Category Archives: Films/Movies

Miraculous Ladybug The Movie | REVIEW

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When “Miraculous Ladybug” first debuted in 2015, it instantly captured the attention of anime enthusiasts and garnered a significant cult following. This captivating animated series was brought to life through the collaboration of ZAGtoon and Method Animation, with the renowned Japanese animation company, Toei Animation, serving as a co-producer. Thomas Astruc, a talented cartoonist, developed the character of Ladybug and played an integral role in shaping the TV series alongside Jeremy Zag, the CEO, director, and producer of ZAGtoon.

Miraculous Ladybug” revolves around the lives of two teenagers, Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Adrien Agreste. When duty calls, they transform into the fearless superheroes Ladybug and Cat Noir. Together, they valiantly protect the city from the clutches of supervillains. While the series was initially intended to be in a 2D anime style, it ultimately evolved into a CGI production, a decision made by the French producers. However, fans can still find the original anime-style promotional OVA video on YouTube, animated by Toei Animation.Over time, “Miraculous Ladybug” has cultivated a devoted fandom, including passionate cosplayers and artists who proudly call themselves “Miraculers.” The series has expanded into a successful media franchise, encompassing comics, a web series, novels, video games, a manga series, and most recently, the highly anticipated motion picture, “Ladybug & Cat Noir: The Movie“. With its growing popularity and array of merchandise, “Miraculous Ladybug” has firmly established itself as an enchanting world that continues to captivate audiences of all ages.

The Highly Anticipated Motion Picture Film

Embark on a captivating cinematic experience as you delve into this highly anticipated animated film of the year! The film follows the thrilling journey of two teenagers, Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Adrien Agreste, who must uncover the truth about themselves and harness their extraordinary powers to safeguard the illustrious city of Paris. The film is a heartfelt tribute to the dedicated Miraculous Ladybug fandom while appealing to newcomers.


The film briefly introduces the Miraculous and showcases the various Miraculous, leaving room for potential future film projects. As an origin story, the film explores the beginnings of our main protagonists, Marinette and Adrien, and their journey to becoming superheroes and reveals how they obtained their Miraculous. The film touches on universal teenage themes of courage and selflessness, capturing the challenges of adolescence, such as fitting in and facing one’s fear.


It becomes apparent that the film’s narrative adheres to a relatively straightforward and predictable trajectory, albeit keeping in mind its intended target audience encompassing the younger demographic. However, the animation compensates for its anticipated plot developments. Distinct from its television counterpart, where character portrayal tends to lean towards stylized plasticity, the film’s creative team dedicatedly strived for meticulous detailing and hyper-realistic verisimilitude in rendering both Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Adrien Agreste. Their meticulously crafted appearances feature nuanced facial expressions, lustrous hair, and mesmeric eyes. Noteworthy locations such as The Cheng’s boulangerie (French for “bakery”) and Adrien’s mansion beautifully showcase opulent French architectural design and, in certain instances, timeworn interiors, lending an air of “lived-in” authenticity.


In addition, characters’ facial expressions play a crucial role in conveying their emotions and setting the overall mood of the scenes; this is further supported by the production team, animating characters with detailed and realistic skin textures, making them come to life and feel more like lifelike on the screen.


The animators strived for realism, at least more than the TV series. An interesting and subtle highlight is that the animators animated the characters’ hair in various directions, ensuring the hair is not perfectly styled. By adding intersecting strands and different hair directions, the animators created a more natural and authentic look for the characters, once again bringing them to life on the screen.


While there is no official confirmation, avid followers of the series may find several sequences within the film that bear a striking resemblance to scenes from an unaired 2D anime-style ‘OVA Promotional Video’ dating back to 2015. The uncanny similarities between the two raise the possibility that the film’s storyline was initially intended to serve as the introductory episode for the projected 2D anime series. Of course, the speculation surrounding this potential connection is pure conjecture, as the 2D anime iteration never came to fruition, and ZAG has never mentioned the 2D project since.

The Music

One prominent aspect of the film that deserves special mention is its captivating musical score. It becomes evident from the very beginning that the melodic voices of the main characters differ from their spoken voices, adding an intriguing layer to the overall experience. Marinette is brought to life through the talented voice acting of Cristina Vee, while the prolific Bryce Papenbrook voices the charming Adrien. The singing voice of Marinette is portrayed by the French singer Lou Jean while Drew Ryan Scott performs Adrien’s singing voice with music composed by CEO and film director Jeremy Zag himself with assistance from Australian filmmaker Michael Gracey.


Noam Kaniel, the talented cartoon music composer, was surprisingly not involved in the film’s musical score. Despite his previous success composing the theme song for the TV series, his unique musical style was unfortunately absent from the film’s soundtrack.

The Plot

The film’s storyline might be predictable for more experienced viewers, but it remains highly enjoyable and entertaining. While the film does contain a few gaps in the plot, it serves as a compelling introduction to the TV series. Towards the end, there are some noticeable inconsistencies when compared to the TV show’s plotline. Nevertheless, with a bit of imagination, it gives room for speculation and wonder about what might have occurred after the film’s iconic and intense climax.It is not surprising that there is a romantic element between Ladybug and Cat Noir, although the TV series does not delve deeply into it in the first two seasons. However, the film takes the opportunity to explore their relationship in greater detail. Every emotional response from the characters is given careful attention, ensuring that romantic and conflicting feelings resonate with the audience.

Now on NETFLIX!

The movie premiered in Paris, France, on June 11th of this year with a limited release in theaters worldwide. As reported by the French magazine Paris Match, the film was produced with a budget of €80 million (or about $86 million), making it the second most expensive French film in history, second only to the 2017 movie Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets.

Need a new phone wallpaper?

If you are captivated by this review, prepare to immerse yourself in the enchanting world of Miraculous Ladybug, as both the captivating TV series and thrilling film are now streaming on Netflix! Be ready to join forces with the courageous heroes of Paris as Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Adrien Agreste transform into the extraordinary Ladybug and Cat Noir. Together, they stand as beacons of hope, defending the beautiful city Paris from the clutches of menacing supervillains orchestrated by the nefarious Hawk Moth. All this while struggling with their teenage life! Get ready for an exhilarating adventure that will keep you on the edge of your seat!

Our History with ZAG Studios and Miraculous Ladybug

I would like to express my gratitude to ZAG Animation and its Glendale-based Studio. Even before the release of season two of the TV series, The Kitsune Network has collaborated with Zag Studios to bring our subscribers and followers exclusive interviews and an insider’s perspective on Miraculous Ladybug since 2015. We began by conducting an interview with Jared Wolfson, formerly the Head of the TV Division at ZAG. This was followed by a delightful interview with voice actress Cristina Vee at ZAG studios! Ever since then, The Kitsune Network has been actively covering various, major, Miraculous Ladybug events. Most recently, we attended the exciting grand opening of the Miraculous Ladybug store in Santa Monica, CA. Congratulations to the entire team over at ZAG Studios for this incredible milestone! Let’s take a look at some of the memorable moments from those interviews and other Miraculous Ladybug coverage articles here.

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Check Our Other Articles:

Interview with Cristina Vee at ZAG Studios

Interview with Jared Wolfson at ZAG Studios

ZAG Store open in Santa Monica, CA

Mission: Impossible X SPY x FAMILY | Special Collaboration Video & Visual art

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In what has been officially labeled as the “most powerful spy collaboration decision“, Toho Animation collaborated with Paramount Studios to create a special promotional video for the upcoming installment of Mission: Impossible, Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning: Part One, and Spy X Family CODE: White, the first motion picture film from the hit anime series of the same name.

Theatrical version SPY x FAMILY CODE: White” super teaser visual

Spy X Family CODE: White is set to release in theaters on December 22nd of this year in Japan. While Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning: Part One its premiere in the U.S. on July 12th, In Japan, the film is set to release on July 21st. A special promotional collaboration between both IPs was released on July 10th, which consists of a collaboration video and visual art.

The collaboration video begins with the Forger family watching Mission Impossible on TV. Anya states she’s has never watched the film series before, and Loid then carefully explains who ‘Ethan Hunt’ is while watching the action scenes played by Tom Cruise. The video features highlights from the film alongside brand-new voice acting from Takuya Eguchi (Lloyd), Atsumi Tanezaki (Anya), and Saori Hayami (Yor). The video segment is followed by the teaser trailer of CODE: White.

 You watch the full video here; the video contains no English subtitles

A collaborative visual art piece by illustrator Kana Ishida was also released via the Spy X Family official website.

Original picture/Finishing/Special Effects by Kana Ishida

The image depicts the Forger family illustrated in the same poses as the Mission Impossible poster, with the Forger family, lined up precisely as Tom Cruise (Ethan Hunt), Hayley Atwell (Grace), Rebecca Ferguson (Ilsa Faust) & Esai Morales (Gabriel). Take a look at the comparison below,

Image Highlights: Look at Anya and Bond on the upper Right | Ethan running on the train is replaced by Anya

Spy X Family author Tatsuya Endo recently joined the fun by sharing an original illustration of Anya performing Enthan Hunt’s iconic rope drop from the famous vault scene in Mission: Impossible (1996).

Watch Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One, now in theaters, and Spy X Family CODE: White as they take on the ultimate mission to save the world!

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Interview With Anya Forger – Megan Shipman – Spy X Family

Spy X Family – CrunchyRoll Expo 2022 – Megan Shipman & Natalie Van Sistine Panel

ZOM 100 LIVE ACTION FILM Coming to Netflix | AX 2023 INTERVIEW Coverage

POKEMON CONCIERGE Coming to NETFLIX December 2023 | AX 2023 Coverage

ZOM 100 LIVE ACTION FILM Coming to Netflix | AX 2023 INTERVIEW Coverage

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ZOM 100: Bucket List of the Dead had its world premiere at VIZ Media’s industry panel at Anime Expo this year. Fans got treated to a sneak peek of Episode 1 with Special guest Kotaro Takata, (ZOM 100 Manga illustrator) & ZOM 100 English cast members Zeno Robinson, Abby Trott, and Laura Post.

Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead is an adaptation of the manga with the same name. The manga is written by Haro Aso (Alice in Borderland) and illustrated by Kotaro Takata. Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead is now available to stream on Crunchyroll, Hulu and Netflix.

LIVE ACTION ADAPTATION

Additionally, Netflix announced the first teaser trailer of the upcoming, Live-Action adaptation of Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead starring Eiji Akaso (Kamen Rider). The film is set to premiere globally on Netflix on Aug 3, 2023.

The film is an adaptation of manga volume 1-3, and like many live action adaptations, the film does not follow the manga exactly. The film’s synopsis is as follows,

Akira Tendo (Eiji Akaso) works at an exploitative company where he suffers endless hours and harassment from his boss. He spends his days feeling more dead than alive. One day, the town is overtaken by zombies and Akira gets excited for he doesn’t need to go to the office anymore rather than facing the fact he has to survive the zombie apocalypse. Akira comes up with a bucket list of 100 things he decided to accomplish before he becomes a zombie and makes his bucket list checked traveling with Shizuka (Mai Shiraishi) and Kencho (Shuntaro Yanagi).

EIJI AKASO INTERVIEW

I had the opportunity to sit down with Eiji Akaso during Anime Expo 2023 and ask him about his experiences while filming the live-action adaptation of Zom 100,

Krystal: This movie is based on a manga, was it hard to portray Akira from a manga in live-action?

Eiji Akaso: If acted as a cartoon character, that would make me a little unnatural as a human, so I want to give Akira a human trait. So I had to be careful with body actions and little subtle facial expressions to show emotion. That’s what I spoke about to Yusuke Ishida (the director) before I began acting.

K: What were some of the challenges that you faced while portraying Akira?

E.A.: There are lots of scenes where I was chased by zombies, which is the worst thing that you can imagine in real life, but Akira had to enjoy being chased by zombies, and I had to always put a smile on my face with zombies behind me. That was difficult because I would be so scared myself If I were chased by a zombies in real life, but Akira on the other hand, enjoyed being chased, so that was a challenge for me.

K: What was it like being on the set of ZOM 100?

E.A.: We filmed the movie in different locations and one place was in Nagoya, Japan, and we had to close the entire road to film the scene where Akira was riding the motorcycle. There’s also like a Red District called Kabukicho in Shinjuku, Tokyo, We had to recreate, Kabukicho as the backdrop of the set. It was a huge production every time we filmed the movie, it was a huge production, and that was really impressive.

K: It sounds like this was like a full Hollywood production here; what was one of your favorite scenes that you filmed?

E.A.: I enjoyed every location for the filming, but if I had to choose one, that would be the one we filmed at Kabukicho set, Where Akira went to help Kencho when he was trapped. For that was the scene we began filming from the night to the following morning. The scene had to be filmed at night, so we had to finish before dawn. Because of time constrictions, everybody was so nervous in that situation. However, I really enjoyed making the scene.

K: On the topic of Zombies, Do you have a favorite zombie movie?

E.A.: …Biohazard (Resident Evil)!

K: Any final messages you’d like to leave our readers with?

E.A.: This is a zombie comedy movie that no one could imagine, after seeing this movie, I think everybody will feel so uplifted, and might encourage them to quit a job they don’t like and do what they want to do.

The film is directed by Yusuke Ishida, and stars Eiji Akaso as Akira Tendo, Mai Shiraishi, Shuntaro Yanagi, & Kazuki Kitamura in undisclosed roles.

Make sure to catch the live-action adaptation of Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead premiering on Netflix on August 3rd. You can start diving into the zombie-infested world with Akira by reading the manga or streaming the anime available on Crunchyroll, Hulu, and Netflix.

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Check Our Other Articles:

POKEMON CONCIERGE Coming to NETFLIX December 2023 | AX 2023 Coverage

Anime Expo 2023 Behind The Scenes: Take a look at how the Convention prepares for AX!

Interview With Jason Griffith (A Sonic The Hedgehog Interview)

Check out our exclusive interviews on our YOUTUBE CHANNEL

EHAMIC’S “Koinu no Carnival – From “Minute Waltz” Going Viral After Being Featured on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3

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Not many anime songs get featured anywhere other than their intended IP; however, in a rare move, Marvel included the song ‘Koinu no Carnival – From “Minute Waltz’ in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3. The song was originally used in the TV anime “Classicaloid.”

Musician EHAMIC

The song was produced by vocalic producer EHAMIC for BN Pictures’ Classicaloidis, an anime series that aired on NHK E-television between 2016 and 2017. It is a comedy in which classical composers such as Beethoven and Mozart appear as “Classicaloids” in the modern age. The songs of the classical composers in the series are called “musik” in the show, and the show has gained popularity because of the collaborations by famous musicians, such as Tomoyasu Hotei for Beethoven, TSUNKU♂ for Bach, and Daisuke Asakura for Liszt.

Koinu no Carnival is the only Japanese song selected to be included in the latest Marvel movie “Guardians of the Galaxy: VOLUME 3”. The song received a great response after the film’s release and ranked No. 1 on the Spotify Viral Top 50 Global & USA Chart (as of May 12), and it also reached the Viral Top 50 in countries and regions worldwide.

The bright and light Waltz No. 6 “Minute Waltz,” originally a solo piano piece, has been arranged by EHAMIC with a samba arrangement and lots of dog barks, together with about 50 Vocaloid voices (mainly of the VOCALOID Galaco) overlapping to create a festive and fun piece.

Japanese VOCALOID galaco developed by Internet Co., Ltd. and YAMAHA Corporation, under the Stardust Music, Inc.

Listen to EHAMIC on Spotify

Did you hear Koinu no Carnival in GoTG vol 3? Tell us your thoughts below!

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Highly Anticipated Animated Feature’ MAVKA: THE FOREST SONG’ to Debut in North America

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This summer, families are invited to discover the fantastical world of ancient forests and be enchanted by the captivating adventure of Mavka, a guardian and soul of the forest, in the new CG-animated feature MAVKA: THE FOREST SONG.

About Mavka The Forest Song

The film will make its North American debut on DVD and digital download on August 15, 2023. Distributed by Shout! Kids, in collaboration with Animagrad Animation Studio and Film.UA Group.

Ukraine-based Animagrad Animation Studio produced the film; amid the ongoing attack from Russia, the filmmaking process for MAVKA: THE FOREST SONG was arduous and hindered by continuous armed bombardment, gunfire, unrest, and massive property destruction onsite. As reported by Variety, the MAVKA production team “continued to work from their homes and from bomb shelters. Some fled to Europe and continued to work on the ambitious animated project remotely.”

The film is based on the Ukrainian drama “The Forest Song” by celebrated poet and author Lesya Ukrainka, MAVKA: THE FOREST SONG. The story unfolds in a universe that blends ancient Slavic traditions and folklore with a modern narrative that showcases Ukrainian culture, values, designs, and music.

The film’s soundtrack is composed by Dario Vero, known for The Stolen Princess, and boasts a rousing soundtrack written by well-known Ukrainian musicians, a mix of folk tunes in modern adaptations, and compositions created especially for this animated adventure. The film delivers an engaging storyline and memorable characters, this uplifting and colorful animated fairytale is bolstered by a strong young female lead character, fascinating folklores, and the relevant theme of environmental conservation. 

Director Oleg Malamuzh

Director Oleg Malamuzh and Sasha Ruban direct the English-language movie. The movie features a talented voice cast of Laurie Hymes (Lupin III: The First), Eddy Lee (Your Name), Sarah Natochenny (Pokemon Master Journeys), Tom Wayland (Pokemon), Marc Thompson (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Scottie Ray (Zane Truesdale), HD Quinn (A Night Before Christmas), Nikki Thomas (Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous), Alyson Leigh Rosenfeld (Pokemon), and Mike Pollock (A Cat in Paris). 

MAVKA: THE FOREST SONG is available for pre-order now at Amazon.com and will be available in stores, other fine retailers, and digital entertainment platforms.

Movie Synopsis

Mavka – the soul of the forest – has been chosen by the supreme spirits to become the forest’s new guardian. But when she meets a talented human musician named Lucas – a man on the hunt for a mysterious tree with the power to give life, she is faced with an impossible choice between her newfound love and her duty to the spirits. Can humans and the forest live in harmony, or will greed and vice destroy them both? 

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KEIICHI HARA’S “LONELY CASTLE IN THE MIRROR” Coming to Theaters Nationwide June

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Celebrating its 15th anniversary, producer and distributor of award-winning and artist-driven animation GKIDS announced the limited theatrical release of Keiichi Hara’s newest film, LONELY CASTLE IN THE MIRROR.

KEIICHI HARA’S LONELY CASTLE IN THE MIRROR

The film is directed by Keiichi Hara known for Miss Hokusai, Colorful, & The Wonderland. The film features animation from the lauded A-1 Pictures, and is adapted from the beloved novel of the same name by Mizuki Tsujimura. The film is set to screen in select theaters nationwide on June 21 and 22nd only.

The film held its International Premiere at the Rotterdam International Film Festival, making it the first time a Japanese animated feature was selected for the festival. Additionally, had its US premiere at the New York International Children’s Film Festival. The film was also nominated for the Japan Academy Prize for Animation of the Year, and was a box office hit during its domestic release in Japan in December 2022, grossing over one billion yen (approx. 7.3 million USD).

Keiichi Hara in 2011 at the Salón del Manga in Barcelona, Spain | (C) Mutari

Director Keiichi Hara has worked with various past collaborators on the project, including screenwriter Miho Maruo and composer Harumi Fuuki who also worked on Miss Hokusai & The Wonderland, in addition to acclaimed artist Ilya Kuvshinov (The Wonderland) for visual concept and castle designs.  

In Theaters Nationwide

GKIDS will release LONELY CASTLE IN THE MIRROR theatrically in both its original Japanese language with an all-new English dubbed version in select theaters nationwide on June 21 and 22nd, tickets are now on sale here. GKIDS also handles North American distribution for Keiichi Hara’s films, including his previous features Summer Days with Coo (2007) and Miss Hokusai (2015). 

Film Synopsis

Shy outcast Kokoro has been avoiding school for weeks when she discovers a portal in her bedroom mirror. She reaches through and finds herself transported to an enchanting castle where she is joined by six other students. When a girl in a wolf mask explains that they have been invited to play a game, the teens must work together to uncover the mysterious connection that unites them. However, anyone who breaks the rules will be eaten by a wolf. 

Learn more about on the official website, LonelyCastleMovie.com. You can read the novel by Mizuki Tsujimura here or listen to it in audiobook. Lonely Castle in the Mirror, by Mizuki Tsujimura is a heartfelt drama about the pains of growing up and the unlikely bonds that can bring people together. 

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“Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen, Part One” World Premiere – WonderCon 2023

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To celebrate the union of The Justice League and RWBY, Warner Bros. hosted the world premiere of the first ever collaboration between The Justice League & anime inspired series, RWBY at this year’s WonderCon!

A post-screening panel was headlined by the voice talent of Natalie Alyn Lind (Big Sky, The Goldbergs, Gotham) as Wonder Woman/Diana Prince and RWBY’s long-running cast – Lindsay Jones (Camp Camp) as Ruby, Kara Eberle (RWBY: Ice Queendom) as Weiss, Arryn Zech (The Detective is Already Dead) as Blake, and Barbara Dunkelman (Blood Fest) as Yang – alongside Jeannie Tirado (Soul, Saints Row) as Green Lantern, and Tru Valentino (The Rookie, The Cuphead Show!) as Cyborg.

Also included on the panel are producer/director Kerry Shawcross (RWBY franchise) and screenwriter Meghan Fitzmartin. Watch the FULL panel below,

Film Synopsis

Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen, Part One finds the Justice League facing off against a new horror: adolescence! Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Cyborg, Green Lantern and Vixen are surprised to find that not only have they materialized on a strange world called Remnant, but they’ve also been transformed into teenagers. Meanwhile, the heroes of Remnant – Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang – find their world has been mysteriously altered. Can the combined forces of the Justice League and Team RWBY return Remnant to normal before a superpowered Grimm destroys everything they know?

Release Date

Produced by Warner Bros. Animation, Rooster Teeth Animation, DC and Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment, Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen, Part One, available to purchase Digitally and on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack and Blu-ray on April 25, 2023. Available to preorder on Amazon:

Can’t get enough of RWBY or need to catch up? Here some products we think you’ll love

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LET’S-A-GO! — The Super Mario Bros Final Trailer!

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Illumination and Nintendo released the final trailer of the highly anticipated Super Mario film.

There was little to no description on what the story was going to be centered on, back when we first shared the news of this upcoming film. Now we have a in-depth description.

According to the trailer’s description, while working underground to fix a water main, Brooklyn plumbers Mario (Chris Pratt) and brother Luigi (Charlie Day) are transported down a mysterious pipe and wander into a magical new world. But when the brothers are separated, Mario embarks on an epic quest to find Luigi.

With the assistance of a Mushroom Kingdom resident Toad (Keegan-Michael Key) and some training from the strong-willed ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom, Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy), Mario taps into his own power.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie features an extraordinary comedic cast, including Jack Black (Jumanji films) as Bowser, Seth Rogen (Neighbors franchise) as Donkey Kong, Fred Armisen (Portlandia, Saturday Night Live) as Cranky Kong, Kevin Michael Richardson (American Dad!, Family Guy) as Kamek and Sebastian Maniscalco (Green Book) as Spike, plus a special voice appearance by Charles Martinet, who has voiced the characters of Mario and Luigi in the Super Mario games for more than 30 years.

This is the third film adaptation of the game franchise following the 1986 Japanese animated adventure comedy film Super Mario Bros.: The Great Mission to Rescue Princess Peach! and the terrible but cult classic, 1993 live-action film Super Mario Bros

The film was initially set to be released on April 7, 2023 but changed to April 5th with Japan opening on April 28th.

LET’S A GO! Subscribe to our articles below, and don’t miss any upcoming exclusive content!

STUDIO GHIBLI FEST 2023 Kicks off with 35th Anniversary of My Neighbor Totoro  

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STUDIO GHIBLI FEST 2023 is back this year bigger than ever, with celebration of the 35th Anniversary of My Neighbor Totoro on March 25th! All 10 of Hayao Miyazaki’s Masterpieces will be screened in theaters throughout the year including the 35th Anniversary screenings of My Neighbor Totoro, 15th Anniversary screenings of Ponyo, and the first-ever North American screenings of SPIRITED AWAY: Live On Stage, featuring two separate full performances filmed during the production’s acclaimed run in Tokyo last year.

GKIDS, celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, are proud to continue their partnership with Fathom events and expand STUDIO GHIBLI FEST 2023 to more screening dates than ever before to meet increased fan demand.

Each of the 10 animated features will be shown in both original Japanese and English dubbed versions and will include exclusive selections from the documentary series 10 Years With Hayao Miyazaki. Tickets for STUDIO GHIBLI FEST 2023 can be purchased online now by visiting FathomEvents.comGhibliFest.com or at participating theater box offices. (Theater participants are subject to change). 

STUDIO GHIBLI FEST 2023 SCHEDULE ( All event listings are in local time):

My Neighbor Totoro 35th Anniversary

●       Saturday, March 25 at 3:00 PM (Japanese with Subtitles)

●       Sunday, March 26 at 4:00 PM (English Dubbed) and 7:00 PM (English Dubbed)

●       Monday, March 27 at 7:00 PM (English Dubbed)

●       Tuesday, March 28 at 7:00 PM (Japanese with Subtitles)

●       Wednesday, March 29 at 7:00 PM (English Dubbed)

SPIRITED AWAY: Live on Stage *All performances in Japanese with English Subtitles*

●       Sunday, April 23 at 4:00 PM (with Kanna Hashimoto as Chihiro)

●       Thursday, April 27 at 7:00 PM (with Mone Kamishiraishi as Chihiro)

Ponyo 15th Anniversary

●       Sunday, May 7 at 4:00 PM (English Dubbed) and 7:00 PM (English Dubbed)

●       Monday, May 8 at 7:00 PM (Japanese with Subtitles)

●       Wednesday, May 10 at 7:00 PM (Japanese with Subtitles)

Kiki’s Delivery Service

●       Sunday, June 11 at 4:00 PM (English Dubbed) and 7:00 PM (English Dubbed)

●       Monday, June 12 at 7:00 PM (Japanese with Subtitles)

●       Wednesday, June 14 at 7:00 PM (Japanese with Subtitles)

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind

●       Sunday, July 9 at 4:00 PM (English Dubbed)

●       Tuesday, July 11 at 7:00 PM (Japanese with Subtitles)

Castle in the Sky

●       Monday, July 10 at 7:00 PM (English Dubbed)

●       Wednesday, July 12 at 7:00 PM (Japanese with Subtitles)

Princess Mononoke

●       Saturday, August 5 at 3:00 PM (Japanese with Subtitles)

●       Sunday, August 6 at 4:00 PM (English Dubbed) and 7:00 PM (English Dubbed)

●       Monday, August 7 at 7:00 PM (English Dubbed)

●       Tuesday, August 8 at 7:00 PM (Japanese with Subtitles)

●       Wednesday, August 9 at 7:00 PM (English Dubbed)

Porco Rosso

●       Sunday, August 20 at 4:00 PM (English Dubbed)

●       Tuesday, August 22 at 7:00 PM (Japanese with Subtitles)

The Wind Rises 10th Anniversary

●       Monday, August 21 at 7:00 PM (English Dubbed)

●       Wednesday, August 23 at 7:00 PM (Japanese with Subtitles)

Howl’s Moving Castle

●       Saturday, September 23 at 3:00 PM (Japanese with Subtitles)

●       Sunday, September 24 at 4:00 PM (Japanese with Subtitles) and 7:00 PM (Japanese with Subtitles)

●       Monday, September 25 at 7:00 PM (English Dubbed)

●       Tuesday, September 26 at 7:00 PM (Japanese with Subtitles)

●       Wednesday, September 27 at 7:00 PM (English Dubbed)

Spirited Away

●       Saturday, October 28 at 3:00 PM (Japanese with Subtitles)

●       Sunday, October 29 at 4:00 PM (English Dubbed) and 7:00 PM (English Dubbed)

●       Monday, October 30 at 7:00 PM (English Dubbed)

●       Tuesday, October 31 at 7:00 PM (Japanese with Subtitles)

●       Wednesday, November 1 at 7:00 PM (English Dubbed)

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Highly anticipated DEEMO Memorial Keys Coming to Bluray and Digital

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Produced by famed animation studios Production I.G. (Psycho-Pass, Ghost in the Shell, Attack on Titan) and Signal.MD (Birthday Wonderland, Cyborg 009: Call of Justice) comes the eagerly awaited feature film adaption inspired by the internationally acclaimed “DEEMO” rhythm video game, which has over 28 million downloads worldwide. Featuring visually stunning animation by Production I.G. and Signal.MD, DEEMO Memorial Keys is directed by Shuhei Matsushita (Fuse: Memoirs of a Huntress) with Junichi Fujisaku (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Blood franchise) as a general director. Yuki Kajiura, a prominent music composer and producer who has worked on the scores for multiple anime hits (Demon Slayer, Fate/Zero), created the film’s theme and image songs.

This spring, step inside the extraordinary, ethereal world of DEEMO and beguiled by the awe-inspiring anime movie adventure packed with whimsical characters, beautiful animation, and unforgettable music with gorgeous melodies when DEEMO Memorial Keys hits home entertainment shelves and digital download on March 28, 2023 from Eleven Arts and Shout! Factory, following its nationwide theatrical release.

Film’s Snypois

Fall in love with the enchanting tale of Deemo, a mysterious, lonely character who lives in solitude, playing the piano in a castle. One day a girl who has lost her memory falls from the sky. Wanting to help her recover her memories and return to her world, Deemo discovers that a tree kept atop the piano will grow whenever the piano is played. But if Deemo succeeds in the helping her, will the loss of her companionship prove to be too much? This gentle, ephemeral story of love spun by Deemo, the girl, the mystical residents of the castle, and a tree that grows with the sound of the piano will make you want to return to this world again and again.

English Cast

The movie will feature the English voice talents of Michelle Marie (Ryoma! The Prince of Tennis, The House of the Lost on the Cape), Anairis Quinones (Rainbow High, My Hero Academia), Bryce Papenbrook (Attack on Titan, Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir), Mike Pollock (A Night Before Christmas, A Cat in Paris), Luci Christian (Gintama: The Movie, My Hero Academia) and Stephanie Sheh (Your Name, Sailor Moon Crystal).

Preorder Now

 DEEMO Memorial Keys is available for pre-order now on Amazon and will be available in stores and other fine retailers on March 28, 2023.

We’ll keep you updated on the theatrical release of DEEMO, meanwhile, subscribe to our articles below, and don’t miss any upcoming exclusive content!