I couldn’t find a single new genre release in western Movies or TV, but there are a few eastern titles this week. Tokyo Ghoul √A – Season Two continues the war between Ghouls and Humans, cranking up the action and horror as old friends transform and new perils arise. Seraph of the End: Vampire Reign brings the first dozen episodes of the potential extinction of humanity as the vampires grow ever more numerous and hungry. In Shirobako: Collection 2 the five friends once in the animation club are now reunited and ready to create their first professional Anime, if only they can make it work. This was one of the most impressive Anime programs of 2015 for me, both for its recursiveness (an Anime about making an Anime, in the tradition of Golden Boy and Anime Runner Kuromi) and for its fond waves of recognition to some of the most amazing Anime creators in the industry today. I can’t say it anywhere near as well as others already have, so let me pass along links to a few of the better articles about it, from Rocket News 24, from Kotaku, and from Otaku USA. It also indirectly made public some of the sadder details, like the fact that many of the animators and voice actors that work on these projects are only paid a dollar an hour, not exactly a living wage. If you have ever wanted to create your own anime, this is a must-watch!
The one new Movie title isn’t genre, and Janis: Little Girl Blue looks like it actually came out this past week. But it is an excellent documentary about an amazing artist who we lost too soon, so I had to mention it anyways. The IP Man Trilogy puts 3 of the movies in that series into a single box, at a noticeable savings over buying them individually, so if you don’t have them already now might be the time. Likewise DC Universe is releasing a number of their animated feature films two to a box for the price of one this week, including Son of Batman/Batman: Under The Red Hood, All-Star Superman/Superman Doomsday, and Superman vs. The Elite/Superman: Unbound. TV is represented by Nova: Rise of the Robots, also not genre but very worth watching.
We do better in Anime, with some actual new genre titles like Assassination Classroom – Season 1 Part 1 bringing the first 11 episodes of the series home. Akame ga Kill: Collection 2 is the second half of that rather twisted story line, this time with the old enemies working together. Black Butler: Book of Murder has two OVAs about Ceil and the Demon Butler, and a cast that includes legendary author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle; that alone should make this an important selection. Finally Gunbuster: The Movie tells the tale of the monsters between the stars, and the humans who go out to fight them. The time dilation caused by their near light speed transitions means the ones they go out to protect may be long dead before the battle is even joined.
The must-have title for this week is Deadpool, absolutely the funniest Marvel film made to date. It is also R rated, so it is no surprise it wasn’t made by Disney, but the folks over at 20th Century Fox. With a sequel already in the works, we might see Deadpool 2 as early as January 2018. Synchronicity is a twisted little time travel story everyone should see; if you missed it in the theaters, now is your chance to catch up with it. Lego Scooby: Haunted Hollywood also deserves a mention.
Killjoys: Season 1 is very much a cross between Firefly and Blade Runner, and one of my 3 favorite shows currently running on Syfy. I am happy to report Season 2 will be along on July 1st. Beauty and the Beast (2012): Season 3 is out just in time to be binged before the next season kicks off on June 2nd. While I am not a horror fan, I should include Scream: The Tv Series Season 1 on this list.
For a change their are fewer Anime titles than the other categories, with Fruit of Grisaia being a school for bad apples as the only actual entry this time. It isn’t exactly genre, but it is strange enough to come close.
Movies has The 5th Wave, a tale of alien invasion based on the first book of a Rick Yancey trilogy. 400 Days has astronauts flying a simulated mission to another planet that isn’t as simulated as they think it is in this movie from Syfy. While it isn’t genre, it is worth mentioning that A Royal Night Out is also being released on disc this week, based on a true story. If there is any genre TV this week I managed to miss it.
In Anime RWBY 3 is the third volume in the series of high powered combat with monsters and other humans. While hidden political agendas and secret plans fight to determine the fate of the world, we slowly learn that their own history has been hidden from our 4 heroes and their various allies. Gundam Evolve is an interesting release because it contains 15 short pieces that were originally aired at conventions and/or packaged with kits, and is now compiled onto DVD for the first time. They are outtakes or side stories from a range of Gundam series done using a number of different animation techniques.
I couldn’t find many genre Movies or TV shows this week, but there is The Driftless Area, a ghost story in which Anton Yelchin is once more getting closure for the dead, but I saw no indication that he had the name Odd Thomas this time. Stella, played by Zooey Deschanel, saves his life so he can avenge her murder. It is based on the novel of the same name written by Tom Drury.
In Anime, Rage of Bahamut: Genesis has all 12 episodes of a story where a charming rogue, a clueless demon, a disgraced knight, and a tiny zombie are the only ones who can save the world, if they can find a way to work together long enough to pull it off. Even though it was made in 2014, a lot of the footage looks like old school Anime from the 1980s. Space Brothers: Collection 8 brings episodes 88 through 99 of that series, completing the story. One Piece: Season 7 Voyage 6 has episodes 446 through 456 of a story line that shows no indications of every reaching a conclusion. Garo The Animation: Season One Part One has the first dozen episodes of the magical knights vs the evil usurper story.
Kamisama Kiss: Season 2 brings back Nanami the Land Goddess, who is finally getting the hang of the world of gods, demons, and spirits, but maybe not fast enough to save her piece of the world. Earl and Fairy is a romantic fantasy adventure in which a fairy doctor and a count are looking for a magic sword. This one was on TV back in 2008 in Japan, but I have found no indication it was previously released in North America.
In Movies we get IP Man 3, which completes the story of the man who became a legend in the Martial Arts community for much more than training Bruce Lee. Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead: The Story of the National Lampoon is a documentary you have to see if you appreciate comedy, covering them from the 70s through the 90s. The animated feature film Norm of the North is also being released on disc this week.
In Anime, ALDNOAH.ZERO: Set 4 brings the conclusion of the war between terrestrial humanity and the VERS, and sets the stage for mankind’s next venture to the stars. It is a smart series which doesn’t mind breaking some standard Anime tropes. Black Butler: Book of Circus is season 3 of the adventures of the demonic Butler and the woman he serves. This time they go undercover in a Circus to learn what is happening to the children who disappear when it comes to town. Finally Yamishibai: Japanese Ghost Stories brings season 1 and 2 together in a single boxed set, with all 3 seasons currently streaming.