Why do people keep wanting DBZ back?

[Daikun]

I normally don't like to vent on forums, but I'm getting extremely frustrated over the majority response to Toonami's new schedule.

I will admit that there are some things I agree with. Yes, the new Toonami, for the most part, IS Adult Swim with Toonami bumpers and two new shows. You can't prepare an amazing schedule after nearly two months following a spectacular return. Getting two new shows is quite a feat on its own in that short amount of time, so I'm glad they managed to pull out one of their playing cards that quickly to get the ball rolling.

And yes, I will admit that some classic Toonami shows certainly could be on the lineup. Toonami and Adult Swim are now one in the same; if they wanted to bring back Outlaw Star, they have no excuse anymore to skip over the lost episode (especially since there was a crucial plot element in that episode that was unfortunately glossed over until near the end of the series, so it came as a surprise to viewers who had no knowledge of it).

And yes, One Piece DID deserve better, and it eventually DID get better treatment (thank you, FUNi, for your uncut redub streams!), so it would make sense for people for wanting to give OP another chance. I don't blame you guys for wanting any of these things, but considering time, money, and schedule restraints, we have to live with whatever we can get.

What DOES bother me, however, are the hoards of people complaining about the schedule who want DBZ back. Haven't you people had enough of this show?

It's time to face the facts: The show needs a rest, pronto. It aired way too much during Toonami's heyday. Remember when it used to air in one- or two-hour blocks? I find the irony hilarious that people used to complain about it airing too much back in the day, and now they're complaining that it's not airing anymore? Oh, wait, no. IT STILL IS. Even after Toonami ended, it continued to air nonstop when Kai came around. On TWO networks, no less. And let's not forget the video game version, which has the exact same storyline and is remade over and over. And the DVD/Blu-Ray box sets, which FUNi has rereleased more times than ADV did for Evangelion.

Has anyone besides me had enough of this ONE SHOW already?

Show me the original Dragonball. Hell, I'll even take GT, much as I dislike it. Just enough with Z.

 

[GWOtaku]

DBZ is popular, a lot of people remember it fondly, and it admittedly did help put Cartoon Network on the map once upon a time. That said that was another time, the original dub hasn't aged well, and it's so long that it'd take the new Toonami an huge amount of time to get through it. If it were to air I'd be OK with it, but I honestly don't think the block needs it. There are both new and old school options that fit better.

Though, I do not agree with the idea that the "majority response" to the schedule is negative. I see some loud people making themselves heard after weeks of literally thousands pushing for Toonami's return, and many of the skeptics or complainers (in fact most, I'd wager) weren't enthused about the idea to begin with.

 

[Silverstar]

Having watched and re-watched both series, I enjoyed the original Dragon Ball tons more than Dragon Ball Z, so the constant demand for more Z puzzles me as well. Yeah, it helped make Toonami the fan favorite block that it became, there's no denying that, but it was played a lot, so I don't quite understand the constant demand for more, especially since it's already been airing on Nick and Toonzai in recent years. It's not like it's really gone away, and it's not like the block needs DBZ or anything.

And yes, how we get more and more Z video games retelling the exact same story year after year truly boggles the mind.

I once read a comment by someone who said that Dragon Ball Z ended too soon. What? 291 episodes wasn't enough? Really??

 

[Cartoon X]

I'm not bothered that people want Dragonball Z back, necessarily, although the series is all too easy to buy on dvd, and is free to watch on FUNimation's website and Hulu, so the need for it isn't really there, unlike One Piece which will need a new television avenue if FUNimation wants to make it as popular as Dragonball Z once was.

What I am most annoyed by, is that people are complaining about the fact that they want to see old shows again, shows they have watched ad nauseum, to constantly say the new Toonami will be horrid for not having them, and using that as an excuse not to watch it.

Well, I for one believe that Toonami was not merely defined by a set of shows. No, Toonami was an experience. The shows were a huge part of that experience, yes, but if it was just for them why didn't [adult swim] just bring back those shows instead of bringing back Toonami? It's because Toonami is a valuable brand, not because it aired those shows, but because it had resonance with it's viewers. Toonami featured specialized promos, intros, and music videos. Toonami highlighted sports and reviewed games. T.O.M and Moltar talked to you about the facts of life, and you know what, it felt like they actually cared about what we thought, something that no other block or channel ever did. Toonami was cool not because it's shows were cool but because it itself was cool. It was commited to bringing us the finest action cartoons on the planet, and it connected with it's audience in a way nothing else ever has. From what I've read on Mr. DeMarco's twitter, he and his crew are trying to recreate that experience.

And that is the most important thing.

Toonami was never needed just to air anime or action shows. Toonami has been revived now to reconnect with the fans with the same style and passion that it had during the golden era so long ago. [adult swim] is expecting ratings boosts from the block's presence, and we should give them to it, so that the block can grow to create a whole new golden era, revive anime as a profitable industry in the U.S., and most importantly, entertain and connect with new viewers with the same intimacy it once did with us. It'll be a difficult ride, since Toonami is starting back from square one, but if the faithful are truly faithful, then it shall overcome.

Expect Turbulence, but Enjoy the Ride.

 

[VSigma100]

In all honesty I think it's the nostalgia factor. Almost EVERYONE that watched DBZ as a kid, remember it being on Toonami, so they WANT it back on the block. Not to mention it was on during the April Fools special so they probably jumped to the conclusion it would probably be easy to get back on the block, when in reality it's not. Kai is on Toonzai and Nicktoons, there's no way that Z or any of the other Dragon Ball series will be brought to the [adult swim] Toonami anytime soon. In the future if their rights run out maybe but in till then. No.

Now my personal opinion? I don't particularly want to see Z on the block again, or on the channel really. The show has just really run it's course on the network. I mean they were airing it for what? 10 years? Roughly around that, but still even 9 years is still a pretty long time. Now the original Dragon Ball, and DBGT? I'm not completely against that, but again it'll be tough to get the rights to those, especially GT with Nicktoons owning the series.

What I would love to see is Kai uncut on the [adult swim] Toonami. I just feel like people that can't afford the Blu-Rays or DVD's should get a chance to see it, but like I said before, it's being aired on Nicktoons still, not gonna happen anytime soon. Who knows. We'll just have to wait and see what the future of Toonami holds.

 

[Manga4life]

DBZ ran its course and had its time, I personally think Toonami should focus on getting shows onto the block that actually could use the exposure instead of shows that are 20+ years old. DBZ Kai is already running on two different networks at this current time, I see no need for DBZ to be on a third.

If it did air on Toonami I would place it later on the schedule so that any new programming can gain an audience first, and I would only air it if I could get it cheap. Other than that, there is absolutely no need for DBZ on Toonami.

 

[Kuromi_Star]

Personally if I never see another episode of DBZ again it'll be too soon, so I'm surely not on the "bring it back" boat. In general though, I'm very annoyed at the response of "No YYH/DBZ/Reboot/Kenshin/Outlaw Star/SM (SAILOR MOON IS NOT COMING BACK ANYTIME SOON PEOPLE)? Not watching" It's not fair, and the expectations were unrealistic. I've even seen people complain about Bleach still being there. What would lead anyone to think Bleach would not be on the new Toonami? Even worse, complaints about it being on Adult Swim at all or not kid friendly. T

 

[Gold Guy]

Simple answer: Because its popular, and has millions of fans.

But seriously, of course DBZ will be having a lot of fans moan about the show not being on the new Toonami. DBZ and Toonami usually go hand-in-hand. I honestly wouldn't mind if they aired Z, or at least the Buu saga, since Kai doesn't feature those episodes.

 

[Light Lucario]

Personally if I never see another episode of DBZ again it'll be too soon, so I'm surely not on the "bring it back" boat. In general though, I'm very annoyed at the response of "No YYH/DBZ/Reboot/Kenshin/Outlaw Star/SM (SAILOR MOON IS NOT COMING BACK ANYTIME SOON PEOPLE)? Not watching" It's not fair, and the expectations were unrealistic. I've even seen people complain about Bleach still being there. What would lead anyone to think Bleach would not be on the new Toonami? Even worse, complaints about it being on Adult Swim at all or not kid friendly. T

I'm surprised some people were expecting Sailor Moon to be on the block. I can understand DBZ, YYH and Outlaw Star, but considering the licensing issue for Sailor Moon, it couldn't possibly be included on the lineup at this point. I wouldn't mind if they're eventually able to do that though, even though I'm not sure if a more faithful dub of Sailor Moon would fit with the tone of the block, but like you mentioned, that isn't going to happen anytime soon.

Considering the amount of fans DBZ has and the fact that it was one of the more successful shows from the original Toonami, I can understand why people wanted it back, despite the immense amount of overplay the series has gotten. Personally, I was surprised that they couldn't afford to get it back, if only because I expected at least one of their older shows returning, but it's understandable due to the small amount of money they've been given for this experiment. I'm not a huge fan of DBZ, or much of their older shows for that matter, so I don't have a problem with it not being on the lineup and I'm totally fine with the block bringing in new shows off the bat. While the nostalgic charm brought the block back, it can't really last that long on older shows and Toonami needs to get new shows in order to last a significant amount of time.

 

[Checkerboard]

As much as I love DBZ, the new Toonami doesn't need it. Period.

I mean, I know DBZ was huge back in the day, it did put Toonami and Cartoon Network on the map and it is over 9000, but seriously come on! This must stop!

How is Toonami supposed to evolve and succeed (again) if you fill its timeslots and waste space with a show that has been run countless of times, literally EVERYONE knows about, EVERYONE has already seen it at least a zillion times, EVERYONE can buy on DVD/BD and EVERYONE can already watch on a different channel or online? Not to mention the insane amount of episodes it has. We don't need Bleach 2.0.

Just because DBZ was brought back for April Fool's, along with the rest of pensioners, doesn't mean it can return again just because a bunch of people are driven by nostalgia instead of common sense. April 1 was a one time thing. Promotion of DVD's = broadcasting rights for 1 night. The End.

I appreciate everyone's love for DBZ and old-school Toonami (I've been a viewer of CN almost since its launch), but we need to move on here. And Kai isn't going to save us either. What's the point of spending money, which the Toonami crew currently lacks, on something very similiar if a different network has already aired it or currently still apparently holds the rights to? This isn't Ebay.

And as for the rest of the schedule...

Cowboy Bebop is probably Adult Swim's longest running show - and also the oldest - true. But the only reason it's still airing after more than 10 years is because apparently people still tune in and it gets good ratings. Same for GITS (my favorite anime) and 2ndGIG. As long as people keep watching them, Adult Swim will keep on extending their rights to these shows and keep airing them. And before you say it's the same with DBZ... it's not. Don't make me get into that. This post is already becoming long as it is.

I agree though that both Cowboy Bebop and GITS, eventually, need to go. But for now their inclusion seems to be only logical. In my opinion, they are only placeholders before Toonami manages to acquire something more "attractive" and "fresh". Actually, I'm almost sure they're simply placeholders. We'll definitely find out in the weeks and months to come. My guess is they'll stick around till late summer and then go. For good. I'm fine with that. They do deserve a rest.

And regarding Bleach. Well, I frankly have never enjoyed it. But that doesn't mean that at the same time I'm against it. Where else would you put it? You can't just get rid of it. That's not how to treat a show with new episodes airing each week. A different time slot would perhaps be possible, but why change it if it works? And honestly, Bleach is anime. It still is popular and it has new episodes airing each week. It's probably a magnet and magnets is what Toonami needs. Adult Swim would be dumb not to put Bleach on Toonami in the first place. It's a no-brainer, really. It can boost the new shows as well. As long as it's not over-hyped and promoted like DBZ and Naruto, it'll do just fine - until it ends... whenever that may be LOL.

Then you have FMA: Brotherhood. Yes, Adult Swim could've been more creative here, but again... Easiest thing to do. I would've welcomed Outlaw Star or Yu Yu Hakusho instead, but I can't blame them for playing a safe bet. Eventually FMA:B will run its course and we'll get something better in exchange.

As for the 2 new show... Given the low budget, I think they were the best possible option. Both are fairly interesting, new and unknown (not mainstream) and indeed could become very popular. I think they will fit in nicely and one will even be a US television premiere! That was, is and always will be the point of Toonami. Introducing viewers to new anime. Making it popular and accessible. Personally, I haven't seen neither and can't wait for Deadman Wonderland. From what I've checked out online it looks very interesting IMHO.

Overall I'm happy with the new line-up and would like to wish Toonami good luck. I think it can get only better and that needs time. It's 1997 all over again!

P. S. We've made it all the way here. Let's not screw this up, shall we?

 

[Cartoon X]

And honestly, Bleach is anime. It still is popular and it has new episodes airing each week. It's probably a magnet and magnets is what Toonami needs. Adult Swim would be dumb not to put Bleach on Toonami in the first place. It's a no-brainer, really. It can boost the new shows as well. As long as it's not over-hyped and promoted like DBZ and Naruto, it'll do just fine - until it ends... whenever that may be LOL.

Bleach will end in two years on [adult swim], it only has 112 episodes left.

Then you have FMA: Brotherhood. Yes, Adult Swim could've been more creative here, but again... Easiest thing to do. I would've welcomed Outlaw Star or Yu Yu Hakusho instead, but I can't blame them for playing a safe bet. Eventually FMA:B will run its course and we'll get something better in exchange.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood episodes 32-64 have, as of yet, not been replayed on [adult swim] since their initial airings over a year ago, so it is much fresher than the overplayed Ghost in the Shell and Cowboy Bebop. But yes, like you, I believe that those three [adult swim] action carryovers are timefillers until they can acquire new/old shows for Toonami. Of course, we won't know if this is the case until summer when Ghost in the Shell and Cowboy Bebop finish their current runs, but we can only hope that they are trying to get us newer/older shows as quickly as possible.

 

[Lord Dalek]

Its iconic and technically they never did air the whole thing.

 

[monkey D Goku]

Its iconic and technically they never did air the whole thing.

yeah they did.

 

[VSigma100]

Its iconic and technically they never did air the whole thing.

Um.... Yes they did. Don't know what you're talking about lol

 

[The Huntsman]

Frankly, I don't think DBZ has aged well. I tried watching Kai when it premiered on Nicktoons and I just couldn't get into it. I know most cartoons look dated after so long, but I think some of the older anime suffers from it a bit more. I know people are wanting it to air without edits, but I don't think that would help it on that front.

 

[AndrewSP]

Nothing wrong with the classics, but it's amazing how many people want Toonami to be nothing but DBZ, Yu Yu Hakusho, Gundam, and Sailor Moon. Toonami cannot and should not cater exclusively to the nostalgia crowd. There's no way it can regain any of its former glory if it's stuck in the past. Nothing wrong with a couple shorter classics sometime in the future, but Toonami needs to set an image for itself as an edgy action block, and Deadman Wonderland and Casshern Sins seem to fit the bill.

My nostalgia fix will be from seeing TOM and the Absolution again. And that's all the nostalgia that's needed.

And I'm freaking tired of Dragonball Z. I loved it back in the day, but I have better shows to watch now. I wouldn't be against Sailor Moon, though, if it were re-licensed sometime in the future.

 

[Captain Maverick]

Huntsman the manga has aged better than the anime trust me no fights that are dragged out just the good bits....but i prefer manga over most anime unless its specifically anime like PSg and Tiger and Bunny(jeeze im on some kick with that show or something :l ). And on the subject of Dragonball Z.........no its had its time to shine Let new legends be born from todays generation of Anime. and this is coming from a guy who didnt even miss the reruns of dragonball z back in the day

 

[Hawkeye]

At 291 episodes, even if somehow the per episode price was cheap, that is a ton of money that could be used to pick up a lot of different shows. For the cost of DBZ you might be able to program the entire block with other stuff

Even if they just picked up a saga, paying for 50-100 episodes still sucks up a lot of money that could bring an interesting variety of shows to the block.

If people want DBZ, Kai is on NickToons and DBZ has been available on DVD in various formats for some time. DBZ will always be part of the history of Toonami, but for Toonami to truly be Toonami, it has to move forward.

 

[Lord Dalek]

yeah they did.

Um.... Yes they did. Don't know what you're talking about lol

When this happened.

 

[Dragnatek]

There are some people that don't want Toonami to return but want one moment of Toonami to return. In that it's not the block as a whole they were fond of and want back but a certain time in the block's life when it aired certain shows. They want the line up from the best years of Toonami 1999-2002 and nothing else.

Of course those people are the minority.