Category: Animation

Rediscover Sasuke: An Essential, Powerful Release for Classic Anime Fans

This restored edition of Sasuke breathes new life into a forgotten classic of #Anime and #Ninja storytelling. Whether you’re discovering it for the first time or revisiting its haunting journey, this Blu-ray delivers a crisp, heartfelt look at a young hero shaped by loss, honour, and survival. #Sasuke #AnimeCollectors #MartialArts

Sasuke Blu-ray CoverAvailable for purchase on Amazon

Before Naruto (both the manga and anime), there was Sasuke. This story about a young wandering ninja who lives by his own code, drifting from village to village to do heroics, shows that he has nothing to lose and everything to gain. He’s a hero to many, and this work marks a shift from youth-focused tales to more mature graphic novellas.

This hero’s epic journey was created by Sanpei Shirato, best known for his Legend of Kamui series. It was originally published as a manga before becoming an animated series. For those who haven’t read one but want to see the other, you’re not missing much; by episode seven, all the essential introductions are covered and newcomers understand what drives this boy. After his home is destroyed, a monk takes him in and teaches him the way of the ninja, and the lad soon discovers the rivalries and hypocrisies around him.

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New Animated Winter Holiday Specials for 2025

A fresh wave of animated holiday specials arrives for 2025, ranging from Disney’s return to Prep & Landing to Japan’s winter anime events and the BBC’s storybook charm. This year splits cleanly between North America’s glossy franchises and the more eclectic creations from the rest of the world. Here’s a look at the biggest new releases bringing warmth to the season.

Winter Animated Holiday SpecialsWhen the end of the year approaches, just what’s offered on television (or being streamed) is always a curious mix of comfort-food to get some folks in the mood for Deceember, and seasonal spectacle. Just whether these holiday specials are marketed for a specific reason or not (think Batman: TAS venture into the medium from decades ago), this year is no different.

Whether it’s about Yule, Winter Solstice or Christmas, this year’s offerings has enough to sate any taste. Here’s a roundup of this year’s brand-new animated or animated-adjacent winter specials. Please check your local listings for showtimes.

North America

Prep & Landing: The Snowball

Prep & Landing- The SnowballDisney brings back the elf-operative duo Wayne and Lanny for a new crisis at the North Pole. The unstable “Snowball Protocol” threatens the entire Christmas mission, forcing the pair into action. It’s classic Prep & Landing—spy comedy, festive warmth, and a lot of holiday mischief. This new 22-minute special is the first fresh Prep & Landing story since 2011, reuniting the original cast while adding a few new North Pole recruits to the team.

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Coming Soon! Macross Frontier Galaxy Live☆Final 2025 on Blu-ray in 2026

Seventeen years after its TV debut, Macross Frontier continues to dazzle—and Macross Frontier Galaxy Live☆Final 2025 won’t be forgotten, with a blu-ray to show the largest concert in franchise history with new extras and exclusive artwork. The following is just a sneak peak at what’s being packaged up!

Macross Frontier Galaxy Live☆Final 2025Any fan of Macross will say this franchise is an institution. Whether you’re a fan of the original, or its later iterations, it’s always the music that’s the draw. Whether that’s with Minmei for Firebomber, the talents who can save the galaxy with their voice says something that’s universal. With the upcoming release of Macross Frontier Galaxy Live, those fans who couldn’t experience the concert for real can check out the taped edition.

Even after more than a decade, the franchise continues to reframe its own spectacle, and this latest news is no exception. With another major live release on the horizon—and timed perfectly with a pair of character birthdays—it’s clear this galaxy-spanning fandom shows no signs of slowing down.

From The Press Release

Macross Frontier Galaxy Live☆Final 2025 will arrive on Blu-ray on April 29, 2026. The two-day concert, held July 26–27, 2025 at K Arena Yokohama, drew 38,000 attendees—making it the largest live event in Macross history.

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With Halloween vs Day of the Dead Still Seeking Financing Before Thanksgiving, Let’s Ponder Over This Significance

There’s a new animation in the works (or is finished), which pitches Halloween vs Day of the Dead and both sides need your help to hit theatres.

Halloween vs Day of the DeadAt long last, people curious about the differences between the last two calender holidays will them will get a family friendly film to explore the differences! That’s assuming Celso García and Studio 100’s gets the financing required to go forward to make Halloween vs Day of the Dead. And just whether this idea is borrowing from The Nightmare Before Christmas, we will have to wait.

The idea sounds promising, and here’s what we know so far: In what’s key to go forward is securing global partners so it will have distribution. This film isn’t just a holiday crossover for novelty’s sake; the studio went to the 2025 American Film Market to pitch this product is to show that what they got has international appeal.

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Honouring Hanna-Barbera. On Why This Legacy Still Resonates.

Before cable and streaming divided our attention, Hanna-Barbera defined what weekend cartoons meant. From Huckleberry Hound to The Powerpuff Girls, their legacy shaped every generation of animators to follow — and it still ripples through today’s toons.

The Hanna-Barbera Treasury Hardcover
Available to purchase on Amazon USA

Before streaming and before cable carved up the weekend, one studio defined TV animation. As a lifelong fan, it’s bittersweet to see Hanna-Barbera living on mostly through MeTV than in the mainstream. Their influence on the toons we see today like Wylde Park and Oh My God… Yes! still colours everything we watch. The fact their name is not forgotten says it all.

While some of their vast catalogue of toons do not stand the test of time, others do. I tried watching The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan again recently and ouch. The same can be said with Hong Kong Phooey. They used stereoteypes that would not be tolerated today. That said, Top Cat is beloved and actually holds up. But as for others, it’s based on personal taste.

The Golden Age

When Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera launched their independent studio in 1957, they reshaped how animation could work on television. Their cost-saving “limited animation” approach made series economically viable without sacrificing character or charm. The Ruff and Reddy Show led the charge, but it was Huckleberry Hound and Quick Draw McGraw that cemented the formula. The true breakthrough arrived with The Flintstones—a primetime sitcom that proved cartoons weren’t just for kids. When it became a live-action movie, we all knew why it was done: to reignite interest among adults rather than make new fans.

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Mamoru Oshii at the Metrograph. A Cinematic Tribute to a Master

Metrograph honours Mamoru Oshii with restorations of Angel’s Egg and The Red Spectacles, plus influences from Tarkovsky to Yamatoya. It’s a must see for fans of this master auteur!

Mamoru OshiiVenue: Metrograph, 7 Ludlow St, New York
Dates: November 15–23

Among anime fans, Mamoru Oshii stands apart for his singular art-house aesthetic. Though most know him as a director, understanding the depth of his writing means looking closely at his filmography. Angel’s Egg remains his first truly original work, while Urusei Yatsura: Only You (1983) and Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer (1984) were where his unique voice first began to shine. From there, his contributions to some of the most influential anime of the 90s cemented his reputation as a visionary.

With Avalon (2001), Oshii explored the harmful effects of virtual reality long before it became a plaything of today, and parts of that story (written by Kazunori Itō) resonate. Through its existential themes, he explored what it means to live and dream inside a machine—ideas that would echo throughout science-fiction cinema for decades.
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