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Out This Week: The Spine Of Night, Fleischer Cartoons, He-Man and She-Ra and More

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Wed, 27 May 2026 13:21:14 +0000

Welcome back to a later-than-usual Out This Week- pardon the interruption. We've got another very quiet week- not unusual as we approach the summer months. New this week is the complete "classic" He-Man and She-Ra boxset on DVD- just in time for the new Travis Knight Masters Of The Universe live-action film. Also out is a 4K release of the cult fantasy adult animation The Spine Of Night from Shudder, the first volume of the best of Fleischer Cartoons, featuring Betty Boop, Bimbo and more, and isekai anime From Bureaucrat to Villainess: Dad's Been Reincarnated.

New in the UK this week is just the one release- the latest Blu-Ray volume of Naruto Shippuden.

All information is correct to the best of our knowledge and is subject to change.

UK Releases For May 25, 2026

Naruto Shippuden Volume 4 (Anime Ltd., 12) "Kakashi and Team 10 set out to get revenge for their fallen comrade against two of the Akatsuki's most deadly warriors, Hidan and Kakuzu. But these two evil shinobi will not go down easy! They each have the terrifying power to defy death! And just when the battle has reached a fevered pitch, Naruto jumps into the fray!"

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Buy From Amazon

US Releases For May 26, 2026

Fleischer Cartoons: Greatest Hits Volume 1 (ClassicFlix, UR) "Beautifully restored in 4K, largely from original studio negatives, come 20 cartoons from legendary animation pioneer Max Fleischer in Fleischer Cartoons – Greatest Hits, Volume 1.For over two decades, Fleischer Studios was unsurpassed in the realm of ingenious animated entertainment. Now, Volume 1 presents many of the studio’s best and funniest cartoons with a depth and clarity likely not seen since their original theatrical releases, and showcases their entire ensemble: Koko the Clown™, Bimbo™, Popeye the Sailor Man™, Superman™, and, of course, Miss Betty Boop™.Relive the Fleischers’ art and inventions like never before, from the silent era, to the dawn of sound, to their glorious Technicolor spectacles in this carefully curated collection. Each silent short also has musical accompaniment composed and performed by Ben Model, Kevin MacLeod and Joel Pierson. Surrealism is always on tap with Fleischer, but this is not a dream–these classics are yours to watch forever!"

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Buy From Amazon

From Bureaucrat to Villainess: Dad's Been Reincarnated! (Sentai Filmworks, TV-14) "Kenzaburo Tondabayashi was a loving husband and father until he was hit by a truck saving a young boy and woke to find himself in the world of his daughter’s favorite videogame. Even weirder: he’s now inexplicably Grace, the story’s villainess! Of course, being a nice guy at heart, he has no idea how to be a “mean girl” and everything he tries only makes the plot deviate further from the one he’s seen his daughter follow. But is that such a bad thing? It may be if he wants to finish the game’s story properly so he can return to the real world in From Bureaucrat to Villainess: Dad’s Been Reincarnated!"

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Buy From Amazon

He-Man and She-Ra: The Ultimate Collection (Universal Pictures, G) "Contains He-Man and The masters Of th Universe The Complete Series, She-Ra: Princess Of Power The Complete Series, He-Man/ She-Ra Secret Of The Sword and the He-Man/She-Ra Christmas Special."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Buy From Amazon

The Spine Of Night 4K (Shudder, UR) "To put an end to the eternal vigil of the all-powerful guardian of the last light of the gods, an unfathomable source of inexhaustible cosmic knowledge and power, Tzod, the fierce high priestess of the great jungle swamp called Bastal, braves the elements ascending an unforgiving, snow-covered mountaintop. As her long and arduous journey finally comes to an end, Tzod encounters the ancient sentinel of the bloom and its mystical blue flame and recounts the tale of how a single spore has changed the world below: a blood-soaked, centuries-old story of corruption, greed, tyranny, and destruction against the backdrop of the never-ending quest for control, influence, and illumination. But, humankind's atrocities echo through eternity, and heroes are always those who are expendable."

FORMATS: 4K UHD

Buy From Amazon

Upcoming Releases

Hoppers June 2

Masters Of The Universe: Revelation and Revolution June 2

Nana: Complete Collection June 2

The Land Of Sometimes June 08 [UK]

Alien Nine June 9

Sailor Moon Crystal Seasons 1-3 June 9

Hotori: Simply Wishing For Hope June 9

Heavy Metal L-Gaim June 16

Perfect Blue 4K Steelbook June 16

Rock Is A Lady's Modesty June 16

Yandere Dark Elf June 16

Chivalry Of A Failed Knight June 23

I Left My A-Rank Party to Help My Former Students Reach the Dungeon Depths! June 23

Doctor Stone: Season Four: Part One June 30

Lady Oscar: Rose Of Versailles June 30

Patlabor The Mobile Police: The Early Days June 30

Primal: Season 3 June 30

All You Need Is Kill July 07

Dan Da Dan Season 2 July 14

Lupin The 3rd The Movie: Immortal Bloodline July 21

The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 [Steelbook] July 28

Re;Zero: Starting Life Again In Another World: Season 3 July 28

Sketch Book- Full Colors August 11

Adventure Time: Side Quests Coming To Disney+ and Hulu

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Fri, 22 May 2026 11:06:42 +0000

One of the most beloved animated series of the past couple of decades is Adventure Time. Cartoon Network's show ran from 2010 until 2018- and the promised feature film has still to materialise. Since the show went off the air, there have been several spin-offs: Adventure Time: Distant Lands and Finn and Cake. Now, a third spin-off is set to join the fray, in the form of Adventure Time: Side Quests.

Described as a companion piece to the original, the new series takes us back to the magical land of Ooo, and follows young hero Finn the human and best friend Jake The Dog as they search for adventure.

Produced by Cartoon Network Studios, the new series is said to recapture the spirit of earlier seasons, with lighter, self-contained adventures, as opposed to the complex lore and serialised storytelling of the later series. Side Quests is designed to introduce a new generation to the land of Ooo, while giving existing fans more of what they love. The series brings "standalone, silly quests and playful challenges", celebrating the joyful chaos of Finn and Jake's adventures.

Finn is voiced by Sasha Knight, and John DiMaggio (Futurama) returns as the voice of Jake the Dog. Other fan-favourite characters are also set to return, including The Ice King (Tom Kenny), Princess Bubblegum (Hynden Walch), Marceline (Olivia Olson), and BMO (Niki Yang).

Showrunner and Executive Producer Nate Cash said "Making Side Quests felt like making the original Adventure Time, which felt like hanging out with art school buddies making professional cartoons. That sounds like a big sandwich of feelings, and it was! You're going to love these NEW adventures with Finn & Jake!"

Adventure Time: Side Quests is executive-produced by Nate Cash, with Darrick Bachman as story editor. Victor Courtright and Niki Yang are the directors, Nick Cross is the Art Director and Matthew Janszen composes the music.

In a surprising development, Side Quests is not airing in the US on Cartoon Network, nor is it streaming on HBO Max. For some unknown reason, the new series will stream exclusively on Disney+ and Hulu in the United States. The series will be streaming from June 29. The series will, however, be screening on Cartoon Network and HBO Max outside the US (where available), where it will stream internationally from October 5, 2026.

Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Coming to The UK and Ireland

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Thu, 21 May 2026 10:52:01 +0000

Detective Conan, aka Case Closed is absolutely massive in Japan. Not only is it a multi-million-selling manga and one of the longest-running animated series in the world, but it is also a highly successful movie franchise. And it only seems to be growing in popularity. The most recent film in the franchise- amazingly, the 29th- opened in Japan in April 2026. Now Trinity CineAsia have announced that they will release Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway in cinemas across the UK and Ireland from June 12, 2026.

The Detective Conan franchise has surpassed ¥10 billion in annual box office revenue for four consecutive years and has attracted over 10 million admissions annually for the past two years. Fallen Angel Of The Highway opened in Japan on April 10, 2026 on a record 526 screens, making it the widest opening in the franchise's history. It went on to deliver the highest grossing opening weekend in the series to date, taking in ¥3.5 billion (approx. $22 million USD) and earning it the top spot on the Japanese box-office chart- and the number three on the global chart, based entirely on a single-market release.

Anchored by the character of Chihaya Hagiwara and drawing on the emotional legacy of the Police Academy storyline, Fallen Angel Of The Highway expands on the series long-running continuity and ongoing storyline, while remaining structured as a standalone theatrical mystery. In other words, you should be able to enjoy the film whether you are a long-term fan or a newcomer.

This 29th feature is directed by Takahiro Hasui (Mob Psycho 100 III), based on a screenplay written by Takahiro Okura, returning to the franchise after having written Detective Conan: The Million-dollar Pentagram. The score is composed by Yugo Kanno (not to be confused with the legendary Yoko Kanno). The returning voice cast is joined by newcomers Ryusei Yokohama (Kokuho) and Mei Hata (Blue Lock).

Cedric Behrel, managing director of Trinity CineAsia, said “We’re very proud to be

bringing such a beloved IP to UK and Irish audiences for the third time running.

Detective Conan has special resonance at home in Japan, of course, where it keeps

topping the box office, but also here, with its connection to a quintessential British icon:

Sherlock Holmes. The response to The Million-dollar Pentagram and One-Eyed
Flashback has been very positive overall. Audiences really enjoyed the action and

humour, with reviewers calling it a great, fresh take on a classic spy adventure suitable

for a wide age range. We look forward to rewarding them with more “case-solving”

activities, such as the one we did with the Sherlock Holmes Museum, which showcases

the franchise’s clever, accessible mystery-solving heart to a more diverse crowd and

creates memorable moments. We are very grateful to TMS for the continued trust they

are placing in us with their most cherished franchise.”

Detective Conan is based on the adventures of teenage sleuth Shinichi Kudo, who was poisoned and transformed back into a primary school-aged child. He still has his mystery-busting brain, however, and continues to solve mysteries that nobody else can solve. The anime TV series will celebrate its 30th birthday this year.

Synopsis

Conan Edogawa and his friends head to Kanagawa for the Motorcycle Festival. On the way, amysterious black motorcycle suddenly appears, speeding out of control and even leaping over their vehicle. Pursuing it is the “Goddess of the Wind,” Kanagawa Traffic Police officer Chihaya Hagiwara. Despite her relentless chase, the rider escapes, leaving her motorcycleheavily damaged. At the venue, the group witnesses the debut of a cutting- edge police motorcycle called “Angel.” Meanwhile, the black bike resurfaces in Tokyo, once again evading police pursuit. Investigation reveals it closely resembles “Angel,” leading authorities to name it “Lucifer” and launch a full-scale search. As the case deepens, Hagiwara is drawn into memories of her late brother Kenji Hagiwara and his colleague Jinpei Matsuda, setting the stage for a high-speed confrontation between the Goddess of the Wind and the Fallen Angel.

Watch This: Tess Martin's Music Video 'Charlatans'

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Wed, 20 May 2026 13:10:16 +0000

Music videos are an artform in themselves. Essentially short films, they serve as an excellent showcase for their directors. There have been many fantastic music videos over the years, and one of the latest has just been released.

Seattle musician Mutual Shock has released the official music video to the track Charlatans, created by experimental filmmaker, animator and artist Tess Martin.

In the abstract music video, volatile mixtures of oil, water, and other reactive elements form shifting miniature worlds. Filmed in macro, these unstable chemical landscapes evoke the seduction, distortion, and collapse at the heart of the song.

The video continues Martin's exploration of process-based filmmaking techniques and practical visual experimentation. Through chemical reactions, fluid movement and magnified textures, the work transforms microscopic interactions into immersive emotional environments. The film's shifting miniature world reflects the song's themes of seduction, distortion and collapse.

Mutual Shock is the moniker of Seattle-based musician Dan Powers. He splices synthpop with coldwave, soldering analogue synths to drum-machines until they spark. His influences include Black Marble and Molchat Doma to Nine Inch Nails and Cabaret Voltaire.

"Charlatans" was written and recorded by Dan Powers, with drums performed and recorded by Max Zara Bernstein. The track was produced by Matt Bayles and mastered by Rachel Field of Resonant Mastering.

Tess Martin is an award-winning American-born, Rotterdam-based artist and filmmaker. Her past works include the acclaimed shorts How Now, House?, Ginevra and Still Life With Woman, Tea and Letter, some of which have also been turned into art installations. You can find out more about Tess here.

Inside MAKE's Commercial Workshop 2025-26

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Tue, 19 May 2026 13:49:11 +0000

Every year animation studio MAKE (creators of Sunny Side Down) runs a commercial workshop for animation students. The workshop offers students the chance to work within a real studio pipeline and work on a commercial spot for real-life clients. The 2025 intake recently completed their film. The students were split into two groups, one of which worked on a brief for Crayola, and the other produced a film for Kool-Aid.

The Crayola team were instructed to produce their spot in 2D. The animation artwork is actually done with Crayola crayons, and drawn in a deliberately childlike style. Danny Robashkin, Creative Director, says, “In 2D, the more you let go, the more personality shows up. What really stood out on this project was how the team used the limitations as a shared language. Everyone was working within the same set of rules, and that’s what allowed the world to feel cohesive.”

Producer Lucia Naples helped guide that process, keeping things moving forward as the team pushed ideas, adjusted in real time and committed to ideas without overworking them. For her, that's really the point of the workshop: “Not just making a strong portfolio piece, but learning how to think and operate like a professional team.”

Meanwhile, the Kool-Aid team made their 15-second spot in 3D CGI. In a short that conveys a sense of summer and fun, the spot features an appearance from the iconic Kool-Aid Man. Danny Robashkin, Creative Director adds.“This one’s all about pushing energy and personality through. Because in 3D, especially with a concept like Kool-Aid, things escalate quickly: fluids, sims, motion, timing, character performance. Everything and everyone has to work together. That’s where the real growth happens.”

And sometimes, the biggest takeaways aren't just technical. As producer Rebekah Hartwig shared, “You may step into a role you didn’t expect, be pushed to figure things out as you go, and build a portfolio piece with people you didn’t even know a few weeks prior.”

Mirabelle Lapenna, a student from the 2D Team, says, “The highlight was honestly watching the entire piece come together at the end. Everyone had such different strengths and styles, but seeing it all merge into one cohesive final spot was really rewarding. It felt like being part of an actual studio pipeline.”

Meanwhile, Ollie Wang, from the 3D team, says, “One challenge was figuring out how to work quickly without losing the personality in the work. In 3D especially, it’s easy to get caught up in polishing things forever. I had to learn when to move on, trust the process, and let the energy of the piece carry through instead of overworking every shot.”

The workshop will return for 2026-27. Entries are open worldwide to junior, senior and MFA animation students enrolled in animation programs and the key dates for this year are:

Online Info Session: September 2026
Applications Open: September 2026
Application Deadline: September 2026

Students will collaborate with MAKE artists, work on a real client-style brief and produce a professional commercial spot. Open worldwide to junior, senior and MFA animation students, the program provides mentorship from MAKE animators at every stage. Participants will leave with a polished portfolio piece and firsthand experience of how the animation industry works from the inside.

Out This Week: Arco, Scarlet, Looney Tunes Cartoons and more

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Mon, 18 May 2026 11:52:30 +0000

Welcome back to Out This Week, your weekly new release round-up. After a quiet few weeks, things have picked up a bit this week, in the US at least.

New releases this week include Oscar-nominated French sci-fi feature Arco and anime auteur Mamoru Hosoda's latest film Scartlet. Also out is the newest volume of Naruto Shippuden, anime series Maoyu and a Wallmart Exclusive edition of The Apothecary Diaries season one. Finally, arriving on Blu-Ray and DVD for the first time is the recent reboot of Looney Tunes Cartoons.

Just the one animated release in the UK this week, but it's a good 'un- Patrick McHale's modern classic mini-series Over The Garden Wall.

All information is correct to the best of our knowledge and is subject to change.

UK Releases For May 18, 2026

Over The Garden Wall (Warner Bros., PG) "Brothers Wirt and Greg find themselves lost in a mysterious forest called the Unknown, and must attempt to find their way home."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Buy From Amazon

US Releases For May 19, 2026

The Apothecary Diaries Season One [Walmart Exclusive] "Kidnapped and made a servant in the royal palace, Maomao’s apothecary skills catch the eye of a handsome official… who tasks her with tasting food for poison. But as mysterious death and illness befall the kingdom, she’ll use her talents to find the truth. Now working in Jinshi’s home, Maomao investigates a warehouse explosion, an apparent poisoning, and the brothel’s secrets as these seemingly separate mysteries point toward a deadly plot. Along the way, she’ll begin to come to terms with her past, too."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Buy From Walmart

Arco 4K (Decal Releasing, PG) "Imagine if rainbows were actually time travellers? 10-year-old Arco lives in the distant future. During his first flight in his rainbow suit, he goes off course, loses control, and lands in our near future. Iris, a little girl who’s the same age as Arco, sees him fall from the sky. She will do everything she possibly can to help him go back home."

FORMATS: 4K UHD+ Blu-Ray

Buy From Amazon

Looney Tunes Cartoons: The Complete Series (Warner Bros., UR) "Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, and all of the other Looney Tunes go on a bunch of misadventures in a giant series of 8-minute episodes."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray, DVD

Buy From Amazon

Maoyu Complete Collection (Sentai Filmworks, TV-14) "When, after 15 years of warfare, the warrior known as Hero finally storms the castle of the Demon King, he’s shocked to find her waiting for him with an unexpected proposal. With the demons defeated and without a common enemy, the various human factions are certain to resume their wars against each other, but she has a plan to end the war and ensure lasting prosperity for both sides. To achieve it, however, she’ll need a collaborator, and Hero is the one human she trusts! The traditional rules of Good and Evil are flipped on their heads as the Hero and the ultimate bad girl join forces in Maoyu - Archenemy & Hero!"

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Buy From Amazon

Naruto Shippuden: Set 10 (Viz Media, TV-14) "After a bittersweet reunion with his mother, Naruto learns the true story of his tragic birth. Then, at the Waterfall of Truth, Guy faces one of the strongest members of the Akatsuki—Kisame! Meanwhile, as he seeks the corpse of Nagato, Madara tangles with a devastatingly powerful Konan! Then the Fourth Great Ninja War officially begins, as Madara unleashes his army of reanimated shinobi and 100,000 White Zetsu! As the shinobi clash and the wheels of war begin to turn, Naruto’s chakra training is interrupted by a special visitor!"

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Buy From Amazon

Scarlet (Sony Pictures, PG-13) "Scarlet is described as the story of a brave princess who transcends time and space."

FORMATS: 4K UHD Steelbook, Blu-Ray+ Digital

Buy From Amazon

Upcoming Releases

Fleischer Cartoons: Greatest Hits, Volume 1 May 26

Hoppers June 2

Masters Of The Universe: Revelation and Revolution June 2

Nana: Complete Collection June 2

The Land Of Sometimes June 08 [UK]

Alien Nine June 9

Sailor Moon Crystal Seasons 1-3 June 9

Hotori: Simply Wishing For Hope June 9

Heavy Metal L-Gaim June 16

Perfect Blue 4K Steelbook June 16

Rock Is A Lady's Modesty June 16

Yandere Dark Elf June 16

Chivalry Of A Failed Knight June 23

I Left My A-Rank Party to Help My Former Students Reach the Dungeon Depths! June 23

Doctor Stone: Season Four: Part One June 30

Lady Oscar: Rose Of Versailles June 30

Patlabor The Mobile Police: The Early Days June 30

Primal: Season 3 June 30

All You Need Is Kill July 07

Dan Da Dan Season 2 July 14

Lupin The 3rd The Movie: Immortal Bloodline July 21

The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 [Steelbook] July 28

Re;Zero: Starting Life Again In Another World: Season 3 July 28

Sketch Book- Full Colors August 11

LAIKA Releases 'Wildwood' Teaser Trailer

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Thu, 14 May 2026 15:24:59 +0000

We're now just a few short months away from the long (long long) awaited return of LAIKA to the big screen. Wildwood sees the stop-motion geniuses release their first film since 2019's The Missing Link. Based on the fantasy book of the same name by Colin Meloy and illustrated by Carson Ellis, the film is directed by LAIKA CEO Travis Knight and written by Chris Butler, and will open in the US on October 23. The first official teaser trailer has now finally been released.

We have previously seen some stills and some very limited footage and behind-the-scenes content, but now we get our first proper look at the film, in the (very generous) teaser.

The film follows a young girl named Prue, whose little brother is kidnapped by crows. To save him, she must journey into the Impassible Wilderness, an enchanted forest located just outside Portland, Oregon. Joined by her classmate Curtis Mehlberg, she heads into the forest and encounters everything from talking animals and bandits to giant eagles and canine soldiers. Becoming caught up in a conflict that threatens the future of Wildwood itself, Prue must look within herself to find qualities she didn't even know she possessed.

Wildwood features the voices of Carey Mulligan, Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Jacob Tremblay, Richard E. Grant, Awkwafina, Amandla Stenberg, Tom Waits, Charlie Day, Blythe Danner, Arthur Knight, Maya Erskine, Jake Johnson, Tantoo Cardinal, Rob Delaney, Jemaine Clement, Marc Evan Jackson, Len Cariou, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, with Angela Bassett and Mahershala Ali.

The film promises to set a new standard for stop-motion, and is definitely LAIKA's most ambitious film to date- by quite some way. The film has reportedly been in development for a decade, and you can definitely see where that time has gone. On a technical level, this is head and shoulders above anything any stop-motion studio has made to date.

Wildwood will be distributed in the United States by Fathom Entertainment, and FilmNation Events will handle the film in international territories. Tickets will go on sale this summer.

Check out the teaser trailer, below.

[source]

The Ghost In The Shell Gets Full Trailer

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Wed, 13 May 2026 11:56:10 +0000

Ghost In The Shell is one of the biggest franchises in anime and manga. Originally starting life as a manga by Masamune Shirow in 1989, it's best known for Mamoru Oshii's 1995 animated movie. Since then, it's been adapted as the TV series Stand Alone Complex, Arise and SAC_2045. Then there was a Hollywood live-action adaptation, but we don't like to talk about that. Now, a new TV series is joining the fray.

Titled simply The Ghost In The Shell, this series differs from most previous adaptations in a number of ways. Firstly, the usual producer, Production IG isn't animating it (although they are still on the production committee). Taking over instead is Science Saru of Devilman Crybaby and Scott Pilgrim Takes Off fame. Secondly, the series is going back to the source material to make a much more faithful adaptation than we have ever seen before. We expect this to go deeper than the artstyle, which much more closely resembles Shirow's original manga artwork. The tone of the manga is also quite different than the previous screen adaptations, which tend to be very serious and sombre.

We've only really seen Shirow's artstyle brought to life once before, in the video sequences in 1997's Sony PlayStation game based on the franchise. It'll be an exciting time for fans of the original manga.

The producers have released a new trailer for the show, giving us our best look yet. The trailer shows off the art-style, which faithfully recreates Shirow's manga art. We see all our favourite characters, from The Major, to Batou and Togusa. Expect spider-tanks, brain-hacking and all the usual Ghost In The Shell antics, plus there are hints that this could be the first version to include some of the manga's racier scenes.

Science Saru are on the production committee, along with Production IG, Kodansha and Bandai Namco Filmworks. The anime is directed by Mokochan, with series composition and episode scripts by EnJoe Toh, and character designs and chief animation direction by Shuhei Handa. Music is by Taisei Iwasaki, Ryo Konishi and Yuki Kanesaka.

The anime is set to have its world premiere at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in June. The series will then premiere in Japan on the Ka-Anival block on Fuji TV and Kansai TV on July 7, 2026. It will then be streamed internationally on Amazon Prime Video, also on July 7.

Check out the trailer below.

Netflix Teases Their Annecy Line-Up

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Tue, 12 May 2026 12:00:00 +0000

In a relatively short space of time Netflix has come out of nowhere to become a serious force in the world of animation. Both in in-house productions and in distributing animation produced elsewhere, they are easily now one of the biggest names in animation. Following an unprecedented year for Netflix Animation, where K-Pop Demon Hunters won two Oscars, Netflix won 13 Annie Awards and Ultraman Rising won 2 Children's and Family Emmys, the company has revealed its plans for this year's Annecy International Animation Film Festival.

On Tuesday, 23 June Netflix will present a work-in-progress of their upcoming film Steps. Directors Alyce Tzue and John Ripa, art director Dan Casey, and head of character animation Jason Figliozzi will offer creative insight into this retelling of Cinderella from the perspective of the supposedly evil step-sisters.

Also on Tuesday is Anime Studio Focus titled “Netflix Anime: Bold Stories, Boundless Worlds”. The panel previews the slate of Japanese animated (and Japanese-influenced) shows and movies coming to the platform. Titles include The One Piece, Sparks Of Tomorrow, The Ribbon Hero, Blue Eye Samurai Season 2 and Bass X Machina.

The annual Next On Netflix Animation Panel returns on Wednesday, 24 June. Executive producers Jason Reitman, Gil Kenan, and showrunners/Executive Producers Ben Hibon and Elliott Kalan will unveil a world-exclusive preview of next year's Ghostbusters animated series, produced in association with Sony Pictures Animation. Animation legend Brad Bird will take to the stage to talk about his long-in-gestation new passion project, Ray Gunn, produced at Skydance Animation. The conversation will be moderated by Peter Lord, co-founder and creative director of Aardman Animation, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. The presentation also features sneak peeks at The One Piece, the forthcoming remake of the long-running One Piece anime and Charlie Vs The Chocolate Factory.

On the Thursday, Ricky Gervais hosts a masterclass. Ricky is the creator and director of the forthcoming adult animated comedy Alleycats, coming to Netflix on August 7. Audiences will also get to preview two episodes ahead of release.

Additionally, The Ribbon Hero will screen in the Annecy Presents strand. Sparks Of Tomorrow Episode 1, Long Story Short episode Shira Can't Cook and Love, Death + Robots episode How Zeke Got Religion will compete in the Annecy Official TV Films Competition.

Finally, to celebrate the first anniversary of the release of K-Pop Demon Hunters, an outdoor sing-a-long screening will be held on Wednesday, June 24 by Lake Annecy

Out This Week: The Legend Of Hei II, GOAT, Summer Wars 4K and More

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Mon, 11 May 2026 12:02:00 +0000

Well, hello there and welcome back to Out This Week, AFA's weekly round-up of what's new on physical media. Following an unusually quiet week last week, this week's list is similarly sparse. In actual fact, there is only one new release in the US in this edition.

Chinese animated sequel The Legend Of Hei II is the only title released stateside this week.

Over in the UK, Sony Pictures Animation's anthropomorphic sports movie GOAT is new on Blu-Ray. Also new is vampire anime Kizumonogatari: Koyomi Vamp, and new to 4K is Mamoru Hosoda's Summer Wars, in an AllTheAnime.com exclusive Collector's Edition.

All information is correct to the best of our knowledge and is subject to change.

UK Releases For May 11, 2026

GOAT (Elevation, PG) "A small goat with big dreams gets a once-in-a-lifetime shot to join the pros and play roarball, a high-intensity, co-ed, full-contact sport dominated by the fastest, fiercest animals in the world."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Buy From Amazon

Kizumonogatari: Koyomi Vamp Collector's Edition (MVM Entertainment, 18) "Spring break, an interval of time between the second and third year of high school. Koyomi Araragi encounters a blood-chillingly beautiful woman. The iron-blooded, hot-blooded, cold-blooded Vampire, she calls herself "Kiss-shot Acerola-orion Heart-under-blade." On the brink of death after losing her four limbs, she asks Koyomi to save her. After experiencing fear, chaos, and finally conflict, Koyomi gives his own blood in order to save her. But when he awakens, he finds himself re-born as her vampire kin. Koyomi wishes to revert to being a human from a vampire. However, he must take back all of Kiss-shot's limbs to do so. Working as a negotiator, Meme Oshino stands in middle ground as Koyomi attempts to recapture her four limbs by challenging three powerful vampire hunters. This hellish spring break, the final one of his high school life, is only just beginning."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Buy From Amazon

Summer Wars 4K (Anime Ltd., 12) "Timid eleventh-grader and math genius Kenji Koiso is asked by his secret crush Natsuki to come with her to her family's Nagano home for a summer job. Turns out Kenji discovers his "summer job" is to pretend to be Natsuki's fiance, for the celebration of Natsuki's spunky grandmother's 90th birthday. There, he receives a strange math problem on his cell phone which, being a math genius, he can't resist solving it. As it turns out, his solution creates chaos within the virtual world of OZ, translating into anarchy in real-life."

FORMATS: 4K UHD

Buy From Anime Ltd.

US Releases For May 12, 2026

The Legend of Hei II (GKIDS/Shout Factory, UR) "The film tells the story of a "new mission" from the Monster Hall. Faced with a series of mysteries, Xiaohei and his senior sister Luye embark on a new adventure to find the truth."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Buy From Amazon

Upcoming Releases

The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 May 19

Arco May 19

Looney Tunes Cartoons: The Complete Series May 19

Scarlet May 19

Fleischer Cartoons: Greatest Hits, Volume 1 May 26

Hoppers June 2

Masters Of The Universe: Revelation and Revolution June 2

Nana: Complete Collection June 2

The Land Of Sometimes June 08 [UK]

Alien Nine June 9

Sailor Moon Crystal Seasons 1-3 June 9

Hotori: Simply Wishing For Hope June 9

Heavy Metal L-Gaim June 16

Perfect Blue 4K Steelbook June 16

Rock Is A Lady's Modesty June 16

Yandere Dark Elf June 16

Chivalry Of A Failed Knight June 23

I Left My A-Rank Party to Help My Former Students Reach the Dungeon Depths! June 23

Doctor Stone: Season Four: Part One June 30

Lady Oscar: Rose Of Versailles June 30

Patlabor The Mobile Police: The Early Days June 30

Primal: Season 3 June 30

All You Need Is Kill July 07

Dan Da Dan Season 2 July 14

Lupin The 3rd The Movie: Immortal Bloodline July 21

The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 [Steelbook] July 28

Re;Zero: Starting Life Again In Another World: Season 3 July 28

Sketch Book- Full Colors August 11

Young Animator of The Year 2026 Launches

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Thu, 07 May 2026 11:40:00 +0000

The Young Animator of the Year (YAY) competition returns for 2026, searching for young animation talent across the UK. The nationwide programme invites animators aged between 11 and 22 to showcase their skills in 2D animation, 3D animation and stop-motion. Winning films will premiere this November in a special ceremony at the Manchester Animation Festival, the UK's largest animation event.

Run by Blue Zoo Animation Studio and ACCESS VFX, in partnership with The Manchester Animation Festival and with support from HUE, YAY has become the country's leading competition of its kind. Central to its mission is building a diverse, industry-ready talent pipeline by connecting young animators directly with leading studios, professionals and industry bodies. Designed to be accessible and inclusive, YAY actively removes barriers to entry and welcomes young people from all backgrounds and levels of experience, empowering them to create original work and take their first steps towards creative careers.

New for 2026, YAY is introducing a new Best Group Project category, welcoming young animators who have already begun to collaborate and work as a team.

At a time when Generative AI is already beginning to reshape the creative landscape, YAY is doubling down on its commitment to human storytellers. By providing a platform for emerging artists to showcase their talent, gain visibility and receive meaningful industry feedback, the initiative reinforces a clear message: creativity, craft and original ideas remain at the heart of the UK’s animation industry.

Tom Box, Co-founder and Managing Director of Blue Zoo Animation Studios and one of the competition’s founders, says: “There’s no doubt that generative AI is changing the creative industries, and for some young people this could feel like yet another barrier to breaking in. But we should not let that discourage the next generation of artists. Animation and VFX will always need brilliant storytellers, character designers and world-builders, the people who bring imagination, emotion and originality to the screen. If you are passionate about animation, follow that passion, although the industry will continue to evolve there will always be space for talented young creators with something unique to share.”

YAY has already helped propel young artists into careers at leading animation and VFX Studios including Industrial Light and Magic, The Mill, Blue Zoo Animation Studios, MPC and DNEG. Early access to industry professionals, meaningful feedback and recognition has given past winners a serious head-start in their careers.

Young animators can submit their films via the YAY website. Entrants must be UK-based and aged 11-22. Films can be created individually or as a team, with all members 22 or under. Entries can be 2D, 3D or stop-motion, and will be judged by a panel of industry experts. Entries close on September 1st and judging will take place during October.

This year's winners will also be invited on a tour of Aardman Animation Studio in Bristol and Blue Zoo Animation Studios in London.Winners will get a rare chance to see a working studio first hand, and will get to see film and television animation being produced, and get access to industry professionals.

Winners will be unveiled during a prestigious ceremony on Sunday, November 8, as part of the Manchester Animation Festival. Winners and their families will then be invited to an exclusive reception offering a rare opportunity to connect directly with a distinguished panel of judges from leading studios and production companies.

Enter here.

Out This Week: GOAT, Alice in Wonderland, Gumball and Bloom Into You

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Tue, 05 May 2026 12:15:00 +0000

Welcome back to another edition of Out This Week, our weekly new release round-up. And it's a briefer than usual edition, as releases are few and far between. In fact, there are no animation releases whatsoever in the UK this week.

Things are not much livelier in the United States, where just four new releases hit the shelves (and virtual shelves). Those releases feature some heavy hitters, however, including one of the biggest animated films of the year so far Sony Pictures Animation's GOAT, and a beloved classic making it's 4K debut with Disney's Alice In Wonderland. Also released is the complete Amazing World Of Gumball on DVD, and the yuri (lesbian romance) series Bloom Into You.

All information is correct to the best of our knowledge and is subject to change.

US Releases For May 5, 2026

Alice in Wonderland 4K (Disney, G) "The classic Disney animated version of Alice's adventures as she follows a white rabbit into a "Wonderland" of her own imagination. On her journey, she encounters the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat, and a host of other beloved characters brought to life with the usual Disney zest."

FORMATS: 4K UHD+Blu-Ray+Digital

Buy From Amazon

The Amazing World Of Gumball The Complete Series (Warner Bros, TV-Y7) "You cannot get more amazing than The Amazing World of Gumball: The Complete Series! Why? Because this is every single hilarious mis-adventure, every awesome song, every “what the what?!”, every trip to Joyful Burger and yes…every amazing character, all in one collection! Gumball, Darwin and the rest of Elmore are waiting for you to join them! And we promise it will be completely amazing!"

FORMATS: DVD

Buy From Amazon

Bloom into You (Sentai Filmworks, TV-PG) "Yuu Koito thought love would be so amazing and magical that when she met the right person, she’d just know. However, when a boy asked her for a date, she felt… nothing. She wasn’t even sure how to turn him down until she overheard Touko Nanami turn down a similar request. With Touko's guidance, Yuu manages to handle her boy problem, but is then floored when Touko confesses that she has feelings for Yuu as well! Yuu doesn't think that she's in love with Touko, but… she does feel something, and as she and Touko become closer, she realizes that maybe she really didn’t understand what love is at all in Bloom Into You!"

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Buy From Amazon

GOAT (Sony Pictures, PG) "A small goat with big dreams gets a once-in-a-lifetime shot to join the pros and play roarball, a high-intensity, co-ed, full-contact sport dominated by the fastest, fiercest animals in the world."

FORMATS: 4K UHD+Blu-Ray+Digital, Blu-Ray, DVD

Buy From Amazon

Also Released

The House Of 100 Tongues [ADULT TITLE]

Upcoming Releases

The Legend Of Hei 2 May 12

The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 May 19

Arco May 19

Looney Tunes Cartoons: The Complete Series May 19

Scarlet May 19

Fleischer Cartoons: Greatest Hits, Volume 1 May 26

Hoppers June 2

Masters Of The Universe: Revelation and Revolution June 2

Nana: Complete Collection June 2

The Land Of Sometimes June 08 [UK]

Alien Nine June 9

Sailor Moon Crystal Seasons 1-3 June 9

Hotori: Simply Wishing For Hope June 9

Heavy Metal L-Gaim June 16

Perfect Blue 4K Steelbook June 16

Rock Is A Lady's Modesty June 16

Yandere Dark Elf June 16

Chivalry Of A Failed Knight June 23

I Left My A-Rank Party to Help My Former Students Reach the Dungeon Depths! June 23

Doctor Stone: Season Four: Part One June 30

Lady Oscar: Rose Of Versailles June 30

Patlabor The Mobile Police: The Early Days June 30

Primal: Season 3 June 30

All You Need Is Kill July 07

Dan Da Dan Season 2 July 14

Lupin The 3rd The Movie: Immortal Bloodline July 21

The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 [Steelbook] July 28

Re;Zero: Starting Life Again In Another World: Season 3 July 28

KickStart This: Cantina

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Mon, 04 May 2026 13:29:00 +0000

Star Wars Day ("May the 4th Be With You") isn't an official holiday, but it's still a pretty big deal for fans. It's always fun to see how people celebrate. And this May the 4th, a new project launches that is sure to appeal to Star Wars fans across the galaxy.

Kung Fu Pencil, an animation studio based in the US and Japan, is launching a KickStarter campaign for a pilot for a new series called Cantina. The show is an adult animated comedy, inspired by (but not affiliated with) the Star Wars Universe. Best described as a mix of Star Wars and Cheers, with more than a hint of Family Guy, the series takes place in a "wreteched hive of scum and villainry", not unlike the watering hole in the original Star Wars movie.

Devon Harris, one half of Kung Fu Pencil, believes that audiences have been craving adult Star Wars content. “Fans want content that’s not trying to please everyone. Cantina is made for adults. You’ll see everything from sex and drugs to nude pod racing.”

The cast will feature dubious characters like Steve Starhumper, bar owner Jake Jagoff, and waitress Twai'lita- not to mention a supporting cast of Trash monsters, droids and various space creatures. Potential storylines include what it's like to date a Wookie, what happens when a Sarlacc shows up in the Cantina urinal and more.

Kung Fu Pencil has already put in more than 600 hours to produce a proof-of-concept trailer.

This is where the KickStarter comes in. The project is seeking $500,000 to create a full 10-minute broadcast-quality pilot. The $500K will be used towards writing, storyboarding, animating, voice-over recording and scoring.

“Episodes from shows we love like Rick and Morty typically cost one to two million dollars to create,” says Luke Swan, the other half of the Kung Fu Pencil. “$500k seems like a lot, but it’ll be the perfect amount for us to do this right.”

Rewards include stickers, postcards, one-of-a-kind original art, access to a behind-the-scenes blog and lots more. At the top end, you could even get to appear as a character alongside Steve Starhumper in the Cantina itself.

The show is obviously unofficial, and is in way affiliated with LucasFilm, Disney or any related entity. The intention is that if made, the series would be released online for free for all fans to enjoy. Kung Fu Pencil acknowledges that they could potentially run into legal problems and have a contingency plan should they find themselves "forced" into their own universe.Although they note that Star Wars is "typically pretty cool with projects like this."

Stretch goals include expanding the running time to a full 22-minutes, adding an intro, and adding a post-credit scene.

If you like the look of Cantina, and want to help it get made, head over to the campaign page. The campaign runs until June 3.

Anti-AI 'The Human Made Mark' Verification Program Launches

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Fri, 01 May 2026 11:56:00 +0000

Ask any animator their current biggest concern and a lot of them are going to answer Artificial Intelligence. Specifically, Generative AI. The technology is being posited as an industry disruptor that could replace humans in many aspects of animation production. A new initiative has been launched, giving studios and filmmakers the chance to certify and celebrate the fact that their production has human artists behind the camera and in front of it. Prior to launching, the initiative gained early support from Academy Award® winning production designer Tamara Deverell, three-time Academy Award® nominated cinematographer Dan Laustsen, as well as the Academy Award® winning costume designers Ruth E. Carter and Deborah L. Scott.

The Human Made Mark will appear as an ident before certified films, and as a verified trust mark in the end credits. The mark will be accompanied by a unique number, making each one distinct like a fingerprint. It also appears as a watermark in commercials and branded content. The mark is compared to the Fair Trade label in food, pushing people to make ethical decisions by choosing human-made products over Artificial Intelligence. By creating a premium for human-made work, their mission is to protect the jobs of millions of artists worldwide who rely on it for their livelihoods.

Founder and filmmaker William Grave says "More than ever, audiences are desperate for human connection. And as the gap between what is deep and real versus deepfake is narrowing, we are here to give audiences confidence that studios, streamers, indie filmmakers and brands are putting human artists first, instead of algorithms."

To receive verification, directors, producers or production representatives must submit evidence such as call sheets, behind-the-scenes photos, cast lists and screening links and sign a legal declaration. The Human Made Mark is the first initiative of its kind to require such verification. The program currently supports both live-action and stop-motion animated productions, with plans to expand to other animation techniques in future.

Co-founder Eric Gruber says: “We proudly set the bar high for certification. The Human Made Mark is the Michelin Star of human craft. By doing so, we can create a premium for human-made work, while inspiring the next generation of artists coming through. The future isn’t written yet. What we do now as filmmakers, industry stakeholders and as an audience, can change everything”.

Aanchal Kapoor, the Lawyer who set up the contractual framework behind The Human Made Mark's verification platform, says: “This is a pioneering use of law to protect the filmmaking industry in the face of the existential threat posed by AI. In a climate of rising AI encroachment in creative professions, the industry is asking itself: ‘how can the law protect artistic ecosystems?’. As a lawyer and filmmaker myself, I believe the legal architecture of this verification scheme is defining a boundary across creative industries against AI which says, whilst it can be a tool used by a human artist; it cannot be at the cost of replacing a human artist".

The Human Made Mark attracted attention in the run-up to this year's Oscars with their Every Artist Makes Their Mark campaign. They attracted attention from several of this year's nominees, who posted in favour of the campaign.

Oscar winner Tamara Deverell says: “The combination of Art and Storytelling that is at the heart of any cinematic journey, can only be fully realised by the artful emotional combination of the human hand and mind. That's why, the Human Made Mark's mission to help protect the human village on a film set is vital for the future of our industry.”

The Human Made Mark fills a vital gap in the film, TV and Commercials production industry- establishing itself as an independent, third-party organisation for verifying human-made work. While a handful of recent Studio films have carried a disclaimer that "no generative AI was used in the production of this film", these claims have not been independently verified. The studios are essentially "marking their own homework". By working with key industry stakeholders, Human Made Mark offers transparency and safeguards human-made work- both live-action and animated.

William Grave adds “There is no art without humanity. And the collaboration of so many artists working together to create something that moves us, and even changes us, is what makes film unique. Every single artist leaves their fingerprint on the work, because film is never a solo art form. It takes a village. It also takes human ingenuity, and what makes us special as human beings: our ability to collaborate and be greater than the sum of our parts. In a time filled with conflict and pessimism, the world needs artists more than ever.”

Annecy Announces Feature Film Line-Up and Special Events

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 13:52:00 +0000

Ahead of the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, the organisers have held their annual press conference. Having previously revealed their short film, commissioned and TV films selection, they revealed the feature film line-up (both in and out of competition), as well as Special Events, Making Ofs and Masterclasses.

Features screening include Decarado, The Violinist, In Waves, Nobody, Tangles, The Sunrise Files and Viva Carmen! Films screening under the Contrechamps banner include 58th, A New Dawn, Blaise, Son Of A Bitch, Spacetime Chronicles, The Obsessed and Winnipeg, Seeds Of Hope.

Meanwhile, films screening out of competition include Born In The Jungle, Brave Cat, Chimney Town: Frozen In Time, Dante, Monster Mia, Paris ni Saku Étoile, The Last Whale Singer and Cartoon Saloon's new animated feature, the mysterious Julian. Screening under the Midnight Special banner is a selection of envelope-pushing films, including Gregor, Sekiro: No Defeat, Soul Shift and Zsazsa Zaturnnah.

Special Events include masterclasses with animation legend Mike Judge and Ricky Gervais, fresh off his Netflix animated series Alley Cats. There are sneak peeks into Laika's Wildwood, Batman: Knightfall, DreamWorks Animation's The Forgotten Island, Remi Chaye's Fleur and The Ghost in The Shell from Science Saru. There are also a selection of studio panels with presentations from Aardman, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar, Netflix and Warner Bros Animation. There are also early screenings of Minions and Monsters- which will be the opening night film- and Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie.

Making of sessions feature new Adult Swim comedy My Two Cars, Rick and Morty spin-off President Curtis (world premiere) and Duncan Jones's sci-fi feature Rogue Trooper.

The festival will be welcoming indie animation legends The Brothers Quay as guests of honour. They will be hosting a masterclass and will each be presented with an honorary Cristal.

This year's Annecy Festival runs from the 21st to 27th June 2026, with its accompanying market running from 23rd-26th June.

Feature Films In Competition

Decorado

Spain

In Waves

France, Belgium

Iron Boy

Le Corset

France, Belgium

Lucy Lost

France

Nobody

浪浪山小妖怪

China

Tana

China

Tangles

Canada, USA

The Sunrise File

France, Luxembourg

The Violinist

Singapore, Spain, Italy

Viva Carmen!

Carmen, l'oiseau rebelle

France

We Are Aliens

Japan, France

Contrechamp In Competition

58th

Philippines

A New Dawn

Japan, France

Blaise

France

Muyi

Muyi, la légende du village des femmes

France

Peleliu: Guernica of Paradise

Japan

Son of a Bitch

O filho da puta

Brazil

Spacetime Chronicles

Italy

The Obsessed

Toritsukare Otoko

Japan

The Orbit of Minor Satellites

USA, Japan

Welcome to Dolly's House

Taiwan

Winnipeg, Seeds of Hope

Winnipeg, el barco de la esperanza

Spain, Chile, Argentina

Screening Out Of Competition

Born in the Jungle

Laimīgie

Latvia, Poland, Czech Republic

Brave Cat

Chile

Chimney Town: Frozen in Time

Entotsu Machi no Poupelle – Yakusoku no Tokeidai

Japan

Dante

Sweden, Denmark, Norway

Dudley & the Invasion of the Space Slugs

Luxembourg, Belgium, France, India

Julián

Ireland, Luxembourg, Canada, Denmark

Monster Mia

Austria, Spain, Germany

Paris ni Saku Étoile

Japan

The Girl in the Clouds

La Fille dans les nuages

France, Belgium

The Keeper of the Camphor Tree

クスノキの番人

Japan

The Last Whale Singer

Germany, Czech Republic, Canada

The Legend of the Golden Buffalo

Trạng Quỳnh nhí: Truyền thuyết Kim Ngưu

Vietnam

The Ribbon Hero

リボンヒーロー

Japan

Yugly

France, Belgium

How Now, House? Wins Clermont Auvergne University Prize

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 13:06:00 +0000

We have previously covered the short film How Now, House?, directed by acclaimed animator and filmmaker Tess Martin, and its tour around festivals. Now, after a successful year of festival screenings around the world, the film has been awarded the Clermont Auvergne University Prize at the recent Videoformes Hybrid and Digital Arts Festival in Clermont-Ferrand in France.

How Now, House? is a 13-minute film that explores time, memory and the impermanence of home through a deeply personal lens. Inspired by Martin's leaving of a home she had lived in for 10 years- the longest period she had lived anywhere, the film reflects on the global housing crisis and our collective sense of precarity.

Using a mix of time-lapse photography, rotoscoping, photo replacement, repetitive actions and the symbolic placement of playing cards, the film evokes multiple time periods at once. The playing cards serve as a stand-in for time, shuffling through past and present in a never-ending game. A multi-language voice over, blending real historical documentation with reflections on time, invites viewers to consider the imprints we leave on spaces and the fleeting nature of permanence.

“I wanted to explore how our time in a shared space connects us to the past and to those who came before us,” said Tess Martin. As part of the film's development, Martin extensively researched the history of the building and its past residents and was able to incorporate them into the film.

The Student Jury commented, "[How Now, House?] highlights different life trajectories, spanning diverse cultures and eras, all brought together in a single place—a house in Rotterdam. The video juxtaposes multicoloured silhouettes performing everyday tasks such as watering plants, cleaning, or tinkering.

These gestures, which seem familiar to us, interact with the more poignant stories of the house’s former occupants. You’ll find testimonies about experiences during lockdown and World War II, interwoven with stories of discrimination, neighbourly relations, family, and shared living.

The technique then illustrates this theme. Different silhouettes blend into one another. These special effects are achieved by modifying the frames one by one, using the principle of rotoscoping.

This house thus appears as a guardian of the memories of all its residents. A theory of time is then developed, that of physicist Carlo Rovelli. According to him, the universe might resemble a vast mosaic of events where each moment exists primarily through its relationship with the others. It is therefore not a straight line leading from the past to the future, but a multitude of moments that echo one another.

You may also notice these small details while watching, such as the layers of overlapping wallpaper, or the new hardwood floor covering the old 1970s carpet.

The strength of this short film lies in the fact that, beyond a personal appropriation of a place through its decoration and the time spent within it we realise that it is more of a place of memory that brings together various realities, not just our own. We inhabit a place without completely erasing those who occupied it in the past, and it is essential to shed light on this “before,” so as not to forget, so as not to erase life stories that were sometimes difficult, which some would like to consign to silence."

Crunchyroll Announces First Summer Anime

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 11:00:00 +0000

Anime streaming service and distributor Crunchyroll continues in their mission of touring the world's conventions, revealing new acquisitions. Next up is Mexico's CCXP, where the company revealed six new shows. Although the spring season has only just begun, Crunchyroll is already looking ahead to the summer, when several of the six new shows will be available to subscribers. Titles include Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You and Hanaori-san Still Wants to Fight in the Next Life. Full details on all six shows can be found below.

Additionally, the company revealed a specially commissioned piece of artwork in celebration of 10 years of collaboration between Crunchyroll and Japanese company Kadokawa. It features Crunchyroll mascot Hime-chan as well as characters from Re:Zero, Konosuba and Bungo Stray Dogs. You can check out the artwork above.

Hanaori-san Still Wants to Fight in the Next Life - July 2026

[Synopsis from Seven Seas manga] Narukami Ryusei is your typical NEET. He spends his days shut in his room playing video games without a care in the world, living a lazy life. But the truth is, Ryusei used to be a powerful demon king in another world! So why not spend this new life doing whatever he wants? Except, he wasn’t the only one reincarnated into this world. The hero who struck him down is here too—and she’s a really cute high school girl?! Can Ryusei survive reuniting with his foe in a new world, or will he find himself fighting even in this life?

Rich Girl Caretaker: I'm Secretly the Caregiver of the Most Popular Girl in This Rich Kid School - July 2026

[Synopsis from Monogatari Novels] A high school boy, Itsuki Tomonari, gets involved in a kidnapping and ends up taking care of Hinako Konohana, a young lady from one of Japan's largest conglomerates. On the surface, Hinako seems to be a brilliant and charming girl, but in reality, she is a lazy girl with no life skills. However, due to family reasons, Hinako has to play the role of the "perfect young lady" at school. Wanting to protect her, Itsuki takes care of her in a very caring manner. Eventually, Hinako begins to fawn on Itsuki with all her might... "Now...if Itsuki isn't around, I would hate it."

This is a love story that begins with a cute young lady with a gap that transcends the master-servant relationship.

Skeleton Knight in Another World Season 2 - July 2026

[Season 1 Synopsis ] When Arc wakes up, he discovers that he has been transported to another world in the body of the character he was playing in an MMO. Looking like a suit of armour on the outside and a skeleton on the inside, he is the Skeleton Knight. If his identity is discovered, he could be mistaken for a monster and become a target! Arc decides to spend his time as a mercenary so as not to attract attention to himself. However, he's not the kind of man who can stand idly by when he witnesses evil acts take place right before his eyes!

Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You - July 2026

[Synopsis from Square Enix manga] At age forty-five, office worker Sasaki has had enough of the corporate grind. His only solace is smoking-and the friendly smile of supermarket cashier Yamada. When Sasaki can't find Yamada after a particularly trying day, a striking woman invites him to smoke with her. The despondent man thinks he's made a new smoking buddy in the cool, teasing Tayama, but Sasaki doesn't realise he already knows her!

Reborn as a Space Mercenary: I Woke Up Piloting the Strongest Starship! - October 2026

[Synopsis from Seven Seas manga] When Satou Takahiro is swept away from his ordinary life into the world of his favourite video game, a universe of space battles, interstellar colonies, and danger in the vastness of outer space awaits. Soon, he’s living as “Hiro” the mercenary, with a tricked-out spaceship and a babe on each arm! There are space pirates to fight, girls to rescue, and trouble to get into (and hopefully out of). Hiro is going to live his new life to the fullest!

The World's Finest Assassin Gets Reincarnated in Another World as an Aristocrat Season 2 - 2027

[Season 1 Synopsis] The world's number one assassin has been reincarnated as the eldest son of a family of aristocrat assassins. In exchange for being reincarnated in another world, a goddess has imposed upon him one condition.

"Kill the Hero who is prophesied to destroy the world."

This was to be the mission in his new life. The synergistic effect of the vast knowledge and experience he gained that made all manner of assassinations possible in the modern world, and the secret techniques and magic of the fantasy world's most powerful family of assassins turn him into the greatest assassin of all time.

Out This Week: Lycoris Recoil, Summer Wars 4K, Yandere Dark Elf and More

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 11:55:00 +0000

Welcome back to Out This Week, our weekly round-up of what's new in physical media. In an unusual development, there is just one new animation release in the United States this week. New on Blu-Ray from Sentai Filmworks is the anime title Yandere Dark Elf: She Chased Me All The Way From Another World!

Things are a bit busier in the United Kingdom this week, with four anime titles hitting shelves. Headlining is the rerelease of Mamoru Hosoda's modern classic Summer Wars, including its debut on 4K UHD. Also new is Naruto Shippuden Volume 3, Shangri-La Frontier Season 2 and the Collector's edition of Lycoris Recoil.

All information is correct to the best of our knowledge and is subject to change.

UK Releases For April 27, 2026

Lycoris Recoil Collector's Edition (MVM Entertainment, 15) "A secret organization that prevents crimes called “DA - Direct Attack”, and their group of all-girl agents known as “Lycoris” keep Japan peaceful and its citizens safe. The elite Chisato Nishikigi is the strongest Lycoris agent of all time. She works alongside the mysterious and talented new agent Takina Inoue at a DA branch called Café LycoReco. Here, the orders this café takes range from coffee and sweets to childcare, shopping, teaching Japanese to foreign students, etc. It's mostly tasks unbefitting of Lycoris. The free-spirited and optimistic pacifist, Chisato. And the cool-headed and efficient Takina. The chaotic everyday lives of this mismatched duo begin!"

FORMATS: Blu-Ray''

Buy From Amazon

Naruto Shippuden Volume 3 (Anime Ltd., 12) "Naruto begins training under Kakashi to develop another tool in his arsenal—Wind Chakra! Then a mission takes Kakashi to the Land of Fire, where he uncovers a terrible secret! And danger strikes when a Rogue Ninja named Furido attempts to use the Lightning Style Jutsu of the Guardian Shinobi to rain destruction on the Village Hidden in the Leaves."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Buy From Amazon

Shangri-La Frontier Season 2 (Crunchyroll, 12) "Since Sunraku started Shangri-La Frontier, he's become a top-tier pioneer in the immersive VR world. Now, to progress the story, he needs an ancient craftsman. To find the necessary tools, he and his party must venture into unknown territory."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Buy From Amazon

Summer Wars (Anime Ltd, 12) "Timid eleventh-grader and math genius Kenji Koiso is asked by his secret crush Natsuki to come with her to her family's Nagano home for a summer job. Turns out Kenji discovers his "summer job" is to pretend to be Natsuki's fiance, for the celebration of Natsuki's spunky grandmother's 90th birthday. There, he receives a strange math problem on his cell phone which, being a math genius, he can't resist solving it. As it turns out, his solution creates chaos within the virtual world of OZ, translating into anarchy in real-life."

FORMATS: 4K UHD Steelbook, Blu-Ray

Buy From Amazon

US Releases For April 28, 2026

Yandere Dark Elf: She Chased Me All The Way From Another World! (Sentai Filmworks, TV-MA) "As a Japanese orphan, Hinata Sunohara was a perfect candidate to be isekai’d to another world, but when he beat the Dark Lord, he was sent back to Earth without even a T-shirt for his trouble! Or so he believed until one of his party members, the dark elf Mariabelle, arrives at his home completely naked! Now, some might think having a beautiful elven sorceress as a roommate isn’t such a bad deal… but Mariabelle’ s a DARK Elf who’s infatuated with Hinata, which means that any Earth girls Hinata likes are in for another world’s worth of trouble in Yandere Dark Elf: She Chased Me All the Way from Another World!"

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Buy From Amazon

Upcoming Releases

Alice in Wonderland 4k May 5

Bloom Into You May 5

GOAT May 5

The Legend Of Hei 2 May 12

The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 May 19

Arco May 19

Looney Tunes Cartoons: The Complete Series May 19

Scarlet May 19

Fleischer Cartoons: Greatest Hits, Volume 1 May 26

Hoppers June 2

Masters Of The Universe: Revelation and Revolution June 2

Nana: Complete Collection June 2

The Land Of Sometimes June 08 [UK]

Alien Nine June 9

Sailor Moon Crystal Seasons 1-3 June 9

Hotori: Simply Wishing For Hope June 9

Heavy Metal L-Gaim June 16

Perfect Blue 4K Steelbook June 16

Rock Is A Lady's Modesty June 16

Yandere Dark Elf June 16

Chivalry Of A Failed Knight June 23

I Left My A-Rank Party to Help My Former Students Reach the Dungeon Depths! June 23

Doctor Stone: Season Four: Part One June 30

Lady Oscar: Rose Of Versailles June 30

Patlabor The Mobile Police: The Early Days June 30

Primal: Season 3 June 30

All You Need Is Kill July 07

Dan Da Dan Season 2 July 14

Lupin The 3rd The Movie: Immortal Bloodline July 21

The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 [Steelbook] July 28

Re;Zero: Starting Life Again In Another World: Season 3 July 28

Watch This: Gnome Show Pilot

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 11:55:00 +0000

The internet has allowed a generation of independent animators to connect with audiences around the world. The most successful have built up quite a following. One of the most distinctive talents to have broken through in the past few years is Dutch animator Cas van de Pol. They have become well known for their parody animations of films and video game franchises. Branded as "the Ultimate Recap Cartoon", popular examples include The Lion King, My Neighbour Totoro, Avatar: The Last Airbender and K-Pop Demon Hunters. But now Cas is turning their not inconsiderable talents to something longer-form. They have completed a full-length pilot episode for a potential series called Gnome Show. And it's a little bit special.

Gnome Show follows an old-fashioned forest-dwelling Gnome named Willem. When his home is threatened, he must head into the big city in search of the tools to save it. There, he encounters strange urban residents and bureaucrats, finds friends and generally has the biggest adventure of his tiny life.

The pilot is made in Cas's signature style, with cartoony character designs and anarchic charm. This is mixed with some really beautiful painted backgrounds, animation flourishes and even some impressively subtle use of CGI to make it their best-looking production yet. It looks incredibly professional and easily matches something that could be found on a broadcaster or streamer.

The cartoon looks like it would be suitable for young audiences, but beware. Some liberal deployment of very salty language and some gross-out humour mark this out as adult animation.

Gnome Show is directed by Cas van de Pol and written by Cas van de Pol, Lars Korendijk (snekflat) and Florian Walraven. It features the voices of Jon O'Connor, Zach Hadel, Meatcanyon, Brock Baker, and Zane Little.

The pilot is super-entertaining and charming, but what chance does it have of getting a series? Cas is raising funds by selling Gnome Show merchandise, available here for a limited time only. You can buy a Willem plushie, a frog plushie or a set of enamel pins, and support the show. You can also sign up to their Patreon and support the show and their recap cartoons.

Akira Makes A Million At The UK and Ireland Box-Office

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 11:25:00 +0000

Not so long ago, anime was a pretty rare sight in western cinemas. But over more recent years, thanks to companies like the UK's Anime Limited, this has changed. Anime Limited has kept a steady stream of Japanese animated features headed to the big screen in the UK and Ireland, mixing the hottest new releases with rereleases of classics. And you don't get much more classic than Akira, which was released in cinemas and IMAX across the UK and Ireland on April 17 in a new 4K restoration.

You might think that there could hardly be an anime fan who has yet to see Katsuhiro Otomo's legendary sci-fi epic. But whether watching it for the first time or revisiting an old favourite, Akira has proven to be quite the box-office draw. So much so that the film has taken in over £1 million, making it the biggest classic rerelease of the year to date. It managed to reach 5th place in the box-office chart, against competition like The Super Mario Galaxy Movie and Project Hail Mary. It also achieved the accolade of becoming the 4th highest opening for an anime film in the UK and Ireland, ever.

Anime Limited Theatrical Product Manager Anna Francis said "We're absolutely thrilled to see AKIRA take over £1,000,000 at the UK & Ireland box office. In recent years we have seen a huge surge in interest for classic anime films in cinemas and AKIRA is one of the best known anime films of all time. The monumental influence of the film is clearer now than ever and the fact it still resonates with audiences today, 38 years after it was initially released in Japan, is a sign of how incredible it is as an enduring work of art. It has been fantastic to see the marketing campaign reach new audiences as well as existing fans and we are sure this is a key reason behind the box office success to date. We have many exciting plans for AKIRA coming up over the next few months and can't wait to continue working with our wonderful cinema partners to bring AKIRA to more screens in the future."

Otomo's 1988 classic is based on his own sprawling manga and is often credited with popularising anime in the English-speaking world. It follows the exploits of teen bikers Kaneda and Tetsuo who get caught up in a top-secret government experiment in post World War III NeoTokyo. Even today, nearly four decades since its original release, the film impresses with its stunning animation and blows minds with its brain-melting plot. It has gone on to become one of the most influential animated films ever made.

Akira is screening in cinemas and IMAX in the UK and Ireland now, both in the original language with subtitles and with the English dub.

Out This Week: Bill Plympton's Hair High, Tada Never Falls In Love, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off and More...

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 14:51:00 +0000

Welcome back to Out This Week, our weekly new release round-up. New releases continue to be thin on the ground this week. With that said, it's a good week for indie/arthouse collectors with Bill Plympton feature Hair High joined by Euro-curio Song of the Miraculous Hind, and Famous Studios Champion Collection. The week's short list is rounded up by a pair of anime releases, Shangri-La Frontier Season 2 and Tada Never Falls In Love.

New in the UK this week is Looney Tunes feature The Day The Earth Blew Up and Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, The Complete Limited Series (delayed from earlier in the month).

All information is correct to the best of our knowledge and is subject to change.

UK Releases For April 20, 2026

Looney Tunes: The Day The Earth Blew Up (Vertigo Releasing, PG) "Porky and Daffy, the classic animated odd couple, turn into unlikely heroes when their antics at the local bubblegum factory uncover a secret alien mind control plot. Against all odds, the two are determined to save their town (and the world!)…That is, if they don't drive each other crazy in the process."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Buy From Amazon

Scott Pilgrim Takes Off The Complete Limited Series (Spirit Entertainment, 15) "A 20-something Toronto indie rocker's adventures in getting and keeping jobs, avoiding being kicked out of his apartment, and surviving encounters with the seven evil exes of the new girl in town on whom he has a crush."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Buy From Amazon

US Releases For April 21, 2026

Famous Studios Champion Collection (Classic Flix, UR) "When Paramount Pictures reorganized its animated shorts operation as Famous Studios, so began a search for a new identity. Throughout the 1940s, the Famous talent began experimenting with new series and concepts aimed at varied audiences and created an array of beloved characters and hilarity still fondly remembered to this day. Defined by funny animals waging war, fantasies coming to life, snappy music, and gorgeous candy-like Technicolor, the Famous Studios Champion Collection features 18 cartoons in all including: comics’ leading lady Little Lulu in two of her finest and funniest cartoons; the complete misadventures of 1940s screwball archetypes Blackie Sheep and Wolfie; and the earliest appearances of Famous superstars Little Audrey, Baby Huey, Herman the Mouse and Casper the Friendly Ghost."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray, DVD

Buy From Amazon

Hair High (Deaf Crocodile Films, UR) "As the prom draws near and the popular head cheerleader of Echo Lake High dumps her star quarterback boyfriend in favor of attending the dance with the biggest loser in school, the raging footballer plots murderous revenge in cult animation icon Bill Plympton's darkly satirical take on the teen tragedy radio hits and high-school melodramas of the 1950s and '60s. High-school sweethearts Cherri (Sarah Silverman) and Rod (Dermot Mulroney) are a match made in popularity heaven. When nerdy new student Spud (Eric Gilliland) makes the fateful mistake of offending both Cherri and Rod on his first day at Echo Lake High, his punishment is to serve as Cherri's "slave" until both she and her brutish boyfriend decree that he has made up for his unintentional transgression. Though the mere sight of Spud at first makes Cherri's skin crawl, the unlikely pair soon grow exceptionally close until, one day, love blossoms between them. Upon learning that his onetime sweetheart will now be attending the prom on the arm of the socially awkward Spud, Rod angrily forces their car off of the road on and into the icy waters of Echo Lake as the couple makes their way to the big dance. Though cunningly successful in thwarting attempts made by local authorities to locate the missing teens, Rod soon discovers that sometimes the dead have a curious way of exposing the crimes of their killers."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Buy From Amazon

Shangri-La Frontier Season 2 (Crunchyroll, TV-14) "Since Sunraku started Shangri-La Frontier, he's become a top-tier pioneer in the immersive VR world. Now, to progress the story, he needs an ancient craftsman. To find the necessary tools, he and his party must venture into unknown territory."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Buy From Amazon

Song Of The Miraculous Hind 4K (Deaf Crocodile Films, UR) "Divided into four sections, "Song" is inspired by the Siberian and Finno-Ugric legends about Creation, in which the world begins with characters who are only half-human, one being half-bird, the other half-bear."

FORMATS: 4K UHD+ Blu-Ray

Buy From Amazon

Tada Never Falls Love (Sentai Filmworks, TV-14) "Tada dreams of becoming a famous photographer, but despite that ambition, his life felt empty and unfocused until the day he helped a lost girl find her hotel… right next to his family’s café. As fate would have it, Teresa and her companion Alexandra will be attending Tada's school as well, and even join his photography club. Unfortunately, what Tada doesn't know is that Teresa is secretly a princess who must return to own country and an arranged marriage. Which means that what they begin to feel for each other is destined to be as ephemeral as the cherry blossoms under which they met in Tada Never Falls in Love!"

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Buy From Amazon

The Land Of Sometimes (Shout Factory, UR) "Twins Alfie and Elise find a magical Wish Watch on Christmas Eve and are swept by the Wish Collector into the musical Land of Sometimes, where they learn that wishes have consequences."

FORMATS: DVD

Buy From Amazon

Upcoming Releases

Yandere Dark Elf: She Chased Me All the Way From Another World! April 28

Bloom Into You May 5

The Legend Of Hei 2 May 12

The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 May 19

Arco May 19

Looney Tunes Cartoons: The Complete Series May 19

Scarlet May 19

Fleischer Cartoons: Greatest Hits, Volume 1 May 26

Masters Of The Universe: Revelation and Revolution June 2

Nana: Complete Collection June 2

The Land Of Sometimes June 08 [UK]

Alien Nine June 9

Sailor Moon Crystal Seasons 1-3 June 9

Hotori: Simply Wishing For Hope June 9

Heavy Metal L-Gaim June 16

Perfect Blue 4K Steelbook June 16

Rock Is A Lady's Modesty June 16

Yandere Dark Elf June 16

Chivalry Of A Failed Knight June 23

I Left My A-Rank Party to Help My Former Students Reach the Dungeon Depths! June 23

Doctor Stone: Season Four: Part One June 30

Primal: Season 3 June 30

Dan Da Dan Season 2 July 14

Lupin The 3rd The Movie: Immortal Bloodline July 21

The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 [Steelbook] July 28

The AFA Podcast: Cardiff Animation Festival Interview Special

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 10:33:00 +0000

Bore Da and welcome back to the AFA Podcast, the official podcast of animationforadults.com. This is a very special episode where we celebrate the Cardiff Animation Festival, which takes place April 23-26 in Cardiff, Wales. To mark the occasion we hopped on Zoom and sat down (virtually) with five of the most talented animators in the UK, all of whom have a film in this year's festival!

We spoke with

Nathan Addai, director of Mental Roots
Maryam Mohajer, director of And Granny Would Dance
Eleri Edwards, director of Crybaby
Steff Lee, director of Of All The Things
Laura Jayne Hodkin, director of Wuthering Hearts.

Presented and produced by Chris Perkins.

Listen to the show right here or Get the RSS Feed here. Find all our podcasts here, Download the show here.

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Sunny Side Down: Final Episode Released

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 12:56:00 +0000

From MAKE Originals comes original sci-fi comedy Sunny Side Down. The sixth and final episode in the series has now been released on YouTube. The series is an independently produced, fully hand-drawn 2D micro-series, which takes place in a diner at the edge of a super-massive Black Hole. It's described as Cheers meets Spaceballs meets radical 90's, all wrapped up into six two-minute episodes. It parodies and references a whole range of classic sci-fi properties from Star Trek, The Thing and Star Wars to The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy and Doctor Who.

The series follows Nat, a human waitress with mad scientist tendencies, as she tries to escape the Black Hole's gravitational pull (and her crappy service job). She works alongside Yabba, an ancient diner cook, who knows all but tells nothing. Their official job is to serve the old-timers who frequent the diner, but the universe has a funny way of throwing a wrench into things.

Episode six: Slaininator 2: Sludgement Day is a parody of the Terminator movies. But in this case, the twist is that the Terminator is an alien snail and moves... extremely... slowly. Mysterious stranger Snailah Connor arrives at the Diner, claiming that an unstoppable killing machine is hunting her down, one millimetre at a time. The Diner crew is forced into action, proving that even the most relentless threat in the galaxy can be taken down with the right tools... and a pinch of salt.

The episode is full of action, as well as the usual sci-fi comedy and visual gags. It's another excellent instalment in what has proved to be an excellent series. We'd love to return to the Sunny Side Down one day, whether it's as more shorts or even a longer-form series on a major network or streamer.

The series was produced entirely in-house at MAKE, made between client work over the course of three years. It is directed by Natalia Poteryakhin and written by Kevin Wisdom, Mike Fasolo and Natalia Poteryakhin. It features the vocal talents of Abigail Turner, Marina Kalmykova, Matt Ellis, Dawn M. Benett, Joe Gaudett and more.

Watch the episode below, or find the full series here

'Spider-Man: Beyond The Spider-Verse' First Look Images Released

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 11:19:00 +0000

If any one upcoming animated film can be said to be most anticipated by fans, it's probably Spider-Man: Beyond The Spider-Verse. The third part in the Spider-Verse trilogy was originally scheduled to come out just a year after the second part, Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse, but was ultimately pushed back to 2027. With the release now a little over a year away, Sony Pictures Animation have released some first-look images from the film.

The Spider-Verse trilogy began in 2018 with Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. It introduced audiences for the first time to an alternative Spider-Man, in the form of Afro-Latino teen Miles Morales. Like Peter Parker before him, Miles was bitten by a radioactive spider that gifted him superpowers. The film also introduced the concept of the multiverse, that saw Miles team up with a selection of other spider-people, including an alternative middle-aged schlubby Peter Parker, Spider Gwen, Peter Porker (otherwise known as the Amazing Spider-Ham) and Spider-Man Noir. Produced by Phil Lord and Chris Miller and directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey and Rodney Rothman, the film attracted a great deal of acclaim, going on to win the 2019 Oscar for Best Animated Feature.

2023's Across The Spider-Verse saw Miles leave his home dimension for an adventure across the Multiverse. There, he encounters a whole Spider Society of Spider-people (and cats and dinosaurs), and must face off against a new threat unlike anything he has seen yet. Lord and Miller returned as producers but this time Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers and Justin K. Thompson take over as directors. The second movie attracted similar levels of acclaim as the first film (although it missed out on the Oscar) and left us with one hell of a cliff-hanger.

Beyond The Spider-Verse will be written by Phil Lord, Chris Miller and Dave Callaham and is directed by series veterans Bob Persichetti and Justin K. Thompson. The official synopsis reads:

Hunted by Miguel O’Hara’s Spider Society and betrayed by his friends, Miles finds himself in the darkest corners of the Spider-Verse in search of a way home. Knowing that his family has been not only fractured but endangered by his calling, it’s a race against the clock for Miles to travel across the wildest reaches of time and space to fight for and reunite everything he holds most dear.

This suggests that the threequel might incorporate a time travel element, which could be new and exciting territory for the franchise. Perhaps the older version of Miles we met at the end of the last film isn't from another dimension, but is from his future? It definitely opens up new storytelling possibilities.

The press release describes the film as the "final" chapter of the Spider-Verse saga, but this is unlikely to be the last we see of the franchise. There's room for further adventures of Miles, plus spin-offs are planned such as a female-led film and one starring Spider Punk. Spider-Man Noir is even getting his own live-action series starring Nicolas Cage.

The first-look images, which you can see above and below, give us our first taste of the third film, without giving too much away. We can expect some dynamic visuals, touching family scenes and the return of Spider-Punk. As for the rest of it, your guess is as good as ours. And we can't wait.

Barring any further delays, Spider-Verse: Beyond The Spider-Verse will be released in cinemas on June 20, 2027.

KickStart This! : The Sludge Brothers- Episode 2

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 11:36:00 +0000

Way back in the mists of time (well... 2024) we covered the KickStarter for the indie pilot The Sludge Brothers. Following the success of that campaign, creator Payton Finney, aka PFINNEY has returned to crowdfunding to help him make The Sludge Brothers Episode 2: The Greasy Goiter.

Following the success of the original campaign, Finney was able to hire a team of talented animators and artists to complete the 11-minute pilot episode. It followed titular brothers Dick and Pickle as they worked on the city's sewer system. In the second episode, the siblings visit the bar and grill The Greasy Goiter for a plumbing job. Things quickly go south for the pair, while Pickle tries to win back the affections of Dill,

Finney says he wrote and storyboarded episode 2 quite a while ago but now finally has time to move it into production. The purpose of the Kickstarter is to raise the funds to hire some talented artists to help produce the episode. The episode has a wider scope and tells more of a story than the pilot. It will be double the run-time at 23 minutes.

The episode will see the return of main characters Dick, Pickle and Dill, and will introduce new characters such as Gary Goiterman, Tess Tickle and Edith. Talented voice performers are attached for each of the new roles.

The project seeks a base goal of $15,000. "While this isn't enough to hire artists for everything, it'll cover costs for the things I definitely need help with." The campaign has stretch goals set at $30,000 and $50,000, which would enable them to hire more animators and/or pay existing animators and artists more.

Finney has already completed pre-production, which includes scripts, storyboards, character designs, animatics and voice acting.

Rewards start at $1 for "a bite of Pickle's egg salad sandwich" (a thank you from PFINNEY), $5.00 for behind the scenes updates and $10.00 for access to the animatic and a PDF of all the art created during production. $15.00 will get you a digital download of the completed episode. At the pricier side, $100 will net you an original piece of character artwork, $250 will see you added as a background character, and $2,500 will get you the position of "executive producer rat".

The project is seeking a minimum of $15,000 by Friday, May 8. It's an all-or-nothing campaign, so if will only be funded if it reaches its goal.

To help make it happen for the Sludge Brothers: Episode 2, visit the campaign page now.