Next Club Meeting:November 21, 2026,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 in today's pop culture, such as live-action films, comics, music, art, and other weird things to enjoy and contemplate.
The Cat and the Dragon is a fantasy tale that delves into the mysterious bond between a dragon, a cat, and a human raised by a cat. Written by Amara and illustrated by Mai Okuma, the novel is published by Takarajimasha, alongside a comic adaptation by Izumi Sasaki. Both the novel and its comic version are currently in development, with total circulation exceeding 1.2 million copies.
From three-time Oscar® nominee and Golden Globe winner Dean DeBlois, the creative visionary behind DreamWorks Animation’s acclaimed How to Train Your Dragon trilogy, comes a stunning live-action reimagining of the film that launched the beloved franchise.
On the rugged isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been bitter enemies for generations, Hiccup (Mason Thames; The Black Phone, For All Mankind) stands apart. The inventive yet overlooked son of Chief Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler, reprising his voice role from the animated franchise), Hiccup defies centuries of tradition when he befriends Toothless, a feared Night Fury dragon. Their unlikely bond reveals the true nature of dragons, challenging the very foundations of Viking society.
With the fierce and ambitious Astrid (BAFTA nominee Nico Parker; Dumbo, The Last of Us) and the village’s quirky blacksmith Gobber (Nick Frost; Snow White and the Huntsman, Shaun of the Dead) by his side, Hiccup confronts a world torn by fear and misunderstanding. As an ancient threat emerges, endangering both Vikings and dragons, Hiccup’s friendship with Toothless becomes the key to forging a new future. Together, they must navigate the delicate path toward peace, soaring beyond the boundaries of their worlds and redefining what it means to be a hero and a leader.
The film also stars Julian Dennison (Deadpool 2), Gabriel Howell (Bodies), Bronwyn James (Wicked), Harry Trevaldwyn (Smothered), Ruth Codd (The Midnight Club), BAFTA nominee Peter Serafinowicz (Guardians of the Galaxy) and Murray McArthur (Game of Thrones). How to Train Your Dragon is written, produced and directed by DeBlois. It is also produced by three-time Oscar® nominee Marc Platt (Wicked, La La Land) and Emmy winner Adam Siegel (Drive, 2 Guns). How To Train Your Dragon is part of the Filmed For IMAX® Program, which offers filmmakers IMAX® technology to help them deliver the most immersive movie experience to audiences around the world.
Inspired by Cressida Cowell’s New York Times bestselling book series, DreamWorks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon franchise has captivated global audiences, earning four Academy Award® nominations and grossing more than $1.6 billion at the global box-office. Now, through cutting-edge visual effects, DeBlois transforms his beloved animated saga into a breathtaking live-action spectacle, bringing the epic adventures of Hiccup and Toothless to life with jaw-dropping realism as they discover the true meaning of friendship, courage and destiny.
DRAGONKEEPER Travel back in time to ancient China, find your destiny, and become a DragonKeeper.
As ancient China falls under the rule of an evil Emperor, a fiery young girl rebels. Alongside a powerful dragon, she embarks on a journey to recover the last remaining dragon egg and save the world.
A dutiful damsel agrees to marry a handsome prince, only to find the royal family has recruited her as a sacrifice to repay an ancient debt. Thrown into a cave with a fire-breathing dragon, she must rely on her wits and will to survive. Millie Bobby Brown stars in Damsel.
The series is set in a fantasy world on the continent of Xadia which is rich in magic derived from six primal elements: the Sun, the Moon, the Stars, the Earth, the Sky, and the Ocean. Centuries ago, the dragons, elves, and humans of Xadia lived in peace. However, the humans, being unable to utilize magic naturally, began to use dark magic, which is fueled by the life essence of magical creatures. As a consequence, they were driven away to the west, and the continent was split in two by a massive river of lava.
1000 years later, the human King Harrow of Katolis and his advisor, the dark mage Viren, have killed the dragon king, Avizandum "Thunder", and supposedly destroyed his heir's egg. In retaliation, Moonshadow elf assassins attempt to kill Harrow and his heir Ezran. Ezran, his half-brother Callum, and the young assassin Rayla discover that the egg was not destroyed; they undertake to return the egg to Xadia. Viren seizes power after Harrow's assassination and sends his children Claudia and Soren to kill the princes and recover the egg. At the end of the first season, the egg hatches into the Dragon Prince, Zym.
In the second season, Viren attempts to rally the other human kingdoms to war against Xadia; he also makes a secret alliance with the mysterious, imprisoned elf mage Aaravos, with whom he communicates through a magic mirror and a caterpillar-like creature. Meanwhile, Callum becomes the first human to directly access primal magic, connecting with the Sky Arcanum. By the end of Season 2, Viren is imprisoned for treason for having illicitly used Harrow's seal, and for abusing his powers of dark magic. Ezran learns of his father's death and returns to Katolis to claim the throne.
In the third season, Ezran is manipulated into abdicating the throne amid pressure for war and rejoins Callum and Rayla to return Zym to his home, the Storm Spire. Viren, restored to power, leads the human armies against Xadia, amassing even more dark magic with the help of Aaravos. Soren defects to resist his father's evil goals. Viren's army is defeated by the elves and their allies. Rayla throws herself and Viren from the summit of the Spire, and Callum uses Sky magic to save Rayla. Zym is returned to his mother. Claudia revives Viren using dark magic, and Aaravos's caterpillar enters metamorphosis.
Prepare to join Raya on her journey to find the last dragon! On March 5, check out Disney's Reya and the Last Dragon on Disney+ or in theatres near you. Raya and the Last Dragon tells the story of Raya (voiced by Kelly Marie Tran) and her search for the last dragon named Sisi (voiced by Nora Lum AKA Awkwafina) in a realm known as Kumandra, a re-imagined Earth which is populated by an ancient civilization.
Long ago, in the world of Kumandra, humans and dragons lived together in
harmony. But when sinister monsters known as the Druun threatened the
land, the dragons sacrificed themselves to save humanity. Now, 500 years
later, those same monsters have returned and it's up to a lone warrior,
Raya and her pet pill bug
companion Tuk Tuk, to track down the last dragon in order to finally
stop the Druun for good. However, along her journey, she'll learn that
it'll take more than dragon magic to save the world—it's going to take
trust as well.
Cast
Kelly Marie Tran as Raya, a fearless and passionate warrior princess who has been training to become a Guardian of the Dragon Gem. To restore peace to Kumandra, she embarks in search for the last dragon.
Awkwafina as Sisu, a water dragon who can transform into a human and is the last dragon in existence.
Gemma Chan as Namaari, Raya's nemesis.
Daniel Dae Kim as Chief Benja, Raya's father.
Sandra Oh as Virana, Namaari's mother.
Benedict Wong as Tong, a formidable giant.
Izaac Wang as Boun, a 10-year-old entrepreneur.
Thalia Tran as Little Noi, a baby con-artist.
Alan Tudyk as Tuk Tuk, Raya's best friend and trusty steed.
Lucille Soong, Patti Harrison, and Ross Butler as the leaders of the Talon, Tail, and Spine.
After losing his home to a dragon, Ethan sets out to hunt it down once and for all. A pawn appears by his side and serves to protect his life. But the dangers that lie in wait for Ethan are beyond their imaginations, for when you fight a monster... you just may become one too.
Who needs story when an anime looks this pretty? Kenny Lauderdale reviews Dragon's Heaven, a beautiful anime from the '80s that history has almost forgotten. Moebius may have never lent his art to an anime, but if you watched this and told me he didn't make it, I wouldn't believe you. The best Mecha anime tend to get overlooked, but this OVA is one of those anime that's so beautiful to look at, that it may as well not even be mecha. Moebius's art style influenced anime artists so heavily in the 1980's that for a brief time, anime like this was indistinguishable from what it was paying respect to. Makoto Kobayashi was one of those artists.
Synopsis - In the year 3195, there was a war between an army of robots and the humans. When Shaian, a sentient combat mecha, lost his human pilot in battle, he shut down until his internal systems spotted a new human to become his new companion. It's now almost a 1000 years later, and Shaian's greatest enemy, a rogue mech, is still alive and doing battle in Brazil. With his new friend`s help, Shaian may be able to stop this evil force before another war rages over the continent.
Jess the Dragoon: "This is what I think Dreamworks How To Train Your Dragon 2 and 3 would look like as an anime. I adapted this from the HTTYD2 teaser trailer from way back in 2014 and a bit of my own HTTYD3 scene based off the Hidden World trailers there are at this point. If How To Train Your Dragon were a full anime, I would imagine it to be a two- or three-season series about the adventures of Hikku (Hiccup) and Tuusu (Toothless). Kinda like an anime spinoff of the existing HTTYD movies and series. One of the toughest animations I've worked on since Let It Go Genderbend because I can hardly animate animals. XP"
Valuable lessons are learned among the dragon riders all while they work together to finally unearth the true leader of the Dragon Flyers, discover an unlikely ally, and struggle to fight when the fate of all dragon-kind is put at risk. Hiccup, Toothless, and the rest of the riders embark on the most daring journey yet in an all new season of Dragons: Race to the Edge comes Netflix February 16!
Watch this intriguing animated short, Concerning Dragons, with a brief history lesson on the evolution of deadly dragons. Directed by Kieran Duncan with a stylish paper-craft chic as an MSc Animation project in conjunction with Axis Animation, it was created to act as a companion piece to The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. This soaring short chronicling the birth and ascension of dragons winging their way around Middle-earth took 13 weeks to complete. Learn how, gifted with intelligence, cunning and wrath, they evolved from noble eagles, seduced and corrupted by the evil sorcery of Morgoth in the First Age, leading to the indomitable reign of Smaug. Watch the skies ...
It's been five years since Hiccup and Toothless successfully united dragons and Vikings on the island of Berk. While Astrid, Snotlout and the rest of the gang are challenging each other to dragon races (the island's new favorite contact sport), the now inseparable pair journey through the skies, charting unmapped territories and exploring new worlds. At the beginning, Hiccup is pressured by Stoick to start a family and become chief, but Hiccup rebels by flying away from Berk and exploring new lands.
The thrilling second chapter of the epic HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON trilogy brings us back to the fantastical world of Hiccup and Toothless five years after the two have successfully united dragons and vikings on the island of Berk. While Astrid, Snoutlout and the rest of the gang are challenging each other to dragon races (the island's new favorite contact sport), the now inseparable pair journey through the skies, charting unmapped territories and exploring new worlds. When one of their adventures leads to the discovery of a secret ice cave that is home to hundreds of new wild dragons and the mysterious Dragon Rider, the two friends find themselves at the center of a battle to protect the peace. Now, Hiccup and Toothless must unite to stand up for what they believe while recognizing that only together do they have the power to change the future of both men and dragons.
We finally have our first, full look at the namesake dragon in The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug — though it’s not exactly what we expected. The trailers and footage shown off so far have done a good job of keeping the look of the beast, voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch, under wraps. But thanks to a new cross-promotion with Air New Zealand, the veil of secrecy has been lifted. To help promote the trilogy (which was filmed in New Zealand), the airline is painting a massive version of Smaug of the side of an airplane — and it’s freaking awesome. Yeah, that’s right: When you see this airplane flying, it’ll literally have a dragon wrapped around it. In addition to the pic above, the airline has also released a nifty time-lapse video showing just how much work it took to get that badass dragon up there, and it’s amazing the effort involved to make this happen.
The thrilling second chapter of the epic HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON trilogy brings us back to the fantastical world of Hiccup and Toothless five years after the two have successfully united dragons and vikings on the island of Berk. While Astrid, Snoutlout and the rest of the gang are challenging each other to dragon races (the island's new favorite contact sport), the now inseparable pair journey through the skies, charting unmapped territories and exploring new worlds. When one of their adventures leads to the discovery of a secret ice cave that is home to hundreds of new wild dragons and the mysterious Dragon Rider, the two friends find themselves at the center of a battle to protect the peace. Now, Hiccup and Toothless must unite to stand up for what they believe while recognizing that only together do they have the power to change the future of both men and dragons.
US Release: June 13, 2014
Starring: Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, T.J. Miller, Kristen Wiig
