Cartoon Network to end Toonami

[Ion Kenshin]

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-09-20/cartoon-network-to-reportedly-end-toonami-tonight

Cartoon Network to End Toonami on September 20 (Updated)

posted on 2008-09-20 17:36 EDT
Programing block ends 11-year run with Naruto as only anime on schedule

America's Cartoon Network has revealed at Georgia's Anime Weekend Atlanta convention this morning that it will end its Toonami programming block tonight after 11 years. The official announcement will be made during tonight's final run, with an "important message" during the 10:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. ET/PT timeslot. Naruto has been the only Japanese series in this Saturday evening block recently, but Toonami used to host a variety of Japanese-animated programs when it began as a weekday afternoon block in 1997. Among those titles were Voltron, Robotech, Sailor Moon, Dragon Ball, Ronin Warriors, G-Force: Guardians of Space, Blue Submarine No. 6, Tenchi Muyo!, Cardcaptors, Zoids, .hack//SIGN, Yu Yu Hakusho, Rurouni Kenshin, The Big O, Outlaw Star, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Cyborg 009, Duel Masters, Astro Boy, Gundam, Rave Master, Zatch Bell, One Piece, Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo, Pokémon, MÄR, The Prince of Tennis, Megaman Star Force, Bakugan Battle Brawlers, and Blue Dragon. The Toonami Jetstream online streaming service will reportedly still continue, and Cartoon Networkis working to import the Japanese-animated Dema****aa! Powerpuff Girls Z spinoff that is based on its own Powerpuff Girls series.
Two episode of Naruto are currently scheduled for tonight at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT. The 2002 live-action Spider-Man film will run instead of Toonami on September 27, although most television listings have not been updated yet. Batman: Gotham Knight, this summer's Japanese-animated video tie-in to The Dark Knight film, will then run on October 4 at 8:00 p.m. After Batman: Gotham Knight, an episode of Naruto, "Powerful Helper," will run at 9:30 p.m., but there are no other episodes scheduled yet.
Thank you to Starks for the news tip.
Source: gaijinside

If there is a thread for this already please merge...did not notice one. Granted toonami is a far cry from it used to be in the good ole' days. Sadly like most of the animated networks Toonami has been gradually going down the drain. There isnt even any good anime on it anymore if any at all. I miss the days of Gundam, DBZ, Yu Yu Hakusho, Reboot and all the other shows that were great....

 

[marukisu]

...

 

[Ion Kenshin]

yea so many good times...toonami is what introduces me to Outlaw Star and it is still one of my favs to this day

 

[JP]

Whaaat?!?!?

 

[WolfCypher]

Well it is like you said: there haven't been any good anime shows on Toonami since Naruto and One Piece, with the latter being pulled frequently from the aire. They're most likely going to replace Toonami with a similar block of teen to adult shows.

 

[Ion Kenshin]

probably...although i was never a big fan of Naruto TBH

 

[WolfCypher]

And I'm not a One Piece fan, but then again, I haven't enjoyed animé since Adult Swim's Blood+.

Speaking of AS, they could extend AS to take over the hours Toonami had.

 

[Spade]

In many ways, I'm saddened that this is over. But, in others, I've known this was going to happen for some time.

I've been watching Toonami since way back when. When I say that, you might think "when Tom 1 was hosting." Well, you'd be wrong. I've been watching since Moltar was hosting. Since Dragon Ball Z and Sailor Moon moved to Cartoon Network from the WB, and DBZ from Fox before that. I even remember the "Is Toonami a failed experiment?" bump voiced by Moltar, and the fear that DBZ would be fated yet again to cancellation. Then, the awesomeness of the revival: Tom, the Absolution, and Sara. The Total Immersion Events- anyone else remember how bad@ss Lockdown was? Tom 2 hosting. Motivational bumps giving life lessons. Classic anime at its finest. Yes, life was good.

Then Tom 3 rolled around, everything started getting updated for no reason, and shows like Justice League showed up on Toonami. Around '03 or '04 is when this started, and it's around then that I started to realize how mediocre it was becoming. Don't get me wrong, I love American animation. But the fun of Toonami was in getting a daily dose of animation I wasn't getting in the States. Sure, it still had anime. But we weren't getting shows of the caliber that we used to get. There were no Outlaw Stars to be seen. Naruto became a staple of Toonami for all the wrong reasons. Soon, Ben 10 and others started taking over.

Then came Miguzi. After that, I left. It became pretty apparent that Toonami was shelved for a more kid-friendly block. The revival of Toonami was even worse. Tom 4 and his buds may have been well-intentioned, but they were a random change and an inappropriate one at that. Whenever I did flick on Toonami, it was a shell of its once former glory. Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh and an hour of Naruto were in store, for a programming block that once sported shows like Megas XLR, Tenchi Muyo, and Cyborg 009.

So no, this final farewell is of no surprise to me. But it's a shame. A shame that anime no longer has a bastion. A shame that cartoons like Camp Lazlo and Total Drama Island are models for "the CN." A shame that the network left behind thinks that innovative animation in all its forms can't compare to the live-action movies and uninspired jokes it currently airs.

Well, that's my bit. Peace.

 

[yenaled]

Since Toonami started in 199 7 there has been decreasing amount of funding put aside for animation int he USA - and the death of this just shows that more.

 

[wellsy]

You Americans are lucky to have had that much (not to mention plenty of anime on your Sci-Fi Channel). Think of us poor Australians - we lost Toonami years ago (my word, it must have been at least 5 years!), and Adult Swim stopped airing anime and moved to the Comedy Channel at the start of this year. The only anime currently showing is Naruto on Cartoon Network (*shudder*), and Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex has stopped airing on SBS too (though they do play some Miyazaki works).

I hope that they get a move on with the "Adult Swim" channel I'd heard about (I went in for a poll).

Count yourselves lucky, my chums. You've got plenty more than us poor sods down here.

 

[Zephyr Alexian]

And I'm not a One Piece fan, but then again, I haven't enjoyed animé since Adult Swim's Blood+.

Blood+ had to grow on me, but when it did, I was a big fan. 51 eps wasn't enough.
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Toonami was one of the last good things I enjoyed on CN. I barely watch it anymore. Shame really.

 

[LondonGirl]

Man this is sad Toonami definitely isnt what it used to be but i definitely am glad they brought us shows like the ones i highlighted in red because those were the anime i grew up on. *sigh* its sad to see things change =(

Yeah, I agree, all great shows. Toonami introduced me to many of these programs. My fave out of them would have to be Dragon Ball Z though.

 

[Specter313]

I'm mostly saddened to hear about this, but also a part of me thinks this might be time, especially since they've really cut back on the quality real anime shows. Naruto is the only one on Toonami that I watch anymore, and even adult swim doesn't have many anime shows that I watch anymore, Bleach being the only one I'm really invested in. I would really love to see them bring some of the quality shows back in some form or add a little more to adult swim at least. I really hope that this won't be the end of anime in general on CN, because that's one of my favorite forms of entertainment and don't currently have access to seeing any other anime programming other than CN.

 

[marukisu]

...

 

[Spade]

It is, September 20th, and I sure hope it does.

 

[marukisu]

...

 

[Spade]

Most of us did. There was no real annoucement it was ending; one of the show producers just gave a quick comment online about that specific airing, and then there was confirmation at a convention. Pretty low-key for a big event.

 

[marukisu]

...

 

[Ion Kenshin]

i have been watching alot of CN lately and it seems they are trying to target a different demographic. most of the shows and things they have been showing as of late have been tv-pg

 

[Spade]

You'll also notice most of the shows suck.

Goosebumps? Seriously? I'll give Clone Wars a shot- I think it starts in 8 minutes on my end- but I'm not expecting much.

 

[Ion Kenshin]

goosebump they only show in october...its a fun show that i enjoyed in my childhood...i read all the books and like the nostalgia a bit...clone wars was pretty decent...and if you happen to get a chance to watch total drama island that show is definately not for the younger age ...i did not say they were good or bad i just said that they are reaching for an older demographic...and i dont so much mind what they are showing right now

 

[Cosmic]

I haven't watched it in years. I used to love watching Robotech, G-Force, Dragonball, and some of the Gundam stuff.

 

[kane9321]

thank god..its been horrible for years

 

[VIVAFIRE69]

Toonami was great in its days ,but Adult Swim has taken the better anime from it.

 

[ssj wolverine]

Too bad. Toonami was at one time must see tv with DBZ, Dragonball,Ruroni Kenshin, Justice League among others. But for the past few years it was garbage like Bobo-bo Boo-Bobo that brought that block to screeching halt. If CN had done a better job of bringing in better shows, Toonami would still be thriving. Thank god for Adult Swim