ID: A side-by-side illustration of the three main characters from Hearts of Titan, from left to right. Kory, dressed as a clown, slumps against a wall, sleeping on a train station bench. Elias, wearing headphones, sleeps sitting up on the back seat of a bus. Damien sleeps in a plane seat, lulling off with earpods and a neck pillow.
I'm pretty excited about this one, y'all!
We're all aware of the current state of mega-studio animation (Sequels, didacticism, and bores, oh my!). But, while y'all have been craving originality, artistry, and fun, I've been collecting a sampler platter of just that! These shows, movies, and short films give Hollywood a run for their money in terms of story power, emotional beats, and beautiful visuals. Each of these entries is somebody's passion project -- somebody's baby -- so you can sense just how much intentionality pours out of every frame.
I've looked into each of these projects, and they're legit! I will include my observations in my signature blue under each entry, as always. Many are still in need of financing, so I've included links where you can learn more about them and donate to the cause. I've joined a few myself!
I know that it's tempting to keep our money in our wallets for more necessary things and let pre-established studios take care of cinema for us (especially in this economy). But, if we never take risks to support fledgling creators, then we'll never see the stories that we really want.
True, we need money to live. But life-changing stories give us a reason to.
I won't command you to gamble thousands of dollars on each of these creators. Just to, at least, give them some more internet traffic, clicks, likes, and encouragement to keep going. Their work is sincere, amazing, and worth every second of your attention.
To all the creators and studios listed here, this is my love letter to you.
ID: Hearts of Titan poster. The characters fall through a sky amidst shiny skyscrapers. Orion carries a car over his head. Kory is smiling maniacally, ready to tuck and roll. Elias has a determined expression. Damien is falling face-first, mid-scream and weeping.
ID: Concept art for the four main characters, from left to right. Kory, a young white woman, wears a colorful goth outfit and a maniacal smile. Elias, a gentle giant, wears pink hair and a pink jacket tied round his waist. Damien, a short king, wears a pink, white, and blue hoodie and focused expression. Orion, in his alien form, crosses his arms over his chest. He is tall, muscular, covered in various shades of purple hair, has a long tail, and glowing yellow eyes.
Within the furthest reaches of space, a distant planet falls into chaos. Tragedy leads a young alien prince to flee his homeworld. During his final hour, Orion is bestowed a gift: The key to salvation. Fleeing the bloodshed, He has no option but to seek refuge. After finding an abandoned ship, Orion leaves with his world's last fragment of hope.
Despite his best efforts... the gift was lost.
Reaching a new planet: Earth, Orion starts anew. With his species' innate ability to change forms, he learns to blend in as a human.
There is no going back now.
Leaving his past behind, he became "Ryan".
For those who are new, Hearts of Titan is an independently made action-comedy animated series! The story revolves around three unusual young adults and a disgraces space prince on a path to unraveling an intergalactic mystery. Their suspicious full-ride scholarship is only the beginning to a much greater journey. As the story unfolds, our heroes are met with a cataclysmic chain of events containing magic, mayhem and cybernetic criminals.
Hearts of Titan is a show created for young adults. While exploring mature themes, character-driven stories, with humor inspired by early 2000s online web-culture.
I am a huge fan of animated shows that teens and young adults can enjoy together because they explore deeper themes while still keeping a focus on fun. Not to mention more complex animation styles; KAPPAPON is killing it with the colorful yet cozy extraterrestrial aesthetic! As one of the show's backers, I can't wait for the first drop of a pilot! Until then, you can enjoy silly memes of the characters on their Instagram and a graphic novel introduction from their store.
ID: Digital themed show logo for Cody++. Loading Alexander Snow + Joel Foster
ID: Concept art for Cody and Reese. Cody is a black boy wearing a t-shirt reading The Galaxy Diner & Fun Center, wielding blue digital armor and glowing lines between his hands. Reese is a white girl with a pink pixie cut wearing an alien skull shirt and wielding a red digital sword and shield. They stand in a dusky city, ready for action.
This original series follows high school freshman Cody as he unlocks a seemingly magical ability to manipulate the very programming of the world around him. Alongside his friend, Reese, he must defend Earth from a mysterious villain who seeks to reformat the entire universe.
CODY++ is like GREEN LANTERN meets THE MATRIX.
In the world of CODY++, reality is one huge computer program where a handful of gifted individuals can change the way it works. To any of us, this would look like magic.
With CODY++, we created an action/comedy with mind-bending powers, a bizarre cast of aliens, and opportunities for education woven into every episode.
I've been looking forward to this show for years now! The amazing animation style and engaging character designs have captivated me from day one, not to mention the awesome premise is enough to build a franchise off of! Check out their links above to see animation tests and concept art!
ID: Concept art for a character lineup. Cody stands ready in his blue digital armor, backed by many alien allies, half of whom wear their own digital armor.
ID: Title screen for Godspeed. Bold, white, futuristic letters against a blue and black sky of stars.
ID: Poster for Godspeed. Iris, a young human woman, flanked by the images of her father, mentor, and robot pal Bowie.
For those of you new to the project, Hey! My name is Olan Rogers, the creator, Executive Producer, Writer, and Star of the international hit animated show Final Space. I got my start by making videos online, everything from gut-busting stories to completely insane low-budget video series. I was lucky enough and fortunate enough to gain a bit of a following from over 15 years of being in that creative space.
Olan Rogers has a special place in my heart as a creative. I loved his work on YouTube before he got into the big leagues and have followed the rollercoaster of his career ever since. I LOVED his show Final Space and was distraught to hear it got cancelled (because of tax cuts, of all things!). So, when I learned that he pivoted and got to work on another, semi-related project, my hope sparked anew. According to Rogers, you don't have to watch Final Space or read the graphic novel conclusion before watching Godspeed, so don't feel weird about going for Godspeed first. Everything this man creates is from the soul. His work always puts story first, making character connections and arcs that really matter. I should stop now before I go on a tangent about Olan Rogers and his work!
IDs: On the left, a poster for Blood Snow. Batman hunches over the title, surrounded by the images of Oracle, Commissioner Gordon, bat-drones, running children, and a helicopter. A man-bat with glowing eyes hangs under the title, opposite batman. On the right, a still image from the trailer of Batman. He grimaces in a painterly, black and white coloration.
Discover "Blood Snow", a Batman animated short fan-film and immerse yourself in a cold universe.
Do you like Batman?
Would you like to see French Batman?
"Fan Film" feels too humble for this project. Each person on this team is a professional with high-ranking experience in film, animation, rendering, writing, and voice acting. The project first gained attention when they animated over the audio for the first The Batman (2022) trailer, showing off the inky yet vibrant comic book style and cinematography that captures the soul of Batman, as shown below. The team keeps dropping breadcrumb updates here and there on their YouTube channel, so count me invested!
By Brendan Blaber | Website
IDs: On the left, a poster for Epithet Erased, the web series. Molly, a little girl with stars in her fluffy brown hair, holds a glowing green amulet shaped like a heart. She is surrounded by the images of the cast, all looking to her with varying attitudes and poses. On the right, the cover art for Epithet Erased: Prison of Plastic, the novel sequel. Molly stands, holding dolls, raising a determined hand against the image of a woman in a purple hat with bunny ears and a glowing orb in her hand.
In Molly’s world, a lucky few are born with powers based on a word. That word is their “EPITHET.” Each epithet is connected to the user’s soul, and nobody has the same one. By tapping into their soul, epithet users, also known as the inscribed, can do things ordinary people, mundies, could only dream of.
Epithet Erased started as a series of animated webisodes in 2019 and has since expanded into the world of novels, audiobooks, and songs. It’s a series about comedy, crime, family, adventure, and learning how to stand up for yourself and what is right.
The original seven episodes can be viewed on YouTube and their novelized sequel, Epithet Erased: Prison of Plastic, is available anywhere books are sold. An audiobook with a full cast of professional actors, sound effects, and original music can be found on SoundBoothTheater.
The current plan is to novelize the original animated episodes into two shorter prequel books and then continue writing Prison of Plastic’s sequel.
When I tell you that I watched all of Epithet Erased in about two days, it's the truth. It's the right amount of fun, original, and sweet. But it's the character dialogue that kept me; It had me cackling and giggling like a little kid again. A unique blend of puppet show, stage narration, and superhero, this show deserves more chatter online.
By Choc Chip Animation Studios | Website
ID: Still image from the pilot episode. The characters Sousuke, Winn, and Giorgio staring with shock beyond the viewer.
ID: Poster for The Art of Murder. The four main characters Princess Almond Blossom, Giorgio, Winn, and Sousuke stand on an open book spattered with paint. The background is a classic mugshot lineup with the title spraypainted over.
Welcome to Choc Chip Animation Studios!! We’re a 2D animation studio based in Australia and we’re all about creating quirky stories with heart! Currently producing The Art Of Murder animated series - a pop culture, murder mystery musical coming 2024! Featuring an all star cast including Joey Bizinger (The Anime Man), Megan Lee, Lizzie Freeman and Starkid’s Lauren Lopez and Joey Richter. With original music by Sonya Belousova and Giona Ostinelli.
WHAT IF YOUR FAVOURITE POP CULTURE CHARACTERS WERE KEY SUSPECTS IN A MURDER MYSTERY… AND IT’S A MUSICAL!?
The Art Of Murder is a pop culture parody, murder mystery musical - pilot out now on YouTube!
I know, a musical murder mystery sounds crazy. It is. And even more! Blending genres fascinates me and The Art of Murder scratches that itch. I look forward to getting a whole show soon. I need to know who done it!
ID: Character art for Forthbringers. The three black protagonists, Atasha, Melo, and Arion leap through the air with determination; Atasha mid-yell, Melo with gold lightning sparking from his hands, and Arion with drawn back fists. Behind them, a white villain reaches his arm, seeking to absorb their red rage and fear.
"Be brave enough to live creatively. The creative place where no one else has ever been."
Welcome to Creative Theory World, where black talent shines through original anime that hits that nostalgic funny bone of good versus evil, fighting for what's right, and the underdog coming out on top. At the same time, we'll get to dive into new worlds and connect with new characters we don't get to see very often in traditional anime.
If you like fantasy anime, check out Forthbringers. If sports anime is more your thing, keep an eye out for Rule 56 -- I can't wait to try it!
IDs: Top: Character lineup for the good guys: Dundebot and Sparky, a duo of yellow robots, one big with treads for feet and one small and flying; Rake, a young human with buzzed hair pulled back, a mechanical left foot, holding a glowing blue amulet; Stria, a tall blue alien with a white ponytail, yellow eyes, and a spear; Screwloose Joe, an old human man with a white beard, milky eye, tattered cloak, and metal shepherds crook. Bottom: Concept art of Rake standing on a desert planet, surrounded by ruins, gazing at a sunset with two suns, a glowing blue shard floating beside him.
Defeat the robots. Free your people. Change the world.
In the vast reaches of space a planet lies dying. On it, a robotic hive runs rampant searching for the source that gave it life, the Axiom crystal. Now, the Mechno-hive rules over the planet, enslaving the people (or “organics”) as their labor force. Groups of organic outlaws and rebels fight to survive the oppression of the Mechno-hive. A spark of hope is ignited when a shard of the Axiom finds its way into the hands of an unlikely hero.
The Axiom Chronicles is an animated TV series designed for 8-12 year-olds, drawing inspiration from a mix of The Mandalorian, The Prince of Egypt, and The Matrix. The show's creators have mapped out a four-season arc for the show.
We believe The Axiom Chronicles has the potential to become a household sensation because it combines heart-stopping action, striking animation, and characters worth rooting for. With a story that’s reminiscent of ancient tales, The Axiom Chronicles takes viewers on a journey of finding the light, discovering your calling, and most importantly, fighting for those who can’t fight for themselves.
While the creators at Angel Studios are not accepting funding at this time, they're gauging public interest through concept art and teasers, as shown here. Angel Studios has been surprising me lately with their animation projects (like The Wingfeather Saga and Gabriel & The Guardians), so I really hope this proposal gets off the ground! Who WOULDN'T love a sci-fi retelling of Moses in the style of Samuri Jack?
Pretty Please I Don't Want to be a Magical Girl
ID: Poster for I Don't Want to be a Magical Girl. Aika floats with a pissed expression in her magical space outfit in the front. She is backed by her friends and enemies, most magical, one human.
ID: Poster for I Don't Want to be a Magical Girl. Aika stands to the side, looking bored in he magical space dress and winged staff. Her friends Zira the human and Hoshi the star stand by her side, Zira surprised and Hoshi excited.
A story about a girl named Aika who, you guessed it, doesn’t want to be a magical girl! She’s fallen out of love with her work over time but gets the job done regardless. Will she be able to reignite her passion with the help of her magical sidekick, Hoshi and her new best friend Zira? Or will those pesky evildoers, Eclipse and Lady DeVoid continue to keep her down? Who knows!!!
This project started off as me wanting to just make a new portfolio piece but turned into something much more with the help of my friends. Hope you enjoy~
Do you love "Magical Girl" anime like Sailor Moon? Do you hate it? Either way, this show is for you! The series aims to poke fun at the genre while being more than just a spoof, offering character growth, relationship arcs, and a menacing Big Bad. Not to mention it's just plain funny!
IDs: On top: A poster shot of the crew of the Serrano, taking in an uncivilized planet with varying attitudes and postures. Bottom left: title card for Steamroller Animation, in which the O is a wheel. Bottom right: Logo for Steamroller Animation, a happy anthropomorphized steamroller.
Welcome to Spice Frontier. Over a century has passed since the destruction of earth. Without a home planet humans now live among the thirty-eight known alien species. Kentucky Williams a struggling chef, leads a band of adventurers aboard their ship the Serrano, eager to discover the culinary secrets of his ancestors. Kent and his cyborg companion C-LA traverse the cosmos in search of rare earth spices.
Centuries after the destruction of earth, Kentucky Williams and his cyborg companion, C-LA, lead the crew of the Serrano on an intergalactic, flavor-driven adventure to hunt down the last remaining Earth spices. But they too are being hunted, by a ghost from C-LA’s past.
We aimed to create a show that families can enjoy together, animation fans will geek out over and young adults will relate to. Spice Frontier dazzles with its artistically beautiful visuals, brought to life with the cutting-edge capabilities of Unreal Engine, creating a truly stunning animated experience.
Spice Frontier is everything I need in a palette cleanser of a show these days. The wholesome premise, combined with an underscore of action and character development, will be a sweet balm to my soul in a wasteland of recycled archetypes and predictable twists. And the animation style?? Beautiful!
ID: Gilded poster featuring Jesus the bull, standing stoically and surrounded by palm fronds laid by a donkey peasant. Behind Jesus stands Judas the hare, giving Jesus a sharp but ambiguous side-eye.
ID: Still image from the trailer. Judas the hare falls to the ground, frightened by a vision of a winged lion spirit. In the lion is the image of Jesus with an open hand gently confronting a terrified Judas.
Judas Iscariot is an animated retelling of The New Testament of the Holy Bible, featuring details from the Apocrypha (The "Unofficial" Gospels) with a fresh stylized reinterpretation of the story's core figures. The goal of this project is to illuminate this text for both a religious and non-religious audience, placing it back into the historical context of Jesus’s role as a political figure during the Roman occupation of Judea.
This film explores mature themes pertaining to love, devotion, and control.
Whats the difference between love and worship?
Are we ever free from the people we love?
When does forgiveness become impossible?
The film is expected to be 15-20 minutes long, depending on how much we can raise with our kickstarter campaign. It is expected to take 1-2 years to finish writing, storyboarding, animating, and painting assets for this project, with an additional period of time devoted to film festival screenings before it is ready for the public.
Judas Iscariot will be the second short film written and directed by Charles Kugler, who has worked in the animation industry for clients like Adult Swim, Cartoon Network, and FOX. His previous film CLICKER, a 10 minute animated short about a couple exploring their dysfunctional relationship through the magic of television, has amassed close to 3,000,000 views on YouTube and was praised online for its bold and nuanced approach towards relationships. Now he is exploring the Bible, a universally divisive and divinely beautiful piece of text, for the setting of a new story about love, revolution, devotion, and guilt.
Biblical storytelling by non-Christians fascinates me; People outside the faith often have a unique perspective on Christ that's hard to find among those in the Church. Thus, I am extremely intrigued by this short film and cannot wait to see its fruition!
Apukunapa Kutimuyñin - The Return of the Gods
ID: Still image from the trailer of Nina, the goddess of fire, throwing a downward straight kick with a flaming heel. She appears as a young woman with brown skin, dark hair, a short red robe, traditional jewelry, and a fierce gleam in her eyes. The title of the show appears in Quechua and Spanish.
ID: Still image of Sisa, a young woman in student attire, backed by an enormous boar/bull spirit with huge glowing eyes emitting flames, thick black horns, and fangs on its upper and lower jaw.
Apukunapa Kutimuyñin in Quechua means “El Regreso de los Apus” or “El Regreso de Los Dioses.” And in English it means The Return of the Gods. The anime was produced by the Peruvian animation studio Ninakami, which was founded in 2021 in Lima, Peru.
Omar Vallejos is the producer of the anime with Sol Ferrari as the director of animation. Vallejos developed the anime as part of his master’s degree at the Kyoto University of the Arts in Japan. Ferrari serves as the director of animation with a team that includes animators from Uruguay, Paraguay, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Mexico, Germany, the U.S., and Japan.
The series’ characters include Inti, the god of the sun, Illapa, the god of thunder, and Pachamama, the mother goddess. The cast is rounded out by an Incan mummy named Mallki, Torito de Pucará, Nina, the goddess of fire, and the lead character Sisa.
According to the teaser, Sisa is caught in a conflict between gods from South American history and humans that are struggling for control of the modern world.
- Remezcla.com
Good Lord y'all, just watch the trailer already.
Interstellar Ranger Commence
IDs: On the left, a Breakfast Club style poster of the five main characters of Interstellar Ranger Commence.
An original anime-inspired indie animated series by Browntable, Interstellar Ranger Commence tells the story of Hope Griffin, who having graduated high school in Yokohama, travels to Cosmos Academy. There, she’ll train to become an Interstellar Ranger and face danger, suffer heartbreak, and find purpose.
A love letter to shonen anime, this series hearkens to the likes of My Hero Academia and Power Rangers, full of character development, intrigue, and the power of friendship! All of their present episodes are available on YouTube, but can also be found on their website along with character bios and cool posters.
By Portside Studios | Website | ko-fi
IDs: On the left, a poster shot of the three protagonists. Umi, a tall young girl with short, dark hair, red suspenders, and green shorts. Port stands beside her, a young white boy wearing a captain's hat and yellow raincoat. He smiles wide and holds a fishing rod over his shoulder. On Port's hat sits Jolly Roger, a happy little crab. On the right, a still shot from the pilot. Umi yells in frustration, whereas Port and Jolly are shocked by something off-camera. A dark rain surrounds them.
Port by the Sea is an animated series that follows two kids, Port and Umi and their pet crab Jolly Roger, as they set sail out into the ocean to fix a now broken moon. With the moon broken, an ancient titan named Tiamat is free to wreak the same havoc he once spread, but must replenish lost energy and wait for the final piece of the seal to break. Port, Umi, and Jolly Roger must overcome great obstacles from both the present and past to make things right.
An adorkable show that offers dark lore and cozy vibes? Shut up and take my money!
This show deserves a spot on this list for managing to feel nostalgic even when it's still in the works. The animation style is reminiscent of 2010s Disney Channel and Cartoon Network, and is something older and younger kids can enjoy together. I want and need more now, please!
ID: Poster for Lackadaisy, Season 1. Fourteen anthropomorphized cat characters pose.
ID: Illustration from the pilot episode. Ivy, a black cat and bob hair, speeds a red 1920s car, yelling over her shoulder. Freckles, a red cat with crazed eyes, blasts a machine gun out the backseat window as the back window gets shattered by the ones chasing after them. Rocky, a grey cat with black strips and a fiendish smile, points out the front window while holding Freckles by the back of the shirt.
So, what is “Lackadaisy” all about? To say it in short; it’s about cats, guns, and alcohol. Set in St. Louis during the prohibition era, we follow Rocky, Ivy and Freckle, our cast of criminals who all play the risky game of finding and retrieving beverages for the Lackadaisy speakeasy, a shady underground bar. The group encounters some less-than-friendly opposition from rivals in their alcohol-obtaining escapade, resulting in an action-packed shootout that eventually leads to wrecked vehicles and lots of dynamite.
- The Tacoma Ledger
I saved this one for last because it waxed poetry at me and then took me in a chokehold. I've been telling almost everyone about it, and it's still not enough! Although their Kickstarter campaigned for $85,000, they garnered over $330,000! If the pilot episode is not enough for you, then don't worry, there's a graphic novel version and a handful of clips and sneak peaks on their YouTube channel too.
I hope this list scratched your creative itch! I'm always discovering more and more indie animation projects, so please comment recommendations for an updated list in the future!
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