Tag: Disney

Spending My Animated Summer with Netflix

Before we take the week off in recognition of Canada Day and the Fourth of July, even we have to offer our picks on how to spend the start of an animated summer with Netflix. More lists and reviews will be coming after we recharge!

Animated Summer with NetflixJuly is surprisingly quiet for viewers wondering what to watch on the streaming front. Apple TV+ and Prime Video are largely relying on returning series, making it easy to begin your animated summer with Netflix. Disney+ also has a couple of worthwhile additions.

Aside from Sparks of Tomorrow (see my preview), there are no major original animated premieres until August. Fortunately, the wait isn’t long. Kyoto Animation returns with an original television series, Ricky Gervais makes his animated sitcom debut for the streamer, and one of manga’s most influential classics receives a fresh reimagining.

Sparks of Tomorrow
July 5

Sparks of Tomorrow Anime

Produced by Kyoto Animation and based on Hiro Yūki‘s light novel 20 Seiki Denki Mokuroku, the series unfolds in an alternate version of early 20th century Kyoto where steam technology flourishes instead of electricity. The story follows Kihachi Sakamoto, a young inventor who dreams of ushering in a new age alongside his older brother. After tragedy tears those dreams apart, he crosses paths with Inako Momokawa, the daughter of a sake brewer, and together they rediscover hope through science and innovation.

The project also marks Minoru Ota‘s directorial debut and showcases Kyoto Animation’s painterly backgrounds inspired by Impressionist artwork.

Continue reading “Spending My Animated Summer with Netflix”

In Toy Story 5, How Many Friends Are Needed?

Pixar shifts the spotlight to Jessie in Toy Story 5, delivering a heartfelt story about growing up, moving on, and finding human connection in an increasingly digital world.

Toy Story 5 Soundtrack CoverAnyone who grew up watching Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) won’t find them at the centre of the action. In Toy Story 5, the focus shifts to Jessie (Joan Cusack) as the new “Justice of the Peace,” and as for the others, they’ve been busy. While the cowboy is spending his best days with Little Bo-Peep (Annie Potts) to rescue abandoned toys, Buzz has an eye on the cowgirl, an idea first introduced in the second film. The allusions are there, and choosing not to rush that relationship is a smart move.

But do we really need more tales? I’d say yes. After 31 long years, most fans have either moved on or are waiting to see what PIXAR does next.

Continue reading “In Toy Story 5, How Many Friends Are Needed?”

More Disney Gargoyles Than Meets The Eye! A Long-Awaited Ongoing Series Begins This Summer!

And we got a list on what’s been published in comicdom so far! After years of loose ends and unanswered threads, Disney Gargoyles returns with a new ongoing series that finally taps into Greg Weisman’s long-promised vision, picking up where the story truly left off.

Disney GargoylesDynamite Entertainment is fully invested in continuing the adventure of Disney Gargoyles, self-proclaimed protectors of Manhattan City and the new guardians of Avalon. After watching the animated series for the upteenth time, that’s one of Oberon’s decrees that still lingers. As for the fate of the robot clan, where the spirits of Othello, Desdemona, and Iago were finally separated from the Coldstone body and given their own robotic forms, we never got a proper continuation.

There’s also the Canmore clan, who have a deeper history with Demona than most, though the series never played favourites. That arc began with the City of Stone story arc, and every once in a while, surfaces in a future narrative. That’s where things were left (and yes, we’re ignoring the third season, since not many fans liked the direction when creator Greg Weisman wasn’t involved).

Followers of Gargoyles will be excited to learn that this comic book company will publish the story this creator has always wanted to tell. Whether that means exploring events before the previous comic runs or pushing beyond the cartoon’s timeline, those long-promised ideas are finally taking shape. He’s been sharing his ideas with fans for years, and now it seems this publisher is ready to go the extra mile.

From the Press Release:

“For me, this is a story thirty years in the making. One I’ve been longing to tell,” said Weisman. “So longtime fans are seriously not going to want to miss this. At the same time, it’s also a great place for new readers who know nothing about Gargoyles to jump aboard. We’re making sure that everything you need to know is right there on the page. Your Gargoyles addiction begins here and now!”

Continue reading “More Disney Gargoyles Than Meets The Eye! A Long-Awaited Ongoing Series Begins This Summer!”

TokyoPOP’s Disney Manga Calender is Hot This Spring

Disney manga fans have a few collected editions to consider, which are mostly reprints, but for those who haven’t read them yet, these new editions are hardcover editions.

Disney Stitch! The Manga Collection
Available to order on Amazon USA

New hardcover and translated editions of TokyoPOP‘s Disney Manga are coming to bookstores, featuring some of this studio’s beloved characters in manga-style format. Whether it’s a certain Jack Sparrow or a certain blue fuzzy wuzzy, these editions are worth considering if those softcover copies are looking worn from repeated reading. Two of the three are available now, with the third coming soon.

While my money is on the upgrade path for Stitch! The Manga Collection, that’s because the two volumes that make up this set are now in one package. Even though Best Friends Forever! is not part of the collection, maybe it’ll be added in due time. Stitch and the Samurai has its own compiled collection (Amazon link), so that’s what fans need to know when comparing this upcoming release to past editions.

As for the other titles, they include:

Continue reading “TokyoPOP’s Disney Manga Calender is Hot This Spring”

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.

Lilo & Stitch 626 Anthology - 626 DayDynamite 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”

Dynamite Comics’ Gargoyles Demona Closing Chapter is Excitingly Near!

Demona’s solo comic series is just beginning! Just whether she’s a survivor or an eye of a tiger, depends on what Greg Weisman and Frank Paur have planned. Will this be it, or will there be more?

Dynamite Comics Disney's Demona #5 CoverDynamite Comics
Read the series on Kindle (Amazon link)

One lone survivor’s journey in her solo comic book outing by Greg Weisman and Frank Paur will soon reach its finale. And what I’ve found in Gargoyles Demona feels very Shakespearean. Her desire for revenge versus being a mother to a youngling plays like a tragedy worthy of a stage, and perhaps like an operetta too! As part of her days are revealed for all to read, she’s losing herself. What we learn about her dealings with humanity during the early to late Middle Ages is a story longtime fans have been waiting for.

Although this creator has barely scratched the surface regarding the Age of Renaissance and later eras, I can’t wait to see what can transpire then! Demona’s survival in the later centuries wasn’t explored in the animated series, and there’s still an enormous gap before the tale picks up again in 1910 when she killed Jackson Canmore, a Hunter whose goal is to continue Gillecomgain’s desire for revenge. It all began because she scratched his face while scavenging for food back in the early Middle Ages.

Continue reading “Dynamite Comics’ Gargoyles Demona Closing Chapter is Excitingly Near!”