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Discotek’s Deep Dives into May, Our Top Five Picks

Discotek’s Deep Dives is bringing a wave of classic anime back in May, with twenty-seven films and series returning to shelves through MediaOCD and Amazon. Among them are standout releases like Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland, Robot Carnival, Urusei Yatsura, and Ghost Stories, making this a strong month for collectors and fans of vintage anime.

Discotek’s Deep Dives continues in May with twenty-seven classic anime films and series getting re-released. They are not only available through MediaOCD but also Amazon too. The links provided go to one or the other depending on availability, and for collectors looking to upgrade their collection, now’s the time! Alternatively, for those wanting to see the silver age in action, what’s offered here are my top five must-haves.

These works will be released during the month of May:

Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland

Little Nemo in Wonderland

Welcome to the fantasy where dreams of enchanted lands and new friends take young Nemo into an exciting, fun-filled adventure through Slumberland. On one unforgettable night, Nemo falls asleep in his usual resistant manner. Soon, with the help of his flying pet squirrel Icarus and his friend Professor Genius, they journey together into Slumberland. What most fans don’t know is that the production took nearly a decade to complete, and along the way attracted screenplay drafts from Ray Bradbury and Chris Columbus before the final version landed.

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Beyond the Clickbait: Why the Shocking Dark Theories About the Dungeons and Dragons Cartoon Don’t Hold Water

YouTube fan theories love to claim the kids in the Dungeons and Dragons animated series are dead and trapped in purgatory, but the show’s own episodes tell a completely different story. From Terri’s real-world reunion with Bobby to Josef’s impact on actual history, the evidence for a living, breathing adventure has been hiding in plain sight the whole time.

The cottage industry of “ruined childhoods” isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Just look at MediaOCD’s World Classics use of the label for proof that revisiting old favourites with fresh eyes can actually add something. But on YouTube, a certain breed of content creator loves poking holes in beloved franchises, accuracy optional. Whether the target is He-Man or something else entirely, the clickbait title is usually doing most of the heavy lifting. One series that doesn’t deserve the treatment is the Dungeons and Dragons Cartoon.

On Reddit and elsewhere, the Backstage Tales theory is not alone. Although they are separate ideas, they all share the same DNA: Hank, Sheila, Bobby, Diana, and Eric died. Whether it was because they had no self worth or on that roller coaster ride, the consequences are grim, and are vaguely hinted at in the episode, “Quest of the Skeleton Warrior.”

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Light Chaser Animation’s Liao Zhai Lan Ruo Si May Well Be Ghosted By Western Distributors, and ….

….it’s easy to see why changes to this narrative is struggling to be visible outside of China. Strange Tales (Liao Zhai Lan Ruo Si) is borrowing from tropes some may say are outdated but not everyone will agree to that accessment.

Liao Zhai Lan Ruo Si Light Chaser Animation

After countless searches and a properly worded query to Claude AI about availability, the elusive Liao Zhai Lan Ruo Si (Curious Tales of a Temple, aka Strange Tales: Lan Ruo Temple) is finally within reach. When it will receive an official release remains uncertain. In a future article, I’ll explore the challenges behind getting Ne Zha 2, White Snake: Afloat, and this work to home video. For now, wht’s offered are my early reactions.

What I’ve managed to see in the wilds of the Internet suggests this is a film worth watching. I won’t dive into a full review just yet, but it’s worth sharing some early impressions. As for how long this fleeting upload remains available is anyone’s guess.

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Free Comic Book Day and Comics Giveaway 2026: My Top Picks on What To Grab May 2nd

Free Comic Book Day 2026 and the inaugural Comics Giveaway Day are both on my radar this year, and there’s a surprisingly fun mix of titles worth watching. From Greatest American Hero to Journey to the West, these are the free comics that are must grabs.

After the demise of Diamond Distribution as being the main depot to find comics, and advertise Free Comic Book Day 2026 in their catalogue, it’s harder to know ahead of time what will be released. Thankfully we have the Internet. However, not everyone makes the effort to look ahead. And not everyone knows that there’s “two” events instead of one to cover all the publishers. According to The Beat, there was once a plan to have three, but it’s been scaled back.

Not only is there the normal FCBD, there’s also Comics Giveaway Day. As far as I’m concerned, it’s one and the same, just under different distribution channels. There was supposed to be a third, but when Oni Press threw its support behind the original event, the momentum behind that idea collapsed with it.

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Just One Star Shy: The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Strangely Incomplete But Always Joyful

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie delivers colourful cosmic spectacle and plenty of familiar Nintendo charm, but its thin worldbuilding and safe storytelling keep it from reaching the same spark as its predecessor. It’s breezy, playful, and entertaining, even if it leaves its bigger ideas floating unresolved.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie may be all fun and games for the brothers spending their time in a new world, and as the only plumbers in Princess Peach’s realm, they’re helping keep the peace rather than fixing faucets. But none of them are exactly equipped to deal with their ruler’s current existential woes. When Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) admits she doesn’t know where she came from, the story quietly opens a larger mystery, one it only partially resolves.

That thread leads into the absence of Rosalina (Brie Larson), whose kidnapping by Bowser Jr. sets the events in motion. He leans fully into the shadow of his father, eager to prove himself through familiar cruelty. When this sequel is straightforward and paint-by-numbers, there’s not much to be excited over.

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Must-Read Comic Book Classic Cartoon Releases This Month

From bold crossovers to deeper character explorations, these comic book classic cartoon releases show how familiar worlds can expand in new directions while still holding onto what made them iconic.

Thundercats X Silverhawks- Road To War #1 - Comic Book Classic Cartoon Releases This Spring, a growing wave of animated classics are finding new life on the page, and they are all now available at your local comic book store to pick up. Most of them will carry it, and for those smaller operations whose shelf space is small, they can order these titles in for you! From fresh comic book adaptations to ambitious crossovers, these stories go beyond nostalgia—they expand worlds that fans already love. Some fill in the gaps, others reimagine familiar arcs, but all of these comic book classic cartoon releases are worth your time.

Across publishers like IDW, Dynamite and Boom! Studios, there’s a steady stream of releases that stand out as true must-reads. There are others on the horizon as well—Mad Cave’s Casshan is slated for Fall, while their Gatchaman continuing adventures continues to build momentum.

For now, here’s a breakdown of this month’s must-read releases:

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