Tag: GKIDS

On Why Allegro Non Troppo In 2K Still Feels Electrifying After All These Years

Bruno Bozzetto’s Allegro Non Troppo in 2K returns in a stunning 50th-anniversary restoration that brings its satirical bite, gorgeous hand-drawn animation, and music-driven storytelling back to life. For anyone who only knew it through battered tapes or older home releases, this theatrical remaster is a chance to see the film properly at last.

ALLEGRO NON TROPPO in 2k Movie Poster GKIDS
Mar 27-29 at the Metrograph
(see website for showtimes)

Allegro Non Troppo in 2K is a revelation compared to the last time I saw it on VHS. That version was an nth-generation copy from back when tape trading foreign films was one of the only ways to see them, since distribution was so limited. For years, movie enthusiasts had to squint through tracking lines and muffled audio to experience Bruno Bozzetto’s 1976 masterpiece. It was still an experience, though, and the classical music showed how sound and light, through image, must move in synchronicity. They’re connected in more ways than one, and this 50th-anniversary restoration proves why some works truly are “immortal.”

When local art houses don’t screen classics like this as often, it’s worth remembering that films of this kind are meant to be seen in theatres. To reinforce that point, GKIDS is showing off a remaster at the Metrograph in Manhattan. There may be more theatrical dates to come before it finally arrives on home video.

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Run, Kitty, Run! The Legend of Hei 2 on Blu-Ray! Coming Soon

The beloved Chinese animated fantasy returns with The Legend of Hei 2, continuing the story of spirits and humans struggling to coexist. With new dangers emerging from the spirit world, this sequel expands the mythology with a fresh adventure and stunning hand-drawn animation.

The Legend of Hei 2 Blu-rayGKIDS and Shout! Studios
Release Date: May 12, 2026

The story continues in The Legend of Hei, the acclaimed Chinese animated film that won audiences over with its beautiful hand-drawn animation and heartfelt storytelling. For anyone who missed the original, the movie is available online, with the home video still easy to find. Now the sequel, The Legend of Hei 2, arrives with a brand-new adventure filled with fresh dangers and a looming threat from the spirit world.

While the premise of maintaining balance between worlds may sound familiar, this story takes its own path. The conflict between spirits and humans is a universal theme, but this sequel expands the mythology in new directions rather than echoing other animated series. Readers can check out my review of the first film here.

The upcoming Blu-ray release of The Legend of Hei 2 arrives May 12, 2026 from GKIDS and Shout! Studios, bringing the acclaimed animated sequel home with several behind-the-scenes extras.

From the Press Release:

Revered for its luminous hand-drawn animation and emotionally rich storytelling, The Legend of Hei 2 reunites audiences with a world where spirits and humans coexist in uneasy harmony, raising the stakes with a sweeping new chapter that balances heart, humor, and kinetic action.

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Don’t Be Surprised When All You Need Is Kill… and Hope It Doesn’t Lead to Stranger Things

A new animated take on All You Need Is Kill finally brings the time-loop war story back to its roots, with Studio 4°C style and a sharper focus than the Hollywood version. The trailer suggests something leaner, stranger, and a little too close to Stranger Things for comfort.

When All You Need Is Kill Movie PosterRelease Date: Jan 16, 2026
Please check local listings for showtimes near you.

Back in 2014, a live-action adaptation of Hiroshi Sakurazaka’s light novel All You Need Is Kill arrived as the blockbuster Edge of Tomorrow. Whether that version worked depended on how much affection you have for Tom Cruise or Emily Blunt. I won’t go there. What matters is that the story is finally being adapted and given the respect it deserves, rather than letting it be shaped by Hollywood’s elite. That alone feels like a game-changer.

GKIDS has picked up the licence for the North American release following its Japanese premiere, and this time the focus stays where it belongs. The premise is simple. In the original book, Keiji Kiriya is a lonely soldier boy caught in a time loop, and the only way out is to change something fundamental. What, exactly, is the mystery?

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Evangelion 1.11 & 2.22 Equal an October 21, 2025 Blu-ray and Digital Release

GKIDS brings the first two Rebuild of Evangelion films to North America in special editions featuring collectible booklets and bonus features.

Evangelion 1.11 Movie PosterGKIDS

Although the release order of the Evangelion movies to home video is unusual—since 3.0+1.11 was offered before 1.11 and 2.22—math is not required to figure out what’s going on. It’s simply explained by this definition: 2.0 is the unedited theatrical version, 3.33 is a tweaked version for home video release.

What’s coming will allow fans to see them all in sequential order and these editions are available for purchase in North America. GKIDS has unveiled details for the October 21 Blu‑ray™ releases of Evangelion: 1.11 You Are (Not) Alone (part one) and Evangelion: 2.22 You Can (Not) Advance (part two). Each release includes bonus features, with a 16‑page booklet included inside You Are (Not) Alone and a 20‑page booklet inside You Can (Not) Advance. Both films will also be available on all major digital platforms starting September 16.

From the Press Release:

Created by Hideaki Anno, the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise is considered one of the most influential animated sagas of all time. Since the original series premiered in 1995, the story of teenager Shinji Ikari has become a landmark in animation and global pop culture. The saga was later reimagined as the Evangelion movie series, beginning with You Are (Not) Alone (2007), followed by You Can (Not) Advance (2009), Evangelion: 3.33 You Can (Not) Redo (2012), and culminating in the finale Evangelion: 3.0+1.01 Thrice Upon a Time.

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Studio 4°C’s ChaO: An Enchanting Tale That’s More Than Just a Fairy Tale Romance

A bold and emotional story blending mermaid mythology, interspecies romance, wild mecha rides, and high-stakes drama, ChaO makes a memorable splash.

ChaO Movie Poster English)
This movie played at the 2025 Fantasia International Film Festival on July 27th.

GKIDS

When a movie simply titled ChaO begins with an account of a mermaid saving a boy from drowning, writer/director Yasuhiro Aoki moves away from the idea of presenting another fairy tale. Unlike those fantasy yarns from long ago, what we find here is perhaps more inspired from Splash! that Tom Hanks and Darryl Hannah film is more of a sitcom about a fish out of water trying to get used to living in the human world, and in this anime, what’s offered here is similar.

In this presentation, Stefan (Oji Suzuka) and Princess Ao Sonni Chao Neptunus (Anna Yamada) haven’t even had their first date. Technically, this film begins in the present, where the surface world lives in harmony with the aquatic one. Here, we find that this human has moved on. Although the plot makes Juno (Shunsei Ōta) look like the protagonist, he is not. He’s a reporter who loses a scoop to a story, but when he finds Stefan, this chance to interview the sailor may well save him from being fired! During my second viewing, I noticed he’s similar to the actual lead, because both are wishy-washy.

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Revisiting the Poignant Classic: Grave of the Fireflies on Home Video and Theatrical Presentation Coming Soon!

Fans of Studio Ghibli can look forward to a new limited edition Steelbook release of Grave of the Fireflies with special features, alongside a theatrical re-release opportunity.

Grave of the Fireflies Steelbook Edition
Available to order at Amazon USA

Release Date:
July 8, 2025

As Studio Ghibli’s catalogue of works continues to get new re-releases under the GKIDS label (distributed by Shout! Studios), some fans may well want to get the limited edition Steelbook edition that’s being released this week. But to truly appreciate this film directed by Isao Takahata, we recommend checking your local theatre listings for when Studio Ghibli Fest 2025 begins!

This annual event puts these films onto the silver screen where they should belong, and every year, the rotation of works are slightly different. While it’s very likely the digital version will be used over a 35mm film print, there’s no denying the power of this movie will leave many in tears. There’s no need to go into an extensive review, since what’s coming is a haunting look at a troublesome time about those Japanese people trying to survive during World War II.

Below, is a list about what’s notable in this release. Some folks opt to collect this studio’s works one at a time instead of buying it all in one go:

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