Entertainment

Netflix’s new animé Sol Levante is a visual spectacle

A hand-drawn 4K HDR short

Published

March 30, 2020

Netflix has been ultra aggressive in expanding its animé library especially in the last two years. The latest installment — Sol Levante — is a visual spectacle that the company says is a “culmination of art, technology, and curiosity.”

The primary purpose of the project is to explore how Japanese animé projects can be translated into 4K HDR. The tech, after all, isn’t all that new. Plenty of Netflix originals like Marvel’s Daredevil, Bird Box, and even To All The Boys P.S. I Still Love You are available in this format.

The challenge is how to get hand-drawn animation up to speed. Ultraman, another Netflix animé project, is available in 4K HDR. However, it uses CG animation versus hand drawings. That’s what Haruka Miyagawa (Creative Technology Engineer) and Akira Saitoh (Director, involved in Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, et. al) — the leads of the Sol Levante project, pursued.

Sol Levante – a visual spectacle

Netflix gave us an early look at the final output. Sol Levante is a four-minute showcase of years worth of work by a lean six-person team and it’s a sight to behold.

Its synopsis reads: A young warrior and her familiar search for the sacred place said to fulfill wishes. It’s best not to anger the ancient guardians and spirits.

If you’re an animé fan — especially of the more popular battle-type ones — your mind will race right away thinking how this level of visuals can translate to an iconic sequence or battle scene. And for the most part, that’s what this short is — an iconic sequence. As a hand drawn 4K HDR animé, it’s one of the firsts of its kind.

Without spoiling anything, the narrative of the short mirrors the theme of the project. It’s not an easy journey, but if you push through, you’ll come out of it feeling renewed.

Netflix pushing to innovate

There are two main driving forces in the development of this project:

To support creatives in bringing more of their ideas to life
Offer an outstanding and more immersive user experience for Netflix subscribers

The Sol Levante project was a test of how feasible it is to produce hand-drawn animé in 4K HDR resolution. In the duration of the project, they have identified a process but it might take a while before anyone else gets onboard.

During a media briefing, Miyagawa highlighted how the biggest hurdle is 4K. It requires a major overhaul of the artists workstation and workflow.

One of their first learnings is that the resolution meant hand drawings needed to be completed on a much larger piece of paper than standard A4, or scanned at a very high resolution. This wasn’t a viable solution which meant drawings had to be done digitally on a tablet. The challenge is that most animé artists lack training and equipment to go digital.

The HDR part involves less friction. Animation studios need only to invest in professional monitors with high dynamic range. At present though, the options are still quite pricey — even for professional studios.

Encouraging other creators

The team behind Sol Levante, while ambitious, aren’t delusional. They realize the challenges it will take to get more people interested. They know that “change is hard” and the whole workflow overhaul “can be seen as intimidating to studios and artists.” So they are more than willing to cooperate and collaborate.

Netflix will release the raw materials used in Sol Levante for download and experimentation. By doing so, they hope to connect with more animators about new technology, to partner with manufacturers to better support the animé industry, and to work with anime studios to apply findings to future productions.

Being veterans in the industry, they feel Japanese animation studios might not be immediately open to the idea. So they’re hoping animators from other countries step in.

Building hope and excitement

Director Akira Saitoh hopes those who will watch Sol Levante will feel heightened levels of excitement and immersiveness. While reactions will vary due to personal preference she hopes it inspires thoughts of “Okay, I would like to see other types of content or genre done in this technology.”

Asked why it’s called Sol Levante, Saitoh explained, “Sol Levante means sunrise in Italy. In ancient Egypt when the sun sets in the west, it dies. When it comes up in the east, it’s a symbol of resurrection. It’s been reborn. Reborn was a big theme in this project.”

That sense of hope and feeling renewed is something the project hopes to evoke in both animé viewers and creators.

Sol Levante will be available on Netflix globally on April 2, 2020.

Entertainment

The Fellowship of the Ring in Concert finally arrives in Manila

The run goes from March 4 to 6 at Solaire.

Published

November 6, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

As far as films in concert go, The Lord of the Rings is the classic experience for fans. Since 2008, the concert experience has been touring the globe, enamoring fans of the series with live renditions of Howard Shore’s iconic soundtrack. Now, the experience is finally arriving in Manila. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring in Concert will run in the Philippines from March 4 through 6 next year.

There’s a reason why the iconic trilogy is the classic experience for films in concert. Besides being a legendary film franchise, the series features Howard Shore’s Academy Award-winning score. Fans will likely still recognize the dulcet strings of the Shire or the grandiose crescendo of the Fellowship.

From March 4 to 6, The Fellowship of the Ring in Concert will run at The Theatre in Solaire. Under the baton of Reuben Blundell, the concert will star the 96-member Filharmonika Orchestra, the Philippine Madrigal Singers’ 100-member adult choir and 50-member boys’ choir, and soloist Malena Rampi.

Film Community Philippines members can get exclusive pre-sale access from November 9 to 11. Meanwhile, public ticket sales will start on November 20 via TicketWorld.com.ph.

Entertainment

Dune and Dune: Part Two return to cinemas ahead of Dune: Part Three

Return to Arrakis.

Published

November 5, 2026

GadgetMatch

The journey to Arrakis isn’t over just yet. Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures are bringing back Dune and Dune: Part Two to select cinemas and IMAX in the Philippines for a limited one-week run starting November 11.

The re-release gives audiences a chance to revisit Denis Villeneuve’s award-winning sci-fi films before the highly anticipated conclusion to his Dune trilogy. Moviegoers will also get an exclusive sneak peek at Dune: Part Three.

The first film, Dune, follows Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), a gifted young man destined for something greater than himself. When his family becomes entangled in a conflict over Arrakis and its valuable spice, Paul must confront his fears and discover his place in the universe.

In Dune: Part Two, Paul continues his journey alongside Chani (Zendaya) and the Fremen. Seeking revenge against those responsible for his family’s downfall, he faces a difficult choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe.

Dune: Part Three arrives in December

The story continues in Dune: Part Three, which takes place nearly two decades after Paul Atreides seizes control of the Imperium. Now ruling as Emperor, Paul must deal with the consequences of his reign as old allies return, new threats emerge, and a conspiracy threatens everything he holds dear.

The film sees the return of Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Jason Momoa, Florence Pugh, Rebecca Ferguson, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Javier Bardem. They are joined by Charlotte Rampling, Isaach de Bankolé, and Robert Pattinson.

Directed by Denis Villeneuve, Dune: Part Three opens exclusively in cinemas and IMAX on December 16, 2026, with sneak previews on December 15.

Tickets for the upcoming film are now on sale. For showtimes and ticket information, visit dunepart3.com.ph.

Meanwhile, Dune and Dune: Part Two return to select cinemas and IMAX starting November 11 for one week only.

Watch the trailer:

Entertainment

1st teaser trailer, details for Death Stranding Isolations series unveiled

Animated series to debut on Hulu on Disney Plus

Published

October 31, 2026

GadgetMatch

A new teaser trailer for the upcoming Death Stranding Isolations series on Hulu on Disney+ has been revealed.

The upcoming animated series is set to debut in 2027. It is set in the world of Death Stranding immediately after the game’s protagonist Sam reconnects the continent of North America via the Chiral Network.

The series will tell a completely new story separate from that of the video games. The narrative will focus on a young man and woman as they set off on an adventure.

As America is reborn from the ashes, the renewed connections that bind it together bring about new and unforeseen consequences.

In this tumultuous new landscape, there are some who walk a different path to the one chosen by Sam and his Bridges comrades.

One is a wise old man who connects people through a method that defies all reckoning. There is also a female soldier ensnared in a cycle of war and destruction.

Moreover, there is a boy who seethes with rage at the absurdity of his life, and a girl who chose to sever all ties with the outside world. Fate has other plans for her, however, and chance encounters see her launched headfirst into a world she does not recognize.

Death Stranding Isolations is written by Tow Ubukata (Activator, Bone Ash, Project Darkness) and directed by Takayuki Sano (Jujutsu Kaisen 0 – The Movie, Attack on Titan The Final Season).

The series is animated by E&H production (NINJA KAMUI, BULLET/BULLET, the Magic Knight Rayearth Television series 2026) with original character design by Ilya Kuvshinov (Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045, The Wonderland).

The series is executive produced by Hideo Kojima and produced by KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS.