Tag: Based on Literature

With The 8 Immortals Present, All Wishes Come True, Whether They’re Ready or Not for the Punchline

Although the tales of the 8 Immortals are part of the narrative in works like “The Journey to the East” and “Yellow-Millet Dream,” to give them their own animated special in All Wishes Come True gives newcomers a glimpse at what they’re capable of, and it’s a great adventure to boot too!

All Wishes Come True Movie PosterSpoiler Alert

I find Cineplex Movies‘ lack of faith disturbing. When All Wishes Come True! (八仙; lit. translation: The 8 Immortals) isn’t getting an even distribution across North America, and the chain may not be confident it can draw regular crowds in Canada. I can’t say I blame them. Nor can I speak to how the film is performing in other parts of the world. Usually, unless a Chinese production has a big name like Jackie Chan that audiences recognize, crowds aren’t guaranteed to flock to it. For writer/director Zhengyang Mu, a relative unknown, perhaps the film needs new posters that read, “From the studio that brought you Kung Fu Panda 3 and Abominable…”

That might help folks who are unsure about the film decide to see it. A few moments echo Pearl Studio‘s previous work and DreamWorks‘ design philosophy, making this movie an easier sell. The humour is evident, and everyone understands the Ocean’s Eleven reference. Who doesn’t want to see that? There’s also the promise of an animated action-adventure about the Eight Immortals, technically soon-to-be immortals, who must prove their worth as new heroes while the current ruling dynasty sorts itself out. This introduction establishes how they rose through the ranks and challenged the norm.

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What’s Next for Light Chaser Animation in 2026?

While international audiences wait, Light Chaser Animation is quietly building a Lord of the Rings-scale adaptation of Romance of the Three Kingdoms alongside a new Water Margin film.

Light Chaser Animation Studios Logo For those living outside of China, no, Light Chaser Animation Studio isn’t resting. Instead, they have two films slated for release this year. While international audiences are still waiting for wider access to Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (2025), local coverage suggests they are planning even more ambitious storytelling. The executives aren’t especially concerned about global reach, knowing that domestic success remains the priority.

When their next project is a large-scale animated adaptation of Romance of the Three Kingdoms in three parts, it’s safe to say they have Lord of the Rings-scale ambitions. The first entry, often referred to in domestic coverage as Three Kingdoms Part One: Struggle for Luoyang, is currently in production and targeting a summer 2026 theatrical release in China. The film is positioned as the opening chapter in a longer narrative arc, centred on the collapse of the Eastern Han dynasty and the power struggles that followed. Visually, the style echoes Chang’an.

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Kaiju, Dissentience’s Tribute to TOHO is Cosmic!

Dissentience’s new concept EP Kaiju turns classic Japanese monster mayhem and Lovecraftian dread into a four-part metal narrative, charting a nameless beast’s attack from first impact to ash-filled aftermath with riffs as heavy as the fallout.

Kaiju album coverFrom Bethlehem, PA, death metal / trash band, Dissentience, aims to please music lovers of this genre with an ambitious album, simply titled Kaiju. In keeping true to the story telling format, what this concept album offers are four tracks to which follows through the narrative beats of intro, rising action, climax and denouement that will no doubt track the birth to destruction. Shame there’s no comic book or short video announced at the same time, but when the theatre of the mind is involved, that’s all we need.

Scheduled for release on February 20, 2026, this concept album fuses dark horror, manic riffs, and existential lyrical dread into work that my gig for a local music magazine has given me an opportunity to listen to.
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Romeo’s Blue Skies Blu-ray Review: Why This Inspirational Anime Still Shines

Fans of World Masterpiece Theatre will delight in Romeo’s Blue Skies, now available on Blu-ray from MedicOCD/Animeigo’s Ruined Childhoods label.

Romeo's Blue Skies Bluray CaseFans of World Masterpiece Theatre’s series will find much to laugh, cry, and reflect on in Romeo’s Blue Skies. This second release from MedicOCD and Animeigo’s Ruined Childhoods label is a must-have for fans of Japanese adaptations of Western literary classics. After decades of hunting down VHS tapes or low-resolution downloads, I’m thrilled to finally have a clean, high-quality release. Early fan-subbed versions were incomplete or low fidelity, making this Blu-ray a long-awaited treasure.

Based on the 1941 novel Die Schwarzen Brüder (“The Black Brothers,” Amazon link) by Lisa Tetzner and Kurt Held, the story follows a kind-hearted boy growing up in 19th-century Switzerland. When his family falls into poverty, he is forced to sell himself to a man known as Luini, the “God of Death.” Instead of despair, his optimism and courage give the series a uniquely inspirational tone. Experiencing the story visually in full made it far more impactful than reading alone.

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With Nobody’s Boy Remi, He’s Not the Only One With Issues in MediaOCD/AnimEigo’s latest project

In addition to a review of Nobody’s Boy Remi, we got an interview with CEO Justin Sevakis.

Nobody's Boy Remi BlurayAvailable to order on Amazon USA

A lot of longtime fans are thankful for what Justin Sevakis is leading. In addition to re-releasing a bunch of old AnimEigo titles considered long out of print in new packaging, his video post-production company, MediaOCD, is offering works which haven’t seen North American home video release, like Nobody’s Boy Remi. This operation produces all the Blu-rays for Discotek Media, NIS America, and many more.

This title came out last week. Back in the day, as part of World Masterpiece Theatre on CBC’s French television channel, I viewed a curated selection in what English literature offered. Although I didn’t read the original by Hector Malot, the desire wasn’t there. But with other titles like Sherlock Hound to which I read, to know the differences was essential. In the cartoon, that added sense of whimsy drew me in.

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