News

A new sci-fi book-to-movie adaptation, Uglies, was just released on Netflix, and it is the perfect excuse to revisit one of Jenna Ortega's most underrated movies. Uglies is a brand-new sci-fi action movie starring Joey King, Brianne Tju, Chase Stokes, and Laverne Cox that is based on a 2005 young adult book series by Scott Westerfield. Uglies takes place in a dystopian future where individuals undergo intense cosmetic surgery to become more attractive. However, as 16-year-old Tally's procedure nears, she discovers what life is like outside of society's beauty standards.

Uglies is a particularly exciting release for Netflix. Not only does the film have a star-studded cast, but it also has a pre-existing fan base due to Westerfield's 2005 book. On top of that, Uglies was also in the works for nearly a decade before releasing. Though the movie was optioned in 2006, it took eight years to get it made. Now,...

Ultra Instinct Shaggy is a popular meme that originated from a video edit of a Scooby-Doo scene set to the music from Dragon Ball's Ultra Instinct fight scene. The meme gained popularity and evolved, transforming Shaggy into a powerful, god-like being capable of defeating anyone. The meme went viral, leading to fan creations, petitions, and even official references in Mortal Kombat Legends and the game MultiVersus, making it a canonized part of the franchise.

Scooby-Doo and Dragon Ball are both classic, long-running animated television shows, and both have inspired countless creatives over the years. However, at first glance, the shows have little in common, with Scooby-Doo being a comedy mystery show and Dragon Ball being a shonen action series. But there is one place where both franchises crossover and this crossover has a bizarre history, one rooted in internet meme culture. This crossover point is Ultra Instinct Shaggy, a long-running...

Zegapain, a mecha anime, was mostly forgotten despite its quality and overlooked for being seen as just another generic mecha series. The lack of international popularity and criticism of its mecha designs and cliché story contributed to Zegapain's obscurity. Zegapain explored deep themes of reality and escapism through its characters, offering a more organic and relevant take than other mecha series like Neon Genesis Evangelion.

Mecha anime is a fairly popular genre, but this success is mostly relegated to Japan itself. Even then, the biggest names in the genre are the ones with the most spotlight, with other shows sometimes falling by the wayside. Such was the case with the mostly forgotten Zegapain, despite the fact that it's now receiving a follow-up.

Releasing almost 20 years after its predecessor, Olta Moda Arc is the sequel that most anime fans likely never expected. It does, however, bring its predecessor back into the discussion,...

The Japanese entertainment industry has lost a truly marvelous talent. On January 15th, 2023, versatile character actor Noboru Mitani passed away at the age of 90. On the website Yahoo! Japan, Kyodo News reports the cause of death being “due to acute exacerbation of chronic heart failure”( Kyodo News 1). Mitani worked with an array of filmmakers, frequently appearing in the works of Kinji Fukasaku and Juzo Itami. He was also quite active in television and theatre. Tokusatsu fans may recognize him for his appearances in “Return of Ultraman,” “Ultraman Taro,” and “Space Sheriff Gavan,” while anime enthusiasts may remember him for voice acting in the series “Princess Tutu.” His wide range, colorful personality, and how real he could make his characters feel made him stand out as an actor. He also was often able to convey so much through his facial expressions alone, even in moments without dialogue.

Noboru Mitani and Hiroyuki Kawase...