Sidekicks do more than just hang out with the main character; they highlight what makes that character special. Often, a sidekick’s personality is very different from the hero’s, which makes the hero’s traits stand out even more. There have definitely been some amazing sidekicks in anime.
Pete “Maverick” Mitchell came back to Top Gun after a long career, even though he remained a captain despite having the potential to advance. He relies completely on his instincts, demonstrated at the start of Top Gun: Maverick when he pushes the experimental “Darkstar” jet to incredible speeds. Shortly after, he delivers the memorable line, “Don’t think, just do,” which is considered one of the most powerful quotes in action movies.
The popularity of Pokémon TCG Pocket isn’t surprising, as the trading card game remains a major source of revenue for the Pokémon franchise. The game recreates the excitement of opening card packs and building a collection, all without requiring actual purchases.
Rory McIlroy’s brief appearance in The Devil Wears Prada 2 feels right for a golfer who’s now famous beyond the world of sports. Fashion and golf are increasingly connected, and his cameo shows how athletes are becoming more visible in popular culture. While it’s a small part, it highlights how much attention golf is getting outside of the sport itself.
Shari had no memory of her childhood, but surprisingly sided with Kirby, the man who kidnapped her years ago. Voight suspected Shari wasn’t telling the truth and wasn’t the same little girl Imani remembered, but his concerns were ignored, almost derailing the investigation. Frustrated, Voight violently killed Kirby. Though the other officers didn’t express sadness over his death, Burgess and Ruzek were horrified by Voight’s brutal act – repeatedly slamming Kirby’s head against a door until he died.
Disney+’s new special, The Punisher: One Last Kill, quickly became the most popular title on the streaming service. According to data from FlixPatrol, it reached the No. 1 spot worldwide just one day after its release on May 12th. The special is currently leading in all viewing categories, surpassing every other movie and show available on Disney+, and continues to hold strong at the top.
Following the success of The Walking Dead, Dead City is one of the new series expanding the universe. It centers on Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) as they navigate a dangerous, isolated Manhattan after the zombie apocalypse.
Prime Video, owned by Amazon, regularly adds new shows to its already extensive collection. And 2026 will be no different, with the streaming service already anticipating another popular series.
The new action movie features stars like Henry Cavill, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Eiza González. It’s director Guy Ritchie’s first film since his previous one, and unfortunately, it’s following a similar pattern of mixed reception. Early reviews gave it a 58% approval rating, classifying it as ‘rotten’.
Certain characters in these stories challenged the notion that being in love should fix them, and instead focused on building relationships based on genuine feelings and self-respect, rather than unrealistic expectations. Because of this, these characters continued to influence romance stories long after their own series ended, with later anime often taking inspiration from their approach.