"Toonami" News & Discussion Thread

[Light Lucario]

hmm, i'll give attack of titan a try when it premieres soon.

Never seen it before, i just hope it'll be worth my time. I was all excited and hyped up the first time the toonami commericial promos first aired for Blue Exorcist, cause it seemed to look really awesome and all... well the promo sure made it seem like it was.

but it's just been nothing but complete nonsense (at least to me in my honest opinion) after the first 2 episodes and i lost all intrest with there being next to zero action and such..in every episode since so far.

I hope Attack of Titan will give me some hope

The only shows i care about currently on the lineup (that im fully invested in) are Bleach, and black lagoon...

I kind of like Blue Exorcist, despite the lack of action and how it become more about school life than the initial premise after the second episode. It's not particularly good, but it's decent enough entertainment and there are a couple of characters that I like, so I would say that it's okay at this point. I agree that the promos do make it look like it has more action than it usually does. I've heard really good things about Attack on Titan, so I'm sure that it will offer something more than what Blue Exorcist does.

 

[Lord Dalek]

Titan's got a lot more action than Blexorcist but it also has incredibly slow, borderline turgid pacing at times, especially in the Trost arc. Some people quit the show over that, although I felt it added quite a bit to the suspense.

 

[Nobodyman]

I'm seven volumes into the AoT manga, which covers most of the anime.

I think it's a good series, but the biggest problem I have with it is that I have trouble getting invested in the characters. Mainly because I think most of them are kinda boring.

 

[Gold Guy]

You're not wrong with that. The author is great at crafting tense situations, less so with the characters, most of who are one-dimensional, IMO. Levi is really cool, though. I can see why he's popular.

 

[Narukami07]

AoT is far more plot-driven in its narrative tbh.

 

[WickedChild]

And....the two are intrinsically related?

You may as well ask if it made sense to make high-budget blockbuster films out of the Harry Potter books.

Yet all four of the Harry Potter books that were released before the movies were on the main bestseller list for months at a time, not just "children's bestsellers" or "fantasy bestsellers". In fact, the popularity of Harry Potter actually single-handedly caused the NYTimes to create a separate list for bestselling children's books (again before the movies). It had long since transcended the boundaries fantasy/children's/young-adult fiction long before the movies were released. Everyone knew what it was even if they never read those kinds of books.

All I'm saying is that I've only ever really heard anything about AoT from anime and manga circles. It doesn't have to be Harry Potter big to transcend the boundaries of anime/manga fandom, but it would be nice if it actually got recognition outside of such places.

 

[The Man in Black]

You are just making me think again about how much potential there could be from a Harry Potter anime series >.>

 

[Light Lucario]

Yet all four of the Harry Potter books that were released before the movies were on the main bestseller list for months at a time, not just "children's bestsellers" or "fantasy bestsellers". In fact, the popularity of Harry Potter actually single-handedly caused the NYTimes to create a separate list for bestselling children's books (again before the movies). It had long since transcended the boundaries fantasy/children's/young-adult fiction long before the movies were released. Everyone knew what it was even if they never read those kinds of books.

All I'm saying is that I've only ever really heard anything about AoT from anime and manga circles. It doesn't have to be Harry Potter big to transcend the boundaries of anime/manga fandom, but it would be nice if it actually got recognition outside of such places.

Well, that would probably be kind of difficult considering that it isn't as easy for something like anime to break into mainstream popularity compared to something like books. It also doesn't help that anime in general isn't as hugely popular with the general public nowadays compared to the late 90's and early 2000's and some of the biggest hits around those years, such as DBZ, Sailor Moon and Pokemon, had quite a bit of merchandise to sell as well. Outside of the manga, I'm not sure if there are Attack on Titans merchandise widely available, although I wouldn't be surprised if there is or if there will be once the first DVD set is released. Attack on Titans anime series also hasn't been available in English yet and is only legally available through subs, so that would make it more difficult for it to break out of just anime/manga circles. Unless one was already into anime and watching subs to boot, people generally wouldn't be into watching it and most of the anime titles that did break out into mainstream popularity, if not all of them, were dubbed.

From what I've heard and understood, Attack on Titan was a huge hit in Japan, the manga has been selling really well and I could easily find sale figures for the DVD releases in Japan, as well as manga sales, with a Google search. I don't think I've heard and seen a show become so popular before it was released in English since Madoka Magica aired a few years ago. I haven't seen Attack on Titan yet myself, but I'm curious to check it out and see if it does live up to its hype. That rarely happens though, but as long as I can enjoy it, I'll probably like it at least.

 

[HG Revolution]

Attack on Titan is the most successful subtitled anime on Netflix. On Hulu, it ranks as the fourth most popular anime of all time that hasn't yet aired on TV (and the three above it, Reborn, Fairy Tale, and Nura, all have way more episodes so on an average episode-by-episode basis Attack on Titan likely has them beat despite being around for much less time). There's been several skits making fun of it on FOX's ADHD block. It's about as big a deal as anything among anime fandom, and the only thing keeping it from mainstream crossover success on the magnitude of an FMA is, well, airing on TV. And we're getting that soon.

 

[WickedChild]

Again, "most successful anime" on Netflix/Hulu/etc is still just "most successful anime". I'd love to see it become the genuine next big thing but until I hear something about it from somewhere other than an anime website or board I'm gonna wait to see it before I believe it. I'm not trying to be Debbie Downer here, I'm just thinking of all the things I heard were supposed to be the next big thing and trying to keep perspective.

I just googled the ADHD skit though, and while that's definitely something, ADHD is still pretty far from the mainstream (it just got cancelled actually), and I'd be more excited if it was on Robot Chicken or a Family Guy cutaway.

 

[zoombie]

Well WickedChild I hope we hear from you on the talkback thread for episode 1, and see what you think of Attack On Titan. I loved it, once you see one episode, you want to see the next one right away.

 

[Light Lucario]

Again, "most successful anime" on Netflix/Hulu/etc is still just "most successful anime". I'd love to see it become the genuine next big thing but until I hear something about it from somewhere other than an anime website or board I'm gonna wait to see it before I believe it. I'm not trying to be Debbie Downer here, I'm just thinking of all the things I heard were supposed to be the next big thing and trying to keep perspective.

I just googled the ADHD skit though, and while that's definitely something, ADHD is still pretty far from the mainstream (it just got cancelled actually), and I'd be more excited if it was on Robot Chicken or a Family Guy cutaway.

I don't know why you'd want it to be the next big thing in mainstream popularity. I guess it would be cool if it did, but unless you were already really into the series, I'm not sure why you'd be so fixated on Attack on Titan becoming more mainstream popular and dismissing how popular/successful it already has been. Being the most successful anime on Netflix and the fourth popular on Hulu is still nothing to brush over, especially when it's only subbed in those sites. Granted, that is still within the anime circles since most people who would watch it are already into anime to begin with most likely, but that's still pretty impressive all things considered. Like I mentioned before, the other anime titles that did become more mainstream popular had a dub air on TV, which Attack on Titan hasn't gotten yet. It's hard to say if the dub would definitely make it more mainstream popular. Considering how popular it is already, it is possible, but it's hard to say for sure given how more of a general audience would have to click with the show.

 

[The Master C]

Toonami will be promoting The Amazing Spider-Man 2 this week:
[video=youtube_share;FvLT_wBuEEY]http://youtu.be/FvLT_wBuEEY[/video]

 

[adyniz]

Did AS announce something special for May 25?
I just checked next month's schedule... Timeslots from 12 (Bleach starts) to 2 (One Piece ends) are blank for May 25.

I double checked the schedule and...

May 18:
* Bleach - Episode 345
* Space Dandy - Race in Space is Dangerous, Baby
* Naruto: Shippuden - Hiruko vs. Two Kunoichi! (episode 20)
* OP - Nami's Soul Cries Out! Straw Hat Luffy Makes A Comeback!

May 25 has Attack on Titan for 11:30... Then blank for the next 2 hours, followed by Blue Exorcist and the rest of the regular stuff.

June 1:
* Bleach - Episode 346
* Space Dandy - Lonely Pooch Planet, Baby
* Naruto: Shippuden - Sasori's Real Face (episode 21)
* OP - TBA (No title mentioned, just the show's name)

I don't know if it's an error or... Just thought I should mention it here...
For now, take it with a grain of salt.

 

[Sketch]

Looks like they're playing a movie on Memorial Day weekend and no this has not been announced.

How exactly are you seeing all the way up to the first Saturday in June?

 

[adyniz]

How exactly are you seeing all the way up to the first Saturday in June?

Pressroom

Looks like they're playing a movie on Memorial Day weekend and no this has not been announced.

I see... Yeah, that seems to be the case.

 

[Sketch]

Okay, sounds legit but DeMarco doesn't like his surprises leaked so I'm not surprised the movie or special is blank for now.

 

[TheVileOne]

Still can't fathom how they can go for Blue Exorcist but not Tiger & Bunny. It's a travesty. I think Blue Exorcist is OK, but I feel like there are a million shows like it. Tiger & Bunny is at least something different and more fun.

 

[Light Lucario]

Still can't fathom how they can go for Blue Exorcist but not Tiger & Bunny. It's a travesty. I think Blue Exorcist is OK, but I feel like there are a million shows like it. Tiger & Bunny is at least something different and more fun.

Since they needed to get an Aniplex show to replace Sword Art Online, that's probably why they didn't go with Tiger & Bunny. Plus, Viz Media might have a higher price for the show than the Toonami crew might be willing to work with or they'd rather get shows like Naruto and Shippuden. Maybe they'll get it once they finish airing Bleach or re airing the first chuck of Naruto again.

 

[Sketch]

Well, I hate to break it to you VileOne but I think Toonami just didn't want Tiger & Bunny as much as Naruto and Naruto Shippuden. But that doesn't mean it will never air on Toonami. Bleach is ending and if Viz is to hold on to two premiere slots then they'll have to bring something to the table.

As LL said, Blue Exorcist is an Aniplex Show and Aniplex was the one filling that slot when their previous show, Sword Art Online vacated it. Just like how every FUNimation premiere thus far has been replaced by another FUNimation premiere.