Next Club Meeting:April 26, 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.
(Source: Yahoo!News) Hayao Miyazaki is revered as a living legend, a figure whose influence rivals Walt Disney himself. Since Miyazaki cofounded Studio Ghibli nearly four decades ago, the animation house has released some of the most popular anime films ever made, including 2023’s Oscar-winning animated feature The Boy and the Heron.
The painstakingly crafted, hand-drawn Ghibli style is beloved by fans, and earlier this week, it was co-opted by the GPT-4o model in OpenAI's image generator. This resulted in a flood of Ghibli-inspired AI memes across social media, as well as pushback by anti-AI activists and ardent fans of Miyazaki and his studio.
Amazon kicked the boss of Amazon Studios to the curb after the failure of The Rings of Power. The word is she wanted to make 007 a "diverse woman" and that was the straw that broke the camel's back with Jeff Bezos and friends.
When a space vessel crash-lands on Earth, a young woman and a ragtag group of tactical soldiers make a discovery that puts them face-to-face with the planet's biggest threat.
Alien: Earth is an upcoming American science fiction horror television series written and directed by Noah Hawley, based on the Alien franchise. It serves as a prequel and is set two years before the events of the 1979 film Alien. It stars Sydney Chandler, Timothy Olyphant, Alex Lawther, Samuel Blenkin, Essie Davis, Adarsh Gourav.
Alien: Earth to be released on FX on Hulu in mid-2025.
In the Edo period, there was a shrine maiden called "Itsukihime" in the mountain village of Kadono. Jinta, a young man who acts as the shrine maiden's guardian despite being a stranger, encounters a mysterious demon who speaks of the far future in the forest where he went to defeat it. From Edo to the Heisei era, this huge Japanese fantasy series follows a demon man who travels through time while continuously questioning the meaning of wielding a sword.
Caught in the heat of a cosmic conflict between Earth and the Moon, Jack (Chiaki Kobayashi) enlists as a scout in the Earth army seeking vengeance against the Moon's rebel army but discovers an unexpected leader.
Original Work: Tou Ubukata
Character Design: Hiromu Arakawa, Ayumi Yamada
Director: Masashi Koizuka
Animation Production: WIT Studio
Theme song: "Daijoubu" by AiNA THE END
Moonrise premieres April 10, exclusively on Netflix.
In an accident, Wang Xiaoxiu, an ordinary teenager, obtains a space system "Super Cube" from a high-latitude cosmic civilization, thus possessing extraordinary abilities. After being confessed to by Shen Yao, the schoolgirl whom he has long been in love with, Wang Xiaoxiu annoys Sun Jun, an undesirable young man who is also Shen Yao's suitor. Wang Xiaoxiu relies on his resourcefulness and extraordinary ability to defuse the crisis, but it also leads to more trouble. Shen Yao is taken by a mysterious man to the world of extraordinary people, and Wang Xiaoxiu embarks on a journey to save Shen Yao. Together with Xiao Xiu, he fights in the world of light and strange, interpreting fairness and justice on his way to becoming a supremely powerful man!
M . I . N . S . K . MODULAR INTEGRATED NETWORKED SYSTEMS KINETICS
M.I.N.S.K. is a third-person survival horror adventure set in a dark, post-apocalyptic world.
You control an android created by a lone engineer struggling to survive. The cities are shrouded in toxic fog, and the last remnants of civilization hide in the towering ruins above. But when the android encounters another robot—controlled by a biologist searching for answers—their connection sparks something deeper than just survival.
Now, they share a common goal: to reunite in the real world and uncover the truth behind the devastation. But between them stand treacherous landscapes, hostile machines, and ruthless scavengers who will do anything to take what little remains.
🛠 Key Features
A Thoughtfully Crafted Experience Designed by a passionate small team, M.I.N.S.K. offers a seamless and immersive experience where every aspect—from gameplay to storytelling—blends harmoniously. Expect a refined adventure that balances exploration, action, and emotional depth.
A Deep, Emotional Storyline Step into a world filled with loneliness, hope, and love. Experience a story that unfolds through the interactions between humans and machines, where choices and relationships shape the journey in unexpected ways.
AAA-Level Visuals & Immersive Sound Design Explore stunningly detailed environments brought to life with cutting-edge Unreal Engine 5 technology. From towering ruins to eerie, fog-covered streets, every location is filled with rich visual storytelling, complemented by an atmospheric soundtrack that deepens the immersion.
A Unique Vertical Level Design Venture through a city structured across multiple layers—each with distinct challenges, dangers, and mysteries. Climb, explore, and adapt as you traverse this intricate world, uncovering secrets hidden in the depths of the ruins.
AI GENERATED CONTENT DISCLOSURE The developers describe how their game uses AI Generated Content like this: AI work on some textures and soundtrack of the game
MATURE CONTENT DESCRIPTION The developers describe the content like this: This Game may contain content not appropriate for all ages, or may not be appropriate for viewing at work: Frequent Violence or Gore, General Mature Content.
Planned Release Date: To Be Announced Soon!
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS MINIMUM: OS: windows 10 / 11 RECOMMENDED: OS: windows 10 / 11
Monica Everett, the Silent Witch, is the only mage in the world who can use unchanted magecraft, a true hero who single-handedly defeated a legendary black dragon. However, this young genius is actually... super-duper shy! That's right: She learned to cast spells silently just to avoid speaking in public, and despite her power, she has zero self-confidence. Now Monica has been tasked with secretly guarding the second prince. Can she keep it together as she faces both the evil forces targeting the prince and the terrors of social interaction?
"Nobody's gonna notice the scotch tape in 60 years"
Old anime is in a sad state. Eventually it may go extinct entirely. One by one, things get more blurry, lower resolution, & then suddenly you can't even see it anymore. This video is about anime restoration & what it takes to watch really old anime in the first place. I explore the world of film, including techniques for reconstructing lost media from, laserdisc, VHS, and more. Discover the amazing efforts being made to preserve classic anime series from the 60s, 70s, and 80s, including Shadar, Mon Chere Coco, and the Super Mario Bros. movie. In this deep dive video, I showcase the techniques and technologies being used to restore lost anime and bring it into the modern era in 4K and 8K resolution. From lost episodes of Doraemon to entire films that have only been captured in a single screenshot, this is the ultimate retrospective on the search for lost anime media. - Kenny Lauderdale
Snow White is here, the box office projections are dropping, preview night was lower than The Marvels and theaters across the country are EMPTY. But we're sure Disney will be just fiiiiine.
Did Rachel Zegler poison the film long before its premiere?
Netflix has become a powerhouse at churning out content over the past decade, and their latest blockbuster hit has all the ingredients to make a massive hit: big-name stars and directors, one of the biggest budgets ever, and… well that’s enough according to the algorithm!
The Electric State does raise some questions. Like why did they even base this on a graphic novel if they were just going to do their own thing anyway? Why didn’t the humans just deactivate all the robots if they didn’t believe they were alive anyway? How are the needs to sleep and to recharge that much different from each other? Did Mr. Peanut just sign a treaty with Bill Clinton? To answer all these questions and more, step inside Ryan George’s Pitch Meeting for The Electric State!
After an unidentified plant from outer space invasion, Rita finds herself trapped in a time loop, forced to relive the same day over and over again. With each loop, she learns. She fights. Her memories and experiences sharpen her skills, turning her into a formidable warrior. Yet, the endless cycle of death and solitude begins to wear her down. Then, she meets Keiji. "I've been repeating this day too," he says. Two lost souls, trapped in an endless war. Could their meeting change fate?
In 1981, Conor, a lighthouse keeper, lives on an island off the north-west coast of Ireland with his wife, Bronagh. After bearing a human son named Ben, the couple expect a second child, but Bronagh disappears after giving birth to their daughter Saoirse, apparently dying in childbirth.
Six years later, Conor dotes on the mute Saoirse, while Ben is resentful of her, as he blames her for his mother's disappearance; his sole companion is the family's Old English Sheepdog, Cú. On Saoirse's birthday, the children are visited by their Granny, who regards the lighthouse as an unfit place to raise the children. That night, Saoirse plays a seashell given to Ben by their mother, and is led to a white sealskin coat inside Conor's closet. Donning the coat, Saoirse goes to the sea and transforms into a selkie. After swimming, she is found by Granny on the seashore, and the frightened Conor locks the coat in a chest and throws it into the sea. Granny takes the children to her mainland home in Dublin, with Cú staying at the lighthouse. Along the way, Ben draws up a map of the route, and on the eve of Samhain he and Saoirse run away from Granny's home to return for Cú.
Saoirse again plays Ben's seashell and is abducted by a trio of daoine sí, taking her to their lair underneath a bushy roundabout. The daoine sí rejoice at Saoirse's appearance, hoping that she can return them to their homeworld if she sings her song while wearing her coat. However, their jubilation draws the attention of owls belonging to a witch named Macha, who had turned the other daoine sí to stone by sucking their feelings out of them. The owls attack the shelter and turn the daoine sí to stone, but Ben and Saoirse escape. The children make their way toward the lighthouse to retrieve Saoirse's coat, and are reunited with Cú, who swam across the strait in pursuit of them.
During a rainfall, Ben and an ailing Saoirse take shelter in a hut, in which Saoirse falls into a holy well. Cú and Ben pursue Saoirse, but Ben gets lost and emerges in a cave inhabited by the Great Seanachaí. Through strands of the sage's beard hair, Ben sees the story of the giant Mac Lir, who cried out in a terrible fit of grief and threatened to flood the world. Macha, Mac Lir's mother, was unable to endure her son's anguish and thus deprived him of his feelings, turning him to stone. Finding Saoirse's whereabouts through another strand, the Great Seanachaí tells Ben that Macha has kidnapped Saoirse and that if Saoirse does not wear her coat and sing her song by dawn, she and all other magical beings will die. Following one of the Great Seanachaí's hairs to Macha's lair, Ben sees a flashback of the night Saoirse was born and learns the truth: Bronagh was a selkie, and she had to return to the sea so Saoirse could be born safely, leaving her husband and children behind.
Ben, in his encounter with Macha, learns that the grief-stricken witch seeks to save others from suffering and sadness by turning them to stone just as she had to Mac Lir. Macha herself has partially been turned to stone as she encloses her own strong feelings within enchanted glass jars. Ben finds Saoirse, who has nearly been turned to stone, in the attic. Apologizing for being a bad brother, Ben encourages Saoirse to play the seashell, which breaks the jars and returns Macha's feelings to her, restoring her kindness. Macha helps Ben, Saoirse and Cú return to the lighthouse, riding the wind, with the aid of two spectral hounds of the air.
As Saoirse is exhausted and near death, Conor attempts to take her to a hospital on the mainland, unwilling to heed Ben's explanation. Ben resolutely dives into the sea alone to retrieve the coat, and unlocks the chest with the aid of a group of seals. Saoirse puts on the suit and begins to sing, which frees all magical beings from their petrified state. As the beings depart for their homeworld, Bronagh appears before the family to take Saoirse with her. When Ben and Conor plead her not to take Saoirse, Bronagh gives her daughter the choice to stay, as she is half-human. Choosing to stay, Saoirse removes her seal coat, thus untangling the two worlds forever. Bronagh shares one last goodbye with her family and departs.
Some time later, the no-longer broken family celebrates Ben's birthday, and he and Saoirse go swimming with the seals.
"My mascots are finally in a video together - my persona Cudlil, my longtime character Cuddles, and Bear Bro! Starting the new year with some summer vibes and silly shenanigans with these three. I hope you like it! New projects coming very soon."- cudlil
Men Ke, a social animal working as an office worker, was so bored in the first half of her life that she doubted her life, but in the second half of her life, she will die of boredom. How can the Earth heroine, who faces the threat of death every day but continues to go to work, and the alien hero, who is enthusiastic and wants to save her but is not very good at it, overcome boredom and live with a smile!
Set in a retro-futuristic past, this blockbuster adventure from filmmakers Anthony and Joe Russo follows Michelle (Millie Bobby Brown), an orphaned teenager who traverses the American West in search of her younger brother. Joining her on the journey is a sweet but mysterious robot and an eccentric drifter (Chris Pratt). The film also stars Ke Huy Quan, Jason Alexander, Woody Norman, Giancarlo Esposito and Stanley Tucci. Woody Harrelson, Anthony Mackie, Brian Cox, Jenny Slate, Hank Azaria, Colman Domingo and Alan Tudyk join the cast in voice roles.
THE ELECTRIC STATE premieres globally on Netflix MARCH 14.
Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou Y O K O H A M A . S H O P P I N G . L O G
"In this beautiful, dying planet... My home, Café Alpha—all I’ve seen, all I’ve known of everyone—I will never forget it. A whole world that once felt like a bustling festival has gradually quieted, and the days that followed became the peaceful time known as the Era of the Quiet Evening. Let me show you just one moment of this fleeting time, sitting on the still-warm concrete of humanity’s twilight."
Let it be a peaceful time.
Yokohama Shopping Log, also known as YKK & Yokohama kaidashi kikou is an incredibly laid back anime ova by Hitoshi Ashinano. It's almost too relaxing to even do a recap on but I tried anyway. Kenny Lauderdale breaks down this calm & healing series & reviews the 1998 OVA that's taken youtube's AMV scene by storm. Acoustic duo gontiti did the ykk ost, & sometimes I play the VHS tapes in my VCR just for the soundtrack. Recently Yen Press released the quiet country cafe manga so a lot of people are getting into it which is great. Slice-of-life anime are also becoming more popular so maybe this is the anime for you. More anime analysis & reviews coming up.
The Gundam franchise is no stranger to reinventing itself. But from the eye catching new mecha designs alone, it's clear that this new entry to the franchise is something unique. The creator of Neon Genesis Evangelion, Hideaki Anno, has teamed up the anime studio Sunrise to reimagine Gundam. Working as co-writer on the project, Anno has brought with him some heavy hitters from the Evangelion team, including the original mecha designer.
After a mother and son get in a car wreck, they soon become hunted by Bambi, a mutated grief-stricken deer on a deadly rampage seeking revenge for the death of his mother.
Watch the FragPunk PC global launch cinematic trailer for this upcoming 5v5 hero shooter game. FragPunk is available on PC on March 6, 2025 with Xbox Series X/S and PS5 (PlayStation 5) to follow.
FragPunk is a thrilling 5v5 hero shooter where Shard Cards allow you to break the rules of combat and ensure that no two rounds are ever the same. Get ready to unleash your skills!
Break the Rules with Shard Cards
Dive into the action of FragPunk and break the rules with over 150 Shard Cards! Wanna give your allies some "motivation"? Shoot at them to increase their speed and fire rate! Need some HP? Just crouch, lay an egg and eat it! With Shard Cards, no rule stands in your way. They can also combine and counter each other, adding an exciting tactical layer to the classic bomb-defuse experience. And every Shard Card is completely and forever free for all players—no paywalls in sight! Jump in and unleash endless possibilities in FragPunk!
Flow is a 2024 animated fantasy adventure film directed by Gints Zilbalodis, written and produced by Zilbalodis and Matīss Kaža. A Latvian, French and Belgian co-production, it features no dialogue and follows a cat trying to survive along other animals in a seemingly post-apocalyptic world as the water level dramatically rises.
Flow is now an Oscar-winning animated movie. A movie that's so steeped in the world of animation that after seeing it for the first time, it made me realize why the movie won the award but also why the movie could be so much bigger than that. Bigger in the way that makes Flow's win at the 2025 Oscars a big step in the future of the animation medium.🎥
A story about a girl named Aika who, you guessed it, doesn’t want to be a magical girl! She’s fallen out of love with her work over time but gets the job done regardless. Will she be able to reignite her passion with the help of her magical sidekick, Hoshi and her new best friend Zira? Or will those pesky evildoers, Eclipse and Lady DeVoid continue to keep her down? Who knows!!!
Dungeons & Dragons Legend Ernie Gygax Jr. Passes Away
Dungeons & Dragons fans have taken a lot of hits lately, and Ernie Gygax Jr., son of Gary Gygax, just passed away in tragic news for D&D and RPG fans worldwide.
