Netflix: Maya And The Three Release Date, Bright: Samurai Soul, Oni and More
Netflix is now firmly established as one of the key players in the world of animation. News about their upcoming releases comes thick and fast- it can be tricky to keep up. Join us for a round-up of the latest stories and updates from the world of Netflix animation.
An action-packed clip has been released from Maya And The Three the eagerly awaited event series from Jorge Gutierrez (The Book Of Life). The clip sees heroine Maya (Zoe Saldana) battling Acat The Goddess Of Tattoos (Chelsea Rendon). Most excitingly of all though is that the clip also finally revealed the release date- all episodes will arrive on October 22.
Acclaimed anime writer Mari Okada (Anohana, A Whisker Away, Dragon Pilot, Maquia) has signed on to pen the screenplay to new Netflix event Series Oni from Oscar-nominated studio Tonko House (The Dam Keeper). The studio was co-founded by the Annie-winning Daisuke “Dice” Tsutsumi, formerly an artist with Pixar and Blue Sky and organiser of the Totoro Forest Project. Tsutsumi is creator and show-runner on Oni, and offered a first look at the in-production series at Lightbox Expo. Although Oni is an English-language production, Tsutsumi was originally from Japan, and he and his co-founder Robert Kondo very much have a foot in each culture. As well as Okada, the California-based Tonko House is partnering with Japan-based CG studios Megalis VFX, Marza and Anima.
"After deep exploration into the visual style that best complemented our story, I am excited about the unique look we landed on for ONI," Tsutsumi said. "The look offers a rich, tactile feel that honors the tradition of craftsmanship in Japan, combined with both our original take on classic Japanese folktale characters and a cinematic world where lighting, atmosphere, and mood help tell the story."
New anime series Komi Can't Communicate comes to Netflix next month. Adapted from Tomohito Oda's hit manga, it follows highschooler Komi's attempts to make 100 friends .The series starts streaming from October 21. The release strategy is notable here- unusually, the series will have new episodes released worldwide weekly. This is a departure from the streamer's usual strategy of waiting and releasing episodes as full seasons, half seasons, or at least in batches of episodes. Anime fans have been crying out for this for years, but does it signify a shift or is this a one-off or an experiment?
The newest Pokémon movie Pokémon The Movie: Secrets Of The Jungle will debut on Netflix worldwide (outside of Japan, China and Korea) on October 8. The film marks the 23rd in the franchise which is celebrating its 25th Anniversary this year. Pokémon fans will be able to access downloadable tie-ins for the Pokémon Sword and Shield game on Nintendo Switch and stream original music made for the new film by artist Cyn.
SYNOPSIS
Deep within the Forest of Okoya, the Mythical Pokémon Zarude live in a troop and maintain a strict rule that forbids outsiders from entering their territory. Elsewhere in the jungle lives Koko, a human boy raised by a lone Zarude who left the troop. Koko has grown up never doubting that he is a Zarude. But one day, a chance meeting with Ash and Pikachu leaves Koko with his first human friend. Is he truly a Pokémon? Or is he, in fact, a human? When danger threatens the jungle, the bonds between Pokémon and human—and the love between parent and child—will be put to the test.
Netflix has dropped the first trailer and details for the new anime movie Bright: Samurai Soul. The film is set in the Universe of the Netflix Original feature Bright where humans live alongside fantasy creatures such as Orcs and Elves, but takes place in Feudal Japan rather than contemporary America. The English dub of the film will star Simu Liu (Marvel's Shang-Chi, Kim's Convenience), Fred Mancuso and Yuzu Harada and is set to debut on Netflix on October 12.
SYNOPSIS
In the time between the fall of the Shogunate and the rise of the Meiji era, a powerful bright light emitted from a wand brings an end to the long Shogunate period to avoid further bloodshed as Japan begins to shift toward a new era. Amid these circumstances, a one-eyed wandering ronin named Izou, who has lost his reason to live, and Raiden, an orc who detests murder and hopes to leave a life of thievery behind, separately meet a young elf girl named Sonya around the same time. Together, they go on a journey along the Tokaido road to bring her and the wand she holds safely to the land of the elves in the north. Standing in their path is the mysterious organization Inferni, which aims to obtain the wand and revive the Dark Lord, who intends to rule all of creation. Inferni also uses the new Meiji government in its attempt to steal the wand from Izou, Raiden and Sonya. Traveling along the Tokaido road from Kyoto to Yokohama, Izou and Raiden begin their journey to protect the wand.
