Should you be bound by the past or try to forge your own destiny? It might be an odd question seeing as the central thesis of Shen Jie’s gorgeously detailed animation The Umbrella Fairy (伞少女, sǎn s…
Aug 3, 2024 • Subscribe
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A Boy and a Girl (少男少女, Hsu Li-Da, 2023)
A young man on the cusp of adolescence longs to escape his miserable circumstances but gradually finds himself succumbing to the corruption all around him in Hsu Li-Da’s…
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![Background image for The Girl From the Other Side (とつくにの少女, Yutaro Kubo & Satomi Maiya, 2022) [Fantasia 2022]](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20220801/1659316740.41022.70889.jpg)
The Girl From the Other Side (とつくにの少女, Yutaro Kubo & Satomi Maiya, 2022) [Fantasia 2022]
A kindly exile and lonely little girl find mutual salvation in Yutaro Kubo & Satomi Maiya’s beautifully animated fairytale.
Girl from Phantasia, The Girl From the Other Side: Siúil, a Rún


Don’t Be Young (危情少女, Lou Ye, 1994)
A haunted young woman confronts generational trauma while trapped in a nightmarish dreamworld in Lou’s atmospheric gothic ghost story


#85 Nano Hazard (Ft. Shen from Shen Comix)
Manga by Kurihara, Shoushou (Story), Kazaana (Art) Is this manga bad? Even we haven’t made up our mind until the end of the episode! We and…


Sayonara, Girls (少女は卒業しない, Shun Nakagawa, 2022)
A collection of teens contemplate the ghosts of youth in facing graduation from a school soon to be demolished in Shun Nakagawa’s poignant drama.
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![Background image for Mash Ville (매쉬빌, Hwang Wook, 2024) [Fantasia 2024]](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20240829/1724975994.89328.129823.jpg)
Mash Ville (매쉬빌, Hwang Wook, 2024) [Fantasia 2024]
Life in a small rural backwater is forever changed when strange cultists suddenly arrive in Hwang Wook’s quirky drama.
![Featured image for House of Sayuri (サユリ, Koji Shiraishi, 2024) [Fantasia 2024]](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20240807/1723073393.88365.128610.jpg)
![Background image for House of Sayuri (サユリ, Koji Shiraishi, 2024) [Fantasia 2024]](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20240807/1723073393.88365.128610.jpg)
House of Sayuri (サユリ, Koji Shiraishi, 2024) [Fantasia 2024]
An excited family discover the perils of buying a “used” home in Koji Shiraishi anarchic haunted house horror House of Sayuri
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Kizumonogatari – Koyomi Vamp – (2024) review [Fantasia Film Festival 2024]
An evocative experience that succeeds in giving the vampire and the well-explored themes a fresh coat of drama and sexiness.
![Featured image for FAQ (막걸리가 알려줄거야, Kim Da-min 2024) [Fantasia 2024]](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20240806/1722988193.88318.128550.jpg)
![Background image for FAQ (막걸리가 알려줄거야, Kim Da-min 2024) [Fantasia 2024]](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20240806/1722988193.88318.128550.jpg)
FAQ (막걸리가 알려줄거야, Kim Da-min 2024) [Fantasia 2024]
The sad thing is that Dong-chun, the heroine of Kim Da-min’s charming if also searingly bleak exploration of a Korean education FAQ (막걸리가 알려줄거야), is full of questions…
I love Umbrella Academy
With the news about its second season, I found the time to watch Umbrella Academy…and I REALLY LOVE IT. I had always wanted to watch this series ever…


The Funeral (頭七, Shen Dan-Quei, 2022)
A haunted single mother is plagued by supernatural dread on returning to her family for a funeral in Shen Dan-Quei,s eerie gothic horror.


Fantasia International Film Festival Confirms Complete 2024 Programme
In Montreal July 18 to Aug, 4.
![Featured image for House of Sayuri (2024) review [Fantasia Film Festival]](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20240811/1723360795.88485.128756.png)
![Background image for House of Sayuri (2024) review [Fantasia Film Festival]](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20240811/1723360795.88485.128756.png)
House of Sayuri (2024) review [Fantasia Film Festival]
The thoughtful manipulation of this atmospheric field is integral to create an effective and engaging genre-blend.
![Featured image for A Samurai in Time (侍タイムスリッパー, Junichi Yasuda, 2024) [Fantasia 2024]](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20240811/1723419593.88514.128792.jpg)
![Background image for A Samurai in Time (侍タイムスリッパー, Junichi Yasuda, 2024) [Fantasia 2024]](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20240811/1723419593.88514.128792.jpg)
A Samurai in Time (侍タイムスリッパー, Junichi Yasuda, 2024) [Fantasia 2024]
A lone samurai struggles to adjust after being unceremoniously transported to our times in Junichi Yasuda’s time slip dramedy.


Chang’e (常娥, Shen Lianlian, 2021)
An embittered factory worker’s stultifying life in rural China is enlivened by a man who organises ceremonies for the dead in Shen Lianlian’s indie drama.


Yuusha ni Naritai Shoujo To, Yuusha Narubeki Kanojo (勇者になりたい少女と、勇者になるべき彼女)
It seems very appropriate to start our happy New Year with some happy new Yuri, so today we’re going to take a look at Yuusha ni Naritai Shoujo…
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![Background image for Baby Assassins: Good Days (2024) review [Fantasia Film Festival]](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20240803/1722651593.88178.128373.jpg)
Baby Assassins: Good Days (2024) review [Fantasia Film Festival]
Yugo Sakamoto successfully mixes up the formula that structured his previous two action narratives. Highly Recommended.


Fantasia 2024: 6 Japanese films you should not miss.
n this short article, we want to introduce two of our recommendations and four films we look forward to and you should do.


Ranma 1/2 – 04 – Thor’s Umbrella
From the moment he tames a giant charging boar one-handed, we knew Hibiki Ryouga was strong. We also soon learned he has abysmal sense of direction, since he…


Golden Fantasia
detective fiction, 推理小説、games,
Girl from Phantasia, When They Cry, Umineko: When They Cry, When the Seagulls Cry Specials
Fantasia 2010
Tuesday, Fantasia announced the highlights of its programming and posted all the details on its website . The 14th edition of the Fant...
Bleach, Naruto, King of Thorn, Metropolis, Oblivion Island: Haruka and the Magic Mirror
Episode 641: Nu Wu Shen de Craft
We got old men in politics who don't get anime, solving crimes with a legal loli, and making our own spinoffs. First up comes the IRL news as…


Wan Sheng Jie 2 – Episode 1 (+ random comments)
I love how you can now summon demons with QR codes. Better beware of those! Said demon also sounded like some sort of crazy advertising sales guy. Anyway,…


Into the Shaolin (在少林, Sun Hongyun, 2023)
Sun Hongyun’s documentary paints an ambivalent picture of life inside the Shaolin Temple.
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Brave Citizen (용감한 시민, Park Jin-pyo, 2023) [Fantasia 2024]
A former boxer turned schoolteacher rediscovers the strength to fight back when faced with unchallenged bullies in Park Jin-pyo’s cathartic dramedy.


INTERVIEW: SHEN of BLUE CHAIR talks Try Guys
K-Comics Beat interviews Shen about Webcomics, Webtoons, The Try Guys, and so much more. Read all about it!


The Old Town Girls (兔子暴力, Shen Yu, 2020)
The left behind children of decaying industrial China find themselves at the mercy of a corrupted parental legacy in Shen Yu’s gritty neo-noir


The Black Umbrella Mystery / 体育館の殺人
The Black Umbrella Mystery is a story with the soul of Ellery Queen and the body of an anime protagonist. There are a few Japanese…
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![Background image for [Review] Wan Sheng Jie or The Cute Mess That Is Apartment 1031](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20220911/1662887940.43461.73888.jpg)
[Review] Wan Sheng Jie or The Cute Mess That Is Apartment 1031
I am choking on CUTENESS! AHHHH. So I am doing some research for a post I’ve had planned for ages and the next thing I know I’m browsing…
Sugar Apple Fairy Tale: The Silver Sugar Master and the Obsidian Fairy
By Miri Mikawa and Aki. Released in Japan by Kadokawa Beans Bunko Bunko. Released in North America by Yen On. Translated by Nicole Wilder. Frequently in romance novels,…
Love and an Umbrella: Romance Anime and Context
Anime has many romance tropes, such as the symbolism of an umbrella. These tropes came out of the realities of relationships within modern culture. After all, romance is…


Otafu Susume 28 – Lovable Dysfunctional Heroes (Umbrella Academy)
What does Wes think of the Netflix adaptation of Umbrella Academy and how does it compare to Jenn's childhood nostalgia of the comic?
Spiraken Television Tuesday Ep 18: Lovecraft Country and The Umbrella Academy
It's Tuesday, So It's Time To Talk About Some TV Shows!!! Welcome to Television Tuesday. In this episode, Xan and Gretta start off by reviewing "Lovecraft Country" S1E5: "Strange Case" directed…
Spiraken Television Tuesday Ep14: NOS4A2 S2E9 and The Umbrella Academy S2E2
It's Tuesday, So It's Time To Talk About Some TV Shows!!! Welcome to Television Tuesday. In this episode, Xan and Gretta go over the Penultimate Episode of NOS4A2 season 2 S2E9…


Sweet Fairy
DDL | Archive Released by Yatsutama Productions in 2013. It’s a live action Precure-type thing with Kigurumi suits. Story: Two fairies came from the land of sweets. Their…


Fairy Tail
A work of matchless beauty, the headline might read if my reviews made it into a TV promotion ever. That is not an overstatement. Fairy Tail is one…
Spiraken Television Tuesday Ep 13: The BabySitter’s Club, NOS4A2,Stargirland The Umbrella Academy
It's Tuesday so that means time to talk about TV Shows! welcome to Spiraken's Television Tuesday In this episode, Gretta and Xan discuss the Season One Finale of DC's Stargirl, "Stars…


Our recommendations: Fantasia 2023
Any cinephile should watch these 5 Japanese movies at the Fantasia Film Festival.


No More Bets (孤注一掷, Shen Ao, 2023)
An ambitious programmer finds himself trafficked by scammers after hastily accepting a job abroad in Shen Ao’s tense cyber thriller.


Drifted in Life (流水无尽, Shen Lianlian, 2021)
A freak accident in a bathhouse destabilises the lives of an ordinary family in Shen Lianlian’s indie drama.
Spiraken Television Tuesday Ep 15: Lovecraft Country, NOS4A2 and The Umbrella Academy
It's Tuesday, So It's Time To Talk About Some TV Shows!!! Welcome to Television Tuesday. In this episode, Xan and Gretta start a new series, so Enjoy as they Review…
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![Background image for Baby Assassins: Nice Days (ベイビーわるきゅーれ ナイスデイズ, Yugo Sakamoto, 2024) [Fantasia 2024]](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20240905/1725579593.89621.130217.jpg)
Baby Assassins: Nice Days (ベイビーわるきゅーれ ナイスデイズ, Yugo Sakamoto, 2024) [Fantasia 2024]
After beginning to conquer the demands of adulthood, Mahiro (Saori Izawa) and Chisato (Akari Takaishi) are taking a well-deserved break, or more like a working holiday to be…


“It’s not Banana Fish, but it has the **vibes**” — Review of “Jie Yao” (Antidote)
I found out about this show from the Yu Alexius Anime Portal. Yu Alexius painted a very complete picture of what one might expect if they chose to…


Time Still Turns the Pages (年少日記, Nick Cheuk, 2023)
A discarded suicide not confronts a dejected teacher with his own unresolved traumatic past in Nick Cheuk’s poignant drama.
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![Background image for Fly Me To The Saitama: From Biwa Lake with Love (2023) review [Fantasia Film Festival 2024]](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20240724/1721833194.87720.127824.jpg)
Fly Me To The Saitama: From Biwa Lake with Love (2023) review [Fantasia Film Festival 2024]
A fun romp that works well as an introduction to the cultural diversity that enriches the Japanese archipelago.


Take shelter from the workweek this weekend under the I Don’t Like Monday Umbrella.
If you end up watching this music video and start to wonder if you’re watching a women’s underwear commercial… well, that’s pretty much on point. I Don’t Like…
Earl and Fairy: The Spectral Lover
By Mizue Tani and Asako Takaboshi. Released in Japan as “Hakushaku to Yōsei” by Shueisha Cobalt Bunko. Released in North America by J-Novel Heart. Translated by Alexandra Owen-Burns.…
Earl and Fairy: The Changeling Princess
By Mizue Tani and Asako Takaboshi. Released in Japan as “Hakushaku to Yōsei” by Shueisha Cobalt Bunko. Released in North America by J-Novel Heart. Translated by Alexandra Owen-Burns.…
![Featured image for Follow The Light (2021) review [Fantasia Festival 2021]](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20210804/1628036595.18680.44242.jpg)
![Background image for Follow The Light (2021) review [Fantasia Festival 2021]](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20210804/1628036595.18680.44242.jpg)
Follow The Light (2021) review [Fantasia Festival 2021]
The narrative might not offer anything new at a thematical level, but stands out due to his refusal to spell things out and, instead, imply certain subjective truths…
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![Background image for The Fish Tale (2022) review [Fantasia Film Festival]](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20220731/1659234541.40977.70834.jpg)
The Fish Tale (2022) review [Fantasia Film Festival]
A very heart-warming and touching narrative that shows that a subject does not necessarily need to make use of the neurotic solution to inscribe himself within the societal…