In the first two minutes of Anime-Gataris (literally “Talking about Anime,” 2017), the filmmakers offer a hilarious send-up of Gundam, Sailor Moon and the component series of Robotech. If the rest of the show never quite meets that admittedly impressive bar, it’s still very silly, very meta and a great big inside joke for anime […]

Eleven Arts Anime Studio will be distributing the sci-fi coming-of-age film Penguin Highway in the US and Canada. The film, directed by Hiroyasu Ishida, won the Axis: The Satoshi Kon Award for Excellence in Animation award at Fantasia International Film Festival for the best animated feature. The film has also been nominated for the Japan […]

Fresh off winning Best Independent Animated Feature at last Saturday’s Annie Awards, Mirai writer/director Mamoru Hosoda is heading to the Oscars. This visionary film is a well-deserved Best Animated Feature nominee. Mirai was my favorite animated film of last year – and #2 on my 10 Best Films of 2018 list. When I told this […]

He has muscles upon muscles … a rage beyond reason … flaming green hair … and a desire to smash. The longer he fights, the more powerful he becomes. The Incredible Hulk? Not in the Dragon Ball universe. This is Broly, the legendary Super Saiyan from Planet Vegeta. Woe to those who get in front […]

When Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama continued his franchise with the movie Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods (2013 Japan; 2014 U.S.), he introduced a character whose powers exceeded our Super Saiyan hero, Goku. His name: Beerus, god of destruction. Woe to those who rouse his temper. With but a wave of his claw, a […]

The 13-episode broadcast series ReLife (2016) felt like it ended prematurely, with the main characters’ stories unfinished. The four-part Final Arc OAV (2018) brings the story to a satisfying conclusion. Arata Kaizaki (voice by Micah Solusod), had been a promising high school student. Warm and caring, he brought out the best in the people around […]