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

I'm Living With An Otaku NEET Kunoichi!? Complete Collection (MVM Entertainment, 15) "Having Samurai blood may be a status symbol in Japan, but as businessman Tsukasa Atsumi discovers, it also makes one a target for demonic attacks. Fortunately, he’s rescued by ninja Shizuri Ideura, who specializes in fighting demons, so the two decide to form a contract wherein she’ll move in to provide 24-7 anti-demon coverage. It’s not like hiring a maid service, though, as Shizuri is also an otaku shut-in who’d rather spend her time playing videogames and lazing about the house than fading into the background. However, given that she’s also uber-adorable, just how far away can the romantic complications be in I'm Living with an Otaku NEET Kunoichi!?"

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Kaiju No. 8: Mission Recon (Crunchyroll, 15) "A group of Defence Force volunteers come together to try to defeat an army of ruthless Kaiju."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray Steelbook

Perfect Blue (Anime Ltd., 18) "Pop star Mima, her fame and fortune beginning to slide as fashions change, is persuaded to turn actress, reluctantly accepting an ill-defined role in a television soap opera. However, Mima's grip on reality begins to loosen as a result; she imagines that she has an identical twin who has maintained a singing career, and becomes increasingly paranoid after her friends are either threatened or killed. Can Mima unravel the truth before she is driven completely over the edge?" Our Review.

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Toy Story 5 4K (Disney, PG) "Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and the rest of the gang's jobs get exponentially harder when they go head to head with an all new threat to playtime: technology."

FORMATS: 4K UHD Steelbook

US Releases For October 20, 2026

Adventure Time The Complete Series (Warner Bros, TV-PG) "A 12-year-old boy and his best friend, a wise 28-year-old dog with magical powers, go on a series of surreal adventures with each other in a remote future."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Bill Plympton's The Tune (Deaf Crocodile Films, UR) "Del is a songwriter for the obnoxious Mr. Mega, and in love with Didi, Mega's secretary. His quest to write a hit tune brings him to the wacky world of Flooby Nooby, where he just might learn to write songs from the heart."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Dr. Stone: Science Future Season Four, Part Two (Crunchyroll, TV-14) "The Kingdom of Science is on the run as they head to South America with their hostage, Dr. Xeno. But Stanley and his crew are on their trail. Now, Senku and company must dig deep to outmaneuver the determined marksman and find the origin of petrification."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

I Was Reincarnated as The 7th Prince So I Can Take My Time Perfecting My Magical Ability Season Two (Crunchyroll, TV-14) "Without royal lineage, even the most skilled mage struggles with spell casting. But after sudden death, a passionate sorcerer is reborn as Lloyd, the seventh prince. Now with his knowledge and royal blood, Lloyd will master all that magic has to offer."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Is It Wrong To Try To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon? Complete Collection (Sentai Filmworks, TV-MA) "Most adventurers come to the Orario Dungeon seeking fame and fortune. Bell Cranel came because his grandfather told him rescuing girls was a great way to meet them. Unfortunately, Bell keeps getting in over his head, so when he does cross paths with his ideal “Dungeon Babe,” she’s the one who ends up rescuing him. All of which is made even more awkward by the constant and ample attentions of his patron goddess, Hestia, who, since he’s currently the ONLY member of her Familia, has a massive surplus of available “nurturing” time in Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?" Our Review (S1)

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Kaiju No 8: Season One (Crunchyroll, TV-14) "Kafka Hibino dreams of joining the Defense Force and facing the giant monsters of Japan. Too bad this dreamer is stuck on kaiju cleanup duty. Yet, inspired by his young coworker, he enlists one more time. Just one problem - Kafka has turned into a Kaiju?!"

FORMATS: Blu-Ray Steelbook

My Hero Academia: Season Seven (Crunchyroll, TV-14) "The heroes lose a powerful ally from the West before launching a strategy to separate the villains. Deku scrambles to reach Shigaraki as All For One rewinds to a powerful state. Battles rage, and the world changes thanks to the emotions of one girl."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray Walmart Exclusive

One Piece Collection 40 (Crunchyroll, TV-14) "Roger and Whitebeard face off, and Oden joins Roger's journey to the island at the end of the Grand Line. Returning to the Land of Wano, Oden discovers Orcochi's treachery and makes the ultimate sacrifice to save his country. Back in the present time, Kin'emon and his samurai begin the raid on Onigashima, only to learn their plan was leaked. The Sunny joins the fight, but a spy kidnaps Momonosuke!"

FORMATS: Blu-Ray Walmart Exclusive

Puella Magi Madoka Magica The Movie Trilogy 4K (Aniplex, 13+) "Puella Magi Madoka Magica follows the story of a 14 year old girl named Madoka Kaname. Madoka is offered the opportunity of gaining magical powers if she agrees to make a contract with a strange little being named Kyubey, Kyubey will also grant Madoka one wish, but in exchange she shall risk her life by accepting the responsibilities of fighting witches."

FORMATS: 4K UHD Crunchyroll Store Exclusive

Buy From Crunchyroll

The Quick Draw McGraw Show The Complete Series (Warner Bros, UR) "The adventures of Quick Draw McGraw, the bumbling horse sheriff of a lawless Western town"

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Regular Show The Complete Series (Warner Bros, TV-PG) "The daily surreal adventures of a blue jay and raccoon duo that attempt to deal with their mundane jobs as groundskeepers at the local park."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Reincarnated As A Dragon Hatchling: Complete Collection (Sentai Filmworks, TV-14) "Being reincarnated into a strange new world is scary enough, but being reborn inside an egg is even worse, as just about everything loves to eat eggs. With only hazy memories of his previous human life to guide him, our reborn hero must now rely on a mysterious Divine Voice to help him grow out of his shell and into a fearsome dragon! Unfortunately, that path keeps going astray as misunderstandings cause him to evolve into the worst possible forms for interacting with humans! And that’s going to be a huge problem, as he’s been becoming increasingly attracted to a beautiful human magic user ever since he was Reincarnated as a Dragon Hatchling!"

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated The Complete Series (Warner Bros, UR) "Scooby-Doo and the gang attempt to solve creepy mysteries in the town of Crystal Cove, a place with a history of eerie supernatural events."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

South Park The Complete 27th and 28th Seasons (Paramount Pictures, TV-MA) "SOUTH PARK returns for its critically acclaimed 27th and 28th seasons! Join Stan, Kyle, Cartman, and Kenny, plus the surprise return of Jesus, our savior as everyone prepares for Satan and the President to welcome their love child, the Antichrist. If that's not enough, they must also content with the end of woke culture, combat the scourge of AI slop, learn disturbing lessons about crypto and face the threat of South Park's imminent cancellation. For them, it's all a part of growing up in South Park!"

FORMATS: DVD

Speed Racer: The Complete Series (Shout Factory, UR) "Teenager Gô Mifune aspires to be the world's best race-car champion with the help of his friends, family and his father's high-tech race-car, the Mach 5."

FORMATS: DVD Walmart Exclusive

Trolls: Ultimate Collection 3 Movies + 3 TV Specials (Universal Studios, PG) "Rock out with Poppy, Branch, and the rest of your favorites with the Trolls: Ultimate Collection. You can't stop the music with over five hours of happiness featuring the blockbuster films Trolls, Trolls World Tour and Trolls Band Together, as well as the festive television specials Trolls Holiday and Trolls Holiday in Harmony. The musical fun continues with "Dance Party Mode," "Trolls Dance Academy," a sing-along version of Trolls Band Together, and many more bonus features that will have you singing and dancing along over and over again!"

FORMATS DVD

Upcoming Releases

Arcane: League Of Legends Season 2 4K October 26 [UK]

Boys Go To Jupiter October 26

Gurren Lagann: The Movie 4K October 26 [UK]

Mr Benn Ultimate Collection 4K October 26 [UK]

Sailor Moon October 26 [UK]

The Big-O: The Complete Paradigm October 27

Digimon: Digital Monsters Season 4 (Digimon Frontier) October 27

Lupin III: Part 2 October 27

Outlanders October 27

Penguindrum: TV Series Collection October 27

Roswell Conspiracies October 27

Sword Of The Demon Hunter October 27

Toradora! The Complete Series October 27

Avatar: Aang The Last Airbender November 03

Dr Seuss: Classic TV Treasures November 3

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

K-Pop Demon Hunters November 03

Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid: Season One November 03

Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid: Season Two November 03

Rick and Morty: Season 9 November 03

Shrek 4K November 03

Violence Voyager November 09 [UK]

Coyote Vs ACME November 09 [UK]

The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 November 10

Call Of The Night Season 2 November 10

Hayop-Ka November 10

Sakon The Ventriloquist November 10

Jujutsu Kaisen: Hidden Inventory and The Premature Death: The Movie November 10

Kids On The Slope: Complete Collection November 10

My Dress-Up Darling: Season 1 November 10

Naruto Shippuden: Set 12 November 10

Overlord Season 4 November 10

Transformers The Movie 4K: 40th Anniversary Edition November 10

Girls Und Panzer Das Finale: Part 4 November 16 [UK]

Paw Patrol The Dino Movie November 16 [UK]

Wallace and Gromit: Vengenace Most Fowl 4K/Blu-Ray November 16 [UK]

Animal Farm 4K (1954) November 23 [UK]

Sakamoto Days Season 1 Part 2 Novemebr 23 [UK]

Argento Soma November 24

The Dangers In My Heart Season 2 November 24

Digimon: Digital Monsters Season 4 (Japanese Version) November 24

Digimon: Digital Monsters Season 3 (Japanese Version) November 24

Dusk Beyond The End Of The World November 24

Lupin the III: Zenigata and The Two Lupins November 24

Pani Poni Dash November 24

Patlabor The Mobile Police: Complete TV Series November 24

Pokemon: 24 Movie Collection November 24

Samurai Girls & Samurai Bride November 24

Ultraforce November 24

The Yogi Bear Show: Complete Collection November 24

Ghost In The Shell 4K [Steelbook] November 30 [UK]

Sailor Moon R November 30 [UK]

100 Meters December 1

Coyote Vs Acme December 1

A Gatherer's Adventures In Isekai December 1

Kakuriyo: Bed & Breakfast For Spirits Season 2 December 1

One Piece Season 14 Voyage 11 December 1

Pass The Monster Meat Milady December 1

Tex Avery: Definitive Collection December 1

Tex Avery Screwball Classics December 1

Tojima Wants To Be A Kamen Rider December 1

Trigun Stampede (Steelbook) December 1

Gungrave Complete Series December 7 [UK]

Campfire Cooking In Another World With My Absurd Skills Season 2 December 8

City: The Animation December 14 [UK]

City : The Animation December 15 (GKIDS Store Exclusive)

Drucker In The Dugout December 15

No Game No Life Complete Collection December 15

Roy From Space December 15

Sailor Moon S December 29 [UK]

AD Police 4K January 12

My Status as an Assassin Obviously Exceeds the Hero's January 12

May I Ask For One Final Thing? January 19

Sailor Moon SuperS January 25 [UK]

Attack On Titan The Movie: The Last Attack January 26

Let This Grieving Soul Retire January 26

Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender 4k February 09

Sailor Moon: Sailor Stars February 22 [UK]

Dang! [Season 1] (2026)

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 14:22:45 +0000

It's not often that a concept that began life in live-action gets switched into animation. But that is just what happened with Dang! the new adult animated comedy created by Andrew Law. Law was developing the idea while working as a writer on The Good Place. When he took his project to Netflix, the streamer suggested he redevelop it for animation. And the rest is history.

Dang! is created by Andrew Law and directed by Anthony Chun. It's written by Law, Sabrina Wu, Lawrence Dai, Taryn Engelhart, Jennifer Kim, Matt Murray, Samantha Rily and Chris Schleicher. Producers include Law, Murray, Schleicher, Alan Yang, Chris Prynoski and sitcom super-producer Michael Schur (The Good Place, The Office (US), Parks and Recreation, Brooklyn Nine-Nine). The series is animated by Titmouse Inc in partnership with South Korean studio Yearim. The series debuted on Netflix on September 8, 2026.

The voice cast features Andrew Law himself as Andrew Dang, Poppy Liu as Eunice Dang and Stephanie Hsu (Everything Everywhere All At Once) as Ruthie Dang. It also features Edi Patterson, Jared Goldstein, Al Roberts, SungWon Cho, Joel Kim Booster, Margaret Cho, Chloe Kim, Phil LaMarr, Sabrina Wu and Chrissy Teigen.

The eight-episode first season follows the Dang siblings. Asian-American twenty-something brother and sister Andrew and Eunice are living a hedonistic lifestyle in New York City. But it's disrupted by the arrival of their older, favoured by their parents, sister Ruthie. Her apparently perfect life has been thrown into chaos when she blew up her marriage and got pregnant by her boss. Her subsequent decision to move to the Big Apple was not what Andrew and Eunice wanted to hear. And hilarity ensues- or does it?

Dang! distinguishes itself pretty well from the jump in its basic concept. There simply aren't that many adult animation series that feature young adults at the centre. Which is weird when you think about the audiences who primarily consume this stuff. Aside from Dang! there's only really JG Quintel's Close Enough, but Warner Bros decided to delete it from streaming so you can't watch it any more. Not only does is depict life as a twenty-something, but it also shows life as an Asian-American, and as a person in the LGBTQ+ community. Not many series can claim that.

The series is very much focused on the central trio. Andrew (neurotic, gay, sacked from his own start-up) is the de facto lead, with easily the most screen time. Eunice (free-spirited, self-absorbed, makes streaming videos of her feet for weirdos) gets the second most, with Ruthie (snobbish, condescending, pregnant) definitely getting the least. The relationship between the siblings is the heart of the show. Andrew and Eunice are depicted as best friends as well as brother and sister. Their love for each other is clear, even if it's not said out loud. The relationship with Ruthie is more frosty, but it begins to thaw when she realises she's not so different from them after all, and has made many mistakes of her own.

Andrew's sexuality is important in the series, but it's just depicted as part of his character. It's not made into a big deal; nobody treats it as anything out of the ordinary, and it rarely has much of an impact on the plot. This is not Q-Force, Netflix's last attempt at gay representation in animation. Andrew references his many hookups with random men, but we don't see much evidence of it on screen. There's nothing explicit here. Eunice is also implied to be bisexual, or at least sexually fluid. The only time we really witness it is in a fantasy sequence with Paramore's Hailey Williams.

When the trailer for the series was first released online, there were complaints from some on social media that it leaned on Asian stereotypes. There don't seem to have been many protests since the series was released, and it really doesn't seem to have been a problem in the finished. The Dang family doesn't conform much to any stereotype of Asians that I've ever encountered- although Ruthie is closer to it, if anything. Unless, of course, there are well-known stereotypes that I've never heard of. The creator, main actors and the majority of the writing staff are all Asian-American, and they are able to draw on their own real lived experiences without resorting to cliché.

In the world of adult animation, Dang! is one of the better looking shows. Never falling into the trap that adult animation equals ugly, it looks decent consistently. Clean, well-designed and slickly animated, it's easy on the eye. Titmouse are extremely adept at doing this sort of thing and Dang! is just the latest example. The show also has a really well-designed title sequence, with the Dang siblings riding a subway car and encountering the citizens of New York.

Despite all this, it could be moot if the show wasn't actually funny. And that, of course, is in the eye of the beholder. In this particular beholder's view: Dang! is pretty funny. Sharply written, smart and sometimes savage, it's consistently well written. Although it never really reaches hilarious, it's never less than enjoyably amusing. Excellent performances from the voice cast too, with the three siblings doing a particularly fine job.

Dang! arrives as a very polished, extremely confident first season. And confident they should be, as it's an impressive piece of work. Hopefully, this will translate into audiences, and its focus doesn't make it too niche. It would certainly be a shame if we didn't get to spend more time with the chaotic Dang family.

FORMAT: SERIES AVAILABLE ON: STREAMING FROM: NETFLIX RATING: TV-MA [US] 15[UK] RUNNING TIME : 27 mins aprox X 8 episodes

WATCH NOW | POWERED BY JUSTWATCH JustWatc 6 JustWatch

IN A NUTSHELL:
Would you beleive it? Andrew Law's comedy is pretty Dang good.

★★★☆☆

Titmouse Animate 'Street Fighter' (2026) Movie Flashbacks

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 10:31:00 +0000

Live-action video game adaptations have been notoriously ropey. Tomb Raider, Super Mario Bros (1993), Assassin's Creed, Doom, Hitman, basically everything that Uwe Boll directed- the list goes on. But more recently, their reputation has begun to improve with films like Detective Pikachu, the new Mortal Kombat movies and the new Resident Evil reboot. Considered to be one of the worst video game movies is Street Fighter (1994), starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, Kylie Minogue, and the late, great Raul Julia. Hollywood figured it was about time that they had another crack at adapting this most legendary of fighting game franchises for the big screen. Street Fighter (2026) is in cinemas now.

Street Fighter the video game first hit arcades in 1987. It introduced the iconic characters, friends and rivals Ryu and Ken, among the roster of Capcom's first one-on-one fighting game. But it would be the 1991 sequel, Street Fighter II: The World Warrior that would really become a worldwide phenomenon that introduced the heroes and villains we know and love. The first movie was actually based on the second game, as was the anime feature Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie. It looks like the 2026 movie takes most of its cues from the sequel too, with the featured warriors reflecting that fact.

Director Kitao Sakurai seems to be a genuine fan of the franchise. Visually, it seems to have been transported straight out of the games. It will be a nostalgia trip for those who grew up with the game or its subsequent sequels, with plenty of martial-arts action for action fans. One of the most interesting decisions that Sakurai made, however, was to include animated sequences throughout the film.

The narrative features flashbacks that reveal the backstory of Ryu and Ken. These segments are told through 2D animation with an anime influence. The flashbacks are produced in digital hand-drawn animation by the renowned animation studio Titmouse. The decision to use traditional animation rather than CG is intended to add to the film's retro feel. The film is set in 1993, and the flashbacks take place even earlier. The style is influenced by 90s Japanese animation. "Our use of animation in this film is really a homage to anime and the true spirit of the game" said Sakurai.

The character designs are familiar to their classic looks, while also modelled on the film's actors. Action scenes are based on the choreography of the film's live-action action choreographer. But the flashbacks also delve into Ryu and Ken's emotional history.

The animated segments should add to the enjoyment of what should be a nostalgic and thrilling experience for fans. Live-action films rarely employ animation, but this has to be one of the most fitting uses for it in years.

Street Fighter is directed by Kitao Sakurai and written by Sakurai and TJ Fixman. It stars Noah Centineo, Andrew Koji, Callina Liang, David Dastmalchian, Andrew Schulz, Jason Momoa, Cody Rhodes, Eric Andre, 50 Cent, Don Lee, Mel Jarnson, Orville Peck, Hirooki Goto, Vidyut Jammwal and Olivier Richters. It's produced by Paramount Pictures and Legendary in association with Capcom. The film is in cinemas now.

You can get a taste of the animated sequences and learn the story behind them in a featurette released by Paramount. You can check it out, below. Hadoken!

Solo CG Animated Short 'Machines Learning' Screens At Festivals

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 19:00:00 +0000

So, you've made your animated short. There are a couple of different routes you can take. You could release it online, reaching the largest potential audience. Or you could submit it to festivals first, with the possibility of winning awards, and putting your film in the spotlight. Many animators choose the latter, submitting their film to both film and animation festivals around the world. One filmmaker who is going that route is Anthony Koithra.

Koithra first appeared on our radar with his Rogue Squadron Star Wars / Top Gun fan film a while back. We were impressed with its spectacular visuals, which were created almost entirely using Epic Games' software Unreal Engine. Now, he's back with a new, more ambitious sci-fi short.

Machines Learning was created almost entirely solo by Koithra over the course of two years. During the production, he even found time to develop two additional film projects, now in pre-production and the Locodrome suite of character animation tools. Like the Rogue Squadron film, it was rendered primarily using Unreal Engine, with additional work done using Blender, Adobe Substance 3D and DaVinci Resolve.

One other individual was involved in the production. Koithra brought on composer Tyson Cazier to provide the film's score. This is the first time he has worked with a composer. Cazier created an electronic-fused score that sprung from Koithra's prompt that he wanted it to sound like "an industrial Tim Burton movie".

Machines Learning features a hapless lone worker in a futuristic robot factory. He must try to prevent disaster, as the machines seem to be developing a mind of their own. While it's something of a classic sci-fi story, it also could hardly be more timely in the age of AI. It shows us humanity vs robots, but also depicts corporate culture. The worker is just a drone, under the thumb of his unseen capitalist overlords. Whether it's a warning to avoid being overrun by technology, or a plea to be nicer to robots, we can't say. But it is definitely a remarkable piece of work, with slick animation and polished visuals. It's undoubtedly impressive that this was produced by one person, and can stand proud next to work made by much larger teams.

The film had its first festival screening in New York on October 4. Next, the film will be screening at Newport Beach Film Festival in California on October 17. Then it will be screened at the Academy Award-qualifying San Jose International Short Film Festival on October 24. Additional festival dates may be added at a later date.

If you can't make it to one of the festivals for reasons of timing. finance or geography, then worry not. Once the film has finished its festival run, it will be released online. In the meantime, you can check out the trailer below.

Visit Locodrome's official websit e, YouTube Channel and Instagram.

HBO Orders 'Merrick & Treves' From The Creators of 'Archer'

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 10:00:14 +0000

Just last week we were speculating how the Skydance merger would impact animation. Would it change the way Warner Bros. operates? It turns out we didn't have to wait long to find out. The first animated series has been commissioned under the new ownership, which is quite encouraging. And it's a new animated comedy for adults.

The new commission comes from HBO, which is owned by Warner Bros, and so in turn is now part of the Skydance empire. Note that it's HBO proper- the original network, not streamer HBO Max- who have made the order. They rarely dip a toe into animation, let alone adult animation, so it suggests they think they have found something special. The new series comes from the makers of the FX series Archer and Adult Swim's Frisky Dingo.

Adam Reed, Casey Willis and Lucky Yates are co-creators and executive producers of the new series. Reed was the original creator of Archer, which ran for 145 episodes between 2009 and 2023. Willis and Yates were producers on the series, and Yates also appeared in the show as Dr Krieger.

The new series goes by the title Merrick & Treves, and it has one hell of a pitch. The show is a period comedy that follows Queen Victoria's top-secret Royal Temporal Constabulary. So, we're talking Victorian time cops. How fun is that? The series will follow "a team of unlikely heroes as they voyage back and forth through time in an effort to stop Jack the Ripper.”

Will the reunion of Archer talent mean that the series will resemble Reed's spy comedy? Will it have the same visual style? The trio could employ much of the creative staff from the earlier series. Maybe we'll even get to see H. Jon Benjamin doing his best Cockney accent. Or perhaps they'll take a completely fresh approach. It remains to be seen, but we'll be excited to find out.

“Adam, Casey, and Lucky are exceptional comedic talents whom we have admired for years,” said Amy Gravitt, executive VP of HBO programming and head of HBO & HBO Max comedy series. “We couldn’t be more excited to team up with them to bring the wholly original Merrick & Treves to HBO audiences.”

“The three of us are beyond excited to have found a home for Merrick & Treves at HBO,” added Reed, Willis and Yates. “We can’t wait to start working with the creative team behind so many of our favourite shows. It’s actually quite daunting, now that we think about it. Like, holy shit, y’all. HBO.“

In a display of confidence in the show, HBO have handed it a two-season order from the jump. Given how rarely HBO produces animation, it really does suggest that the network is expecting great things.

Adam Reed, Casey Willis and Lucky Yates are co-creators and executive producers. Joel Beglieter of TFC Productions will also executive produce, with Kelly Wu as co-executive producer.

There is no word just yet on when the series will be released. With the series just announced, it'll probably be quite a while. Now, if only we had a time machine...

Watch This: Yogurtwurld: The Pilot

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 23:00:00 +0000

These are tough times for the mainstream animation industry. While blockbusters make a billion, animators face job cuts, the looming threat of AI and work is hard to come by. Meanwhile, the independent scene is thriving. Indie animators and small studios are producing work on their own terms and releasing it, often for free on platforms like YouTube. Some of these creators are producing pilots, like in the old days of linear television. They can be useful to try and secure funding to produce more, or just to try and gauge if there is an audience for the series. One recently released example is Yogurtwurld: The Pilot, now available on YouTube.

Yogurtwurld follows a pair of teens working a minimum wage job in a Yogurt Shop (named Yogurtwurld, naturally). It combines a bizarre twist on working in retail/service with whimsical fantasy as Yoyo and Gurt stumble across a portal to another world in the freezer. After falling into the mysterious world, they encounter a metric tonne of adorable bunnies and the friendly giant Farmer John.

The pilot has a fresh and unique visual style. It's a little bit Bee and PuppyCat, a touch of Steven Universe and more than a hint of Adventure Time, while remaining very much its own thing. Sharp character designs, slick animation and gorgeous backgrounds mean that this is a visual treat from start to finish. Beautifully drawn still images punctuate the scenes, making for a singular style.

It's not just a pretty face either. The characters are likeable and engaging. The story is entertaining, and not just the bit set on another planet. Anyone who has ever worked in a public-facing job will probably find the Yogurt shop scenes to be pretty relatable. Musically, the pilot impresses, with a brilliantly raw musical number at a pivotal point, and a very catchy song over the closing credits.

The pilot was the first production of indie collective Rollingstars Studio. It was created and directed by the super-talented duo of Cheska Odulio and Maia Hager, and animated by a team of independent animators from around the world. Asians In Animation founder Lexie Chu is executive producer and also voices the character of Yoyo. Sufyan Mahmud plays Gurt, and Chris Elridge voices additional characters. It also stars Lucia Martinez, Captain Awesome and Olive Zalevsky, who provides Yoyo's singing voice.

There's no word on when we might hope to return to Yogurtwurld, but the pilot has been well received, racking up an impressive 156,974 views so far. It's recommended that you follow Rollingstar's Instagram page for updates on the series and for behind the scenes goodies.

NYCC: Crunchyroll Preview Upcoming Anime

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 17:00:00 +0000

New York ComicCon is a mecca for all things geeky. New York's nerds and pop culture lovers gather to celebrate the things they love and get the latest news. Anime fans are pretty well served these days. Every October, they can rely on Crunchyroll to attend and present one of their trademark industry panels. It's just one of many panels they put on every year at shows and conventions around the world. The panels feature new series announcements and updates on previously revealed shows.

Sekiro: No Defeat is an adaptation of the video game Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice from FromSoftware. The fully hand-drawn animated series will feature plenty of shinobi action to please fans of the game. Animation comes from Qzil.la, with Kadokawa and Arch on board as producers. The eight-episode first season will stream exclusively on Crunchyroll from January 2027. Attendees got the chance to check out a world-exclusive clip.

Also based on a hit game, Ghost Of Tsushima Legends was also previewed in a new work-in-progress trailer. Produced by Hayate in collaboration with Aniplex and PlayStation Productions, the series will bring Sucker Punch's Japanese mythology-inspired action game to animated life. Takanobu Mizuno (Star Wars: Visions: The Duel) is series director, with anime veteran Gen Urobuchi handling story composition and co-writing the script with Renji Oki. Takashi Okazaki is character designer. The series is being animated by Kamikaze Douga. The panel also included the reveal of new cast members, including Mayumi Saco and Shinya Fukumatsu. It was also announced that the series has been delayed and will now debut in 2028 exclusively on Crunchyroll.

Crunchyroll also announced that they are partnering with Hayate and Line Digital Frontier Corporation, a subsidiary of Webtoon, to co-produce a slate of animated adaptations of a selection of Webtoon titles. Under the agreement, the three companies will collaborate on the potential development of around 15 titles from the popular webcomic platform. Hayate will lead development and production in association with Line Digital and Crunchyroll. Crunchyroll will exclusively stream any series that come out of this partnership. Additionally, they shared trailers for three upcoming Webtoon-based anime: The Remarried Empress, Teenage Mercenary and The Boxer.

New Series

EAT-MAN: First look of EAT-MAN, a new anime adaptation of the 1997 series, following Bolt Crank, an enigmatic “explorer”, a mercenary who takes on dangerous jobs that meet his own moral standards. Known as one of the best explorers around, Bolt has a unique ability: he can eat anything and later reproduce it completely intact and functional.

Here U Are: Worldwide premiere trailer for Here U Are. 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.

Everyone's Darling Has a Secret: Marked for a January 2027 premiere, this anime made its next big reveal with the world premiere trailer. Previously announced alongside the key art, the romantic comedy follows Hizashi Hiruno, a freshman at a super elite high school, who has just finished his first academic proficiency test of the year. He anxiously awaits the results, which will set the tone for his next three years at school. But due to a mistake on his answer sheet, he receives an abysmal score and gets sent to remedial lessons! If there's one silver lining, he’s not the only one and his comrade could be the girl of his dreams?!

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Magical Buffs: The Support Caster is Stronger Than He Realised!: A new trailer and key art offered fans a closer look at Magical Buffs, arriving next year. The anime is produced by J.C. Staff (Toradora!, Honey Lemon Soda), with music by Yuki Hayashi (My Hero Academia, Haikyu!!), Luke Standridge, and Asa Taylor. The showcase also delivered a special surprise for fans, revealing that global music powerhouse LiSA will perform the anime’s opening theme song. The series follows Wim Strauss, a skilled support mage, who, after being expelled from his guild for overshadowing its leader, gets a second chance when his childhood friend invites him to join her A-rank guild, Nachtibelle.

Berserk of Gluttony Season 2: Fate Graphite is back! A sneak peek into season 2 where Fate continues to wield the unparalleled power of Gluttony, the ability to devour the skills and stats of anyone he kills. After surviving countless deadly battles alongside Greed, his black sword and trusted companion, Fate finally returns to the royal capital. Once one of the have nots, shunned and looked down upon, Fate has never forgotten what it was like to live at the very bottom. Now, he takes a new step forward as a Holy Knight. But an even greater battle awaits him, one that will lead him closer to the truth behind their world. Now, Fate’s destiny begins to move once more.

The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn't a Guy at All: The story follows a fashionable, rock music loving high schooler who falls for a mysterious worker at a local CD shop. Directed by the director of Horimiya, with character designs by the character designer of Oshi no Ko; cast includes Mariya Ise (Killua, Hunter x Hunter) and Akari Kito (Nezuko, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba).

NYCC: Marvel Animation Bringing More Marvel Zombies, X-Men '97 and Spider-Man

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 10:04:04 +0000

Not so long ago, Marvel was on top of the world. Their movies and series were the dominant force in popular culture. Post Avengers Endgame, they have released a series of films and shows that haven't attracted the same size of audience that they used to. Is it down to the dreaded 'superhero fatigue' that some critics have been diagnosing? Perhaps, but it's done nothing to dent the box-office success of this year's Spider-Man: Brand New Day or the Avengers Endgame: Encore re-release. With Avengers Doomsday on the horizon, things seem to be on the up again for the studio. Marvel was in town for the New York ComicCon last weekend, where they shared the latest news, including on animation.

On the first day of the convention, they held the panel for Marvel Television and Marvel Animation. They teased their upcoming live-action series VisionQuest, Daredevil: Born Again Season 3 and the new spy-thriller Zodiac. The panel was hosted by Brandon Davis and featured Brad Winderbaum, Marvel Head of Television, Animation, Comics and Franchise. Marvel Comics Editor-In-Chief Stephen Wacker kicked off the panel with news of upcoming developments in the comics. Then it was time to talk the latest from Marvel Animation.

Marvel Zombies, the animated series that started life (or death) as a spin-off from Marvel's What If..? series. The series will return in a different format- three two-part event series, to be released over consecutive years, starting from 2027. Marvel Zombies: The Winter Soldier will be released just in time for Halloween 2027. Marvel Zombies: The Fist of Khonshu will be released in 2028. Finally, concluding the story in 2029 will be Marvel Zombies: The Last Guardian. "I won't tell you who the Last Guardian is, but it's very, very exciting," said Winderbaum.

Winderbaum promises fans lots of gory action. And of course, Winderbaum promised, fans can expect plenty of gory zombie goodness. “We’re about halfway through animatics, and it is a blood-splattering good time, but it's also quite beautiful,” he teased. “I still can’t believe Disney+ lets us get away with it.” Marvel fans will be able to speculate what storylines the new episodes will riff on based on the titles. The Winter Soldier is pretty obvious, but the others are more obscure. Note that on the unveiled posters, The Fist Of Khonshu seems to be using the font from Moon Knight and The Last Guardian is using the Guardians Of The Galaxy font. Could be clues?

Fans in the room got a chance to feast their eyes on early footage from the third season of X-Men '97, the sequel series to the classic 90s X-Men cartoon. The footage shown teased the return of the Brotherhood of Mutants and Gambit and Rogue tying the knot. Season 3 will be released on Disney+ sometime in 2027. It was also confirmed that a fourth season is in the works.

"We’re hard at work on the third season, and it's incredible," Winderbaum said. "I mean, I'm actually getting choked up thinking about one of the episodes right now."

Your Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man is returning for a sophomore season next year. Series creator Jeff Trammell took to the stage to tease the continuing animated adventures of Peter Parker. In season two, Parker (voiced by Hudson Thames) faces a host of new enemies and challenges, including a familiar black symbiote suit.

“In Season 1, we got to see Peter start out as Spider-Man," Trammell revealed. "He's learning, he's growing, he's got a man in a chair, he's got a mentor. None of that for Season 2. In Season 2, he's ready to go, and he's got big threats. He might need a little help. And, you know, sometimes that help comes in the form of inky black goo from space.”

Your Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man Season 2 will swing on to Disney+ from January 13, 2027.

Disney's Hexed's Second Trailer Appears As If By Magic

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 19:00:00 +0000

It's become something of a tradition that the latest Disney film is released in time for Thanksgiving in the US. This year that new film is Hexed, the first film from Walt Disney Animation Studios since last year's Zootopia 2. With that release just over a month away, Disney have released the newest trailer

Described as a magical coming-of-age story, it features the voices of Hailee Steinfeld, Rashida Jones, Jodie Foster, Walton Goggins, Tracey Ullman and Sir Stephen Fry. Newly announced to be joining the cast are Henry Winkler the all-knowing potoo bird Nigel, Dan Stevens as Hieronymous, Queen Celeste's blustering and self-important Grand Councillor of the Throne.

The cast will also includes Brett Gelman, Samson Kayo, Jimmy O. Yang, Ron Funches, Drew (McIntyre) Galloway, Cheri Oteri, Kathy Najimy, Wayne Knight, Alan Tudyk, Randall Park, Bill Farmer, Pat McAfee, Chris Parnell, Sarah-Nicole Robles, Rachel Dratch, Ariana Madix, Kellie Gerardi, Yvette Nicole Brown, Abraham Benrubi and Josh Dallas.

In Hexed, the unconventional teenage girl Billie Doe (voiced by Hailee Steinfeld) discovers she has previously unknown witchy powers. Magically transported from her suburban home to the magical realm of Hexe, she is forced to team up with her overly cautious mother, Alice (Rashida Jones).

Joining them is a reclusive three-eyed cat Beef Roger Crummchuk, voiced by Walton Goggins. Double Oscar-winner Jodie Foster lends her voice to Queen Celeste, a sinister figure who wants to maintain her grip on power over Hexe.

Hexed is directed by Fawn Veerasunthorn and Jason Hand; Josie Trinidad is co-director. Veerasunthorn is getting a second go at directing a Disney feature following on from Wish. It's good that the realtive failure of that film hasn't stopped her from directing again. It's notoriously difficult for female directors to get a second chance. Hand made his directorial debut on Moana 2.

The script is penned by Jared Bush, the veteran writer of both Zootopia movies, Moana and its sequel and Encanto. Bush is co-writing with Dana Ledoux Miller, who previously wrote on Moana 2, Moana (live-action), Kevin Can F*ck Himself and The Newsroom.

Hexed's first teaser trailer was well enough recieved by some but also had quite a negative reaction in other areas. Social media users and YouTubers whinged about recycled tropes, "same face syndrome" and speculated about the use of AI. The online "controversy" seemed largely overblown and manufactured and largely reflected the complaints people have about all Disney movies. There was also some complaints that the first trailer didn't reveal much about the film. But surely that's the point of a teaser.

Will this new trailer win them over? Who knows, but this longer trailer puts much more context to Billie's discovery of her powers, and shows much more of both before and after she travels to Hexe. It looks like an exciting adventure and Goggins and Foster seem to be having a whale of a time in their roles.

Hexed will be released in cinemas in the US and Canada on November 25. It will be released in the UK and Ireland on November 27.

NYCC: Artemis Fowl Animated Series Coming to Disney Channel and Disney+

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 14:09:21 +0000

It's a mystery why more fantasy isn't adapted into animation. The mix of medium and genre are perfectly suited to go together. Fantasy worlds can be brought to life without the budgetary restraints of live-action. But in the West at least, animated fantasy is bizarrely rare. So, it's good news to hear of a fantasy novel series getting turned into an animated series.

The Artemis Fowl books by Irish author Eoin Colfer are set to be adapted as an animated TV series. The news was revealed by Colfer himself at the 25 Years Of Artemis Fowl panel at New York ComicCon last week. The series is being produced by Disney and will air on Disney Channel (in countries where there still is such a thing) and stream on Disney+ everywhere. Colfer will serve as executive producer on the project, so a faithful adaptation should be likely.

The first book in the series, called simply Artemis Fowl, was published in 2001. In total, the series spans 11 books so far, with the most recent published in 2021. The series has sold more than 35 million copies worldwide and has been translated into 48 languages.

Disney previously produced a live-action Artemis Fowl movie that was released on Disney+ in 2020. Despite being directed by Kenneth Branagh and starring Josh Gadd, Colin Farrell, and Ferdia Shaw, the adaptation was extremely poorly received. Taking considerable liberties with the source material, neither book fans or general audiences were satisfied. It was eventually removed from the streaming service in the great purge of 2023, meaning it's essentially impossible to find.

The new animated version will hopefully be a better representation of what makes the books so beloved.

The series centres on the titular character, Artemis Fowl II, a 13-year-old genius and criminal mastermind. He uncovers an underground world of armed and dangerous fairies, who are also surprisingly high-tech. He hatches a plan to capture one to steal its magic and heal his sick mum. Artemis starts the series as a villain, but he grows and develops throughout the series.

“For more than two decades, Eoin Colfer’s Artemis Fowl books have captivated readers around the world with unforgettable characters, imaginative world-building, and gripping adventures,” said Ayo Davis, president of Disney Kids & Family. “Bringing this beloved franchise to life as an animated series gives us the opportunity to introduce a new generation to Artemis’ world while honouring the longtime fans who have cherished these stories for years.”

“I am proud and delighted to be part of the formidable team that is putting the Artemis Fowl animation on screen. Everyone is so talented and so positive that I feel certain the fairy world is in excellent hands," Colfer added.

Alongside Colfer, Ben Juwono and Colleen Evanson are set as executive producers. Other attached talent is to be announced.

It's early days, so there's no word on a release date or release window just yet. Stay tuned for updates!

Arrietty Screens in IMAX and Cinemas In The UK and Ireland

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 10:06:49 +0000

Anime fans must be grateful for GKIDS Films. Not only do they release the finest new animation, but they have also been keeping Studio Ghibli films in cinemas through their ongoing Ghibli Fest. Now they have set their sights across the pond, acquiring distribution rights for the 23-film Ghibli library for the UK and Ireland. Their first move under the deal is to give new releases to Ghibli classics. Having previously released Kiki's Delivery Service, the next title to be released will be 2010's Arrietty.

Arrietty will be released in IMAX for the first time in the UK and Ireland, remastered in 4K. IMAX previews start from Wednesday, October 14. The film will also be released in regular cinemas in wide release from Friday, October 16. The film will screen both in Japanese with English subtitles and with the English dub.

The dub is noteworthy as Arrietty uniquely has separate English dubs for the UK and US. This came about due to the fact that (unusually) the film was released in the UK before the United States. Rather than wait around for the Americans to dub it, StudioCanal UK- then the distributor of Ghibli films- decided to commission one themselves.

The UK dub features a whole host of British and Irish acting icons. Saoirse Ronan voices the titular character, and the cast also features Oscar-winner Olivia Colman, Mark Strong, Geraldine McEwan and in his very first feature-film role, a 14-year-old future Spider-Man and Mr Zendaya, Tom Holland.

The film was later released in North America under the title of The Secret World Of Arrietty, complete with a separate dub. The American dub featured Amy Poehler, Will Arnett, Bridgit Mendler and Carol Burnett.

Arrietty is based upon The Borrowers, the 1952 children's novel by English author Mary Norton. It tells the story of a family of tiny people who live under the floorboards, unseen by the house's regular-sized residents. Their lifestyle revolves around "borrowing" items from the humans and repurposing them for their own needs. The bravest of the Borrowers is teenage daughter Arrietty. One day she is accidentally seen by the youngest of the humans, and an unlikely friendship begins to grow.

The Studio Ghibli adaptation relocates the story to contemporary Japan, distinguishing it from earlier adaptations of The Borrowers. The film is directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi (When Marnie Was There, Mary and the Witch's Flower) with an original screenplay written by one Hayao Miyazaki and Keiko Niwa. Miyazaki also worked on project planning for the film.

GKIDS Films are working closely in the UK and Ireland with sister company Anime Limited. Both companies are owned by Japanese giant TOHO Global.

As in the US, GKIDS will continue to release classic Studio Ghibli films in IMAX and in new 4K restorations throughout the autumn and beyond. The next Ghibli film to get this treatment hasn't been announced just yet, but it shouldn't be long. GKIDS also plans a rerelease of the entire library across all home video platforms. Maybe don't hold your breath waiting for 4K UHD releases though, as the majority of the films haven't been released on the format in Japan yet.

Tickets are on sale now.

Kickstart This: Swish

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 19:00:00 +0000

Sports are a popular subject in film and TV. And it's not hard to see why- the inbuilt drama of sport often makes for thrilling viewing. Sport in animation isn't quite as common, although there is an anime about just about any sport you can name, from football to kabaddi. Hoping to bring a bit of that excitement to American audiences is the new independent animated series Swish. In order to raise the funds to make their dream a reality, the creators have launched a Kickstarter campaign.

Swish is a hand-drawn animated series based on basketball- or, more specifically, streetball, and it's looking for your help. Set in New York City, the series will combine the themes of 90s hip-hop, streetball, and the vibrant aesthetic of anime. The creators say they take their inspiration from anime such as Naruto, Afro Samurai and Hunter x Hunter. They also say that it represents a "genre yet to be seen in animation." We're not sure that's strictly accurate, but it does seem to have a unique aesthetic and mood.

The series targets viewers who are fans of basketball in real life. Swish uses animation to emphasise speed, power and technique. Each new character introduces a unique playstyle and flashy skills. It's intended to be easy for new audiences to enjoy, while giving b-ball veterans something familiar.

The series centres on Rax, a young streetball player with hidden ambition. After years of training with techniques passed on by his late father, he is determined to get his hands on the Legend Ring. The only problem is, the Ring is worn by the "living myth" Dead Man Walking. Once his father's greatest rival, he is rumoured to be impossible to beat- and even harder to find.

Rax does eventually find the mysterious figure, only to suffer a humiliating defeat. Can he improve his skills and prove himself enough to face Dead Man Walking in a rematch?

The campaign doesn't disclose who is exactly behind this- it doesn't name the creator or any artists. Even the campaign video is "presented" by Rax. Could this lack of a personal touch harm its chances? Animation studio Fr3sh Animation is credited as the creator of the project. The studio has previously produced sport-based animation for ESPN, The Warriors and The Knicks, as well as gaming projects for Konami and Ukuza. They will be working alongside a second studio, Innovative Pixels who worked on the hand-drawn animated feature The Glassworker.

Rewards include digital tickets to the virtual premiere, season tickets, digital manga, Vodoo Jerseys, playing cards, your name in the credits or your character in a bonus episode. The series may be very American, and steeped in African American culture, but Fr3sh Animation are based in London, so all the figures are in GBP. The project hopes to raise £75,000 ($99,338 aprox) before November 16. Rewards range from £5.00 ($7 aprox) to £5,000 ($7,285 aprox).

Stretch goals include a second season, a feature length film, a third season and a digital trading card game. But they'll need to meet the original goal first.

The campaign seems to be going quite slowly. At the time of writing, they have only raised £670- there is a long way to go. But the series looks to be a refreshing and stylish creation. The animation in the trailer is fairly limited, but I'm assuming it would be more fluid in the finished show. So, if Swish is something you want to see happen and you've got some spare cash lying around get thee to the campaign page sharpish.

Thanks to Jeremy Rivera for the heads up.

NYCC: Naruto Gets New Anime and Manga Projects

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 11:24:57 +0000

The Big Apple got its geek on last weekend, as this year's New York ComicCon took place. One of the sold-out events at this year's show was the panel Naruto: What's Next? The panel was a celebration of the beloved Naruto franchise and brought news about its future. In attendance were Junko Takeuchi and Noriaki Sugiyama, the Japanese voices of Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha and Yoshihiro Tominaga, executive producer at Naruto producers Pierrot Films. Waiting fans were treated to news of new anime, manga, video games and more.

Naruto will return to our screens in a new, four-episode limited series anime. The series will be a crossover with the series Ninku. What the heck is Ninku, you might ask? Originally serialised in Weekly Shonen Jump, the manga was created by Koji Kiriyama and ran from 1993 to 1995. The anime adaptation aired from 1995 to 1996, and also spawned two movies. Naruto creator Masashi Kishimoto cites Ninku as a major influence on his series. "Without Ninku, Naruto wouldn't exist", Kishimoto told fans in a statement. "Simply put, Fūsuke is Naruto's secret mentor. Eventually, I began dreaming of bringing this master-and-student relationship out of the shadows, and into an actual storyline." Both series were produced by Pierrot.

In the crossover, Kakashi sends Squad 7- Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura- on a mission. With Kakashi not able to take part himself, he names Naruto as acting squad leader. Somewhere along the way, they take a wrong turn and end up wandering into another world. There they meet Fūsuke, the lead character from Ninku.

Kishimoto and Kiriyama are overseeing the project together. Noriyuki Abe, who worked on both the Ninku TV series and Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, is directing the series. Tetsuya Nishio, who also worked on both Nishi and Naruto, will be the character designer and chief animation director. The series is currently in production, and no release date has been announced yet.

Based on the footage seen in the teaser trailer, the new episodes seem to take place in the continuity of the original Naruto series, as opposed to Naruto Shippuden or after. The first five episodes of the original Ninku anime are currently streaming on Studio Pierrot's offical YouTube page.

The series is part of what is being called Project Rasengen, a large scale global project designed to take Naruto and Boruto into a new era. As well as the new anime, a video was screened that announced that Kishimoto would be producing a new manga: Naruto: Shadow Rising, to be released in 2027.

A new Naruto Collectable Card Game will also launch. Coming June 2027 worldwide from Bandai Card Games, the game will launch with three base decks centered around Naruto, Sasuke and Gaara. Meanwhile, it was also announced that the Naruto Mobile Game, released exclusively in mainland China in 2016, will be expanding worldwide.

Tha panel also featured an update on the live-action Hollywood Naruto movie. The film is being directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, director of Marvel films Shang-Chi and this summer's collosal hit Spider-Man: Brand New Day, so at least we know he's got action chops. Cretton sent a message for con-goers: "When we kicked off our worldwide search for Team 7 this summer, I talked about what an honor it is to bring Kishimoto-sensei's incredible world and characters to life.The further we get into making this film, the more excited I am about what we're creating.We're hard at work and will have more to share soon."

More updates on Project Rasengen will be announced at Jump Fiesta, which will take place in December in Japan.

[Source 1, 2]

Out This Week: Master Of Martial Hearts, Suzume, Icarus and More

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Sun, 11 Oct 2026 23:00:00 +0000

Welcome back, physical media fans to Out This Week, our weekly round-up of all the new animation available on disc- and sometimes via digital. This week sees a curious mix of titles including Euro-curio Cat City Collection and Luxembourg-France-Belgium coproduction Icarus, for those craving more Greek mythology after The Odyssey. There's anime with raunchy actioner Master Of Martial Hearts, 90's horror Vampire Princess Miyu, fantasy action in Season 4 of The Rising Of The Shield Hero and rural slice-of-life Non Non Biyori. Released for some reason only on DVD is the 40th Anniversary Edition of the 1986 favourite Transformers The Movie.

New in the UK meanwhile is a welcome 4K release for Kubo and The Two Strings, and a maybe not quite as welcome home release for the live-action Moana. Anime fans are catered for with Fate/Grand Order Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia - Part 1, and From Bureaucrat to Villainess: Dad's Been Reincarnated, as well as a 4K release for Makoto Shinkai's Suzume.

All information provided is true to the best of our knowledge at time of publication, and is subject to change. Affiliate links used where available. Release information from BluRay.com.

UK Releases For October 12, 2026

Fate/Grand Order Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia - Part 1 (Anime Limited, 15) "A seventh Singularity has been discovered in ancient Mesopotamia in the year 2655 B.C. The land of Uruk, governed by the wise King Gilgamesh after he returned from his quest for immortality, was grand and prosperous until three goddesses and countless Demonic Beasts appeared. These enemies have brought Uruk to the brink of destruction. With a Rayshift—a method of traveling across both time and space—Fujimaru and Mash journey to the land of Uruk, where they encounter the fortress city of Uruk and the Absolute Demonic Front, where a terrible battle against the fearsome onslaught of the Demonic Beasts rages. There, the citizens of Uruk, who live their lives to the fullest despite facing an existential threat, continue to fight for their future. Deities and Demonic Beasts attack with terrifying force, and mankind pushes back with all its might... This is the era where humans and gods are destined to part ways. Fujimaru and Mash, the pair who have fought through all six previous Singularities, embark on their final battle.

FORMATS: Blu-Ray Collector's Edition

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

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Kubo And The Two Strings 4K (Anime Limited, PG) "Kubo lives a quiet, normal life in a small shoreside village until a spirit from the past turns his life upside down by re-igniting an age-old vendetta. This causes all sorts of havoc as gods and monsters chase Kubo who, in order to survive, must locate a magical suit of armour once worn by his late father, a legendary Samurai warrior." Our Review

FORMATS: 4K UHD

Moana (Live-Action) (Disney, PG) "In Ancient Polynesia, when a terrible curse incurred by Maui reaches the island of an impetuous Chieftain, his willful daughter answers the Ocean’s call to seek out the demigod to set things right."

FORMATS: 4K UHD, Blu-Ray, DVD

Suzume 4K (Crunchyroll, PG) "Seventeen-year-old Suzume discovers a mysterious door in the mountains, and soon other doors begin appearing across Japan. As the doors open, they release disasters and destruction, and it's up to Suzume to close them again."

FORMATS: 4K UHD

US Releases For October 13, 2026

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

Icarus (Whole Grain Pictures, UR) "On the island of Crete, under the reign of King Minos, Humans worship and fear the Gods of Olympus. Only a fool would dare to offend them."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Master Of Martial Hearts (AnimEigo, 16+) "When schoolgirl Aya stumbles on a nasty, throw-down street fight between a shrine priestess and a flight attendant, she can’t help but get involved… and soon she finds herself an unwitting player in a clandestine martial arts tournament. Pitted against everyone from a bikini-clad cop to her very own science teacher, Aya soon realizes that the battle has more at stake than the Martial Heart – a jewel with the power to grant wishes. No, something far more sinister will reveal itself, along with a shock ending that’ll leave your jaw on the floor."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Non Non Biyori Complete Series Collection (Sentai Filmworks, TV-PG) "Moving is never easy, and as a fifth grader from Tokyo, Hotaru has lots of adjustments to make after her father’s job transfers them to a small town in the rural countryside. Having to travel to neighboring towns just to buy comics or videos would be culture shock enough, but her school has only one boy and three other girls. Not in her class, in the whole school! And yet, as Hotaru adapts to this new lifestyle, she quickly finds new friends and a different way to look at life: because, sometimes, it's who you're with, not where you are, that matters most to your heart, in the complete three season + movie collection of Non Non Biyori."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

The Rising Of The Shield Hero Season 4 (Crunchyroll, TV-14) "On their way to settle things with Raphtalia’s ancestral homeland, Naofumi’s party travels through Siltvelt, where the Shield Hero is worshiped. But when the nation tries to keep him there, Naofumi is caught between rival factions vying for power."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Transformers: The Movie: 40th Anniversary Edition (Shout Factory, PG) "In the year 2005, the Autobots and the Decepticons are still locked in battle, but a deadly new force enters the fray--a giant killer planet known as Unicron. The heroic Autobots must fight for their own survival and to save their home planet from destruction. A classic of 1980s animation, based on the popular TV series." Our Review

FORMATS: DVD

Vampire Princess Miyu (AnimEigo, 13+) "Miyu appears to be a beautiful, doll-like young girl with a mysterious aura. But when the spiritualist Himiko confronts her after a series of vampire attacks, she reveals that she is not just a vampire, but royalty – and locked in a vicious war with the demonic Shinma. In exchange for the truth, Himiko must lend a hand, across time and space."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Buy From Media OCD

Upcoming Releases

Bill Plympton's The Tune October 17

Adventure Time: The Complete Series October 20

Dr Stone: Season Four, Part Two October 20

Is It Wrong To Try To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon? Complete Collection October 20

My Hero Academia Season 7 October 20

Pokemon 4Ever October 20

The Quick Draw McGraw Show October 20

Regular Show The Complete Series October 20

Reincarnated As A Dragon Hatchling October 20

Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated: The Complete Series October 20

Boys Go To Jupiter October 26

Gurren Lagann: The Movie 4K October 26 [UK]

Mr Benn Ultimate Collection 4K October 26 [UK]

Sailor Moon October 26 [UK]

The Big-O: The Complete Paradigm October 27

Digimon: Digital Monsters Season 4 (Digimon Frontier) October 27

Lupin III: Part 2 October 27

Outlanders October 27

Penguindrum: TV Series Collection October 27

Roswell Conspiracies October 27

Sword Of The Demon Hunter October 27

Toradora! The Complete Series October 27

Avatar: Aang The Last Airbender November 03

Dr Seuss: Classic TV Treasures November 3

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

K-Pop Demon Hunters November 03

Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid: Season One November 03

Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid: Season Two November 03

Rick and Morty: Season 9 November 03

Shrek 4K November 03

Violence Voyager November 09 [UK]

Coyote Vs ACME November 09 [UK]

The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 November 10

Call Of The Night Season 2 November 10

Hayop-Ka November 10

Sakon The Ventriloquist November 10

Jujutsu Kaisen: Hidden Inventory and The Premature Death: The Movie November 10

Kids On The Slope: Complete Collection November 10

My Dress-Up Darling: Season 1 November 10

Naruto Shippuden: Set 12 November 10

Overlord Season 4 November 10

Transformers The Movie 4K: 40th Anniversary Edition November 10

Wallace and Gromit: Vengenace Most Fowl 4K/Blu-Ray November 16 [UK]

Animal Farm 4K (1954) November 23 [UK]

Argento Soma November 24

The Dangers In My Heart Season 2 November 24

Digimon: Digital Monsters Season 4 (Japanese Version) November 24

Digimon: Digital Monsters Season 3 (Japanese Version) November 24

Dusk Beyond The End Of The World November 24

Lupin the III: Zenigata and The Two Lupins November 24

Pani Poni Dash November 24

Patlabor The Mobile Police: Complete TV Series November 24

Pokemon: 24 Movie Collection November 24

Samurai Girls & Samurai Bride November 24

Ultraforce November 24

The Yogi Bear Show: Complete Collection November 24

Ghost In The Shell 4K [Steelbook] November 30 [UK]

Sailor Moon R November 30 [UK]

100 Meters December 1

Coyote Vs Acme December 1

A Gatherer's Adventures In Isekai December 1

Kakuriyo: Bed & Breakfast For Spirits Season 2 December 1

One Piece Season 14 Voyage 11 December 1

Pass The Monster Meat Milady December 1

Tojima Wants To Be A Kamen Rider December 1

Trigun Stampede (Steelbook) December 1

Campfire Cooking In Another World With My Absurd Skills Season 2 December 8

Drucker In The Dugout December 15

Roy From Space December 15

Sailor Moon S December 29 [UK]

AD Police 4K January 12

My Status as an Assassin Obviously Exceeds the Hero's January 12

May I Ask For One Final Thing? January 19

Sailor Moon SuperS January 25 [UK]

Attack On Titan The Movie: The Last Attack January 26

Let This Grieving Soul Retire January 26

Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender 4k February 09

Sailor Moon: Sailor Stars February 22 [UK]

Crunchyroll Acquire 'The Apothecary Diaries: The Late Lady's Treasure'.

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 14:50:02 +0000

Since its debut in 2023, The Apothecary Diaries has become one of anime's biggest hits. Based on the light novel series, the series takes place in an unnamed fictional country based on Ancient China. Maomao, a young girl obsessed with poisons and medicines, is kidnapped and sold to the Imperial Palace. After uncovering the cause behind the Emperor's children's mysterious illness, she finds herself solving medical mysteries all around the palace. The 2023 series was followed by a second season in 2025 that went on to win several Crunchyroll Anime Awards. The third season began airing, and streaming on Crunchyroll in October 2026. It had been announced this year would also see the first Apothecary Diaries feature film. This week, Crunchyroll have announced that they have picked up the rights to bring the film to cinemas.

Crunchyroll has acquired the North American and worldwide theatrical rights (excluding Asia, but including India) to The Apothecary Diaries: The Late Lady’s Treasure. Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures Entertainment will distribute the film, with dates and territories to be announced at a later date. The film will be released in Japan on December 11. The rights will almost certainly include streaming rights, so the movie should also be available on Crunchyroll at some point in the future.

The Late Lady's Treasure is a new original story from series creator Hyuganatsu. It sees Maomao and handsome eunuch Jinshi leave the palace for a bustling port city plagued by pirates. The film is directed by Norihiro Naganuma, who was also the director of the series and the Ancient Magus Bride. Animation is produced by Toho Animation Studios.

Official Synopsis

The curtains rise on a new mystery surrounding a secret treasure hidden in a city on the water.

The emperor gives Jinshi an order. He must grant the final wish of a concubine who passed away five years ago by returning her to her homeland.

In order to return her to her family, Jinshi examines the remains, only to discover that they’re in pristine condition. She’s beautiful, as if she were still alive.

To solve the mystery of the remains, Jinshi drags Maomao along on a journey to Binan-shu, the southern province ruled by the Bi clan.

They arrive at a bustling city on the water. Maomao is excited to see herbs and medicines she has never seen before, but tensions are high in the area, as pirates are viciously trying to find the treasure their late leader hid away.

“I hope nothing happens...”

Jinshi’s premonition comes true. On the day of the concubine’s funeral, a huge incident occurs, triggering a chain of events that nobody could see coming.

The Apothecary Diaries seasons 1-3 are available to stream on Crunchyroll.

Scotland Loves Anime Reveals 2026 Line-Up.

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 11:48:13 +0000

Scotland loves a lot of things. Irn-Bru, deep-fried Mars Bars and supporting whichever team is playing against England in the football. And according to the long-running festival, Scotland Loves Anime. For more than a decade, the annual celebration of theatrical Japanese animation has given UK anime fans the chance to see the latest anime on the big screen. The festival was founded by Andrew Partridge, founder of Scotland-based UK anime label Anime Limited. The screenings take place in Glasgow, Edinburgh and now south of the border in London between November 6-22. This year's line-up has been released, as tickets go on sale for the Glasgow leg.

Cocoon- One Summer Of Girlhood is a story of how the Second World War devastates the lives of two young friends living on a tranquil island. Adapted from the manga by Machiko Kyo, Cocoon is the directorial debut of Yukimitsu Ina and the first film from new studio SASAYURI, founded by former Studio Ghibli animator Hitomi Tateno. The film is brought to life by a mix of veteran animators and a new generation of talent. The 60-minute feature will screen alongside a special documentary.

Shingo Natsume's sci-fi feature Ghost will receive its UK premiere at the festival. Produced by the storied studio Madhouse, it takes place in the near future, where the memories of the dead become stars. Drawn to one particular star, Neeki finds Mass, a man defined by loss.

Grotesqqque is an anthology of films, directed by Atsushi Nishigori and produced by Cloverworks. Described as featuring "three distorted, uneven yet endlessly beautiful episodes" that "blend together like a chimera, bursting forth with fresh, soul-stirring original music."

A New Dawn is the story of Keitarô, who lives in an abandoned factory, once surrounded by lush forest, now redeveloped with solar panels. With the factory scheduled for demolition, Keitarô, along with his brother and friend, aims to launch his late father's firework. Yoshitoshi Shinomiya directs this new feature from Asmik Ace.

Samurai Ballerina is the story of two girls from Japan living in Paris in the early 20th Century. One dreams of being a painter, the other wants to be a ballerina. Can they both achieve their dreams, even with the odds stacked against them? Directed by Gorou Taniguchi.

Shiranui is a 35-minute short film from Your Name producers Comix Wave Films. It follows a 10-year-old boy who prays to the mysterious light Shiranui and unwittingly unleashes a curse. Ryo Katanozaka directs.

Tokoyoite Reito lands himself in prison in The Keeper Of The Camphor Tree. Offered a way out by the lawyer for a wealthy family, on the condition that he takes on the mysterious role of the keeper of the Camphor Tree. Sword Art Online director Tomohiko Ito reteams with A-1 Pictures for an original anime feature.

The Obsessed is an anime movie musical from director Wataru Takahashi and Shin-Ei Animation. Giuseppe is someone who moves from one obsession to the next, with each one taking over his whole life. That is until he meets Pechka, a quiet balloon seller from a distant land with sadness in her heart. Giuseppe's newest obsession is to try to make Pechka smile. He might have finally found a reason to stay.

In To You In The Beyond, Kazuki Tsukigase transfers to a High School on a remote island. The island is home to the mysterious "Cove of Spiriting Away", where rumour has it several people have disappeared. One summer day, Kazuki finds an unconscious girl lying in the cove and takes her to a local hospital. When she awakens, she has no memory of her identity or origins. Kazuki learns her name is Nanao and soon becomes involved in the quest to uncover her true identity and the secrets of the island. Based on the Light Novel of the same name by Akiko Abe, the movie is directed by Junichi Wada and produced by TMS Entertainment.

Fresh from its big wins at Ottawa International Animation Festival, Kouhei Kadowaki's We Are Aliens lands for its UK premiere. Produced by the studio Nothing New, the film depicts the friendship between two boys, Tsubasa and Akitaro, across the course of 30 years. After their friendship is altered by an act of betrayal, it shapes their lives into adulthood. And no, there are no actual aliens in it. This French-Japanese coproduction made its debut at Cannes Film Festival earlier this year.

Chimney Town: Frozen In Time is Studio 4°C's new sequel to Poupelle Of Chimney Town. Set a year after chimney sweep Lubicchi freed his home town from a cloud of smoke- and since his best friend Poupelle disappeared- it sees Lubicchi transported to a mysterious world. Yusuke Hirota, director of the first film, returned to helm the follow-up. The original Poupelle of Chimney Town will also be screening at SLA.

As is traditional, the brand new films will be joined by several classics, giving both first-timers and old fans the chance to see them on the big screen. Arguably THE anime classic, Akira is screening in its 4K restoration, looking better than ever. Also receiving a 4K glow-up, Yoshiaki Kawajiri's 90s classic Ninja Scroll will also be screened at the festival. Rounding out this year's selection, Makoto Shinkai's time-bending teen romance Your Name and Naoko Yamada and Kyoto Animation's A Silent Voice screen in celebration of their 10th anniversary.

Scotland Loves Anime runs at Glasgow Film Theatre from November 6-8. Tickets and passes are on sale now. The London leg takes place at Picturehouse Central London from November 13-15. Finally, the Edinburgh screenings are at Cameo Picturehouse Edinburgh and Edinburgh Filmhouse between November 16-22.

We Need To Talk About... AI

noreply@blogger.com (Animation For Adults) — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 17:01:00 +0000

You can't go anywhere these days without hearing something about Artificial Intelligence. AI crops up in the most unexpected places, as we are constantly told it's going to change everything. It may well have some very useful applications in spheres like medicine and science. But its encroachment on the arts and entertainment industries is more controversial. Its use in animation is increasing all the time. With the number of emails we are getting from AI "animators" increasing, we thought it was time we made our policy on it clear.

We won't feature, review or otherwise cover films or series made with AI, or that are "AI-assisted". We won't be interviewing any AI "filmmakers" or running trailers for AI movies. Of course, we will also try to avoid including any AI-created artwork, although their "artists" aren't always honest about where they came from. AI-generated articles are obviously a no-no. So, if you've made an AI "animation" that you're really proud of, please don't waste your time in sending it to us. It's just going to go in the trash.

Why are we taking such a hard-line stance? Our reasons are nothing new and familiar to anyone who is opposed to AI in general. Most basically, AI is not animation. Animation is by definition, created by humans, frame by frame. Even if that human is using a computer, it's just a tool. AI is not just a tool, because the computer does everything for you. Sure, a human may write the prompts, but it doesn't count. It doesn't make you a filmmaker, an artist or an animator. It makes you a programmer at most.

AI, specifically Generative AI works by being trained on existing content. In other words, it takes the works of others (films, books, artwork, photos and more) without their permission and uses them to generate new content. It's copyright theft on a truly unprecedented scale. And often supported by the same people who have spent the past 20 years crying about the great evils of piracy.

AI is going to cost people their jobs. As soon as some top exec figures out they can replace any part of the creative process with a computer, they are going to do it. Funny how nobody talks about replacing CEOs with AI- they have to be human, apparently.

Aside from all these ethical concerns, there are even bigger issues. Like the fact that AI is extremely harmful to the environment. Basically, everything we do creates emissions, even streaming video. But generative AI has an outsized impact, with the required Data Centres requiring massive amounts of energy to run and using a massive amount of water for cooling. This is the exact opposite of what we need to be doing in the midst of a global climate crisis.

Oh, and then there's the small matter that some experts believe there's a non-zero percent chance of AI going full Skynet and wiping out all life on Earth. According to one cheerful prediction, "there's a 10% chance AI could wipe us out in the next 10 years".

Ultimately, we feel that AI is as it stands, more of a threat to the animation industry rather than something that could revolutionise it. If it is truly embraced by the major studios, it will be much harder to avoid. But we are sure as hell aren't going to do anything to support or encourage it.

We're not luddites or anti-technology, but feel that AI as it is used today has a negative effect on the medium we love. We're not saying we'll never mention AI again; it might come up from time to time. But overall, we don't consider it to be in our wheelhouse.

Of course, you're free to disagree, and maybe you think it's liberating and democratising art. But our decision is made.

And one thing's for sure: we're certainly never going to call it Super Intelligence.

First Look: 'Doctor Who: TARDIS Crew'

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 10:46:11 +0000

It has been a tough year for fans of the iconic British sci-fi show Doctor Who. The world's longest-running sci-fi series has been left in limbo since the falling apart of the production and distribution deal between the BBC and Disney+. Back in the summer Whovians finally got an answer when the Beeb issued a statement on the future of the franchise. Despite the way some chose to spin it, the show was not "cancelled". However, showrunner Russel T Davies and production company Bad Wolf have parted ways with Doctor Who and the planned Christmas special that Davies was supposed to be writing had been scrapped. The BBC would be putting the series out to "competitive tender", the legal process in which outside production companies are invited to pitch for the right to run the show. Assuming they are able to find a suitable partner, the series will be regenerating and be back on the air with a new actor (or actress, but probably actor) in the lead role, by 2028 at the earliest. But before that, the next time the two-hearted timelord will be back on our screen in animated form.

Last year, the BBC announced plans to make a preschool Doctor Who animated series. The series would introduce the youngest of viewers to the Doctor and his adventures, and maybe set them up as fans of the future. After a search by the BBC for UK animation studios to partner with, Blue Zoo Animation won out. And now, we have the first look image and details of the forthcoming series.

This isn't the first time that the Doctor has been animated. He has featured in a couple of animated mini-series, and animation has been used to recreate lost classic episodes. This is, however, his first full-length animated series, and the first to be aimed at a preschool audience.

Doctor Who: TARDIS Crew will air on CBeebies, the BBC's preschool channel. It will feature a new, younger incarnation of the Doctor, with spiky blue hair. No word of who will be providing his voice as yet. The Doctor travels aboard the iconic blue police box the TARDIS, with new companions Hannah, Beastie and Toast-IE (who appears to be some kind of sentient toaster). They will embark on adventures through time and space and encounter some of the Doctor's most notorious foes, including, of course, the Daleks.

The series will run (initially, at least) for 52, 11-minute episodes. The episodes will be action-packed, preschool-friendly stories that combine the excitement and wonder of Doctor Who with the trusted storytelling and learning-through-play values of CBeebies.

Kate Morton, Senior Head of Commissioning for CBeebies, said: "The TARDIS is ready for its youngest crew yet. Packed with imagination, humour and adventure, Doctor Who: TARDIS Crew will inspire children to be curious, courageous and kind as they explore incredible worlds across time and space. It's everything families love about Doctor Who, wonder, excitement and endless possibility, reimagined for CBeebies' youngest explorers."

The series is currently in production at Blue Zoo Animation Studios. Dominic Minns is serving as series director, after previously having helmed CBeebies series Supertato and Mojo Swoptops. The rest of the creatives involved have not been named as yet, but the folks at Blue Zoo are certainly a talented bunch.

What older fans will think of it is anybody's guess- it's been said that nobody hates Doctor Who more than a Doctor Who fan. Those who didn't like the direction the show has taken over recent years are unlikely to be won over by a kids' cartoon. Those with more open minds, however, may be able to appreciate this for the fun romp this looks likely to be.

Doctor Who: TARDIS Crew will air in the UK on CBeebies and iPlayer in late 2027 or early 2028. International releases will be announced at a later date.

MAF Announces Project Selection For 'Animation Featured' Development Lab

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 12:04:44 +0000

It's nearly time for this year's edition of The Manchester Animation Festival, the UK's largest animation event. This year, for the first time, MAF is introducing Animation Featured, a new initiative designed to strengthen the UK’s feature animation pipeline and support emerging and established producers developing ambitious long‑form work. Supported by the BFI National Lottery Creative Fund and awarding National Lottery Good Cause Funding, the programme aims to ensure that distinctive, UK-led animated features can progress towards market readiness and international financing. Ahead of the festival, MAF has announced the seven feature projects selected for the scheme, chosen from almost 100 entries from across the UK.

Animation Featured will provide participating teams with industry insight, structured development support and access to animation industry professionals. They will take part in a series of development sessions and industry engagements over the course of seven months. These are designed to help producers to refine their projects and build the creative and commercial foundations needed to progress to production.

The projects selected represent a diverse range of voices, animation styles and storytelling ambitions from across the UK. With the first residency taking place last week, the teams now face an intense seven-month development journey. They will be supported all along the way by mentors including Ruth Fielding, Producer and Joint Managing Director at Lupus Films (Kensuke’s Kingdom, Ethel & Ernest and The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland) ; Richard Beek, Producer (Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom, Wallace & Gromit Vengeance Most Fowl and Early Man); and Claire Jennings (Father and Daughter, Curse of the Wererabbit, Coraline, Vengeance Most Fowl).

Selected Projects

Project 1 - Check Out (Dionne Farrell and Rory Waudby-Tolley)

Producer: Dionne Farrell

Synopsis: When a big supermarket (and everyone inside) is whisked off into a limbo-like dimension, a ragtag group of plucky teens must uncover a decades-old secret to bring their community home. Check Out is a darkly funny, big-hearted (and sometimes weird) animated feature about what people do when the systems they rely on fail - and who actually steps up to fix them.

Project 2 - Journey to Pop Cloud Island (Georgina Hurcombe and George Caton Coult)

Producer: Georgina Hurcombe

Synopsis: When a mysterious storm reveals that a young flying creature isn't the only one of her kind, she and her best friend journey beyond the clouds, where an extraordinary discovery will test their friendship and determine the fate of a hidden world.

Journey to Pop Cloud Island is an ambitious animated feature that expands the much-loved world of the TV series Pop Paper City into a breathtaking cinematic adventure. While rooted in the handcrafted charm and creativity that audiences already know from the television series, the team's vision is to create a film that feels truly epic in scale while remaining intimate at its heart. It is a story about friendship, identity, curiosity and hope, wrapped inside a spectacular adventure that celebrates the power of imagination.

Project 3 - Sgà and the Wulver (John McEwan-Whyte)

Producer: John McEwan-Whyte

Synopsis: In a land where magic is waning and man is reigning, a young warrior girl dreams of following in the footsteps of her idol, Bàs, the land's greatest monster hunter. But when the beast she pursues is far from the evil she was taught to hate, she must face a truth that will change her life forever.

Through an engaging story set in a magical world, the film raises important questions relevant to our modern day: what happens to a culture when the stories it tells about itself are replaced by the stories others tell about it? And what does it cost when fear of difference is allowed to do the work of understanding?

Sgà and the Wulver is a feature-length animated musical film for family audiences rooted in Gaelic culture. Its aesthetic follows the structure of the story, with two visually distinct worlds - one fully 3D and one watercolour 2D - bleeding into each other.

Project 4 - 24 & 45 (Vicki Rock and Kris Kelly)

Producer: Vicki Rock

Synopsis: In a fractured future of inequality, two individuals (24 and 45), challenge a system of control and illusion, exposing how a society built on competition leads to conflict and violence

24 & 45 is a bold, mature animated feature that explores contemporary issues of power, corruption, inequality, and the normalisation of violence. Set within a dystopian future, the film reflects concerns that are increasingly relevant today, questioning who benefits from conflict, how narratives are manipulated by those in power, and the human cost of systems that prioritise profit and control over compassion.

Project 5 - Made of Sticks (Ben Jackson and Baz Sells)

Producer: Ben Jackson

Synopsis: Trapped by duty and tradition, an industrious teenager fights to maintain the dilapidated windmill her family calls home, which for centuries has served power to a nearby utopian town. But power in this world comes at a haunting cost, just never for the powerful.

Made of Sticks is a distinct stop-motion feature that merges gritty British realism with otherworldly fantasy. Imagine, if you will, Charlotte Regan's Scrapper meets Guillermo del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth. Aimed at teen and adult audiences, the film is a celebration of working-class creativity and resilience, exploring the structures that hold our society together and who ultimately pays for them.

Project 6 - Karaoke Club (Jamie Badminton, James Harvey and Maria Pal Pullen)

Producer: Jamie Badminton

Synopsis: In a world where singing is magic, karaoke is more than just a hobby. Based on Maria's Filipino culture where karaoke is a key part of the community, Karaoke Club is a joyous family feature, following a starry-eyed teen called Aria on her journey to becoming an Idol! As she discovers the true power of her voice, she will empower the audience to not only sing but express their true selves too!

Project 7 - The Bear and The Piano (Chris Bowden)

Producer: Chris Bowden

Synopsis: A curious young bear finds an old piano, and soon his music is bringing joy to the whole forest but when a twelve-year-old girl and her dad stumble across him on their woodland hike, their lives change forever. At Dad's struggling little theatre, Bear becomes an overnight sensation. R&B, rock, pop, country, classical - there's something for everyone but as the theatre thrives, Dad is swept from worries of survival to the pressures of success. The more distant he becomes, the closer the Girl is drawn to Bear and at the height of his fame, she senses a longing in his heart not unlike her own. Taking the biggest risk of her life, she sets out to make things right.

Adapted from the celebrated children's book by David Lichfield, The Bear and the Piano is a warm, funny and visually enchanting stop-motion musical adventure about fame, family, belonging and finding your way home.

“The response to the inaugural Animation Featured programme has been remarkable, with close to 100 applications from across the UK, " Said Jen Hall, Animation Featured Programme Director. "The standard of work submitted was exceptionally high, and selecting just seven projects was an extremely challenging process. What has come through clearly is how necessary a scheme like this is - we’ve heard it repeatedly from applicants, partners and industry colleagues alike.

We now have a cohort of ambitious, forward‑thinking producers bringing bold, distinctive stories to the table. Their commitment to advancing UK feature animation is inspiring, and it’s a privilege to support them as they take these projects into the next stage of development.”

The Programme is supported by the BFI National Lottery Creative Fund, with extra support from Screen Scotland and Northern Ireland Screen. Participants are paid for their time, enabling them to fully focus on developing their work.

“We are delighted with the response to Animation Featured, which received a staggering 98 applications, demonstrating the need for this ambitious programme that combines creative development with practical business and market training" added Mia Bays, Director, BFI Filmmaking Fund. " As one of the first Creative Challenge Fund programmes focused on animated features, we are excited to see such a range of projects and producers supported from across the country and look forward to seeing how they develop and the impact on the wider sector.”

Animation Featured is designed to help projects with high potential create a market-ready package that will attract both domestic and international interest. As well as development support, the programme offers priceless networking opportunities, connecting them with peers, industry figures and decision-makers who could be collaborators and creative partners in the future.

Equipping teams with both creative and commercial insight, Animation Featured reinforces Manchester Animation Festival's role as a leading force in UK animation and contributes to a stronger, more sustainable pipeline of British Animated Features.

More details can be found here.

Featured image features (left to right) John McEwan-Whyte - Sga and the Wulver, Chris Bowden - The Bear and the Piano, Dionne Farrell - Check Out, Ben Jackson - Made of Sticks,Vicki Rock - 24 & 45, Georgina Hurcombe - Journey to Pop Cloud Island, Jamie Badminton - Karaoke Club

Image Credit: Manchester Animation Festival/ Chris Payne.

What Will The Skydance-Warner Bros Deal Mean For Animation?

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 16:39:08 +0000

So it's finally happening. After more than a year of trying, Paramount-Skydance has been cleared to buy Warner Bros Discovery. There's been a lot of resistance, with various bodies and States have tried to block it, but to no avail. Now billionaire nepo-baby David Ellison will own the entirety of the resulting mega-corp, and there's nothing we can do about. Ellison announced that the name of the combined entity will be Skydance. Choosing the name of his own corporation over two iconic brands with over two centuries in Hollywood history between them is definitely a sign of his vanity. And possibly a questionable business decision (how widely is the Skydance brand even recognised?) But what does all this mean for the future of animation?

In any merger like this, it can be guaranteed that jobs are going to go. Ellison has already given the marching orders to two top Warner Bros execs, in favour of installing one of his own people to oversee both Paramount and WB. The new company has inherited a massive debt and will need to make savings somehow. This will likely translate into massive job cuts, and it seems most likely they will fall mainly on the Warner Bros side of the business, as it seems that's how Ellison operates. We'll probably see a significant number of series cancelled and movies canned. There could even be some of the tax write-off shenanigans that killed Batgirl and Scooby-Doo: Holiday Haunt. Brace yourself for disappointment.

In terms of animation, Ellison now owns an awful lot of animation studios. He owns Paramount Animation, Skydance Animation, Warner Bros Animation, Warner Bros. Pictures Animation, Cartoon Network (including Cartoon Network Studios), Adult Swim, Nickelodeon (including Nickelodeon Animation), Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe, CBS Eye Animation, South Park Studios (jointly owned by Park County), Avatar Studios, United Plankton Pictures Inc, Warner Bros Japan Anime Production, and DC Animation.

It doesn't take a sharp business mind to see, that's a lot. And the new owners might see some redundancy. Remember when Disney bought 20th Century Fox they promptly shuttered Blue Sky Studios because they didn't want more competition for Disney and Pixar? Ellison is almost certainly going to make cutbacks and most likely will shut one or more of these studios. Again, expect the Warner Bros side to bear the brunt of these cutbacks as Ellison is nothing if not consistent. He's sure as heck not going to shut down Skydance Animation, which as the youngest company with no cultural impact and a pretty weak library, would probably be the most sensible option. Ellison showed poor judgment when he hired John Lasseter after his firing from Pixar; I wouldn't put it past him to do something stupid like put Lasseter in overall charge of animation in the new mega-corp. That would show he has little concern for his female employees.

HBO Max and Paramount Plus are supposedly going to continue to operate as separate entities. Will HBO and Paramount both continue to commission original animation? They both seem to have had considerable success with the medium, and hopefully cuts won't prevent them from continuing to do so.

A lot of the concern over this deal relates to Ellison himself. The billionaire's politics are well known, and people are worried that he will impose his own right-leaning, conservative worldview on the studio's output. There's particular concern in terms of news. However, one example that doesn't seem to support this idea is the fact that he has owned South Park for a number of years, and they still seem to be doing whatever they want. It could be an exception because it's a well-established, decades-old brand and Matt Stone and Trey Parker have considerable clout. Or maybe it's not. Maybe it's wishful thinking, but maybe he'll be more of a hands-off boss than we expect? If he is not though, artists certainly won't be lining up to work with him.

Nobody can really predict anything, and maybe it's all going to work out. But this mega-merger is not great news for Hollywood, ending the days of Warner Bros as an independent studio. It would probably have worked out better if Netflix had bought WB after all. The future is looking extremely shaky for a considerable part of the US animation industry. All we can do is cross our fingers and hope it turns out OK- for us as viewers, but most importantly for all those working in the industry.

BFI London Film Festival Screens Wildwood, Julian, Ray Gunn and More

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 12:58:46 +0000

London is one of the world's great cities. It's also a major home for the entertainment industry and hosts a constant stream of events, screenings and film festivals. One of the most established and respected of these is the BFI London Film Festival, which returns to the capital every October. Established 59 years ago, the festival is run is association with the British Film Institute. This year's festival runs from October 7- 18.

This year's selection doesn't feature quite as much animation as in some previous years. However, the films that have been picked are some of the most prominent animation films of the year.

Brad Bird and Skydance Animation's upcoming Ray Gunn is being honoured with a Gala screening. Showing in advance of its December limited release and subsequent launch on Netflix, the festival is a good chance to catch the film early. Bird has been trying to get the concept made for over 30 years, and only now has had the opportunity to finally see it made a reality. Set in an alternate 1939, where humans live side-by-side with aliens, the last human private-eye (Ray Gunn) solves mysteries in the city of Metropia. Brad Bird is also giving a Screen Talk, discussing his career. Ray Gunn will also be screened at venues across the UK, including Birmingham, Bristol, Sheffield, Cardiff, Glasgow and Manchester.

The long-awaited return of LAIKA sees their newest film Wildwood debut with a Gala screening. LAIKA boss Travis Knight directs for the first time since Kubo and The Two Strings, and ParaNorman and Missing Link's Chris Butler writes the script, based on the fantasy novel by Colin Meloy. Quite literally epic (it's the longest stop-motion film ever made) it sees teen girl Pru enter the Enchanted Woods in search of her missing baby brother. LFF is also holding a free related event Into The Woods: Wildwood Mask Making.

Cartoon Saloon have traditionally had the UK premiere of their films at LFF. Their newest film Julián is no different, and will make its debut at the festival. The first feature directed by Louise Bagnall, its picture-book-inspired tale tells of a young boy named Julián shipped off to Brooklyn to live with his Dominican aunt. Julián has a love for all things bling and sparkly and finds it hard to settle in at first. But when he hears about the upcoming Mermaid Parade, he decides that he must be a mermaid himself. The festival is also hosting an event inspired by the movie, The Mermaid Parade. Kids will get the chance to craft mermaid tails, using provided materials. The event is free to enter.

Acclaimed French animation Iron Boy is also screening as part of LFF's Family strand. Nothing to do with the MCU, it depicts a young lad named Christophe who develops a condition that makes him frequently collapse. To keep him upright, a doctor prescribes him an iron corset. It takes time to get used to, and at first it alienates him further. But then he discovers the possibility of a different life. Directed by former Pixar animator Louis Clichy, the film features distinctive hand-drawn visuals and a big heart. Showing in its original French version with English subtitles.

Also screening is the Mexican-Brazilian production My Friend The Sun. Director Alejandra Pérez González presents this Mexican fable that features young girl Xóchitl. One day she discovers that the mural she has painted at her Mexico City home is a portal to the world of Tollan, the home of the Gods. Magically transported there, she finds herself exalted as The Sixth Sun. But she draws the ire and jealousy of a powerful rival and faces a struggle to return home. This 2D animation is a celebration of Mexican culture and mythology, and is the first Mexican film directed by a woman. The film will screen in Spanish with English subtitles.

Fernanda Salgado's animated feature Ana, En Passant is also screening at this year's festival. Following the death of her beloved grandmother, Ana journeys from Brazil to Paris to follow in the footsteps of her relatives. The journey allows her to discover more about her family, her heritage and ultimately herself. Salgado's animation is incorporated with real-life footage to create a unique effect. Screening in Portuguese and French with English subtitles.

Duncan Jones (director of Moon) makes his animation debut with Rogue Trooper. Based on the 2000AD comic strip of the same name, the indie British sci-fi feature depicts a dystopian future where bio-chipped, genetically engineered soldiers fight a futile war across a toxic landscape. Features the voices of Aneurin Barnard, Matt Berry and Hayley Atwell.

The festival also features a full programme of shorts. Most of them are live-action, but there are two dedicated animated screenings this year. Animated Shorts For Younger Audiences is just like it sounds- a collection of shorts that will be suitable and appealing for young viewers, although they may have wider appeal. Life/Drawing is a collection of shorts from around the world exploring what connects us to people, the world around us and, most importantly, ourselves. The shorts feature content that might not be suitable for younger viewers.

Tickets are available via the festival website. Some screenings may already be sold out, but extra and standby tickets may be released. You can check online every day after 10am or enquire in person at the BFI Southbank 15 minutes before a screening. Festivalgoers aged 16-25 can sign up for a BFI 25 and Under account, and get tickets for screenings and talks for just £6.00.

Out This Week: Hazbin Hotel, Toy Story 5, Minions & Monsters and More

noreply@blogger.com (Chris Perkins) — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 09:49:24 +0000

Welcome back once again to Out This Week, your weekly guide to what's new in animation home releases. This week sees releases for Devil Survivor 2 and the second season of Hazbin Hotel. Also released is Thunderbean Animation's retro cartoon compilation A Spooky Cartoon Halloween and the live-action remake of Moana.

Over in the UK, two of the biggest animated features of the year make their disc debut in the form of Toy Story 5 and Illumination's Minions and Monsters. A five-film Toy Story Collection is also released in 4K. Finally, MVM Entertainment release My Isekai Life: Complete Collection.

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

UK Releases For October 05, 2026

Minions & Monsters (Universal Pictures, U) "In the 1920's, three Minions go to Hollywood to pursue their dreams of becoming filmmakers, but everything changes when they discover a spellbook, and accidentally summon a monster."

FORMATS: Blu-Ray, DVD

My Isekai Life Complete Collection (MVM Entertainment, 15) "As a novice level Monster Tamer, Yuji would normally be one of the last ones chosen when putting together a dungeon delving party. However, thanks to a clever trick involving a bunch of slimes, Yuji has also absorbed the archived knowledge of a great Sage and secretly gained an incredibly powerful second class! And if that's not enough, he's actually from a place called Japan in another world, which adds even more tricks up his sleeve! But even with these abilities and the help of his slimes, a magical Proud Wolf, and a forest spirit named Dryad, will that be enough to face off against rock dragons, sinister cults and gangs of slavers? Yuji had better hope so, because fate and fortune seem determined to put him into the most ridiculously dangerous situations as often as possible!"

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Toy Story 5 (Disney, PG) "Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and the rest of the gang's jobs get exponentially harder when they go head to head with an all new threat to playtime: technology."

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

Toy Story: 5 Movie Collection (Disney, PG) " Contains all 5 Toy Story movies in one collection."

FORMATS: 4K UHD, Blu-Ray

US Releases For October 06, 2026

Devil Survivor 2 (Sentai Filmworks, TV-MA) "What do you do when you learn that you’re about to die in a subway crash and earthquake while an army of demons starts to annihilate mankind? For schoolmates Hibiki, Daichi and Io, the only way out alive is to use a mysterious app on their phones that pulls them into a war where they command demons in battle against the forces of the Septenriones! Now as living game pieces trapped in the ultimate battle between the living, the dead and the demonic, they’ll have to survive literal hell on Earth as the forces of good and evil collide in Devil Survivor 2 The Animation!"

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Hazbin Hotel Season 2 (A-24, TV-MA) "The hotel is booming with new residents. Though, to Charlie's dismay, many are not there for the right reasons. As resentment against Heaven brews and sinners realize they can fight back, there are plenty of sinners looking to capitalize on the growing tensions: namely the overlord trio known as "The Vees.""

FORMATS: Blu-Ray

Moana (Live-action) (Disney, PG) "In Ancient Polynesia, when a terrible curse incurred by Maui reaches the island of an impetuous Chieftain, his willful daughter answers the Ocean’s call to seek out the demigod to set things right."

FORMATS: 4K, Blu-Ray, DVD