Rewatch This Space looks back at all the episodes focusing on animation. From films to TV, from Mononoke to Star Wars Visions.
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: February 7th 2026
#animation #animated #cartoons #anime #animatedfilms #animatedtvshows #animatedshows #cartoonshows #compilations
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: February 7th 2026
#animation #animated #cartoons #anime #animatedfilms #animatedtvshows #animatedshows #cartoonshows #compilations
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Short filmTranscript
00:19In Japanese, I'm going to talk to you about your words and words and words, and words, and words.
00:28That'd be...
00:29Mushy-Ai-Ju Maso.
00:37Mononoke, not to be confused with the Hayao Miyazaki film,
00:40was an anime series that was a spin-off of Ayakashi Samurai Tales.
00:44The main premise of the show was about when a mysterious medicine seller
00:47gets himself into various supernatural encounters with Mononoke,
00:50a type of Ayakashi, Batlinger, and Human Welcome.
00:53I love the series for its dark and hearing atmosphere,
00:56and the beautiful and complimentary animation.
00:59But I was excited for the movie, and I can proudly say that Mononoke the movie,
01:02Phantom in the Rain, is well worth the wait.
01:05This time, the film sees the medicine seller having to deal with the goings-on and Oku.
01:10For those of you who don't know your Japanese history,
01:13and have to do a quick Google halfway through the movie,
01:15an Oku was an area in the Edo Castle where one relates to the Shogun lived.
01:19In the film, there's something serious going on,
01:21but may or may not have connections to the disappearance of the concubine.
01:24Now, if you know the inner workings of an Oku,
01:27then you know that it didn't allow male adults in,
01:29so most of this film is actually focused on two new characters,
01:32Asa and Kame, as they deal with the inner workings of the Oku.
01:36Now, this would seem like a cop-out,
01:37not having the medicine seller be the main focus,
01:39but I liked it,
01:40because some of the best stories from the show
01:42mainly had other characters be the main focus,
01:44and the medicine seller be an observer,
01:46who was to solve the supernatural issue.
01:48Think of the Shashiki or Warashari or Nobbera Borg arcs,
01:53and you can see how this film goes.
01:55Asa and Kame here are compelling,
01:57and seeing them deal both with the essential office politics
02:00and the supernatural in its works,
02:02well, remind me of stuff like Black Narcissus,
02:04or that Sydney Sweeney nun movie Immaculate
02:07that came out earlier this year.
02:08As I mentioned, those arcs on the show,
02:09the film does bore those arcs themes
02:11and observations about women in society as well.
02:13Sure, Asa and Kame are free to fulfil their roles
02:16and the Oku,
02:17but they're still contained within one building
02:18and have to make sacrifices to a shogun
02:21who we don't see much in the film.
02:25It's a fascinating theme that connects the film to the show.
02:28The whole eminence here are strongly used effectively.
02:29The film carries the series' eerie and creepy atmosphere,
02:32but with a bit more fast-paced than the show,
02:34lots of rabbits at editing,
02:35while it would be a bit disoriented,
02:37it still works to keep moving the film forward,
02:40but still making it very deliberately odd and unnerving.
02:42Now this is an anime film,
02:44how's the animation?
02:45It's great.
02:46Like a lot of film continuation of shows,
02:48the animation looks a bit upgrade,
02:50while the animation of the show was great.
02:51The film has a more wider scale.
02:53The colour of the film is a bit more brighter and vibrant,
02:56which creates a great contrast of the horror aspect of the film.
02:58That also makes it a little bit darker,
03:00but there's an unnatural element to it.
03:02The film character designs are also good,
03:04making them strike a fine line
03:05between what you'd call a recognisable anime style
03:07with a P.R.E. painting look.
03:09Praise the director, Kenji Nakamura,
03:11who also directed the anime series,
03:12and here brings the full style of show to the film,
03:14with a bigger, grander style.
03:16More than I came to the movie,
03:18Phantom in the Rain,
03:18is a vibrantly creepy film.
03:20The film brings the show's iconic style and animation back in gold,
03:24all in with a grander scope,
03:25where a film would allow,
03:26but a TV show would not.
03:28No, even though there are some elements,
03:30I kind of feel like are left hanging,
03:32probably because this is the first part of a film trilogy,
03:35so that obviously will be followed up in two sequels.
03:39You can watch the film if you're much a fan,
03:41because it's a standalone film,
03:43and the show as well.
03:44Both are currently streaming on Netflix at the time of recording,
03:46and I full-heartedly recommend you watch it.
04:24Happy New Year,
04:25when you're watching this,
04:27because I wrote and made this episode well in advance,
04:30and also it may not be New Year's when you watch this,
04:32considering how much lists I have to make.
04:35Anyway, 2024 was a midly premix in general,
04:38but as we enter a new year,
04:40it's good to look forward,
04:41mostly to the films,
04:42because yeesh,
04:43and 2025 seems to have a pretty interesting slate ahead of us,
04:47so let's get into it.
04:49Honourable Mentions.
04:50So a little house clean in this section is for films
04:52I'm interested in seeing,
04:54but either didn't make it into the final ten,
04:56or I just found more interesting,
04:59but I don't know if it's getting a release this year,
05:03especially if it might be released at a festival,
05:05where it sometimes takes years for it to be seen by the general public.
05:09So here are the honourable mentions.
05:12Aztec Batman.
05:13Now, on the surface,
05:15this may seem like another animated Batman movie.
05:17Those usually are a dime a dozen on the DCV market,
05:21but this one is something you should check out,
05:24mostly for the premise.
05:25What if Batman,
05:25but instead of Gotham City,
05:27it's Aztec Mexico?
05:28This looks interesting,
05:29blending real history with comic book superheroics,
05:32with Hernan Cortez being a version of Two-Face,
05:35and it's cool to see an interpretation of a hero
05:37from a different country than we're used to,
05:39so there's something to look forward to in that.
05:41And now,
05:41onto the ten films I'm excited for this year.
05:46Number eight,
05:47Wildwood.
05:47It wouldn't be an anticipated list
05:49without at least one entry
05:50from one of the prestige animation studios.
05:53It all looks fun,
05:54co-directed by Domi Shi,
05:55who else did Funtime in Red.
06:00We're getting another Zootopia movie,
06:02and Bad Guys 2 looks fun,
06:04but it's like as Wildwood,
06:05which has piqued my interest,
06:06because I don't usually pump out a film
06:08every year like the other studios,
06:10so it feels like an event.
06:11The film also boasts a good cast,
06:13and judging by the teaser trailer,
06:14it still has that handcrafted look
06:15that the other films usually have.
06:21Number six,
06:23The Magnificent Life of Marcel Pagno.
06:25Another animated film,
06:26this time from director Sylvain Chomet.
06:29Director behind films like
06:30Triplets of Bellevue,
06:31and Illusionist.
06:32Yeah, so if you know your animated movies,
06:34or your French movies,
06:35you know.
06:36And those were my anticipated films of 2025.
06:39Are there any other films you're excited for this year?
06:41Please,
06:41comment below,
06:42and also like him to subscribe.
06:59Well,
07:00it's the end of the year,
07:01and despite everything else,
07:02the movies were good.
07:03It was a year about the horrors of pregnancy,
07:06clowns,
07:06films about TV,
07:07prequels,
07:08unconventional music biopics,
07:10and multi-part films.
07:12So here's a list of my favourite films of the year.
07:15Now,
07:15before we get into this list,
07:16I know that I'm going to get asked in the comments section
07:19about why I left out certain films in this list.
07:21Well,
07:22certain Oscar movies,
07:23The Complete Unknown,
07:25The Brutalist,
07:25etc.,
07:26don't get released in the UK until January,
07:28so that's why they're not on the list.
07:30I haven't seen the film that you might mention,
07:33because I mostly do this channel more as a hobby,
07:35but I can probably monetize if I can reach a certain number of subscribers.
07:39Please subscribe.
07:39So I'm not a professional film critic in that sense,
07:42so I don't often watch as many films as multi-professional film critics do,
07:46and I just didn't get to see certain films.
07:48Draw number two,
07:49didn't see it.
07:50Queer,
07:50didn't see it.
07:51I saw the TV glow.
07:53Regrettably,
07:53I didn't get to see it.
07:55Why is this 2023 film here?
07:57Certain films and questions would have had a festival run in the year before,
07:59but have been given a general release this year,
08:02which is fair game.
08:03I watched it,
08:04liked it,
08:04I didn't put it on the list because I saw something I thought was better,
08:07but don't worry,
08:08that's why we have honourable mentions.
08:12Stop motion.
08:14Horror and animation combine to make an interesting and unique film,
08:17but it doesn't break new ground in certain regards,
08:20but the stop motion animation makes it something worth you to seek out.
08:24The Wild Robot.
08:25Originally,
08:25I wanted to put this on my top 10 list if I got organised out,
08:29so that gives you an example of how good it was.
08:31Animation is bright and colourful,
08:33there's a lot to say about motherhood,
08:34and some good voice performances are in the film as well.
08:37If that was out of the way,
08:38in alphabetical order,
08:39it's time for my favourite films of 2024.
08:43Look back.
08:43One thing that made 2024 noticeable was that there was a noticeable lack of comic book films.
08:47Well,
08:48there was one MCU film in Dead Point War 3,
08:50which is one of the Fox X-Men films.
08:52We had all the Spider-Man-less Spinner films,
08:54that didn't take off,
08:55along with Job 2,
08:56and,
08:56oh yeah,
08:56they made another Chrome movie.
08:58But not every comic book has capes and cows,
09:00and look back is probably one of the best comic book films of the year,
09:02one of the best animated films of the year,
09:03and one of the best films about comic books.
09:05Based on the one-shot manga by Chainsaw Man creator Tatsuki Fujimoto,
09:09look back is a great film about collaborative creativity,
09:12and the friendships that can be born out of it,
09:13being a sweet and heartfelt film.
09:15While this film has a short run time,
09:17and some moments might feel fleeting,
09:19but it tells the story how it wants to,
09:21and does so in the right way.
09:22The animation is pretty good as well.
09:23So those were my favourite films of the year.
09:25What were yours?
09:25Please comment below and like and share.
09:27Hey,
09:27do you like movies?
09:28Do you like movie reviews?
09:29Then this channel is stuff like that.
09:31There's Watch This Space,
09:31my film review show,
09:32where I view recent films,
09:34and I also make short films,
09:35like Correspondence,
09:36which is very unique.
09:37If you'd like to see stuff like this,
09:39then please subscribe to stay updated on my work.
09:41Also follow my social media channels as well,
09:44so please subscribe to my channel.
09:51One thing I don't think is discussed enough
09:53in online film critic circles about Netflix
09:56is that they do good animated films.
09:58Nomona is great,
09:59Pinocchio got an Oscar,
10:00they get a lot of animation veterans making these films,
10:03and I'm excited for Fixed.
10:07A good example is the most recent film,
10:10K-pop Demon Hunters.
10:12The film is about a group of K-pop singers
10:13who also hunt and fight demons.
10:16There's three of them,
10:17and if you've seen any film or TV show
10:18where there's a group of three,
10:20then you know what you're getting.
10:21You've got the leader,
10:22the cute one,
10:23and the muscle.
10:24The group,
10:24Huntrix,
10:25finds themselves facing off against
10:26a rival pop group called Visager Boys,
10:29who,
10:30surprise,
10:30surprise,
10:31turn out to be demons,
10:32but there seems to be more going on
10:34than you think.
10:34I quite enjoyed this film.
10:36It's a bright and vibrant film
10:37with great energetic animation
10:38that has a very 2D quality to it.
10:40The film is very funny as well,
10:42with a lot of gags with the demons,
10:43especially one involving a big demon cat,
10:45and the popcorn eyes joke
10:47is a great and clever gag,
10:48and always made me laugh
10:49whenever it popped up on screen.
10:50If anything,
10:51this film has made me interested
10:53in what co-director Maggie Kang
10:54will do next.
10:58The music is good as well.
10:59While I'm not a K-pop guy,
11:01I do think the songs are kind of important
11:02in a film about musicians.
11:04There's a lot of nods
11:05to the whole K-pop scene
11:06and its fan culture,
11:07which I feel a lot of fans
11:08would appreciate,
11:09but it kind of went over my head.
11:10I mentioned the power-true aspect
11:12of the film before,
11:13and it does owe a lot of respect
11:14to a lot of shows
11:15and films of that ilk,
11:16like Powerpuff Girls,
11:17Totally Spies,
11:18and Hi Hi Puffy Yama Yumi.
11:20Yes, I remember that.
11:21I'm Azuma.
11:22The film feels very much
11:23like a continuation in that tradition,
11:25and also a great addition
11:26in the pantheon.
11:27My main complaint is
11:28that the film is a little bit bare-boned.
11:30Some aspects are well-developed,
11:31like Rumi's eternal struggle,
11:32but others are left out to dry,
11:34like the character of Selene,
11:36who is established as the group's mentor,
11:37but she only shows up sporadically
11:39so we don't get a better understanding
11:40of her relationship
11:41with the group as a whole.
11:43And Ken Jeong's role as the manager
11:44gets a whole scene
11:45during the All Is Lost moment,
11:46but we don't get much
11:47about his relationship
11:48with the group as a whole.
11:49The film has a fast pace,
11:51but it leaves a lot of things behind.
11:52Overall,
11:53K-pop Demon Hunters
11:54is a fun film.
11:55While ultimately,
11:56some elements do feel underdeveloped
11:58and should have been given more focus,
11:59I still found this
12:01an entertaining film
12:02with a lot of energy.
12:02I'm excited to see what the team
12:04who made this film do in the future.
12:10While I reviewed K-pop Demon Hunters,
12:12I didn't expect it
12:13to become a big sensation.
12:15I decided to review it
12:16because I had some free time
12:17and I made it
12:18out of a soundly quick speed,
12:19and considering my numbers
12:20of subscribers
12:21and my average view count,
12:22which ranges around 50 or 60 views,
12:24please subscribe,
12:25I didn't realise
12:26that it would be
12:27my channel's most popular video.
12:28Firstly,
12:29thanks for the views,
12:30much appreciated.
12:31Secondly,
12:31why is it my most popular video?
12:33Well,
12:33I think one reason I liked
12:34my most popular video
12:35is because I reviewed
12:36one of the year's
12:37most popular films.
12:38The film,
12:39K-pop Demon Hunters,
12:40has surprisingly become
12:41a huge hit for Netflix,
12:42becoming its most viewed
12:43animated movie,
12:44and not just that,
12:45but the film's songs
12:46have topped the charts
12:47and has its own fandom
12:48that's popped up
12:49seemingly overnight.
12:50This popularity
12:50has gotten the attention
12:51of even major news publications
12:52like the Social Security Press
12:53and The Guardian.
12:54Now,
12:55I may be a small,
12:56poll-dank YouTube video maker,
12:58but I have my own two cents
12:59on this topic.
13:00It's a good film
13:00that appeals to a lot of people
13:01and has become a good
13:02word of mouth hit.
13:03That's it.
13:04Like what you see here?
13:05Then please subscribe
13:05from my YouTube channel
13:06so you can get more.
13:07Actually,
13:08there's a lot more going on
13:10than you might think.
13:10In the Social Security Press article,
13:12they mentioned that
13:13the film manages to appeal
13:14to the massive fan community
13:15that surrounds K-pop
13:16and it factors into the film
13:18in a big way.
13:18Indeed,
13:19they did a lot of research.
13:20One of the film's directors,
13:21Maggie Kan,
13:21said her team prioritised
13:23represent the fandom
13:24and the idols
13:24in a very specific way
13:25as to not disappoint
13:26K-pop fans.
13:28Now,
13:28a lot of recent media
13:29is often made to appeal
13:31to fans,
13:32but a lot of it focuses
13:33on the nostalgic market.
13:36It's usually a day
13:37that ends in Y
13:38whenever some 80s movies
13:39gets a legacy sequel.
13:41But K-pop's,
13:42they'll be talking about
13:43the music genre here,
13:44whose popularity
13:44is relatively new,
13:45often cited as part
13:46of the second generation
13:47of the Korean wave,
13:48the increased popularity
13:49of Korean culture
13:50that we're still in
13:51the midst of.
13:52K-pop Demon Hunters
13:53captures a modern zeitgeist
13:54instead of a past one.
13:55With the fandom,
13:56popularity playing
13:57a big part in the film.
13:58Even though I don't
13:59listen to it,
14:00in my view,
14:00I did mention that
14:01there's a lot of nods
14:02to the fan culture
14:02surrounding K-pop as well.
14:03There's a lot of nods
14:04to the whole K-pop scene
14:05and its fan culture,
14:06which I feel a lot of fans
14:08would appreciate,
14:08but it kind of went
14:09over my head,
14:10just as much as any other
14:11older nerd media
14:12will reference
14:13to stuff like that as well.
14:14K-pop Demon Hunters'
14:15success can be due to
14:16it appealing to a current
14:17pop cultural trend
14:18than something from the past,
14:20but most modern media
14:21has often been reused
14:22and has been stuck in recently.
14:29I don't know how to do it,
14:33but I don't know how to do it.
14:36Shimetokoto Orabi, Moshi Agamashu.
15:06That in slow motion, check it out here, but also other videos I have on my channel.
15:11Be subscribed to get more like it.
15:12Anyway, in Mononoke the movie, Chapter 2, Ashes of Rage, the medicine seller is back at the Yoku again to
15:20deal with some spooky stuff,
15:21but this time the focus is on the upper chambers where the higher class of concubine die for the attention
15:26of the Shogun,
15:27where things get testy as one lady, the lower in social class Fuku, is pregnant and this is caused from
15:32as distress in the court
15:34and might be related to a possibly unrelated but obviously not fiery death of another concubine which the medicine seller
15:40has to solve.
15:41I like this film. While its runtime is a bit shorter so it doesn't have the slow burn of Phantom
15:46in the Rain,
15:47nor does it have the rising creepiness as well, I don't mind it as the film makes up for it
15:51in other ways.
15:52We get more insight of the inner workings of the Yoku, mainly in the upper class areas.
15:56Secondary characters who showed up in the previous film get more bigger roles like Sachiko the God or Lady Boltan.
16:01But again, Asa, the main character from the first film, shows up briefly which is kind of odd considering that
16:06she was kind of the main character in the last one
16:08and I was kind of thinking she'd be like the main throughline character but surprisingly not, which is a shame
16:13because I liked her character in the last one.
16:15The Shogun is also briefly seen but he's still not that big of a presence.
16:18It's clear when all three films will be released that they're going to play well together
16:22and that's where you can also see little story beats set up and will be played off, especially in regards
16:27to how things are set up in each film.
16:29This film also carries the previous film's themes of what women give up to work in a patriarchal society.
16:35The last film was about identity, with most of the concubines throwing away personal belongings to start working at the
16:39Yoku.
16:40This one is about bodily autonomy, so that's fun.
16:42If the first film felt like it was expanding on the themes of the Nopapara Boa arc,
16:46this one taps into the themes of the Zashiki Roroshari arc.
16:50But unlike that one, it doesn't feel muddled.
16:53If you've seen the show, you understand what I'm talking about because I've not given up a lot of details
16:57here
16:57because they might give the film's game away.
16:59Here we see most of the Shogun's counselors in the film, whose daughters are all concubines,
17:03and we see them trying to jostle for power, using their own daughters as pawns in the game.
17:07And helping us nail that theme down is that most of the scenes that are all seen playing a game
17:11of Shogi, subtle.
17:13In my last film, I compared the theme to Immaculate, the assuming none movie,
17:17but that comparison is more appropriate here along with last year's first omens,
17:21as they also deal with bodily autonomy and how the patriarchy seeks to control women.
17:24There seems to be a bigger theme across these films emerging, like permission.
17:27The medicine isn't allowed into the LQ unless he has permission and still uses the parts he earned from the
17:31last film,
17:32and certain characters are asked to do things if they consent to it, but often that is given under duress.
17:37It's a small thing, but I sense it will become a bit clearer when the third film comes out next
17:40year.
17:40On the animation side, it's as good as the previous film.
17:43It still has the psychedelic, ukiya-air look,
17:45and the title of Mononoke this time around looks cool and makes a good companion to the previous film's one.
17:51Obviously, the editor in this movie is a bit less hyperactive than the last film,
17:54but editor Shigeru Nishiyama does some interesting tricks,
17:57like how he uses jump cuts to make a close-up on Lady Boltan,
18:01or how it cuts to a different character to correct just position who is often in the same place.
18:06Mononoke, the movie, Asher of Rage, is a good and consistent follow-up to Phantom of the Rain,
18:10tackling some interesting themes and painting a clear through-line between these films with good animation to boot.
18:14I'm excited for the final part that comes out next year.
18:17This film, along with its previous entry and the TV show it's based on,
18:20are all available on Netflix at the time of recording.
18:28And thus, it's the end of the summer,
18:30and now the time to take stock and look back at what we did during it.
18:34I mainly watch films, so here's a list of some of my favourite films of the summer season.
18:41K-pop Demon Hunters.
18:43I've already reviewed this film, and also examined why it became such a big hit.
18:51But to reiterate, K-pop Demon Hunters is an energetic, bright, and funny film
18:55that taps into a modern zeitgeist, but manages to chart its own story regardless.
18:59The animation is great here, and excels when it gets to be very cartoony.
19:02This film, as you well know by now, is available on Netflix.
19:09I feel this is what streaming movies should do more of, especially if they're spin-offs of big franchises.
19:15This animated spin-off of the Predator movies feels like a direct-to-video movie from 2007
19:19that you mostly watch via clips on YouTube,
19:21but this film boasts three great little stories set in different time periods that are all strong in their own.
19:26And then the Predator shows up and flips the script on them.
19:28The film manages to focus on certain aspects of the Predators,
19:31and matching it to a different period of human history is an inspired choice.
19:34The animation is good as well, which has a patently look to it.
19:36This film is streaming on Hulu in America, and on Disney Plus overseas.
19:45Hello, I'm an internet reviewer slash commentator who is talking about Star Wars.
19:49I like Star Wars.
19:50If there is an entry I don't particularly like,
19:52I move on from it and do not make it my entire online persona for the rest of my life.
19:56Also, if there's an entry I do like,
19:57I also don't make it a new yard so to judge all previous and future entries with.
20:02Anyway, we've got another Star Wars Vision Anthology.
20:09With Volume 3, we see the animated Star Wars Anthology return to its anime theme this year,
20:14which I do admit, I do kind of wish we had more of the international animation studios like we got
20:19in Volume 2,
20:20but Volume 3 has a solid and interesting set of stories to tell, starting with...
20:26The Jewel Payback from Kamikaze Dogga and Anima.
20:30This story is a sequel to one from Volume 1, one of the three in this collection.
20:34Set in a reimagined version of the Star Wars universe,
20:36we see our Sith, Ronin, having to deal with a Jedi Crusader who he maimed previously.
20:41This short has a lot of fun playing around in the Kurosawa-inspired sandbox,
20:45with a mishmash of aesthetics from different trilogies.
20:48It has a lot of fun characters and some interesting ideas with regards to the Jedi,
20:53where they come off as religious fanatics,
20:55with the Crusader calling out our Ronin as a sinner.
20:57Put a pin in that because there's a theme here.
21:00The animation is great here, as it was an original story with some great action scenes.
21:06The Song of the Four Wings from Project Studio Q.
21:10This is the first CGI animated story of Volume 2.
21:12This was a fun story about a princess in the Rebel Alliance,
21:15not that one, who helps rescue a cute alien baby and stop an Imperial mine operation.
21:20This was a fun short.
21:21The cel-shaded animation looks appealing,
21:23and there's a fun, over-the-top cartoony feel to it.
21:25From the designs, to the action beats, to a Starz-esque magical girl transformation sequence,
21:31this was a fun one.
21:34The Ninth Jedi, Child of Hope.
21:37The second sequel, this one, follows up from Studio IG's Ninth Jedi straw.
21:41Before this volume was released,
21:43it was announced that the Ninth Jedi short is getting its own spin-off series,
21:46and with that in mind, this short feels like a teaser for the series,
21:48but I don't mind that, because it's pretty good.
21:50It's a bit of a refresher course,
21:52reminding you of who the characters are,
21:54and what their respective deals are.
21:55This one deals with La'Kara,
21:57a Jedi in a train,
21:58helping a droid in a derelict starship.
21:59It's a good story,
22:00gives out more details of the setting,
22:02and has a fun droid character called Tito,
22:04who is a cool CGI design that meshes well with the 2D elements.
22:09The Bounty Hunters.
22:11This one, from Wit Studio,
22:13feels like a backdoor pilot to another show,
22:15which I totally would watch.
22:16This one details the adventures of Sven,
22:18a fugitive assassin turned bounty hunter,
22:20and her droid assistant IV, A4,
22:22doing a job for a rich guy who,
22:23surprise surprise,
22:24turns out to be not on the up and up.
22:26As I mentioned before,
22:27this one felt like a backdoor pilot,
22:29as especially as some elements like Sven's quest to find
22:31and kill the Jedi who saved her,
22:32and there's some characters mentioned
22:34who feel like they might possibly be important down the line.
22:37Not that I wouldn't mind,
22:38in fact, I would love to see more of the characters in this.
22:40I also like the character of Sven,
22:42and her view on the Jedi.
22:43As well, she did save her from slavery as a child,
22:46she ended up with a target on her back by the organisation,
22:49and now wants to kill her saviour,
22:50which, to me, is an interesting aspect,
22:52as we don't see a lot of characters,
22:53especially those on the good,
22:54or potentially,
22:55have a not-particular-kind view of the Jedi.
22:57There's also some good action scenes,
22:59especially one with droid mech,
23:00which was something I didn't know I needed.
23:02Overall, the show itself was good,
23:03and I'd definitely sign up for more
23:04if they do continue the story.
23:09Yokel's Treasure.
23:10Oh, this was a sweet one.
23:11This story, from Cinema Citrus,
23:12is a nice revert.
23:13It's about an orphan and its caretaker,
23:15who's the robot teddy bear.
23:16Sure, why not?
23:16Who live on Tatooine,
23:17but their idyllic life on the Dust Bowl
23:19is put under threat
23:20when a gang of pirates come to steal something from them.
23:22It's a cute little adventure
23:23with a lot of heart and comedy.
23:24It feels a bit like Skeleton Crew.
23:25If you like that show,
23:26you'd definitely like this one.
23:30Lost one.
23:31Another one from Cinema Citrus,
23:32and another sequel.
23:33This one's my personal favourite
23:34of Volume 1 shorts,
23:35The Village Bride.
23:36This details the manic Jedi F,
23:38having to save a group of refugees from the Empire,
23:40but also having to do with her former master,
23:42who now works in the Empire.
23:43This is a great flop.
23:43We get a lot more about F.
23:45For instance,
23:45we learn she's got a robotic leg,
23:47and we get some interesting side characters.
23:48The animation,
23:49like its prequel,
23:50is also good.
23:51It also has a good colour palette
23:52with bright and stark colours
23:53being put to good use.
23:57The Smuggler.
23:58From Studio Trigger comes The Smuggler.
24:00This one is a fun little escapade,
24:02dealing with a smuggler
24:03trying to help a fugitive prince
24:04escape the Empire's crackdown on his world.
24:06There's a lot of excitement to be had,
24:07with a great chase scene,
24:08some interesting characters,
24:09and some good world building.
24:11It's also here where I noticed
24:12one of the big themes of this volume,
24:13survival.
24:14Each story in this volume
24:15have a lot of characters
24:16who've survived some horrible experiences,
24:18like Rupass,
24:18a cute baby whose village was massacred,
24:20the numerous Jedi
24:21who survived all the 66,
24:22the Sith being hunted
24:23by the Grand Master's Crusade,
24:24and the prince in this story
24:25who lost his royal family.
24:26It's a theme that's always been the Star Wars,
24:28when you get to see
24:29all the survivors in this story,
24:30trying and move on in some way or another,
24:32be it the Ronin trying to make amends,
24:34F trying to keep the traditions going,
24:36and the prince in this story
24:37trying to help free his world
24:38from the Empire,
24:39along with another Order 66 survivor,
24:40who pledges her alliance to him,
24:42reinforcing this theme.
24:46The Bird of Paradise from Polygon Pictures.
24:49The second CGI short of the volume
24:51comes to the Bird of Paradise.
24:52In this short,
24:53it details a young Jedi Padawan
24:54called Nakimi
24:55having to deal with losing her sight
24:56after a battle with Sith.
24:58The animation in this one is great,
24:59and gets craven how it depicts
25:01the Padawans in a turmoil
25:02and accompanying Force visions,
25:04and its overall message of acceptance
25:06is appreciated.
25:07It's also here where two
25:08of the volume's themes crop up,
25:11the depiction of Jedi and disability.
25:13Throughout the volume,
25:14we see the Jedi in an interesting light.
25:16For some,
25:17like in Payback and Bounty Hunters,
25:18they're not seeing the good light
25:19with the Grand Master and the Jewel,
25:21as mentioned before,
25:21being portrayed as a crusading knight
25:23who vanquishes enemies
25:24regardless who gets in his way,
25:26and Sven, in her short,
25:27seeks vengeance against the Jedi
25:28who rescued her,
25:29but left to defend for herself.
25:30In this short,
25:31we see Nakimi having to come to terms
25:32with not just her disability,
25:33but also her arrogance
25:34that led her to the situation.
25:36It feels in line with
25:37The Last Jedi or the Acoly,
25:38instruments that tackled
25:39the less admirable aspects
25:41of the Jedi Order
25:41that we've seen in this film,
25:42but the short kind of does it
25:43in a more lighter approach.
25:50Another theme I noticed
25:51was disability.
25:51While Star Wars has always
25:52had characters who have a disability,
25:54it's probably the oldest film franchise
25:55of a main character
25:56who is an NPC,
25:57if you think about it.
25:58Throughout the volume,
25:59we see characters who lost limbs,
26:01and he lost her arm in the Payback,
26:02and the Grand Master
26:03has various injuries
26:04requiring a Darth Vader-like procedure
26:06to keep him alive.
26:07Galeno and F have cybernetic prosthetics.
26:09It ties itself into this volume's
26:10general theme of survival
26:11and how to overcome it,
26:12which is Nakimi's arc in this short,
26:14how to accept what was lost.
26:19Black.
26:20Okay, so this one is both
26:21the best short of this volume,
26:23but also a bit hard to review.
26:24From David Productions
26:25and veteran animator
26:26Shinya Ohira,
26:28a man who's worked
26:28on a lot of anime productions,
26:30like name anyone you're thinking of,
26:32he's probably worked on them
26:33in some capacity.
26:34Anyway, this short
26:34details the experience
26:35of a stauncher who's losing the battle.
26:37That's what I can gather from it
26:38as this one goes
26:40in an experimental direction,
26:41detailing a psychedelic vision.
26:43Get it?
26:43Of a typical Star Wars space battle
26:44with great music
26:45by Fujiwara Sakura.
26:46His animation is fluid and sketchy,
26:48reminiscent of Ohira's
26:49previous works
26:50like the animated
26:50Sequencing Kill Bill
26:51Volume 1.
26:52It just doesn't let up.
26:53Everything's changing
26:54constantly,
26:55with Star Wars iconography
26:56constantly being swapped out.
26:58But it doesn't feel too hollow
26:59as there's some details
27:00to grab one to.
27:01In short,
27:01it's Star Wars
27:02as you've never seen it before.
27:03Star Wars Vision's
27:04third volume still continues
27:05one of the most
27:06craven fun entries
27:07in the Star Wars saga
27:08with a bunch of stories
27:09that run the gamut
27:09from funny
27:10to action-packed
27:11to just plain weird.
27:12It's a great part of the saga
27:13that I always like
27:15coming back to.
27:30As 2025 draws to a close,
27:33it's usually a time
27:33to look back.
27:34But for this episode,
27:35I want to look forward
27:36at what 2026 offers us
27:38on the film front.
27:39Now, a small disclaimer.
27:40This list will be films
27:41that have a sort of
27:41release date,
27:42so no independent films
27:43that have not found
27:43a distributor yet
27:44will not appear on this list.
27:46And I should also acknowledge
27:46that films released dates
27:48are subject to change.
27:49My previous anticipation list
27:50had films that got pushed back,
27:52so there's a good chance
27:53that some films on this list
27:55might be pushed back to 2027,
27:56so be cautious of that.
27:58Now, before we get into
27:58the main event,
27:59let's get to the honorable mentions.
28:01These are films
28:01that might come out next year
28:03but don't have release dates
28:04that I'm interested in,
28:05so let's start with...
28:09Daisy's Life.
28:10Masaaki Rasa,
28:11Mind Game,
28:11Night is Short,
28:12Wolforn Girl,
28:12Lou Over the Wall,
28:14and Inuo,
28:14has another film
28:15coming out from his new studio,
28:17Anae Pippin.
28:18This film is an adaptation
28:19of Banana Yoshimoto's
28:21Daisy's Life.
28:22I'm excited to see
28:22what Yuasa has to offer
28:23this time.
28:27Rogue Trooper.
28:28Based on the 2000 AD comic,
28:30Rogue Trooper sees Moon
28:31and Source Code director
28:32Duncan Jones
28:33venture into animation
28:34using Unreal Engine 5.
28:36Looking by these preview images,
28:37it looks really good,
28:38so let's hope it comes together.
28:39It also has a stacked cast
28:41of great British talent
28:42behind it.
28:42Now, let's look at the films
28:44with Solid,
28:44at the time of recording,
28:45release dates.
28:46At number one,
28:47it's All You Need Is Kill.
28:49Edge of Tomorrow,
28:49or Live Die Repeat,
28:50depending on how you call it,
28:51is getting another girl,
28:52or just that light novel
28:53it's based on
28:54is getting adapted again,
28:55this time as an anime movie
28:56detailing a different perspective
28:57from the novel
28:58and the film.
28:59The animation looks good.
29:00It has a good
29:00cel-shaded CGI look
29:01that I mistook for 2D
29:03until further inspection.
29:04I'm excited to see
29:05what this film has to offer.
29:08Number 3,
29:10Coyote vs. Acme.
29:11Coyote vs. Acme
29:12is finally getting released
29:13in 2026.
29:14The film was shelved
29:15by Warner Brothers
29:16for a tax write-off,
29:17but due to backlash,
29:18they reversed the decision
29:19and led the film
29:20to be shopped around
29:21to other studios
29:21and now it will be released
29:22by Ketchup Entertainment.
29:23That's great,
29:24seeing a film be released,
29:25but then there's
29:26the premise of the film,
29:27which sees Wile E. Coyote
29:28sue Acme Products
29:29in court for failing him
29:30all those years
29:31in his attempts
29:32to capture the roadrunner.
29:33I love Looney Tunes,
29:34I love Wile E. Coyote,
29:35I love the premise,
29:35I love that it's getting released,
29:37it's also co-written
29:37by James Gunn,
29:38so I'm pretty damn
29:39excited about this.
29:43Number 6,
29:43Mononoke,
29:44the movie,
29:44Chapter 3,
29:45The Curse of the Serpent.
29:46I feel like the
29:47Mononoke movies
29:47are pretty underrated.
29:48Some of the best animated
29:49films I've seen recently
29:50in 2026 offers us
29:51the conclusion
29:52to the medicine
29:52seller's escapades
29:53in the Yoku.
29:54This one seems
29:54to finally involve
29:55the Shogun
29:56who's made
29:56sporadic appearances
29:57in the films
29:57and could possibly
29:58type other mysteries
29:59that have popped up
30:00about the Yoku
30:00in the films.
30:01Well, I'm probably
30:02going to have to
30:02watch the film
30:03to find out
30:03if they'll answer
30:04my questions.
30:05So those are the films
30:05I'm excited to see
30:06in 2026.
30:07What films are you
30:07excited for in 2026?
30:09Please stand off
30:09in the comments below
30:10and have a great
30:102026 from me.
30:39number 8
30:40The Legend of Aang
30:41The Last Airbender
30:42Avatar The Last Airbender
30:43is probably one of
30:44the big Gen Z
30:45touchstones
30:45like what Souls
30:46was for Gen X
30:47and insert recent
30:48reboot slash revival
30:49here for millennials.
30:50So it's getting a movie.
30:51The film will focus
30:52on a gang as young adults
30:53with a new voice cast
30:54including Steven Yeun
30:55and Zuko
30:56and Deon Kwan
30:57as Toph
30:57who is legally blind
30:58which you don't
30:59usually see someone
31:00with a disability
31:00like that headline a film
31:02animated or other eyes.
31:03The film also will be
31:04directed by Lauren Montgomery
31:05an animation veteran
31:06who worked on both
31:07Last Airbender
31:07and Legend of Korra
31:08and also some of the
31:09best DC animated movies
31:10like Greenlands
31:10and First Flight
31:11and Batman Year One.
31:12Like what you see here?
31:13Then please subscribe
31:14from my YouTube channel
31:15so you can get more
31:16Watch This Space
31:16but also other things
31:17such as my short films.
31:18Please remember to
31:19like and subscribe
31:20the videos you just watched
31:22and also
31:22please check out
31:23The Orange Bin
31:24my blog where
31:25I have write-ups
31:26of my episodes here
31:28which with links to sources
31:29that I mention on the show.
31:31Also contains
31:32some of my old blog posts
31:33if you want
31:34to see what else
31:35I used to do
31:35back in the olden days.
31:37So please remember
31:37to check out my blog
31:38and like and subscribe
31:40to my YouTube channel.
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