Decades before Peter Jackson’s live-action The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Ralph Bakshi rendered the epic in striking animation. (Rotoscope is cool, eh?) Now, a new project from New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. returns J.R.R. Tolkien’s sprawling story to animated form. And this time, they’re going the way of anime. This trip into Middle-earth will be The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, fostered by filmmaker Kenji Kamiyama. And now, we finally have our first-look images which show us what The War of Rohirrim will look like. In addition, the first voice cast for The Lord of the Rings anime has been revealed, alongside more story details, concept art from the film, and the movie’s release date. It has even been announced that the story will be narrated by Éowyn, Shieldmaiden of Rohan.

Here Is Our First Look at the Art of The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim

We finally know what The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim will look like. Four first-look images of this anime-style The Lord of the Rings movie have been released. You can also check out our deep dive into the trailer, here.

In the images, we see main character Héra, antagonist Wulf, and the legendary king of Rohan Helm Hammerhand and his family, Héra, Haleth, and Hama.

Click To View Gallery

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim Stars and Synopsis

Miranda Otto reprises her role as Éowyn in The War of the Rohirrim. She serves as the movie’s narrator as she tells the tale of Rohan’s history. Alongside Otto, Brian Cox, Gaia Wise, and Luke Pasqualino have been cast as the leads in the Lord of the Rings anime. Cox will voice the protagonist Helm Hammerhand. Wise will voice his daughter Hera. And Pasqualino will voice Wulf, the presumed antagonist.

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim Synopsis

A press release describes the new film as an exploration of “the untold story behind the fortress of Helm’s Deep.” The material adds that this feature will “delv[e] into the life and bloodsoaked times of one of Middle-earth’s most legendary figures; the mighty King of Rohan – Helm Hammerhand.” And new synopsis further shares that this Lord of the Rings anime will take place 183 before the events revealed in The Lord of the Rings movies.

The anime movie’s description notes, ” Set 183 years before the events chronicled in the original trilogy of films, “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim” tells the fate of the House of Helm Hammerhand, the legendary King of Rohan. A sudden attack by Wulf, a clever and ruthless Dunlending lord seeking vengeance for the death of his father, forces Helm and his people to make a daring last stand in the ancient stronghold of the Hornburg— mighty fortress that will later come to be known as Helm’s Deep. Finding herself in an increasingly desperate situation, Héra, the daughter of Helm, must summon the will to lead the resistance against a deadly enemy intent on their total destruction.”

More About The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim

Director Kamiyama shares of this The Lord of the Rings anime movie, “This is the story of the most powerful king in Rohan’s history, someone who defeated his enemies with his bare fists. Why did his lineage have to end with him? I think there is a lesson in hubris there and also for a need for responsibility and awareness in their power. We live in an age where, all over the world, we face the reality of war again. What, then, is power? What is the responsibility of those who possess it? It is something they need to think about by thinking together with those who don’t.” 

Of Helm’s daughter Hèra, producer Philippa Boyens notes, “In the appendices where the story is drawn from, we get these quite interestingly drawn male characters, and then we get this young female character who is never named — and that was really interesting to me. We know Helm has a daughter, and we know that she was central to the conflict that happened. But myself, and especially screenwriter Phoebe Gittins, were drawn to her. We could feel the weight of being that unnamed daughter, which immediately piqued our interest: Who was she? How did she live?”

Finally, who is the antagonist of The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, Wulf, who is “leading the armies of Dunlendings against Helm’s kingdom.” Boyens shares, “We have an exceptionally great antagonist in this story. He’s been one of my favorite antagonists to have written across all of the films I’ve worked on.”  Wulf is no wizard or powerful being, instead he’s just a human in The Lord of the Rings world. And Boyens reveals, “He speaks so directly to a lot of the crises that we’re facing today. He’s a really fascinating character and exciting too. You don’t know what he’s going to do, and some of the choices that he makes are just breathtaking in a good way.” 

Concept Art From The Lord of the Rings Anime Movie

The below concept art by Weta Workshop certainly hints at those blood-soaked times. That Oliphaunt doesn’t look like it’s there for a good cuddle.

Helm, the ninth king of Rohan, was famously defeated—but not killed—at the Crossings of Isen. However, he would survive for just another year, following a lengthy siege alongside his brother. Despite his defeat, Helm maintained a ferocious reputation; he was even thought to live on in some form following official decree of his death. You can check out the rest of The War of the Rohirrim‘s concept art below.

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim Director and Other Cast

The War of the Rohirrim‘s director, Kamiyama, has been imbuing the anime world with color and story since the 1980s. Among his most noteworthy credits, we find several Ghost in the Shell series, as well as the 2019 Ultraman show.

Additional cast for the movie include Lorraine Ashbourne, Yazdan Qafouri, Benjamin Wainwright, Laurence Ubong Williams, Shaun Dooley, Michael Wildman, Jude Akuwudike, Bilal Hasna, and Janine Duvitski.

Peter Jackson will serve as an executive producer of the film.

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim Release Date

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim will debut in theaters on December 13, 2024. At present, Warner Bros. touts Rohirrim as a stand-alone story; as such, we shouldn’t necessarily expect a trilogy born of this project. But given that The Hobbit was originally only supposed to be one film, we might not wish to count anything out, either.

Originally published June 10, 2021 with reporting from M. Arbeiter.

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The Dark Knight is finally set to make his anime return. Warner Bros. Japan LLC has announced it is already in production on Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League, a sequel to 2018’s Batman Ninja.

Batman Ninja brought Bruce Wayne back to Japan’s Warring States period to defeat some of his most famous enemies-turned-feudal lords. Now, the same team behind that film—director Jumpei Mizusaki, writer Kazuki Nakashima, character designer Takashi Okazaki, and composer Yugo Kanno—are back for the sequel.

This time around, Shinji Takagi will co-direct alongside Mizusaki. And the Batman Ninja movie will also see Koichi Yamadera return as the voice of Batman in the Japanese-language version.

While the new Batman Ninja movie’s announcement didn’t include an official synopsis, the movie’s title reveals who Batman will take on this time. And no matter what time period the Caped Crusader takes on the Yakuza, it’ll be a battle worth watching.

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The villains turned “heroes” of DC Comics’ Suicide Squad are back, only this time, they’re getting an anime makeover. The folks at Warner Bros. Japan/WIT Studio have revealed the trailer, character art, main theme song, and voice cast for Suicide Squad ISEKAI. Directed by Eri Osada, with a screenplay by Tappei Nagatsuki, this is an all-new original anime series. Based on the classic DC characters, it includes icons like Harley Quinn, the Joker, and Peacemaker. You can check out the latest trailer for Suicide Squad ISEKAI, and read the official synopsis for the series, down below:

In the crime-ridden city of Gotham, Amanda Waller, the head of A.R.G.U.S., has assembled a group of notorious criminals for a mission: Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Peacemaker, Clayface, and King Shark. These Super-Villains are sent into an otherworldly realm that’s connected to this world through a gate. It’s a world of swords and magic where orcs rampage and dragons rule the skies—an “ISEKAI”!

With lethal explosives planted in their necks, there’s no running or hiding, and failing the mission means a one-way ticket to the afterlife! Can Harley Quinn and her crew conquer this perilous ISEKAI realm?! Brace yourselves for the pulse-pounding saga of the elite task force known as the “Suicide Squad” as they embark on a jaw-dropping adventure!

The new anime series showcases favorites from the first Suicide Squad film, like Deadshot and the Joker. But also brings in characters used in James Gunn’s sequel, like our boy King Shark and Peacemaker. And then there are new additions to the team, like Clayface. Although there are several Batman characters in this series and a Gotham City setting, there is no sign of the Dark Knight anywhere. But we have a feeling ol’ Bats will pop in somewhere.

The voice cast includes Anna Nagase as Harley, Yuuichirou Umehara as the Joker, Reigo Yamaguchi as Deadshot, Takehito Koyasu as Peacemaker, Jun Fukuyama as Clayface, and Subaru Kimura as King Shark.

Most recently, this Suicide Squad anime also added Amanda Waller, Katana, and Rick Flag to the mix.

Suicide Squad ISEKAI is set for a global release in 2024.

Originally published on December 1, 2023.

The post SUICIDE SQUAD ISEKAI Trailer Delivers Anime Versions of Our DC Faves appeared first on Nerdist.

Anime and manga fans know all about WcDonald’s. It’s the fictional counterpart to the world’s most famous fast food chain. That version has appeared in countless shows and movies. Now McDonald’s is making that fantasy iteration of its restaurant real. It’s partnering with some of anime’s biggest names to launch WcDonald’s experiences around the world. The collaboration will even involve a special sauce and art. But that’s just the start. McDonald’s has also announced this special event will also serve up an original WcDonald’s manga and a short anime series.

WcDonald’s Is Coming and so Are WcNuggets

Starting on February 26, hungry anime fans in 30 markets around the globe will get to eat at an actual WcDonald’s, as McDonald’s transforms its locations into its anime version. The celebration will include a new Savory Chili WcDonald’s Sauce to go with your Chicken “WcNuggets.” It’s made of ginger, garlic, soy and the heat f chili flakes.

McDonald’s has also teamed-up with Japanese manga illustrator Acky Bright for custom WcDonald’s art. For a limited time, “fans will receive manga-inspired packaging featuring WcDonald’s Crew characters, sketched by Acky himself.” Packaging will also come with a scannable code that will let you “access weekly digital manga drops that star a full cast of WcDonald’s Customers and Crew, including Hashirune, a WcDonald’s regular, Mr. Bev, the Crew jokester, WcDizer 3000, WcDonald’s very own mecha, and many more.”

McDonald’s Is Launching an Anime Series

The fast food chain is also launching its own four-part WcDonald’s anime series produced by animation house studio pierrot. For four Mondays, fans can tune into a new short, each accompanied by its own manga. They will follow the “flavorful world of WcDonald’s” for a “story about the WcDonald’s Sauce and WcNuggets unfold each week.”

You can find the shorts either on WcDonalds.com or via a code on your WcDonald’s bag. McDonald’s says each will honor four of anime’s most important subgenres: Action, Romance, Mecha, and Fantasy. They’ll include (in release order):

• The Race to WcDonald’s: A rivalry strong enough to withstand the test of time as our two heroes embark on an epic race to WcDonald’s.
• Love from Across the Booth: Our two protagonists discover the WcDonald’s Sauce and WcNuggets aren’t the only perfect pairing.
• WcNuggets Space Frontier 3000: A team of WcDonald’s pilots must protect the last WcNugget against an ominous force.
• The Wisdom of the Sauce: Three women are transported to a distant land to unravel the mystery surrounding the elusive sauce before it’s gone forever.

You Can Watch Episodes of the McDonald’s Anime Now

The first episode of McDonald’s anime series is now live. You can watch The Race to WcDonald’s, which honors action-oriented anime series, below. McDonald’s second anime short, Love From Across the Booth, which honors romance, has also released. The episodes are available both in English (a dub, if you will) and Japenese with English subtitles.

The Race to WcDonald‘s

The description of this anime short shares, “WcDonald’s Sauce has arrived, marking the moment everyone has eagerly anticipated. The announcement excites fans across the land, sparking an all-out, action-filled race between two strangers to be the first to experience this long-awaited delicacy. Find out who comes out on top in the race to WcDonald’s.”

Love From Across the Booth

The description of this anime short shares, “It’s Friday afternoon, and Kazuki finds himself at WcDonald’s waiting to try the new WcDonald’s Sauce. To his surprise, Shizuru, his crush from college, appears.When they decide to share a booth, only one question lingers in the air for both of them: “Is this……… a date???” Tension mounts as the weight of this question rests on the shoulders of these two potential love interests.”

WcDonald’s Is Launching an Immersive Experience

In addition to its site, more information about WcDonald’s–including the first official immersive experience that will take place in Los Angeles on March 9 and 10, is available here. And if that sauce is as good as it sounds it could be the tastiest anime experience anyone has ever had. At least it will be in the real world.

Originally published on February 23, 2024.

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It may be a good time to be a fan. But it isn’t a particularly good time to be a consumer. More than ever, the notion of “buying” media you love is significantly in question. First, there are streaming services that offer shaky ownership at best. Content comes and goes from streamers all of the time. Not to mention, streamers are erasing content from their libraries without blinking. But the newest, arguably, most nefarious consequence of streaming involves erasing specific media a user purchased with intent. We’re not talking about purchasing a subscription to a service but a literal exchange of money for a title. For a while, this notion seemed safe, but it’s slowly being eaten away. As Sony shuts down Funimation for Crunchyroll, it will remove all of the purchased content aggregated by Funimation users. Some users will also see a price increase as they transition to Crunchyroll.

In the most recent update to this story, however, Crunchyroll has revealed it is working to offer affected users some measure of compensation. And we are certainly glad to hear that!

Sony Erases Funimation Users’ Purchases as It Sunsets the Service

Funimation will shut down on April 2, 2024. That means users are being ported over to Crunchyroll. But as Funimation’s users shift to their new platform, they’ll do so without their library of purchased content. That’s right, a blog post from Sony shares more about the migration from Funimation to Crunchyroll:

We understand that you may have concerns about your digital copies from Funimation. These Digital copies available on Funimation were a digital access to the content available on the DVDs or Blu-rays purchased.

Please note that Crunchyroll does not currently support Funimation Digital copies, which means that access to previously available digital copies will not be supported. However, we are continuously working to enhance our content offerings and provide you with an exceptional anime streaming experience. We appreciate your understanding and encourage you to explore the extensive anime library available on Crunchyroll.

The Verge shares that users who purchased DVDs and Blu-rays of certain anime all received digital copies of the content on Funimation as part of their purchase. Users were promised that they’d have access to those copies forever. But forever ends imminently. Although this instance might seem less cut and dry than, say, purchasing a movie on Amazon, it certainly feels pretty close to that arena.

Regardless of the semantics, users believed they were also purchasing digital copies of their media when they purchased the physical copies. Now, Sony will erase that aspect of their purchase. On the heels of a similar incident with Discovery content on PlayStation, it feels like the start of a worrying trend.

Compensation Is Now On Offer for Users Losing Their Digital Libraries

While at first, it seemed like Crunchyroll would not offer users compensation for their lost digital copies, the most recent comments from the company indicate some efforts are now being made. Speaking with The Verge, the president of Crunchyroll, Rahul Purini, shared, “[We] are working really hard directly with each [customer] to ensure that they have an appropriate value for what they got in the digital copy initially. As people reach out to us through customer service, we are responding and handling each of those requests as they prefer.”

However, The Verge points out that “these options haven’t been formally announced or detailed.” When asked what “appropriate value” indicated, Purini replied, “So it could be that they get access to a digital copy on any of the existing other services where they might be able to access it. It could be a discount access to our subscription service so they can get access to the same shows through our subscription service.” Additionally when asked if Crunchyroll “might give people digital copies on other services entirely to make up for what they’ve lost?” Purini noted, “If that is what they prefer.”

It seems like this compensation is functioning on a case-by-case basis. While we’re happy to hear it, it would be great to see a formal set of options noted by the company. But we will applaud this move in the right direction. Hopefully, users feel any lost purchases are equitably restored.

Prices to Increase For Some Users as Funimation Shuts Down

For some subscribers, though not all, user pricing will increase massively as they transition to Crunchyroll. In an email to subscribers, which we saw via Gizmodo, Sony shared, “You don’t have to leave your Funimation Watch History and Funimation Queue behind, you can migrate them to Crunchyroll. As part of our transition to Crunchyroll, the price will increase from USD $54.95/year to USD $99.99/year beginning January 28th, 2025.”

If we pull out our calculators, we feel pretty sure we’ll find that Crunchyroll’s prices will mean paying double for some. Other users who pay per month will also see an increase from $5.99/month on Funimation to $9.99/month on Crunchyroll.

It is important to note that Crunchyroll’s prices themselves are not changing; only the amount some users who were previously Funimation subscribers will have to pay as they make the move to the new platform. Additionally, once again, not all users who transition to Funimation will see price increases. Users will be contacted individually via email if they will see a price increase.

Originally February 8, 2024.

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Black characters in anime have a spectacular range of variety. From villains to heroes to anti-heroes, they run the gamut. Narrowing it down to one beloved character is difficult and feels like a betrayal to so many incredible characters. Who doesn’t love the coolness of Dutch from Black Lagoon or the fighting prowess of Bob Makihara in Tenjou Tenge. But Bleach‘s Yoruichi Shihōin is all that… and more. She’s as formidable as she is stunningly gorgeous, possessing long purple hair, feline speed, golden-yellow eyes, and reflexes. 

Funny, strong, yet gentle when necessary, Yoruichi can bring enemies down with lightning—or flash step—speed, tame a bitter foe with a soft touch, and was in the best arc in Bleach, “Soul Society: The Rescue Arc.”  

Yoruichi in Incredible Cat Form

The series, based on the original manga by Tite Kubo, began in 2004 with Yoruichi’s introduction in episode 15 of the first season. And we met her as a talking cat, no less. Ichigo (along with those who don’t know the manga) assume she’s just a cat. A special cat, clearly, but a cat nonetheless.

Yoruichi doesn’t appear in human form until the 41st episode. But even before transforming, she exudes strength and power. In cat form, Yoruichi is hilarious yet she still inspires fear. Whether it’s her threatening Ichigo after he mangled her precious tale while unconscious or her headbutting Inoue for her carelessness when they went into Soul Society, she inspires both laughter and mystery. Yoruichi proves size does not matter because she can deliver blows in either form. She’s just that good. 

She’s pivotal in training Chad and Inoue to prepare to enter Soul Society to rescue Rukia from execution. Without her assistance, these two wouldn’t stand a chance. Mind you, she does all this while in cat form. How many others in Bleach can say that about themselves?

Yoruichi vs. Byakuya

Let’s call a spade a spade. Ichigo gets stronger throughout the Soul Society arc, but his confidence sometimes writes checks his backside cannot cash. When he faces Byakuya in Soul Society at Rukia’s repentance cell, Byakuya prepares to unleash his shikai, Senbonzakura—his first level zanpakutō move. Ichigo faces a certain defeat but survives thanks to plot armor and the timely arrival of the terrifyingly strong and swift Yoruichi. After rendering Ichigo unconscious, she squares up against Byakuya in a game of tag to escape. Here’s where viewers get a glimpse of her talent. 

Although Byakuya moves fast to the point where Ichigo has trouble reading his movements, Yoruichi is a flash step above him, literally landing on his arm with the unconscious Ichigo slung over her shoulder. Hence, her label is “Flash Master Yoruichi.” Though the series touts Byakuya as a significant threat Ichigo must face, Yoruichi talks to him like a child trying to compete with the grown-ups. The verbal sparring amidst swift evasions makes it clear Yoruichi is equally fearsome. At that point, Yoruichi established herself as tough and stirred the need for everyone to learn more about her. Let’s also not forget that Yoruichi trains Ichigo to achieve the second level of his sword, “bankai,” without which he would never win against Byakuya. 

Yoruichi’s Powerful Past and Leadership Style 

Yoruichi was the former leader of the Stealth Force and captain of Squad One in Soul Society. She soon adds a young girl, Soifon, to her ranks during her time there. Within a short time, the pair grew close with a kohai/senpai relationship. But when affection and adoration disintegrate, resentment, jealousy, and pain (in the form of rage) can take their place. Such is the case with Soifon. Soifon lives in Yoruichi’s former shadow. So it stands to reason that when the battles to stop Rukia’s execution begin, Yoruichi would square up with her former friend. 

Their battle gives glimpses of Yoruichi’s past, as experienced by Soifon. And Yoruichi is who she’s always been: happy and caring. Despite her lofty titles, she does not care for titles that separate her from her squad. She’s not a leader on the sidelines or from the safety of the rear. In fact, Yoruichi fights alongside those she leads. All Soifon wants is to fight alongside her, yet Yoruichi disappears one day, and Soifon’s love turns to hate. It’s not because Yoruichi left but because she did not include Soifon, which is a testament to her effect on others. 

Yoruichi Vs. Bee Lady—I Ship It

Now Soifon commands Squad One of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, with an entire crew at her back to take down her idol-turned-rival. Yoruichi takes every single one down within moments with her flash steps and lethal combat skills. It’s not just the fact she is from the Shihoin clan, one of the Four Great Noble Clans, that made her the former leader of these groups. 

Though Yoruichi faces Soifon’s zanpakutō in bankai form, she never uses her own. Yoruichi honed her body into a deadly weapon capable of going toe-to-toe with enemies who possess weapons. Imagine that every captain in the thirteen squads must have a zanpakutō and have released it to bankai level—except Zaraki Kenpachi. It’s a prerequisite. But Yoruichi, unleased zapakutō or not, never bothers to use hers. That says it all regarding her physical strength. 

Yoruichi battles against Soifon’s zanpakutō, Suzumebachi, and comes out victorious. When Soifon tries to unleash an ability she claims she made herself that has no name; she discovers Yoruichi made the move at least a hundred years ago. Hence, uniforms for the leader of the Punishment Force have no back to them. The move rips the cloth from the back. When an enraged Soifon tries to continue the match, Yoruichi gently holds her hand, and the anger unravels to hurt. It’s easy to see why. Who wouldn’t be heartbroken if Yoruichi left them behind? I don’t care what anyone says. I ship these two, and though they are not canon, it will never diminish my hope. 

Yoruichi is an incredible Black woman who delights as a black cat, breaks hearts in human form, and devastates in combat using the weapon before weapons: her body. Despite her lightheartedness, Yoruichi is unwavering in her sense of right and wrong. Even if it hurts others, like Soifon or herself, she does not refrain. Yet she’s not cavalier, taking lives frivolously. Her penchant for random nudity is shocking and funny because she is in cat form for lengthy periods. I get it, Yoruichi. Clothes are so confining.

Obsession aside, without Yoruichi’s presence, Ichigo would never have made it past the “Soul Society Rescue Arc,” and that’s, in the words of young Erica Sinclair, “just the facts.” So put some respect on this queen’s name.

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Are you ready to go Plus Ultra, My Hero Academia fans? Because we have some news that will make you cry tears of joy like Deku watching All Might do literally anything. Legendary has announced that it will produce a live-action feature film adaptation of Shueisha’s mega-popular manga series, My Hero Academia (or Boku no Hero Academia). Created by Kohei Horikoshi in 2014 and published by Shueisha in Weekly Shonen Jump, My Hero Academia has sold over 50 million copies worldwide, generating five seasons of anime as well as an animated feature film, too. This marks the first live-action adaptation of My Hero Academia. And, most recently, reports share that this My Hero Academia movie will head to Netflix. Obi-Wan Kenobi writer Joby Harold will pen the screenplay. Harold recently noted that the project is still a go and is something that he is “actively working on.”

Funimation

The film will be produced by Legendary, with Mary Parent and Alex Garcia overseeing on their behalf, and Ryosuke Yoritomi shepherding the project for Shueisha. Toho will distribute the film in Japan. The film has also found its director in Shinsuke Sato. Sato has directed many anime adaptations over the years. His work includes I Am a Hero, Bleach, Death Note: New Generation, and Death Note: Light Up the New World. He also directed Alice in Borderland for Netflix.

Although specific details of the live-action My Hero Academia project remain unknown, Joby Harold recently confirmed that it is definitely happening. He shared with Collider, “Yes, it is… Absolutely. It is something I’m working on and loving working on. I’m excited to do it and get it out there. It’s a big one.” And he further noted “Yeah,” when asked if it is a project he is “actively working on.”

For those not in the know, My Hero Academia is a wildly popular story about a world in which approximately 80% of humanity has developed superhuman abilities of some kind. These powers–known as quirks–have led to the rise of superheroes and supervillains alike. Some powers are great like possessing super-speed or superhuman strength. Others, however, are more questionable in their utility… For example, the power to shoot out a super-sticky tape from one’s elbows or to shoot a laser beam from your belly button.

Our story focuses on Izuku Midoriya, a young boy obsessed with superheroes despite having no quirk of his own. But all of that changes one day after a chance encounter with his idol, the barrel-chested avatar of justice, All-Might. Izuku finally inherits a quirk of his own and enrolls at U.A. High School, one of the most prestigious hero academies in the world. And with that, Izuku’s quest to become the world’s greatest hero truly begins.

The sixth season of My Hero Academia‘s anime adaptation aired this year and a seventh is upcoming. Those wanting to catch up on its episodes can stream the anime online. Like many shounen anime, it is full of epic battles, outsized characters, and unbridled earnestness. It makes for an incredibly addictive combination that will have you watching into the wee hours of the morning. In 2018, the franchise also released an animated feature film, My Hero Academia: Two Heroes. It made more than $5.7 million at the box office and secured a spot on the top 10 highest-grossing domestic anime films of all time, at the time of its release.

In addition to My Hero Academia, Legendary has released several other films based on highly anticipated Japanese properties. In 2019, Legendary launched both Godzilla: King of the Monsters and Detective Pikachu, followed by Godzilla vs. Kong in March 2021 as well as the recent Monarch: Legacy of Monsters series. In other words, it’s a great time to be a fan of kaiju, tokusatsu, and anime making their way to the big screen.

Originally published on October 24, 2018.

Editor’s note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Pictures.

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It’s been a busy time for Netflix’s live-action anime adaptations. The platform is working on its highly-anticipated live-action version of Avatar: The Last Airbender, it brought to life a live-action One Piece series, and it gave us an, unfortunately canceled, live-action Cowboy Bebop show. We even recently heard that Netflix is teaming with Stranger Things creators, the Duffer Brothers, for a live-action series adapting the anime Death Note. On top of this impressive list, Netflix has also revealed more exciting news about its adaptation of the anime Yu Yu Hakusho. Here’s what we know about Netlfix’s live-action Yu Yu Hakusho adaptation so far.

Netflix’s Live-Action Yu Yu Hakusho Releases Trailer

It’s our best look yet at all the excitement of Netflix’s live-action Yu Yu Hakusho—a trailer. Check out the epic tease below.

Honestly, it looks like a lot of fun and well-worth waiting for. It’s not always easy bringing anime to life, but this series is really selling it and us on what’s in store. It definitely has the distinct feeling of an anime. And that’s a good thing in our book.

The Cast of Netflix’s Live-Action Yu Yu Hakusho and First-Look Photos From the Series

That trailer looked great and the characters really drive it. Here’s a closer look at the cast of Yu Yu Hakusho. Yu Yu Hakusho centers on Yusuke Urameshi, Takumi Kitamura will play this lead role. Netflix has also shared the casting for fan-favorite character Kurama. Jun Shison will play the fox demon. Finally, Kanata Hongo will play the character of Hiei.

Additionally, Netflix has revealed that Shuhei Uesugi will play Kazuma Kuwabara.

Kazuma Kuwabara will be played by Shuhei Uesugi #yuyuhakusho pic.twitter.com/iqgrWzOTrc

— Netflix Anime (@NetflixAnime) July 19, 2022

More About the Netflix Series

As fans of the series know, Yu Yu Hakusho tells the story of Yusuke Urameshi. Yusuke Urameshi begins the tale as a troubled high school student who dies performing a good deed. He then finds himself with neither a place in heaven nor hell. After being revived and passing a test, he transforms into an “Underworld Detective” who investigates cases involving demons. According to Netflix, Yusuke Urameshi “becomes entwined in a mystery that envelopes the human, demon and spirit worlds.” All elements we can expect to see in the upcoming live-action series adaptation of the anime.

In a release, Yu Yu Hakusho‘s director Sho Tsukikawa further shares, “When I first heard about Yu Yu Hakusho receiving a live-action adaptation, I honestly wondered if it would even be possible—but after being presented with the producer’s vision and possibilities with Netflix, my expectations grew, and I found myself burning with passion to make this project come to life.” That certainly sounds promising for fans of the anime.

Live-Action Yu Yu Hakusho‘s Release Date

Netflix’s live-action adaptation of Yu Yu Hakusho will premiere on December 14, 2023. We can’t wait to see Yusuke Urameshi take on demons in this anime adaptation.

Originally published on July 19, 2022.

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There isn’t a third Suicide Squad movie coming as part of James Gunn’s DCU Chapter 1, but there is new and exciting Suicide Squad content coming from Warner Bros. announced at Anime Expo 2023, Minato-ku Tokyo and Warner Bros. Japan LLC revealed that production has begun on Suicide Squad ISEKAI, an all-new original anime series. At the center of this Suicide Squad anime series are Harley Quinn and the Joker, much like the original film. You can watch the trailer for this new series right here:

Suicide Squad ISEKAI will be directed by Eri Osada, with screenplays by Tappei Nagatsuki (Re-Zero – Starting Life in Another World) and Eiji Umehara (Vivy – Fluorite Eye’s Song). Screenwriter Tappei Nagatsuki added “Who has ever thought about mixing these two!? But this is sure to be a dream project. Crazy villains go on a rampage in ISEKAI! It’s nothing more, nothing less, and it can’t be anything else!”

No word yet on what other members of Task Force X will appear in the Harley Quinn and the Joker-led anime adventure, beyond Amanda Waller, but we can expect some surprise DC Comics villains among the roster. Hopefully, at least King Shark shows up. We expect Suicide Squad ISEKAI anime series to debut sometime in 2024.

The post A SUICIDE SQUAD Anime Series Is On the Way appeared first on Nerdist.

Time to order a plate of non-vegan chicken parm and our favorite bread, because Netflix is giving Scott Pilgrim vs. the World fans something to feast on. The rumors are not only true, they’re better than we ever could have hoped for. The entire cast of the cult classic film is returning for a new Scott Pilgrim anime series at Netflix. And it’s going to expand on the story and world we already love so much.

Netflix and UCP Studio have announced they’re partnering on an all-new anime series based on Scott Pilgrim. While the show doesn’t have an official title just yet, it does have a cast we’re all very familiar with. Everyone from the 2010 film will lend their voices to the Scott Pilgrim series. That includes Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Satya Bhabha, Kieran Culkin, Chris Evans, Anna Kendrick, Brie Larson, Alison Pill, Aubrey Plaza, Brandon Routh, Jason Schwartzman, Johnny Simmons, Mark Webber, Mae Whitman, and Ellen Wong.

Bryan Lee O’Malley, author and artist of the Scott Pilgrim graphic novel series, and BenDavid Grabinski will serve as executive producers, writers, and showrunners together. Edgar Wright, who directed and co-wrote the film, will also serve as an executive producer. Science SARU studio is providing animation.

In a press release, Wright also gave fans a little preview of what to expect from the show. The anime series won’t just recreate the story we know from the Scott Pilgrim movie. It’s going to give us even more of the world and characters. From Wright:

One of the proudest and most enjoyable achievements of my career was assembling and working with the dynamite cast of Scott Pilgrim. Since the film’s release in 2010 we’ve done Q&A’s, remembrances and charity read throughs, but there was never the occasion to reunite the whole gang on an actual project. Until now… Original creator Bryan Lee O’Malley, along with writer BenDavid Grabinski have conjured up an anime series of Scott Pilgrim that doesn’t just expand the universe, but also…well, just watch it. I’m more than happy to announce that I have helped coax the entire original cast back to voice their characters on this epic new adventure. You are in for a treat.

If that’s not enough, Wright also offered another preview on Twitter.

Right. Into. Our. Eyeballs. And. Ears.

The only bad news today is that the show is not ready for us to watch right this very second. (Very rude.) The Scott Pilgrim anime is “coming soon” soon to Netflix. When that means exactly, we have no idea. But we promise when it does, we’ll be ready. We can already see it in our mind’s eye.

The post SCOTT PILGRIM Anime Series with Original Movie Cast Coming to Netflix appeared first on Nerdist.

There are tons of animes that have women jockeying for the time and affection of one guy, which is called harem anime. But well-done animes that do the opposite, a.k.a. reverse harem anime, are a rare breed. There’s something satisfying about a story with a woman (or girl) with humor, compassion, or wild antics that makes the other characters (and us) fall for her. So, to celebrate them, here are some of the best reverse harem anime series.  

Fruits Basket

After her mother’s passing, Tohru Honda lives in a tent. When the landowners, the Soma family, discover her, they offer to let her reside in their home, but there’s a secret in the Soma family. They transform into animals from the Chinese zodiac during times of stress or when the opposite sex hugs them. There are many hilarious moments, and it’s easy to see why everyone gravitates toward kind and caring Tohru. It’ll make you laugh and sob equally and at unlikely moments. 

Where to Watch: Free on Funimation and Crunchyroll

The Wallflower

Forget tsundere. This lady is beyond the tough girl hiding a good heart. Sunako Nakahara is a homicidal nightmare with a penchant for melting wicked witch style in the face of unfathomable beauty. She meets her match in the form of four gorgeous boys who live in her wealthy aunt’s house. Sunako’s aunt gives them an ultimatum: pay rent or transform Yukiko into a beautiful lady. Yes, terrifying goth girls can be surrounded by handsome boys, even if they sob as she chats with her skull pals. 

Where to Watch: Hulu and Funimation (premium subscription)

Ouran High School Host Club

This gender-bender reverse harem anime is one of the most flamboyant anime ever. Haruhi Fujioka attends the elite Ouran High School despite a lack of wealth. After smashing a vase, she works off her debt by being a host to the girls in the school. Haruhi is comical, challenging, yet calm, and a perfect counter for the overly dramatic Host Club president, Tamaki. The series delivers range with occasional fourth-wall breaks while playing firmly and assuredly in its rom-com genre. 

Where to Watch: Tubi, Netflix, Hulu, and Crunchyroll

Kiss Him, Not Me

A side-splitting reverse harem anime that shows love to BL (boy’s love) fans, it’s funny despite its problematic premise. Kae Serinuma is a big girl with a BL obsession. She remains in bed the whole week after her favorite character dies. When she returns to school, she’s lost weight, and the popular boys circle her. It traverses love based on character over physical characteristics, all while wrapping it in a delightfully comedic lens of anime/manga fandoms, hooking you before you realize it. Worth a view for the shipping wars argument alone because Serinuma is a fanatic. 

Where to Watch: Crunchyroll

Vampire Knight

Vampire Knight is a spicy drama and mystery that follows Yuki Cross. She attends Cross Academy and acts as a guardian keeping the peace between the humans in Day Class and the vampires in Night Class. You can’t go wrong with vampires. Everyone is stunning, and seeing the vampires’ different abilities makes you want to delve into and revel in this world. Yuki may be a typical anime girl, but that’s part of the appeal, especially as the mystery froths to the surface.

Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, Hulu, Peacock, and The Roku Channel

Hana Yori Dango

The oldest series on the list follows Makino Tsukushi, a poor commoner who attends an elite school and wants to graduate unnoticed. That changes when she defends a friend against the F4, a group of the wealthiest and most powerful teenage boys, and becomes their target. Determined not to lose, the group inevitably takes an interest in her, and a love triangle forms between her and two of the boys. Not all the parts age well. But at its center, Makino Tsukushi stands out as an altruistic character, and there are unforgettable moments of laughter and love. 

Where to Watch: Crunchyroll

Romantic Killer

The newest series on the list, Romantic Killer revels in its absurdity. A strange wizard creature, Riri, appears to Anzu Hoshino and transforms her life into an otome game. To ensure she has Hoshino’s full attention of all the gorgeous boys who will soon line up, Riri confiscates Hoshino’s games, chocolate, and cat. But Hoshino’s not the average heroine, and with so much on the line, she’s determined to chase these gorgeous boys off. If that means grotesque faces or dressing like a fashion victim, so be it. Similar to series like Lovely Complex or His and Her Circumstances, anime fans will adore this series. The heroine is not poised, sweet and innocent, but loud, dangerous—for Riri at least—and obsessed with games. What’s not to love?

Where to Watch: Netflix

Hakuoki

Touted as a show that hides surprising depth and shoujo elements in a genre usually built around comedy, Hakuoki still lives in the reverse harem realm. Disguised as a boy, Yukimura Chizuru heads to Kyoto in search of her father. After the Shinsengumi rescue her and learn she’s the daughter of the doctor they are also searching for, they aid her in her quest. Fan of reverse harems with more action will love its bountiful fighting and mysteries.  

Where to Watch: Crunchyroll

My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom

Beware of the flags of doom! In this ludicrous reverse harem rom-com isekai, the heroine, Caterina Claes, recalls her previous life after sustaining a head injury. She died and somehow wound up reborn as the villainess in an otome game, Fortune Lover. In the game, her character faces exile or, at worst, death. To avoid this, she befriends boys and girls, becoming the object everyone seeks. One of the highlights in the series is the multiple versions of Caterina holding meetings in her mind to discuss the best ways to avoid death flags. Each time she unintentionally plays the role of one of the guys in the game, you realize what she hasn’t caught onto—that everyone is crushing on her. 

Where to Watch: Crunchyroll

The post 9 Reverse Harem Animes That Show Women Lots of Love appeared first on Nerdist.

Sometimes it can be hard to keep track of where all your favorite series are streaming. Especially with all the recent confusion happening in the realm of streaming platforms. But Viz Media wants to make it easier for you to find all your favorite anime shows. Now, you can stream and watch popular anime, such as Naruto, Sailor Moon, Inuyasha, and more, for free right on YouTube. For most people, that sure will cut down on some of the confusion and the apps that they need to watch their favs.

To make it even easier, Viz Media has organized playlists for their different shows. We’ve linked to them below:

• Naruto Playlist
• Sailor Moon Playlist
• Death Note Playlist
• Hunter x Hunter Playlist
• Inuyasha Playlist

If you really can’t wait to watch all these anime series though, we’ve also left the very first episode of Sailor Moon below.

That’s number one out of 238 available episodes of this anime. (And the other playlists aren’t much shorter.) So we hope you’ve carved out some time this afternoon. Having a place to watch free anime can be a blessing and a curse.

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These days, when we think of Christian Bale, it’s usually his role as Batman that springs to mind, or his myriad award-winning roles in prestige films. Also The Prestige. But before any of those, Bale became iconic for a far less savory character. Namely, killer ’80s Wall Street brat Patrick Bateman in American Psycho. Now, one YouTuber named ParkinArt has made a short video showing how American Psycho would look like if adapted into an anime. And we must say, we now wish this was a whole dang movie. You can watch the brief video right here:

The video shows off Bale’s character, Patrick Bateman, in one of his most iconic getups from the film. One from a harrowing scene where he’s wearing a raincoat to protect himself from blood spatter right before a grisly ax murder. (Where do you think Dexter got the idea?) It also has a Chibi version of Bateman, only this time in his three-piece suit from his day job. Of course, a sped-up version of Huey Lewis and the News’ “Hip to be Square” plays over the trailer. Yet another nod to one of American Psycho’s most iconic and ironic uses of music.

Before taking on the part of Bateman in the adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’ cult novel, Christian Bale was most famous as a child actor in films like Empire of the Sun. But American Psycho saw everyone look at Bale in a whole new light. It’s likely that without the recognition he got from playing a deranged killer, he might not have been cast as Bruce Wayne. But this anime short kind of makes us wish he’d return to the role one more time, in animated form. Only, for the full movie, don’t play a sped-up version of the Huey Lewis song. Just leave the original one in, thank you.

The post AMERICAN PSYCHO Fan Video Turns Christian Bale Anime appeared first on Nerdist.

For over thirty years now, The Simpsons’ annual Treehouse of Horror has mined every classic horror film and spooky TV show for material. But just when you think they’ve run out of eerie stuff to parody in their own unique way, they remind you of how creative they can be when they set their minds to it. Case in point, this year’s Treehouse. According to the folks at DesignTaxi, the show is going full anime this year. It will a parody the 2006 series Death Note. You can see some images of The Simpsons take on Death Note and a clip from the upcoming episode down below:

To catch you up before it hits The Simpsons, Death Note was originally a hit manga series by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata. It wasn’t long after the manga became a hit that an anime from the South Korean animation house DR Movie came to be. The story revolved around a high school student named Light Yagami. They find a mysterious black notebook called the Death Note. One that can kill anyone as long as whoever holds it knows both the target’s name and face. Light starts to kill notorious criminals around the globe. And then things begin to go a little haywire. And now, The Simpsons is taking on the Death Note story and tackling anime.

Writer Carolyn Omine has said that this year’s Treehouse of Horror will contain a whole bunch of Easter eggs. Just from the clips alone, we can already see a few. These include a billboard for a Tokyo version of Krusty Burger and one for Duff Beer. Death Note won’t be the only parody in this year’s special. The Simpsons is also taking aim at the modern horror classic The Babadook. Also getting lampooned is the HBO series Westworld. But we have a strong feeling that Death Note anime version of Lisa, Marge, and Homer Simpson is what will have everyone buzzing.

The Simpsons: Treehouse of Terror XXXIII and its Death Note parody airs Sunday, November 1.

The post THE SIMPSONS Goes Full Anime for DEATH NOTE Parody appeared first on Nerdist.

Sailor Moon was a bonafide anime phenomenon. It debuted in Japan in 1992, and by 1995, arrived in syndication in North America. Thanks to endless airings on Cartoon Network, the English dub of Sailor Moon became a pop culture sensation. But instead of a translated series, we nearly got a totally reinvented version for western audiences. They shot an entire pilot episode back in 1994, one never before seen. Until now, that is.

Via The Verge, we’ve learned that YouTuber Ray Mona has tracked down the American version, as part of a documentary about lost media. Mona discovered the footage, produced by Toon Makers, in the Library of Congress of all places. You can watch Finding Saban Moon: The Western World of Sailor Moon by clicking right here. And you can watch just the part that showcases the lost pilot above.

Sailor Moon fandom gave the American version the nickname “Saban Moon.” Although Saban Entertainment didn’t actually produce it. The reason for this is due to the fact that the producers of the American Sailor Moon took the same kind of approach as Saban did to the wildly successful Mighty Morphin Power Rangers series. They took original footage from Japan (in this case animated) and framed it with new live-action footage shot in the states. What worked for Power Rangers didn’t quite land for Sailor Moon, as you can see.

The English dub of Sailor Moon already made significant changes to the original version. Not only did they westernize all the names (a common practice back then), but all hints of gender fluidity or LGBTQ underpinnings vanished. No way American censors were going to allow that back in the ’90s. But the pilot for the American version is something even farther removed from the original concept than that was.

Just to start, they totally westernized Sailor Moon’s animation style, losing all of its anime flavor. Sailor Moon and her friends look more like Jem and the Holograms. And the live-action footage feels like an episode of the ’90s sitcom Blossom. Luckily, this version never aired, and fans got something closer to the original. But watching this footage is not only a hilarious ’90s time capsule, it reminds Sailor Moon fans of the bullet they fortunately dodged.

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If you were a ’90s kid, chances are Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z were on the very same cartoon altar for you as Pokemon and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It was also the gateway for many kids into anime as well. Mostly thanks to endless airings on Toonami back in the day. Now, one DBZ super fan has created the ultimate fan film. And it took him a whopping four years to do it. But as you can see by the finished product, Legend: A Dragon Ball Tale was well worth the wait. And now you can watch the full ten-minute film below:

Legend: A Dragon Ball Tale comes to us from Studio Stray Dog Animation, and animator Naseer Pasha directed it. He’s an industry professional, who worked on the new Ninja Turtles movie hitting Netflix soon. Almost as soon as it hit YouTube channel Agent Mystery Meat, longtime fans went wild for it. With many calling it the ultimate tribute to the beloved franchise. In fact, ever since July 6, when it first hit YouTube, over 4 million fans have viewed it. In the film, Vegeta goes to Earth to find Goku, right after Broly appears and all hell breaks loose.

There’s a message from Pasha at the beginning of the film, which explains just what making this film meant for everyone involved. Pasha said “To every child who believed that they could train in 100 times the earth’s gravity, and to every artist who taped Dragon Ball Z and paused it to draw their favorite heroes, this is dedicated to you. Mr. Toriyama, please accept this as a small token of gratitude, and as a grand love letter to the worlds that you’ve created and shared with all us children of the 90s. The inspiration will forever remain immeasurable.” Hopefully, his next Dragon Ball tribute won’t take as many years to create. Because after this one, we know the fans will demand more.

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Sure, good cosplay is a cool way of becoming your favorite character from pop culture. But body painting as your way of transforming into your heroes? Might be even cooler. And thanks to the folks at Oddity Central, we’ve discovered a body painting expert whose work will blow you away. Meet Randresson Vieira, a 30-year-old body painter from Brazil, whose skills allow him to transform himself into a variety of pop culture characters.

The majority of Vieira’s characters include ones from beloved anime like One Piece, Dragon Ball, Naruto, Demon Slayer, and Avatar: The Last Airbender. Often, Vieira’s videos go in reverse, starting with his removal of the makeup, and going back to it being complete at the end. You can see some of his best anime creations below.

He also has a series of classic Disney animated characters that are both amazing and, well, a bit off-putting. Among all those Disney princesses, is that the Dungeon Master from the ’80s Dungeons & Dragons cartoon? Someone crashed a party, we think.

If it wasn’t for his very real human eyes peering through, it would be hard to distinguish these body painting as anything but 2D drawings. Randresson Vieira has become quite a TikTok sensation, amassing 1.5 million followers. He’s also on other platforms, including a YouTube channel. His facial painting skills are so effective that it’s actually unsettling when realistic human expressions emerge out of these flat, 2D-looking faces.

Anime characters are Vieira’s main thing, but he does do characters from other genres. He has a few Marvel characters on his resume now, including Spider-Man, Venom, Mystique, Captain Marvel, and Doctor Strange. The latter of which might be our favorite of his MCU body paints.

From the world of horror, Vieira has transformed into Chucky and Tiffany, and a legit terrifying Pennywise the Clown. Perhaps the creepiest nightmare fuel of his horror transformations was Annabelle the doll, from The Conjuring franchise. If someone came to the door dressed this way on Halloween, we might just start running in the other direction.

For more of Vieira’s amazing work, be sure to head on over to his TikTok.

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Look, I’ve spent the last two years telling everyone under the sun why Ultraman is awesome and that you should all watch it. It’s Superman, Doctor Who, Godzilla, and Star Wars all rolled into one. But I get it; it’s tough to commit to watching over 1000 episodes of anything. But that’s no reason not to learn of its awesomeness! As such, here is an animated short called The * Ultraman: Jackal vs. Ultraman. It’s an original piece of net animation which was initially the 30th episode of the 2015 Japan Animator Expo. It’s available in North America officially now for the next month to celebrate the success of Shin Ultraman.

The whole video’s a little over nine minutes long and is well worth a look.

The filmmakers based this short on the manga The * Ultraman which began in the mid-’70s. It follows directly on from the initial six Ultraman series. In it, we see one of the manga’s main villains, Demon King Jackal, begin assassinating all of the Ultra Brothers. One by one, the Ultras fall. Zoffy, Ultra Commander, attempts to beat Jackal but can’t. Until suddenly, Melos, an Ultra Warrior from the manga, shows up to avenge the others.

You definitely don’t have to know any of the characters involved to think this short is rad as hell. It really sums up the spirit of the Ultra series as a whole in a matter of minutes. Sure, in animation you don’t get the groundbreaking suitmation effects, but you get some dynamic camera angles and speed that just doesn’t work in live action.

Despite some stellar writing and production in the ’90s, 2000s, and 2010s, the ’60s and ’70s Ultra shows will always have a special place in my heart. So much fun. This gets right to the crux of why I enjoy it, and if you check out the shows on TokuSHOUTsu or via Mill Creek physical media releases, you might see what I mean.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

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Alex Garland has long been making films that challenge the viewer. His new film Men is no different. Centering on Jessie Buckley’s Harper, the A24 chiller follows the young woman as she heads to the countryside for a break after a brutal tragedy. From there the film goes on a surreal and horrifying journey. It all leads to an unforgettable final act. Even for A24 and their experimental genre output, the end of Men is shocking. And whether you love it or hate it, the world will surely be talking about Rory Kinnear’s wild multi-role performance and its ghastly end. And, according to Garland, that gruesome Men finale had an unexpected influence from one of the most beloved manga and anime series of the last decade: Attack on Titan. 

How Did Attack on Titan Influence Men?

At a post-screening Q&A that was live-streamed to press screenings of Men, Garland chatted with the cast and moderator. As Rory Kinnear answered a question about where in the process he discovered his grotesque final act fate, the writer/director interjected. “In the script, you read it said mutations,” Garland recalled. “I was thinking The Thing or something like that, and then I thought I was being lazy.” So what inspired his critical reimagining of the grim mutation? Well, it happened while he was sitting on the sofa watching the aforementioned show with his daughter. “I was watching Attack on Titan and I was like, ‘God, this is so good.’ And I thought I really need to get my act together, and it led to what you did, Rory.” So let’s talk about what Rory did…

So What Actually Happens at the End of Men?

While the film is very much open to interpretation, the moment that Garland is referencing comes at the movie’s close. After Harper has battled with Geoffrey (Kinnear) and the multiple men who inhabit the small village, she comes across a naked man. He’s been stalking her throughout the movie and has slowly been transforming. As she sees him now his face has evolved into a plant human hybrid, reminiscent of the British folkloric figure The Green Man. But the “mutations” don’t stop there. The Green Man begins to give birth. 

Garland doesn’t hold back as we see a head crown through the Green Man’s vaginal canal. Eventually, the birth kills him. But he gave birth to another one of the men in the town who ends up becoming instantly pregnant and again birthing another man. Each birth kills the birther in a brutal and body horror inspired fashion. This cycle continues until Harper, who’s hiding with an ax in the living room, comes face to face with her dead boyfriend. He was apparently the last man to be birthed. She asks what he wants and he says, “Your love.” As she strokes the ax, the screen fades to black.

What does it all mean? Well, that’s up to you and your reading. But when you start having body horror birthing nightmares you know who to blame: Alex Garland and Attack on Titan.

The post How ATTACK ON TITAN Influenced the Most Shocking Scene in MEN appeared first on Nerdist.

The latest video from MetaBallStudios combines two of our favorite things, zen size comparisons and giant robots. While these two things may not seem like they go together, MetaBallStudios makes it work. And so, through the power of well-crafted animation, we take a tour of all our favorite pop-culture mechas and see how they stack up against one another when it comes to size. And as a bonus, we experience it all with the backdrop of a great soundtrack. Giant piloted robots live in anime, movies, and more, but which ones stand tall among the rest? Let’s take a look.

For those who don’t know, a mecha is defined as “a large armored robot, typically controlled by a person riding inside the robot itself.” “Mecha” is also sometimes spelled “Meka.” Of course, it sounds like the word stems from mechanical, but MetaBallStudios took a few liberties with the exact definition in this size comparison video. We absolutely love that they included Alfredo Linguini from Ratatouille. While Ratatouille’s hero might not be a traditional mecha, we must admit that when Remy controls Alfredo, it gives off serious Pacific Rim vibes. And that’s what makes these videos so great.

Of course, not all mecha are giant robots; some are actually tiny robots. According to MetaBallStudios, one of the smallest mecha around is Emmet’s Construct-O-Mech from The Lego Movie. This mecha is only approximately 30 cm, a true robot baby. Meanwhile, other familiar mecha such as the MCU’s Hulkbuster armor, Star Wars‘ AT-ST Walker, Power Rangers‘ Megazord, and Pacific Rim‘s Gipsy Danger reach a little higher.

But none of these robots, not Voltron: Legendary Defender‘s Voltron, not even Mechagodzilla, come close to reaching the highest heights of giant robots. As the video draws to a close, we blast off into space. And there, we see that some mecha exist on a cosmic scale. Getter Emporer from Getter Robo rivals the Milky Way in size. But who is the most giant robot of all, you ask? Well, that honor goes to Gurren Lagann’s Super Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann. This “colossal, mech-like mass of energy” is greater in size than the observable universe. Phew, a giant robot indeed.

The post Mecha Size Comparison Reveals Giant Robots Larger Than Known Universe appeared first on Nerdist.

Here’s what Obara has to say, “Anime is one of the cornerstones of our investment in Japan, watched by nearly 90% of our members here last year. At the same time, interest in anime has grown worldwide, and more than half of our members globally tuned into it last year.” In Japan, the number of Netflix’s anime viewers seems astronomical. But globally, the percentage is no slouch either. Over 50% of global viewers engaged with anime in the last year. And that number only seems to be on the rise. This means millions of people watch anime worldwide—something we definitely love to hear.

Though some may see anime as a genre, it feels more like a medium. Anime offers so many diverse options for viewers, some that more casual viewers may not even know about. For example, there are action-packed anime, which revolve around romance, sports anime, and more. And Netflix is working on continuing to increase these options.

Obara echoes these sentiments sharing, “From diversifying our slate to bringing back fan favorites, we want to continue growing our members’ discovery and love for anime, both in Japan and around the world, with this next chapter of anime on Netflix.”

Anime on Netflix in 2022

In all, Netflix plans to bring 40 anime titles to its platform in 2022. And these shows include new shows and old favorites.

From JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Stone Ocean to Tiger & Bunny 2 to Pacific Rim: The Black to Ultraman, these anime offerings call the name of many fans. Anime takeover, 2022.

The post More Than Half of Netflix’s Global Viewers Stream Anime appeared first on Nerdist.

There are a lot of cool motorcycles in ’80s sci-fi movies. The light cycles from TRON. The amazingly goofy flying bikes from Megaforce. You can even count the speeder bikes from Return of the Jedi. It was the golden age of tricked-out movie cycles. But none are as cool as Kanada’s futuristic red motorcycle from Akira. This iconic bike from the classic anime film might be cooler than all those other ones put together.

And now, thanks to Comic Book Resources (via Boing Boing) we’ve discovered that a dedicated fan in Japan has made their very own working replica Akira cycle. And we must say, it looks quite spectacular. You can watch the full video of its creation right here:

This Akira replica bikes comes from Japanese YouTuber and motorcycle enthusiast Ayato, also known as Teruteru Boizu. This project started around six months ago. The Akira bike originally was just an old junk bike. Ayato then stripped the old bike down to just its frame, engine, and tires, later fabricating a new shell to give it the authentic Akira look. He even built a custom suspension, so that it rode just like the one from the movie. It doesn’t have the iconic red paint job yet, but it does have that iconic glow thanks to the LED lighting added to the wheels.

This custom creation might be our only opportunity to see a real Akira bike in the immediate future. Despite several attempts over the years, it seems that the live-action Akira movie is just never getting off the ground. Taika Waititi’s live-action Akira was in the cards for a long time, before Warner Bros. got cold feet and pulled it off the schedule. Once again, the big screen Akira is in limbo. Maybe this fan-made motorcycle will be the only time we ever see the famous anime bike in real life. We just hope the rider manages one good scream of the name “Tetsuo!” while riding it.

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The next big anime movie is here! If you’ve been paying any attention to anime over the past couple of years, you’ve heard of Jujutsu Kaisen. The horror-action-comedy series took hold of anime fans in 2020 and shows no signs of letting go. Its first theatrical release, Jujutsu Kaisen 0, hits movie theaters in the United States and Canada on March 18. Whether you’ve never heard of the series before, or you’ve been practicing cursed techniques in the mirror for months, you’ll be drawn into Jujutsu Kaisen 0. A compelling introduction to the sorcerers’ world and stunning action sequences round out this must-see movie for anime fans. Here’s our review of Jujutsu Kaisen 0.

Jujutsu Kaisen, literally “sorcery fight,” is based on a Japanese manga series by Gege Akutami. After a highly successful first season as an anime series, the prequel manga Jujutsu Kaisen 0 was adapted for film and released in Japan at the end of 2021. Unlike almost all other movies spun off from anime series, Jujutsu Kaisen 0 is a vital part of the overall story.

In the prequel film, set the year before the main series’ protagonist arrives on the scene, the audience meets young Yuta Okkotsu. Yuta is haunted by a childhood friend who was transformed into a monstrous cursed spirit upon her tragic death. Yuta meets Satoru Gojo, an unconventional teacher at Tokyo Jujutsu High School, who introduces the troubled teenager to the hidden world of curses and curse users. Exposition is expertly woven into the story as new fans learn alongside Yuta.

While the world is explained well, the quickly shifting moods of Jujutsu Kaisen can be jarring for new viewers. Like the series, horror and gore are often juxtaposed against cute facial expressions and over-the-top jokes. The changing tone instantly makes an impression that’s both endearing and stomach-turning at the same time, which is no easy feat for any media.

The biggest delights of Jujutsu Kaisen 0 are for the series’ longtime fans. Yuta’s name is uttered more than once in the TV series; he even makes a blink-and-miss-it appearance in the opening sequence in later episodes. So if you feel like you’ve been waiting forever to meet him, your patience absolutely pays off with this film. Even manga readers who think they know exactly what to expect should be pleasantly surprised at least once or twice. And there’s more Panda. (We all need more Panda.)

As you might imagine, punching pandas and curse techniques can result in some explosive action and gorgeously choreographed fight scenes. Jujutsu Kaisen 0 has an abundance of both. The other jujutsu students, including series regulars Maki Zenin and Inumaki Toge, each get their own time to shine as they face off against an unpredictable enemy. The visuals are simply dazzling without being flashy or overblown.

Jujutsu Kaisen 0 holds the second-highest opening for a film in Japan’s box office history. Its release is highly anticipated in the United States as well. Both English dub and subtitled versions arrive in more than 1500 theaters later this month. To summarize this review, if you’re already a fan of the show, go see Jujutsu Kaisen 0 ASAP. And don’t be shocked if you come home and immediately start a rewatch of the series! In fact, I recommend it. Now that you’re acquainted with him, you’ll notice how often Yuta is present in the anime without being there at all.

5 out of 5

Kelly Knox is a freelance entertainment writer in Seattle, WA, who writes for Star Wars, DC Comics, and more. Her next book, Be More Obi-Wan, is out this summer from DK Books. Follow her on Twitter for bad puns, pop culture coverage, and more.

The post JUJUTSU KAISEN 0 Is Worth the Wait appeared first on Nerdist.

In summer 2021, the Sony’s Funimation Global Group acquired Crunchyroll for over one billion dollars. At the time, it wasn’t clear what that would mean. We only knew that Funimation sought to create “a unified anime subscription experience.” Now, that unified anime platform has become a reality. Effective immediately, “Funimation and Wakanim are officially moving to Crunchyroll, kicking off an exciting step in anime’s streaming evolution.” But what does this mean more practically for Funimation and Crunchyroll subscribers? And more importantly, what how does this merging of Crunchyroll and Funimation’s streaming content affect costs and subscription fees for fans? Let’s take a look at what we know about Crunchyroll and Funimation bringing their anime together.

In a trailer that teases anime streaming’s “final form,” the unified anime hub promises thousands of episodes, hundreds of series, all in one place. The trailer includes clips of some of the most popular anime around. We see anime like One Piece, Dragon Ball, My Hero Academia, and more take center stage. It all certainly sounds exciting. A promise of lots of anime to come.

A New Unified Anime Streaming Hub

In a release, Crunchyroll goes on to speak more practically. Here’s what it shares:

Starting today [March 1], existing and new Crunchyroll subscribers will have access to library and simulcast content previously exclusive to Funimation. This move makes good on the promise to fans that the merger of Funimation and Crunchyroll would bring together the previously separate services into a single subscription. Crunchyroll’s pricing remains unchanged, offering fans the ultimate anime experience with subs, dubs, films, and simulcast series in over 200 countries and territories and in 10 languages.

Pricing for Crunchyroll and Funimation’s Anime Streaming Platform

Pricing remains unchanged are the golden words we like to hear. To break that down a little further, Crunchyroll tiers are “Crunchyroll tiers are $7.99/month, Fan; $9.99/month, Mega Fan; and $14.99/month, Ultimate Fan.” Further, Crunchyroll invites its subscribers to cancel their Funimation accounts. As “all new series from the upcoming spring 2022 season will stream exclusively on Crunchyroll going forward and you will be able to watch 80% of Funimation and Wakanim’s most popular existing series on Crunchyroll by the end of March 2022.” Funimation will only continue to add episodes of its current series.

Transferring from Funimation to Crunchyroll

However, please note you cannot presently access Crunchyroll with a Funimation account. Funimation, Wakanim or VRV subscribers should make new Crunchyroll accounts to access the anime streaming content. However, the platform is working on transferring over Funimation users’ “Funimation digital copy, watch history, [and] queue.” Hopefully, this new unified anime hub will soon be able to offer users this information from their old accounts.

For anime fans, this unified anime streaming hub could be a solution. One anime streaming platform to subscribe to could feel easier to keep track of than two. We hope this platform indeed creates a convenient and comprehensive resource for anime fans. And hopefully, it also makes getting into anime more accessible for new viewers. Trying to figure out where a show was located could be difficult in the past. But hopefully, some of those barriers have now eased. Anime has a tremendous breadth and depth of content, so wrangling that in a more user-friendly way seems like a welcome change.

And now we know our weekend plans. Anime all day.

The post What Crunchyroll and Funimation’s New Unified Anime Hub Means for Fans appeared first on Nerdist.

After over 30 direct-to-video movies, DC Comics and Warner Bros. Animation are finally giving Selina Kyle her own film. Coming this February on Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD, Catwoman: Hunted sees the feline fatale in an anime-inspired adventure. In this new original feature, Catwoman’s attempt to steal a priceless jewel puts her squarely in the crosshairs of a powerful consortium of villains. Not to mention several Interpol agents. And for an extra added headache, Batwoman is hunting for Catwoman as well.

You can check out a clip of the upcoming Catwoman: Hunted animated adventure, as well as a look at the cover art, right here:

The stellar voice cast for Catwoman: Hunted includes Elizabeth Gillies (Vacation) and Stephanie Beatriz (In The Heights) as the voices of Catwoman and Batwoman, respectively. Also on board is Jonathan Banks (Breaking Bad) as Black Mask, and Steve Blum (Star Wars Rebels) as Solomon Grundy. Both classic Gotham Rogues. Lauren Cohan (The Walking Dead) plays Julia Pennyworth, Alfred’s daughter.

Other vocal talents include Keith David (The Thing) as Tobias Whale and Zehra Fazal (Young Justice) as Talia al Ghul and Nosferata. Jonathan Frakes (Star Trek: The Next Generation) plays both King Faraday and Boss Moxie. And Kirby Howell-Baptiste (The Good Place) plays another feline criminal, Barbara Minerva/the Cheetah. Kelly Hu (X2: X-Men United) voices the assassin named Cheshire. No word yet on if Batman will show up. But where the Cat is involved, the Bat soon follows.

This movie arrives with several cool special features, including Catwoman: The Feline Femme Fatale. This documentary covers the character’s eight-decade history. And as most Gotham City fans know, Selina Kyle has had nine lives already. And maybe 90 costumes to go with those lives! When The Hunter Becomes The Hunted is another special feature exclusive, which looks at the backstories of the various villains that are hunting for Miss Kyle.

Catwoman: Hunted arrives on February 8 on Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray and digital.

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With so much anime out there, it can be hard to keep track. But if you want to stay in the know with the people around you, CenturyLink has put together an interesting resource: a chart of each state’s most searched anime. The thought is, the more a state searches for an anime, the more people in it are likely watching it. Makes sense to us. So which states are watching which anime? And which anime is the most-watched of all? Let’s take a look.

Well. The votes are in. That data reveals that the most-watched (a.k.a. searched) anime out of the 100 most popular anime around is… One Piece. And overwhelmingly so. Twenty-five states saw One Piece topping their search charts. That doesn’t surprise us at all. Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates have quite the following. Who doesn’t love pirates, after all? And it can’t hurt that Netflix has a live-action One Piece adaptation in the works right now. Not to mention, this anime has been sailing since 1991 and it’s still going. Other shows out there feel very, very jealous.

Other shows clocking in at the top? Pokémon, Naruto, and My Hero Academia. Pokémon, of course, has captured the heart of generations. It inspires new artwork, games, and more continuously. Naruto, meanwhile, is a classic in its own right. And My Hero Academia‘s anime take on superheroes definitely locks it in as a crowd-pleaser.

Meanwhile, other anime fared less well. Sailor Moon and Attack on Titan only snagged one state each. Obviously, both are wildly popular anime. But we guess they just don’t find themselves at the very top. I’m sure if we dug deeper into the data, we’d find them ranking plenty high in many states. In the name of the moon, I command you to give Sailor Moon her due.

We also don’t see some of our personal favorites, like Yu-Gi-Oh!, on this list. And all we have to say is. People don’t know what they’re missing. In the meanwhile, our straw hats are off to you One Piece. Congratulations on taking the crown.

The post Which Anime Is Most-Watched In Your State? appeared first on Nerdist.

It’s hard to know from where, exactly, your next bit of inspiration will come. It could be from ingenious LEGO builds or new glimpses of the cosmos. Or even from a Chobani yogurt commercial, apparently, as the below short, “Dear Alice,” proves. Although the commercial does benefit from stellar animation. As well as a score by a Studio Ghibli composer.

THE LINE, a BAFTA nominated collective of designers, directors, and animators based in London, created the delightful animation. The company posted the animation to its YouTube channel in July 2021, although it’s only more recently gone viral. Solarpunk futurist Stephen Magee posted the video to Twitter, where it has, as of this writing, more than 1.8 million views.

The animation is brief, but tells a complete little story. We watch as the central character makes her way through a day in a beautiful, green future; one full of sparkling solar panels, content farm animals, floating windmill blimps, and, of course, a bunch of robots.

As the character performs her daily duties she quotes a letter to “Alice,” which discusses the kind of future and business she should try to build. “Our job is to plant seeds so our grandkids get to enjoy the fruit,” the letter reads. Simultaneously we watch as our hero deploys weather-altering machines to help water crops. And use some kind of Doc Ock-like fruit-picking robot to pluck apples off trees.

Toward the end of the short it’s revealed that Alice is indeed the grower-producer we’ve been watching the whole time. (As opposed to her daughter, who also could’ve been Alice.) And the letter to her is from her own grandmother. It’s a sweet moment, made all the sweeter by long-time Ghibli composer Joe Hisaishi’s score. It also, oddly, puts us in the mood for juice more than yogurt? As long as it’s squeezed with love we think Chobani would be cool with that, though.

The post Solarpunk Anime Scored by Ghibli Composer Shows Bright Future appeared first on Nerdist.

Anime’s roots run deep, tracing back to chalk films in 1917. From those early drawings to ’40s propaganda films, anime appeared in visual snippets until production companies like Japan Animated Films (then known as Toei) rose in the 1940s. Anime films’ expansion into television shows created an undeniable increase in its popularity. Astro Boy’s monstrous commercial success in 1963 led to stellar merchandise sales and syndication in multiple countries.

The genre’s resurgence in popularity in the 1980s alongside higher international appeal (specifically in the United States) led to it becoming a global artform. In the states, we saw multiple Japanese properties translated into English, like Mobile Suit Gundam Wing. Others, like Sailor Moon, got adaptations to fit within the confines of Western culture.

So, live-action adaptations were an inevitable next step. Critics and audiences alike have deemed many of them successful, including Rurouni Kenshin and Assassination Classroom. The US followed this foray into creating live-action versions of anime. They had the fervor, but the delivery often missed the mark in many ways.

Live-action anime in Japan follows its animated counterparts with Asian actors portraying most, if not all, roles. But Western adaptations often whitewash the majority of their characters. This is the case in films like Ghost in the Shell and Speed Racer.

This is problematic, especially when the character’s racial/cultural identity is inherently tied to their story. The Cowboy Bebop casting announcement highlighted John Cho as Spike Spiegel, Daniella Pineda as Faye Valentine, and Mustafa Shakir as Jet Black. Cho is Asian, Pineda is Latinx, and Shakir is Black, three actors with marginalized racial/ethnic identities. This gives hope that the series will, at the very least, avoid this mistake. 

There’s also a lack of a cardinal concept of anime known as  “ma.” In a 2002 interview with Roger Ebert, famed animation director Hayao Miyazaki discussed how this intentional emptiness or breathing space is just as important as the moments with it. Western entertainment is notorious for filling empty spaces. But doing this with live-action anime removes those moments which ground the character and audience, trapping them in the momentum. Of course, it remains to be seen if Cowboy Bebop will keep its reflective, quiet beats. 

Another cardinal sin is an egregious deviation from the source material. Artistic license is a supplemental component in most film adaptations. But some recent properties shift pivotal characters and storylines to a point of no return. For example, a Japanese live-action version of Death Note exists (and it’s good), but Netflix created its own version. However, its creators misunderstood the assignment. The US version shifts the setting to Seattle, whitewashing some of the lead characters and trying to justify that decision because of location. This take also changes important rules on how the Death Note functions. And this version contains major alterations in the motives and personalities of key characters in ways that are not improvements nor beneficial.  

Western shows heavily influenced by anime, like Avatar: The Last Airbender, have found great success in the States. However, its live-action film is known to many as one of the worst movies of 2010— possibly of all time. Whitewashing, poor dialogue, a choppy storyline, and a terrible alteration to “bending,” a key fighting style imbued with elemental telekinesis, made the perfect ingredients for a flop movie. And flop it did. 

Needless to say, concern for future US live-action animes is high and the bar for a solid one is low. It may be unfair to prematurely judge the Cowboy Bebop series, but early skepticism isn’t unwarranted. Cowboy Bebop’s reach still resonates today, influencing many anime and western animated shows alike. Not to mention its stellar soundtrack, spearheaded by an iconic intro sequence.

To potentially tarnish the legacy of an iconic anime is risky business, but it appears Cowboy Bebop‘s live-action show will not deviate too far from its source material. The new intro sequence includes real people, obviously, but it’s still close to the incredible original. Additionally, a Netflix promotional video reveals that the new adaptation will highlight what fans love about the series, but also incorporate elements of North American and Asian cinema. It’s a balance of sticking to a solid script and artistic license. 

That’s all fine, if the show is good. Cowboy Bebop must bypass the mistakes of its live-action predecessors with a good story, as the anime did. (Early reviews seem mixed with some panning the series while others really like it.) My hope is that the creators of Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop can take note of other anime adaptations’ crimes. It’s true that not everything needs a live-action version. Still, if it’s going to receive one, it better be as good, if not better than the original anime and that’s a hefty challenge. In the meantime, I’ll keep my fingers crossed for anime’s favorite space cowboys.

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It was only a matter of time really. Legendary Pictures is all about big, giant things fighting other big, giant things. After the Pacific Rim movies and their Monsterverse kaiju escapades, what’s left to tackle but Gundam? Legendary will produce a live-action movie based on the long-running and hugely popular anime series, beginning with 1979’s Mobile Suit Gundam. And more than that, Kong: Skull Island director and confirmed anime fanatic Jordan Vogt-Roberts will take on the director’s duties. And according to IGN, Y: The Last Man and Runaways writer Brian K. Vaughn will write the screenplay.

In April, news broke of the project, which you can read about below, but on November 9, we got our first look at the concept art for Vogt-Roberts’ Gundam movie during Netflix Festival Japan. And it looks pretty rad.

In a supremely awesome image from Industrial Light & Magic’s art department, we see a 3D-rendered version of the famous RX-78-2 Gundam, bathed in fire and seen mostly in shadow. It certainly cuts a striking figure. Naturally this is just concept art so we won’t know exactly what the fully rendered Gundam will look like for a while, but this really illustrates (ha) the tone and badassery Vogt-Roberts is going for with this version.

Original reporting below…

Legendary has teamed with Sunrise, the Japanese company that began the franchise. The movie will stream exclusively on Netflix in most markets in the world; Legendary will release the film theatrically in China. While there is no indication of what the story for the movie will be, Vogt-Roberts has proven his affinity for anime, and especially giant mecha, time and again. He revealed a very nerdy reference to Neon Genesis Evangelion during our Skull Island tweetalong in 2020.

The Gundam franchise has a very long history and a complicated continuity. The original series involves the war between the Principality of Zeon and the Earth Federation; the latter unveils a new giant robot known as the RX-78-2 Gundam and its pilot, teenage civilian mechanic, Amuro Ray. From there, the theme of young humans piloting cool looking giant mech armor became a staple of anime. Gundam itself spawned 17 spin-offs and sequels. Some take place in the main “Universal Century” timeline, others do not.

With Gundam, Vogt-Roberts adds another bucket list film project of geekdom; last year, news broke of him directing a Metal Gear Solid movie which will star Oscar Isaac. Of today’s news, Vogt-Roberts shared that a single tweet could not express his excitement.

No word yet on when the Gundam movie might hit our streaming boxes, but you can bet we’ll let you know as soon as we know anything.

Originally published April 12, 2021. Updated November 9, 2021.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Twitter!

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Lara Croft is the beating heart of the Tomb Raider franchise. She’s the iconic face and the chief star. And now the new anime series, Tomb Raider, has finally found its fearless adventurer. Netflix and Legendary Television have announced that Hayley Atwell will voice Lara Croft in the upcoming show.

Action-oriented franchises are Atwell’s specialty. Atwell is joining Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible 7, set to release September 30, 2022.  She is, of course, also known for her turn as Peggy Carter in Marvel’s Captain America. And, recently, she brought Peggy to life in an animated way. Atwell voiced Peggy Carter in Marvel Studio’s What If…?.  A fitting precursor to this casting news.

Square Enix/Netflix

In late October, we learned about two additional cast members for the series. Series showrunner Tasha Huo shared the casting news in the below video as part of a 25th anniversary celebration for Tomb Raider. The release states “Allen Maldonado (Heels, The Wonder Years) has joined the cast as the voice of tech expert and colleague Zip, and Earl Baylon will reprise his role from the video game as the voice of one of Lara’s most-trusted friends and voice of reason, Jonah Maiava.”

Based on Square Enix’s Tomb Raider global franchise, the Tomb Raider anime will follow the video-game reboot trilogy. The logline for the show shares:

Lara Croft, one of the video game world’s most iconic adventurers, makes her anime debut in an all new series. Picking up after the events of the highly successful Tomb Raider video-game reboot trilogy, the animated series will chart the globetrotting heroine’s latest, greatest adventure. Twenty-five years after her first game appeared, Lara continues to explore new territory.

Like many beloved franchises, Tomb Raider has now been around for nearly two decades. But with fresh takes and fresh voices, it continues to evolve. The Witcher: Blood Origin writer Tasha Huo will also write and executive produce this show. Additional executive producers include dj2 Entertainment Founder and CEO Dmitri M. Johnson. Howard Bliss and Stephan Bugaj; and Jacob Robinson, under his company Tractor Pants, also join them.

The release shares, “In the 25 years since its launch, the Tomb Raider video game series has sold over 84 million copies and garnered a treasure chest worth of awards.” We’re excited to see what this next chapter will bring. Hayley Atwell’s Lara Croft will surely set the scene.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks.

Originally published September 13, 2021.

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For a show known for long interludes, there sure is a lot of Rick and Morty content for fans to enjoy these days. In addition to much shorter wait times between seasons, Adult Swim continuously puts out special shorts starring our favorite grandfather and grandson duo. And since the hit animated series takes place in an infinite universe, they’re technically all canon. So it’s fair to say the pair’s latest adventure, the anime short “The Great Yokai Battle of Akihabara,” is one of their most absurd yet. Rick’s quest to finish building a toaster leads to a massive showdown with a giant supernatural force. As an entire city faces annihilation over a single screw.

This short from director Masaru Matsumoto and Sola Entertainment packs a whole lot of story into less than half of the time of a regular Rick and Morty episode. (They fly through the dialogue. I had to pause it multiple times to catch up on the subtitles.) It features everything we’d expect from a normal installment of the show. Rick’s three decades long quest to make the least impressive toaster ever brings the pair into contact with an old forgotten rival and his supernatural forces. Fortunately, Rick has long been prepared for such a fight. He has a Pacific Rim-style Jaeger on hand. Along with his far more compatible toaster to operate it with.

In addition to lots of action and laughs, the short also includes commentary about Japan’s economy, gentrification, maid cafés, cosplay, and even Halloween. This is a full Rick and Morty entry. One with a style that looks more like the actual series’s animation than previous anime shorts for the show.

Adult Swim

Would Rick risk an entire city’s fate over a single screw needed for a dumb toaster? Of course. And it’s now canon that he has.

The only surprising thing about this short is how often we get new Rick and Morty episodes.

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It’s one of the best and easiest times to be an English-speaking anime fan. Between the now-merged Funimation and Crunchy Roll, you can pretty much find any and all animation from Japan you could want. Dubs or subs, you’ve got access to a whole plethora. Didn’t used to be the case, of course. Until fairly recently, if you came across anime in North America, it was recut, redubbed, and often entirely rewritten versions. Speed Racer was the Americanized version of Mach Go Go Go; Space Battleship Yamato became Star Blazers, stuff like that. However the most popular of these would arguably be Robotech, an animated series culled from a whopping three totally separate original anime series. The entire show is available now on Blu-ray from Funimation, and it’s a fascinating ride.

Robotech is a franchise from Harmony Gold, a burgeoning TV and film production company. One of its original remits was to import foreign entertainment to the United States. The company hired Carl Macek to adapt Japanese animated series. His choice was the 1982 series Super Dimension Fortress Macross, a show featuring a love triangle set against humans fighting against alien invaders with the help of jet fighters that turn into halfway mechs.

Unfortunately for Macek, Macross only had 36 episodes, far fewer than the 65 minimum needed for syndication. He would have to supplement it with two other series: 1984’s Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross, and 1983’s Genesis Climber MOSPEADA. Those shows have 23 and 25 episodes, respectively. With all of these together, plus some judicious reconfiguring, you get 85 episodes of Robotech. The problem is, of course, these three series are effectively unrelated. While Southern Cross was also in the Super Dimension metaseries (the third to Macross‘ first entry), MOSPEADA was not part of anything.

Funimation

The decision then became, how would these three similar yet disparate shows become one? This necessitated splitting the story of Robotech into three different sagas. Each saga takes place at a different time in Earth’s future history and concerns each of the three Robotech Wars. In order to tie all three together despite different characters and types of robotic mecha, the writers decided that each war would be for the powerful energy source “Protoculture.”

Part one, “The Macross Saga,” concerns humanity’s discovery of a crashed alien ship and subsequent battle against a race of giant warriors called the Zentraedi. We meet a young pilot named Rick Hunter as he first gets in the cockpit of a strange transforming jet fighter. He soon rescues a young singer named Lynn Minmei and as the fight to save humanity takes off, we get a lot of interpersonal drama between the people as they fight the Zentraedi. The would-be romance between Rick and Minmei hits a snag when Rick meets First Officer Lisa Hayes.

Earth nearly succumbs to the Zentraedi, but as you might expect, the good guys win. In the process, they learn about protoculture and the so-called Robotech Masters. This leads directly into part two of the series, “The Masters Saga,” set 15 years later. Here we see the arrival in Earth orbit of the Robotech Masters, who have come seeking what turns out to be the sole means in the universe of producing protoculture. After some poor diplomacy, the Masters spark a war with humanity. Among the Army of the Southern Cross are 2nd Lts. Dana Sterling and Bowie Grant, who pilot this portion of the story’s signature mechs.

Funimation

At the end of the Second Robotech War, Earth is covered in the spores of a plant called the Flower of Life. This flower, turns out, is the source of protoculture and a beacon to the mysterious Invid who scour the galaxy for its presence. The Invid eventually land on Earth 12 years later for the final Robotech War. “The New Generation Saga” finds the Invid totally in control of Earth.

This section feels the least connected to the previous two. However, fairly ingeniously, the first two sections have little references that set up how this one starts. We learn many of the heroes of the First Robotech War had left Earth to seek out the Robotech Masters on a preemptive mission. This Robotech Expeditionary Force sends missions back from across the galaxy to attempt a liberation of their homeworld. The storyline follows one group of freedom fighters as they work their way towards the final battle with the Invid.

Funimation

Obviously, with three separate TV shows all rolled together, Robotech feels a bit disjointed if you watch it all in succession. For most people, “The Macross Saga” is the one to watch. It’s the one that’s the most, to them, Robotech. Indicative of this is how Rick Hunter in his flight gear and his jet fighter are still the images most often associated with it. You can tell Macek cared the most about bringing Macross to television even when you watch it 36 years later.

That said, I think the second and third sections have some great characters. Dana and Bowie in “The Masters Saga” are a great one-two, and the mech design is my favorite of the bunch. “The New Generation Saga” has Scott Bernard as its hero and he’s just an overall badass, plus the transforming motorcycle mechs are likewise pretty dope.

Robotech has made its way to home media several times over the years, in various formats. In 2019, FUNimation got the rights, and it’s through them that we have this absolutely gorgeous collector’s edition set. In addition to all 85 episodes, conveniently split up into their respective sagas, you also get four embroidered patches, and a 1/100 scale transformable VF-1S Veritech Fighter, as piloted by Roy Fokker in “The Macross Saga.” It even comes with a Roy Fokker figure, though not small enough to fit in the cockpit.

The series looks and sounds gorgeous on Blu-ray, and really lets you experience Robotech in the best possible way. I only saw a few episodes in my youth, so watching it now feels like a brand new experience. Even if you’re iffy on dubbed anime, it’s a fascinating piece of animation history, when a company felt like bringing grown up animation to a different country and market it directly to kids. And by gum, it works.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Twitter!

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No matter if 1988’s Akira was your first anime or sandwiched somewhere in the hundreds you’ve watched, the film probably has a place in your memory. And no scene feels more iconic in the post-apocalyptic cyberpunk drama than Kaneda’s motorcycle sideways slide. With tires smoking and Kaneda’s left leg stylishly dragging on the pavement, it’s one of the coolest moves ever animated.

Toho

In the 30 plus years since Akira‘s release, animation from around the world has paid homage to the now-classic motorcycle skid. You’ve probably caught several ten second clip compilations on your daily scroll through social media in years past. But YouTuber Badspler just left all of those in the dust.

They gathered a full two minutes of Akira-inspired motorcycle slides into one jaw-dropping video. Let’s take a look. And then another and another. Watch Badspler’s compilation over and over again and catch a new detail every time.

Badspler chose professional animation studios to compile this homage. You’ll immediately recognize Batman: The Animated Series, often credited as the first to include the iconic move. In the video description you can find timestamps of every series, including lesser-known anime like Lupin III vs. Detective Conan to mainstream American animation like Adventure Time and Paw Patrol: The Movie.

Over the years, more than motorcycles went all in on the Akira slide action. Bicycles, people, cars, and more have kicked up dust across the screen. Did you ever think you’d see a horse do it? (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated that one.)

Could the next homage to the motorcycle slide we see be in a live-action adaptation of Akira? Only time will tell.

Kelly Knox is a freelance entertainment writer in Seattle, WA, who writes for Star Wars, DC Comics, and more. Her book Marvel Monsters is out now from DK Books. Follow her on Twitter for bad puns, pop culture coverage, and more.

The post Watch Two Full Minutes of the AKIRA Motorcycle Slide Across the Years appeared first on Nerdist.

Attention, all of you Naruto fans out there. Yes, that includes you, Michael B. Jordan and John Boyega. Milan Records will digitally issue Naruto soundtracks and scores for the very first time outside of Japan. Starting on Friday, September 24, 19 different albums for the beloved anime series and film franchise will become available to Naruto fans everywhere. The news comes to us via the folks at Pitchfork. 

These new releases include Toshio Masuda’s soundtracks to the original Naruto television series and films, as well as Yasuharu Takanashi’s soundtracks to the Naruto: Shippuden sequel series and movies. Also included is Takanashi’s work for the Boruto: Naruto Next Generations series, and Boruto: Naruto the Movie. The original anime series premiered in 2002, and celebrates its twentieth anniversary next year. You can read the full list of titles below.

Milan Records

• Toshio Masuda /Musashi Project: Naruto Original Soundtrack 
• Toshio Masuda and Musashi Project: Naruto Original Soundtrack 2
• Toshio Masuda and Musashi Project: Naruto Original Soundtrack 3
• Toshio Masuda: Naruto the Movie: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow Original Soundtrack
• Toshio Masuda: Naruto the Movie: Legend of the Stone of Gelel Original Soundtrack

Viz Media

• Toshio Masuda: Naruto the Movie: Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom Original Soundtrack
• Yasuharu Takanashi / Yaiba: Naruto Shippuden Original Soundtrack
• Yasuharu Takanashi / Yaiba: Naruto Shippuden Original Soundtrack 2
• Yasuharu Takanashi / Yaiba: Naruto Shippuden Original Soundtrack 3
• Yasuharu Takanashi / Yaiba: Naruto Shippuden: The Movie Original Soundtrack
• Yasuharu Takanashi / Yaiba: Naruto Shippuden: The Movie – Bonds Original Soundtrack

Viz Media

• Yasuharu Takanashi / Yaiba: Naruto Shippuden: The Movie – The Will of Fire Original Soundtrack
• Various Artists: Naruto Shippuden: The Movie – The Lost Tower Original Soundtrack
• Yasuharu Takanashi / Yaiba: Naruto Shippuden: The Movie – Blood Prison Original Soundtrack
• Yasuharu Takanashi / Yaiba: Naruto Shippuden: The Movie – Road to Ninja Original Soundtrack
• Yasuharu Takanashi / Yaiba: The Last: Naruto the Movie Original Soundtrack
• Yasuharu Takanashi / Yaiba: Boruto: Naruto the Movie Original Soundtrack
• Yasuharu Takanashi / Yaiba: Boruto: Naruto the Movie Original Soundtrack 1
• Yasuharu Takanashi / Yaiba: Boruto: Naruto the Movie Original Soundtrack 2

For more information, check out the official Milan Records site.

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Like many of us, Nikolas Draper-Ivey‘s earliest memories of anime and manga revolve around Dragon Ball Z. But when Draper-Ivey’s father saw his son’s interest in animation he suggested a life-changing story. “He showed me Akira at a really young age,” Draper-Ivey shared. “He was like, ‘You need to see this.'” And he was right. Katsuhiro Otomo’s iconic adaptation of his own landmark manga is still shaping the artist’s work today. In fact, Static: Season One #4 has a variant cover that pays homage to the groundbreaking movie. So we chatted with the artist about how anime and manga shaped his wider work and the fan favorite Static series he draws alongside ChrisCross, written by comics superstar Vita Ayala.

DC Comics/Nikolas Draper-Ivey

After falling in love with those classic pillars of anime, Draper-Ivey found Weekly Shōnen Jump. Sure he’d read Dragon Ball, but when the beloved Japanese comics magazine came to America he suddenly found a smorgasbord of new stories. “I got into Shaman King, that was my first manga of choice. The style was so cool to me. Also Hikaru no Go, those were my two favorites. Takeshi Obata is so underrated to me. He’s got such a kinetic, fun, and influential style. He doesn’t get enough praise in my opinion.”

DC Comics/Nikolas Draper-Ivey

The action packed Shōnen stories that he loved drew Draper-Ivey in with one thing: “The stakes,” the artist enthused. “It’s the consequences these characters have to deal with. I love that about manga. When something goes wrong it just keeps escalating and it’s like, ‘Oh man, how do you deal with this?’ It doesn’t get wrapped up neatly with a bow. I love that.”

DC Comics/Nikolas Draper-Ivey

While Draper-Ivey grew up with these stories and still loves them, he had to take a step back when it came to how they influence his own work. “It’s kind of funny, because I love manga and anime. But I found that if I was gonna make my stuff stand out and let my anime and manga influences come through ,but still have my own voice, I had to not look at anime and manga,” the artist laughed. “A lot of mangaka are not sitting around reading manga all day. They’re watching movies, they’re looking at different mediums. So I let that trickle into my work and then I was able to fuse it together.”

Bringing those differing influences to Static came with one clear vision. “I knew right away I wanted it to feel cinematic, I wanted it to feel like a movie,” Draper-Ivey explained. But he also wanted to make sure it felt unique and unlike any other Big Two series. “I didn’t want to approach Static just like an American comic book. And I think in issue four you’re really going to get some panels that showcase that.” He also looked to anime studios like Studio 4°C and MAPPA. “I wanted to paint certain panels to look like keyframes of animation. Sometimes I wanted it to look like, ‘Oh, this is a screenshot of an anime.'”

DC Comics/Nikolas Draper-Ivey

It’s a dynamic visual choice that shines through, giving Static a wholly unique look. And one of the places that Draper-Ivey’s most obvious anime influence comes in is the vibrant fashion and character designs. But for the artist it’s all about authenticity and creating an international look from real life. He said, “I have a lot of magazines from Japan. There’s a store in New York called Kinokuniya. I’ll go there and kind of look at the fashion trends that are in Japan, but then I also combine it with the trends I see here in New York. I try to fuse that together to create something that feels kind of futuristic but also has international appeal.”

DC Comics/Nikolas Draper-Ivey

Draper-Ivey was keen to make sure that he brought that style and influence to Static. He also wanted to subvert the idea that American comics somehow aren’t aware of anime and manga and its massive influence. His cover playing on the famed Akira poster leans into that wish. “The Akira cover came to me while I was biking,” he recalled. “I was listening to the Kaneda theme. And I was thinking, ‘How could I do something with Akira and Static?’ I got off my bike and I saw the cracked ground and I saw the manhole cover and I was like, ‘Oh my god!’ and it almost seemed too easy.”

DC Comics/Nikolas Draper-Ivey

Rushing home to bring his design to life, Draper-Ivey wanted to make sure the piece was as close to Otomo’s work as possible. That’s what inspired the painted style and gave the cover its life. It was also important to Draper-Ivey that he satisfied fans of Static with a little nostalgic hook. He explained, “Even though he has a different costume now, I went with the one from the cartoon. That’s the one a lot of people know.”

With issue four headed to shelves and Static: Season One in full swing, Draper-Ivey also has bigger dreams for Virgil. And once again it all comes back to anime and the films he loves so much. “I really want Warner Brothers or whoever to—if they want to really do something cool—they should make an Animatrix style Milestone movie!” Now that’s something we’d really want to see!

Static: Season One #4 hits shelves October 12, 2021.

The post STATIC’s Nikolas Draper-Ivey on His Anime Influences appeared first on Nerdist.

These cans, which we first spotted on Kotaku, definitely evoke a visceral reaction. To call them a little frightening is probably an understatement. But these Attack on Titan trash cans are meant to be frightening. Frightening enough to remind you to throw your trash away. And make you think twice about ever littering again.

Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan Holdings Co., Ltd

These Titan trash cans come as part of an effort to encourage cleaner cities and greater recycling efforts. According to a press release, Coca-Cola Japan teamed up with Oita city officials to install the bins. This project is a part of the Change for the Blue initiative. Change for the Blue aims to eliminate marine debris among other environmentally conscious goals.

The official website shares more about the Attack on Titan trash and recycling cans, including where they are located in Oita. Currently, three locations are highlighted. Those who wish to see the Titans in person should note they are short-lived. The trash cans will disappear on November 22.

Change for the Blue

This is the second round of Attack on Titan trash receptacles to hit Oita. Earlier in the year, a bin for collecting polyethylene terephthalate bottles was also installed.

We can’t fight Titans in reality, but we sure can feed them. Just differently than we might if we were in Attack on Titan‘s universe. Less literally. Which we’re all thankful for. And, in a sense, that does help to fight for humanity. So even if we don’t have an Attack on Titans trash can leering at us, we can all pretend we do! That said… we wouldn’t mind some fun trash cans. The reward system always works!

Featured Image: Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan Holdings Co., Ltd/Change for the Blue

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Hirohiko Araki’s JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure manga has delighted and excited fans since 1987. But its anime adaptation has made it a global phenomenon. While the main show is a wonderfully fantastical and fashionable crime adventure, our newest obsession is a limited spinoff centered around the famed mangaka known as Rohan Kishibe. First introduced during the Diamond is Unbreakable arc, Netflix has a wicked four episode horror anime based on Rohan’s adventures and it’s a must watch for fans of scary stories and spooky shows.

What Is Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan?

First things first: You don’t have to watch or read JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure to watch Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan. While the character exists in the world of that show, this is essentially a standalone anthology. Based on a series of one shot manga stories by Araki, each episode begins with Rohan recalling a strange tale. In that way it follows some of our favorite horror series like The X-Files, Are You Afraid of the Dark, and Goosebumps. But these stories are far odder and often scarier.

Netflix

Who’s the Titular Hero?

Araki brings his radical style and sensibility from JoJo’s for these standalone stories. Rohan is an outrageously entertaining protagonist. His fashions are designed around the tools of his trade; inking nibs dangle from his ears, pens are utilized as buttons. His startlingly green hair leaps from his head as he enthuses and enunciates. Blending humor and horror perfectly, Rohan is our knowledgeable guide into the eerie world he inhabits.

Why Is Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan Perfect for Horror Fans?

So if you delve into the world of Rohan Kishibe, what sort of stories can you expect? Well, it’s certainly one of the more eclectic collections of horror yarns we’ve ever seen. From haunted gym bros to etiquette obsessed spirits all the way through overhearing a haunted confession, these are not your average ghost stories. Each one is scarier than the last. It helps that the writing is hilarious and the voice acting is impeccable. In fact, the worst thing about the show is that there are only four episodes. We need more spooky Rohan stories!

Netflix

If you’re a die hard horror fan you’ll likely feel Araki’s love for the genre. The series bursts with his influences. Episodes play with nods to iconic horror authors like Poe and often feel like spiritual successors to Junji Ito. While Rohan might be an unconventional leading horror hero, his show fits perfectly into the genre while adding something new. We get religious supernatural tales a la The Conjuring—but weirder—and there are spooky haunted house stories, as well as gore-filled murders. Rohan fills all your horror-loving needs.

As the colder evenings creep in and we get ready for spooky season, this is the perfect fall watch. Smart, spooky, and utterly hilarious, Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan might be your new fave horror show. After all, how often do you get to discover a new animated series that can both make you cry with laughter and give you nightmares?

Featured Image: Netflix

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We’ve seen our share of anime theme song parodies in our day. But this latest one might be one of the best. For the season five finale of Rick and Morty, the Adult Swim series got a special opening title sequence. The episode, titled “Rickmurai Jack,” was of course a nod to another Cartoon Network classic, Samurai Jack. Once again, Rick and Morty went full anime on us. And then after an anime-inspired credits sequence, they just went back to regular old’ Rick and Morty. 

In the previous episode, Rick had teamed up with two crows, becoming “Crow Rick.” Now, Crow Rick faced off against his nemesis, Crow Scare. You can watch the anime-inspired opening credits for Rick and Two Crows right here:

Luckily for everyone, Rick and Morty translated the lyrics into English. And they are pretty much what you’d expect from a younger-skewing anime series. They go a little something like this: “I’m riding on the winds/ We are soaring with our black wings / Forever we will fight together / Beyond the sky with you.” It’s all appropriately chipper, and the tune will likely get lodged into your head all day. Sorry about that.

This is hardly Rick and Morty’s first anime reference. Last year, Adult Swim gave fans the Rick and Morty anime short “Rick and Morty vs. Genocider.” There was also “Summer Meets God (Rick Meets Evil)” earlier this year. And in episode seven of season five, we got “GoTron Family Battle” AKA Voltron + Gatchaman + Evangelion. Which, if you haven’t seen it, is exactly what it sounds like. Cartoon Network has announced that more Rick and Morty anime shorts are on the way.

Adult Swim

The season five finale had a pretty major reveal, as Evil Morty made his long-awaited return. There is usually up to two years between Rick and Morty seasons, so you’re probably going to have to wait quite some time to see how it all pans out. In the meantime, just watch the opening credits to Rick and Two Crows one or five more times.

The post Watch the Full RICK AND MORTY Anime Title Sequence appeared first on Nerdist.

Although battling is a key part of the Pokémon universe, there’s something serene about the world as well. Themes of friendship, growth, and, of course, evolution run deeply through the franchise. And now, a brand new series entitled Pokémon Evolutions is going to crystallize these themes.

Pokémon Evolutions invites viewers to “explore the many regions of the Pokémon world.” The new show will take Pokémon fans on a tour of the regions developed in the Pokémon games. The Pokémon Company shares that this series celebrates Pokémon‘s 25th anniversary. Exploring the unique worlds that Pokémon has built during that time is a fitting homage.

The official description of the show notes, “This eight-episode series will begin in the Galar region and culminate in the Kanto region—the first region that appeared in the Pokémon series. Each episode features familiar characters and Pokémon alongside a connecting thread of a Pikachu that leads the viewers on their voyage through the regions.”

It is interesting to note that while the series is focused on evolution, the episodes are actually moving backward in time. However, they are offering a fresh perspective on each region. In a way, Pokémon Evolutions is bringing its past into the future. This promises to be a nostalgic trip for viewers, but, never fear, Pikachu will always be at their side.

The Pokémon Company

Colin Palmer, vice president of marketing for The Pokémon Company International offered some further insights:

Each region has been a touchstone for new generations of Pokémon Trainers as the brand has grown, and we wanted ‘Pokémon Evolutions’ to pay homage to that legacy while also being innovative and contemporary. It’s a new adventure and familiar all at once. And, with the last episode set in Kanto, ‘Pokémon Evolutions’ is a meaningful way to end our anniversary celebrations in the place where it all began for Pokémon 25 years ago.

The trailer itself is full of gorgeous art and stirring music, hinting at what’s to come. Fans are treated to glimpses of familiar characters and Pokémon in the trailer, such as Leon and Charizard. Legendary Pokémon are also on full display. Though these episodes are one-shots, it looks like there’s a lot of action and narrative in store. The animation is absolutely all grown up, as it were.

The Pokémon Company

Pokémon Evolutions premieres on September 9. It will release on Pokémon TV and on the official Pokémon YouTube channel. We can’t wait to see just what it has in store!

The post POKÉMON EVOLUTIONS Offers Trainers a Walk Down Memory Lane appeared first on Nerdist.

It’s a very good time for fans of anime. Not only is it easier than ever to watch new stuff in North America given the massive merger of Crunchyroll and FUNimation, but perennial favorite Cowboy Bebop is getting a seemingly very faithful live-action adaptation. Bebop is one of the pillars of anime in the west. One of the others is undoubtedly Neon Genesis Evangelion, the groundbreaking, mind-blowing series from 1995. While the series is on Netflix, and the reboot movies are on Amazon Prime Video, owning the franchise has been tough for a long time. Until now, of course!

GKIDS, whose catalog of anime Blu-rays include titans like Studio Ghibli and Satoshi Kon, announced on Monday that the entire Evangelion series will make its way to Blu-ray in both a standard edition and collector’s edition versions. A week prior, they announced a limited ultimate edition. They limited that to only 5,000 copies which sold out almost immediately. Luckily, and predictably, that isn’t the only way to get the show. GKIDS has Blu-ray sets for collectors and physical media hounds, but also a full digital version.

GKIDS

This marks the first time the show has been available on disc since a 2008 release that went out of print in 2011. When Netflix announced the series would join its streaming platform in 2018, fans were stoked. However, some controversy arose when, given the dissolution of ADV Films, the original North American distributor, there would be a new translation and new English language voice cast. It’s always weird to hear new voices, but this new version also changed the perceived meaning of several major moments.

Good news, however. The GKIDS collector’s edition release will include both the new translation and voice cast, and the original ones fans remember from before. Note, however, the standard edition will not include the classic dub and subs, only the official ones. All versions include all 26 episodes and both of the original movies Death & Rebirth and The End of Evangelion.

GKIDS

The standard edition and digital versions will drop November 2, 2021. The collector’s edition, which also has a 40 page book and eight art cards, will come out December 8, 2021. Head to GKIDS’ site for more details and pre-order information for the Neon Genesis Evangelion Blu-ray set.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Twitter!

The post NEON GENESIS EVANGELION Getting a Fancy Home Release appeared first on Nerdist.

Are you ready to experience a cult classic like never before? Then buckle up because the Ghost in the Shell anime movie is coming to IMAX theaters in 4K. This cyberpunk cult classic is perfect for the enhanced IMAX viewing experience.

This release, which we first spotted on Polygon, will occur globally. Specifically in the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, Canada, and a handful of other locations.

In addition, according to Crunchyroll:

For this special screening of the film, the 4K remastered images were adjusted to a high degree of accuracy in every detail, including sound, brightness, and contrast, using IMAX’s image processing technology. The 4K resolution brings out the vast amount of information lying dormant in the original 35mm film, which could not be reproduced with the technology used at the time of its release.

Every scene in Ghost in the Shell contains an effusion of dense detail. From the expressions on characters’ faces to the overflow of information in the cityscape, this anime is rich with nuance. With so many textures and variables, the film seems destined for IMAX. It’s amazing to read that the full depths of this movie are still to come. Sometimes a film’s vision exceeds the technology available to realize it. So we’re eager to see how this vibrant adventure will look on the big screen.

BANDAI NAMCO 

As mentioned, Ghost in the Shell began life as a manga by Masamune Shirow. Director Mamoru Oshii helped adapt the film in 1995. The movie is set in 2029 Japan and follows Major Motoko Kusanagi. Kusanagi is part of a secretive police force that tackles terrorism and cyber-crime. In Ghost in the Shell, she comes head to head with nefarious Puppet Master. This antagonist is a cyber-criminal who hacks into the brains of cyborgs. While at the time, Ghost in the Shell was a fantastical dream of the future, it will certainly be interesting to revisit today… Especially given that 2029 is just around the corner.

Though the film was not initially a success, it has accrued a cult following over time.

For those eager to experience Ghost in the Shell in all its IMAX majesty, the release will occur on September 17.

The post GHOST IN THE SHELL IMAX Release Promises Hidden Depths appeared first on Nerdist.

By time I really knew the name Satoshi Kon, he’d already passed away. Not by much; I’d heard of some of his films, hadn’t seen any, and didn’t know who directed them. The more I learned about the anime writer-director, the more intrigued I became, and the sadder it was he’d never make another movie. With a body of work consisting of only four feature films, one television series, one short film, and a few assorted episodes of TV animation, you wouldn’t think there’d be that much ground to cover. And yet, Pascal-Alex Vincent finds plenty in the new documentary Satoshi Kon: The Illusionist, which premiered recently at the Fantasia Film Festival.

Despite his small filmography, Kon is one of the most influential mangaka and anime creators of all time. Up there with Hayao Miyazaki and Katsuhiro Otomo, the latter of whom was himself one of Kon’s biggest influences. Critics have compared Kon’s work to that of David Lynch and Terry Gilliam; Darren Aronofsky and Christopher Nolan have taken inspiration from his works. That’s some heady company. And it’s well earned.

The Illusionist talks about each of Kon’s works individually, interviewing people who worked with him and people—like Aronofsky, Marc Caro, and Mamoru Hosoda—who both knew and admired him. However, we don’t get a great deal of detail about Kon’s personal life, his upbringing, or his foibles. Only scant few interviews with him exist, and he comes across as supremely stoic and private person. We therefore only have his films to truly understand the man who made them.

Madhouse/GKIDS

His first feature, 1997’s Perfect Blue, is one of the most disturbing and affecting movies I’ve ever seen. A horrifying look at stardom and obsession, the movie follows a pop idol who leaves her girl group in order to pursue an acting career. One particular fan is not happy about this change in profession, and begins to threaten—and eventually kill—people in her orbit. Or maybe that didn’t happen? Maybe it’s all in her head. The movie’s dreamlike shifting of setting and timeframe give the impression that our heroine is not fully in control of her own faculties, as the violent and disturbing content of her new role begins to bleed into her real life.

At only 80 minutes, Perfect Blue is a brisk, brutal look at the psyche of a woman who has lost herself in her own public personas. It predates the social media boom, and yet perfectly encapsulates the always-on isolation of it.

Madhouse/GKIDS

Kon explored similar themes in a much different tone and attitude with his following movie, 2001’s Millennium Actress. It follows two documentary filmmakers as they attempt to chronicle the career of a reclusive acting legend. Kon loosely based the actress on Setsuko Hara and Hideko Takamine, two major Japanese stars who got their start during the WWII propaganda film era. As the actress recounts her life, the point of view shifts on a whim between the present, the past, and the artifice of the movies she made, which include dramas and epics all the way up to kaiju movies later on. We see, through her career, the difficult personal choices she made along the way.

Millennium Actress is an absolutely gorgeous movie, a perfect flipside to Perfect Blue. Both explore the notion of stardom as both blessing and curse, and people’s reaction to a “star” as someone who must, therefore, not be like us. This seems to have been something Kon cared very deeply about. Perhaps this is why he wasn’t more of a public figure himself.

Madhouse/GKIDS

Turning to a completely different kind of story, one designed to be his big crowd-pleaser, Kon next made 2003’s Tokyo Godfathers, a comedy about three unhoused people in Tokyo who find an abandoned baby and try to either care for them as their own, or failing that, return them to their family. I recently wrote extensively about this movie, but it’s what might be considered a romp.

However, the documentary explores that through it, Kon examined themes of forgotten people and places, and forgiving others and yourself. This was also the period of time in which Kon began giving more opportunities for young up and coming animators to work on his films. While by many accounts a taskmaster, he nevertheless encouraged exploration and experimentation among his staff, which made Tokyo Godfathers all the more interesting and fun.

Madhouse

The documentary doesn’t spend a ton of time on Kon’s 13-episode 2004 series Paranoia Agent, a return to the strange and troubling which many have compared to Lynch’s Twin Peaks. It gives the stories of many disparate people who each have the same harrowing, inexplicable run-in with a boy on roller blades who chases them and beats them with a golden baseball bat. My guess is it would be too much of a diversion from the story of Kon himself to go into Paranoia Agent more fully, but trust it’s one of the most absorbing and wowing anime series you’re likely to watch.

And finally we have Kon’s last feature, and fittingly his most popular. 2006’s Paprika, which directly influenced Christopher Nolan’s Inception. Paprika follows a research psychiatrist in the near-future who uses experimental technology to enter the dreams of people via her alter ego, Paprika. Someone has stolen the device, which allows anyone to enter anyone’s dreams, and Paprika and her allies have to track down who is behind the theft, while going through the weird-ass dreams of strangers and colleagues.

Madhouse

Once again blurring the lines between fiction and reality, Kon’s final feature is a work of unbridled creativity and visual splendor. He plays with visual trickery and perspective within the confines of an animated feature in a way few have ever done before or since. And these themes would have continued had he been able to make his long-planned fifth movie, Dreaming Machine, which the documentary also covers.

Carlotta Films

Satoshi Kon: The Illusionist might not be a particularly deep look at the life of its subject, it’s an exemplary examination of his body of work, which therefore informs the audience about the man himself. Every single person the filmmakers interview has interesting things to say and give us a surprisingly full picture of, if not Kon’s personal life, at least his work life. His untimely death in 2010 robbed us of more masterworks by a singular artist, but this documentary at the very least gives the work he did make the proper placement as some of the best movies—animated or otherwise—of the early 21st century.

3.5 out of 5

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Twitter!

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Animated Star Wars shows are responsible for some of the franchise’s best stories and characters. That tradition looks like it will continue with the galaxy far, far away’s next adventure. The first trailer for Star Wars: Visions, an original anime series that will re-imagine George Lucas’s space saga, promises an epic new way to explore the story. And the series has an epic voice cast to tell it.

Disney’s debut trailer for Star Wars: Visions, a new series featuring nine stories from seven Japanese anime studios, features battles between Jedi and Sith, beautiful animation styles, Japanese storytelling traditions, and John Williams’ music. This is Star Wars, but in a way fans have never seen.

“Lucasfilm is partnering with seven of the most talented anime studios in Japan to bring their signature style and unique vision of the Star Wars galaxy to this inspired new series,” said James Waugh, executive producer and Lucasfilm Vice President, Franchise Content & Strategy, in a statement. “Their stories showcase the full spectrum of bold storytelling found across Japanese animation; each told with a freshness and voice that expands our understanding of what a Star Wars story can be, and celebrates a galaxy that has been such an inspiration to so many visionary storytellers.”

Lucasfilm

Disney also shared both the English and Japanese casts for each short, along with their characters. The series features some big names and some of our favorite stars. The cast lists also provide our best idea yet about what we can expect from each short.

“The Duel”
English cast: Brian Tee (Ronin), Lucy Liu (Bandit Leader), Jaden Waldman (Village Chief)
Japanese cast: Masaki Terasoma (Ronin), Akeno Watanabe (Bandit Leader), Yūko Sanpei (VillageChief)

“Tatooine Rhapsody”
English cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Jay), Bobby Moynihan (Geezer), Temuera Morrison (BobaFett), Shelby Young (K-344), Marc Thompson (Lan)
Japanese cast: Hiroyuki Yoshino (Jay), Kōusuke Gotō (Geezer), Akio Kaneda (Boba Fett), MasayoFujita (K-344), Anri Katsu (Lan)

“The Twins”
English cast: Neil Patrick Harris (Karre), Alison Brie (Am), Jonathan Lipow (B-20N)
Japanese cast: Junya Enoki (Karre), Ryoko Shiraishi (Am), Tokuyoshi Kawashima (B-20N)

“The Village Bride”
English cast: Karen Fukuhara (F), Nichole Sakura (Haru), Christopher Sean (Asu), Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa (Valco), Andrew Kishino (Izuma), Stephanie Sheh (Saku)
Japanese cast: Asami Seto (F), Megumi Han (Haru), Yūma Uchida (Asu), Takaya Kamikawa(Vaan), Yoshimitsu Shimoyama (Izuma), Mariya Ise (Saku)

“The Ninth Jedi”
English cast: Kimiko Glenn (Kara), Andrew Kishino (Juro), Simu Liu (Zhima), Masi Oka (Ethan), Greg Chun (Roden), Neil Kaplan (Narrator), Michael Sinterniklaas (Hen Jin)
Japanese cast: Chinatsu Akasaki(Kara), Tetsuo Kanao (Juro), Shin-ichiro Miki (Zhima), Hiromu Mineta (Ethan), Kazuya Nakai (Roden), Akio Ōtsuka, (Narrator), Daisuke Hirakawa (Hen Jin)

“T0-B1”
English cast: Jaden Waldman (T0-B1), Kyle Chandler (Mitaka)
Japanese cast: Masako Nozawa (T0-B1), Tsutomu Isobe (Mitaka)

“The Elder”
English cast: David Harbour (Tajin), Jordan Fisher (Dan), James Hong (The Elder)
Japanese cast: Takaya Hashi (Tajin), Kenichi Ogata (The Elder), Yuichi Nakamura (Dan)

“Lop & Ocho”
English cast: Anna Cathcart (Lop), Hiromi Dames (Ocho), Paul Nakauchi (Yasaburo), Kyle McCarley (Imperial Officer)
Japanese cast: Seiran Kobayashi (Lop), Risa Shimizu (Ocho), Tadahisa Fujimura (Yasaburo),Taisuke Nakano (Imperial Officer)

“Akakiri”
English cast: Henry Golding (Tsubaki), Jamie Chung (Misa), George Takei (Senshuu), Keone Young (Kamahachi), Lorraine Toussaint (Masago)
Japanese cast: Yū Miyazaki (Tsubaki), Lynn (Misa), Chō (Senshuu), Wataru Takagi (Kamahachi),Yukari Nozawa (Masago)

Lucasfilm

You can’t debut a trailer that epic and not have a cast just as impressive. Especially when you’re trying to live up to the legacies of both Star Wars animation and Japanese anime. Clearly, someone at Lucasfilm had the vision to know that.

Star Wars: Visions debuts at Disney+ on September 22.

The post STAR WARS: VISIONS Anime Delivers First Trailer and Cast Lists appeared first on Nerdist.

Netflix’s new prequel anime film The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf tries to do so much it shouldn’t work. It provides significant history about the Continent and its magical users, namely mages and witchers, filling in many of the holes the live-action show’s first season didn’t fully address. It also serves as an origin story for a character joining the series in season two, Vesemir, the witcher who trained Geralt. The witcher home of Kaer Morhen also gets to shine ahead of its introduction on the show. The movie is also full of so many terrifying monsters it doubles as a living encyclopedia of ghastly beasts. And it does all of this while telling a personal story that spans decades, as well as a much larger story with ramifications that will last even longer. It’s a lot. And it probably shouldn’t work, but it does.

Somehow the film does all of those things while still telling a coherent, well-paced, entertaining, and moving story. One that is certainly a must-watch for fans of the show. And a great introduction for those thinking about watching.

The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf is not for the feint of heart. The Continent is a dangerous world of monsters. If not for witchers, it would be a world full of monsters, shredded limbs, and blood. A lot of blood. In some significant ways it does an even better job than the show of showing why witchers are so important—and so feared—in this world. It’s a crash course in this universe’s lore and every day life. Giving new context for who witchers are, where they come from, and what they do. The movie also explores the group’s less than stellar past. Not everyone who walked the path of a witcher had the same morals as Geralt. Not all of his older brothers were as grumpy as him, though. Vesemir most of all.

The film’s main character is nothing the like groaning, angry witcher who leads Netflix’s show. While just as handsome as Geralt, Vesemir is inherently charming and gregarious. He’s also far more selfish than his famous student. Viewers will often find themselves liking him in spite of him. Forget being a great and noble hero. He might not even be a very good person, though his skills as a witcher are more than formidable.

Netflix

But he’s not the only magical being with impressive talents. Tetra Gilcrest, a powerful sorceress who distrust witchers entirely, is a worthy adversary. Monsters roam all over the Continent. Often in unexpected forms. Tetra wants to protect the land from all of them. Like Vesemir, there’s more to her story that gets revealed throughout the film. And the more you learn about her the more interesting both she and everyone around her becomes.

The same is true of the movie’s other main characters, as numerous threads come together for a poignant and exciting end. One that is far more epic and important to the franchise than the kind of conclusion it seems like the film is initially building towards. From Lady Zerbst, an elderly noblewoman who defends witchers, to Deglan, the witcher who recruited and trained Vesemir, everyone has more going on than they initially let on. When they do show all their cards—either because they want to or because they’re forced too—the entire film goes from being a fun exploration of this world to a major installment. That’s why even though the first third of the film feels a little disjointed initially, it all comes together in a satisfying way.

Netflix

The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf boasts a great score. (No surprise for this franchise.) The animation is vibrant, especially during action sequences when it really excels. And its main characters are complex and interesting. Fans of Netflix’s series won’t want to miss it. And they’ll be able to recommend it to their Witcher-curious friends considering watching the show. At a tidy 81 minutes it’s not a timely investment, especially compared to the ten-episode first season.

But it really works because it does so many things well. It’s more than just a supplemental piece to the show. It has something to say about this world and the people who live in it—what they want from life and from themselves. And how we often create the monsters we fear the most. The question isn’t whether you should watch it. The question is when is Netflix going to make more The Witcher anime films.

The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf comes to Netflix August 23.

4/5

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter at @burgermike, and also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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Get ready to consume all your anime (or most of it, anyway) under one roof. That’s basically the result of big news on Monday afternoon, as Sony announced its Funimation Global Group has acquired Crunchyroll from AT&T. In short, Funimation acquired Crunchyroll. They first announced the agreement in December 2020, but the companies only just got through regulatory approvals and completed the procurement. And Sony spent $1.175 billion to bring Crunchyroll in.

The deal between Funimation and Crunchyroll means widening distribution for anime to a broader group. Crunchyroll’s direct-to-consumer service comes with five million streaming subscribers. According to a press release, Crunchyroll has 120 million registered users in more than 200 countries and territories. Besides streaming on demand, Crunchyroll offers mobile games, manga, merchandise, and that magical distribution. Sony’s Funimation hopes to leverage that existing audience and build profits.

Sony

Kenichiro Yoshida, chairman, president, and CEO of Sony Group Corporation, said in a statement. “We are very excited to welcome Crunchyroll to the Sony Group. Anime is a rapidly growing medium that enthralls and inspires emotion among audiences around the globe. The alignment of Crunchyroll and Funimation will enable us to get even closer to the creators and fans who are the heart of the anime community. We look forward to delivering even more outstanding entertainment that fills the world with emotion through anime.”

Another Sony executive commented about how much value Crunchryoll adds to Sony’s existing anime business. That business includes Funimation and also Aniplex and Sony Music Entertainment Japan. Tony Vinciquerra, chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment, added, “With the addition of Crunchyroll, we have an unprecedented opportunity to serve anime fans like never before and deliver the anime experience across any platform they choose, from theatrical, events, home entertainment, games, streaming, linear TV—everywhere and every way fans want to experience their anime. Our goal is to create a unified anime subscription experience as soon as possible.”

We’ll update this post when Funimation shares the details about that new anime subscription service.

Featured Image: CBC Television

Amy Ratcliffe is the Managing Editor for Nerdist and the author of A Kid’s Guide to Fandom, available now. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

The post Sony’s Funimation Acquires Crunchyroll for Over $1 Billion appeared first on Nerdist.

If you want to make a winning wager in Hollywood, bet on Zoe Saldana. The Marvel, Star Trek, and Avatar star is box office gold. Now she’s taking her winning streak to the small screen. Her Cinestar Pictures is teaming up with Crunchyroll for a new space saga anime series.

Crunchyroll has announced it’s developing Dark Star Squadron, “an epic animated space opera,” with Saldana’s Cinestar Pictures. Voltron: Legendary Defender‘s Todd Ludy will write with the series with the Guardians of the Galaxy star and her two sisters, Cisely and Mariel Saldana. The three siblings co-founded Cinestar Pictures together. They will also serve as executive producers. Pollinate Entertainment’s Sonia A. Gambaro and Maytal Gilboa will join as producers. The show will air on Crunchyroll’s streaming service, which just hit five million subscribers.

Crunchyroll

“The tremendous growth of our streaming service is indicative of the growing love for anime and its deserved spotlight in popular culture,” said Joanne Waage, general manager, Crunchyroll, in a statement. “Zoe and her team are bringing their own anime fandom to their storytelling and we’re excited to be a part of it.”

The series will follow four young space explorers who find themselves in a dangerous situation. From Crunchyroll:

“Dark Star Squadron follows the journey of four failing cadets who return from a joyride with a stolen starship to find their academy in ruins and everyone vanished. Now on their own, the ill-equipped heroes embark for the far side of the galaxy to find the missing and prove their worth.”

That also sounds like a great premise for a live-action series. The kind you’d love to have Zoe Saldana in the cast for. Right now, though, she and her sisters are focused on creating a great anime series.

Paramount Pictures

“As true animation and anime fans ourselves, we are so excited for the opportunity to partner with Crunchyroll to bring Dark Star Squadron to a wide audience,” said the three Saldanas in a press release. “We can’t wait for everyone to meet the crew and follow the journey of our unlikely heroes.”

We expect it to be a great journey. Never bet against Zoe Saldana.

The post Zoe Saldana and Crunchyroll Are Making a Space Opera Anime Series appeared first on Nerdist.

Anything is possible in a universe with infinite dimensions. Rick and Morty has introduced fans to cowboy and fish versions of its eponymous pair. Cronenberg variations roam free in monstrous realities. And countless renditions of the two fill a Citadel. We don’t need to visit a different dimension to imagine what an anime-adaption of the series might look like though. Adult Swim keeps showing us. Tower of God director Takashi Sano is back with another short. But no matter the animation style, one thing is always true about Rick and Morty: never trust Jerry with anything.

“Summer’s new boyfriend isn’t human, Jerry’s in big trouble as usual, and Rick is well…just being Rick.” is the official synopsis for the new Rick and Morty anime short from Adult Swim. “Summer Meets God (Rick Meets Evil)” is Takashi Sano’s second anime special for the series. The first, ” Rick and Morty vs. Genocider,” debuted last summer. It was the second original anime special for the show. Studio DEEN’s “Samurai and Shogun” premiered last March. It was a Ricktacular tribute to the beloved Lone Wolf and Cub manga.

Sano’s new short directly connects to this week’s Rick and Morty episode. The GoTron robots Rick combined into bigger Voltron-like mega machines are back. Only this time that fighting behemoth has the consciousness of Summer’s A.I. boyfriend. Even worse? It has Jerry trapped inside. And he is definitely not equipped to deal with the situation. (No surprise. He’s not really equipped to deal with most situations.) In an anime that is bizarre even by Rick and Morty standards. Which is really saying something, especially after this season.

Adult Swim

In an alternate dimension, Rick and Morty always was, and always will be, an anime series. But hopefully, those fans are also getting American-style cartoons. Preferably ones featuring drunk robots having an existential crisis.

What’s the point of an infinite universe if you can’t get both?

The post RICK AND MORTY Gets Real Weird in New Anime Short appeared first on Nerdist.

Disney+ announced an upcoming series of original shorts at this year’s Anime Expo Lite. The collection features the works of seven Japanese anime studio: Kamikaze Douga, Geno Studio (Twin Engine), Studio Colorido (Twin Engine), Trigger, Kinema Citrus, Science Saru, and Production IG. Disney says each short will feature the individual studio’s “signature animation and storytelling styles to realize their own visions of the galaxy far, far away.”

The Mouse House also gave fans their first look at what to expect from the nine-part collection in a behind-the-scenes trailer. From new designs, to reimagined settings and characters, Star Wars: Visions will have something for everyone. That includes romances, epic battles, comedy, and more. Exactly what we’d expect from Star Wars.

Lucasfilm

The nine shorts are:

Kamikaze Douga – “The Duel”
Geno Studio (Twin Engine) – “Lop and Ochō”
Studio Colorido (Twin Engine) – “Tatooine Rhapsody”
Trigger – “The Twins”
Trigger – “The Elder”
Kinema Citrus – “The Village Bride”
Science Saru – “Akakiri”
Science Saru – “T0-B1”
Production IG – “The Ninth Jedi”

Lucasfilm

Based on this first teaser, we hope these will make up the first of many collections.

In a press release, Disney discussed the long history of Japanese culture’s influence on the franchise. It’s a connection that dates back to George Lucas and the origins of Star Wars.

“As a first formal venture into anime, each Star Wars: Visions short bears a unique Japanese sensibility, which in many ways aligns with the tone and spirit of Star Wars storytelling. From the beginning, stories told in the Star Wars galaxy have counted Japanese mythology and the films of Akira Kurosawa among their many influences, and these new visions will further explore that cultural heritage through the unique animation style and perspective of each anime studio.”

Star Wars: Visions comes to Disney+ on September 22.

The post STAR WARS Anime Shorts Collection Is Coming to Disney+ appeared first on Nerdist.

None of us should be defined by any one thing we’re into. Inst`ead, we should each be defined by the cross-section of two very different things we’re into. For Tessa Thompson—just as an example—that’s 1) incredible acting and 2) goats. For Joe Manganiello, that’s 1) Dungeons & Dragons and 2) Cheetos & Water. (Is that four things? We’re rounding down.) And for director Ondřej Hudeček, those two things are ostensibly 1) The Olympics and 2) anime. And this particular overlap stirred quite a delightful frenzy among the anime-loving corners of Twitter recently.

Netflix/GKIDS

In 2018, Czechoslovakia-born filmmaker Hudeček released the documentary titled The Nagano Tapes: Rewound, Replayed & Reviewed. The film chronicles the Czech Republic’s victory of the gold medal in ice hockey at the 1998 Winter Olympics. Though now three years old, only very recently did the film earn a spot free for the viewing on the official Olympics website. Naturally, this platform earned the scrappy production a few more curious eyes. And one of the main things a new batch of viewers noticed: its use of the Neon Genesis Evangelion theme song over its opening titles.

You can watch the theme itself just below, and head over to the Olympics website to watch the film. (The song kicks in within the first two minutes.)

Given the zealous fandom inspired by Neon Genesis Evangelion, this discovery lit a proverbial fire on social media. It begin with one viral tweet, below, surreptitiously plugging the unexpected crossover.

The tweet went viral, gaining the attention of a very pleased Hudeček, who responded in turn:

At first, the riotous reaction among NGE fans involved speculation that the inclusion was the result of oblivion. But it’s clear now that Hudeček, an avowed lover of the anime himself, knew what he was doing. On Thursday, following the uproar, Hudeček even spoke to Polygon about the choice to include the musical number. More than just being a good sport, it seems as though the documentarian is reveling in the attention finding his film. And from a not-terribly-expected corner of the ‘net. It just goes to show: none of us can be defined by any one thing. Two, sure. Two is fine. Who likes more than two things, anyway?

The post Sports Doc Includes NEON GENESIS EVANGELION Theme, Fans Go Nuts appeared first on Nerdist.

Netflix’s anime series about the first African samurai, Yasuke, recently debuted at the streaming site. It hasn’t been officially renewed for a second season just yet. But we’re confident that’s only a mater of time. Just like it’s only a matter of time before fans are outfitting their desks and bookshelves with new Target-exclusive collectibles for the critically-acclaimed series. Super7 has announced two styles of original Yasuke vinyl figures. Each of which pays tribute to Japan.

Super7’s newest collectibles (which we first came across at Technabob) celebrate Netflix’s anime series about a Black samurai warrior in an alternate version of feudal Japan. (Which is based on a real person.) Yasuke, Natsumaru, and Achojah make up the first wave of six-inch vinyl figures. Super7 says they come in “the ‘hang-tag’ style of soft vinyl figures” traditionally made in Japan. Each one features five points of articulation. They also boast “detailed sculpts that capture” both the “style and attitude” of the character.

You can already pre-order yours at Target for $19.99 each. They begin shipping in early October.

Super7

If you’re looking for something a little smaller and more playful, Super7 is also launching three-inch SuperVinyl SD figures for the show. The first wave of these “super-deformed” vinyl figures include Yasuke, Natsumaru, and Nikita in Beast Mode.

You can also pre-order them at Target for $9.99 per figure. And they’ll start shipping at the same time as the six-inch versions. Both styles will then be available in stores.

Super7

“While the story of Yasuke happens in an alternate world of Japan, the series draws its inspiration from the rich history of Japanese Anime, and we wanted the toys to match that same spirit,” said Brian Flynn, founder and owner of Super7, in a statement. “Instead of making traditional western action figures, we purposely went back to our Japanese toy roots and made boxed hang-tag vinyl figures and super-deformed figures, just as if the series had also come out in Japan.”

We already expected a second season of the show. Now we also expect a second wave of action figures from it.

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