AFA: Animation For Adults : Animation News, Reviews, Articles, Podcasts and More

'The Raccoons' Soundtrack Released On Digital

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 13:42:23 +0000

For fans of a certain vintage, mentioning The Raccoons is sure to result in a flood of nostalgia. For those growing up in the 80s and 90s, the Canadian series was a perennial favourite. Starting life as a series of specials in the early 80s, it was then developed as a TV series which is celebrating its 40th Anniversary.

Set in the Evergreen Forest ("quiet, peaceful, serene") it follows the antics of the irrepressible Bert Raccoon and his friends as they try to save the forest from the ruthless business-Aardvark Cyril Sneer. Created by Kevin Gillis, the series is fondly remembered for its themes of environmentalism and friendship.

The series is also remembered for its New Wave soundtrack, particularly its iconic closing music, Run With Us, performed by cast member Lisa Lougheed. Beyond the opening and closing music, the series (and specials before them) featured plenty of original music. Much of the music was released on vinyl at the time, but has been unavailable ever since. Until now, that is, as part of the Anniversary celebration, the music is making its digital debut around the world.

The newly released music includes remastered classic tracks from the archive as well as fresh interpretations by contemporary artists. The album Evergreen Nights and the single Run With Us are available now on major streaming platforms, Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon. The music is published by 604 Records.

The music has been particularly successful with audiences in the UK, where the album had its most successful launch. The series was extremely popular in the country, where it aired on Children's BBC from 1987- 2002, and was later repeated on Boomerang. The British people have clearly taken The Raccoons to their hearts.

“Our fandom in the UK have been patiently requesting the release of the songs from The Raccoons for a very long time, " says creator Kevin Gillis."The songs have been a retro touchstone for millions of loyal fans worldwide. However, it is here in the UK that our following has responded most powerfully to the newly released single of ‘Run With Us’ and the ‘Evergreen Nights’ album. They have made the UK the #1 country in the world for streaming and downloads. I like to think of it as British spirit…and taste!"

“When Kevin Gillis approached me a couple of years ago to see if 604 was interested in this project, I was certainly familiar with the Raccoons," said 604 Records President Jonathan Simkin."If you grew up in the 80’s, you'd pretty much have to live under a rock to have missed Cyril Sneer or Bert Raccoon. But diving into this project has really underscored for me just how far ahead of its time Raccoons was. Whether it’s the environmental issues that the show addressed, or the use of iconic singers like Rita Coolidge and Leo Sayer to convey the musical messages, Raccoons did things no other show did, animated or not. The fact that the music is so great is a bonus! We at 604 feel absolutely honoured and privileged that Kevin has trusted us to be the first company to digitally release this memorable and iconic music to the public.”

The series itself has been restored in 4K and is now available streaming in the UK on ITVX, Britbox and Pluto TV, so new generations can discover it as well. It streams in Canada on Crave and YouTube, and in the US on YouTube.

The music is just the first step of the planned revival of the franchise, with other projects early in development. Gillis's plans include a feature film and a prequel series. It'll probably be quite some time before we see either, so you'll just have to check out the music in the meantime.

Find out more about the show at The Official Raccoons Website.

SDCC 2026: Seven Havens, Futurama, Bob's Burgers and More

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 10:52:57 +0000

Any self-professed geek knows that July means only one thing... ComicCon. Specifically, the Daddy of them all, the one and only original San Diego ComicCon. Also known as Nerd Christmas, the celebration of everything in the geeky multiverse takes place every summer in California. The convention has long since spread beyond the comics that dominated its early years, and grown to encompass TV, film, video games and other fandom passions, including, of course... animation. We've rounded up the big news from this year's event.

A new Avatar sequel series is coming! Seven Havens is set several years after the events of The Legend Of Korra and features a young Earthbender who discovers she is the new Avatar but that “marks her as humanity’s destroyer, not its saviour,”. The new series comes from Avatar creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, and is produced by Avatar Studios. The series will stream on Paramount+ from October 9. The show has a 26-episode order (likely to translate to two seasons) but that can always be increased if it's a success. A teaser trailer was unveiled.

Family Guy will return with two new Holiday specials that will stream exclusively on Hulu (or on Disney+ outside the US). The first will be a Halloween special Happy Hell-o-ween. Stewie and Brian find themselves in Hell, "paying for 24 seasons of bad behaviour". When they annoy the devil himself, they unexpectedly find themselves running the place. The Devil will be played by Succession star Kieran Culkin. Next up is the Christmas special, The Peter Clause. The episode sees Peter Griffin and his friends compete to become Quahog's official Santa. Peter loses, so does that mean he takes his defeat in a mature and reasonable way? What do you think? Family Guy season 25 will return to Fox (and Hulu/Disney+) in early 2027.

Good news, everyone! Futurama's revival continues on August 2, with the launch of Season 14. But that's not all, as it was announced at the show's panel that the show is getting three extended ("XXX-L Sized) specials, set to kick off in 2027 with a festive-themed episode. It's not quite clear if these specials are replacing a potential season 15, or if we will get that as well next year. Or maybe the next season will release after the specials? We can only wait and see. At the panel, it was also revealed that one episode of Season 14 will feature a crossover with Matt Groening's Netflix series Disenchantment. Exactly how that will play out- Disenchantment is set in a medieval fantasy world, while Futurama is in the far future- remains to be seen. We're sure they'll come up with some inventive way to bring them together! A trailer for the new season was also screened.

A new festive Bob's Burgers short is coming to Hulu (Disney+ outside the US) this Christmas. This will be the first Bob's Burgers short made especially for streaming, and follows exclusive Hulu episodes of Family Guy and The Simpsons. On the Fort Day Of Christmas sees the Belchers' town hit by a record-breaking snowfall. And to the Belcher siblings, that means only one thing.. a record-breaking Christmas Snow Fort.

Rick and Morty spin-off President Curtis has got a season 2 greenlit by Adult Swim... before season one has even aired. Starring the legendary Keith David as POTUS, the first season is set to air after the Rick and Morty season finale.

The 'lost' Star Wars animated comedy Star Wars Detours, from the creators of Robot Chicken, is to finally see the light of day. The parody series will screen as part of the Star Wars In Motion exhibit at the new Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles. A curated selection of the 39 completed episodes will screen at the museum. Produced in the early 2010's and created by Seth Green and Matthew Senreich, the series was shelved when Disney bought LucasFilm and the series didn't fit in with their 'vision' for the franchise.

Speaking of Robot Chicken, the stop-motion comedy series is set to return in a new special this August. Celebrating 25 years of Adult Swim, the special is a murder mystery, featuring appearances from characters from a quarter-century of Adult Swim's shows. Expect to see characters from Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Smiling Friends, Moral Orel, The Venture Bros, Black Jesus... everyone except for Rick and Morty, who are conspicuous in their absence. Not quite The Most Ambitious Crossover Event Of Our Time.. but it should be a lot of fun!

Out This Week: Lupin The 3rd- The Immortal Bloodline, Dan Da Dan, Re: Zero and More

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 11:34:37 +0000

Well, hello there physical media fans and welcome back to Out This Week, your weekly new release round-up. We're at the height of summer, so new releases are pretty thin on the ground, but there are some intreresting titles if you know where to look. Everybody's favourite Gentleman Thief is back in Lupin The 3rd The Movie- The Immortal Bloodline. Cult Hungarian sci-fi animation Cat City is released in a collection alongside its sequel Cat City 2, making its North American Blu-Ray debut. Re: Zero- Starting Life In Another World reaches its third season, while fan favourites Genshigen and Girls' Last Tour get new editions.

New in the UK this week is season 2 of sci-fi-meets-yokai anime Dan Da Dan. Also new is the 4K editions of the Jim Henson classics The Drak Crystal and Labyrinth (delayed from a previous week).

All information correct at the time of publication and is subject to change.

UK Releases For June 27, 2026

Dan Da Dan Season 2 (Anime Ltd., 15) "While the mission to exorcise Jin "Jiji" Enjouji's family home is underway, things are not going as expected. Momo Ayase narrowly evades an attempted abduction while Ken "Okarun" Takakura and Jiji are ambushed by the Kitou family—the unsettling landlords of the cursed estate. The trio's efforts threaten the foundation of this enigmatic town shrouded in legends and mysteries. As Momo, Okarun, and Jiji are drawn deeper into the maze of folklore and supernatural entities, they must each utilize their unique powers if they want to survive and unravel the secrets of the uncanny town."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray Alien Deluxe Edition, Blu-Ray Yokai Deluxe Edition

Buy From Amazon

The Dark Crystal (Anime Ltd., PG) "The last of the Gelfings, Jen and Kira join forces and embark on a dangerous journey to "heal" a precious Dark Crystal and restore order to their planet."

FORMATS: 4K UHD [STEELBOOK], 4K UHD + Blu-Ray CE [STEELBOOK]

Buy From Amazon

Labyrinth (Anime Ltd., PG) "Fifteen-year-old Sarah is so resentful of her baby brother Toby that she hopes he will just disappear. Her dream becomes reality when goblins kidnap the boy--but Sarah unexpectedly finds herself horrified by the loss. In order to retrieve him, she has to reach the centre of the fantastical labyrinth where the wicked Goblin King has imprisoned the lad. But the task is easier said than done, for the maze is filled with strange creatures and mind-bending puzzles that confuse the girl."

FORMATS: 4K UHD+Blu-Ray [Steelbook], 4K UHD+Blu-Ray CE [Steelbook]

Buy From Amazon

US Releases For July 27, 2026

The Apothecary Diaries Season One (Crunchyroll, TV-14) "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."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray [STEELBOOK]

Buy From Amazon

Cat City Collection (Deaf Crocodile Films, UR) "This deluxe 2-disc edition features the original Hungarian animated sci-fi classic CAT CITY (1986) paired for the first time with its sequel CATCHER: CAT CITY 2 (2007) making its U.S. Blu-ray debut!"

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Buy From Deaf Crocodile

Genshiken Season One + OVA Collection (Media Blasters, 13+) "It’s Sasahara’s first day of college, and a fateful choice awaits him. Which campus clubs should he join? As a typical otaku, he knows what ‘cosplay’ is. In fact, he knows a lot about his favorite games and manga, but when Sasahara discovers doujinshi, he really needs to know more so he joins the Genshiken, a shady club for the Study of Modern Visual Culture! Join Sasahara and his misfit, fanatical friends as they journey the perilous, obsessive, and bizarro world of otaku-dom!"

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Buy From Amazon

Girls' Last Tour The Complete Collection (Sentai Filmworks, TV-14) "The cities are empty. The husks of forests seem abandoned. But life hasn't disappeared. Not completely, as two small figures traverse the rubble of the shattered past. Traveling together, the girls scavenge what they need to survive, exploring the ruins of a world they don’t remember. But as long as Chito and Yuuri have each other, they have a reason to keep pressing forward. Because as long as they live, there's still hope. Where are they going? Will they ever get there? They don’t know. It’s a mystery that can only be discovered one step at a time in Girls' Last Tour."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Buy From Amazon

Lupin The 3rd The Movie: The Immortal Bloodline (GKIDS/Shout Factory, UR) "Gentleman thief Lupin III and his crew follow a strange invitation to an uncharted island, when their plane is shot down. The gang is soon hunted by the island’s inhabitants, past enemies, and a monstrous immortal being known as Muom. As a deadly fog settles over them, Lupin confronts his greatest enemy in director Takeshi Koike’s latest stylish and action-packed take on the beloved anime icon."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Buy From Amazon

Re: Zero- Starting Life In Another World Season 3 (Crunchyroll, TV-14) "Lured by the possibility of bringing Puck back, Emilia’s camp accepts an invite to the Watergate City of Priestella. But when the Sin Archbishops take the city hostage, the royal candidates must unite to stop their wicked schemes before it’s too late."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray CE

Buy From Amazon

South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (Paramount Pictures, R) "Stan, Kyle, Kenny and Cartman sneak into an R-rated movie and it warps their fragile little minds. Soon their indignant parents declare war on Canada and our young heroes are America's last hope to stop Armageddon."

FORMATS: 4K+Blu-Ray+Digital [STEELBOOK]

Buy From Amazon

Upcoming Releases

Rooster Fighter Season 1 August 04

Sketch Book- Full Colors August 11

Dragon Ball Daima: Complete Series August 11

Made In Abyss August 11

Jinsei August 18

Girls Und Panzer: This Is The Real Anzio Battle August 18

The Swan Princess 4k august 18

Sailor Moon: Season 1 August 24 [UK]

Your Name 4K Steelbook August 25

Speed Racer: The Complete Series August 25

Digimon: Digital Monsters August 25

Monster Part 1 August 25

Sgt Frog: Movie Collection August 25

Gurren Lagann: The Movie August 31 [UK]

Tekkonkinkreet 4K September 1

Black Butler: Emerald Witch Arc September 1

Kaiju No 8. Mission Recon September 08

My Hero Academia Vigilantes September 08

Our Last Crusade or The Rise Of The New World Season 2 September 08

Suzume 4K September 08

Look Back September 08

From Up On Poppy Hill [Steelbook] September 09

Grave Of The Fireflies [Steelbook] September 09

Howl's Moving Castle [Steelbook] September 09

My Neighbour Totoro [Steelbook] September 09

Only Yesterday [Steelbook] September 09

Spirited Away [Steelbook] September 09

The Tale Of The Princess Kaguya [Steelbook] September 09

When Marnie Was There [Steelbook] September 09

Vampire Princess Myu September 08

Shirobako September 15

Cha0 September 22

The Dangers In My Heart Season2 September 22

Icarus October 13

Master Of Martial Hearts October 13

He-Man and the Masters Of The Universe: The Complete Series November 03

Rick and Morty: Season 9 November 03

Coyote Vs Acme Gets A Final Trailer

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 14:16:11 +0000

When Warner Bros. merged with Discovery, the new CEO David Zaslav set out on a massive program of cost-cutting. This meant not only job cuts, but the deletion of content. Great swathes of series and films were deleted from streaming to save money. In many cases, they weren't available on Blu-Ray or DVD, so they might as well have been written out of existence.

Then Zaslav went one better and wrote off the nearly completed Batgirl movie for taxes. Saying it wasn't good enough to release, the film was completely scrapped. Under the terms of the clause that allows films to be written off, it can't ever be released in any way. At the same time, Warner Bros Discovery also did the same thing to Scoob sequel Holiday Heist.

Then Zaslav announced plans to do the same to the fully completed animation/live-action hybrid Coyote Vs. ACME. The script had generated quite a lot of buzz. Although the internet had complained about Batgirl and Holiday Heist, this latest outrage was a step too far for many. A passionate #SaveCoyoteVsACME campaign built up on social media, and several filmmakers joined in, as well as the film's cast. Fans clearly wanted to see this movie.

Eventually, WBD were worn down and agreed to sell the rights to another distributor. It was considered by streamers Netflix and Amazon Prime, but was eventually sold to Ketchup Entertainment, who guaranteed a theatrical release.

Fast forward to today, around a month out from the movie's release, and we have a new, final trailer. The trailer gives us our best look at the film so far and gives us an idea of just why there's so much excitement around this movie.

The film follows Wile E. Coyote after a lifetime of trying and failing to capture Roadrunner (meep meep!) He is persuaded by an ambulance-chasing lawyer to take the mighty ACME Corporation to court for creating dangerous products. He takes on a slick corporate lawyer hired by ACME, and along the way encounters several other of his fellow Looney Tunes, including Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, Tweety Bird, Daffy Duck and Foghorn Leghorn.

The film is a mix of live-action and animation, like a Who Framed Roger Rabbit for the new millennium. However, this time rather than classic 2D animation, the characters are rendered in a kind of hybrid 3D CG (in video games the style is often referred to as "cel shaded"). It does a pretty good job of capturing the classic slapstick of Looney Tunes, so all but the most committed purists should be happy. The human element is looking pretty strong too, with some good gags here. Particularly funny is the encounter between Tweety and John Cena's ACME lawyer Buddy Crane. The trailer even ends with a cheeky nod to the Avengers Doomsday countdown clock.

It's the best trailer so far and has us even more excited to see the film. It looks like it could be the best animated/live-action hybrid since Roger Rabbit- and certainly looks better than Looney Tunes Back In Action or the Space Jam films.

Coyote Vs ACME stars Will Forte, John Cena and Lana Condor. It is directed by Dave Green and written by Samy Burch, Jeremy Slater and James Gunn.

The film opens in the United Kingdom and Ireland on August 21, and in the United States and Canada on August 28. Check out the trailer below.

Pixar Hit By A New Wave Of Job Cuts

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 13:26:40 +0000

There's no sugar-coating this. It's bad news, anyway you look at it. Disney has announced another wave of job cuts across the company. Several hundred employees have been let go in various departments, but this latest round of layoffs disproportionately affects the good folks at Pixar. The job cuts at the studio are concentrated in production and operations. Around 150 staff are affected.

The news must be particularly galling as Pixar is currently riding high on the huge success of Toy Story 5. Despite somewhat mixed reviews from critics and audiences alike, the film is headed towards the billion-dollar benchmark, and a new high for the franchise.

The cuts are being at least partially blamed on the performance of Hoppers. The Daniel Chong-directed comedy opened strong but failed to reach the heights of Pixar's biggest hits. It ended up grossing $389.5 million worldwide against an estimated $150 million budget. Factoring in marketing and promotion, the film just failed to break even. Which is a great shame for those who want to see more original animation.

Pixar's mixed fortunes over recent years are probably also to blame. High-profile flops like Lightyear and Elio certainly wouldn't have helped, even if they are balanced out by hits like Inside Out 2 and Elemental. Pixar also had a series of its films- Soul, Turning Red and Luca- switched to Disney Plus first releases. Some feel that this has had the effect of training audiences to watch Pixar films at home.

The cuts come in the context of an industry that is struggling to adapt to the modern world. Still trying - and mainly failing- to reach pre-pandemic numbers, the studios have turned to money-saving methods like job cuts and deleting content. Disney specifically has committed to a change in its priorities- supposedly concentrating on quality over quantity. And unfortunately, that means that fewer staff are required.

This follows an earlier round of redundancies at the corporation as recently as April. Around 1000 employees in marketing were axed, in what Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro described as a move to "streamline" operations. D'Amaro has not issued a statement on the new firings. This follows Pixar being hit by its biggest-ever job cuts just two years ago.

The animation industry is in a tough place right now, with cuts being made across the industry and work hard to find. And this is despite the fact that animation is one of the most consistently successful parts of the film industry. So to see animation artists treated as so disposable is very disappointing. But hardly surprising. Animation rarely gets the respect it deserves.

Our thoughts are with those who have been affected in this latest wave of job cuts- or one of the previous ones. We hope you quickly land on your feet!

[source]

Out Now: The Art Of Cartoon Saloon: 25 Years

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 11:45:40 +0000

Any animation lover worth their salt should have a decent collection of art books. Dedicated to particular films, series or games, studios or even individual artists, they're a must-have for fans. There's nothing quite like a big beautiful coffee-table book jam-packed with stunning artwork. New for this month is a hefty tome that ought to be on your radar- The Art Of Cartoon Saloon: 25 Years.

The book is the official visual retrospective of the first 25 years of the Pride Of Ireland, Cartoon Saloon, the internationally renowned animation studio behind Song Of The Sea, The Secret Of Kells and Wolfwalkers.

The book is packed with gorgeous artwork, behind-the-scenes and production materials from their movies, TV series and shorts over the course of a quarter-century. It's several art books in one, boasting artwork from The Secret Of Kells, Song Of The Sea, Wolfwalkers, The Breadwinner, Puffin Rock, My Father's Dragon. and more. It's bang up to date too, featuring materials from last year's short film Éiru and the forthcoming Julian. It spans an impressive 304 pages.

There's enough deep cuts here to justify a purchase even if you have already got artbooks for their individual films. Their artbooks for their earlier films can be hard to get hold of, so this goes some way to remedy that.

It contains an in-depth history of the studio and of the production of each of their films, TV series and shorts. The book is written by respected animation writer and critic Charles Solomon, and even features a foreword written by the President of Ireland, Michael Higgins. But the main appeal is in the many pages of artwork, from sketches and concept art, via storyboards to fully finished artwork. Cartoon Saloon are rare in that their finished films actually live up to the concept art.

Cartoon Saloon was co-founded in 1999 in Kilkenny, Ireland by Tomm Moore, Nora Twomey and Paul Young. In their early years they relied on commercial work and CDROM productions. It wasn't until 2005 that they went into production on their first feature film, The Secret Of Kells. Eventually released in 2008, Kells established them as a major new creative force and won them their first nomination for an Oscar for Best Animated Feature. They went on to be nominated four times for Best Animated Feature and once for Best Animated Short. We would be surprised not to see them back at The Oscars in the future- and maybe go one better and actually win this time. Song Of The Sea followed Kells, then The Breadwinner, My Father's Dragon and Wolfwalkers. In between, they produced several TV series, commercial spots and shorts. The studio now employs around 200 animators and co-established (with Mercury Filmworks) a spin-off studio Lighthouse Studios in Canada, which worked on Rick and Morty and The Bob's Burgers Movie.

Any serious Cartoon Saloon will want to add this to their collection. It's a bit pricey (it retails for $60.00 but currently goes for around $50.00) but you do get a lot of bang for your buck. It's available to buy now in the United States and will be available to buy in the UK from August 6.

Interview: Daniel Byrne (Puppets Magic Studio)

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 14:11:50 +0000

It may not be animation, but we here at AFA love and admire the art of puppetry. Having grown up with the genius of Jim Henson and The Muppets, they have long held a place in our hearts. We love to see new generations carry the tradition on. So, we jumped at the chance to talk to Daniel Byrne of Puppet Magic Studio, a UK-based company producing new puppets for film and television. Among other things, they created the puppets for last year's Apple holiday advert A Critter Carol (no, it wasn't CG!). We spoke with Daniel about the process of making puppets, his inspirations, puppetry versus AI and more.

AFA : How did you get into puppetry?

Daniel Byrne: I’ve been fascinated by puppetry since I was a child. I was especially captivated by the puppets on television, particularly programmes like Sesame Street, and found myself wondering how they moved and came to life on screen. More than any other form of entertainment, puppets made me curious about how they were made. Even as a child, I understood that someone had created them, and that process fascinated me.

That curiosity led me to start making my own puppets through play from a young age. Through years of trial and error, I taught myself how to design and build them. By my teenage years, I was taking on commissioned projects, with each one helping me refine my skills and develop my craft.

How did Puppets Magic get started?

Puppet Magic grew organically. I began using the Puppet Magic name while I was at college and art school, and over time it became associated with the puppets I was creating. I decided to pursue a formal Fine Art training, studying sculpture and painting. After graduating from Goldsmiths with a BA in Fine Art, I decided to formally establish Puppet Magic Studio. In the early days we were lucky enough to get some really interesting jobs and this allows us to slowly grow the business into what it is today.

How do you develop a new puppet?

There are many different approaches to developing a new puppet, and each has its own advantages. Sometimes a client comes to us with a fully realised concept, complete with a 3D render that's ready to build. Other times, we're brought in much earlier and asked to develop a character from a loose idea or brief.

Typically, the process begins with 2D sketches as we explore different shapes, proportions, and styles to find a design that best captures the character. After several rounds of refinement, we move into the build stage, which often starts by sculpting the form in foam. Foam is a lightweight material that's widely used in puppetry because it offers the flexibility needed for expressive movement, particularly in hand-and-rod puppets.

Once the structure is complete, we experiment with different materials and fabrics to find the right finish for the character before fabrication begins. We often leave the facial features, especially the eyes, until the very end of the process. As with any character design, even subtle changes to the size or position of the eyes can dramatically alter a puppet's expression and personality, so it's important to get them just right.

What’s the story behind the Apple “Critter Carol’ advert?

This was an absolute joy to work on. We created eight handcrafted woodland puppets, sculpted from foam and finished with synthetic furs. The brief was for the characters to feel as though they genuinely belonged in the forest, so we weathered and distressed them to give them a lived-in, authentic quality. It was also important that they retained the charm of being handmade, so we embraced subtle imperfections and asymmetry.

The finished film was shot entirely on the iPhone 17 Pro, and the response to the campaign has been fantastic. In particular, audiences have celebrated its use of practical, handcrafted effects at a time when so much visual content is created using AI-generated imagery.

Our team was honoured to receive a British Arrows Award in the Craft category for our work on the project, and we're delighted that the commercial has also been nominated for Outstanding Commercial at the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards.

What influences your puppets?

I try to stay open-minded when it comes to inspiration - it can come from almost anywhere. The work of Jim Henson and the Muppets will always be a huge influence, but I'm equally fascinated by older traditions of puppetry, particularly hand-carved marionettes. There's something beautiful about their craftsmanship, joints and movement that continues to inspire the way I think about puppet design.

Beyond puppetry itself, I'm influenced by popular culture, including music, fashion and illustration. Sometimes those influences are conscious, and other times they find their way into a design without me even realising it. It's especially important to consider these references when creating characters for a specific audience.

For example, when we designed a pair of puppets for a Marmite television commercial aimed at Gen Z audiences, we incorporated small but meaningful details into the characters, such as a simple line-drawn heart tattoo and contemporary jewellery. These subtle design choices helped the puppets feel more relatable and authentic to the audience they were created for.

What are the favourite puppets you’ve worked on?

That's a really difficult question because we've worked on so many unique projects, and each has been rewarding for different reasons. One that stands out, though, is a collection of fashion puppets we created for the pre-loved fashion platform Vestiaire Collective.

For that project, we built five life-sized puppets entirely from recycled clothing and fashion fabrics to celebrate sustainability in fashion. These weren't the materials traditionally used in puppet making - working with fabrics such as denim, corduroy and knitwear presented a completely different set of challenges. It pushed us to think creatively about how to construct the puppets while making the most of the character and texture of each material.

The finished film featured the puppets taking to the catwalk in their own fashion show. What I love most about the project is that the materials became part of each character's identity. Rather than disguising the fabrics, we celebrated them, giving the puppets a distinctive look and a tactile quality.

How do you feel about the relationship between animation and puppetry?

I think animation and puppetry are closely connected because they both involve bringing something inanimate to life through performance. Whether it’s moving a puppet by hand or animating a character frame by frame, the aim is the same: to create the illusion of life and make the audience believe in the character.

A great example is Jim Henson, creator of the Muppets, who explored animation techniques in the 1960s and experimented with mixed-media work, including stop motion and animation. This work shows how the boundaries between puppetry and animation can overlap and inspire each other.

While puppetry brings a physical and tactile quality through hands-on performance, animation allows for endless creative possibilities. However, both rely on the same key elements: expression, movement, and storytelling. Many of the skills involved in puppetry, such as understanding character movement and performance, naturally translate into animation. Both are forms of storytelling that depend on creativity, imagination, and human expression.

Do you think audiences particularly appreciate the handmade nature of physical puppets in the age of CGI and AI? Do you think they can tell the difference?

I think audiences still really appreciate the handmade quality of physical puppets, especially now that CGI and AI are so common in films and TV. There’s something about seeing a real object being performed that feels more genuine and gives characters a unique personality. Even if people can’t always tell exactly why something feels different, they often notice when a puppet has a real physical presence compared to a fully digital character. For me, that human craftsmanship is part of what makes puppetry so special, and it creates a connection that technology doesn’t always capture.

What do physical puppets offer that digital and AI can’t? What are the advantages?

I think that it’s down to that real, tangible presence puppets can offer. They exist in the same space as the actors, which can make interactions feel more natural and believable. Puppets also showcase the skill and creativity of the people bringing them to life, from the makers to the performers, giving each character a unique personality. Their small imperfections and handmade details can make them feel more authentic and emotionally engaging. While CGI and AI are great for creating things that would be impossible in real life, physical puppets have a warmth and charm that comes from being real objects performed by real people, and I think that’s something audiences continue to connect with.

What are the challenges physical puppetry creates?

Puppetry comes with certain challenges because puppets rely on performers to bring them to life. One of the main things to consider is the physical limitations of the puppet itself, which often requires performers and creators to think creatively and find inventive solutions.

For example, if you want a puppet to walk, it may require three or four puppeteers working together, with each person controlling a different part of the body. The puppeteers may then need to be removed during post-production. More complex actions, such as a dancing, require careful planning and creative problem-solving to make them work convincingly.

Because of these limitations, puppetry often relies on abstraction - finding imaginative ways to achieve what is possible while still staying true to the story and script. In animation or CGI, characters can be made to do almost anything, which can be both an advantage and a challenge. I think the physical restrictions of puppetry encourage creators to think differently and come up with more inventive solutions. These limitations can often lead to more interesting results than if everything were easily achievable.

What project(s) are you working on next?

We’ve been working on a short film and a commercial project which are both really different, among others – none have been released just yet so we can’t talk much about them. We’re also trying to make time for our own projects – it’s important to keep the spark alive by experimenting without the pressure of a deadline. We can’t wait to put more puppets out into the world!

To learn more visit www.puppetsmagic.co.uk or check out our interview with Furry Puppet Studio.

Out This Week: The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Bad Girl, Girl's High and More

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 13:22:08 +0000

Well, hello there and welcome back to our weekly new release round-up, Out This Week. We're running out of fresh new ways to say that it's always quiet in the summer. But it is always quiet in the summer and this week is no exception. There's a small selection of new releases- including anime yuri (lesbian) romcom Bad Girl, highschool comedy Girl's High, action parody World War Blue and Otoboku Maidens Are Falling For Me! Madagascar Escape 2 Africa gets a 4K release.

Meanwhile in the UK, the smash hit Mario Galaxy Movie makes its disc debut. Mamoru Hosoda's modern classic The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is given the deluxe 4K treatment in a AllTheAnime.com exclusive. And Jim Henson classics The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth get new Blu-Ray editions.

UK Releases For July 20, 2026

The Dark Crystal (Anime Ltd., PG) "The last of the Gelfings, Jen and Kira join forces and embark on a dangerous journey to "heal" a precious Dark Crystal and restore order to their planet."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Buy From Amazon

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time 4K (Anime Limited, 12) "What if it was possible to avoid embarrassing situations? Suddenly, Makoto Konno can do this--and more--when she discovers that she can jump back in time at will. Tests are a piece of cake, and she can have her favorite food anytime; what a great life! But she soon realizes that her little time jaunts are having adverse effects on the people she loves. Each time she races back in time to fix the problems she has created, it brings her one step closer to discovering the most wonderful secret in her young life."

FORMATS: 4K UHD [AllTheAnime Exclusive]

BUY FROM ALLTHEANIME

Labyrinth (Anime Ltd., PG) "Fifteen-year-old Sarah is so resentful of her baby brother Toby that she hopes he will just disappear. Her dream becomes reality when goblins kidnap the boy--but Sarah unexpectedly finds herself horrified by the loss. In order to retrieve him, she has to reach the center of the fantastical labyrinth where the wicked Goblin King has imprisoned the lad. But the task is easier said than done, for the maze is filled with strange creatures and mind-bending puzzles that confuse the girl."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Buy From Amazon

Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM (Anime Ltd., 15) "In C.E.75, the fighting still continues.

There are independence movements, and aggression by Blue Cosmos... In order to calm the situation, a global peace monitoring agency called COMPASS is established, with Lacus as its first president. As members of COMPASS, Kira and his comrades intervene into various regional battles. Then a newly established nation called Foundation proposes a joint operation against a Blue Cosmos stronghold."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray, 4K UHD

Buy From Amazon

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (Spirit Entertainment, PG) "Mario ventures into space, exploring cosmic worlds and tackling galactic challenges far from the familiar Mushroom Kingdom."

FORMATS: 4K UHD, Blu-Ray, DVD

Buy From Amazon

US Releases For July 21, 2026

Bad Girl: Complete Collection (Sentai Filmworks, TV-14) "Yuu Yuutani has girl problems. She’s infatuated with the beautiful and popular Atori Mizutori, but it seems that being a good girl with good grades isn’t enough to catch Atori’s eye. Then Yuu had an idea. Since Atori is the head of the student disciplinary committee, she’s far more likely to notice a delinquent in need of discipline, right? So now Honor Roll student Yuu is embracing her inner bad girl. But will Atori notice her now with dyed hair and piercings, or will she see through though the scheme and counter with her own insidious one against their school’s newest Bad Girl?"

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Buy From Amazon

Girl's High Complete Collection (Media Blasters, 13+) "Eriko and her friends make it to an exclusive high school and they’re ready to make the most of it! For these girls, having fun is priority numero uno! Right from the start, they’re causing trouble, meeting boys, forging friendships, making enemies- you know, typical teenage girl stuff! The hit series Girl’s High gives you a raw, hilarious, whirlwind peek into the lives of these girls as they experience, for the first time, the awkwardness, embarrassment and camaraderie of high school life."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Buy From Amazon

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (Universal Pictures, PG) "Hoping to return to New York via a penguin-piloted plane, the four animal friends crash land in the plains of Africa, where a surprise awaits for Alex the Lion."

FORMATS: 4K UHD

Buy From Amazon

Otoboku Maidens Are Falling For Me! The Complete Collection (Media Blasters, 13+) "Mizuho is the very model of a well-behaved young man. Kind, intelligent, a true gentleman. When he can’t refuse his grandfather’s dying wish, Mizuho finds himself enrolling into the same school his mother attended- an exclusive academy for young ladies! He’s able to blend in with the help of a childhood friend who also attends there, but it’s not easy for a boy to keep a low profile at the all-girl school. Questionable situations, uncomfortable rivalries and the occasional disaster follow him on his amusing, heartwarming and gender-bending journey toward self-discovery, true friendship and unrequited love!"

FORMATS: Blu-Ray [Amazon Exclusive]

Buy From Amazon

World War Blue (Media Blasters, 16+) "An epic action fantasy parody of the video game console wars of the 1990's when the two major video game companies like Ninetndo and SEGA competed and ruthlessly fought for the biggest share of the consumer market. The anime series tells the thrilling saga of the Segua Kingdom and Ninteldo Empire waging war for dominance over the land of Consume. After years of seemingly endless conflict, the Segwa Kingdom is on the defensive until Gear, a kid with extraordinary skills and sonic speed, joins the fight! The series characters and situations are clever parodies of both the most popular and obscure Nintendo and Sega games such as Sonic the Hedgehog, Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda and many others."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray [Amazon Exclusive]

Buy From Amazon

Yamibo Darkness, The Hat and Travelers Of The Books Complete Series (Media Blasters, 16+) "Hatsuki is a high-school student living with Hatsumi, and the two are so close they are like sisters. On Hatsumi's 16th birthday, she is suddenly surrounded by a green light and disappears right in front of Hatsuki! Hatsuki manages to follow Hatsumi with the help of a yellow parakeet named Ken, and ends up in a place called "The Great Library," full of different worlds stored in books. But Hatsumi isn't there, and so the search begins..."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray [Amazon Exclusive]

Buy From Amazon

Upcoming Releases

The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 [Steelbook] July 28

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

Rooster Fighter Season 1 August 04

Sketch Book- Full Colors August 11

Dragon Ball Daima: Complete Series August 11

Made In Abyss August 11

Jinsei August 18

Girls Und Panzer: This Is The Real Anzio Battle August 18

The Swan Princess 4k august 18

Sailor Moon: Season 1 August 24 [UK]

Your Name 4K Steelbook August 25

Speed Racer: The Complete Series August 25

Digimon: Digital Monsters August 25

Monster Part 1 August 25

Sgt Frog: Movie Collection August 25

Gurren Lagann: The Movie August 31 [UK]

Tekkonkinkreet 4K September 1

Black Butler: Emerald Witch Arc September 1

Kaiju No 8. Mission Recon September 08

My Hero Academia Vigilantes September 08

Our Last Crusade or The Rise Of The New World Season 2 September 08

Suzume 4K September 08

Look Back September 08

From Up On Poppy Hill [Steelbook] September 09

Grave Of The Fireflies [Steelbook] September 09

Howl's Moving Castle [Steelbook] September 09

My Neigbour Totoro [Steelbook] September 09

Only Yesterday [Steelbook] September 09

Spirited Away [Steelbook] September 09

The Tale Of The Princess Kaguya [Steelbook] September 09

When Marnie Was There [Steelbook] September 09

Vampire Princess Myu September 08

Shirobako September 15

Cha0 September 22

The Dangers In My Heart Season2 September 22

Icarus October 13

Master Of Martial Hearts October 13

He-Man and the Masters Of The Universe: The Complete Series November 03

Rick and Morty: Season 9 November 03

Fantasia Reveals Animation Line-Up For 30th Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 15:02:25 +0000

This year marks the 30th edition of Fantasia International Film Festival (a.k.a. Frontières) in Montreal, Canada. The festival is North America's leading genre film festival and a haven for the weird and wonderful from around the world. It also has a well established animation strand, Animation Plus, with selections competing for the Satoshi Kon Award For Excellence In Animation.

This year's animation selection includes animated features hailing from Japan, France, Italy, Taiwan, Singapore, the Philippines and further afield. It features returning entrants and first-timers and a wide variety of styles and subjects.

Indie animation icon Don Hertzfeldt will host a masterclass and retrospective of his career, followed by an audience Q&A. The evening will also feature the Canadian premiere of his new film Paper Trail, winner of the Jury Prize for Creativity at this year's Sundance Festival. Hertzfeldt has previously screened nine of his short films at Fantasia, but this will be his first visit to the festival in person for nearly 20 years.

Anime fans will be well served with five brand new features. Boy-meets-girl comedy-drama in Cherry and Virgin, wartime drama in Cocoon- One Summer Of Girlhood, pop-infused anthology Grotesqqque, moving drama A New Dawn and samurai action video game adaptation Sekiro: No Defeat. There is also an opportunity to see Takeshi Koike's cult classic Redline on the big screen as part of the retro strand.

Family fare is also well represented. Brazilian feature Papaya and European co-production (Czechia, Poland and Latvia) Born In The Jungle take audiences into the rainforest.

Romance is covered too, with Annecy selection Spacetime Chronicles. Sci-Fi is blended with Eastern philosophy in Taiwanese anthology Bliss: Beyond The Edge Of Time. And cringe comedy can be found in French adult animation Blaise.

LGBTQ+ audiences are catered for with gay French comedy Jim Queen and with Filipino filmmaker Avid Liongoren's queer superhero flick Zsazsa Zaturnnah. Liongoren's previous film, steamy soap opera (with a cast of talking animals) Hayop Ka! gets a second shot at glory, after having its original screening scuppered by that pesky pandemic.

Outside of Animation Plus, French-Canadian stop-motion hit Mouvement Deluxe gets a 10th anniversary screening of its first two seasons (in French, naturally).

Animation is also represented in the Short Film Program. Circo Animato 2026 features 10 new shorts from around the world. Anime No Bento features a selection of short form Japanese animation. Fragments Of Asia includes South Korean short animation My Killer Erotic Video. My First Fantasia presents a selection of short films for young audiences, with programs in both English and French.

This year's festival runs from July 16 to August 2. You can buy tickets from here.

Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender Gets Awards-Qualifying Cinema Run

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 13:44:26 +0000

Nearly two decades after it first went off the air, Avatar: The Last Airbender remains as popular as ever. The series originally ran between 2005 and 2008, but has been discovered by later generations of fans via streaming and boxset releases. The sequel series The Legend of Korra followed in 2013, but since then, it has been pretty quiet on the Avatar front. In 2021 Nickelodeon announced the establishment of Avatar Studios to create brand new animation in the Avatar world. The first project from the studio was set to be an animated feature that would continue the story of original Avatar Aang.

Now, some five years later, fans are anticipating the release of the film. There was disappointing news, however, when Paramount cancelled the film's theatrical release in favour of a release straight to Paramount Plus. With the streaming release just around the corner, it has been announced that the film will be getting a cinema release after all: in Los Angeles and New York.

Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender (originally titled The Legend Of Aang) will be getting a limited run in cinemas, in order to qualify for consideration for the Best Animated Feature Oscar (and other awards). It will be screening at AMC Burbank Town Center 6 in LA and Manhattan’s AMC Empire 25 in New York City. The film will be showing from July 24-30. Tickets are available now.

The film will also be screening at the SanDiego Comic Con on July 24. There will also be a panel with the film's voice cast and creative team.

Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender stars Eric Nam as the titular Aang, Dave Bautista as new big bad Tagah, Jessica Matten as Katara, Román Zaragoza as Sokka, Steven Yeun as Zuko and Dionne Quan as Toph, alongside newcomers Freida Pinto, Ke Huy Quan, Taika Waititi, Geraldine Viswanathan, Ronny Chieng and Ken Jeong. Dee Bradley Baker returns as Aang’s pets, Appa and Momo.

The film was directed by Lauren Montgomery and co-directed by Steve Ahn and William Matta. It was produced by Latifa Ouaou, Maryann Garger, and original series creators Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino. The screenplay was written by Tim Hedrick and Christopher Yost, based on a story by Konietzko, DiMartino, Hedrick and Kenneth Lin.

The plot follows a now adult Aang, who learns of an ancient power that could save his culture from extinction. With the help of his friends, he embarks on a global quest to find it before it falls into the wrong hands.

Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender will stream on Paramount Plus from July 25.

[source]

Watch This: Beat Cancer Off (NSFW)

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 11:43:37 +0000

We can all agree on one fact: cancer sucks. It's a sentiment clearly agreed on by the frankly named organisation Fuck Cancer. The non-profit has commissioned an animated short that has been doing the rounds on the international festival circuit. Produced in association with VML Health, and animated by Sao Paulo, Brazil-based studio Dirty Work, the film is directed by Gustavo Leal and Faga Melo.

The film's awards run began at the New York Festivals Advertising Awards in June, where it dominated the healthcare categories with a Grand Prix (Purpose), a Gold (Purpose) and a Bronze (Branded Content & Entertainment: Product Services). It carried on a week later with Cannes Lions, earning two Golds (Entertainment Lions for Music, Health & Wellness), three Silvers (across Film and Film Craft - including a second Film Craft win in a separate sub‑category) and two Bronzes (Audio & Radio, Health & Wellness).

Beat Cancer Off is a mixed-media film that includes traditional 2D animation, CGI, cut-out animation, puppetry and live action. The NSFW short highlights 21 different expressions for masturbation, highlighting its connection to cancer prevention. The cheeky feel is amplified by an original track from Jamute, whose retro-inspired composition gives the short its playful rhythm and cultural edge.

Dirty Work directors Gustavo Leal and Faga Melo said "The film explores the fascinating ways different cultures and languages talk about masturbation. Each animation technique was carefully chosen to reflect the humour, visual language and storytelling traditions behind a particular expression. That diversity gives the film a unique richness and makes it resonate with audiences well beyond its country of origin." They added "Our biggest creative challenge was finding the right comic tone for each scene - humour was essential to making such a sensitive subject approachable, while ensuring every metaphor felt distinctive, culturally authentic and entertaining."

The campaign is inspired by a striking scientific statistic: that men who ejaculate 21 or more times per month may reduce their risk of prostate cancer by up to 22%, according to the landmark Health Professionals Follow‑up Study. The film takes a serious subject and turns it into something fun and mischievous. It's an undeniably impressive piece of work that showcases a wide range of styles and animation techniques. And all as well executed as each other- the crew at Dirty Work are a multi-talented bunch.

Dirty Work is an award-winning Brazilian animation studio, recognised for its boundary-pushing craft and distinctive visual storytelling. With work spanning global brands, cultural organisations and purpose-driven campaigns, the studio continues to expand its international footprint. Dirty Work is represented worldwide by Lemonade Collective (UK).

Making Of Video

D23 2026 Full Line-Up Announced

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 14:06:34 +0000

D23, the ultimate Disney fan event is coming back for 2026. Think ComicCon or Annecy but entirely dedicated to the worlds of Disney. Set to run from August 14-16 in Anaheim, California, this year's convention looks set to be the biggest yet. Disney have now unveiled this year's full programming line-up.

“At D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, the magic never stops,” said Michael Vargo, head of D23: The Official Disney Fan Club. “From the moment the first guest walks through the doors of the Anaheim Convention Center to the final curtain at the Honda Center, every hour is filled with something extraordinary. This is where fans become part of the story and every part of the Disney universe comes to life."

This year's event is a celebration of Disney's past, present and future. There will be celebrations of milestone anniversaries for Alice in Wonderland, Beauty and The Beast and the Kingdom Hearts video game franchise. Disney Legend Alan Menken will perform in a one-man one-off concert. Seth McFarlane will present a Musical History Of The Muppets. Disney will also offer an exclusive look at its upcoming films and series.

The D23 line-up includes:

Friday, August 14 – Disney Entertainment Showcase

Friday night, the world-class storytellers of The Walt Disney Company will take center stage at the Honda Center for the Disney Entertainment Showcase. Guests can expect surprise celebrity appearances, exclusive first looks at upcoming films and series, exciting new announcements, and unforgettable musical performances. The star-studded presentation will celebrate the stories audiences love while offering an exclusive preview of what's coming next across Disney's movies, television, games, and live stage productions.

Saturday, August 15 – Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase

Join host Neil Patrick Harris for a journey into the stories shaping the future of Disney Experiences around the world. Building on the ambitious projects announced in 2024, this year's showcase will take fans deeper into the creative vision behind what's to come, hearing directly from the Imagineers, storytellers, artists, and innovators bringing these experiences to life. Inspired by the Carousel of Progress, Neil will guide the show and lead engaging conversations with the people creating the future of Disney Experiences—complete with behind-the-scenes looks, special performances, exciting announcements, and a few surprises along the way.

Sunday, August 16 – Disney Legends Awards Ceremony

Hosted by Ryan Seacrest, the Disney Legends Awards Ceremony will feature tributes and memorable moments celebrating the lasting impact of this year’s honorees, bestowing Disney’s highest recognition to a distinguished group of creatives, performers, and leaders, including Chris Berman, Jerry Bruckheimer, Susan Egan, Eric Goldberg, Anne Hathaway, Bob Iger, Kim Irvine, Dwayne Johnson, the Jonas Brothers, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Alan Tudyk.

A New Feature Length Documentary from Leslie Iwerks

Discover how Disney's greatest storytellers draw inspiration from the parks where their worlds were always meant to live, featuring a panel with top filmmakers and special guests, followed by the debut screening of Leslie Iwerks' new feature coming to Disney+.

Hey Jonas! Live at D23: Celebrating Disney Legends

Celebrate Disney Legends Kevin, Joe, and Nick Jonas during a live recording of their hit iHeartPodcast, Hey Jonas! Hear unforgettable Disney stories, behind-the-scenes memories, and special guests as they celebrate this incredible milestone together.

Disney Rewind Concert

Relive the magic of VHS vibes with the ultimate throwback event showcasing some of the best Disney hits of the '80s and '90s, filled with nostalgic favorites performed by Disney and Broadway stars, including Disney Legends Bill Farmer and Jodi Benson, as well as incoming Disney Legend Susan Egan.

A Whole New World of Alan Menken

In this rare, one-man concert Disney Legend and eight-time Academy Award® winner Alan Menken shares the songs and stories behind legendary Disney films and beloved stage and screen musicals that have shaped generations of audiences around the world.

D23 Mousequerade: The Ultimate Disney Costume Contest presented by AT&T

Join host Nina West for the return of the ultimate Disney costume contest. Fans will showcase their Disney-inspired creations on the runway, so join us to vote alongside judges Yvette Nicole Brown, Ashley Eckstein, and Bobby Kim.

The Simpsons: Stories from Springfield

Join the cast and creative team of The Simpsons as they explore the art of storytelling in Springfield, from character-driven comedy and cultural satire to finding fresh stories more than three decades later.

The Muppets Musical History with Seth MacFarlane

Join Grammy®-nominated vocalist and Emmy® winner Seth MacFarlane and other special guests for a conversation about the timeless Muppets songbook. Seth will share the inspiration behind his upcoming Muppets orchestral album.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Season 3

Join the cast and producers behind Percy Jackson and the Olympians for a must-see celebration packed with behind-the-scenes stories and exciting teases as Season 3 brings The Titan's Curse to life later this year on Disney+.

Camp Rock 3: The Next Generation

Fresh off the world premiere of Camp Rock 3, join the stars as they share behind-the-scenes stories and favorite moments from bringing a new era of the beloved Camp Rock franchise to life.

Bluey: From the Backyard to the Big Screen

Join the team behind Bluey and get stuck into everything you'd ever want to know about the homegrown Aussie icon turned true-blue global phenomenon. Take a journey from a backyard in Brisbane all the way to the big screen in 2027's The Bluey Movie.

The Disney Experiences Auction – Rare and Remarkable Finds

Through live and online bidding, join your host Bret Iwan (official voice of Mickey Mouse, Disney Fine Artist) to discover select, verified pieces from Disney's theme parks and resorts that are ready for their next chapter with the fans who treasure them most. Check out the rare and remarkable finds available for Auction at Heritage Auctions | World's Largest Collectibles Auctioneer.

LEGO Star Wars Screening Event

Experience a special screening of an all-new LEGO Star Wars animated adventure filled with iconic characters, unexpected laughs, and action-packed fun. Perfect for Star Wars and LEGO fans of all ages! More details to come.

Lettuce Show You How We Make Bob's Burgers!

Order up! The Emmy®-winning Bob's Burgers creative team takes you from script to screen through a live demonstration featuring voice cast, live drawing, storytelling insights, and a closer look at how they bring the episodes you know and love to life.

Scrubs: Scrubbing Back In

Celebrate the return to Sacred Heart with a conversation with the cast and executive producers of Scrubs featuring behind-the-scenes stories, fan-favorite moments, and a look at why the revival resonates today—daydreams and all.

Beauty and the Beast: A Tale as Old as Time

Celebrate 35 years of Disney Animation's classic tale Beauty and the Beast—from the screen to the stage and beyond—with filmmakers and stars from the animated feature film and the Broadway production it inspired, including Disney Legends Paige O’Hara, Don Hahn, and Mark Henn, as well as incoming Disney Legend Susan Egan.

Zootopia: Ten Years in the Mammal Metropolis

Celebrate ten years of Disney Animation's Zootopia films—from theaters and Disney+ to Disney Parks attractions around the world—with the stars and filmmakers behind the mammal metropolis, including Jared Bush, Byron Howard, and Michael Giacchino.

Beyond the Magic: Disney Pin Trading

A panel discussion with the Pin Trading product design team on their role, concept design, and the innovation in pins. The panel will include a D23 talent host and Pin Trading design team with a visual presentation to go with the discussion.

The Quests Ahead for Disney Lorcana Trading Card Game (A.K.A. Ravensburger)

Join the Disney Lorcana Trading Card Game team at Ravensburger as they share what fans can expect from upcoming set releases in 2027 and beyond, future events fans won't want to miss, and more exciting behind-the-scenes details. They will cover all the highlights of developing this amazing card game as well as some thrilling announcements that you won't want to miss.

DEEP DIVE into KINGDOM HEARTS

Join us for a journey through light and darkness as we commemorate 25 years of KINGDOM HEARTS. Discover how this saga united Disney, Pixar, and Square Enix, with insights from the creative minds, character voices, and more behind the magic.

Disney Legends in Conversation

Hosted by Disney Legend Robin Roberts, listen in as members from the newest class of Disney Legends partake in an enlightening conversation about their storied careers.

Disney & Nat Geo: Capturing the Wonder of Nature

Go behind the scenes with Disney and National Geographic storytellers as they explore how animals, ecosystems, conservation, and real-world adventures have inspired some of Disney's most beloved stories, projects, and experiences.

Animating the Action: Disney Magic Live on ESPN

Discover how ESPN and Disney are redefining live sports storytelling—bringing iconic characters and immersive worlds from Toy Story, Monsters, Inc., Mickey and Friends, and more into animated broadcasts that elevate the fan experience.

Disney | Marvel: A Legacy of Stories presented by M&M'S

Chart the legacy of Disney and Marvel storytelling through classic comics, epic crossovers, and unique insights from Marvel creatives and Disney archivists. Session includes M&M'S and M&M'S Marvel Mini Poster Fan Packs giveaway.

Future of Digital Comics: Disney, Marvel, & WEBTOON

Explore beloved worlds in a whole new way as Disney, Marvel, and WEBTOON come together to spotlight iconic comics stories reimagined for WEBTOON's immersive, mobile-first vertical format.

Celebrate 65 Years of Marvel's Spider-Man!

From the recent return to the big screen in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, to fan-favorite animated series including Marvel's Spidey and his Amazing Friends, Spider-Man's 1,000th comic, toys, and more, Spidey's been an enduring pop culture icon for nearly 65 years. Join us to celebrate Spider-Man with sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes stories, and more.

Marvel Fanfare

Join Marvel Comics for a talk about the enduring appeal of Spider-Man, his biggest stories from the past 65 years, and more. After the panel, fans will receive an exclusive comic giveaway.

Making Disney Magic with Ron Clements

Legendary Disney Animation director Ron Clements takes you inside his new book, Making Disney Magic, along with very special guests from his prolific legacy of animated films, including Disney Legends Jodi Benson, Susan Egan, and Mark Henn, as well as incoming Disney Legends Susan Egan and Eric Goldberg.

Floating Mountains: A Conversation with Joe Rohde

Join Disney Legend Joe Rohde for an exclusive discussion of his memoir Floating Mountains. He'll explore creativity, collaboration, and his work on Disney's Animal Kingdom, Aulani, and beyond—offering rare insight into one of Disney's most visionary artists.

HUZ: Drawn to Life

Discover Disney Animator Ron Husband's inspiring story in a new Disney+ documentary from Don Hahn. Hahn and a panel of animators and storytellers share behind-the-scenes stories in a celebration of the artistry and mentorship behind many Disney classics.

Walt Disney: 125 Years of Inspiration

Join D23 as we salute Walt Disney's 125th birthday. Hear from those who knew him, legends who were inspired by Walt and continue his legacy, plus enjoy some special performances—all inspired by, and in fun celebration of, Walt Disney!

Disney Music Presents: The Art of the Score

Grammy Award®-winning composer Michael Giacchino shares an inside look at his creative process—across Pixar, Lucasfilm, and Marvel—and how he develops music that supports a filmmaker's vision, featuring a special performance by Anthony Gonzalez.

Disney and The Grammys®: A Musical Legacy

Disney Grammy Award®-winning musical artists reflect on the songs, stories, and creative choices that shaped their careers—and the enduring legacy they continue to build across generations.

Ink & Paint at Disney Animation

Experience the magic behind the Disney Animation Ink & Paint Department come together before your eyes—from rough animation by incoming Disney Legend Eric Goldberg, to an inker transferring the image onto a cel, and then a painter bringing it to life with vibrant color.

Your Dream, Your Valley: Disney Dreamlight Valley

Join us to celebrate Disney Dreamlight Valley, a life-sim adventure game that lets you build and explore a world filled with Disney magic, rich stories, and beloved Disney and Pixar characters. Join the game's creators for a retrospective and an exciting sneak peek at arrivals in 2026.

Disney Style Around the World

Enjoy a showcase of iconic Disney fashion and exciting product reveals from around the globe and hear from panelists Bobby Kim (Vice President, Global Creative Director for Disney Consumer Products), Tiia Chandler (Senior Director, Global Brand Partnerships for Crocs), and Lily Aldridge (supermodel, mother, entrepreneur, and Disney Style fangirl).

Disney-fying Your Home with Interior Design Magic

Fandom meets interior design with a panel of those who have infused Disney magic into their homes—from minimalist to the extreme design and decor—there's endless ways to bring Disney's films and parks to life in your very own home!

The Force of Innovation – Hasbro's Grogu Animatronic

Join the galaxy's favorite foundling and the development team behind Hasbro's Ultimate Grogu collectible as they discuss the expertise and ingenuity needed to bring a character to life as an animatronic… and maybe reveal a few secrets along the way.

The Impact & Legacy of Disney Toys

Disney's 100‑year toy legacy comes to life as experts Alex Miller, David Pacheco, and Becky Cline explore how Disney toys shaped the company, the industry, and generations of fans through stories, rare art, and iconic artifacts.

Worlds of Tinker Bell: Never Land to Pixie Hollow

Join host Ashley Eckstein and special guests as we explore the magical evolution of Tinker Bell from Peter Pan (1953) to her own enchanting universe in this lively celebration of a favorite Disney fairy.

20 Years of Enchanted: A Love Letter to Disney

Join host Nina West and director Kevin Lima as we celebrate 20 years of Enchanted with a fast-paced, Easter egg-filled tribute featuring special guests and surprises from the Walt Disney Archives collection.

75 Years of Nonsense: Alice in Wonderland

Celebrate 75 years of Disney Animation's Alice in Wonderland with a look back at rarely seen art from the production and go behind the scenes of the newly restored version of the classic film.

One Hundred and One Dalmatians 65th Anniversary

Celebrate Disney Animation's pioneering feature film with a look back at rarely seen art from the Walt Disney Animation Research Library.

Searching for the Swiss Family Robinson Tree House

Join Disney artist Kevin Kidney as he shares about his journey to the tropical island to visit the original filming locations from Swiss Family Robinson (1960)—including the legendary tree house that inspired the Disneyland Park attraction.

Bedknobs and Broomsticks: 55 Magical Years

Disney's dazzling musical has been enchanting audiences since 1971. This multi-media presentation uses rare photos and art to weave a behind-the-scenes spell about the Oscar®-winning masterpiece—including the involvement of Walt Disney himself.

The Sherman Brothers on The Record

The Sherman brothers began their Disney career at what is now Walt Disney Records. Grammy Award®-winning producer and Disney Music Historian Randy Thornton shares rare recordings, demos, and interviews from his many years collaborating with "The Boys."

Great Moments with Walt Disney

Disney historian Tim O'Day and editor of Disney Files magazine Ryan March share humorous stories and rare video footage of Walt Disney, showing the comedic side of the man behind the magic.

Houses Walt Built: The Walt Disney Family Museum

See rare photos and hear intimate stories about Walt and Lillian Disney's Woking Way, Carolwood, and Smoke Tree Ranch homes.

The Carolwood Foundation Presents: Walt's Barn

Come take a ride on the Carolwood Pacific Railroad as you discover the history of Walt Disney's Carolwood Barn. Along the way you'll learn about our discoveries, secrets, and upcoming projects. All aboard!

Restoration at Disney: Preserving our Legacy

Fans will learn how the award-winning Disney Restoration team preserves and restores its vast library of classics, from Steamboat Willie to The Sound of Music. They'll also get to hear about the challenges and surprises encountered during the process.

Sounds Delightful: An Illustrated Audio Adventure

Disney artist and historian Stacia Martin gives fans an all-new nostalgic trip through Disney music throughout the decades, playing some of her favorite clips from her personal collection of rare and vintage vinyl records.

[source]

Aardman Season Coming To UK Cinemas

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 10:06:14 +0000

Aardman is the most beloved animation studio in the UK, and this year they are celebrating a significant anniversary. This year it will be 50 years since Sir Peter Lord and Sir David Spoxton cofounded the studio. In celebration of this fact, several of the studio's most loved films will be returning to cinema screens in the UK.

The shorts and features get fairly regular screenings on UK TV, but this is a rare opportunity to see them on the big screen- particularly for the shorts. Getting to see all four Wallace and Gromit shorts in cinemas has to be a first. Whether you are revisiting old classics, or you are watching them for the first time, this season is very exciting for animation fans, The season runs from July 10 to early September. All that's missing is Vengeance Most Fowl, Chicken Run 2 and Arthur Christmas. But with such an embarrassment of riches available, it seems churlish to complain...

The full line-up:

A Grand Day Out/ The Wrong Trousers- Out Now
A Close Shave/ A Matter Of Loaf and Death- July 18
Chicken Run- July 24
Curse Of The Were-Rabbit- July 31
Flushed Away- August 7
The Pirates In An Adventure With Scientists- August 14
Early Man- August 21
Shaun The Sheep The Movie- August 28
Shaun The Sheep The Movie: Farmageddon- September 5

Participating cinemas include Vue, Showcase, Cineworld, Picturehouse and more. Check your local venue for details. The films are being released in association with Park Circus Films.

There are no signs so far of screenings outside the UK, but if we hear anything, we'll keep you posted.

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Tess Martin's '1976: Search For Life' Is Available Online

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 14:40:08 +0000

We've been closely following the career of animator, artist and filmmaker Tess Martin for some time. She has been quite prolific over recent years, and has made a splash on the festival circuit. Recent films such as How Now, House? and Still Life with Woman, Tea and Letter have attracted multiple plaudits and awards. Most of these films have only been able to be seen at festivals or as part of an exhibit, but one of her latest films has finally been released online.

1976: Search For Life was released on July 13 to mark the 50th anniversary of NASA's Viking 1 mission. The film marks half a century since humanity first saw the surface of Mars through the Viking lander. Described as an "experimental animation documentary" the short connects the historic space mission with a much more personal story. In the same summer the landing occurred, Martin's father travelled to Scotland in search of his family roots. After more than two years on the international festival circuit, this will be the general audience's first chance to watch the film.

On July 20, 1976, Viking 1 transmitted the first photographs from the surface of Mars. Around the same time, Martin's father, a science-fiction fan, travelled to Scotland searching for his family's origins. 1979: Search For Life brings these parallel journeys together, asking what we discover when we search across space, across generations, and across memory itself. Released exactly 50 years after the events it depicts, the film features archival commentary from astronomer Carl Sagan, whose observation that "as your perspective broadens you learn more about what you left at home, as well as what you went out to seek" becomes the emotional thread connecting space exploration with family history.

Using analogue animation along with Super-8 footage, Martin layers past and present into a single conversation. The film definitely could be Martin's most personal yet, dealing as it does with her family history.

The mixed-media short is available exclusively via Zippy Frames, where writer Amanda Barbour said that Martin's use of replacement animation "create[s] a dynamic where time unfolds at different speeds," calling the search for heritage "an extraterrestrial pursuit: difficult, possible, outlandish, but ultimately, worth trying."

1976: Search For Life premiered at the DOK Leipzig festival, where it screened alongside a retrospective of Martin's work and a masterclass where she was that year's special guest. “Tess Martin’s poetic stories about belonging, identity and loss ring with echoes of autobiographical experiences" said Franka Sachse, festival curator.

Since then, the film has gone on to screen at over 20 international festivals, including Animafest Zagreb, Rencontres Internationales Traverse, Proyector Moving Image Festival and Science New Wave.

You can watch the film here:

Out This Week: Animal Farm, Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War and More

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 11:42:44 +0000

Well, hello there and welcome back once again to our weekly new release round-up, Out This Week. This week is a fairly quiet one- not unusual for the summer months. The new releases are led by Andy Serkis's adaptation of Animal Farm. The rest of the releases are made up of anime titles: Dan Da Dan Season 2, Witch Watch, The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You: Season 2, Reborn As A Vending Machine, I Now Wander The Dungeon Season 2 and Kakegurui.

New in the UK this week is Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War Part 3 and I Left My A-Rank Party to Help My Former Students Reach the Dungeon Depths!.

UK Releases For July 13, 2026

Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War Part 3: The Conflict (Anime Ltd., 15) "THE BLOOD WAR BETWEEN SOUL REAPERS AND QUINCIES INTENSIFIES after the Wandenreich’s second wave of attack transforms the Seireitei into a dimension known as the Schatten Bereich. Undaunted, the Thirteen Court Guard Squads reclaim their stolen Bankai to strike back and defeat several of the Stern Ritter’s most powerful members, the Wörtlich. As the battle wages on, Renji Abarai, Rukia Kuchiki, and finally Ichigo Kurosaki each complete their training at the Royal Palace and return to the Seireitei to help the Soul Reapers with their newly acquired powers and abilities. However, Ichigo’s attempt to stop Yhwach is thwarted by Uryu Ishida. A shocked Ichigo demands Uryu to explain his true intention for pointing his weapon toward his friends. But the only answer he gets from Uryu is a rain of arrows to signal the end of their friendship. With Uryu and the Royal Guards at his side, Yhwach successfully breaks past the Soul Shield Membrane barrier and finally sets foot into the sacred realm of the Royal Palace. But the Quincies’ advance seemingly ends after facing Squad Zero, who use their awesome powers to defeat Yhwach and the rest of the uninvited guests. However, the real battle and despair have yet to start… Soul Reapers and Quincies. Ichigo and Uryu. Beliefs and Resolve. The never-ending conflict between light and dark clashes above the dark-blue heavens."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Buy From Amazon

I Left My A-Rank Party to Help My Former Students Reach the Dungeon Depths!: Season 1 (Crunchyroll, 15) "After being insulted and underappreciated, Yuke leaves his high-ranking party. Now, he's in a new party with his former students! And while they may be newbies, Yuke is discovering how a healthy team bond can be your biggest asset in a dangerous dungeon."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Buy From Amazon

US Releases For July 14, 2026

The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You: Season 2 (Crunchyroll, TV-14) "Rentaro has paired with six of his destined soulmates, so it’s time to add more! From maids to masochists, these new girls bring a different brand of hijinks. But can Rentaro navigate this chaotic love life all while a deadly curse looms overhead?"

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Buy From Amazon

Animal Farm (Angel, PG) "A satirical allegory of revolution and power that traces how a movement for equality is systematically corrupted. As the pigs consolidate control, truth is erased, dissent is crushed and the farm descends into a ruthless dictatorship."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray, DVD

Buy From Amazon

Dan Da Dan Season 2 (GKIDS Films/Shout Factory, TV-MA) "DAN DA DAN follows Momo, a high school girl from a family of spirit mediums, and her classmate Okarun, an occult geek. The two of them start talking after Momo rescues Okarun from getting bullied. However, an argument ensues between them – Momo believes in ghosts but denies aliens, and Okarun believes in aliens but denies ghosts. Hoping to change the other’s mind, each of them agree that Momo will go to an abandoned hospital known for its UFO sightings, and Okarun will go to a tunnel that is said to be haunted. In each place, they encounter overwhelming paranormal entities that defy comprehension. In a moment of peril, Momo awakens her hidden power and Okarun gains the power of a curse to challenge the paranormal entities! Could this be the start of a fateful romance as well!? Now begins a new story of occult battles and adolescence!"

FORMATS: Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray CE

Buy From Amazon

Kakegurui Complete Seasons 1 and 2 (Sentai Filmworks, TV-14) "When Yumeko Jabami arrives at Hyakkaou Private Academy, she enters the most nightmarish school in Japan. A school where students are forced to gamble everything they have and the losers are pressed into virtual slavery or permanently disfigured. But the school and its corrupt student council aren’t ready for Yumeko, a fiery human wildcard who’ll overturn their rules and take them all to the cleaners. Because the game’s just starting, and even if the odds are rigged, Yumeko knows that the only way to win is to gamble everything she has in the complete 2 season collection of Kakegurui!"

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Buy From Amazon

Reborn As A Vending Machine, I Now Wander The Dungeon Season 2 (Crunchyroll, TV-14) "Boxxo is back to battling monsters, discovering new forms, and dispensing the perfect refreshments. But when the plan to take down the Netherlord backfires, he and his friends must find a way to defend the strata against hordes of invading monsters."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Buy From Amazon

Witch Watch: Season 1 (GKIDS Films/Shout Factory, TV-14) "Morihito Otogi, a high school student who comes from a lineage of ogres, enjoys a peaceful, ordinary life until his childhood friend, Nico, moves in with him. Nico is a witch-in-training, and chooses Morihito to be her familiar. While Nico is thrilled to reunite with her old friend and crush, Morihito is tasked with the perilous duty to protect her from a foretold calamity. Between the unpredictable chaos caused by Nico’s magic, and the awkwardness of sharing a home, their lives become a whirlwind of supernatural hijinks and threats."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Buy From Amazon

Upcoming Releases

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

Rooster Fighter Season 1 August 04

Sketch Book- Full Colors August 11

Dragon Ball Daima: Complete Series August 11

Made In Abyss August 11

Jinsei August 18

Girls Und Panzer: This Is The Real Anzio Battle August 18

Sailor Moon: Season 1 August 24 [UK]

Your Name 4K Steelbook August 25

Speed Racer: The Complete Series August 25

Digimon: Digital Monsters August 25

Monster Part 1 August 25

Sgt Frog: Movie Collection August 25

Gurren Lagann: The Movie August 31 [UK]

Tekkonkinkreet 4K September 1

Black Butler: Emerald Witch Arc September 1

Kaiju No 8. Mission Recon September 08

My Hero Academia Vigilantes September 08

Our Last Crusade or The Rise Of The New World Season 2 September 08

Suzume 4K September 08

Vampire Princess Myu September 08

Shirobako September 15

Cha0 September 22

The Dangers In My Heart Season2 September 22

Icarus October 13

Master Of Martial Hearts October 13

He-Man and the Masters Of The Universe: The Complete Series November 03

Rick and Morty: Season 9 November 03

Animation Nominees Announced For 78th Primetime Emmy Awards

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 13:20:04 +0000

The Emmy Awards have long been considered the most prestigious in television. Animation is largely relegated to its own categories (although it's eligible for a couple of other technical awards). Even so, an Emmy is an accolade that animated series covet. The nominations have now been announced for the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards.

The Outstanding Animated Program category has been running since 1979. In the earlier years, it nominated children's animation as that was largely what was available at the time. Most of the nominees back then were TV specials too, things like Garfield and Charlie Brown. The Simpsons got its first two nominations (and its first win) back in 1990, and has gone on to dominate the category ever since. In some years, the award was split into "one hour or less" and "over one hour" but they don't do that any more.

The Simpsons has won the award 12 times and been nominated 35 times. South Park has been nominated 19 times and won five. Bob's Burgers has been nominated 15 times and won twice. Rick and Morty is a five-time nominee and a two-time winner.

As such, it's not much of a surprise to see this year's nominations feature The Simpsons, Bob's Burgers, South Park and Rick and Morty. All four series have a strong record of getting nominated and are past winners. They are probably also the best known currently airing adult animation series (all that is missing is Family Guy).

The remaining two slots are where it gets more interesting. Scoring its debut nomination is Smiling Friends, Zach Hadel and Michael Cusack's series for Adult Swim. The nomination is probably pretty bittersweet for fans, considering Hadel and Cusack's announcement in February that the series would be ending with its third season.

The last spot sees the first nomination for Star Wars: Visions, LucasFilm's animated anthology series. The nominated episode is Black, produced by David Productions and directed by Shinya Ohira. Previous volumes have been nominated, only under different categories. The Volume One episode The Duel was nominated for Outstanding Short Form Animated Program in 2022, and Volume Two episode Screecher's Reach was nominated for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation.

The other major animation category is the Outstanding Character Voice Over Performance, which is eligible to both animation and live-action. Of course, one of the cast of The Simpsons has to be included, and this year it's Hank Azaria, nominated for his many roles. South Park is also represented by Trey Parker. Pamela Adlon makes her return to the category for the revived King Of The Hill. Actually representing a series that isn't 30 years old is Steven Yeun for Invincible. Outside of animation, the legendary Julie Andrews is nominated for Netflix's Bridgerton, and Matt Vogel is nominated for The Muppet Show Special.

The 78th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards take place on September 14, and will be broadcast on NBC and streamed on Peacock.

Crunchyroll Reveal New Anime At Anime Expo 2026

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 13:51:00 +0000

The July 4 weekend, as usual, saw Anime Expo take place in Los Angeles. The event is one of the biggest celebrations of anime in America, and sees thousands of fans descend on the city. One thing that can be relied upon to take place every year is the Crunchyroll Showcase. And this year is no different.

The panel opened with the announcement that a Solo Leveling movie is now in production. Solo Leveling: Beyond The System will be a direct continuation of the series and will pick up after the events of season two. The film is animated by A-1 Pictures (Sword Art Online) and is produced by Aniplex, Netmarble, D&C MEDIA, Kakao piccoma, and Crunchyroll. No further details have been revealed at this time.

Next, Crunchyroll revealed a first look at the characters from the eagerly anticipated Ghosts Of Tsushima: Legends, based on the best-selling PlayStation video game series. The series follows one of the last samurai standing in the face of a Mongol invasion, as he fights to save his village. The anime is directed by Takanobu Mizuno and written by Satoshi Maejima and Gen Urobuchi. Urobuchi also handles story composition, and Takashi Okazaki contributes character designs. Animation is by Kamikaze Douga. Additional production details and a premiere date will be announced at a later date.

Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl made a surprise appearance by video message to announce that the classic Nirvana track Breed will serve as the opening theme for the upcoming anime The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn't A Guy At All. The romantic comedy is adapted from the popular manga and is due to stream in early 2027. The series follows Aya, an upbeat and fashionable high schooler with a penchant for rock music. She can't seem to find anyone who shares her interest, until she meets a gothy CD shop employee. She quickly falls in love- unaware that the object of her affections is actually her female classmate Mitsuki.

Following the recent news that the manga adaptation Kagurabachi is coming to Crunchyroll next year, attendees of the showcase were treated to Q&A with Chihiro Rokuhira's Japanese voice actor, Taihi Kimura. They were also given an exclusive early look at Chihiro's character designs.

New series and returning favourites

Here U Are – The anime adaptation of the beloved manhwa will make its way to Crunchyroll. The series follows Yang Yu, a university upperclassman who's loved by everyone, and Huan Li, a quiet, antisocial new student. The two of them get off on the wrong foot, but despite clashing and repelling one another at times, they are still drawn to each other.

Fate Rewinder – Launching on Crunchyroll April 2027 this new sci-fi mystery thriller follows heroes equipped with the "Retry Eye," an ocular implanted device granting the power to rewind time. The series centers around new Rewinder, Chrono, who must master his ability to save those who have died tragically.

The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 5 – Naofumi’s journey continues into perilous new waves of danger where he and his companions face threats that may implicate the other Cardinal Heroes. The series will make its way to Crunchyroll next year.

Dengeki Daisy – Crunchyroll revealed the world-wide premiere trailer of Dengeki Daisy. This new romantic comedy tells the journey of an orphan whose encounter with a mysterious hacker embroils her in espionage!

Aoashi Season 2 – Ashito’s journey continues October 2026 on Crunchyroll. Following his devastating junior high tournament loss and recruitment of J-League’s top managers, Ashito returns to pursue his dream of becoming one of the greatest soccer players of all time.

Gacha Girls Corps – Coming to Crunchyroll January 2027, Gacha Girls Corps follows mobile game addict, Heihachi, who gets dragged into another world after making an unusual in-game pull. Attacked by monsters, he does what he knows best: roll gacha, summoning a powerful knight named Norl who may be his only hope.

Magical Buffs – The Support Caster is Stronger Than He Realized! - After being expelled from his guild for overshadowing its leader, skilled support mage, Wim Strauss, gets a second chance when his childhood friend invites him to join her A-rank guild, Nachtibelle. The new fantasy series comes to Crunchyroll January 2027.

The Vermilion Mask – Crunchyroll gives fans another look into The Vermilion Mask, coming to the platform October 2026. The series follows Peru, a pupil of the legendary mask maker Gaston Roux, becomes controlled by the “Mask of the Warrior God,” and unintentionally kills his friends, and even his own master. In order to prevent this type of tragedy from reoccurring, Peru swears to destroy all of Gaston’s masks that are spread around the world. Confronting the sins that he has committed, he embarks on his voyage.

Overgeared – Coming this year to Crunchyroll, Overgeared follows Grid, an unlucky low-level player in the popular VR game, “Satisfy,” who can’t seem to catch a break, that is, until he gets an opportunity for the S-Rank Quest that changes his life. finds a powerful item that earns him a rare legendary class title: “Pagma’s Successor" and becomes a skilled blacksmith capable of forging unique weapons and equipping the game's most powerful gear. He sets his sights on fame and fortune, but as his newfound abilities begin stirring up trouble in Satisfy, Grid learns that life as a legend may be more than he bargained for.

The panel closed out with a focus on Crunchyroll Manga. (Re-)launched in October 2025, it features over 400 titles from Japanese and American publishers including Shueisha, Square Enix, VIZ Media, Yen Press, and more. Major additions include Kodansha US Publishing titles such as Attack on Titan, Fire Force, and Fairy Tail. It was announced that from July 13, the Black Torch manga will be available to read, alongside the anime which is now streaming new episodes.

More New Arrivals: Villainess Level 99; Red Cat Ramen; Ron Kamonohashi: Deranged Detective; Forget That Night, Your Majesty; Eko Eko Azarak Reborn; Grendizer U: The Inception; Three Exorcism Siblings; and Unemployed Killers Support Group.

New Chapters This Month: Do Women Need Sex Entertainment?; Farewell, My Odin; Sanda; The Elegant Courtly; Life of the Tea Witch; The Raven Dark Hero; Toxic Super Beasts; Working for God in a Godless World; and Yan.

Ottawa International Animation Festival Reveals Feature Competition

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 11:46:51 +0000

The Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF) is one of North America's biggest animation festivals. This year it celebrates its landmark 50th edition, and does so with an expanded feature competition. OIAF has announced the seven films that will compete for the festival's top prize. Together they offer a snapshot of where feature animation is today- expansive in style, global in perspective, and increasingly driven by distinct, individual voices.

The selected works will compete for the Grand Prize For Feature Animation, to be awarded by an all-Canadian jury comprising Alisi Telengut, Lillian Chan and Luc Chamberland.

In alphabetical order, this year's competition includes:

Girlfriends Of Father (dir. Xi Chen | China)
Magic Atlas (dir. Xun Sun | China, Singapore)
O Filho da Puta (Son of a Bitch) (dirs. Erica Maradona, Tania Anaya, Otto Guerra, Sávio Leite | Brazil)
Tangles (dir. Leah Nelson | Canada, United States)
The Orbit of Minor Satellites (dir. Christopher Sullivan | United States)
『劇場版モノノ怪第三章蛇神』 (Mononoke the Movie: Chapter III – The Curse of the Serpent) (dir. Kenji Nakamura)
我々は宇宙人 (We Are Aliens) (dir. Kohei Kadowaki | Japan)

The selection includes two films from the United States, two from Japan, two from China and one each from Brazil and Singapore.

Tangles is an adaptation of the graphic novel of the same name about the author's mother's battle with Alzheimer's disease. The film features the voices of Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Abbi Jacobson and Seth Rogen, among others.

Mononoke The Movie: Chapter III_ The Curse Of The Serpent brings the acclaimed Mononoke trilogy to a close. Directed by Kenji Nakamura, the film follows the Medicine Seller as he uncovers the 150-year-old secrets of the Ōoku to confront the resentful Serpent God.

“The strength of this year’s submissions is reflected in our expanded lineup of seven films,” said OIAF artistic director Chris Robinson. “Their diversity and depth—across techniques, perspectives and voices—show how much feature animation has evolved since we introduced the competition in 2002, while offering a glimpse of where it might be heading next. It feels especially fitting as OIAF celebrates 50 years of championing distinctive animated voices.”

The festival received a record 3,026 entries for its 50th edition. The Grand Prize winner for Feature Animation will be announced live by the Jury at the OIAF Awards Ceremony on September 26 at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa.

OIAF also recently announced the selection for Animation For Platforms. Formerly the Animated Series selection, the competition has been rebranded to better reflect today's televisual landscape. Eligible entries include pilots, episodes, series, instalments and standalone shorts developed for platform-driven audiences.

“Animation made for audiences outside the traditional festival circuit has changed radically. What we once called series or television animation no longer fully describes the range of work we receive. Some of these projects are not technically series, but they share more DNA with platform-based animation than with the more eccentric independent works in our main competition,” says Chris Robinson. “Renaming the section Platform Animation is a nod to that shift — to animation now living across Netflix, YouTube, streaming services, social platforms and spaces that barely existed a generation ago. The old world of channels has largely vanished. This category reflects the new, unruly, wide-open landscape.”

Adult Swim’s The Elephant | Pendleton Ward, Ian Jones-Quartey, Rebecca Sugar, Patrick McHale, Mike L. Mayfield, Humberto Irigoyen, Remus Buznea & Kyriaki Kyriakou | United States
Glen: Wrestler | Travis Pelto, Joe Hingelberg & Shawn Golden | United States
Kevin ‘Fourth of July’ | Angelo Hatgistavrou & Sarah Seember Huisken | United States
Mating Season ‘The Truth About Canada’ | Henrique Jardim | United States
Qui on croit et pourquoi? L’injustice testimoniale (Who Do We Believe, and Why? Testimonial Injustice) | Martine Frossard | Canada
TedEd ‘Can Saunas Make You Live Longer?’ | Noam Sussman & Ali Kellner | Canada, United States

Also revealed earlier was the selection for Animation For A Young Audience, divided into 7-12, and teen audiences (13+). The winners will each be selected by a youth jury made up of Ottawa-area animation enthusiasts aged 7-12 and festival-goers aged 13 and up.

“One of my personal highlights at every OIAF is hearing the statements from the kids’ jury. Unlike the more polished, self-conscious adult juries, the kids offer wonderfully raw, unfiltered responses to the films they choose,” says Chris Robinson. “It’s both hilarious and touching to hear young minds uncover details and meanings that adults might miss. More than that, it gives kids a rare chance to develop critical thinking and to see animation as something deeper than passive screen entertainment. Hopefully, we’re encouraging the next generation of critics, programmers, and curators.”

Animation Made for Young Audiences 7-12

? | Anastasia Shtolko | Ukraine
Bats & Bugs | Leah Von Döhren | Switzerland
Candy Caries | Tomiki Misato | Japan
Dance Film | Kelly Gallagher | United States
En, ten, týky! (Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe!) | Andrea Szelesová | Czechia, Slovenia
Hondenleven (A Dog’s Life) | Sophie Olga de Jong & Sytske Kok | Netherlands
Land of No Man | Muling Tzai & Olivia Lin | United States, Taiwan
O Jardim Mágico (The Magic Garden) | Carlon Hardt & Naira Carneiro | Brazil
Owsiankowy potwór (Porridge Monster) | Izabela Plucińska | Poland, Germany, Azerbaijan
Pingvinas ir Balandis (Backstreet Birds) | Gertrūda Nemčauskaitė | Lithuania

Animation Made for Teen Audiences 13+

Birds of Paradise | Nikita Greer & Abbey Collings | USA
Blue Flavoured | Jett Ulysses | USA
Cabbage Daddy | Grace An | Canada
Dekle, ki se ni balo medvedov (The Girl Who Wasn’t Afraid of Bears) | Lea Vučko | Slovenia, Hungary, Croatia
Fish in My Stomach | Yehor Holovkov | Ukraine
La comète (The Comet) | Julie Charette | Canada
Srcolom (Heartwreck) | Luka Vucić | Croatia
The Sky Was Candy | Anh Tu Nguyen | Germany
Welcome to Starmart | Caz Shen, Vanessa Buice & Vinny Wang | United States
Wolpie Of The Woods | Kat Messing | United States

Ottawa International Animation Festival runs this year from September 23-27.

Demon Slayer Kimetsu No Yaiba: Infinity Castle Comes To Streaming and Digital

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 13:28:29 +0000

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba is one of the very biggest anime and manga franchises in the world today. Through a best-selling manga, a top-rated anime series and movies, the series has built up a huge following. The first original movie, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba The Movie- Mugen Train was a blockbuster success, becoming Japan's top-grossing film of all time. Last year, it was followed up with Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba: The Movie- Infinity Castle I- the first part of a theatrical trilogy that will bring the story to an end. The film was also very successful, proving very popular at the box-office and getting nominated for a Golden Globe. Now, the distributor Crunchyroll has finally announced that the film is coming to streaming and digital platforms.

The film will be available to subscribers worldwide, excluding Japan, mainland China and France, from July 28 at 4.00PM BST. It will be available in Japanese with subtitles and with an English dub. Additional dub languages include: Latin American Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, French, German, Italian, Castilian Spanish, Catalan, Russian, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Thai, as well as Polish voiceover. Subtitled languages include: Latin American Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, European Portuguese, French, German, Italian, Castilian Spanish, Arabic, Russian, Polish, Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, Indonesian and Melayu.

Simultaneously, the film will be available (in select territories) digitally via Apple TV, Google Play, Prime Video, YouTube and Fandango. Preorders started July 4 on select platforms. No physical release has been announced at this time.

The series follows Tanjiro Kamado, a young man who joins the Demon Slayer Corps after his sister is turned into a demon. In the new movie, Tanjiro and his cohorts are transported into the demon's stronghold- the Infinity Castle. The scene is set for the ultimate showdown between the demons and the Demon Slayer Corps. But who will come out on top?

The film is directed by Haruo Sotozaki and is produced by ufotable. The screenplay is by Koyoharu Gotouge and Hikaru Kondô. Music is by Yuki Kajiura and Go Shiina.

The film was released nearly a year ago in Japan, with the US and UK releases following last September. It went on to take $136.9 million in the US alone, and a whopping $793.4 million worldwide, making it one of the highest grossing films of 2025.

All seasons of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba and Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba- The Movie- Mugen Train are available now to stream on Crunchyroll. The manga is available to buy from Viz Media.

GKIDS Acquire The Studio Ghibli Library For UK and Ireland

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 13:39:03 +0000

GKIDS Films have been the animation fan's best friend in North America for a number of years. But now it seems that they are expanding their operations across the pond. The company has announced that they have acquired the rights to the Studio Ghibli catalogue for the United Kingdom and Ireland. They have picked up theatrical, home video, TV and digital rights. Streaming rights remain with Goodfellas, who have licensed the films to Netflix.

The rights for the films remained for many years with StudioCanal, right up to When Marnie Was There. However starting with Earwig And The Witch and The Boy And The Heron they started to be released by other distributors. It seemed clear that the long standing deal had come to an end, allowing GKIDS to step in and add the territory to their existing deal for North America.

The deal covers 23 films and includes classics such as Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, Castle In The Sky, Whisper Of The Heart, Howl's Moving Castle, My Neighbour Totoro, Only Yesterday, Ponyo and more. It's not clear if it includes The Grave Of The Fireflies (the rights for which are held separately), Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind (which is technically pre-Ghibli) or The Red Turtle (which is a co-production).

In the US, GKIDS has also released several related titles such as Spirited Away: Live On Stage, and documentaries The Never-Ending Man and The Kingdom Of Dreams and Madness. These could potentially be released (or rereleased) in the UK, too.

GKIDS will initially be bringing Hayao Miyazaki's Kiki's Delivery Service to IMAX screens in the UK and Ireland from August 21. The beloved story of a young witch tyring to make her own way in a new town will screen in a brand new 4K restoration. They are also already planning further 4K IMAX releases with Arrietty and Whisper Of The Heart lined up next to hit the (really really) big screen. There are plans for further IMAX screenings from this autumn, plus a re-release of the full library across home-video platforms. This isn't likely to include 4K UHD releases, at least in the short term, as currently the only Ghibli title available on 4K anywhere is The Boy and The Heron.

GKIDS will partner with UK-based sister company Anime Limited (both of them are now owned by TOHO Global). The two companies have previously partnered on several individual releases, including Arcane, Perfect Blue and Neon Genesis Evangelion.

“GKIDS is delighted to extend our relationship with Studio Ghibli into the U.K. and Ireland, and to have this opportunity to reintroduce these incomparable films to audiences old and new,” said David Jesteadt, president of GKIDS.

“We are very happy to be working together with Gkids to bring the renowned Studio Ghibli library to U.K. and Irish audiences,” added Vincent Maraval, president of Goodfellas.

Meanwhile, GKIDS continues to regularly rerelease Ghibli films in cinemas in the US and Canada as part of the ongoing GhibliFest. Next up, My Neighbour Totoro is in cinemas from July 11-15.

[source]

Out This Week: All You Need Is Kill, Food Wars and More

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 10:07:14 +0000

Welcome back to Out This Week. Following last week's busier spell, we're back to a more typical summer edition this week. There's only four new releases this week, led by All You Need Is Kill, the adaptation of the Japanese sci-fi novel that was previously made as Edge Of Tomorrow. Also new is a new Steelbook edition of Food Wars: The Second Plate. Rounding out the releases are two Crunchyroll Store Exclusives. Wind Breaker Season 2 and Rascal Does Not Dream Of Santa Claus.

There are no animation releases in the UK this week.

US Releases For July 7, 2026

All You Need Is Kill (GKIDS/Shout Factory, R) "After finding an unidentified plant from outer space invasion, Rita finds herself trapped in a time loop, forced to relive the same day over and over again. With each loop, she learns. She fights. Her memories and experiences sharpen her skills, turning her into a formidable warrior. Yet, the endless cycle of death and solitude begins to wear her down. Then, she meets Keiji. “I’ve been repeating this day too,” he says. Two lost souls, trapped in an endless war. Could their meeting change fate?"

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Buy From Amazon

Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma: The Second Plate Season 2 (Sentai Filmworks, TV-14) "To the astonishment of his peers and the dismay of the elitist food snobs who dominate Totsuki Culinary Academy, former diner cook Soma Yukihira has sliced, diced, and perfectly spiced his way through the first round of culinary competitions known as the Fall Elections. But will his customer pleasing skills and ability to think outside the bento box lead him to victory against the flavor-enhancing chemical warfare of the Academy director’s granddaughter? And which of the other contenders will advance in their own march for the gold? The Judges’ verdicts await in the heaping second seasoned helping of Food Wars!"

FORMATS: Blu-Ray [STEELBOOK]

Buy From Amazon

Rascal Does Not Dream Of Santa Claus [Crunchyroll Store Exclusive] (Aniplex, 13+) "In a new stage of life, with new people. A heart-swaying adolescent fantasy...Sakuta Azusagawa, Mai Sakurajima, and Miniskirt Santa. Who is this Miniskirt Santa and what does she want?"

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Buy From Crunchyroll Store

Windbreaker Season 2 [Crunchyroll Store Exclusive] (Aniplex, 13+) "Welcome to Furin High School, an institution infamous for its population of brawny brutes who solve every conflict with a show of strength. Haruka Sakura, a first-year student from out of town, is only interested in one thing: fighting his way to the top."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Buy From Crunchyroll Store

Upcoming Releases

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

Rooster Fighter Season 1 August 04

Sketch Book- Full Colors August 11

Dragon Ball Daima: Complete Series August 11

Made In Abyss August 11

Jinsei August 18

Girls Und Panzer: This Is The Real Anzio Battle August 18

Your Name 4K Steelbook August 25

Speed Racer: The Complete Series August 25

Digimon: Digital Monsters August 25

Monster Part 1 August 25

Sgt Frog: Movie Collection August 25

Tekkonkinkreet 4K September 1

Black Butler: Emerald Witch Arc September 1

Kaiju No 8. Mission Recon September 08

My Hero Academia Vigilantes September 08

Our Last Crusade or The Rise Of The New World Season 2 September 08

Suzume 4K September 08

Vampire Princess Myu September 08

Shirobako September 15

Cha0 September 22

The Dangers In My Heart Season2 September 22

Icarus October 13

Master Of Martial Hearts October 13

He-Man and the Masters Of The Universe: The Complete Series November 03

Rick and Morty: Season 9 November 03

Akira Returning To US and Canadian Cinemas In 4K and IMAX

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 14:38:45 +0000

Cinemas are a great way to watch the latest new releases. But it can also be an awesome way to watch older films the way they were intended to be seen, whether you are revisiting or experiencing it for the first time. Distributors are increasingly giving the audience the chance to watch classics in cinemas through rereleases.

Crunchyroll have announced that they will bring Akira back to select theatres in the United States and Canada this September. It will screen in 4K and IMAX, so will look better than ever before. The film is distributed by Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Few films can be said to have the impact of Katsuhiro Otomo's 1988 masterpiece. Its animation and visuals still wow nearly 40 years later and its mind-melting plot is still blowing minds. It recently received a highly successful rerelease in the UK and Ireland, taking over a million pounds and becoming one of the top-grossing UK anime releases of all time.

Crunchyroll enthuses, " iconic and game-changing, Akira is the definitive anime masterpiece! Katsuhiro Otomo's landmark cyberpunk classic obliterated the boundaries of Japanese animation and forced the world to look into the future. Akira's arrival shattered traditional thinking, creating space for future generations of ground-breaking movies."

It used to be that every anime fan had seen Akira. Now, with physical media in terminal decline and the film unavailable on streaming, that's no longer the case. This is the perfect opportunity to correct that- and there's no better way to watch it for the first time than on the big screen.

July, 1988— World War III breaks loose. Then, in 2019, in megalopolis Tokyo...
As the leader of a group of young robust delinquents, Kaneda spent his nights tearing through the urban wastes, racing his motorbike against rival groups. One night while riding with his gang, his friend Tetsuo suddenly encounters a strange boy― the product of human experimentation— and is injured in the ensuing crash. Shortly thereafter, a military squadron appears on the scene to take the boy and Tetsuo away to an army research facility. Determined to free Tetsuo from capture, Kaneda sneaks into the army research lab. However, a regimen of extreme experimental procedures has awakened a new power in his friend, and now he is consumed by madness…

Akira will screen with both English dub and in Japanese with subtitles. Check with your venue for details. The film will open on September 4, 2026.

Anime Classics Coming To Disney+ In the UK, Ireland and France

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 11:05:53 +0000

Anime is one of the hottest commodities in the streaming market. But when you think of where to go to watch it, it's unlikely that the first name that comes to mind is Disney Plus. That could be changing, however, as the Mouse House's streaming service has a growing library of Japanese animation. And now, Disney has signed a deal with one of the world's foremost anime distributors to bring a selection of the most acclaimed anime movies of all time to the service.

The deal between Disney Plus and Toho International-owned Anime Limited will see the films stream to subscribers in the United Kingdom, Ireland and France. They include films from such filmmakers as Makoto Shinkai, Mamoru Hosoda, Naoko Yamada and Satoshi Kon. Several of the films are making their UK streaming debut, while others have been available on other streaming services in the past.

Titles will include Your Name, Weathering With You, Mirai, Belle, Wolf Children, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Ghost In The Shell 2 and Perfect Blue. A Silent Voice and the iconic classic Akira will stream exclusively in the UK and Ireland, while the rest of the slate will also be available in France.

Lauren Tempest, Head of content planning and partnerships, DTC at the Walt Disney Company, said: “Anime is a powerful global storytelling force – resonating deeply with audiences around the world, including in key markets like the U.K. and France where fan communities continue to expand. We’re committed to meeting the audience where they are and making Disney+ the home of beloved anime storytelling – bringing culture, community and must-watch stories to one destination.”

Karl Holmes, General Manager Disney Plus EMEA added: “Anime fans have a handful of films they always come back to and love sharing, and this collection brings many of those favourites together. It’s easy to see why they’re so loved. Created by some of anime’s greatest storytellers, these films have inspired fans for years with unforgettable characters and extraordinary worlds. We can’t wait for our customers in the U.K. and France to discover them on Disney+.”

Kerry Kasim, co-managing director of Anime Limited said: “Fresh off the back of Annecy Film Festival, anime remains one of the most compelling storytelling mediums for audiences today. We’re overjoyed to make Disney+ the home of such strong story-led features from some of anime’s brightest lights. French, British and Irish fans are in for a treat.”

The films will be available this summer. Specific premiere dates are to be announced at a later date.

[source]

Watch This: Gotta Go!

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 13:29:51 +0000

A lot of the American animation produced over the past 30 years or so has been inspired by anime. Japanese animation's stylish visuals and kinetic animation have inspired generations of animators. Now Make Originals have made their first anime-inspired cyberpunk short, Gotta Go!

Gotta Go! is an anime-inspired short that pays homage to the films that inspired its artists, while reinterpreting their visual language through a contemporary creative lens. Blending hand-drawn 2D animation with stylised 3D backgrounds, the film captures the cinematic energy of classic anime without simply recreating it.

The project marks Make's first foray into anime-inspired animation, and their first collaboration with DeeDee Animation Studio. It's also their first film to be released simultaneously across YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok, ensuring audiences can watch it wherever they are.

Director and lead animator Joshua Schneider said ""Gotta Go! gave us the opportunity to explore a visual style we'd admired for years but had never tackled ourselves. Rather than recreating classic anime frame for frame, we wanted to capture what made those films so unforgettable and reinterpret those ideas through our own creative lens."

Executive Producer Danny Robashkin added: ""At the end of the day, we just want to make content people genuinely enjoy watching. MAKE Originals gives us the freedom to create stories purely for entertainment while sharing the artists, styles, and ideas that define our studio. We hope Gotta Go! leaves people wanting to see what we make next."

Gotta Go! features a typically bad-ass female lead, on the run for unknown reasons. The combination of 2D animation and 3D environments allows for dynamic camera movement and angles, combined with the expressive possibility of hand-drawn animation. Add in a pumping synth soundtrack and it all makes for an exhilarating minute and a half. It's funny too, with visual gags abound in the backgrounds. And it all leads up to a very funny reveal that finally makes clear the significance of the title.

Also Worth Watching...

Make Originals also recently released a short making-of documentary, detailing the production of their hit series Sunny Side Down. The 14-minute doc features interviews from the artists, directors, writers and producers who helped bring the six-episode series to life.

What makes the project unique is that it was self-funded by the studio through its commercial work. It allowed them to make an original series while continuing to serve clients. Since launching in October 2025, the series has received more than 1.5 million views across the six episodes, culminating in the final episode in April 2026.

The doc offers a rare look at how an independent studio developed, financed, and produced an original animated series outside of the traditional network and streaming model.

Not Alone Teaser Trailer Makes First Contact

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 11:06:34 +0000

Fresh from its announcement at Annecy Festival last week, Illumination's new film Not Alone has got its first trailer. The film is the studio's latest original feature, and is due to be released next Spring.

The film features Oscar-nominated actor Timothée Chalamet in his debut animation role, and Selina Gomez in an animated rom-com with a twist.

Chamalet voices Joe, an introverted rocket mechanic. Gomez voices Fran, a brilliant astro-botanist who is developing the world's first plant-fuelled rocket. When they meet, it's love at first sight, but neither is all that experienced in the world of romance.

Joe's quiet existence is soon disrupted when three diminutive extraterrestrials decide to take refuge in his house. Dunk, Welly and Shirm are fugitives on the run from Zandro, an overzealous but useless officer of the law who is determined to track them down. The trio think that the secret of their escape could lie in Fran's rocket...

The aliens are voiced by British comedy stars Rob Brydon (The Trip), Diane Morgan (aka Philomena Cunk) and Jamie Demetriou (Stath Lets Flats) as Dunk, Welly and Shirm, with Brett Goldstein (Ted Lasso) as Zandro. The supporting voice cast includes Alison Janney and Lamorne Morris.

Not Alone is directed by Eric Guillon, Claire Dodgson and Jonathan Del Val. Guillon was co-director of Despicable Me 3, and was also the designer on the Despicable Me and Minions series, as well as doing additional design work on the Secret Life Of Pets and Sing movies. Dodgson was an editor on The Lorax, Minions, Despicable Me 3 and Minions: The Rise of Gru. Del Val co-directed Minions: The Rise Of Gru and The Secret Life Of Pets 2.

The film is produced by Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri and executive produced by Joy Poirel, Richard Curtis and David Distenfeld. The involvement of Curtis is particularly noteworthy: the writer of such films as Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill and Love Actually, he has a strong background in romantic comedy. Combined with the large contingent of Brit comedians among the cast, the film looks set to have a unique flavour (with a u).

The trailer concentrates mainly on the meet-cute between Joe and Fran, only introducing the aliens towards the end. We see enough of them to know that they will bring some Minion-esque chaos to proceedings, however. This is looking like another charmer from Illumination.

Not Alone will be released in cinemas on April 16, 2027.