Anime Viewing Schedule for February 17, 2024

 A N I M A T R I X   N E T W O R K
Saturday, February 17, 2024

Fountaindale Public Library

VIEWING SCHEDULE

          11:15 - 12:05   The Apothecary Diaries 7-8

          12:05 - 12:55   Metallic Rouge 1-2

          12:55 - 1:30     Club Meeting

          1:30 - 2:20       Solo Leveling 3-4

          2:20 - 2:45       Frieren 3

          2:45 - 4:45       Psycho-Pass: Providence [Movie]

 

"We promise there will be minimal property damage... this time."

 

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: Solo Leveling and Frieren

* ANIME DESCRIPTIONS ARE BELOW *

 

11:15 - 12:05   The Apothecary Diaries 7-8

The Apothecary Diaries

Plot Summary: The series is set in a fictional country modelled after Ming-era China. Maomao, a young girl who works as an apothecary in the red-light district, is kidnapped and sold to the Imperial Palace as a servant. However, she still retains her curious and eccentric personality and plans to work there until her years of servitude are over, without drawing the attention of anyone. One day, after hearing the rumors that the emperor's children are critically ill, she begins to investigate the cause, using her experience as a pharmacist, and successfully solves the mystery of their illness. Even though she intends to remain anonymous, her actions eventually catch the attention of an influential eunuch, and soon finds herself solving various mysteries in the royal court.

 

 

12:05 - 12:55   Metallic Rouge 1-2

M E T A L L I C   R O U G E

Plot Summary: In a world where humans coexist with androids called Neans, a group known as the Immortal Nine rises up against society. Tasked with disposing of the revolters, a Nean named Rouge Redstar (aka Metal Rouge) and investigator Naomi Orthmann head to Mars to track them down… but first, Rouge wants some chocolate.

 

 

12:55 - 1:30     Club Announcements

"On your mark. Get set. Go!" 

Gina Carano

Dismal Disney

PIXAR

STAR WARS Future

Doctor Who

Video Games

1:30 - 2:20   Solo Leveling 1-2

SOLO LEVELING 

Plot Summary:  In a world where hunters — human warriors who possess supernatural abilities — must battle deadly monsters to protect mankind from certain annihilation, a notoriously weak hunter named Sung Jinwoo finds himself in a seemingly endless struggle for survival. One day, after narrowly surviving an overwhelmingly powerful double dungeon that nearly wipes out his entire party, a mysterious program called the System chooses him as its sole player and in turn, gives him the extremely rare ability to level up in strength and turn anyone he kills into a loyal minion called a shadow. Jinwoo then sets out on a journey as he fights against all kinds of enemies, both man and monster, to discover the secrets of the dungeons and the true source of his powers.

2:20 - 2:45   Frieren 3

FRIEREN

Plot Summary: The story follows elven mage Frieren, a former member of the party of adventurers who defeated the Demon King and restored harmony to the world after a ten-year quest. In the past, the heroic group included Frieren, human hero Himmel, dwarven warrior Eisen and human priest Heiter. Before they part, they observe the Era Meteors together, a meteor shower that occurs once in fifty years. Frieren agrees to see them again and offers them a better view the next time the celestial event occurs. Frieren then departs and travels the world in pursuit of magical knowledge. Frieren returns to the capital fifty years later; however, humanity has changed, and her former companions have distinctly aged. After one last adventure to see the meteor shower, Himmel dies of old age. During the funeral, Frieren expressed guilt for not attempting to learn more about him. Frieren then pays a visit to her other former comrades. She accepts an offer to teach and care for Fern, an orphaned child adopted by Heiter. She also receives an invitation to travel far north, to the resting place of souls, and see Himmel again to bid the hero a fitting farewell and express her feelings. To fulfill those requests, Frieren embarks on a journey together with Fern while still pursuing her passion for learning magic. Frieren's elven nature grants her an extremely long lifespan, causing her to view periods of years or decades as ephemeral (this perception of time makes her consider the ten-year adventure with Himmel's party a fleeting experience). The story thus takes place across a long time, with periodic flashbacks accompanied by the physical and mental development of characters apart from Frieren herself. 

 

 

2:45 - 4:45    Psycho-Pass: Providence

PSYCHO-PASS: PROVIDENCE

Plot Summary:  In January 2118, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs vessel guarding Professor Milicia Stronskaya is attacked by a paramilitary group called the Peacebreakers. One of the leading operatives, Kai, murders Stronskaya while searching for her research - the Stronskaya papers - before being intercepted by Shinya Kogami, now working as a special investigator for Foreign Affairs's Suppressing Action Department. However, Kogami fails to stop the Peacebreakers after being attacked by a seemingly brainwashed SAD agent.

Back in Tokyo, Inspector Akane Tsunemori contests the existence of Japan's Ministry of Justice and the application of international law, as part of the Sibyl System's growing expansion abroad, during a meeting with the government's top officials, along with Atsushi Shindo, who heads the nation's Immigration Bureau. Both of them receive word about the Peacebreaker incident and travel to the discovered wreckage of Stronskaya's vessel, where MWPSB Chief Josui Kasei orders Tsunemori to leave the investigation at the hands of the SAD, led by agent Frederica Hanashiro and SAD Director Yabuki. However, a preliminary investigation by enforcer Nobuchika Ginoza reveals how the vessel was under SAD protection, while enforcer Sho Hinakawa determines that Professor Stronskaya sent a last-minute message to PSB analyst and Tsunemori's mentor, Joji Saiga.

Saiga speaks to Tsunemori in private about his working relationship with Stronskaya, whose research details the effects of the Sibyl System on foreign countries, while also stating that Stronskaya's message leads him to a PO box in Dejima - a sector in Japan designed to house immigrants waiting to be naturalized into the country. With the new lead, Chief Kasei creates a joint task force with the PSB and SAD to retrieve the Stronskaya papers before the Peacekeepers. Hanashiro briefs Tsunemori's team about the organization, once a black-ops unit by Foreign Affairs before going rogue, and its cult-like fanatical leader Tonami, who is leading the organization under their "god" - The General. Meanwhile, Kogami reunites with Tsunemori and Ginoza, despite heated tensions. While creating a psychological profile of Tonami, Saiga encourages Kogami to apologize to Tsunemori for his actions leading to his exile from Japan, while warning him not to give into his violent nature once more. Kogami makes a half-hearted apology, while Tsunemori warns him that she'll be forced to take him down if he breaks the law again.

At Dejima, the task force arrives at the PO box, but it is revealed to contain a decoy package to hide the papers' whereabouts. Tsunemori and Kogami surmise that the operation is a ploy to lure the Peacebreakers out of hiding. Peacebreakers Bokamoso Murrary and Kai lead operatives in an assault against the task force, where it is revealed that the Peacebreakers have low Crime Coefficients, superhuman endurance, and the ability to brainwash SAD agents. During the battle, Director Yabuki is captured, and Saiga is mortally wounded and left hanging off a ledge; he reassures Tsunemori about being open-minded about truth and justice before falling to his death. While Ginoza dispatches Murray, Kai overcomes Kogami after a lengthy skirmish, but immediately departs and leaves subtle clues leading to the Peacebreakers' headquarters.

Tracking down Kai at the Peacebreakers base, Kogami and Ginoza rescue Yabuki and confront Kai, who reveals his true identity as undercover SAD agent Akira Vasily Ignatov. Back in Tokyo, Akira debriefs Kogami about the existence of the Divider, a software that hacks into cybernetic implants within the Peacebreakers to disassociate feelings of guilt, thus granting their combat and brainwashing abilities. In addition, Akira states that he has the Papers, with Professor Stronskaya organizing her death to maintain Akira's cover. The Papers are revealed to be the model for a Conflict Coefficient - essentially allowing Sibyl to control warfare and foreign relations. Immediately after the debriefing, Tonami takes control of Yabuki and Akira and attempts to escape with the research. But Akira manages to fight off Tonami's control, thus allowing Shindo to fatally wound him. Before dying, he asks Shindo to look over his brother Kei.

With the papers at hand, Shindo exchanges the research to the Sibyl System in return for keeping his criminally asymptomatic son, Arata, from being integrated into the system, while betting on Sibyl's belief in human potential. However, this results in Shindo being disavowed by Bifrost. On the day of Kei's wedding to his wife Maiko, Shindo reassures the couple and his son to use the truth to determine the right path for justice before leaving the reception to commit suicide as part of keeping his silence on his deal with Sibyl. During the inquest, Arata confronts Tsunemori about his father's actions, to which she encourages him to search for the truth himself.

Ginoza alerts Tsunemori that Kasei has shut down the investigation. Once confronted by Tsunemori, Kasei states that Sibyl has agreed to give the Peacebreakers the Papers and their own sovereign state in northern Japan, in return for supporting Sibyl's global expansion. Unwilling to let Tonami and his organization escape justice, Tsunemori teams up with Kogami and Hanashiro on an official raid on the Peacebreakers. The assault team, consisting of Tsunemori, Kogami, Ginoza, and Hanashiro, arrives on the island, while Shimotsuki leads the support team in hacking a highly guarded satellite to disable the Divider and get the team's Dominators online. Hinakawa and enforcer Teppei Sugo narrowly manage to control the satellite, allowing the assault team to fight off the Peacekeepers.

Meanwhile, Tsunemori faces Tonami and the General...

When Apes Rule the World...

KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is an all-new action-adventure spectacle distributed by 20th Century Studios. Set several generations in the future following Caesar’s reign, in which apes are the dominant species living harmoniously and humans have been reduced to living in the shadows. As a new tyrannical ape leader builds his empire, one young ape undertakes a harrowing journey that will cause him to question all that he has known about the past and to make choices that will define a future for apes and humans alike. "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” is directed by Wes Ball and stars Owen Teague, Freya Allan, Kevin Durand, Peter Macon, and William H. Macy. The screenplay is by Josh Friedman and Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver and Patrick Aison based on characters created by Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver, and the producers are Wes Ball, Joe Hartwick, Jr., p.g.a., Rick Jaffa, p.g.a., Amanda Silver, p.g.a., Jason Reed, p.g.a., with Peter Cherninand Jenno Topping serving as executive producers.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes opens in theaters on May 10

WISH it were different...

Disney's Wish Explained (with bad doodles)

Kinda weird that Wish should’ve been the perfect film to celebrate Disney’s 100th anniversary… but no. Disney really thinks that not granting every wish makes you a villain.

Gina Carano is Suing Disney!

Ex-'Mandalorian' star sues Disney over firing:

'I was targeted!'

Gina Carano says she never said anything with 'ill intent' on 'Jesse Watters Primetime.' Gina Carano is driving the Hollywood elites insane with her latest lawsuit. We'll tell you why and show you how Disney is facing an opponent they've never witnessed before.

The Next Club Meeting is February 17, 2024

A N I M A T R I X   N E T W O R K

"Expect the unexpected!"

  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, February 17, 2024

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)

Discover why our world went quiet...

A Quiet Place: Day One

Check out the tense trailer for A Quiet Place: Day One, an upcoming movie starring Lupita Nyong’o, Joseph Quinn, Alex Wolff and Djimon Hounsou. Allyson Seeger and Vicki Dee Rock serve as executive producers on A Quiet Place: Day One. It is produced by Michael Bay, Andrew Form, p.g.a., Brad Fuller, and John Krasinski. Based on characters created by Bryan Woods & Scott Beck. The story is by John Krasinski and Michael Sarnoski. The screenplay is by Michael Sarnoski.

Only in theaters June 28

"It's going to be okay. The Demon is here..."

LAST SENTINEL

Set decades from now in a reconstructed Tokyo, you play as Hiromi Shoda in Last Sentinel, a narrative-focused, open-world action game from Lightspeed Studios.

• Lightspeed LA, a subsidiary of Tencent's LightSpeed Studios, is developing Last Sentinel, a cyberpunk-themed open-world game.
• The game features a dystopian future version of Tokyo, where robots attempt to invade an orphanage, but are fought off by the protagonist Hiromi Shoda.
• Last Sentinel is expected to offer a unique cast, environment, story, and gameplay experience.

The Owl House Tribute...

Remembering "The Owl House"

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.

Luz's Sacrifice...

 

And her rebirth... 

Nexon's upcoming free-to-play action-RPG...

THE FIRST DESCENDANT

As revealed during The Game Awards 2023, The First Descendant gets a release window and a new cinematic trailer. This new trailer for the third-person co-op action RPG looter shooter features Descendants Valby and her team in battle as they face off against two massive Colossi enemies, the importance of cooperative gameplay, and more. The First Descendant will be available on PC (Steam), PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox One in summer 2024. In The First Descendant, players become a Descendant whose mission is to combat against alien invaders – The Vulgus who crossed dimensions over 100 years ago and brought with them the devastating Colossi and destruction– for the survival of humanity and to protect Albion and the continent of Ingris.

There I was strolling through the park one day...

Mechas at their actual size...

Some of the most famous mechas from video games or movies looking their size as if they were in real life.

Who is Behind the Fall of Disney Animation?

The Secret Woman Behind Disney Animation's COLLAPSE:

It's MORE than Just a String of Failures!

Starring Alan Ng of @FilmThreat

It could be that Disney can't recover from this without tremendous upheaval. And it could be that executives know it to be true. Today, we're talking about the D-Files released by Film Threat as they tell the tale of one woman's efforts that destroyed decades of Disney animation dominance.

Actor and Director, Carl Weathers, has died at 76...

CARL WEATHERS
(January 14, 1948 – February 1, 2024)

Carl Weathers was an American actor, director, and football linebacker. His roles included boxer Apollo Creed in the first four Rocky films (1976–1985), and he had a recurring role as Greef Karga in the Star Wars series The Mandalorian (2019–2023), for which he was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.

 

Weathers began working as an extra while still playing football. He had his first significant roles in two blaxploitation films directed by his longtime friend Arthur Marks: Bucktown (1975) and Friday Foster (1975). Weathers also appeared in an early 1975 episode of the sitcom Good Times titled "The Nude", portraying an angry husband who suspected his wife of cheating on him with J.J. He also guest-starred in a 1975 episode of Kung Fu titled "The Brothers Caine", and in an episode of Cannon titled "The Hero". In 1976, he appeared as a loan shark in an episode of the crime-drama Starsky & Hutch, and in the Barnaby Jones episode "The Bounty Hunter" as escaped convict Jack Hopper.

While auditioning for the role of Apollo Creed alongside Sylvester Stallone in Rocky, Weathers criticized Stallone's acting, which led to him getting the role. He reprised the role of Apollo Creed in the next three Rocky films: Rocky II (1979), Rocky III (1982), and Rocky IV (1985).

Weathers briefly appears as an Army MP in one of the three released versions of Close Encounters of the Third Kind (originally released in 1977). In 1978, Weathers portrayed Vince Sullivan in a TV movie, Not This Time. In the late 1970s and 1980s, Weathers starred in a number of action films for the small and big screen, including Force 10 from Navarone (1978), Predator (1987), Action Jackson (1988), and Hurricane Smith (1992). As a member of the cast of Predator, Weathers worked with future California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and future Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura. Many years later he appeared in a spoof segment on Saturday Night Live, announcing that he was running for political office and urging viewers to vote for him on the basis that "he was the black guy in Predator".

He also appeared in Michael Jackson's "Liberian Girl" music video and co-starred in the 1996 Adam Sandler comedy Happy Gilmore, as Chubbs, a golf legend teaching Happy how to play golf. He reprised the role nearly four years later in the Sandler comedy Little Nicky. Filming a fall stunt in Happy Gilmore, Weathers fractured two vertebrae and his osteophytes grew out and connected and self-fused badly. He says he was in excruciating pain for three to four years.

Another notable television role was Sgt. Adam Beaudreaux on the cop show Street Justice. Afterwards, during the final two seasons of In the Heat of the Night (1992–1994), his character, Hampton Forbes, replaced Bill Gillespie as the chief of police. He also played MACV-SOG Colonel Brewster in the CBS series Tour of Duty.

In 2004, Weathers received a career revival as a comedic actor beginning with appearances in three episodes of the comedy series Arrested Development as a cheapskate caricature of himself, who serves as Tobias Fünke's acting coach. He was then cast in the comedies The Sasquatch Gang and The Comebacks. Weathers had a guest role in two episodes of The Shield as the former training officer of main character Vic Mackey.

Weathers provided the voice for Colonel Samuel Garrett in the Pandemic Studios video game Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction. In 2005, he was a narrator on Conquest! The Price of Victory — Witness the Journey of the Trojans!, an 18-part television show about USC athletics. Weathers is a principal of Red Tight Media, a film and video production company that specializes in tactical training films made for the United States armed forces. He also appeared in one episode of ER as the father of an injured boxer during their 2008 finale season.

For the sixth film in the Rocky series, Rocky Balboa (2006), Stallone asked Weathers, Mr. T, and Dolph Lundgren for permission to use footage from their appearances in the earlier Rocky films. Mr. T and Lundgren agreed, but Weathers wanted an actual part in the movie, even though his character had died in Rocky IV. Stallone refused, and Weathers decided not to allow Stallone to use his image for flashbacks from the previous films. They instead used footage of a fighter who looks similar to Weathers. Weathers and Stallone patched up their differences and Weathers agreed to allow footage of him from previous films to be used throughout Creed (2015).

Weathers portrayed the father of Michael Strahan and Daryl "Chill" Mitchell's characters on the short-lived 2009 Fox sitcom Brothers. Weathers acted as Brian "Gebo" Fitzgerald in advertising for Old Spice's sponsorship of NASCAR driver Tony Stewart. He also appeared in an ongoing series of web-only advertisements for Credit Union of Washington, dispensing flowers and the advice that "change is beautiful" to puzzled-looking bystanders. He also starred in a series of commercials for Bud Light, in which he introduced plays from the "Bud Light Playbook." At the conclusion of each commercial, Weathers could be seen bursting through the Bud Light Playbook and shouting "Here we go!"

In 2019, Weathers appeared as Greef Karga in several episodes of the first season of the Star Wars series, The Mandalorian. He returned for the second season and also directed the episode "Chapter 12: The Siege". He returned for season 3 and directed the episode "Chapter 20: The Foundling". His performance earned him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor.

At last, Henry Cavill unhinged...

THE MINISTRY OF UNGENTLEMANLY WARFARE

Based upon recently declassified files of the British War Department and inspired by true events, THE MINISTRY OF UNGENTLEMANLY WARFARE is an action-comedy that tells the story of the first-ever special forces organization formed during WWII by UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill and a small group of military officials including author Ian Fleming. The top-secret combat unit, composed of a motley crew of rogues and mavericks, goes on a daring mission against the Nazis using entirely unconventional and utterly “ungentlemanly” fighting techniques. Ultimately their audacious approach changed the course of the war and laid the foundation for the British SAS and modern Black Ops warfare.

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare – In theaters April 19

Starring Henry Cavill, Eiza González, Alan Ritchson, Alex Pettyfer, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Babs Olusanmokun, Henrique Zaga, Til Schweiger, with Henry Golding, and Cary Elwes.

When all isekai cheats meet in the same world...

I S H U R A

In a world where the Demon King has died, a host of demigods capable of felling him have inherited the world. A master fencer who can figure out how to take out their opponents with a single glance; a lancer so swift they can break the sound barrier; a wyvern rogue who fights with three legendary weapons at once; an all-powerful wizard who can speak thoughts into being; an angelic assassin who deals instant death. Eager to attain the title of "True Hero," these champions each pursue challenges against formidable foes and spark conflicts among themselves. The battle to determine the mightiest of the mighty begins.

Star Wars The Acolyte Plot LEAKED...?

Kathleen Kennedy's Plan to Replace the Force with MAGIC Revealed?!

The Acolyte is a mystery wrapped in a riddle disguised as a conundrum, perhaps the most bizarre and secretive Disney Star Wars project of all time! A source has contacted my Hollywood spies with a possible spoiler-heavy synopsis of ONE version of The Acolyte (there are allegedly THREE versions due to scrapbooking), and IF this source is correct, then the plot bears a striking similarity to a certain Netflix animated series! Here's what my Hollywood spies were told, but DO bear in mind that this is simply a rumor, and take it with several heaping tablespoons of salt (Though if it IS true, be warned: spoilers lie ahead)!

Who you gonna call?

GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE

In Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, the Spengler family returns to where it all started – the iconic New York City firehouse – to team up with the original Ghostbusters, who’ve developed a top-secret research lab to take busting ghosts to the next level. But when the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second Ice Age.

Frozen Empire is exclusively in movie theaters March 22

Mix in Cyberpunk with a bit of Chocolate...

M E T A L L I C   R O U G E

In a world where humans coexist with androids called Neans, a group known as the Immortal Nine rises up against society. Tasked with disposing of the revolters, a Nean named Rouge Redstar (aka Metal Rouge) and investigator Naomi Orthmann head to Mars to track them down… but first, Rouge wants some chocolate.

One small ember can burn down everything...

MONKEY MAN

Oscar® nominee Dev Patel (Lion, Slumdog Millionaire) achieves an astonishing, tour-de-force feature directing debut with an action thriller about one man’s quest for vengeance against the corrupt leaders who murdered his mother and continue to systemically victimize the poor and powerless.

Inspired by the legend of Hanuman, an icon embodying strength and courage, Monkey Man stars Patel as Kid, an anonymous young man who ekes out a meager living in an underground fight club where, night after night, wearing a gorilla mask, he is beaten bloody by more popular fighters for cash.

After years of suppressed rage, Kid discovers a way to infiltrate the enclave of the city’s sinister elite. As his childhood trauma boils over, his mysteriously scarred hands unleash an explosive campaign of retribution to settle the score with the men who took everything from him.

Packed with thrilling and spectacular fight and chase scenes, Monkey Man is directed by Dev Patel from his original story and his screenplay with Paul Angunawela and John Collee (Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World).

The film’s international cast includes Sharlto Copley (District 9), Sobhita Dhulipala (Made in Heaven), Pitobash (Million Dollar Arm), Vipin Sharma (Hotel Mumbai), Ashwini Kalsekar (Ek Tha Hero), Adithi Kalkunte (Hotel Mumbai), Sikandar Kher (Aarya) and Makarand Deshpande (RRR).

Monkey Man is produced by Dev Patel, Jomon Thomas (Hotel Mumbai, The Man Who Knew Infinity), Oscar® winner Jordan Peele (Nope, Get Out), Win Rosenfeld (Candyman, Hunters series), Ian Cooper (Nope, Us), Basil Iwanyk (John Wick franchise, Sicario films), Erica Lee (John Wick franchise, Silent Night), Christine Haebler (Shut In, Bones of Crows) and Anjay Nagpal (executive producer of Bombshell, Greyhound).

Only in Theaters April 5

"Omega's been waiting for us a long time..."

STAR WARS: THE BAD BATCH

The final season of Star Wars: The Bad Batch starts streaming February 21, with a three-episode premiere, only on Disney+.

When they went "Woke," they went "Broke"

How DISNEY Animation and Pixar were

CONQUERED by D.E.I. Activists!

Film Threat recently started publishing the D-Files, a series of articles documenting the downfall of Disney, based on the actual accounts of both current and former employees who were there to witness the events as they occurred...

"This is what happens when people get hired based on everything BUT talent!"

Look, it's Pokemon with Guns!

P A L W O R L D

Palworld is a spin on a Pokemon Survival Game where instead of being E for Everybody - it took a realistic approach. Guns, violence, forced labor, shady markets and so much more that actually make this a really fun game.

 

As Palworld continues to burn up the Steam charts, Nintendo is already burning down any attempts to mod the game with official Pokémon characters like Ash, Pikachu, Misty, and Brock. Then we talk about accusations that the game actually LIFTED the 3D models from Nintendo's games. Say what?!

"Palworld" is generating quite the buzz as it climbs the Steam charts, captivating gamers with its unique blend of creature collection and survival gameplay. However, it seems Nintendo is not thrilled with some of the fan enthusiasm surrounding the game, particularly when it comes to modding "Palworld" with official Pokémon characters such as Ash, Pikachu, Misty, and Brock. Nintendo is notorious for being fiercely protective of its intellectual property, and this situation is no exception. The company is known for taking legal action against unauthorized use of its characters and assets, which includes mods that incorporate Nintendo's characters into non-Nintendo games. In the case of "Palworld," any attempts by fans to mod the game with official Pokémon characters are likely being met with swift opposition from Nintendo, as such modifications infringe upon Nintendo's copyrights and trademarks. Furthermore, accusations are swirling around that "Palworld" may have lifted 3D models directly from Nintendo's Pokémon games. If true, this would be a significant legal and ethical issue, as it would mean that "Palworld" developers are using Nintendo's assets without permission. Such actions would not only violate copyright law but also raise questions about the originality and integrity of "Palworld's" development. These developments highlight the complex relationship between fan creations, modding communities, and the proprietary rights of original game developers and publishers. While fans often mod games as a form of homage or to enhance their gaming experience, they must navigate the legal boundaries set by the original creators. In the case of "Palworld" and Nintendo, it's a classic example of how a popular game can become entangled in legal and ethical dilemmas when it intersects with a well-established and fiercely protected franchise like Pokémon.

The World Needs the Avatar...

AVATAR: The Last Airbender

A century ago, young Avatar Aang, afraid of his new responsibilities, fled from his home and was forced into the ocean by a storm. He encased himself and his sky bison Appa in suspended animation in an iceberg near the South Pole. Shortly afterward, Fire Lord Sozin, the ruler of the Fire Nation, launched a world war to expand his nation's empire. Knowing that the Avatar must be an Air Nomad, he carried out a genocide against the Air Nomads, which he timed with the arrival of a comet that gives firebenders tremendous power. A hundred years later, siblings Katara and Sokka, teenagers of the Southern Water Tribe, accidentally discover Aang and revive him.

In the first season, Aang travels with Katara and Sokka to the Northern Water Tribe so he can learn waterbending and be prepared to defeat the Fire Nation. Prince Zuko, the banished son of the current Fire Lord Ozai, pursues them, accompanied by his uncle Iroh, hoping to capture the Avatar in order to restore his honor.

Avatar is set in an Asian and Arctic-inspired world in which some people can telekinetically manipulate one of the four elements—water, earth, fire or air—through practices known as "bending", inspired by Chinese martial arts. The only individual who can bend all four elements, the "Avatar", is responsible for maintaining harmony among the world's four nations, and serves as the link between the physical world and the spirit world. The series is centered around the journey of twelve-year-old Aang, the current Avatar and last survivor of his nation, the Air Nomads, along with his friends Katara, Sokka, and Toph, as they strive to end the Fire Nation's war against the other nations and defeat Fire Lord Ozai before he conquers the world. It also follows the story of Zuko—the exiled prince of the Fire Nation, seeking to restore his lost honor by capturing Aang, accompanied by his uncle Iroh—and later, his sister Azula. Avatar is presented in a style that combines anime with American cartoons and relies on the imagery of primarily Chinese culture, with some other East Asian, Southeast Asian, South Asian, New World, Siberian, and Arctic influences.

Avatar: The Last Airbender arrives on February 22 only on Netflix

After 15 years, Indiana Jones returns to Gaming...

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Uncover one of history’s greatest mysteries in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle™, a first-person, single-player adventure set between the events of Raiders of the Lost Ark™ and The Last Crusade™. The year is 1937, sinister forces are scouring the globe for the secret to an ancient power connected to the Great Circle, and only one person can stop them - Indiana Jones™. You’ll become the legendary archaeologist in this cinematic action-adventure game from MachineGames, the award-winning studio behind the recent Wolfenstein series, and executive produced by Hall of Fame game designer Todd Howard.

Is OHAYOCON 2024 Dead on Arrival?

Volunteers, Former Senior Staff

BOYCOTT Ohayocon Convention

[Source: AnimeNewsNetwork] Dating back to 2001, the cleverly named Ohayocon is Ohio's oldest and longest-running anime convention. Attracting an estimated 13,000 attendees in 2023, it's without question one of the larger anime conventions in Ohio as well (rivaled only by Colossalcon, whose latest reported attendance of 17,374 people comes from 2015). But longevity doesn't necessarily mean that all's well at Ohayocon, as over 91 individuals, including former senior leadership members and year-round volunteers, are boycotting the convention following the termination of Cody Marcum, the convention's former con chair who's been with the con since 2009, and Erin [last name withheld by request], the former director of marketing. Ohayocon is currently scheduled to take place January 19–21.

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