Next Club Meeting: July 19, 2025, at the Fountaindale Public Library in Bolingbrook from 11:00 am - 5:00 pm

The Animatrix Network is an anime & manga fan club located in the Southwest suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. We usually meet on the third Saturday of each month (except when holidays or conventions coincide). The meetings are free and open to the public. Join us for a day filled with anime.

This site provides news, reviews, commentaries, and previews of the world of anime and everything it inspires, such as live-action films, comics, music, art, and other weird things to enjoy and contemplate.

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Watch Mamoru Hosoda's Masterpiece now in 4K...

SUMMER WARS
4K Remaster
Kenji is a shy, part-time moderator for OZ, the virtual reality world that powers everyday life, until pretty and popular Natsuki recruits him to be her fake boyfriend. While posing as an affluent suitor to Natsuki’s family, Kenji finds that a rogue A.I. program has stolen his online identity, and Kenji is accused of hacking OZ and causing real-world catastrophes. As the destruction in OZ throws Natsuki’s family into disarray, Kenji must unite his newfound connections to overcome an impending cyber apocalypse. 
In theatres July 27-29
Against a backdrop of stunning countryside vistas and virtual spaces bursting with color, Summer Wars is a timeless epic that explores life in the digital age from Academy Award®-nominated director Mamoru Hosoda (BELLE).
"Koi-Koi!"

Monday, July 14, 2025

We NEED a Live-Action version of this...

Dungeons & Dragons 1983 A.I. Intro
A group of six friends is transported from a theme park ride into a magical realm filled with dragons, dark sorcery, and perilous quests. Gifted unique weapons by the mysterious Dungeon Master, the kids become heroes in this strange land, each with a role — Ranger, Magician, Acrobat, Cavalier, Thief, and Barbarian. Together, they seek a way home while facing the evil Venger, battling monsters, and uncovering the realm’s secrets. Along the way, they must rely on their wits, courage, and each other to survive this enchanted and dangerous world.

Sunday, July 13, 2025

Mr. Sandman, where are you?

IN YOUR DREAMS
In Your Dreams is an upcoming American animated musical adventure fantasy comedy film directed by Alex Woo, and co-directed by Erik Benson from a script by Woo and Benson and a story by Woo, Benson, and Stanley Moore. The film stars Simu Liu, Craig Robinson, Cristin Milioti, Jolie Hoang-Rappaport, Elias Janssen, Gia Carides, Omid Djalili, SungWon Cho, and Zachary Noah Piser. Produced by Netflix Animation and Kuku Studios, it is set for release on Netflix on November 14, 2025.

Stevie and her little brother Elliot journey into the wildly absurd landscape of their own dreams to ask the Sandman to grant them the perfect family.

Saturday, July 12, 2025

The Next Club Meeting is July 19, 2025...

A N I M A T R I X   N E T W O R K
Always something interesting going on at the club!

M O N T H L Y   M E E T I N G
 
Fountaindale Public Library
300 W. Briarcliff Road
Bolingbrook, IL  60440
Peggy J. Danhof Board Room
 (2nd Floor)
Saturday, July 19, 2025
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.
 
(Click below for maps)

Friday, July 11, 2025

Shiny metal bikinis fighting for Truth, Justice...

RED SONJA
Enslaved by an evil tyrant who wishes to destroy her people, barbarian huntress Red Sonja must unite a group of unlikely warriors to face off against Dragan the Magnificent and his deadly bride, Dark Annisia.
Red Sonja is an upcoming American sword and sorcery film directed by M. J. Bassett and written by Tasha Huo, based on the Marvel Comics/Dynamite character of the same name. The film stars Matilda Lutz as the title character, alongside Wallis Day, Robert Sheehan, Michael Bisping, Martyn Ford, Eliza Matengu, Rhona Mitra, and Veronica Ferres.
In theaters August 15

Thursday, July 10, 2025

Reincarnated with the power to use Water Magic...

The Water Magician
"The Water Magician" is an anime series that follows the adventures of Ryo, a character reincarnated in a fantasy world where he wields powerful water magic.

The story centers around Ryo, a young man who dies and is reincarnated in a magical world known as Phi. He possesses the ability to use water magic, which he initially believes will allow him to live a peaceful life. However, Ryo quickly finds himself in a challenging environment filled with monsters and dangers. He must learn to harness his abilities to survive and thrive in this new world.

As Ryo navigates his new life, he trains for twenty years, developing his skills and encountering various characters, including adventurers and formidable foes. His journey is marked by battles, friendships, and the quest for knowledge about his powers and the world around him.

Wednesday, July 9, 2025

Our Favorite Space Girls are in Trouble Again!...

MILKY☆SUBWAY THE GALACTIC LIMITED EXPRESS
Episode 01 "All Aboard!"
Freshly arrested, Chiharu and Makina are sentenced to scrub the Milky☆Subway.
It was supposed to be simple. Spoiler: it’s not.
Arrested for reckless space driving, super human Chiharu and cyborg Makina are sentenced to clean the Milky☆Subway—an old interplanetary train. Easy enough, right? Wrong. When the train suddenly takes off, they are thrown into a high-speed space-train spectacle packed with chaos, no plans, and zero strategy. Just pure momentum!

Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Watching this just for the PLOT...

RURI ROCKS
Ruri Rocks (Japanese: 瑠璃の宝石, Hepburn: Ruri no Hōseki; lit. 'Ruri's Jewels'), also known as Introduction to Mineralogy, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Keiichirō Shibuya. The story features high school student Ruri, a girl who loves minerals and jewelry who meets graduate student Nagi, fostering an interest in mineralogy. It has been serialized in Enterbrain's seinen manga magazine Harta since August 2019, with its chapters collected into five tankōbon volumes as of September 2024. An anime television series adaptation produced by Studio Bind is set to premiere in July 2025.

Monday, July 7, 2025

Beware Her Wrath!

MARY POPPINS, Re-Cut: RATED R
This summer, Mary Poppins returns... with a vengeance.

Sunday, July 6, 2025

"Whether the target is alive or dead... is irrelevant."

Virgin Punk: Clockwork Girl
Conditions for Receiving Bounty:
Bring the brain of a wanted criminal possessing illegal Somadea to authorities. Whether the target is alive or dead… is irrelevant. 
The year is 2099. Humanity has advanced, overcoming all injuries and illnesses with the development of the Medical Android Technology “Somadea.” However, along with the development of Somadea, crimes misusing said technology have rapidly increased. Somadea grants physical abilities far superior to those of normal flesh and blood, and by illegally modifying it, Somadea can be misused for criminal purposes. To deal with these Somadea crimes, the government established the Bounty Hunter System. Civilians registered as bounty hunters are permitted to kill illegal Somadea users designated as wanted criminals by the police. In return, they are rewarded with large amounts of bounty money. In this unforgiving world, Ubu Kamigori makes a living hunting down criminals as a bounty hunter. But one day, when she returns home from a job, she finds the man with whom she has a sordid history waiting there – Mr. Elegance. And so, her destiny begins to unravel. A tale woven by mechanical girls and the smell of gunpowder smoke, this suspenseful action begins!
A Yasuomi Umetsu X SHAFT Collaboration
Yasuomi Umetsu is an incredibly talented writer, director, and character designer from Japan who has captivated fans from all over the world with his unique worlds from works such as KITE (1998) and MEZZO FORTE (2000), among others. In recent years, he has worked in multiple capacities, including directing the opening and ending sequences of various popular titles and working as an animator. This occasion marks his return as animation director, for the first time in 10 years, with the title VIRGIN PUNK.

Animation studio SHAFT joins forces with Director Yasuomi Umetsu to animate the visuals for this title. The studio has created and gifted the world with much-loved titles such as Puella Magi Madoka Magica and the Monogatari series.

VIRGIN PUNK is the progeny of Yasuomi Umetsu and SHAFT, an entirely original animation series created and planned by this talented team.

Yuya Takahashi, a screenwriter known for his work on the Kamen Rider series and drama Mountain Doctor, takes the reins of the script. Maximizing the unique animated expressions found in VIRGIN PUNK, he depicts the anguish experienced by Ubu, the story’s protagonist, who must live her life as a bounty hunter, painting a story of the intense characters that draw her in with their desires and chaos, interwoven into her life.

Saturday, July 5, 2025

"Yes, My King..."

Apocalypse Bringer Mynoghra:
World Conquest Starts with the Civilization of Ruin
Coming July 6, 2025
In Eternal Nations, a fantasy strategy game where players manage an empire, Takuto Ira is a legendary player who sits atop the leaderboard. Takuto goes unconscious during a hospitalization and awakens on the continent of Idoragya, which looks just like the game. Takuto meets Sludge Atou, his favorite unit in the game, and decides to build Mynoghra, an evil empire, in this isekai apocalypse anime.

Thursday, July 3, 2025

How will your story end?

THE SANDMAN - SEASON 2
Everyone loves a good story, but all stories must come to an end. The Sandman returns for its epic final season.
Vol. 1 - July 3 | Vol. 2 - July 24, only on Netflix.
In the first season, Morpheus, the personification of dreams and one of the seven Endless, was captured in an occult ritual in 1918. He escaped in 2025, after being held captive for 106 years. He set out to restore order to his realm the Dreaming. In the second season, Morpheus faces the forces of Hell in order to rescue someone he loves.

Wednesday, July 2, 2025

Korean AVENGERS Assemble!...

H I - F I V E
After receiving mysterious organ transplants, five strangers awaken with extraordinary abilities. Banding together, they become an unlikely superhero team known as the “Hi-Five.” Directed by: Kang Hyeong-cheol Cast: Yoo Ah-in, Oh Jung-se, Park Jin-young, Ahn Jae-hong ,Lee Jae-in, Ra Mi-ran, Kim Hee-won, & Shin Gu.

Tuesday, July 1, 2025

One chance to save us all...

PROJECT HAIL MARY
Based on Andy Weir's New York Times best-selling novel, starring Academy Award® nominee Ryan Gosling, and directed by Academy Award® winning filmmakers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller.
Only in theaters and IMAX - 3.20.26
In the near future, scientists observe a global dimming event coinciding with the formation of a bright line from the Sun to Venus. The exponential rate of dimming will cause a catastrophic ice age within 30 years. The world's governments cooperate and appoint former European Space Agency administrator Eva Stratt unilateral authority and legal immunity to solve the problem. A space probe is sent to Venus, and it is discovered that the line contains alien microbes.

Stratt appoints Ryland Grace, a junior high (middle) school teacher and former molecular biologist to study a sample of the organism recovered from Venus. He discovers that the single-celled organism consumes electromagnetic radiation and uses radiant energy to move, naming it "Astrophage". Grace also discovers that Astrophage reproduces by feeding on the heat of the Sun and carbon dioxide on Venus. Other scientists discover that Astrophage can be mass-bred for use as rocket fuel.

Astronomy data reveals that Astrophage has also infected and dimmed nearby stars, but one star, Tau Ceti, has resisted the infection. An Astrophage-fueled starship, the Hail Mary, is created to travel to Tau Ceti and obtain information about Astrophage resistance. There is only enough time to breed enough Astrophage for a one-way trip, so the crew are tasked with returning the findings to Earth with unmanned mini-ships called "beetles". Grace trains the science experts for the mission, but they are killed in an accident shortly before launch. With no time to train a comparably-skilled replacement, Stratt forces Grace to join the mission. Grace threatens sabotage, so a sedative is administered to him before launch, with a temporary amnesia-inducing drug set to be administered shortly before he awakens.

Years later, Ryland Grace emerges from his coma aboard the Hail Mary with no memory of his identity or situation. Grace finds that his crew members have died and gives them a space burial. Hail Mary reaches Tau Ceti and is approached by an alien starship, which Grace names "Blip-A". The other ship indicates that its home system in 40 Eridani is also plagued by an Astrophage infection. Blip-A docks with Hail Mary, and the two ships establish first contact. Grace develops a system to communicate with the spider-like five-legged alien, whom he names "Rocky". Rocky, a skilled engineer, has been in the Tau Ceti system for 46 years and is the last survivor of his crew.

Unfamiliar with the concept of relativity, the Eridians greatly overestimated the amount of fuel needed for a round-trip to Tau Ceti, and Grace learns that the Blip-A has enough Astrophage fuel for both ships to return to their planets. Grace and Rocky discover Astrophage's home planet in orbit around Tau Ceti, which Rocky names after his mate and Grace names "Adrian". The planet's atmosphere is found to contain a natural predator of Astrophage. The predator is found to live in the upper atmosphere of Adrian, forcing Grace and Rocky to construct a 10 kilometer chain made of xenonite, an Eridian xenon compound with extraordinary tensile strength and heat resistance. While collecting a sample, a hull breach occurs, and Grace and Rocky risk their lives to save each other...

Monday, June 30, 2025

"Finish her!..."

Young Ladies Don’t Play Fighting Games
Kuromi Girls' Academy is a refined, elegant school that expects the very best in deportment from its young ladies. Aya got into this peerless rich-girls' institution on a scholarship, and hopes to grow as lovely as her fellow student and idol Shirayui. But Shirayui hides a terrible secret: she's a trash-talking, combo-chaining, newbie-stomping, ruthless hardcore gamer! Could a mutual indulgence in no-holds-barred video game combat grow into a deeper rapport between these two girls?

Sunday, June 29, 2025

"Sisters! Let's Fight As One!"

S h i n s e i   G a l v e r s e
Zero crash-lands on the war-torn planet Amatera with no memories and no idea who she is. Amidst a brutal conflict between the local resistance and the imperial Gevuran forces, she meets Ring, a charismatic young leader fighting to save the world. As Zero’s identity slowly awakens, she discovers she’s no ordinary girl—she’s a cosmic being known as Galverse, a key to something far greater than any one planet.
 
Shinsei Galverse is a fan-funded, original sci-fi anime directed by Ayaka Ohira, blending 90's anime nostalgia with contemporary storytelling. Throughout its production, fans have enjoyed unprecedented behind-the-scenes access, actively contributing to story elements, character designs, creative works, and even the anime’s marketing and release!
Watch the Anime here... 

Saturday, June 28, 2025

The Vampire Love Story Continues...

Call of the Night - Season 2
Ko overcomes his confusion about becoming a vampire and decides to "like" Nazuna, while Nazuna resolves to make Ko "fall in love" with her. Without understanding what "love" even is, the two of them spend their nights together in a frenzy. Meanwhile, Detective Uguisu Anko is closing in with her plot to kill vampires, not just Nazuna. A vampire's weakness is "anything they were attached to when they were human" and so they all try to get rid of this weakness before it's too late. But, Nazuna has no memory of her human life. What is Nazuna's hidden past? Why did Anko start killing vampires? And what is the "secret" that Nazuna and Anko share? For Ko, Nazuna, Anko, a fun "late night" doesn't end here... a new "night" begins!

Friday, June 27, 2025

Yes, they actually made a Bowling Anime...

Turkey! Time to Strike
Mai Otonashi is a second-year student and the captain of the Ikkokukan High School Bowling Club, and recently, she’s struggled to win. Whenever she scores a Turkey, three consecutive strikes, she follows it up with an unbeatable split—the Snake Eyes. This is the story of Mai, Rina, Sayuri, Nozomi, and Nanase as they fight, fall, and rise again in pursuit of victory in the final days of summer.

Thursday, June 26, 2025

The Legendary Isekai Returns...

The Rising of the Shield Hero - Season 4
The end of the third season teased that Raphtalia would be at the center of a huge new story, but the trailers and promotional materials have instead teased that the brother and sister duo Alta and Fohl will be taking the center stage this time. Either way, there’s going to be a lot of chaos coming Naofumi and his party’s way as the new season hits our screens later this Summer.
Release Date: July 9, 2025

Wednesday, June 25, 2025

The whole gang is back...

Ranma 1/2: Season 2
The first season adapts approximately the first four volumes of the original manga, leaving off with Akane's restored memories of Ranma. If the second season plans to cover a similar amount of material, it should include Mousse's arrival and finish up with Happosai's introduction to the story.
Coming to Netflix in October 2025

Tuesday, June 24, 2025

Praise the Fool...

Lord of the Mysteries
The story begins in the year 1349 of the Epoch Calendar. Zhou Mingrui, a Chinese youth transmigrates into the body of a university graduate, Klein Moretti, after the latter's questionable suicide.
Arriving June 2025
Finding himself in a world reminiscent of late Victoria era England with mystical powers, Zhou Mingrui (now Klein Moretti) searches for a way to go home. After reproducing a ritual that presumably was the catalyst of his transmigration, he masquerades as a god-like entity and forms an organization known as the 'Tarot Club'. After becoming an official Beyonder (Those with supernatural abilities), he tries to find out what happened with Klein's suicide while growing his power to eventually return home.

Monday, June 23, 2025

One decade of absolute greatness...

My Hero Academia - FINAL SEASON
Izuku has dreamt of being a hero all his life—a lofty goal for anyone, but especially challenging for a kid with no superpowers. That’s right, in a world where eighty percent of the population has some kind of super-powered “quirk,” Izuku was unlucky enough to be born completely normal. But that’s not enough to stop him from enrolling in one of the world’s most prestigious hero academies.
October 2025

Sunday, June 22, 2025

Jim Henson's Punch-Out...

Felt That Boxing
Get your first look at the announcement trailer for Felt That Boxing, the puppet-based pugilism game from Sans Strings Studio. Felt That Boxing combines comedic storytelling with intense arcade fighting action. Felt That Boxing is coming to Steam, release date TBD.

Saturday, June 21, 2025

When the "Mother-in-Law" is a Real Dragon...

C L E V A T E S S
One of the Lords of Dark Beasts, Clevatess’s reign shatters when he revives a hero he personally slayed and adopts an orphaned humanoid baby—the last hope to save a dying world. Now bound together, what fate awaits this unlikely trio?
Release date: July 2025

Friday, June 20, 2025

What the heck did I just watch...

UMAMUSUME: Pretty Derby
Horse Girl Racing!
Umamusume: Pretty Derby is racing towards its English debut! The English release of the game will launch on June 26, 2025. Faster than Anyone is a glimpse of what's to come in the dramatic world of Umamusume racing, set to the song "Girls' Legend U".
Yes, it's a game where you can race your Horse Girls!

Thursday, June 19, 2025

This Game will leave you Speechless...

Out of Words
A handcrafted, hand animated story of first time love and the confusion that comes with it, Co-Op Platformer Adventure, Out of Words is coming to PC through the Epic Games Store in 2026.

Players follow the story of Kurt and Karla, two characters who have lost their voices. As they journey through the fantastical world of Vokabulantis, they confront obstacles that test their relationship and communication. The narrative explores themes of emotional connection, cooperation, and identity, as the characters work together to restore their ability to speak and understand one another.

The plot focuses on the characters’ shared quest to recover their voices and navigate their relationship amid growing challenges in their environment. The game presents a metaphorical exploration of language, love, and the difficulties of communication in the modern world.

Wednesday, June 18, 2025

Anime Viewing Schedule for June 21, 2025...


 A N I M A T R I X   N E T W O R K
Saturday, June 21, 2025
Fountaindale Public Library
VIEWING SCHEDULE
          11:15 - 12:05   Apothecary Diaries - Season 2 eps 3-4
          12:05 - 12:55   M.S. Gundam GQuuuuuuX eps 5-6
          12:55 - 1:30     Club Meeting
          1:30 - 2:20       Lazarus eps 5-6
          2:20 - 3:10       The Super Cube eps 5-6
          3:103:35       To Be Hero X eps 5
          3:35 - 4:55       Predator: Killer of Killers [Movie]
 
Don't miss out on the Action!
 
Fountaindale Public Library
300 W. Briarcliff Road
Bolingbrook, IL 60440 
Peggy J. Danhof Board Room
(Second Floor)
 
From 11:15 AM to 5:00 PM

All anime presented are fan-subtitled unless otherwise noted.
Don't miss these exciting anime series: Ranma 1/2 and Urusei Yatsura
* ANIME DESCRIPTIONS ARE BELOW *

Tuesday, June 17, 2025

Monday, June 16, 2025

Fight your way out of the Pit...

Gachiakuta
Crawl back from the abyss of Hell to change this lousy world!
Rudo lives in the slums of a floating town, where the poor scrape by under the shadow of the rich who live a sumptuous life, simply casting their garbage off the side, into the abyss. Then one day, he’s falsely accused of murder, and his wrongful conviction leads to an unimaginable punishment—exile off the edge, with the rest of the trash. 

Down on the surface, the cast-off waste of humanity has bred vicious monsters, and if Rudo wants to have any hope of discovering the truth and seeking vengeance against those who cast him into Hell, he will have to master a new power and join a group known as the Cleaners who battle the hulking trash beasts of the Pit!

Sunday, June 15, 2025

Happy Father's Day!

Father and Daughter
Director - Michael Dudok de Wit
A father bids farewell to his young daughter; she grows up longing for his return.

This short film won 24 awards, including:
* Oscar / Best Short Film, Animated / Academy Awards, USA, 2001
* BAFTA Film Award / Best Short Animation / BAFTA Awards, 2001
* Jury Award / Best Film / Anima Mundi Animation Festival, 2001
* Cartoon d'Or / Cartoon Forum, Europe, 2001
* Best Animation / International Competition
* Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, 2001

Saturday, June 14, 2025

Next Club Meeting is June 21, 2025...

A N I M A T R I X   N E T W O R K

Get in on the Action!

M O N T H L Y   M E E T I N G
 
Fountaindale Public Library
300 W. Briarcliff Road
Bolingbrook, IL  60440
Peggy J. Danhof Board Room
 (2nd Floor)
Saturday, June 21, 2025
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.
 
(Click below for maps)

Friday, June 13, 2025

Every death echoes, and the sea never forgets...

BLOODSHORE
BLOODSHORE is a cinematic dark fantasy short set in the heart of an endless magical war. A legion of battle-worn wizards storm a cursed coastline, where steel meets sorcery, and time itself bends under the weight of bloodshed. Arcane rituals, collapsing ships, and forgotten gods clash in a grim spectacle of magic and fate.

Thursday, June 12, 2025

Invasion of the Adorable Cats...

Nyaight of the Living Cat
Run! In 20XX, the world is dominated by cats. A virus which turns anyone who touches a cat into a cat has spread into a worldwide nyandemic. Cats rub against people, turning them into cats. Can humanity fight their urge to pet cats to survive in this cat-ridden world? The momentously catful comic is getting a TV anime in 2025!
Coming July 6th!