iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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Josh Slater-Williams @jslaterwilliams.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

@londoncritics.bsky.social : The Criticism That Made Me panel at London Film Festival

The Criticism That Made Me panel at London Film Festival: panellists Ian Wang, Katie McCabe and Savina Petkova. Moderator Michael Leader off camera

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Josh Slater-Williams @jslaterwilliams.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

Inspiring conversation with the great @helenmccarthy51.bsky.social and @michaeljleader.bsky.social at London Film Festival today

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Michael Leader @michaeljleader.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Looking forward to speaking with @helenmccarthy51.bsky.social at the London Film Festival tomorrow! (Pic from Super Play by, I presume, @wiloverton.bsky.social?)

Chibi portrait of Helen McCarthy from the 1990s video game magazine Super Play.

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Mike Diver @mikediver.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Happy 12th anniversary to Alien: Isolation, released this day in 2014. Come hear about how the game was made, from its lead VFX artist Howard Rayner, at Loading Bar, Brighton, on October 14: luma.com/p4pjgibd

Alien: Isolation on PS4 plus a copy of Aliens: The Video Games

Alien: Isolation cover art showing Amanda Ripley

The alien from Alien: Isolation, about to eat your face

Information for the October 14 event. Please check the link in the post for tickets.

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m.t. @mattlloydturner.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

🐝 LOST FUTURES 008: WAX 🐝 24th November 2026, ICA London. “Computer programmer/beekeeper Jacob gets a “television” implanted in his brain by a race of telekinetic bees, which causes him to experience severe hallucinations.” www.ica.art/films/lost-f...

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Michael Leader @michaeljleader.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

I played matchmaker and brought together Picturehouse and Gollancz for this special screening + discussion event to mark both the 20th anniversary of Satoshi Kon's PAPRIKA *and* the publication of a new translation of Yasutaka Tsutsui's original novel. 🎟️🎟️ www.picturehouses.com/movie-detail...

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Michael Leader @michaeljleader.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Looking forward to watching this anime classic (in glorious 4K) and then chatting with translator Helen O'Horan, Gollancz editor Claire Ormsby-Potter and academic Dr Jennifer Coates about Paprika's enduring legacy on page and screen.

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Michael Leader @michaeljleader.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

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Michael Leader @michaeljleader.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

On Saturday 10th, as part of my Film in Print programme at the London Film Festival, I'm interviewing @helenmccarthy51.bsky.social about her pioneering work exploring the worlds of manga and anime. Tickets are free but space is limited. Don't miss out! whatson.bfi.org.uk/lff/Online/d...

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Michael Leader @michaeljleader.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

These kids! We have to get one in order to tick off the one Mario game not re-released on Switch (NSMB Wii).

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Michael Leader @michaeljleader.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

My son has asked for a Wii U for his birthday.

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Michael Leader @michaeljleader.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Glad I managed to squeeze an entry on him into the Ghiblipedia! Would love to expand on it some day...

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Helen McCarthy @helenmccarthy51.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Kotabe worked at Toei on The Great Adventure of Horus Prince of the Sun, and in 1963 married fellow Toei animator Reiko Okuyama, who (contrary to Toei policy) carried on working for them into the 70s, and as a freelance animator and illustrator until her death in 2007.

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Michael Leader @michaeljleader.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Top of the Special Thanks in the credits for Super Mario World: Yoichi Kotabe, the one-time close collaborator of Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata who went on to help define the look of Nintendo's characters.

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Michael Leader @michaeljleader.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Back when I worked at Bafta I practically lived in the Princess Anne Theatre, so it was extra special this weekend to return to 195 for the first time in years to host a Q&A for the new Shaun the Sheep flick, The Beast of Mossy Bottom.

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Michael Leader @michaeljleader.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

I don't qualify as gaming/dev folk but this sounds like a fascinating event!

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Michael Leader @michaeljleader.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Thank you to @jlwroot.bsky.social for inviting us back to the University of Greenwich to talk about the Ghiblipedia and so much more besides!

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Michael Leader @michaeljleader.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

So lovely to see you, Helen! Thank you for coming along.

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Helen McCarthy @helenmccarthy51.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Terrific event at Greenwich University yesterday - Dr. Jonathan Wroot interviewing Jake Cunningham and Michael Leader on their latest book "Ghiblipedia". Perfectly timed to solve many of your #Christmas gift problems, but don't wait that long to get your own copy - it's out now.

Left to right, Dr. Jonathan Wroot, Michael Leader, Jake Cunningham

Michael Leader and Jake Cunningham, hosts of the Ghibliotheque podcast, left and right of the event poster for "Opening the Ghiblipedia" at the University of Greenwich yesterday.

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Michael Leader @michaeljleader.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

You're too kind, Helen! We're so lucky that the Welbeck team are still putting up with us after all these books!

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Helen McCarthy @helenmccarthy51.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

What an astonishing achievement in five years! Well done Ghibliotheque and well done Headline/Welbeck, the publishers who have given them such great support.

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Jonathan Wroot @jlwroot.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

@uniofgreenwich.bsky.social is hosting Michael and Jake from @ghibliotheque.bsky.social to launch the new book, Ghiblipedia, on 16th Sept. Entry is free. Come to hear them talk about books, podcasts, Ghibli, anime - and ask questions! Please share this post. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/opening-th...

eventbrite.co.uk

Opening the Ghiblipedia

Join us for an evening of all things Studio Ghibli, where we talk with The Ghibliotheque Authors and Podcast Hosts.

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Banshee Lover's Rage @annlynzee.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Wouldn't mind adding a few video game reviewers to our freelancer pool if anyone is looking to pick up some work. We get codes across the spectrum of releases. ANN's policy is always 2 weeks per review (no overnight embargo deadlines!). Send published examples to Lynzee@AnimeNewsNetwork.com

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Michael Leader @michaeljleader.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Had the honour of interviewing both Nick Park and Peter Lord on the podcast, and dedicating a miniseries to Park's filmography, too. But there's so much more to delve into. Hope I get to someday.

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Michael Leader @michaeljleader.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Happy 50th, Aardman! Don't think I'll ever top screening The Wrong Trousers at 6am at the end of our Picturehouse All Nighter marathon! 🐧

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Helen McCarthy @helenmccarthy51.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Sunday 18 Oct: I'm presenting The Art History of #StudioGhibli online across the USA. I've streamed live talks worldwide before, but online-only is a new adventure for me. Book here: tinyurl.com/2p9k26fr and please share!

A poster for the presentation The Art History of Studio Ghibli by Helen McCarthy, online from 5 pm ET on Sept 18 2026. On a deep soft blue background, the text describing the event is displayed in white type of varying weights and sizes, above and below a central band with, left to right, an embroidery of a crimson sun rising from blue-grey clouds, the figure of No-Face from spirited Away, and a watercolour image of a red and white koi carp.

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Michael Leader @michaeljleader.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

📚 We have (another) book out! The Little Guide to Ghibli is our pocket-sized primer on the legendary animation studio. It's packed full of quotes, facts, trivia and behind-the-scenes stories and a little bit of myth-busting, too. Find it in a good bookshop near you now! 📚

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Lewis Gordon @lewisgordon.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Capcom is on a generational run. But this is no renaissance: the company has never been greater. I reported on the secret of its success, from "Crapcom" in the early 2010s to its one-banger-after-another present, speaking to many of its most illustrious producers. www.theringer.com/2026/09/03/v...

theringer.com

How Capcom Cracked the Code of Game Development

The video game industry is in turmoil, but 2026 could be Capcom’s career year. How does the company behind ‘Resident Evil Requiem,’ ‘Pragmata,’ and ‘Onimusha: Way of the Sword’ keep pumping out hits?

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Michael Leader @michaeljleader.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Picross 3D: where have you been all my life?

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Michael Leader @michaeljleader.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

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Michael Leader @michaeljleader.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Congratulations! Looking forward to picking this up.

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Daniel Dockery @dandock.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

It's time to go back to Gotham City. My book, I AM THE NIGHT: THE ULTIMATE UNAUTHORIZED HISTORY OF BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES, comes out today! It's a narrative history of the landmark cartoon, packed with new interviews and deep-dive research. Grab a copy here: us.macmillan.com/books/978125...

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Helen McCarthy @helenmccarthy51.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

#MichaelLeader has shared the acknowledgements page from the new #Ghibliotheque book on LInkedIn, and I'm deeply honoured to be mentioned in this mighty company. #LOTRmoment

The acknowledgements page from Ghibliopedia, the latest book by Ghibliotheque. I am so very honoured to be mentioned in this mighty company.

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Brian Groom @groomb.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Street Scene, painting by Salford-born Bob Richardson (b.1938).

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Michael Leader @michaeljleader.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Caricatures by Steve Kyte of Miyazaki, Anno, Oshii and Otomo. From Manga Max #1, 1998.

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Michael Leader @michaeljleader.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Caricatures by Steve Kyte of Miyazaki, Anno, Oshii and Otomo. From Manga Max #1, 1998.

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Michael Leader @michaeljleader.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

A truly delightful episode! Although it did remind me of when I recently found my old Retro Game Challenge and Chrono Trigger DS boxes - with no cartridges inside.

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Michael Leader @michaeljleader.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Time for my daft tradition of posting the acknowledgements page from a new book, because such things need to be shouted about as publicly as possible. No-one works in a vacuum!

Just when we thought we’d retired from writing books about Studio Ghibli, Ross Hamilton (our very own Toshio Suzuki) brought us back for another grand adventure – and we can’t thank him (or the wider team at Welbeck and Headline) enough.

So much of what we do is enabled and encouraged by many friends and colleagues. Helen McCarthy paved the way for all of us and still inspires us to this day, while we’re fortunate to share shelf space – digitally and physically – with our comrades-in-arms Alex Dudok de Wit, Kambole Campbell, Nicolas Rapold, Zoe Crombie, Andrew Osmond, Nick Bradshaw, Matteo Watzky, Seiji Kanoh and the team at Animation Obsessive.

We may have written and spoken about Studio Ghibli countless times over the years, but every viewing and research session takes us deeper and deeper – and nothing reinvigorates the soul like seeing these spectacular films on the big screen. So we must thank Madeleine Mullet, Jonathan Gleneadie, Susie Evans, Paul Gallagher, Claire Vaughan, Nicky Beaumont, Owen Van Spall, Jaroslava Hynštová, Kerry Kasim and Andrew Partridge for giving us chances to share these films with audiences and present them as they were intended to be seen: BIG!

Shout out to Steph and Harold, who were there at the start, and all our love to Louisa, Gene, Ivo and Mim, who bring magic to each and every day.

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Michael Leader @michaeljleader.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Time for my daft tradition of posting the acknowledgements page from a new book, because such things need to be shouted about as publicly as possible. No-one works in a vacuum!

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Michael Leader @michaeljleader.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Big Barbican face introducing WEATHERING WITH YOU last night

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Michael Leader @michaeljleader.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Kiki is back in UK cinemas! Wild to think that it was seven years ago this week (!) that we screened Kiki's Delivery Service at Green Man Festival, with a post-film chat with @hannahstrong.co.uk.