Category: Animation

Top Picks from Discotek Deep Dive July Schedule

Discotek’s July lineup brings classic anime fans plenty to celebrate, from Go Nagai’s Devilman to Osamu Tezuka’s daring Animerama work and the ever-charming Sherlock Hound.

Discotek Deep Dive May When looking at Discotek’s deep dive July schedule, I can’t help but smile. For those following Go Nagai’s Devilman saga, the next series release is coming, and there’s more Osamu Tezuka’s works being offered! The late 60s was a prime time for fans of this artist’s works. It is also worth noting his cinematic output didn’t get a wide release.

Honourable mentions go to Astro Boy: The Complete 1980 Series, along with City Hunter and its 1991 continuation, which together do a solid job of capturing what made 90s anime so memorable.

Devilman: The Complete TV Series (1972)

devilman_tv-800x1017Before Go Nagai went full dark with the manga, the original TV series told a more family-friendly version of the story. Teenager Akira Fudo merges with the demon Amon, inheriting his power while holding onto his human soul, and uses that strength to defend Earth from demonic invasions. It’s campy and colourful in all the best 70s ways, and it’s essential viewing for anyone who wants to understand why later adaptations like Devilman Crybaby landed so hard.

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When Hotori Doesn’t Have To Sing Along to Billy Joel’s “Pressure”

Hotori: Simply Wishing for Hope is a short anime about a girl losing herself to an unknown condition and the android built to inherit a dead child’s memories, and their unlikely bond asks the most essential questions about what makes us human.

Hotori Wishing for Hope

The quest for memories is the focus in Hotori: Simply Wishing for Hope, a short film about a girl who can’t have a tomorrow. She’s struggling with an unknown condition that’s steadily erasing who she is. She’ll become a shell of what she was, and in contrast, she meets an android built to inherit the memories of a deceased child. His parents know Suzu is no replacement, but when a life is cut too short, is it a fair trade to gain what another has lost? That’s the existential crisis at the heart of this heartbreaking, or is that heartwarming, story about why life is precious, and why we shouldn’t take every day for granted.

Hotori originally aired as a Japanese television special and was directed by Takashi Anno (Maison Ikkoku, Blood Reign: Curse of the Yoma). It won third place at the 2004 Animax Grand Prix awards, and although this release comes very late, the themes feel timely when you consider what defines an AI, its personality, and what exactly constitutes a soul. Memories aren’t the only piece of the puzzle. There’s “Personality,” which can apparently be extracted and put into code. We’re not meant to unpack how all of that works, and what’s genuinely poignant is the relationship these two tweens share.

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Alien Nine Is Landing Soon Courtesy of MediaOCD!

AnimEigo and MediaOCD are bringing Alien Nine to Blu-ray, giving this oddball schoolgirl sci-fi horror OVA a new HD life with restored visuals and plenty of archival extras.

Alien Nine Cover
Available to pre-order on Amazon USA and MediaOCD

Anime distributor AnimEigo and parent company MediaOCD have announced that Alien Nine is coming to Blu-ray on June 9, 2026. And while this original video animation focuses on elementary school girls battling aliens, I’m wondering when teens will get in on the act too. Technically, they have with Prefectural Earth Defense Force, but that prior licence belonged to ADV Films rather than this partnership to redistribute older titles. Technically, the original North American release was handled by Central Park media, so who knows?

Although the animated adaptation didn’t continue as the manga continued with Emulators and Next, chances are very slim when considering the height of its popularity was back in 2001.

From the Press Release:

This upcoming release is based on a manga series written and illustrated by Hitoshi Tomizawa that was originally serialized in Akita Shoten’s manga magazine, Young Champion. Set in the not-too-distant future, alien invasion is a daily occurrence. Someone must save the planet, so Yuri and her 6th grade classmates are elected for this important assignment. Can a trio of cute schoolgirls defeat terrifying creatures from outer space?

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The Best Animated Short Films To Remember From The 2026 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival

The Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival offered a strong slate of animated short films this year, with stories ranging from quiet science fiction to cultural memory, climate anxiety, and personal identity.

Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival LOGO - Short Films

After certain events, sometimes it’s hard to get all my thoughts compressed down fast, especially after watching some short films. The time even spent remotely becomes a blur. And for events that span less than a week, it can feel like a weekend. As a result, it’s hard to believe the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival is over. May the Fourth brought its own challenges for obvious reasons, so offering the last day online was a smart call. Not only can those not able to attend catch a selection from home, but also, what’s offered isn’t always geolocked.

This year, I opted to focus almost entirely on animated works, and the shorts since they rarely get their due. And what’s covered here are my thoughts on those pieces that really impressed me:

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Another World at the LA Asian Pacific Film Festival. A Chinese Reimagining of a Japanese Novel.

Although the number of animated releases from Hong Kong are few and far between, just what’s offered in Another World are insightful looks at the human character, and this film is no exception.

Another World Movie PosterAMC Atlantic Times Square 14
May 3, 2026, 6:00 pm (buy tickets here)
* Mild Spoiler Alert

Although Tommy Ng’s animated adaptation of Naka Saijō’s novel Thousand Year Ghost differs from its source, that’s likely because the original’s intent is hard to comprehend cleanly. It’s possible this work is more like a huge anthology than a focussed tale about one individual. Another World is more digestible. At its core, we follow Gudo (Suet-Ying Chung), a child-like supernatural being searching for the meaning of life. As one of many soulkeepers guiding spirits toward reincarnation, he understands that not all will pass on. Those weighed down by guilt or resentment risk becoming “Wraths,” not ghosts in the traditional sense, but manifestations of unresolved emotion taken to their extreme.

These beings linger in the living world, causing harm. Stopping them isn’t Gudo’s role; others handle that. What stands out is how observational the movie feels. There’s no grand rebellion against cosmic order, just quiet witnessing. This lad’s presence adds to that unease. The mask he wears, or what may simply be his face, seems to act like a chamber, giving his voice a different resonance. We hear him as though he’s speaking from an empty room. The sound design brilliantly reinforces that he’s not from our world, but another one, which perfectly suits the film’s title.

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This May on Netflix: Five Genre Picks Set to Start the Fire and Entertain

Action, anime, K-drama, animation, sci-fi. May on Netflix is covering a lot of ground, and these five genre picks are the ones worth clearing your evening for.

Five Genre Picks on Netflix for MayNext month looks to be good on Netflix, especially for those curious about what The Duffer Brothers’ next project is. Although they are not helming the work, what’s offered in these five genre picks for May looks solid.

Whether you’re in the mood for a Thai action film with some serious John Wick energy, a slow-burn supernatural series from the team behind Stranger Things, or an anime adaptation manga readers have been waiting years to see, there’s real variety here. We’ve rounded up five picks worth circling on your calendar.

My Dearest Assassin

(Film) | Streaming May 7

My Dearest Assassin (Film)Thailand has been quietly building a reputation for punchy, emotionally grounded genre cinema, and this Netflix Original leans right into that. Lhan was born with a rare blood type that made her a target from childhood. After her parents are murdered, she’s taken in by House 89, a secretive assassin clan that becomes her found family. Years later, the man who killed her parents returns, and this time she’s not running.

The film blends close-quarters action choreography with a genuine romance between Lhan and Pran, the heir to House 89. Director Taweewat Wantha (Death Whisperer) brings a horror filmmaker’s instinct for tension to the fight sequences. One-time film drop, no waiting.

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