February means it's time for Valentine's Day, Presidents' Day, Black History Month and plenty of animated shows and movies worth looking forward to. While this isn't the busiest month in terms of new releases, the streaming schedules for February feature a combination of fresh anime, video game adaptations and highly anticipated continuations of old favorites. Here are seven significant and promising animated movies and TV shows set for release in the coming month.
Kid Cosmic Season 3
The third and final season of Craig McCracken's superhero pastiche Kid Cosmic arrives almost exactly one year after the first season debuted on Netflix. This story arc is subtitled Kid Cosmic and the Global Heroes and sends Kid's team of formerly "Local Heroes" on a planet-saving mission as champions of Earth. Season 3 is shorter than the previous seasons with only six episodes, but it promises to be an exciting conclusion to this funny and thoughtful series.
Kid Cosmic Season 3 premieres on Netflix on Feb. 3.
Shenmue the Animation
The third co-production between Adult Swim and Crunchyroll following Fena: Pirate Princess and Blade Runner: Black Lotus, Shenmue the Animation adapts Yu Suzuki's cult-favorite video game series into a 13-episode anime. The story follows teenage martial artist Ryo as he seeks to avenge the murder of his father, traveling across Japan and China and gaining mystical abilities. With series like Arcane raising the standards for video game adaptations, this will hopefully satisfy fans and newcomers alike.
Shenmue the Animation premieres on Adult Swim and Crunchyroll on Feb. 5 at 12:30 AM EST.
Child of Kamiari Month
Child of Kamiari Month, an original anime movie from Liden Films, tells the story of a 12-year-old girl coping with the loss of her mother, who, it turns out, is a descendant of gods. The film was released in Japanese theaters last October -- the titular "Kamiari month" in which it's traditionally believed that the gods hold a conference in the Izumo region of Japan. Audiences worldwide will now get the chance to enjoy this fantasy story courtesy of Netflix.
Child of Kamiari Month premieres on Netflix on Feb. 8.
Catwoman: Hunted
The first DC superhero movie of 2022 is Catwoman: Hunted, an anime co-production written by Young Justice's Greg Weisman and directed by Shinsuke Terasawa. This crime caper, in which Catwoman is hunted by the crime syndicate Leviathan and an assortment of supervillains, looks like a Gotham City version of Lupin the Third. The film is said to be "adjacent" to Weisman's HBO Max series. Elizabeth Gillies is the voice of Catwoman while Stephanie Beatriz voices Batwoman.
Catwoman: Hunted will be released on Blu-ray and digital on Feb. 8.
Disenchantment Part 4
Disenchantment, Matt Groening's skewering of the fantasy genre, has yet to achieve the popular success of The Simpsons or the fan devotion of Futurama, but it's done well enough for Netflix that Part 4 is finally here. Part 3 ended on an intense cliffhanger, with Queen Bean sent to Hell and dragged into an arranged marriage. This continuation looks set to only increase the dramatic stakes from there without sacrificing the show's irreverent sense of humor.
Disenchantment Part 4 premieres on Netflix on Feb. 9.
The Cuphead Show
The Cuphead video game was a gorgeous and exceedingly difficult tribute to classic animation of the 1930s. If the long-anticipated streaming adaptation The Cuphead Show isn't quite as beautifully animated (it still looks great, but maintaining the game's quality on a TV production schedule would have been impossible), it's also less likely to make viewers smash their controllers in frustration, so call it a draw. Cartoon lovers of all ages should find plenty to enjoy in Cuphead and Mugman's surreal adventures.
The Cuphead Show premieres on Netflix on Feb. 18.
The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder
The Proud Family, Disney Channel's first original animated sitcom, is getting a revival for Disney+. Original creator Bruce W. Smith is back to reenvision what Penny, Trudy, Oscar, Bebe, Cece and Sugar Momma Proud's lives are like in the 2020s. The original series was notable for both its inclusivity and its impressive guest cast. Louder and Prouder is set to continue those legacies, with new LGBTQ+ characters and the likes of Lizzo, Lil Nas X, Chance the Rapper and more set to guest star.
The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder premieres on Disney+ on Feb. 23.
