C&C - Toonami Talkback [4/1]

[Classic Speedy]

Thread re-opened/stickied. Sorry 'bout the temporary screw-up.

 

[AndrewSP]

This.

Keeping the same programming of ASA now, but with a Toonami wraparound... I don't understand why some people don't think this would work. If anything, it would add an extra sense of excitement to the Saturday night lineup, and only do it a world of good. Why wouldn't Bleach and Durarara and whatever else work on Toonami? Where is it etched in stone that this block has to be nostalgia, and nothing more?

I know the nostalgia factor was a large facet of its popularity last night for many people (including myself), but this was a block built on showcasing new and innovative programming, and there's no reason why it can't do that again in place of ASA. Toonami doesn't need DBZ to be Toonami. As much as I loved seeing it on again, with Bruce Faulconer closing credits and all, it's a dish best served for a special occasion (IE AFD). The shows they got now would be fine, and any other new acquisitions they make down the road would surely be more than enough to keep it afloat. I mean, it can't be that expensive to bring Steve in, record a few lines, make some new HD bumps, and call it a day.

I'd love it to be a nostalgia block, but if it can't be that way, I'd be perfectly fine with supporting it as ASA with a Toonami wraparound. I mean, I already watch ASA most of the time as it is, so why not watch it as Toonami instead?

100% agree. Half of my excitement came from the Toonami presentation alone. I would completely support the Adult Swim Action block with Toonami branding. Hell, I'll even start watching Bleach again.

 

[Yash]

This should totally be a thing.

Who knows, it might even get me to post here again.

 

[Sketch]

Adult Swim Action once felt like it had an identity but it faded away and they bumpers surrounding ASA now are remarkably ill-fitting. They have done very little to keep people interested and ratings reflect that but they have also improved despite the lack of effort. They don't have to use the Toonami brand but when you think about it, there's no reason not to.

So many people in the AS demo fondly remember Toonami, the block that made watching action cartoons so enjoyable. ASA is one of Toonami's legacies but it never had the clout of Toonami and definently doesn't now.

The viewing atmosphere really is that important and the opportunity to really cut loose has finally surfaced. Nobody advertises like Toonami and now they can have even more fun with TOM's dialogue.

But the goal should always be to air the finest action cartoons around and the very possibility of seeing Tiger & Bunny and Stein's Gate on Toonami has me drooling.

Mix in enough old favorites to keep nostalgics interested and keep cycling in new material. The marketing opportunities are worth the effort it would take. Even more so if some how they could get some prime time hours on Saturday. TV is still the most influential venue for anime and with the Toonami boost they might be able to draw a crowd again.

AS doesn't need anime for ratings but if they can make a Toonami revival profitable with sponorship and getting paid to plug stuff then it could very worth their while to bring back the Toonami experience.

 

[Lighthammer]

I think the biggest value in Toonami that would make it profitable is using it as a venue to pitch DVDs which, otherwise, gets no main stream exposure anymore. If Toonami becomes a force to help sell videos and has a subtle hint of "Piracy is bad", that in of itself should be powerful advertising for the anime publishers to all but pay to keep Toonami there.

Honestly, I think one of the big things that has made ASA decline to dramatically is playing series that have no end. Sure, Toonami had DBZ in its hay day, but it constantly circulated new series in and out that had finite endings. Today, ASA is almost on an unending loop with Bleach, Full Metal and Inuyasha never ending. Honestly, I would be willing to bet each of these series would get more exposure in the US if a lot of the filler got cut out and they tried running the series with minimal filler. It would allow for series to actually be pulled off the block for a while and likewise garner reasons to want to get the DVDs (for the full episodes) and add anticipation for series return.

Like it or not, with Young Justice and Thundercats viewing schedule, it might feel erratic, but it does prove that when they are showing new episodes and people know about it --- THEY DO NOT MISS THEM.

Really --- I think everyone needs to look back at what they did with Gundam 00 and Code Geass and say "Hey, that's a model we HAVE to be using!"

 

[VictoryStar]

I saw this last night too and was so glad to see Toonami return even if it was just for today. I bet they even got to use the shows for free because they advertised the DVDs during each intermission too just for old times sake.

I wonder how CN will ever top this.

 

[The Man in Black]

It seems like the closest stunt they've ever pulled before like this was probably Giant Robot Week, but I'm pretty sure THIS was a hell of a lot more successful.

 

[Kuromi_Star]

Speaking of Giant Robot Week, I was really secretly hoping to see an episode of Eva. If only because (and correct me if I'm wrong) despite being a huge hit in general, it was a flop for AS. And ADV/Zombie ADV/Sentai/Section 23 coud probably use the press.

 

[Katsumara]

This should totally be a thing.

Who knows, it might even get me to post here again.

Long time no see, Yash

And may get me to post here again as well, though highly unlikely.

To keep it short, my review of the April Fools Toonami Swim night? Explosions of Nostalgia as far as the eye can see.

 

[Daikun]

Speaking of Giant Robot Week, I was really secretly hoping to see an episode of Eva. If only because (and correct me if I'm wrong) despite being a huge hit in general, it was a flop for AS.

That would have been a waste, unfortunately. The reason why it flopped was because AS picked it up way too late. NGE was already insanely popular with the anime fandom and exposed and rereleased numerous times by ADV years before Adult Swim got it. By the time it finally arrived, viewers who had already seen the series didn't really feel the need to see it for the millionth time.

Compare that with a show that had been out of the limelight in years, and viewers would welcome it back with open arms. That's why NGE wasn't on the surprise lineup.

 

[The Man in Black]

That would have been a waste, unfortunately. The reason why it flopped was because AS picked it up way too late. NGE was already insanely popular with the anime fandom and exposed and rereleased numerous times by ADV years before Adult Swim got it. By the time it finally arrived, viewers who had already seen the series didn't really feel the need to see it for the millionth time.

Compare that with a show that had been out of the limelight in years, and viewers would welcome it back with open arms. That's why NGE wasn't on the surprise lineup.

What's bad is I still haven't gotten myself to sit down and really watch any of EVA. I didn't even have cable when AS was airing it. >.>

 

[Dragnatek]

That would have been a waste, unfortunately. The reason why it flopped was because AS picked it up way too late. NGE was already insanely popular with the anime fandom and exposed and rereleased numerous times by ADV years before Adult Swim got it. By the time it finally arrived, viewers who had already seen the series didn't really feel the need to see it for the millionth time.

Compare that with a show that had been out of the limelight in years, and viewers would welcome it back with open arms. That's why NGE wasn't on the surprise lineup.

Yeah NGE should have been picked up along with Trigun and Cowboy Bebop when Adult Swim first started. That's what people were hoping for anyway.

 

[Lord Dalek]

Rights kerfuffles probably kept Eva off the air Saturday night.

FUN FACT: I have posted more in this thread since Sunday than I have at this entire forum in the last two years!

 

[Beefy]

Adult Swim Action once felt like it had an identity but it faded away and they bumpers surrounding ASA now are remarkably ill-fitting. They have done very little to keep people interested and ratings reflect that but they have also improved despite the lack of effort. They don't have to use the Toonami brand but when you think about it, there's no reason not to.

Bingo! The robot voice bumps, the Tokyo bumps, or even Toonami, just do something to make ASA stand out from the rest of Adult Swim.

 

[KarlOlson]

Bingo! The robot voice bumps, the Tokyo bumps, or even Toonami, just do something to make ASA stand out from the rest of Adult Swim.

Yeah, part of what helped Cartoon Network rise to prominence, let alone Adult Swim, was strong, unique branding and great content. They've let both slide on the action front, but branding is where they have almost no excuse. Mediums can go through dry spells - some of the best shows that could've gone to AS either haven't been brought over (Michiko e Hatchin,) went to other networks (all the stuff that IFC and Sci-Fi snagged,) or just didn't exist (the last 5 years have been admittedly thin relative to that late-90s/early-00s creative explosion.) However, the packaging and promo has always been in their control. They can make what they can get as cool and as anticipated as they want, but they have to want it. Toonami thrived on teasing shows for MONTHS ahead of their actual debut. Maybe between legal streaming and a saavy target audience, that's basically a no go method for any content that's already aired elsewhere, but could at least be packaged in a targeted, audience aware fashion. There is no excuse for a lack of cool. More to the point, the Toonami/otaku boom generation is now the Adult Swim demographic. There is no reason you should not capitalize on that. Put on shows with nominal, cheap edits (don't cut/repaint, just black box, and bleep the seven words,) and trade DVD plugs for content.

I mean, imagine an Adult Swim Toonami where you get a minute long trailer for Madoka or Haruhi in the style of the Sailor Moon and Tenchi trailers. Dream of Tom or Cullen narrating that. Try to tell me their aren't a million teens and twenty-somethings who'd immediately flash back to watching Toonami after school. Mix that up with low-edit/unedited versions of the shows from their youth, and you'd have the perfect companion to the perennials like Bleach and FullMetal Alchemist.

 

[j32885]

Adult Swim, Toonami Talkback: April 01, 2012

OH MY GOD!

It's been ages for me to replay anything related to Toonami or Adult Swim. I just had to chime in, after missing out on last night April Fool's Toonami-Fest 2012. I was a regular Toonami Otaku from the time of Moltar in 1998 to TOM-3 in 2006. That's when my work-time got into my TV watching. I would watch now and then, but wasn't up-to-date with on everything or with every show.


Then, Toonami died a slow death back on September 20, 2008. A part me went that day, but wasn’t upset because I had to move on to other things. Over the years, I’ve would for any signs of a possible return of the block in one form or another. I would find mostly angry otakus videos, rants, and blogs about bring back the block to how important it was for the network.

Then now where, Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim brings us back Toonami circa 2004-2007 for 1 night for April 01 2012. I congrats Williams Street for bringing Toonami back for its 15[SUP]th[/SUP] Anniversary year, even IF it’s only for 1 night. Thank you Cartoon Network.

 

[Kaljinyu]

What happened to my posts in this thread?

 

[Mr. Anime]

Much has already been said that I wanted to say. Last night was a wonderful trip down memory lane (even though I own most of the series that aired on DVD.) If this was just an elaborate one time joke than it was the best one of all time and a fitting final tribute to Toonami. If not, well.... I will watch this every single Saturday night.

 

[Checkerboard]

I know someone has probably asked, but...

WHERE ARE THE RATINGS?????????????????

 

[AndrewSP]

I mean, imagine an Adult Swim Toonami where you get a minute long trailer for Madoka or Haruhi in the style of the Sailor Moon and Tenchi trailers. Dream of Tom or Cullen narrating that. Try to tell me their aren't a million teens and twenty-somethings who'd immediately flash back to watching Toonami after school. Mix that up with low-edit/unedited versions of the shows from their youth, and you'd have the perfect companion to the perennials like Bleach and FullMetal Alchemist.

Oh man, it's like straight out of my wildest dreams. The classic Toonami could make almost anything look awesome with the type of trailers they produced.

Even imagining just the current Adult Swim Action lineup, but with Toonami bumps, flair, and aura of coolness just feels so perfect, it's a wonder why it hasn't been done before. NOW is the time for Toonami to make its glorious return.

I'm hoping everyone's been taking advantage of Cartoon Network's feedback form these last couple days.