Your Weekly Loot Drop for the Week of August 18th, 2025
Anime
News
Sony, Netflix, in Talks to Greenlight Sequel to Hit Animated Film, K-Pop: Demon Hunters 2 (Time to read: 3 minutes)
Sony Pictures Animation and Netflix are reportedly in talks to produce a sequel to the hit animated musical film, _K-Pop: Demon Hunters_. The original movie, which premiered on Netflix, became a surprise global phenomenon, reaching the top of streaming charts and setting records with its soundtrack.
Due to the film's massive and unexpected success, Netflix is looking to capitalize on its momentum. While a sequel has not been officially confirmed, it has been widely reported that both Sony and Netflix are keen to continue the story, with discussions about a potential film trilogy, a live-action remake, and even a stage musical. The original film's directors, Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, have expressed interest in returning for a follow-up, hinting at deeper explorations of the characters' backstories and unresolved plot points.
A Cult Classic Anime is Getting a Theatrical Re-Release (Time to Read: 2 Minutes)
The 1985 science-fantasy anime film Angel's Egg, a cult classic from director Mamoru Oshii (Ghost in the Shell) and artist Yoshitaka Amano (Final Fantasy), is set to return to theaters. The film, which originally went straight to home video in Japan, will be screened in North American cinemas for the first time as a "director-approved" 4K remaster, with GKIDS handling the distribution.
This newly restored version of the film will debut for the wider public on November 19th. The story follows a young girl who guards a mysterious egg she believes is an angel’s, and a boy with a gun who is searching for a bird. Their paths cross in an underwater city, leading to a fateful encounter that ultimately ends in tragedy when the boy crushes her egg.
The Future of Avatar: The Last Airbender Looks Promising (Time to Read: 5 minutes)
After more than a decade of disappointment and creative setbacks, the Avatar: The Last Airbender franchise is finally on the upswing. The new outlook comes after a string of high-profile failures, from the universally panned live-action movie by M. Night Shyamalan to the somewhat criticized Netflix live-action series, which lacked the humor and vibrancy that made the original cartoon a classic.
However, things are looking bright for fans of Team Avatar. Original creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko are now in charge of Avatar Studios and are actively working on a new animated sequel series, as well as a film featuring an adult Aang.
Adding to the excitement is a highly anticipated Magic: The Gathering crossover set, with early previews showcasing a thoughtful and creative collaboration that truly captures the spirit of the show. For the first time in a long while, the franchise's creative direction seems to be firmly back on track.
Disney's Strategic Gamble: Why Its Anime Push Looks Different
(Time to Read: 5 minutes)
Disney+ is taking a unique approach to compete in the crowded anime streaming market, choosing to focus on quality over quantity. Instead of acquiring a massive library of titles to compete directly with giants like Crunchyroll and Netflix, the company is prioritizing exclusive, high-impact titles, particularly for the Asian market. This strategy is driven by the desire for impactful, attention-grabbing content that can generate significant interest and revenue in key regions.
This strategy is evident with examples like the anime film Twisted Wonderland, which is being heavily promoted in Japan with exclusive merchandise but has received very little attention in the West. This suggests that Disney+ is concentrating its efforts on its most profitable markets. The upcoming merger with Hulu could potentially change this approach in the future, as it would give Disney a much larger catalog of content. For now, however, the company's focus appears to be on securing a few big wins to establish itself as a serious player in the world of anime.
Analog & Digital Quick News
Trading Card Games:
Unpacking the Magic: The Gathering Avatar: The Last Airbender Commander Box (Time to read: 4 minutes)
The new Avatar: The Last Airbender Commander Beginner Box is designed to be the perfect entry point for fans of the show who are new to Magic: The Gathering. This beginner-friendly product, part of the Universes Beyond line, focuses on real-time play with two preconstructed decks.
Tabletop & Board Games:
A Look at the Upcoming Vampire Survivors Board Game (Time to read: 2 minutes)
A board game based on the hit video game Vampire Survivors is being developed by Grey Fox Games and is set to launch on Kickstarter in the autumn of 2025. This tabletop version is designed to capture the frantic, wave-based gameplay of the original, with players choosing a survivor who has unique abilities to battle waves of monsters. Like the video game, players will collect experience points to upgrade their weapons and abilities, and their signature weapons can even evolve into more powerful forms. The game is being developed by the same team that created the Metal Gear Solid board game, and while the exact number of players has not been announced, the game will be designed to support co-op play, similar to the video game's later updates.
Gaming News:
Crimson Desert Game Delayed Until 2026
The highly anticipated action-RPG Crimson Desert, developed by Pearl Abyss, has been delayed from its planned late 2025 release to the first quarter of 2026. The postponement was announced during the company's Q2 2025 financial briefing.
According to Pearl Abyss, the delay is a "strategic decision" to ensure the game's success on a global scale. The company explained that the timeline for coordinating with various partners on aspects like offline distribution, voice-overs, and console certification took longer than initially expected. While the new release window is now set for Q1 2026, a specific launch date will be announced at a later time.
Gamescom 2025 is Set to Kick Off With Major Showcases - Schedule of events (Time to Read: 10 minutes)
Gamescom 2025 is scheduled to run from August 20 to August 24 in Cologne, Germany, with the public gaining access on August 21. The event will kick off with the highly anticipated Opening Night Live 2025 showcase on August 19, hosted by Geoff Keighley, which will feature a number of new game announcements and gameplay reveals
The event will also include several other broadcasts throughout the week, such as two Xbox Gamescom Broadcasts, the Future Games Show, and the Gamescom Awesome Indies 2025 showcase. Attendees and viewers can look forward to seeing playable demos for major titles like Hollow Knight: Silksong, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, and The Outer Worlds 2. Xbox is also expected to showcase 20 titles, with confirmed demos for games like Borderlands 4 and Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A Takes a Brave Leap into Real-Time Combat (Time to Read: 3 minutes)
Pokémon Legends: Z-A is making some bold changes to the franchise's classic formula, moving away from turn-based combat to a more action-oriented, real-time battle system. Early previews for the game revealed that trainers can now actively move around in battles, directing their Pokémon to use moves and dodge attacks. The hands-on footage also showed that trainers themselves can now take damage during these encounters.
According to various previews, the game feels more like an MMO, with attacks tied to cooldowns instead of PP, allowing for unlimited use of abilities once their meters are full. While some critics expressed concerns about the visual quality and the empty, quiet feel of the urban setting, others compared the new Mega Evolution battles to a classic 3D Zelda boss fight, suggesting the game is taking some fresh risks and offering a new experience for fans.
Tech
3D Printing:
Games Workshop's Shortages Fuel Rise of 3D Printing in Warhammer (Time to Read: 3 minutes)
Passionate players of the tabletop game Warhammer are increasingly turning to 3D printing to build their armies, a trend driven largely by persistent product shortages from creator Games Workshop. Certain factions, particularly those aligned with Chaos, have been particularly affected by a limited supply of new miniatures. With some stores reportedly only receiving a handful of items, players are left with very few options.
This frustration is causing the community to look for alternatives, with many now 3D printing their own models or buying "Warhammer-inspired" pieces from online marketplaces like Etsy. While this can sometimes infringe on intellectual property, it's an easy way for fans to circumvent the supply chain issues. The demand for Warhammer has grown recently, but until Games Workshop can meet that demand, players will likely continue to use 3D printing to create the armies they want.
Software:
Blender 4.5 LTS Released with Focus on Stability and Performance (Time to Read: 2 minutes)
Blender, the popular open-source 3D creation suite, has officially released version 4.5 LTS (Long-Term Support). This new version, which will be supported for two years until 2027, focuses on providing a stable platform for long-term productions. The release fixes nearly 500 bugs and introduces several new features aimed at improving performance and workflow.
Major improvements include full Vulkan support, which leads to a faster startup and quicker shader compilation, a more flexible compositor, and enhancements to the animation timeline. The update also brings UV visibility in all modes and a faster Video Sequencer with HDR support. The new features and stability improvements are a result of contributions from the Blender community and are a testament to the ongoing development of the software.
Hardware:
NVIDIA's Blackwell GPUs Lead in AI Performance and Profitability (Time to read: 3 minutes)
NVIDIA's Blackwell GPU is cementing the company's dominance in the AI market. Blackwell's superior AI performance, combined with NVIDIA's strategic software optimizations, allows it to outperform competitors. This technological edge is directly translating to a significant financial advantage, with the company's profit margins far ahead of rivals like AMD.
NVIDIA's success is not solely due to hardware; its comprehensive software ecosystem, which includes the CUDA platform, creates a high barrier to entry for competitors. This synergy between powerful hardware and optimized software ensures that NVIDIA remains the leader in AI compute, even as other companies enter the market.
Publishing:
Comics:
Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires Confirmed for Fall Release (Time to Read: 3 minutes)
The highly anticipated animated film, Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires, is officially set to make its streaming debut this fall. After being announced in 2022, the movie will premiere in Mexico on September 18 before its worldwide release on HBO Max the following day, September 19.
The film reimagines the Dark Knight's story in a pre-Columbian setting, with a young Aztec warrior named Yohualli Coatl taking on the mantle of Batman. He rises up to fight against the invading Spanish conquistadors, led by Hernán Cortés, who in this version of the story takes on the role of the iconic villain, Two-Face. The movie also introduces other Aztec-inspired villains, including a priest who becomes Yoka, the Joker. The film's director has stated that the unique design of Batman's suit was inspired by both Spanish armor and traditional Aztec warrior outfits.
A New Kryptonian Hero Joins Supergirl in a Story of Second Chances
(Time to read: 4 minutes)
A new animated comic series introduces a new Kryptonian hero named Luminary, who was once the villain Lesla-Lar. After causing chaos in Midvale, she is brought to the Bottle City of Kandor to be judged for her crimes. Supergirl intervenes, arguing that Luminary should have the chance to serve her sentence by doing hero work on Earth rather than being locked away. The Science Council agrees, appointing Supergirl as her probation officer.
The partnership proves awkward for both of them at first, with Supergirl questioning her ability as a mentor and Luminary feeling unworthy of her second chance. A night out at a goth club, however, brings the two together to face a new threat: a monster named Decay that was accidentally created from a super-substance. The two heroes put their differences aside to fight the monster, with Supergirl eventually absorbing it to quell its negative emotions. The comic ends with Lesla-Lar finding a new friend with psionic powers, and a cat swallowing some of the leftover super-substance.cat swallowing some of the leftover super-substance.
Batman: The Long Halloween Comic Series Delayed (Time to Read: 2 Minutes)
The release of the final two issues of the highly anticipated comic series, Batman: The Long Halloween - The Last Halloween, has been postponed. Originally set for release in August and September, issues #9 and #10 have been pushed back to September 24 and October 22, respectively. The delay is part of a recent trend of postponements for various DC Comics titles.
This series, written by Jeph Loeb, is the conclusion to a saga that began over three decades ago. The final two issues are expected to wrap up the remaining plotlines, including the ultimate fate of the Falcone crime family.
A Manga Too Dark For the U.S. (Time to Read: 3 minutes)
A dark Japanese manga series titled Brutal: Confessions of a Homicide Investigator has gained a cult following, but is unlikely to ever receive an official English translation or Western release. The manga, which has been compared to the American show Dexter, centers on a homicide detective named Hiroki Dan, who secretly moonlights as a vigilante serial killer.
Unlike Dexter, who dispatches his victims with a single stab, Hiroki tortures and mutilates criminals who have escaped justice, including abusers and rapists. The series, written by Kei Koga, is described as extremely violent and sadistic. This is a key reason for its lack of a Western release, as it channels a primal desire for retribution against those who get away with their crimes.
Data:
Anime Television/Film Ratings:
Collectors Corner:
News
The Original TMNT Movie Trilogy is Getting a 4K Makeover (Time to Read: 2 minutes)
To celebrate the 35th anniversary of the first film, the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles trilogy is being released in a new 4K Blu-ray box set. The collection, which includes Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Secret of the Ooze, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III, is set for a wide release on December 16, with preorders already available at various retailers.
This highly anticipated box set comes packed with new bonus features for fans to enjoy. The films have been restored in 4K from their original negatives and feature both the original stereo audio and a new surround sound mix. The collection also includes new director's commentaries and interviews with the cast and crew. As an extra treat, the 1990 film is also being re-released in theaters for a limited time.
Collectible of the Week:
Pre-Orders are taking place for Hasbro's The Fantastic Four: First Steps Action Figures
·
While I was perusing manga at one of my local comic stores, I noticed two people walk in asking if and when the store would get Fantastic Four figures in. Sadly, the manager indicated that they were not a Hasbro distributor so the customer was out of luck. Disappointed, he stated that it was hard for him to come across any. So I figured I’d take a look.…
Why is it valuable?: These action figures from Hasbro aim to be high quality, and fully articulable. The likeness of the actors is also high quality. Due to rising popularity from collectors and possible scalpers these may be hard to find after their release.
When and Where can you find it?: Entertainment Earth is accepting pre-orders now for an anticipated August, 2025 release.
Deep Dive of the Week:
Beyond the Music: The Band that Built a Comic Book Universe
·When you ask someone, "What's your favorite type of music?" you'll typically get a single-genre response: rock, pop, rap, or country. Sometimes, you'll get a more niche answer like lo-fi or hyper pop. While these are perfectly fine, I suspect they are often just "on-the-surface" responses. Many people don't really th…
Enjoyed this? Please consider subscribing, sharing the newsletter, and joining the discussion on LootDrop.org. We would greatly appreciate any and all support. We look forward to seeing you there!