Topics included their favorite anime, who would win in a battle royale, and the mystery behind the Prism Devices in their music videos.

Check out our video interview with cosmosy below!

cosmosy has been busy releasing a lot of new music this year, including “Paradise ~ I need you ~”, a super catchy song that features the members trying to get the Prism ring. They even channeled the music video’s aesthetic with some of their outfits in the interview.

cosmosy will be performing in Los Angeles at KCON LA 2026, which will take place at the Crypto.com Arena and the Los Angeles Convention Center from August 14 to August 16, 2026.

The post cosmosy Talks Anime, Music, and the Mystery Behind the Prism Devices at Anime Expo 2026 appeared first on Nerd Reactor.

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The case features artwork by Ina’nis and Rosuuri, with an exclusive Royal Purple colorway. It is also interactive thanks to the integrated touchscreen with Ina’nis as the centerpiece, and you can move the camera around and zoom in and out. She also comes with idle animations.

Fans can also get the Ninomae Ina’nis Keycap and Desk Pad Bundle as part of the collaboration. The Keycap set include 155 keys and is compatible with ANSI/JIS keyboards while also featuring the Royal Purple colorway and Takodachi iconography. The 900mm x 400mm Desk Pad is included and has artwork by Rosuuri.

The HYTE Y70 Touch Infinite Ninomae Ina’nis Case is now available for pre-order at HYTE.com and retails for $499.99.

The HYTE Ninomae Ina’nis Keycap and Desk Pad Bundle is now available for pre-order at HYTE.com and retails for $134.99.

The post Hololive’s Ninomae Ina’nis and HYTE Team Up for Stylish, Interactive PC Case appeared first on Nerd Reactor.

Alexandria Neonakis (The Last of Us, Uncharted 4), a professional character designer and concept artist, will be teaching the weekly class on Wednesdays from July 8 to 29, from 3 pm to 5 pm PDT.

You can register for the classes via the Wacom site.

Here is the schedule for the classes:

Session 1: July 8th from 3:00 – 5:00 pm PDT / 6:00 – 8:00 pm EDT
What makes a great character design? Mixing and matching simple shapes

Session 2: July 15th from 3:00 – 5:00 pm PDT / 6:00 – 8:00 pm EDT
Finding our own style: bringing inspiration and references together

Session 3: July 22nd from 3:00 – 5:00 pm PDT / 6:00 – 8:00 pm EDT
Costumes, settings, and accessories: getting the details of our character down

Session 4: July 29th from 3:00 – 5:00 pm PDT / 6:00 – 8:00 pm EDT
Final details, high-level professional feedback, and Q&A

The post Create Your Own Anime, Comic, or Game Character With Wacom Creativity Camp appeared first on Nerd Reactor.

We had the chance to chat with Juliette M. Ojeda, who portrays Sophie in the Mamma Mia! national tour. You can check out the video interview above.

“Mama Mia was actually the first musical I ever watched live in person,” Ojeda tells Nerd Reactor. “It was on Royal Caribbean. I was 13, so it was about 10 years ago. This has just always been my dream role. I mean, this was the musical that inspired me to pursue musical theater, to pursue acting and singing.

“That’s just kind of been my journey. I’ve been auditioning for this specific tour for nearly three years. And after going in as the understudy and as an ensemble, I was auditioning for that part. The last thing I expected was for me to land the lead. So it’s been quite the journey, and it’s been really awesome. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

About Mamma Mia!

Synopsis: Set on a Greek island paradise where the sun always shines, a tale of love, friendship, and identity is beautifully told through the timeless hits of ABBA. On the eve of her wedding, a daughter’s quest to discover the father she’s never known brings three men from her mother’s past back to the island they last visited decades ago.

The musical stars Jessica Crouch as Donna Sheridan, Juliette M. Ojeda as Sophie Sheridan, Carly Sakolove as Rosie, Jalynne Steele as Tanya, Leland Burnett as Bill Austin, Rob Hancock and Rob Marnell as Harry Bright, Victor Wallace as Sam Carmichael, and more.

Mamma Mia! tickets are available until July 19th at the Center Theatre Group site. The Ahmanson Theatre is located at 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90012.

The post Mamma Mia’s Juliette M. Ojeda Says the Musical That Inspired Her Career Is Now Her Dream Role appeared first on Nerd Reactor.

It was, “Really? Another one?”

After seven films in the Despicable Me universe, it’s fair to wonder whether these little yellow troublemakers still have anything new to offer. They’ve become some of the most recognizable animated characters in the world, but they’ve also become impossible to escape. At some point, you have to ask whether audiences are laughing because the jokes are still fresh or simply because they’re familiar.

Then Minions & Monsters surprised me.

Directed by Pierre Coffin, who once again lends his unmistakable voice to every Minion on screen, the film serves as the third chapter in the Minions prequel series. Set in 1920, nearly five decades before the events of Minions (2015), the story follows the lovable yet misunderstood blue-and-yellow gang as they find themselves caught up in the early days of Hollywood with one ambitious goal: to make a monster movie worthy of the silver screen.

If you’re expecting another simple slapstick adventure, you’re only getting part of the picture.

The real star of Minions & Monsters is classic cinema.

Every frame feels packed with affection for the golden age of filmmaking. Silent films. Universal Monsters. Massive studio backlots. Elaborate practical effects. Famous movie posters. Early cameras. Even blink-and-you’ll-miss-them visual gags reference legendary actors, directors, and iconic moments from film history. I honestly started looking at the backgrounds almost as much as I was watching the Minions because there was always another little tribute waiting to be discovered.

As someone who genuinely loves movies and the history behind them, I found this to be the biggest surprise of the entire experience.

The voice cast helps sell that celebration. Trey Parker, Allison Janney, Christoph Waltz, Jesse Eisenberg, Jeff Bridges, Zoey Deutch, Bobby Moynihan, and Phil LaMarr all bring plenty of personality to their characters. Nobody feels like they’re simply collecting a paycheck. Everyone seems to understand exactly what kind of movie they’re making, and that playful energy spreads across the entire cast.

The biggest weakness, unfortunately, is the main story itself.

It’s perfectly enjoyable, but it never reaches the emotional highs that some earlier entries in the franchise managed to find. There were moments where I felt the narrative leaning on familiar Minion antics instead of pushing toward something new, and I can understand why some audiences may feel a bit of Minion fatigue after all these years.

Oddly enough, it was the smaller stories that won me over.

Characters in the background receive funny little arcs. Relationships quietly develop without demanding attention. Running jokes pay off in clever ways. The world itself becomes just as entertaining as the central plot. I found myself smiling at details that had nothing to do with the main adventure because they reflected such genuine admiration for filmmaking as an art form.

That’s what kept pulling me back in.

This doesn’t feel like a movie trying to convince audiences that Minions are still popular. It feels like a group of filmmakers using the Minions to celebrate the people who built cinema into what it is today. Every old movie reference, every lovingly recreated set, every affectionate wink toward Hollywood history comes across as sincere.

By the time the credits rolled, I realized I had spent less time thinking about whether the franchise still worked and more time appreciating why this particular story existed. Minions & Monsters may not be the strongest film in the series, but it carries enough charm, humor, and genuine love for movies to earn its place.

It also left me with one lingering question.

Maybe this was the perfect direction for the Minions because it gave them something new to celebrate. But after seven films, it’s fair to wonder where they go from here. This franchise has given audiences plenty of laughs over the years, and Minions & Monsters proves there is still some creative fuel left in the tank. At the same time, I couldn’t help asking myself whether this might be the right moment to let these little yellow icons take a well-earned bow before their magic becomes too familiar.

If this does end up being one of their last great adventures, it’s a pretty wonderful note to leave on.

Rating: 3.5/5 Atoms

Minions & Monsters storms its way into theaters this Wednesday, July 1st.

The post Minions & Monsters Review – Bananas, Monsters, and Movie Magic appeared first on Nerd Reactor.

Fans in Southern California who want to meet them will get a chance at this week’s Fan Expo Anaheim at the Anaheim Convention Center.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars is an animated series that was the template for the popular characters fans see today including Ahsoka Tano.

“When we first were announced and people found out about our project, they were not excited,” Taber tells Nerd Reactor. “Star Wars animation was not something that had been around. So there was a lot of skepticism, especially with the character of Ahsoka. We talk about this all the time. So, in general, people were like, ‘I don’t know about this.’ I always tell this joke that some of my friends, they didn’t even watch the show. They were like, ‘Oh, a cartoon,’ and then a couple of years later they watched Clone Wars, and they were like, ‘Dude, your show’s so good!'”

Fans will get to meet Catherine Taber this weekend at Fan Expo Anaheim, and she talks about her appreciation for them.

“I am meeting people who love what we do and are so grateful, and how can I not feel grateful for that?” she said. “So it’s like a mutual love fest, and then I meet the coolest young people. And sometimes they’re going through things in their life that are difficult. And I feel like I get to have a moment with them where I could be encouraging, and that’s been the greatest gift.”

James Arnold Taylor on Obi-Wan Kenobi

James Arnold Taylor’s credits include Magneto in Marvel Rivals and Tidus in Final Fantasy X, just to name a few. His most well-known role is Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars universe.

“I’ve actually, and I never say this with a bloated ego, but I’ve played more Obi-Wan than even Ewan McGregor and Sir Alec Guinness combined,” the actor said.

Taylor loves meeting people who love the world the actors were a part of.

“I have just felt like at every convention, I am meeting people that love what we do and are so grateful.”

Brendan Wayne, the Mandalorian

The Mandalorian series is a huge hit on Disney+ that spawned a live-action feature film, The Mandalorian and Grogu. Pedro Pascal is known as the voice of the titular character, but the actor underneath inside the suit is mainly portrayed by Brendan Wayne. Star Wars fans will instantly recognize that walk.

“I mean, honestly, it’s incredible,” Wayne said. “Like I could sit, come over and grab some tissue, I guess, and whine about something, but at the end of the day, dude, I really do have the best of both worlds.

There are positives to being an actor in a Star Wars project in a helmet.

“I get to be a part of my kids’ lives without interruption at dinners and things like that,” he explained. “I mean, I watch Pedro; I’ve been out with him. It’s rough, dude.”

Fans will also get to meet Wayne at Fan Expo Anaheim, and like everyone else, he’ll be excited to see Mark Hamill.

“But as far as going to cons, I’m gonna do Fan Expo Anaheim, and I’m doing it because Mark Hamill’s gonna be there.”

Fan Expo Anaheim is running from June 26 to 28, 2026, at the Anaheim Convention Center.

Celebrity guests include Mark Hamill (Star Wars), Giancarlo Esposito (The Mandalorian), The Lord of the Rings‘ Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Dominic Monaghan, Billy Boyd, John Rhys-Davies, and many more.

The post ‘A Mutual Love Fest’: Star Wars Actors Reflect on Fan Connection Ahead of Fan Expo Anaheim appeared first on Nerd Reactor.

On Sunday, May 24th, at The Grove in LA, Disney and Kellogg’s teamed up for a fun one-day event featuring a giant Toy Story claw machine. Select fans had the chance to operate The Claw, and every person won a prize of all shapes and sizes, even a scooter!

Check out the video below to see some of the prizes won:

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Toy Story 5 is now in theaters, and fans can now get a surprise toy inside Kellogg’s special edition cereal boxes.

The post Toy Story 5 Claw Machine Event Took Over The Grove in Los Angeles appeared first on Nerd Reactor.

Exclusive merchandise is also available, and for those wanting to get some drinks in, there is a bar inside the restaurant. The restroom even looks nice with the shell-inspired mirror and a manhole cover on the ceiling, making you feel like you are inside a New York City sewer.

Check out our experience of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Pizzeria in the video below:

Get a look at the different signature pizzas via the menu below:

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Pizzeria Los Angeles is now open at 1444 3rd St Promenade, Santa Monica, CA 90401.

Hours are:

Sunday – Thursday: 11 AM – 10 PM
Friday – Saturday: 11 AM – 11 PM

The post Inside the TMNT Pizzeria: A Look at Santa Monica’s New Turtle-Themed Restaurant appeared first on Nerd Reactor.

Not because I don’t love this franchise. Quite the opposite. Toy Story has been a constant companion for most of my life, and after the emotional farewell of Toy Story 3 and the unexpected meetings and partings of Toy Story 4, I genuinely wondered what was left to say. I expected another Woody and Buzz adventure, nostalgia. I expected comfort.

What I didn’t expect was Jessie.

And honestly, I’m so glad that’s the movie we got.

Directed by Andrew Stanton and co-directed by McKenna Harris, Toy Story 5 reunites nearly every voice fans have grown up with. Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Tony Hale, John Ratzenberger, Wallace Shawn, Blake Clark, Annie Potts, Bonnie Hunt, Kristen Schaal, Keanu Reeves, Ally Maki, Melissa Villaseñor, and others return with the same warmth and chemistry that have defined this series for decades. The newcomers, including Greta Lee, Conan O’Brien, Craig Robinson, Bad Bunny, Ernie Hudson, Alan Cumming, and several more, slide naturally into this world without feeling like stunt casting.

But the real heart of the film belongs to Joan Cusack.

For years, her story in Toy Story 2 gave us one of the franchise’s most devastating moments. That fear of abandonment never truly disappeared, and Toy Story 5 wisely recognizes that trauma doesn’t simply vanish because time passes. Seeing Jessie wrestle with those lingering scars gives the film an emotional foundation I never saw coming. Joan Cusack delivers some of her strongest work in the entire series, and there were several moments where I found myself far more invested in her journey than I expected.

The “toys versus technology” premise initially seemed like the obvious hook. Trailers suggested a story about screens replacing playtime, and while that idea is certainly present, the film digs much deeper than that.

What Toy Story 5 is really asking is why so many children today feel pressured to grow up so quickly.

The film quietly examines the expectations placed on kids, the fear of not fitting in, and the way structured lives sometimes leave very little room for imagination. Technology becomes less of a villain and more of a symptom. The real issue is a world that often forgets how important play actually is.

That message hit me harder than I expected.

As someone who grew up creating stories with toys scattered across the floor, I found myself thinking about how much those moments shaped who I became. Toy Story 5 understands that play isn’t wasted time. It’s how children process emotions, discover themselves, and learn to connect with others. That’s a surprisingly profound idea for a movie about talking toys.

And thankfully, the film never forgets to have fun.

The comedy lands beautifully. The returning cast still feels like a family, and the chemistry between everyone remains one of Pixar’s greatest strengths. Whether it’s Rex spiraling into panic, Hamm delivering dry observations, or Duke Caboom stealing scenes once again, the movie balances humor and emotion with remarkable confidence.

Visually, Pixar continues to impress. The animation is stunning, but what stood out to me most were the smaller details. Expressions carry so much feeling. Quiet moments are allowed to breathe. There is a maturity to the filmmaking that trusts the audience without ever losing the wonder that made the original film special back in 1995.

By the time the credits rolled, I found myself smiling for a reason I never expected.

Toy Story 5 didn’t try to recreate the past. It didn’t chase nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake. Instead, it found a new story worth telling and gave one of the franchise’s most beloved characters the spotlight she deserved.

And somehow, against all my expectations, I think this movie was one of the best Toy Story films ever made.

That was perhaps the biggest surprise of all.

After thirty years, this franchise still understands something many films forget: growing up doesn’t mean leaving play behind. It means carrying the lessons, friendships, and imagination we discovered through it into the next chapter of our lives. Toy Story 5 celebrates that idea with sincerity, humor, and a tremendous amount of heart.

I walked into the theater wondering why this movie existed.

I walked out grateful that it does.

Rating: 5/5 atoms

Toy Story 5 comes alive in theaters this Friday, June 19th.

The post Toy Story 5 Review – Celebrating the Power of Play appeared first on Nerd Reactor.

The auction for the Online Entertainment Memorabilia Auction: London Spring 2026 is ending on May 21st, with the Collectible Posters Auction: London Spring 2026 ending on May 22nd.

One of the highlights from the auction is a Stormtrooper helmet from Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. It can be seen among the remains of the Death Star, where Rey is searching for the Sith Wayfinder. The estimated bid was $2,640 – $5,280, but now it’s currently £9,500 at the time of this writing.

Propstore’s Online Entertainment Memorabilia Auction is available for bidding until May 21, 2026. There are over 400 lots.

Registration and bidding are now open at: https://propstoreauction.com/auctions/info/id/508

For the collectible poster auctions, there are over 400 rare and original posters, with the British UK Quad “Gone with the Wind” style poster for Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back leading the pack. It features artwork by Roger Kastel and was produced in extremely limited numbers. Many copies were trimmed for the London Underground display, which makes the untrimmed examples very rare.

Propstore’s London Collectible Posters Auction is available for bidding until May 22, 2026. It also includes a special collection of artwork by prolific poster artist Brian Bysouth.

Registration and bidding are now open at: https://propstoreauction.com/auctions/info/id/510

The post Star Wars Props & Rare Posters Hit Propstore’s Spring 2026 Online Auction (Stormtrooper Helmet, Empire Strikes Back Art & More) appeared first on Nerd Reactor.