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Wistoria: Wand and Sword was one of the most underrated anime of 2024. From the creator of DanMachi, the series follows young Will Serfort, a teen with dreams of becoming a Magia Vander, one of the most powerful mages in the world. However, Will lacks any magical abilities, causing him to lag behind the other mages at his school, Regarden Magical Academy. Yet while the series focuses on Will, that doesn't mean viewers don't get to see the other mages on the show.

The first season of the Wistoria anime introduces viewers to some powerful mages, all with their own goals they're aiming to achieve. While Will might not qualify because of his complete lack of magical talent, there's no shortage of student and teacher mages that wield incredible powers. While things might change in future seasons, for now these mages are the best of the best.

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Although a second season of the celebrated limited series Shōgun isn't possible, there are still plenty of options for expanding the franchise. Shōgun, based on the acclaimed novel of the same name by James Clavell, is a standalone work that is expected to conclude after ten exceptional episodes. Shōgun episode 9 saw another ally of Lord Toranaga make a shocking sacrifice to advance his plan to become the new shogun, which will all come to a head in episode 10 "A Dream of a Dream."

Although Shōgun is arguably the most famous Clavell novel, the renowned author wrote additional books that exist in the same universe. Known as Clavell's "Asian Saga", Shōgun is the first narrative in a series of six novels written by Clavell between 1962 and 1993. The novels all similarly focus on stories about Europeans in Asia, such as John Blackthorne in Shōgun. The entire book series at large depicts the...

Celinde Schoenmaker (Rocketman), Julia Nickson (Rambo First Blood Part II), Rayssa Bratillieri (Malhação Vidas Brasileiras) and Hana Hrzic (Métèque) have joined the cast of the romantic comedy Hong Kong Love Story. They join previous announced cast members Byron Mann (Wu Assassins), Dominika Kachlik (M jak milosc) Nichkhun, and Kenneth Tsang (Die Another Day). Production is set to begin in Hong Kong on December 18.

Based on real events, Hong Kong Love Story follows Mann and Nichkhun as scions of tycoon families as they stumble their way around Hong Kong to find love. Their friendship gets tested when a Polish model played by Kachlik comes into their lives.

On the stage in London’s West End, Schoenmaker played Fantine in Les Misérables as well as Christine in Phantom Of The Opera. She played Elton John’s ex-wife in Rocketman and appeared in the Red Light series which was nominated for best foreign...

Program Description

For the first time in its 37-year history, the Rambo series is coming home as a complete SteelBook® set – with original art by some of today’s most celebrated illustrators! Rambo: The Complete SteelBook Collection arrives on 4K Ultra Hdtm October 27 from Lionsgate. This definitive collector’s edition of the legendary series features five uniquely designed SteelBooks by celebrated artists Justin Erickson, Ken Taylor, Grzegorz Domaradzki, Vance Kelly, and John Guydo, housed in a custom SteelBook case. It’s a must-have for Rambo fans! Starring Academy Award® nominee Sylvester Stallone, the collection features all five action-packed Rambo films including First Blood, Rambo: First Blood Part II, Rambo III, Rambo, and Rambo: Last Blood. Rambo: The Complete SteelBook Collection will be available on 4K Ultra HD for the suggested retail price of $119.99.

Official Synopsis

Since its debut nearly four decades ago, the Rambo series starring Sylvester Stallone has become...

After dealing with the samurai genre in comedic style with the two “Samurai Hustle” movies, (and after the excellent “Recall” of last year) Katsuhide Motoki decided to tackle the category with a more serious approach, in a film based on the novel series “Inemuri Iwane Edo Zoshi” by Yasuhide Saeki.

Iwane: Sword of Serenity is screening at the Toronto Japanese Film Festival

The story is split in two parts. In the first one, and as the story begins, the titular character is studying swordsmanship in a dojo in Edo with his two childhood friends, Kinpei and Shinnosuke. Kinpei has two sisters; Mao, who is married to Shinnosuke, and Nao who will marry Iwane. When they return to their home county though, tragedy strikes immediately. Shinnosuke’s uncle shares a rumor with him that Mao is having an affair, and an enraged Shinnosuke ends up killing her the same night. Kinpei...

Winter is coming – and so are the holidays. While you wait for the final season of “Game of Thrones” to premiere this spring, pick up one of these gifts for fans of the hit HBO show. From stocking stuffers to luxurious getaways, these gifts are sure to impress both ardent fans and casual viewers alike.

1. The Complete Seasons 1-7 on Blu-ray and Digital

Catch up on all the storylines, plot twists, deaths and – spoiler alert – resurrections, with this 30-disc boxed set, that contains every “Game of Thrones” episode from seasons 1-7. The set (which is also available on DVD) comes with a digital code for you to stream all the episodes from your devices as well. Purchase: $99.99 on Amazon.com.

2. Season 7 Soundtrack on Vinyl

Ramin Djawadi’s critically-acclaimed soundtrack has spawned concert tours and best-selling CDs, but this Barnes & Noble exclusive captures the sounds of season 7 in a limited-edition two-disc vinyl.

Here’s a fun and informative flowchart that breaks down each of the noble houses' characteristics in Game of Thrones. Each house is defined by their unique characteristics and by using this flowchart, you can find out which house best suits you. The chart comes from Lucidchart who says:

Each Noble House in Game of Thrones can be defined by a handful of characteristics. We believe most people fall into one of these groups...and if you don’t, off to the Night’s Watch you go! Are you ruthless like the Boltons or honorable like the Starks? Maybe you’re a bit of both, which makes you a Lannister. Are you the person in your family who insists on lighting all the fireworks on the 4th of July? You Targaryen! Follow the flowchart to see where you fit. If there’s one thing that unites all of us, it’s this: Hodor.

While today is just another Thursday for some people, many others are celebrating the heralded Irish holiday St. Patrick's Day. On this holiday, everyone is Irish for a night on the town. But if you prefer celebrating with a night in, we have an incredible contest opportunity you won't want to miss. We're teaming up with Lionsgate Digital and Vudu to give away digital codes for 17 movies that capture the Irish spirit.

Fans will win digital Vudu codes for Ethan Frome, Gangs of New York, The Next Three Days, Played, From Paris with Love, Peacock, Haywire, Girl with a Pearl Earring, Velvet Goldmine, Albert Nobbs, Harrison's Flowers, About Adam, Unhitched, Love's Labour's Lost, Rabbit Proof Fence, The Ghost Writer, Grey Owl, Noble House, Remember Me and Shattered. You'll be able to watch these movies right away through your Vudu account, which you can access through your smart TV, Blu-ray player,...

I interviewed Pierce Brosnan in conjunction with his third outing as James Bond, in Michael Apted's The World Is Not Enough, in 1999. Brosnan was alternately charming, erudite, thoughtful and intense during our two hour chat. His native intelligence shone through it all, as did a sense of decency which many people seem to acquire after enduring and surviving hardship in their formative years.

Bonding With Brosnan

By

Alex Simon

There are several dangers in becoming a cultural icon, not the least of which is the stigma that your public will forever keep you imprisoned in the mold of your iconography, allowing the recipient a privileged, if imprisoned, existence, particularly if that person is an artist. Sean Connery faced just such a dilemma during the height of James Bond-mania in the mid-60's. A serious actor, Connery desperately wanted to break out of the action hero mold that was British Superspy James Bond,...

To end a week celebrating New Who's 10th birthday, here's a bumper list of Doctor Who titbits from Russell T Davies' The Writer's Tale...

We’ve touched on why The Writer’s Tale, the 2008 (expanded in 2010) compendium of correspondence between Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies and journalist Benjamin Cook, deserves a space on your bookshelf here.

In short, The Writer’s Tale is both a screenwriting masterclass and an unparalleled look behind the scenes of new Doctor Who. As well as following the production triumphs and emergencies as the show lurches “from one crisis to another”, it lets you witness story ideas being created in the wild. See pivotal Doctor Who moments tottering unsurely out of Davies’ mind like new-born giraffes and watch them transform into sleek, galloping beasts of majesty! Think of it like a classy David Attenborough doc on storytelling, with bonus David Tennant photos and chat about Tony from Skins.

As a new year dawns, a tribute to those we've lost in the year now ending is merited ... and in 2012, those sad milestones have encompassed some of the most popular personalities in television history.

Andy Griffith: The actor-producer who put Mayberry on the map forever will be remembered as one of television's most genial personalities, also extending to his run as wily lawyer Matlock.

Dick Clark: The number of music stars who owe at least part of their success to the "American Bandstand" maestro is incalculable. Thanks to him, people also enjoy "New Year's Rockin' Eve," receive American Music Awards and have a greater appreciation of bloopers. Here's a "so long" salute to you, Dick.

Larry Hagman: The truly unfortunate irony of the veteran actor's recent death is that he was just starting his second round of "Dallas" success as master schemer J.R. Ewing. He'll also...

Before founding the profitable audio-book company Dove Books-on-Tape in the mid-’80s,Deborah Raffin was a busy actress. The Los Angeles native landed parts in the 1973 film 40 Carats and in 1975′s Once Is Not Enough adapted from the steamy Jacqueline Susann novel. In the 1980s, she became something of a TV-movie staple appearing in such memorable fare as Mind Over Murder and Noble House.

But it.s her role as the girlfriend of Charles Bronson (an actor 32 years her senior) in Death Wish 3 (1985), one of American cinema.s finest hours, that will forever endear her to this movie geek. Raffin played public defender Kathryn Davis, who tracks down suspected vigilante Paul Kersey (Bronson), invites him to dinner, falls in love with him and, because she.s a love interest in a Death Wish movie, is promptly blown to smithereens. Raffin also had roles in Larry Cohen.s ambitious cult...

Los Angeles — Deborah Raffin, an actress who ran a successful audiobook company with the help of her celebrity friends, has died. She was 59.

Raffin died Wednesday of leukemia at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, her brother, William, told the Los Angeles Times ( ). She was diagnosed with the blood cancer about a year ago. http://lat.ms/R0q9NM

Raffin, the daughter of 20th Century Fox contract player Trudy Marshall, had roles in movies such as "Forty Carats" and "Once Is Not Enough." She also starred in television miniseries, most notably playing actress Brooke Hayward in "Haywire" and a businesswoman in "Noble House," based on the James Clavell saga set in Hong Kong.

She and her then-husband, music producer Michael Viner, launched Dove Books-on-Tape in the mid-1980s, which blossomed into a multimillion-dollar business. The company's first best-seller was Stephen Hawking's opus on the cosmos entitled "A Brief History of Time.

Actress Deborah Raffin, who became the quintessential California blonde TV movie/mini-series ingenue and heroine during the three decades when the genre thrived in the 1970s-1980s-1990s, died on Wednesday. The Los Angeles Times quoted her brother as saying she’d had leukemia for the past year and passed away at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. She was 59. Though she starred in several features, she was best known for her TV work and most recently took recurring roles on The Secret Life Of The American Teenager (2008-2010) and 7th Heaven (1996-2005). Also, later in life, she started what eventually became the multimilliondollar Dove audio books with her then husband, showbiz entrepreneur Michael Viner. (They sold the company in 1997.) Los Angeles-born Raffin was the daughter of 20th Century Fox contract player Trudy Marshall and became a TV star when she was discovered in an elevator by an agent. With...

Actress Deborah Raffin, who became the quintessential California blonde TV movie/mini-series ingenue and heroine during the three decades when the genre thrived in the 1970s-1980s-1990s, died on Wednesday. The Los Angeles Times quoted her brother as saying she’d had leukemia for the past year and passed away at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. She was 59. Though she starred in several features, she was best known for her TV work and most recently took recurring roles on The Secret Life Of The American Teenager (2008-2010) and 7th Heaven (1996-2005). Also, later in life, she started what eventually became the multimilliondollar Dove audio books with her then husband, showbiz entrepreneur Michael Viner. (They sold the company in 1997.) Los Angeles-born Raffin was the daughter of 20th Century Fox contract player Trudy Marshall and became a TV star when she was discovered in an elevator by an agent. With...

Act as cannon fodder for the next Jackie Chan, or take the Star Ferry to Kowloon for some neon glamour and play spot-the-film-location

If you've watched a lot of Hong Kong films but haven't visited the territory, you may be disappointed to find that there aren't gangs of nunchuck-wielding triads on every corner. Or cops bouncing up walls. Or goalies in yellow tracksuits flying 50ft up into the air to save goals.

But it is an undeniably filmic experience. Jump in a cab on the streets of Mong Kok, squint a bit and you could be in one of Wong Kar-wai's blurry arthouse puzzles. Hop on the open-top 15C bus as it bombs down the narrow, winding road from the Peak to Central and it's easy to imagine you're in one of Jackie Chan's inventive chases. Take the Star Ferry to Kowloon and relive the romance of The World of Suzie Wong.