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Doctor Strange in the Hot Toys Multiverse of Madness

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is now in theatres. So, of course, that means that a new Hot Toy figure must be on the way! Sideshow Collectibles announced that pre-orders of the latest 12″ tall Benedict Cumberbatch action figure are now available.
Stephen Strange is slightly more expensive than the previous release, coming in at $335. He is expected to ship next year, sometime between July and December. The increase in price is a bit odd since the last one came with more extensive accessories and a more complex costume.

Hot Toys | Sideshow Collectibles
Hot Toys | Sideshow Collectibles
Hot Toys | Sideshow Collectibles
Hot Toys | Sideshow Collectibles
Hot Toys | Sideshow Collectibles
Hot Toys | Sideshow Collectibles
Hot Toys | Sideshow Collectibles
Hot Toys | Sideshow Collectibles
Hot Toys | Sideshow Collectibles
Hot Toys | Sideshow Collectibles
Hot Toys | Sideshow Collectibles

Faithfully crafted based on the appearance of Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange in the movie, this figure features a newly developed head sculpt with short hair sculpture; an aesthetic recreation of the tunic outfit in layers, sculpted boots and arm wraps, a new Cloak of Levitation with blue patch; amazing accessories including The Book of Vishanti, a pair of handcuff, a number of mystic art effects, a dynamic figure base specially designed for the figure and the cape.

Here’s what Dr. Strange will come with:

  • Authentic and detailed likeness of Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange in Marvel Studios’ Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
  • One (1) newly developed head sculpt
  • One (1) newly developed head sculpt of Doctor Strange with a third eye
  • Movie-accurate facial features, wrinkles, and skin texture
  • Short hair sculpture
  • Body with over 30 points of articulation
  • Approximately 31 cm tall
  • Ten (10) interchangeable hands, including:
    • One (1) pair of first
    • One (1) pair of opened hands
    • One (1) accessories-holding right hand
    • Five (5) mystic power-using hands
  • Each head sculpt is specially hand-painted

Costume:

  • One (1) red and blue colored cape (The Cloak of Levitation) adorned with intricate embroidery and special magnetic clip-on design
  • One (1) navy-colored under-tunic
  • One (1) multi-layered blue and navy-colored tunic
  • Two (2) dark brown-colored cummerbund
  • One (1) pair of arm wraps
  • One (1) pair of dark blue-colored pants
  • One (1) pair of black boots

Accessories:

  • One (1) The Book of Vishanti
  • One (1) pair of handcuffs
  • One (1) amulet (The Eye of Agamotto)
  • Two (2) sling rings
  • Nine (9) pieces of mystic art effects including:
    • One (1) pair of orange-colored viper mystic art effects
    • One (1) strand of orange-colored mystic art effect
    • One (1) pair of orange-colored mandalas of light
    • Two (2) pairs of orange-colored mandalas of light in different sizes (wearable on forearms)

What do you think of this latest Dr. Strange Hot Toys figure? Compared to the last one we covered, which do you think is better? Let us know in the comments section below.
[Source: Sideshow Collectibles]

‘The Executioner and Her Way of Life’ Is Getting A Dub From HiDive

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‘Shokei Shoujo no Virgin Road’ is a light novel series written by Mato Sato, illustrated by Nilitsu, and published by SB Creative starting in 2019. A manga version was released in 2020 by Square Enix with Ryo Mitsuya illustrating. It was picked up for an English translation through Yen Press, which published it as ‘The Executioner and Her Way of Life.’
The Japanese animation production company J.C. Staff picked it up for an anime adaptation that was released in 2022. Sentai Filmworks acquired the rights to do an English dub to be released on the HiDive streaming service.
They released the cast list which includes Annie Wild (Day Off: The Web Series) as Menou, Melissa Molano (Golden Time) as Akari, Cat Thomas (7 Seeds) as Momo, Shelley Calene-Black (Majestic Prince) as Archbishop Orwell, Molly Searcy (Akame ga Kill) as Master Flare, Rachael Messer (Azur Lane) as Princess Ashuna, and Bryson Baugus (Attack on Titan) as Mitsuki.
You can watch the trailer below:

MyAnimeList describes the synopsis as follows,
“Average student Mutou Mitsuki suddenly finds himself transported to another realm. Summoned by the king of this world for the remarkable power he is supposed to possess, Mutou is thrown out when it appears that he lacks a “Special Concept.” Moping about, he encounters a priestess named Menou who explains that Japanese people like him are known as Lost Ones, and such individuals never fail to have Special Concepts.
Menou elaborates that she is part of a church that helps abandoned Lost Ones integrate into society. She invites him to spend the night at her church, where the two can probe the nature of his ability. Eventually, they discover that Mutou’s Special Concept is actually incredibly powerful and dangerous. But while Mutou celebrates, Menou shows her true colors and stabs him in the head, killing him instantly.
Menou’s goal is not to assist Lost Ones—rather, it is the opposite. Due to four infamous incidents where Lost Ones caused monumental damage, the church has ordered that the foreigners all be assassinated as soon as they are found. With Mutou eliminated, Menou must next dispatch the other Lost One summoned by the king: Akari Tokitou.”
The anime character designs are done by Keiko Tamaki with Michiru composing the series’ music.

‘Pompo The Cinephile’ Gets Summer Home Video Release

The hit Japanese 2021 anime film ‘Pompo the Cinephile,’ directed and written by Takayuki Hirao, is about to expand its audience. The animated feature is getting a home video release in North America for physical and digital platforms. GKids and Shout! Factory are working together to distribute the films to a whole new audience.
“A rollicking, exuberant ode to the power of the movies, the critically acclaimed animated feature Pompo The Cinephile will make its home entertainment debut on digital platforms June 28, 2022 and as a Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack on July 12, 2022 from GKIDS, with distribution from Shout! Factory. An entertaining yet heartfelt story about the joys and heartbreak of the creative process, Pompo The Cinephile comes with numerous bonus features including audio commentary by the director and crew, feature-length storyboards, a character design gallery and more,” GKids said on their website.
The DVD will include several bonus features such as audio commentary from the director and a character design gallery. It is currently available for pre-order on the GKids website.
You can watch the trailer below:

MyAnimeList describes the synopsis as follows,
“The series centers on Joelle Davidovich Pomponette (Pompo-san), a talented film producer at the movie capital “Nyallywood.” Despite her prowess to see through to the potential of actors and staff and bring out their talent to the fullest, she has only been producing B-class action and erotic films. One day, Pompo’s “film-worm” assistant Gene, who has been doubtful of her choices of film genres, is given the task to direct a film based on a script written by her. Will Gene be able to bring Pompeo’s “masterpiece” to fruition?”
The film is based on the manga series ‘Pompo: The Cinéphile’ by Shogo Sugitani. It began publication in 2017 through Media Factory and by Seven Seas Entertainment in English for a North American audience.

Third Season Of The Amazon Prime Video Sci-Fi Sitcom ‘Upload’ Announced

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The science fiction comedic drama ‘Upload’ is returning for a third season with Amazon’s Prime Video greenlighting it for new episodes. It was created by Greg Daniels, the mind behind the NBC sitcom ‘The Office’ who serves as the executive producer along with Howard Klein.
The show stars Robbie Amell as Nathan, Andy Allo as Nora, Kevin Bigley as Luke, Allegra Edwards as Ingrid, Zainab Johnson as Aleesha, Owen Daniels as A.I. Guy, Josh Banday as Ivan, and Andrea Rosenas Lucy.
Amazon said in a press release that it, “has renewed the fan favorite sci-fi comedy series Upload from Emmy Award-winning writer Greg Daniels (The Office, Parks and Recreation) for a third season. Season Three will exclusively stream on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.”
Daniels added, “I’m thrilled to continue the story of Nathan and Nora and the other residents of Lakeview and near-future America as they try to have fun and do the right thing in both the real and virtual worlds.”
You can watch the trailer for the series below:

Amazon describes the synopsis as follows,
“Upload is a sci-fi comedy series set in a technologically advanced future where hologram phones, 3D food printers, and automated grocery stores are the norm. Most uniquely, humans can choose to be “uploaded” into a virtual afterlife. In Season Two, Nathan is at a crossroads in his (after) life: His ex-girlfriend Ingrid has unexpectedly arrived to Lakeview hoping to strengthen their relationship, but his heart still secretly yearns for his customer service angel, Nora. Meanwhile, Nora is off the grid and involved with the anti-tech rebel group “The Ludds.” Season Two is packed with new near-future concepts, including Lakeview’s newest in-app digital baby program called “prototykes” and other satirical glimpses of the technological advances and headaches to come.”
The first season featured ten episodes with the second season receiving seven.

Tubi’s Animated Comedy ‘The Freak Brothers’ Renewed For A Second Season

The mature animated comedy show ‘The Freak Brothers’ is returning for a second season after a freshman season of eight episodes and featuring an ensemble cast. Lionsgate and WTG Enterprises developed the series after which it made its way to FOX Entertainment where it was released on their free streaming service Tubi.
Tubi said in a press release that “it has renewed the hit comedy, THE FREAK BROTHERS, its first-ever original animated series, for a second season, which is slated to premiere in December 2022. THE FREAK BROTHERS, based on Gilbert Shelton’s cult classic underground comic series, delivered nearly twice as many viewers as the #2 series on the platform in its first seven weeks (11/14 – 1/3). THE FREAK BROTHERS will return with eight new episodes. The series’ all-star voice cast includes Woody Harrelson, John Goodman, Pete Davidson, and Tiffany Haddish. The series is produced by WTG Enterprises and distributed by global content leader Lionsgate…”
The show is based on Shelton’s comic book ‘The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers’ which ran as a comic book for Rip Off Press from February 1971 to 1997 for fourteen issues.
“Today’s renewal of THE FREAK BROTHERS highlights the platform’s continued dedication to expanding its adult comedy collection and super-serving its audience with fan-favorite original content. THE FREAK BROTHERS chronicles the escapades of a trio of stoner anti-establishment characters and their cat who wake up from a 50-year nap after smoking a magical strain of weed in 1969, and must adjust to life with a new family in present-day San Francisco,” Tubi continued.
You can watch the trailer below:

The series had its initial release as a 1968 comic strip in the pages of the underground newspaper ‘The Rag’ published in Austin, Texas. They would later appear in ‘Feds ‘n’ Heads,’ ‘Playboy,’ ‘High Times,’ and ‘Rip Off Comix.’ There would be a number of compilations including ‘The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers Omnibus’ which was released in 2008 by Knockabout Comics.

Chip Shortage May Have No Foreseeable End According To Nintendo’s President

It’s not a good time to be a console gamer right now. Sure, there are many great games, but you’re out of luck if you want to play them on the latest hardware. The latest XBOX consoles may be appearing on shelves, but Switch OLED systems and PS5s are rarer. Unfortunately, that issue isn’t predicted to change any time soon.
GameSpot reported that Shuntaro Furukawa, Nintendo’s president, did not toy about with words during an investor call regarding the dire chip shortage the tech industry is currently suffering. Instead, Furukawa came right out with it and said, “There is no end in sight to the semiconductor shortage at this point.
The lack of necessary components affects the current production line and may also impact future hardware. Bloomberg‘s Takashi Mochizuki stated that Furukawa refused to comment on any future Switch successors. Considering supply cannot meet demand, it probably wouldn’t be good to announce a new console.


This is a similar position that Sony’s CFO took during their earnings call. Since semiconductors are in every piece of technology in the commercial and industrial markets, every company is vying to get what they need, so production doesn’t grind to a halt. Companies like Avigilon and Honeywell have wait times from two months to almost 50 weeks for everything from CCTV cameras to burglar systems.
It’s not just the production of semiconductors that is causing a holdup. The entire production chain has been affected by the pandemic, labor shortages, and high fuel prices. Each issue is compounding on top of the other.
Unlike the PS5, Nintendo’s various Switch consoles are a bit easier to obtain. However, if you’re unable to find them in stores, check out our story regarding finding an elusive gaming system.
Have you spotted OLED Switches or any other versions out in the wild lately? Let us know in the comments section below.
[Source: GameSpot] [Source: Wall Street Journal] [Source: Bloomberg]

The Shortage of PS5 Consoles To Last Into 2023, Sony Expects

The PS5 launched in 2020 and has remained elusive since day one. Target refused to put the stock on shelves, allowing online ordering only. In addition, GameStop would typically bundle the consoles with various games and peripherals to dissuade scalpers from buying up the entire supply. Regardless, finding a disc-based or digital-only PS5 was and still is challenging.
A story we saw over at Ars Technica points to another dire year for Sony fans who want to pick up either version of the newest PlayStation console. During an earnings report, Sony’s CFO/Executive Deputy President Hiroki Totoki forecasted more doom and gloom regarding the supply of PS5s meeting the demand.
Totoki admitted that even though production through March 2023 was expected to increase 60% over the previous fiscal year, Sony is “still short somewhat.” The company is expected to manufacture 18 million new PS5s this fiscal year, but that’s worldwide, not for the US alone.
The chip shortage isn’t affecting Sony alone. Many of the tech companies I deal with have cited the supply chain issue with significant delays in everything from CCTV cameras to basic security and life safety systems. These delays have pushed back shipment times to almost 50 weeks instead of the typical 2 to 3.
Although it’s a pain, the PS5 is not impossible to get. No, we’re not talking about dealing with scalpers. Last year we outlined the best ways to get a Playstation 5. It will take some effort on your part, mainly in the form of paying close attention to particular Twitter feeds and a lot of webpage refreshing. Personally, I’ve managed to snag the console multiple times for friends and family because there was no way I was going to let them pay scalpers $800-$1,000+ for a console.
What do you think of Sony’s prediction? With XBOX Series X and Series S consoles showing up on store shelves this year, is it possible that Sony may be overstating the production issues? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
[Source: Ars Technica]

‘Haikyuu!! To the Top’ Sports Anime English Voice Cast Announced

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‘Haikyu!!’ is a sports manga written and illustrated by Haruichi Furudate about athlete Shoyo Hinata who wants to be a star volleyball player even though he is smaller than most. The series was published by Jump Comics in Japan from 2012 to 2020 with Viz Media publishing it in North America. It was picked up for an anime adaption by Production I.G in 2014 with Sentai Filmworks acquiring the rights for an English dub.
The fourth and final season titled ‘Haikyuu!! To the Top’ is getting a voice cast with some old favorites returning and some new ones being added, according to their website.
The cast includes Bryson Baugus as Shoyo Hinata, Scott Gibbs as Tobio Kageyama, David Wald as Coach, Justin Doran as Daichi Sawamura, Greg Cote as Ryunosuke Tanaka, Orlanders Tao Jones as Asahi Azumane, and several others. Kyle Colby Jones will serve as the voice director.
You can watch the trailer below:

MyAnimeList describes the synopsis as follows,
“After their triumphant victory over Shiratorizawa Academy, the Karasuno High School volleyball team has earned their long-awaited ticket to nationals. As preparations begin, genius setter Tobio Kageyama is invited to the All-Japan Youth Training Camp to play alongside fellow nationally recognized players. Meanwhile, Kei Tsukishima is invited to a special rookie training camp for first-years within the Miyagi Prefecture. Not receiving any invitations himself, the enthusiastic Shouyou Hinata feels left behind.
However, Hinata does not back down. Transforming his frustration into self-motivation, he boldly decides to sneak himself into the same rookie training camp as Tsukishima. Even though Hinata only lands himself a job as the ball boy, he comes to see this as a golden opportunity. He begins to not only reflect on his skills as a volleyball player but also analyze the plethora of information available on the court and how he can apply it.
As the much-anticipated national tournament approaches, the members of Karasuno’s volleyball team attempt to overcome their weak points and refine their skills, all while aiming for the top!”
The show was directed by Susumu Mitsunaka for the first sixty episodes and Masako Satō for the remainder of the anime including the fourth season.

‘Deiji Meets Girl’ Anime Is Coming To Theaters In North America

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‘Deiji Meets Girl’ is a fantasy anime series of twelve shorts from the Japanese animation studio Liden Films. The show is directed by Ushio Tazawa and written by Akane Malbeni. It aired on the Super Animeism programming block in Japan and now GKids is bringing it to North America.
“GKIDS, the acclaimed producer and distributor of animation for adult and family audiences, announced today it has acquired the North American distribution rights for DEIJI MEETS GIRL, the short anime series directed by Ushio Tazawa, with animation from LIDENFILMS,” they said on their website.
GKids continued, “The series premiered at the 25th Fantasia International Film Festival, and was released as 90 second weekly episodes broadcast on Japanese television networks. Ushio Tazawa has previously worked as an animation director and key animator for various acclaimed anime projects, including Makoto Shinkai’s your name. and The Place Promised in Our Early Days, as well as Masaaki Yuasa’s Mind Game. GKIDS will release DEIJI MEETS GIRL theatrically this year.”
The release date has yet to be confirmed and there has been no word if GKids will provide an English dub.
You can watch the trailer below:

GKids lists the synopsis as follows,
“Maise is stuck spending the summer after her first-year of high school helping out at her family’s hotel in the sleepy seaside town, but things become a little less sleepy once Ichiro, a mysterious young man, checks into the hotel. It seems as if only Maise and Ichiro can see the strange, sudden apparitions: the hotel lobby and the room transforming into an aquarium, a giant tree erupting from the floor or the rowdy monsters laying claim to the hotel restaurant. Maise vows to figure out not just what’s causing these odd occurrences but why Ichiro has come to this remote town in the first place.”
The series was adapted into a manga from Flex Comix through their Comic Polaris magazine written by Akane Malbeni.

‘Gotham Knights’ Gameplay Shows Nightwing & Red Hood In Action

The successor to the well-received Arkham series of Batman games is a multiplayer successor that centers around the Caped Crusader’s allies. But can this new entry live up to the high bar the last four games set up? Today we have a better look at the gameplay.
We saw the Gotham Knights demo teaser via the game’s Twitter feed. The full 13-minute demo can be found via GK’s YouTube channel. The demo shows off the title’s vehicle and hand-to-hand combat. Unfortunately, only two of the four characters are focused here: Jason Todd (Red Hood) and Nightwing.
Both characters have drastically different playstyles, with Nightwing favoring acrobatics and Red Hood going for firearms loaded with non-lethal rounds. Thankfully, the gameplay appears to have several holdovers from Batman’s combat in the previous games. Check out the videos below.


Batman is dead. A new expansive, criminal underworld has swept the streets of Gotham City. It is now up to the Batman Family; Batgirl, Nightwing, Red Hood, and Robin; to protect Gotham, bring hope to its citizens, discipline to its cops, and fear to its criminals. From solving mysteries that connect the darkest chapters in the city’s history to defeating notorious villains in epic confrontations, you must evolve into the new Dark Knight and save the streets from descent into chaos.

Gotham Knights will be available on PC, PS5, and XBOX Series X|S. There are currently three versions of the game available for pre-order from WB Games, including a presumably expensive Collector’s Edition that includes a statue of the four Knights and other overpriced trinkets.
What do you think of the gameplay video? Does anyone else feel this is a toned-down version of the Arkham games? Let us know in the comments section below.
[Source: Twitter] Source: WB Games] [Source: Arkham Knights YouTube Channel]

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