Mortal Kombat II delivers the gore, mythology, and live-action cartoon energy fans expect, with Karl Urban having a blast as Johnny Cage. But while the action lands, Kitana’s story gets less room than it deserves.
Mortal Kombat is one of gaming’s great guilty pleasures. In arcades across North America, the gore you could dish out in a brawler had enthusiasts lining up for more. In the cinematic adaptation that continues in Mortal Kombat II, the lore leans into Robert E. Howard-style worldbuilding, mixing Bushidō-adjacent pulp fiction more than philosophy with enough mythology to make the stakes feel real. That blend is everywhere in the ongoing fight over who gets to claim the Earthrealm, with some cowboy diplomacy thrown into the mix.
This multiverse runs deep: there’s the Outworld and Netherworld, and the Realm of Order and Chaos, each with its own chosen champions. After the events of the first film, casual viewers may not remember enough to follow why Johnny Cage (Karl Urban) is being pulled into the conflict. The film opens with a flashback that introduces Emperor Shao Kahn (Martyn Ford) as the primary antagonist. After defeating King Jerrod (Desmond Chiam) in Mortal Kombat, he claims the kingdom of Edenia for the Outworld and takes two unwilling prizes home with him. Queen Sindel (Ana Thu Nguyen) and Princess Kitana (Adeline Rudolph) don’t go quietly.
After touring festivals and art house screenings, Strange Journey The Story of Rocky Horror finally heads to VOD. This documentary looks at Richard O’Brien, the film’s cult legacy, and the fandom that kept doing the Time Warp long after 1975.
Coming to VOD
Prime Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home
Release Date: June 2
It’s astounding that after more than a year of building strong buzz on the festival circuit and through special art house screenings, Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror is finding a home across various North American streaming platforms. Magenta Light Studios has the rights to handle this documentary about the enduring legacy of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Directed by his son, Linus O’Brien, the film approaches Rocky Horror as more than a movie. When life is fleeting, what’s presented is a living commentary about how the fandom evolved. After nearly five decades of midnight screenings, cosplay, music, and queer celebration, the appreciation has only gotten stronger. All anyone has to do is look at the “new” material coming out, like the crowdfunding effort to craft a sequel, namely Bride of Rocky Horror (editorial link here).
There’s more strange tales to be illustrated, and Gou Tanabe’s adaptation of The Case of Charles Dexter Ward has begun publishing… in chapters! While we wait, thankfully, there’s enough Lovecraft-inspired releases to sate most fans’ tastes.
The news is real. Gou Tanabe is adapting The Case of Charles Dexter Ward, and the first chapter is now in print through Kadokawa’s Comic Beam magazine. Although a translated release is likely years away, fans can either seek out the original or check fan translation sites. For now, that may be all readers outside Japan are going to get.
Considering this is one of Lovecraft’s longer works, don’t expect the story to wrap up for at least two years. Anyone who has read the original knows this tale deals with necromancy and an ancestor with a questionable past. Audio adaptations exist and those curious enough to listen to can check out the link below.
What’s exciting about this release is how Tanabe always manages to expand the source material to new heights. His sweeping vistas and dense details hint at something only large-format releases can fully reveal. Reading it in a magazine offers only a tiny layer of the full experience. Like other artists deeply invested in world building, such as Mamoru Nagano and Gothicmade (formerly Five Star Stories), readers living abroad are at a disadvantage. And by the time it reaches tankobon format, there may be two volumes.
Although not every Chinese animated film makes it to international distribution, they are worth seeking out for the die hard donghua fan.
China’s animation scene is quietly doing something interesting. Not everything has to preach Confucianism or Daoism from the mountaintop. Some challenge it, and others interpret it. As for what’s upcoming, the more interesting Chinese animated films of 2026 are leaning into practical adventures. They fold history, folklore, comedy, and mystery into stories aimed either with or beyond the usual mythological spectacle.
That matters because this industry still mostly focuses on younger audiences. Certain familiar IPs still need to be mentioned, but studios are also stretching into historical storytelling. Light Chaser Animation, in particular, looks ready to make history its next big playground. And while fans are still waiting for the final instalment of Ne Zha, here’s an update on what came out this month and what’s still ahead for the remainder of 2026.
Three Kingdoms Part One:
Struggle for Luoyang
(三国第一部：争洛阳)
Release Date: 10 July 2026
Light Chaser Animation’s next major historical epic is now dated for July 10. The studio’s official channel identifies the film as Three Kingdoms: The Beginning. Earlier reports connect the project to Cao Cao, Yuan Shao, and the larger collapse of the Eastern Han order, which makes this less of a simple battlefield retelling and more of a political origin story. Early trailers suggest a style similar to Chang An, where the focus is on certain players before the big fight. If that approach holds, this could become one of 2026’s major Chinese animation events.
Master Zhong
(钟馗)
Release Date: 16 June 2023 Festival, 30 May 2026 Wide
This one has now firmed up for a May 30, 2026 theatrical release in China. Reports describe it as a family-friendly mythological animated feature built around Zhong Kui, the demon-quelling figure from Chinese folklore. Production credits vary slightly by outlet, so I’d avoid overloading the paragraph with names unless using the film’s official materials. The widely reported core is that iQIYI Pictures is involved, and the story follows a human girl, Chujiu, after she enters the underworld and becomes tangled in Zhong Kui’s fight against demonic forces.
The Great Sage Rises
(大圣崛起)
Release Date: 10 July 2026
Sun Wukong returns to the summer animation race with The Great Sage Rises, now dated for July 10, 2026. This is not being positioned as Tian Xiaopeng’s direct sequel to : Hero Is Back, so that distinction is worth making clear. Reports identify October Sky Pictures, one of the key companies behind Hero Is Back, as part of this project, with Wang Chuan of Kuiba attached as producer and/or screenwriter depending on the source. The story reportedly digs into hidden conflicts behind the Journey to the West legend, including Sun Wukong, Liu’er, and new figures such as Bifang and Bo Xun.
A Story About Fire
(燃比娃)
Release Date: 28 April 2026
Shanghai Animation Film Studio’s A Story About Fire has already opened in China through the National Arthouse Alliance circuit. This is the studio’s first feature-length xuan paper hand-painted animated film, and reports note that the production used more than 50,000 hand-painted sheets. Its story draws from Qiang mythology, following a young hero and his dog on a journey tied to fire, warmth, growth, and origin. This one is less about franchise muscle and more about preserving a handmade Chinese animation tradition in a modern feature format.
Demon Agent
(大唐妖探)
Release Date: Summer 2026
Directed by Cheng Teng, co-director of Jiang Ziya / Legend of Deification, this 3D animated Tang dynasty detective fantasy is set in Chang’an, where humans and demons share the same streets. The film follows a wolf demon accused of murder who joins forces with a human trickster tied to the Di Renjie tradition. What makes this one stand out is the genre blend: part buddy comedy, part fantasy mystery, and part mechanical Tang dynasty spectacle. Chinese coverage has described it as the country’s first comedy-detective animated feature, with a summer 2026 release window.
GG Bond: Race Through Time
Release Date: May 1, 2026
The 11th theatrical instalment in the GG Bond franchise keeps pushing the series past its TV roots. Sometimes compared to Boonie Bears, which had its latest release over Chinese New Year, GG Bond is not tied to a celebration. The series often preaches more than it tells a story, but given the audience it’s designed for, friendship, integrity, and perseverance are woven in rather than tacked on. Alongside Phoebe, Super Q, Bobby, S-Daddy, and Dr. Mihoo, the little pig has built a steady audience over the years.
This time around, GG Bond befriends Star Navi, a fierce leopard racer with a complicated home situation. When Navi’s father suffers a career-ending injury, the two travel back in time to change the outcome. It’s a heavier emotional hook than the franchise usually reaches for, which suggests Winsing is testing whether the series can grow with its audience. The film has already opened in China and is now being positioned for international distribution.
Hong Kong
Another World
Release Date: June 2026
Read our movie review here.
Out of all the films slated for release this year, there are only two confirmed to have an international release. It’s a small world when GKIDS is involved with getting this gem out. The story follows Gudo, a Keeper who guides souls to the afterlife, as he bonds with a young girl whose unresolved rage keeps her stuck. Helping her move on means Gudo has to reckon with his own emotions, and the consequences of letting that anger loose.
Hong Kong produces far fewer animated features than the mainland, which makes this one stand out on its own. It also took home Best Animated Feature at the Golden Horse Awards, giving it real pedigree going into its wider release. And after its screening at the LA Asian Pacific Film Festival, word of mouth has been strong. This one lands emotionally, and apparently doesn’t let go.
Celebrations continue for Jpop fans who adore Maaya Sakamoto’s music. Not only is there a new release for Fate/Grand Order fans but also they can hear her unplugged.
Currently in the midst of her 30th anniversary as an artist, Maaya Sakamoto continues to shine. The concert held April 18 and 19 at Tokyo’s Ariake Arena ended to great acclaim. And for those who missed the show or want a greatest hits, this artist is releasing a greatest hits album of sorts, titled Yoin. This album collects all six theme songs she performed for the smartphone JRPG and there’s a lot more to be included!
From The Press Release
Disc one features all six theme songs from the smartphone role-playing game Fate/Grand Order, from “Shikisai,” which was released alongside the official game launch in 2015, to “Tokei,” the theme song for the final chapter released in 2025.
“Tokei” was released digitally last year and will be recorded on CD for the first time.
And we got a list on what’s been published in comicdom so far! After years of loose ends and unanswered threads, Disney Gargoyles returns with a new ongoing series that finally taps into Greg Weisman’s long-promised vision, picking up where the story truly left off.
Dynamite Entertainment is fully invested in continuing the adventure of Disney Gargoyles, self-proclaimed protectors of Manhattan City and the new guardians of Avalon. After watching the animated series for the upteenth time, that’s one of Oberon’s decrees that still lingers. As for the fate of the robot clan, where the spirits of Othello, Desdemona, and Iago were finally separated from the Coldstone body and given their own robotic forms, we never got a proper continuation.
There’s also the Canmore clan, who have a deeper history with Demona than most, though the series never played favourites. That arc began with the City of Stone story arc, and every once in a while, surfaces in a future narrative. That’s where things were left (and yes, we’re ignoring the third season, since not many fans liked the direction when creator Greg Weisman wasn’t involved).
Followers of Gargoyles will be excited to learn that this comic book company will publish the story this creator has always wanted to tell. Whether that means exploring events before the previous comic runs or pushing beyond the cartoon’s timeline, those long-promised ideas are finally taking shape. He’s been sharing his ideas with fans for years, and now it seems this publisher is ready to go the extra mile.
From the Press Release:
“For me, this is a story thirty years in the making. One I’ve been longing to tell,” said Weisman. “So longtime fans are seriously not going to want to miss this. At the same time, it’s also a great place for new readers who know nothing about Gargoyles to jump aboard. We’re making sure that everything you need to know is right there on the page. Your Gargoyles addiction begins here and now!”
Mortal Kombat is one of gaming’s great guilty pleasures. In arcades across North America, the gore you could dish out in a brawler had enthusiasts lining up for more. In the cinematic adaptation that continues in Mortal Kombat II, the lore leans into Robert E. Howard-style worldbuilding, mixing Bushidō-adjacent pulp fiction more than philosophy with enough mythology to make the stakes feel real. That blend is everywhere in the ongoing fight over who gets to claim the Earthrealm, with some cowboy diplomacy thrown into the mix.
Coming to VOD
The news is real. 
China’s animation scene is quietly doing something interesting. Not everything has to preach Confucianism or Daoism from the mountaintop. Some challenge it, and others interpret it. As for what’s upcoming, the more interesting Chinese animated films of 2026 are leaning into practical adventures. They fold history, folklore, comedy, and mystery into stories aimed either with or beyond the usual mythological spectacle.
Release Date: May 1, 2026
Release Date: June 2026
Currently in the midst of her 30th anniversary as an artist, 
Dynamite Entertainment