Animation Archives | Page 2 Of 222

Is There Gold To Be Found With Kayara, A Peruvian Animated Film?

A rare animated look at the Incan world, Kayara blends a familiar coming-of-age structure with a thoughtful historical lens. The result is an engaging adventure about identity, resilience, and a civilization fighting to preserve its spirit.

Kayara Movie Poster The ancient Incan world is fascinating not only because of where it existed within the cosmos, but also because, as a mountain community, the way its people communicated between villages is worth examining too. While there are plenty of scholarly publications on the subject, seeing that world brought to life through animation is incredibly rare. Now there’s Kayara, the latest entry to deliver not only a strong coming-of-age tale, but also a historical glimpse into this culture’s past.

My first exposure to this world came through The Mysterious Cities of Gold; I don’t count The Emperor’s New Groove, since it’s more sitcom-oriented than folklore-driven. While The Road to El Dorado is more about the arrival of the Spaniards, I still wanted to know more. Thanks to Shout! Studios’ commitment to bringing world animation to their growing catalogue of releases, I was pleased to check out Ainbo: Spirit of the Amazon (review), made by Peruvian animation studio Tunche Films, and their next work proves just as enlightening.

Continue reading “Is There Gold To Be Found With Kayara, A Peruvian Animated Film?”

Charlie the Wonderdog Has Some Bark, But Can He Bite?

Charlie the Wonderdog isn’t a complete wash. It’s an animated film with its heart in the right place despite leaning on a familiar premise: cats versus dogs. The latter takes the heroic lane while it seems every purring entity is cast as villainous. At least the origin story avoids retreading the Superman template. Instead, the narrative centres on two pets who gain super abilities and how they choose to use them. One leans toward saving the day, the other toward domination, driven by a lifetime of mistreatment by his owner that fuels a lingering vendetta.

This bowser (voiced by Owen Wilson) has known nothing but love since entering Danny’s (Dawson Littman) life as a toddler. That emotional framing gives the film its strongest footing. Now much older, this tween is facing the quiet reality that his longtime companion is nearing his sunset years. This canine isn’t as spry as he once was, and the boy simply wants his best friend comfortable and cared for. That dynamic shifts when this dog is kidnapped alongside a neighbourhood cat (Caitlynne Medrek) and subjected to alien experimentation. They are returned with renewed vigour and the ability to talk.

Continue reading “Charlie the Wonderdog Has Some Bark, But Can He Bite?”

Celebrate 626 Day With Dynamite! Lilo and Stitch Has Exciting Plans

A new Lilo & Stitch 626 anthology from Dynamite aims to turn 626 Day into a three-month celebration, with stories spotlighting Stitch and the wider cast, including a tease of Agent Cobra Bubbles’ “secret origin” through Lilo’s eyes.

Dynamite Comics

With both the live-action and animated Lilo and Stitch projects helping make 626 Day even bigger, fans worldwide have another excuse to celebrate all through June. Over at Dynamite Comics, a new anthology series is on the way, interpreting the galaxy’s greatest little chaos gremlin in assorted ways.

What makes this release especially interesting is its promise of an Agent Cobra Bubbles backstory. Some fans will argue we do not need to know, that the mystery is the point. I get that, but I would still love to see how he negotiated saving the mosquito population. That’s the sort of detail that could land perfectly in comic form.

The anthology could also explore what Jumba and Pleakley were up to before everything went sideways. And if they’re giving David some spotlight too, I will not complain. The surfer dude stays an underrated part of the heart of this cast, and I’m curious what new angles the writers find.

As for what Disney has planned around 626 Day, we wait for an official announcement. In the meantime, here’s the press release framing, plus series details.

From the 626 Day Press Release:

What is 626 Day? Stitch, the blue alien buddy who co-stars in Disney’s Lilo & Stitch, was originally designated as Experiment 626. While Dr. Jumba Jookiba created more unique experiments, 626 is the most famous. 626 Day offers Disney fans the opportunity to playfully celebrate the beloved character that has captivated global audiences while commemorating his intergalactic namesake.

Continue reading “Celebrate 626 Day With Dynamite! Lilo and Stitch Has Exciting Plans”

Cosmic Princess Kaguya: Far Too Genki For My Tastes

But if you like J-pop anyways, Cosmic Princess Kaguya features all the teen angst needed to reimagine the classic tale for a cyber-generation.

Netflix

In a not too distant future, there’s a musical avatar known as Cosmic Princess Kaguya who wants freedom from where she came from. This digital figure isn’t just data. Instead, this individual is sentient, and bears no semblance to the figure and version of the story I loved more. Studio Ghibli holds all the cards here, and tried as I did to watch this lengthy film written by Saeri Natsuo and directed by Shingo Yamashita, the vibe leans more on being hyperactive.

Here, shades of Cyberpunk: Edgerunner exists when Iroha (Anna Nagase) finds a program she wasn’t meant to discover. Enter Kaguya (Yuko Natsuyoshi), a program developed to monitor the Lunar base’s oxygen and power grids. After The Lunar Corporate Council realizes this code is missing, they’re out to get her back, and in the meantime, Kags hopes to find a body she can inhabit so she can be free.

Continue reading “Cosmic Princess Kaguya: Far Too Genki For My Tastes”

Titan Manga and Five Star Stories. The Anxious Wait Won’t Be Long.

Let’s hope Titan Manga and Five Star Stories remain committed to deliver this lucious saga to the English-speaking masses instead of stalling.

Titan Manga
Volume One releasing July 7, 2026
and Two on Oct 6, 2026

Thankfully, the Five Star Stories manga is still going strong in Japan. Even though it has effectively reinvented itself after Volume 12 of the tankōbon release, most people have rolled with the changes. While purists may take issue with the work being referred to as Gothicmade, the shift at least establishes a foundation for where future stories are headed. The scope feels less like a simple continuation and more like a reframing, one where the saga leans into legacy rather than immediate battlefield drama.

Instead of diving into a massive editorial on the changes, I’ll simply say this, as long as sales remain strong, I’m hopeful Titan Books’ new label stays committed to republishing the full Toypress run up to that volume, where it never saw a translation for the English-speaking market, and continues onward into the expanded era of the story. With a possible release of three volumes per year similar to the previous run, it won’t take long to catch up! To note, the English edition was further separated into smaller chapter releases. There are 26 books which cover Japanese Volumes 1 through 10. Volume 11 and onward have yet to be translated.

Continue reading “Titan Manga and Five Star Stories. The Anxious Wait Won’t Be Long.”

Chinese New year 2026: The Essential Film Lineup You Need to See

The films offered during Chinese New Year 2026 is a mix of fun and action in the only way the leading film likes it. From animated bear sized chaos to desert-scale action, here are the releases worth tracking down.

Chinese New Year 2026 may feel late, but there’s a reason for that. In ancient times, the traditional calendar followed both the sun and the moon. That balance matters, especially when studios deliberately time releases to echo ideas of renewal, repetition, and harmony. This year’s holiday slate leans hard into that symbolism. Whether it’s animated bears stuck in a cycle, desert-bound warriors chasing destiny, or families barely holding it together over banquets, these films feel tailor-made for the season. This list highlights what to find, from international releases to local favourites.

熊出没·年年有熊 (Bears Appear Every Year)

The Boonie Bears are a chaotic duo who’ve become one of mainland China’s most recognisable animated exports, though comparing them to Yogi and Boo Boo only gets you so far. They’re operating in a different tonal universe, one where slapstick escalates quickly and logic is optional. Over the years, they’ve been joined by familiar faces like Vick, once an outright adversary, and Warren the raccoon, expanding their world beyond simple bear-on-human mischief.

It’s almost expected at this point that a new Boonie Bears movie arrives every year, often timed squarely for Chinese New Year. That consistency has turned the series into a holiday fixture. The humour is broad, the pacing relentless, and the appeal is cross-generational. With 年年有熊 literally translating to “Bears Appear Every Year,” there’s a strong suggestion this entry leans into repetition, tradition, and cyclical time. If there’s a Groundhog Day-style loop involved, it would fit neatly with zodiac symbolism and the idea of patterns renewing themselves year after year.

镖人：风起大漠 (Blades of the Guardians)

镖人：风起大漠 (Blades of the Guardians) Styled as a full-throttle wuxia epic, Blades of the Guardians sends Dao Ma (Jing Wu), the “second most wanted fugitive,” on what should be a straightforward escort mission to Chang’an. Naturally, it isn’t. Set against the vast expanse of the Gobi Desert, the trailers suggest a Mad Max meets Wild West energy, with bandits, shifting allegiances, and violence erupting from every direction.

The mystery surrounding the mission, and the involvement of the Mo family clan, hint at deeper political and personal stakes. With Jet Li in the cast and international distribution planned via Well Go USA, this one feels positioned to travel well beyond the holiday window.

Hong Kong Chinese New Year 2026 Releases

夜王 (Night King)

夜王 (Night King) Directed by Jack Ng, following the success of A Guilty Conscience, Night King explores Hong Kong’s nightlife through a comic lens. Set around the East Sun Nightclub, the story revolves around Brother Foon, played by Dayo Wong, as he battles a hostile corporate takeover. The threat comes in the form of V-jie, a ruthless CEO portrayed by Sammi Cheng, who also happens to be his ex-wife. Old-school values clash with modern corporate power, but the film frames that tension as comedy first, making it a familiar, crowd-friendly New Year watch with bite beneath the laughs.

双囍 (Double Happiness)

双囍 (Double Happiness) Few films align more neatly with the emotional pressure of Chinese New Year than Double Happiness. The holiday is built around reunion, even when families are fractured, and this film turns that tension into farce. Two incompatible families, two wedding banquets, one hotel, one day. The result is escalating chaos as a soon-to-be-married couple, played by Liu Kuan-ting and Jennifer Yu, try to keep everyone smiling.