 2023

A Retelling of an Anime Classic...

TRIGUN: STAMPEDE
Trigun: Stampede is going to be a reboot of the classic anime Trigun, one that promises to be more faithful to the manga by Yasuhiro Nightow. The anime is produced by CG Studio Orange and is set to debut on January 7, 2023.

Tuesday, January 3, 2023

Live-Action Voltes V (Five)!

VOLTES  V:  LEGACY
Voltes V: Legacy is a live-action television adaptation by GMA Network of the Japanese anime television series Chōdenji Machine Voltes V that was produced by Toei Company and Sunrise. The anime is commonly known in the Philippines as Voltes V. GMA Network acquired the rights to make a live-action adaptation through Telesuccess Productions, Toei's Philippine licensee.
Voltes V (pronounced "Voltes Five") was first broadcast in the Philippines on May 5, 1978, on GMA Network with English dubbing. It was banned by then-President Ferdinand Marcos on August 27, 1979, citing "harmful effects on children" with four remaining episodes being unaired. After the 1986 People Power Revolution that resulted in Marcos' removal from office, the anime was re-aired on Philippine television in the 1980s to 2010s.
 
 
Now watch the Original Anime
Super Electromagnetic Machine Voltes V
Two million years have passed since human begins first came into the world. Now the earth faces a crisis. Suddenly the Boazan Empire starts to invade the earth with a huge force that comes from somewhere for off in space. Their attacks are so strong and violent that the Earth Defense Forces are being beaten everywhere they attack. In Tokyo, where the headquarters of the Defense Forces is exposed to the danger by SUPER HORNET, monstrous robot sent by the Boazanians. The crisis is avoided with Voltes V, the super electro-magnetic machine, developed by Dr. Armstrong whose whereabouts is not known and its crew-Steve, the first son of Armstrong, Bert, the second son, Little John, the third son, Mark and Jamie.

Monday, January 2, 2023

NieR: Automata is now an Anime...

NieR: Automata
Nier: Automata Ver1.1a (Japanese: ニーア オートマタ Ver1.1a, Hepburn: Nīa Ōtomata Ver1.1a) is an upcoming anime television series based on the action role-playing game Nier: Automata developed by PlatinumGames and published by Square Enix. The series is produced by A-1 Pictures and is scheduled to be aired in January 8, 2023.
Set in the year 11945 AD, the story revolves around a proxy war between the human-made androids and the machine army of invaders from another world. Lacking both emotions and true names, androids have particular attitudes that distinguish them from their fellows. The "YoRHa" android forces are commanded from the Bunker, a reconnaissance base in orbit above Earth. They fight alongside the pre-YoRHa androids on Earth (known as the Resistance) to drive back the Machines.

Sunday, January 1, 2023

Happy New Year, Everyone!

  
A N I M A T R I X
N E T W O R K
@-}- Best Wishes to All in 2023-{-@