Entertainment
This Overlooked Anime Classic Does Podracing Better Than Star Wars
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
It’s kind of a weird time to be a Star Wars fan: the Sequel Trilogy was a bust, over half the shows are disappointing, and Disney has more canceled projects than Jawas have droid parts. This is doubly frustrating because the formula for these movies doesn’t seem all that hard to crack. Surely, after nearly half a century, somebody in charge can figure out what worked and what didn’t work for earlier movies, right?
While we’re still waiting for Disney to do something interesting with this galaxy far, far away, but it took a completely different company to create the perfect tribute to Star Wars. Redline (2009) is basically one big pod race, one filled with the coolest action and the freakiest aliens this side of Tatooine. Fortunately, you don’t need the Force to discover this overlooked anime masterpiece: all you have to do is grab your remote and head to Tubi, where you can stream this full-throttle film for free!
Shut Up And Drive
The premise of Redline is that a professional racer participates in a scheme to fix a race, all to get himself and a buddy out of trouble with the mafia. He comes in second place, but after some other drivers drop out, he qualifies for Redline, an upcoming race that will take place on a planet ruled by fascist robots. There, he will face a choice that could define the rest of his life: to keep fixing races or go for the prize, which would establish him as the greatest racer in the entire galaxy.
Unfortunately, Redline was a box office flop when it was first released, earning only about $8.5 million against a budget estimated to be as high as $30 million. Later, the movie achieved a major cult following on home video and streaming, and it made a particular impact on anime superfans who were looking for something new. Thanks to its minimal plot, thumping soundtrack, and high-octane animation, Redline quickly established itself as the perfect movie for anyone looking to just kick back and enjoy an unforgettable cinematic ride.
A Film Of Dazzling Beauty
When Redline raced into theaters, it impressed reviewers with its style and delightfully unhinged energy. On Rotten Tomatoes, it had a rating of 70 percent, with critics praising the movie for its relentless pace and hypnotically beautiful animation. Notably, the film had an audience rating of 90 percent, indicating that it impressed the collective anime fandom even more than it impressed the professional critics.
I recently showed Redline to my wife, and we agreed that the movie embraced a very unique storytelling philosophy: all world, no building. The film presents a very rich fictional universe populated with exotic aliens, mindblowing technology, and even a little bit of space magic. But you get almost no exposition or explanation regarding any of these elements, forcing you to figure everything out on the fly.
All World, No Building
This storytelling method may be annoying to certain viewers, especially those who were clamoring for a meatier plot. However, I would argue that this effectively makes Redline more immersive because, like the charismatic racer protagonist, everyone watching is just along for the ride. You can try to get a handle on this chaotic cosmos of characters, or you can do what I did: just tune out all the noise and focus on the buttery-smooth animation that brings this celebration of speed to life.
While Redline is great for anime fans and anyone who loves a good car chase, the film is certain to resonate even more with fans who loved the podracing sequence in The Phantom Menace. That first prequel was deeply flawed, but most Star Wars fans agree that the podrace was great because it simplified this galaxy far, far away down to its most basic elements: exotic characters doing something both cool and dangerous. That narrative spirit is alive and well with Redline, a movie whose chief appeal is seeing colorful aliens pushing their high-tech hotrods to the limit in order to emerge as the greatest racer in the galaxy.
Buddies, Brews, Bots, And Battles
In the end, reviewing Redline is almost an exercise in futility: this is more of an experience than a movie, one in which a kaleidoscope of colors and a hypnotic soundtrack combine with some of the craziest visuals ever put onscreen. It’s truly one of a kind and unlike any film before or since. As such, it’s a film you owe yourself to check out, especially if you’ve been hungry for a movie capable of completely blowing your mind.
If you’re ready to take the ride, you don’t even have to buy a ticket: Redline is currently streaming for free on Tubi. It’s a movie best played loud and experienced on the biggest television you can find. Just be careful: by the time the credits roll, you might be tempted to shop for a new muscle car and turn your daily commute into a madcap race for the finish line!
Entertainment
The DJI Mini 5 Pro drone is $500 off right now at Amazon — save on this content creator favorite
SAVE $500: The DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo is on sale for $1,099 at Amazon. That’s $500 off the list price of $1,599.
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What’s going to happen to the drone market in 2026? Due to legislative pressure on DJI imports in the U.S., there is so much uncertainty at the moment. We expected stock issues by now, but we’re actually seeing strong discounts on some of the best drones in the DJI range.
The DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo is on sale for $1,099 at Amazon. That’s $500 off and close to the record-low price.
The DJI Mini 5 Pro offers a huge 1-inch CMOS sensor, so whether you’re shooting 50MP stills or 4K/120fps slow-motion, the dynamic range more than delivers. The DJI Mini 5 Pro also makes use of forward-facing LiDAR that powers the new Nightscape Omnidirectional Sensing, meaning it can dodge branches, power lines, and buildings even when you don’t have eyes on your drone.
This popular drone offers 42GB of internal storage, meaning you can actually capture a full session of 4K footage without needing an external card as backup. That can have a massive impact for content creators.
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Save $500 on the DJI Mini 5 Pro this weekend.
Entertainment
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Entertainment
NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for May 2, 2026
Today’s Connections: Sports Edition will require some knowledge of popular U.S. sports and pop culture.
As we’ve shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.
Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the “common threads between words.” And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier — so we’ve served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.
If you just want to be told today’s puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
What is Connections: Sports Edition?
The NYT‘s latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication’s sports coverage. The sports Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
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Each puzzle features 16 words, and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there’s only one correct answer.
If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake — players get up to four mistakes before the game ends.
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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.
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Here’s a hint for today’s Connections: Sports Edition categories
Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Here are today’s Connections: Sports Edition categories
Need a little extra help? Today’s connections fall into the following categories:
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Yellow: A Pittsburgh Athlete
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Green: Seen on an MLB Scorebug
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Blue: Teams in the PWHL Playoffs
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Purple: Horse Racing Triple Crowns
Looking for Wordle today? Here’s the answer to today’s Wordle.
Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today’s puzzle before we reveal the solutions.
Drumroll, please!
The solution to today’s Connections: Sports Edition #585 is…
What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?
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A Pittsburgh Athlete: PANTHER, PENGUIN, PIRATE, STEELER
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Seen on an MLB Scorebug: COUNT, INNING, OUTS, SCORE
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Teams in the PWHL Playoffs: CHARGE, FLEET, FROST, VICTORIE
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Horse Racing Triple Crowns: AFFIRMED, CITATION, JUSTIFY, WHIRLAWAY
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be new sports Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to today’s Connections.
Cardinals stave off Dodgers’ rally for 6th straight win
Saba Lobjanidze's brace sparks Atlanta over Montreal
