Friday, June 20, 2025

Hype: KPop Demon Hunters, The Toxic Avenger, Toxic Crusaders, Mister Miracle, New Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt

 

KPop Demon Hunters is out now on Netflix. Sony Pictures Animation, behind it, is probably our favorite part of the studio as it actually makes movies worth watching. 

Synopsis: When they aren't selling out stadiums, Kpop superstars Rumi, Mira and Zoey use their secret identities as badass demon hunters to protect their fans from an ever-present supernatural threat. Together, they must face their biggest enemy yet – an irresistible rival boy band of demons in disguise.

 NSFW TRAILER

The Toxic Avenger reboot movie is finally coming out this Summer, this August. It's been waiting since 2023 to be on the big screen. Behind the scenes, it looks like it was like some people didn't want it to go straight to streaming and held out for a theatrical release against we're assuming other financiers. 

It looks like an over-the-top insane violence perfect for anyone waiting for The Boys.

Staying with the Toxic Avenger, check out his game or really a game based on the cartoon! Toxic Crusaders comes out later this year with a simultaneous physical release courtesy of Limited Run Games. Toxic Crusaders launches on the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, Nintendo Switch and Steam.

This arcade style arcade beat-’em-up looks and sounds like the cartoon, which is totally insane for existing based even on the original movie's tone and violence.

The latest feature I'm happy to hear about is the character-switching ability, which allows you to easily swap between two Crusaders during the game.

 

Kind of shocked to learn Mister Miracle, the limited comic series from Tom King is being turned into a cartoon series. This is gonna be way more adult; those messed up lines on the image above aren't from a bad scan or a rip from a YouTube trailer. They very much play a part in Mister Miracle's psyche taking a beating and not really knowing if he's in the right reality or just having mental health issues. And, you as the reader, soon to be watcher, don't know either.

It was a great idea because in comics, life as a hero for Mister Miracle, who has a very complicated life, isn't at a good starting point when he might have any sort of mental problems. 

There's a long road of mental issues attached to this one, but at the same time dealing with being a new father and the simple moments. I just love a panel when Barda, Miracle's wife, and him almost forget their son's Batman doll. Even in a story where the probably hang with Batman he's still also a kid's doll.

Oh and it is set in LA, when not off Earth.

 

New Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt is starting to air on Prime July 9th if you can believe it? I kind of hate the lack of curation or not being part of some sort of anime section of Prime. But, that's where it's going. 

It only took them 15 years to do another series. We have high hopes for this one, but gotta remeber it's gonna be a mix of great animation, dumb cheap animation and terribly dirty jokes.

You're right Netflix should have some sort of anime section too/curator.

Anime Expo 2025: What Else To Check Out

Here's a lowdown on some of the different things you should be looking out for at Anime Expo this year.
 
 
Cosplayers dressed as Panty and Stocking from "New PANTY & STOCKING with GARTERBELT" will come to KADOKAWA World Entertainment Booth!
Don’t miss your chance to snap a photo with them and get a special random card!

Schedule︓
July 3, 2025, 11:00-11:20, 12:30-12:50, 14:00-14:20, 16:00-16:20
July 4, 2025, 11:00-11:20, 12:30-12:50, 14:00-14:20, 16:00-16:20
July 5, 2025, 11:00-11:20, 12:30-12:50, 16:00-16:20, 17:30-17:50
July 6, 2025, 11:00-11:20, 12:30-12:50, 14:00-14:20
*There will be no session at 4:00 PM on the final day(July 6th)
Giveaway: Special Random Card [8 types]

 Giveaway at KADOKAWA Booth
KADOKAWA Animation Laminated Card [5 types]
 
Funmaker / Rokimoto Booth
Location: West Hall – 2850
Hours: Thursday, 7/3–Saturday, 7/5 from 9am to 9pm
Sunday, 7/6 from 9am to 3pm
 
Funmaker is a new collectibles company, which announced that it is launching its Japanese culture-inspired brand, Rokimoto, at Anime Expo. Be sure to check out their booth while there.  
 
 Aksys Games Anime Expo Panel
When: Thursday, July 3rd @ 2.15 - 3.05pm
Where: Los Angeles Convention Center Panel Room 408AB
The panel will not be livestreamed.

Aksys Games  was a pioneer in localizing otome games for Western audiences, including the award-winning Code: Realize and Collar X Malice series. Its lineup of games features the wildly successful BlazBlue, Under Night In-Birth, and Guilty Gear franchises, Little Dragons Café, and the award-winning Spirit Hunter: Death Mark and Spirit Hunter: NG adventures. Aksys Games and its unique products can be found on the company’s website, www.aksysgames.com.
 
BEYBLADE X National Tournament (US Open Class)
Date: Saturday, July 5, 2025
Time: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Pacific Daylight Time)
Location: Los Angeles Convention Center
Booth Number: ENTERTAINMENT HALL - E-25
Eligibility: Ages 13 and up
Registration: First-come, first-served at the booth on the day of the event. Registration closes once capacity (128 participants) is reached.
Official Website: beyblade.com/worldchampionship2025/

Anime Expo 2025 Schedule

Now, we've gone over the top panels, but be sure to peruse the full schedule. Things change and you might want to have back-ups if certain panels fill-up. Remember the biggest panels will have long waits, prepare yourself and your friends with food, games and good enough Internet to handle it.
 
Here's some of the events we're excited for.

Thursday, June 19, 2025

Fantastic Four Out July Twenty-Fifth, Not The Fourth?

 

Listen, we all know it's gonna make a ton of money, but the release date not being on JULY 4TH MAKES NO SENSE. It's not out on July 4th weekend!?! you can make all that merch, but someone in marketing needs to pay for that crime. 

Donkey Kong Bananza Looks Great

 If you were on social media yesterday or today, so much fan art has sprung up.


 Out exclusively on Switch 2 July 17, 2025

Palm Springs International ShortFest June 24-30

Just around the corner, really next week, we have the returning Palm Springs International ShortFest June 24-30, 2025. So, you might want to escape LA for a few days and check out aspiring new directors.
 
Taking place at the revised Festival Theaters in Palm Springs there's quite a lot of shorts to see. 
 
In all, the festival will screen 51 curated programs showcasing 311 films from 64 countries and territories, including 45 World Premieres, 10 International Premieres, 36 North American Premieres, 19 U.S. Premieres., and 94 California Premieres.
 
The full schedule and tickets are available here.
 
Here's our picks for short programs to see, but check the list yourself.


ART ATTACK | Tuesday, 12:00 PM

Explore the transformative and provocative influence of art through an assortment of documentary, fiction, and animated short films celebrating the creative process and its ability to heal and challenge. 

 


UNBOUND VISIONS | Thursday, 12:00 PM

From surreal landscapes to abstract narratives and emotional excavations, experience the boundless creativity of filmmakers pushing the limits of storytelling and perception.

 


HIGH ANXIETY | Thursday, 5:00 PM

Clench your jaw and whiten your knuckles with these tense, tightrope-walking shorts set in moments of peak pressure.


A WORLD IMAGINED | Thursday, 6:00 PM

Blending science and speculative fiction, these eclectic films explore imagined futures and offer fresh perspectives on our present reality.

 

THRILLS & CHILLS | Friday, 8:00 PM

Terror lurks in the most unexpected places in this collection of horror shorts—from bizarre family dynamics to eerie intrusions and darkly comic deceit, expect the unsettling, the outrageous, and the truly disturbing.


PARABLES, FANTASIES & FABLES | Saturday, 2:45 PM

Suspend disbelief and lose yourself in this selection of imaginative and otherworldly shorts.

SEVEN DEADLY SINS | Saturday, 5:00 PM

Wade into seven sinful selections that explore each cardinal vice—gluttony, lust, greed, wrath, sloth, envy, and pride—in which transgression, temptation, and the thrill of wrongdoing run rampant. 

 


LATE NIGHT | Saturday, 8:00 PM

The absurd and the surreal converge in this playfully unhinged collection of after-dark shorts featuring a wild array of antics and peculiarities.

Wednesday, June 18, 2025

SEGA Pop Up Shop @ Little Tokyo June 27th-July27th

Perfectly in time for Anime Expo and a hololive Dodger game.