C&C - Toonami Talkback [4/1]

[Manga4life]

It certainly will lend credence to the theory that blocks and their packaging can have an affect on people's viewing habits if done correctly.

I can't help but to wonder that if Toonami does happen to return during the Adult Swim portion of the night and if CN/AS see's a huge increase in viewership if there would ever be a chance to see blocks become common again on CN proper? Or maybe even a Toonami return to the CN lineup instead of it being placed kind of a block within a block/wannabe network?

Lot's to think about there, in my opinion.

 

[AndrewSP]

It certainly will lend credence to the theory that blocks and their packaging can have an affect on people's viewing habits if done correctly.

And the current block doesn't exactly have the best packaging to begin with. The bumps they use now are, in a word, creepy. IMO the worst packaging the action block has ever had.

 

[Evo]

And the current block doesn't exactly have the best packaging to begin with. The bumps they use now are, in a word, creepy. IMO the worst packaging the action block has ever had.

Tom 3 or Tom 4? Tom 3 in my favourite one, not a big fan of Tom 4 though. The visor makes him Tom and giving him a face kind of ruins his mysteriousness.

 

[macattack]

Tom 3 or Tom 4? Tom 3 in my favourite one, not a big fan of Tom 4 though. The visor makes him Tom and giving him a face kind of ruins his mysteriousness.

AndrewSP is talking about the current ASA block packaging frequently involving a weird old woman and her monitor with a hand in it.

If Toonami returns it'll probably be TOM 3, at least at first. TOM 3 still looks pretty slick with the 04-07 visuals and they're much cheaper to produce than TOM 4, especially with AS' limited resources.

 

[firecrouch]

Before a proper Toonami return I wouldn't be surprised if CN/AS does some more Saturday runs of Toonami as proper audience testing, kind of like what they did with "Shin-Chan". Maybe mix up the lineup of testing with other nostalgia-fueled shows, the same shows they ran for April Fools, first episodes of newer shows, popular shows that aren't necessarily new but haven't had a TV run or did but didn't finish (Naruto Shippuden and One Piece), maybe run some shows online as a little something extra. It's a stretch and maybe I'm thinking of what I'd like to see as a viewer rather than what actually would work, but hey I'm just putting it out there.

It makes me wonder though, would Toonami have a rise in ratings only if it's a nostalgia-based block? I mean there are things like that, Teen Nick has that 90s block. Then again those are just packaged reruns and that is a whole 'nother catalogue of shows that has many, many episodes they can cycle through. Also that block might not be a particularly long-term thing. I also don't follow it so I don't know what the expectations/ratings are for that.

If history says anything though is that anything that starts out on TV fueled by reruns of classic shows goes into the territory of new programming to capture a new audience and let ratings grow. Cartoon Network, Nicktoons Network, TV Land, AMC, you name it. They may each be totally different cases but I think you catch my drift.

I think a return to Toonami would start out somewhat modest, taking up the regular ASA timeslots with the older hits with a few new shows sprinkled here and there. Gradually it would start to focus on newer shows, and if the block gets even more successful sprinkle more and more new shows there, hopefully take up more timeslots.

It's a shame though, I feel ultimately what would be the most popular shows for a Toonami audience are shows that while very popular with a core fanbase are so far into their run of dubbed episodes and have been readily available on DVD and online streaming. And there's evidence to show that when that happens ratings don't live to their full potential. I don't know if the sheer popularity of shows like "One Piece" and "Naruto Shippuden" would make up for that, I mean maybe since they've had a TV run already but it's tricky. It's really only guaranteed to work if it's already had a solid TV run in the past.

And I believe I just saw it in these recent posts: something along the lines of a Toonami on regular CN and another on adult swim. That would be interesting; have the younger-skewing shows on the CN Toonami and more mature ones on adult swim Toonami. That's still tricky though, it might confuse viewers to have two different versions of the same block. But on another note, I really feel that for an action/anime block to have ultimate success it should be targeted towards 12-17 year-olds, but it's hard to imagine something like that happening based on what we've seen so far.

 

[Sketch]

It's even harder to imagine CN dedicating any significant hours to action acquisitions or even Ben 10 at this point. That kind of Toonami could possibly turn up on Boomerang but it would take a major shift in programming strategy from the current heads or might even take new management for CN to show more love to action animation in general.

 

[Mister Miracle]

Both the demand and fan base is there... I remember a year ago here on the forums we would talk about how anime is dead on cartoonetwork. To see such a reaction in one night to a toonami viewing that wasn't even promoted for.. Believe me they heard it. Any anime show would be honored to be in Tom's lineup. Toonami in my eyes is the Epitome of an Anime broadcasting show.. Can't get better! AS Saturday nights is the ideal spot for such a show to thrive.. Imagine FMA promos, Bleach promos! My head just exploded!

Don't knock that toonami will not return.. So many said it was dead in 2008..maybe a temporary coma would be the better word!

 

[Hawkeye]

I think the success of April 1st was due to the programming block's packaging AND the content of the programming itself. It wasn't just that people were excited to see TOM back in action reviewing games and taking names, it was that a whole night of surprise programming came with it as well. The shows themselves have the biggest effect as can be seen from the change in ratings from show to show.

It certainly will lend credence to the theory that blocks and their packaging can have an affect on people's viewing habits if done correctly.

I think this is the key. Toonami wasn't just successful because of packaging done correctly, it owed just as much success to lineups done correctly.

People often complain about the lack of promotion for Adult Swim Action. Quality packaging helps with that since a block pretty much is promotion and branding. It says, if you like X type of shows you will see them during this time period and said time period will be designated by Y packaging.

For a block to work the programming has to live up to the promises of the branding, and the branding has to fit the programming. If a block can establish itself as credible on both fronts it can work wonders to get people to continue tuning in and to check out future shows.

Adult Swim Action seems to have lost most any similarity to a true block at this point. The shows are there, but there is nothing to unify them. When ASA started out it didn't shy away from the action aspect and had Toonami-style clips from the shows going in and out of commercial breaks, etc. Sometime after those were dropped, they at least had the still images from Japan during those hours.

Now it could be any hour of Adult Swim. When, say, Durarara started on Saturday nights, it had some ads, but nothing to really build off of. That's not to say viewers couldn't find it and like it, but it was lacking certain advantages.

Take Toonami for instance. Toonami was able to sell its audience on the idea that shows worth watching aired within the block. Thus, when say, Outlaw Star, debuted, there were not only the ads and simply people finding and watching it, but also people thinking, "Toonami gave me Gundam Wing and Tenchi. Those were awesome. Maybe I should check out this next new show they are airing..."

The thing is, none of that works, no matter how awesome the packaging is, if the shows don't live up to the promise of the packaging. Thus, a block is just as much about the content of the programming within as it is about the packaging.

 

[macattack]

Oh, I agree. I was just saying for that one night the Toonami packaging actually made a difference. that and the various shows AS ran.

I think that a revived Toonami might wind up waiting until the final restart of the Aizen arc in Bleach or at least Ichigo's and Muramasa's final battle. They need something big to start a truly revived Toonami on . . . like AFD Toonami started with a Bleach episode that had theatrical-quality action sequences and Muramasa making absolutely insane facial expressions. Something big that will kick off the night well and entice people to stick around.

 

[Mister Miracle]

Toonami the midnight run!


Who does the beats for toonami? We should give him an award or make his name known

 

[Paradox295]

Toonami the midnight run!


Who does the beats for toonami? We should give him an award or make his name known

Joe Boyd Vigil, DJ Clarknova (aka Jason DeMarco, who works at CN/AS) and Ninja Tune.

 

[bla2772]

to steve blums twiiter look wht he put -" this just in...got some juicy stuff in the upcoming W.O. W !!!!!!!!!!!! cant say anything more yet , but will soon!
Hopes it about toonami
EDIT ;OMG IM SO DUMB haha W.O.W stands for world of war craft false alram everyone hahaha

 

[Paradox295]

to steve blums twiiter look wht he put -" this just in...got some juicy stuff in the upcoming W.O. W !!!!!!!!!!!! cant say anything more yet , but will soon!
Hopes it about toonami
EDIT ;OMG IM SO DUMB haha W.O.W stands for world of war craft false alram everyone hahaha

Does he mean World of Warcraft: Mists of Kung Fu Pandemonium? If so, that's pretty cool if he's in that.

 

[Hawkeye]

I think that a revived Toonami might wind up waiting until the final restart of the Aizen arc in Bleach or at least Ichigo's and Muramasa's final battle. They need something big to start a truly revived Toonami on . . . like AFD Toonami started with a Bleach episode that had theatrical-quality action sequences and Muramasa making absolutely insane facial expressions. Something big that will kick off the night well and entice people to stick around.

I think I really like this idea. If Toonami happens, it is a pretty good bet that Bleach will continue to lead off the block, and a high quality/big event Bleach episode sounds like a great way to kick things off.

Joe Boyd Vigil, DJ Clarknova (aka Jason DeMarco, who works at CN/AS) and Ninja Tune.

Wasn't Danger Mouse involved in the music at some point early on as well?

 

[bla2772]

Does he mean World of Warcraft: Mists of Kung Fu Pandemonium? If so, that's pretty cool if he's in that.

Idk I dont play w.o.w but if thts the new game coming up id say so haha.the only PC game I play is minecraft and Runescape once in a while

 

[bla2772]

Every one go on twitter and 12est Sunday morning 11pt and 9CT we are holding a #bringbacktoonami mega campain even Steve Blum will part take

 

[veemonjosh]

I think that a revived Toonami might wind up waiting until the final restart of the Aizen arc in Bleach or at least Ichigo's and Muramasa's final battle.

At the rate we're going, we'll be at the last part of the Aizen arc in mid-August. If they do wait until then, that should give them plenty of time to put together a solid block for the fall.

Sounds like a good idea to me.

 

[ventus20]

Does anyone know if toonami will be on AS tommarrow night? I have to go to goergia and be there for about week and I'm really worried that I'll miss it if it's on.

 

[AndrewSP]

Does anyone know if toonami will be on AS tommarrow night? I have to go to goergia and be there for about week and I'm really worried that I'll miss it if it's on.

I'm positive that it won't be on tomorrow, and maybe not for a little while. I could see them taking time to make sure they do it right, plus some time to promote it, hopefully

While it would be easy to just slap Toonami bumpers on the current Adult Swim Action (and that alone would get me to watch more), I think we all know something as great as Toonami deserves a bit more than that.

 

[Sketch]

At the rate we're going, we'll be at the last part of the Aizen arc in mid-August. If they do wait until then, that should give them plenty of time to put together a solid block for the fall.

Sounds like a good idea to me.

That sounds like a reasonable start time. Kekkaishi and Durarara will finish their runs in late June and early July or the same day if they don't air the bonus episode 25 of Durarara. They could play some movies or do some other events to count down to Toonami and launch on the episode when the Aizen arc returns.

They can take as much time as they need on the block but the sooner they confirm it will return, the better.