Disclaimer
This Rundown will contain some s*xual references, especially regarding the second movie in this Rundown. You had been warned!
Introduction
Hello, fellow adventurers! Blaziker is here to cover more 2025 animated movies, and now that the animation season finally begun in March, it’s time we returned to explore more animated movies around the world!
The first movie, Dalia and the Red Book, is a Latin American CG animated movie about a daughter of a famous writer who recently passed away who must be part of her father’s story and finish writing the novel. While Europe and Asia are producing fantastic animated movies that showcase just how great the non-mainstream animated movie scene is, unfortunately, Latin American animation is still rather underdeveloped, with most animated movies from that region I had covered not being even close to be as great as other top-quality non-mainstream animated movies. Will this be the movie that breaks the curse?
The second movie, Spermageddon, is a s*x-positive animated movie musical about two Norwegian teenagers who fell in love and have s*x on one night during a camp, while in one of the teenager’s body, one sperm and his friends join in on a race to be the first to meet the “Golden Egg”. I covered this in last year’s 2024 Non-Mainstream and Foreign CG Animated Movies Watchlist, and this movie already turned heads with its concept alone. This is especially given I covered another movie from the same studio, The Brothers Go to Splash World, which I absolutely loved. However, ever since its debut at last year’s Annecy Film Festival, cinemagoers had been spreading the word about it, either being excited about a movie focusing on s*x education, while others felt disgusted at its wildly inappropriate topic. Hence, being the wild adventurer I am, I decided to go out of my comfort zone, travelled to Bangkok, Thailand and covered this once-in-a-lifetime animated movie. Is this the true peak of animation we were hoping for?
The third movie, Give it All, is a sports anime movie about a shut-in high school girl with no purpose in life reluctantly helps a transfer student to re-open their high school’s rowing club. I got to be honest, this was a movie I did not plan on seeing, but after finding out from my flight back to Singapore from Bangkok the day after my Spermageddon screening that the inflight entertainment on my flight home was showing this movie. Given this premiered at last year’s Annecy Film Festival as part of the non-competition Annecy Presents category, is this worthy of being an Annecy movie?
The fourth movie, Night of the Zoopocalypse, sees a wolf, a mountain lion and other animals in a chase to rescue their zoo, which was infected by a virus that is turning other zoo animals into zombies. I know, this is another family-friendly foreign CG animated movie, but unlike those movies, Zoopocalypse has an already interesting concept, being a horror-centric animated movie that is not common in today’s landscape. Will this interesting concept win me over?
The fifth movie, Savages, sees a French schoolgirl with ancestral roots in Borneo, Indonesia, her primate brother and her adopted orangutan baby fighting to protect their ancestors’ forest home from further destruction. Savages is from the creators of the Oscar-nominated movie My Life as a Zucchini and also debuted at last year’s Annecy Film Festival. By the time I covered this, I would have covered my 25th Annecy Film Festival 2024 movie and my 9th Competition movie at that festival. How will this fare compared to the other Annecy movies from last year?
The sixth and final movie, Colourful Stage the Movie: A Miku Who Can’t Sing, is a movie adaptation of the Vocaloid to end all Vocaloids, Hatsune Miku, as she encounters a teenage musician whom she feels might work well together with their love for music. Hatsune Miku is without a question one of the most iconic virtual pop stars of all time, and to see her starring in her own movie is already an exciting proposition. Will this movie deliver on its hype?
Without further ado, let our 3rd 2025 Animated Movies Rundown begin!
Dalia and the Red Book
Key Information
- Director: David Bisbano
- Animation Studios: Mi Perro Producciones, Golem Studio and Matte CG
- Country of Origin: Argentina, Spain, Brazil, Peru and Ecuador
- Rating: PG
- Release date: 17 October 2024 (in The Netherlands)
Trailer
The Review
Even though I am moving away from covering as many pointless and sloppier animated movies that only serve to waste my time, I do not mind seeing any animated movie that at least has something interesting and worth looking out for, and this movie is one of those that I am curious about. Unfortunately, Dalia and the Red Book is not doing any favours for me.
Let’s get this out of the way, this is at least not as mindless animated movie and is instead a movie made with a lot of effort and purpose. The concept of storytelling in this movie, especially given the importance of having a great writing in 2025, makes this story very interesting, as I myself also had went through the same writer’s block the main character goes through in the past. With that said, however, that is also the movie’s biggest downfall, as the story felt very muddled and confusing in the second and final acts, where some of the characters’ priorities differ compared to the beginning. Additionally, there were too many elements to consider in this movie, resulting in writing that felt too overwhelming and disconnected in the end.
It is a shame that the writing and character development lacks in cohesion and bite, as the movie’s animation is very impressive. A lot of thought was put into the animation style that feels very expansive and creative, and feels very different compared to most of the same old animation styles in other animated movies, and some of the minor elements are well done. However, it was the writing that bother me so much that I was unable to appreciate the other elements in the movie.
Overall. Dalia and the Red Book did not manage to stick the landing in terms of how it wants to convey its concept, but I appreciate the team behind this movie for at least trying and putting in effort to produce something that at least is a fragment of their idea. I rather have movies that take risks and fail rather than movies that produce those movies half-heartedly and without much effort and passion, and fail, and that was what I felt about Dalia and the Red Book.
Blaziker’s Hot Sauce Rating
Spermageddon
Key Information
- Directors: Rasmus A. Sivertsen and Tommy Wirkola
- Animation Studio: Qvisten Animation
- Country of Origin: Norway
- Rating: R21
- Release date: 26 June 2025 (in Singapore)
Trailer
The Review
So… I made a foolish decision to fly to a different country just to watch an animated movie I really wanted to see, got to see it in the only screening for the entire country (not just Bangkok), and see it in a country where the nightlife is one of the most iconic in the world. And yes, I am this crazy. And yes, I regret nothing because Spermageddon is one of the most liberating animated movies I had seen this year so far, with the other competition being Ne Zha 2, unsurprising given both animated movies went all out.
The writing, while slightly simple on the surface, turn it up with so many elements in the writing. The writing has to focus on two different settings that are happening at the same time, one setting being about two teenagers having sex in a campsite, while the other setting was their reproductive systems (I will leave it here because if I elaborate it further, this will become NSFW), and both complement each other so well despite being completely different. The teenage storyline was simple but well thought enough, but it is the storyline taking place in their reproductive systems where the crazy stuff happens. We see endless reproductive elements swimming towards the “Egg” while navigating through parts of the body that again, if I try to explain, would be considered age inappropriate. However, the movie excels in it being a massive laugh riot from start to finish, because of a combination of extremely clever puns, the hilarious over-the-top villain and very weird characters in the movie (including an E Coli Bacteria that loves… poop) that turn it into one of the most hilarious and rancorous storylines of any animated movie of the 2020s so far.
The animation is also surprisingly well done too. Despite the simplicity of the character designs, whether in both the human and in reproductive system settings, both are quite distinct enough and are well thought too, particularly the design of the reproductive system characters and backgrounds. There were some clever techniques used that made the reproductive system setting slightly more cartoony to differentiate, and I love the liberation of those two slightly different animation styles together. They both made a cohesive package that blend together to create a fun animation style that fits into the weird and wacky nature of the movie.
The musical numbers are also fantastic, and in fact, I would love to nominate all four of those songs for the Academy Award for Best Original Song. Those musical numbers are hilarious, well thought and extremely catchy, especially with that E Coli Bacteria musical number which I was laughing at from the moment the Bacteria starts singing. Trust me, you will once you arrive at that scene. I also love how the marketing was very unapologetic, showing the “you get what you paid for” approach in giving you full frontal, and when everything hits in the movie, it creates such a fun atmosphere. Speaking of that, while there were only four other people at my screening, everyone was having a blast with the movie, especially with the comedy. This is a smart s*x comedy at its finest, and I am in love with every single scene in the movie.
It is not every day that I see an animated movie that changed my perception about animation, but this is one of those rare moments where it is clear Spermageddon is doing its own thing and managing to do so at that. For this reason, I would highly recommend you to see Spermageddon even though it might not be to everyone’s taste. After all, if this is worth travelling two hours by plane just to see that movie, then so be it! Spermageddon is easily a must see, and everyone needs to see this masterpiece!
Blaziker’s Hot Sauce Rating
Give it All
Key Information
- Director: Yuhei Sakuragio
- Animation Studio: MOE, REIRS
- Country of Origin: Japan
- Rating: PG
- Release date: 25 October 2024 (in Japan)
Trailer
The Review
Considering this was on a flight from Bangkok back to Singapore, which is just enough time for me to cover the movie in full, I was not expecting much from a typical sports anime movie, especially given I covered one of my most favourite sport anime movies of last year with The First Slam Dunk. This was especially so since it was selected as an Annecy Presents movie in last year’s Annecy Film Festival which, apart from Look Back last year which should have been in that category in the first place, offers a slightly lower quality selection. Unfortunately, Give it All is reflective of that category, because it offers nothing new to the sports anime genre despite being technically sound.
The biggest issue I had with Give it All is that this movie felt typically cliche and pedestrian, in that it offers similar story beats and character development to other sports anime movies, resulting in writing that felt kind of boring. However, the execution of the writing punches above its weight by actually being fairly cohesive, with good pacing and character development preventing the movie from getting too boring. I like how the story also expanded on a couple of rivalries and provides enough context for sports rowing without getting way too technical, so it covers most bases of a sports anime movie quite well.
The animation is also decent despite not looking great on some parts. Apart from The First Slam Dunk and Belle, I felt underwhelmed by other Japanese animated movies that utilise some CG animation heavily into their movies and Give it All is no exception. There were times where some animation shots felt out of place and slightly off, resulting in an animation style that does not look great. Still, the combination of CG and hand-drawn elements is solid, and we see some pretty great sequences, especially good montage sequences that you would expect from a good quality sports anime movie.
The soundtrack and other elements are also decent but not that memorable, and as for my level of enjoyment, given I was coming off the absolute peak that was Spermageddon, I was not expecting Give it All to be my type of animated movie. After seeing it on my flight home, while I was right, I still had a decent amount of enjoyability as Give it All is still quite a decent animated movie that nails its elements well, and that is good enough.
Overall, while Give it All leaves a lot to be desired in terms of originality, it is still a decent enough sports anime movie that covers all bases, even if it is not changing up the formula that much. A good watch, but that is all that it is to it
Blaziker’s Hot Sauce Rating
Night of the Zoopocalypse
Key Information
- Directors: Richardo Curtis and Rodrigo Perez-Castro
- Animation Studio: Mac Guff Ligne
- Country of Origin: Canada, Belgium and France
- Rating: PG
- Release date: 29 January 2025 (in France)
Trailer
The Review
As someone that covered a lot of animated movies distributed by the American distributor Viva Kids/Viva Pictures (which of course I need to talk about them in an essay someday), I had often been used to the lower quality stuff they had been inputting, but given that they had started picking up actually top quality animated movies such as Deep Sea and Scarygirl to theatres, and that the trailer had hooked me, I was curious as to whether this movie would deliver on its lofty promise on being a great horror-centric family-friendly animated movie. Boy, Night of the Zoopocalypose deliver!
First things first, my issues with this movie, and there are a few. Some animation sequences still do not look that well-rendered, and I find a couple of characters and story developments to be rather under-developed. That said, these are my only major gripes about this movie, because man, Night of the Zoopocalypse is one great scare indeed! I honestly think the writing went delightfully bonkers with its execution about zoo animals surviving a zoo animal zombie apocalypse, as well as its constant parodying of classic horror movie tropes that even the biggest horror cynics would admit be hilarious. It is because the writing, filled with memorable characters (especially Poot the pygmy hippo) as well as its twists and turns, that made what should be yet another family-friendly foreign CG animated movie into a very fun horror-centric adventure.
I also love the animation in this movie. In fact, the animation style is what makes Night of the Zoopocalypse so unique compared to most family-friendly foreign CG animated movies. The movie went for this neon vibe with this rubbery style of CG that create a more cartoony effect that still has some body horror and scares that made this style a lot of fun, resulting in a fun animation style that fits the horror-centric storyline so well. As a result, the movie felt more dynamic and exciting, and most of the animation sequences are well-rendered enough such that you did not notice the movie’s obviously low budget in this one.
The score and other elements are pretty decent, but they are the weakest parts of this movie; as for my level of enjoyment, I was honestly having way more fun with this movie than what I expected, especially given this is a Viva Kids/Viva Pictures distributed animated movie. Despite that distributor being infamous for having lower quality standards compared to other distributors, Night of the Zoopocalypse is without a question one of their higher quality animated movies, thanks to its wildly creative writing and animation that kept me entertained from start to finish. This movie is just brilliant!
I mean, what else do I need to say about Night of the Zoopocalypse? This is just a fantastic horror-centric animated movie both families and even horror fans can enjoy together. It might be toned down to reduce the level of gore that would raise its age rating, but that does not stop this movie from being a ghoulish surprise!
Blaziker’s Hot Sauce Rating
Savages
Key Information
- Director: Claude Barras
- Animation Studios: Haut et Court and Beast Animation
- Country of Origin: Switzerland, France, Belgium and United Kingdom
- Rating: PG
- Release date: 16 October 2024 (in France)
Trailer
The Review
Getting to see another Annecy movie has always been pretty exciting, especially given that the Annecy movies are rich in both variety and creativity, and once again, Savages is yet another proof of that.
While Savages does use a couple of plot points that are just not for me and some over-reliance on tropes from past movies, that does not derail the experience for me. The writing felt very raw with its commentary on ancestral roots, our environment and animal conservation, relevant topics in today’s world. I also enjoyed the wide cast of characters who play an important role in the story, and the writing felt very mature and well-developed without feeling too preachy.
The animation is also worth mentioning, as this is yet another stop-motion animated movie and man, how great is it to see stop-motion again! The animation style blends in with the level of beauty and craft put into both character and background designs, resulting in a distinct style that captures the imagination of the cinemagoers almost immediately. Some of the sequences are fun and intense, and further elevated the movie’s already great writing.
I also have nothing negative over its memorable score and sound editing, as well as its other elements; as for my level of enjoyment, I was pretty much hooked into this movie from start to finish, and it was such a tearful and emotional journey because of how relevant this movie felt to me.
Overall, Savages is yet another well-deserved animated movie that got its spotlight at last year’s Annecy Film Festival, as well as proof that stop-motion animation remains a very popular animation technique that passionate animators are still using. This is why we need more movies that express this animation technique to the fullest, because Savages is just this great!
Blaziker’s Hot Sauce Rating
Colorful Stage! The Movie: A Miku Who Can’t Sing
Key Information
- Director: Hiroyuki Hata
- Animation Studio: Colorful Palette
- Country of Origin: Japan
- Rating: PG
- Release date: 17 April 2025 (in Singapore)
Trailer
The Review
Considering I am a new comer when it comes to the Project Sekai series, I might not be well-versed in the entire lore of the Colorful Stage franchise. With that said, what was provided in the movie is overall very solid indeed. In fact, “solid” is the perfect word to describe the overall movie because every element in this movie is exactly that!
In terms of the writing, it is not the most flashy of plots and the movie puts an overreliance on key emotional and impactful moments that could derail the experience, especially given the movie not just focus on Miku, but also the characters in the five groups that are helping Miku at the same time which resulted in a lack of focus on most of the important characters at times. However, these issues are not too serious and I am willing to let the movie off the hook because the rest of the writing is just well done. The pacing is on point, the payoff is powerful and the characters are very likable, although given I am not well-versed in the Project Sekai series, those are my only opinions on that matter when it comes to the movie on its own.
I also feel the animation is equally solid and impressive. It is not using groundbreaking techniques, but that is not the whole point, as the animation style and quality is overall solid. If you had seen the Hatsune Miku videos, then chances are you would have seen the animation style because the character and background designs are very solid, the action and music sequences are solid and of course, overall animation quality is consistently solid throughout the movie. In other words, the animation is as well-executed and solid as you would expect.
The songs, which are based on previous Project Sekai and new songs crafted just for this movie, are very catchy and well-rounded, with the movie embracing different genres of music to make the soundtrack stand out in the best of ways, which I appreciate a lot. As for my level of enjoyment, I was honestly having fun with this movie, even if I do not feel that this movie breaks any ground in terms of its overall style. Colorful Stage is just a great animated movie from start to finish, and I appreciate a movie that does that.
Overall, Colorful Stage! The Movie: A Miku Who Can’t Sing is a very good animated movie that is not something different from the other animated movies I had covered, but still has enough of a punch and heart that makes this movie stand out, further amplified by the overall solid execution of this movie. If you are a huge Project Sekai fan, this is easily a must watch!
Blaziker’s Hot Sauce Rating
Conclusion
I got to say, this was a very decent lineup of animated movies to cover and overall, this is a much more memorable lineup compared to the previous Rundown. I am very happy with this one!
Thank you so much for joining me on this adventure. There are still more exciting animated movies coming our way, so tune in next time as we explore more exciting animated movies from around the world! Until next time, seer you on the next adventure!
