SB-01: Toon Disney 1.0 | Step 1: Rename The Network

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The name Toon Disney means nothing anymore.

When the network added Power Rangers to the lineup, the name ended the exclusivity of animation on the network. The name Toon Disney represented an era that began with Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, a film that celebrated all animation studios from the golden age. The term "toon" describes the character in animated shorts and is seen in some circles as a perjorative term. My site's host, Toonzone is a rarity that celebrates the term, and Cartoon Network has used the term in promotions and as a prefix for several programming blocks and events, from the Great International Toon-In and Toonapalooza to its premiere action-animation franchise Toonami.

However, the term means nothing at Toon Disney. The modern non-action cartoons aren't "toony" by any stretch. And for some reason, they really, really love school. The Jetix cartoons aren't "toony" either. The term "Toon" has no meaning at Toon Disney.

So, what would rename the network?

One obvious choice is Jetix. Jetix already comprised 2/3 of the Toon Disney lineup enough that some people joke that "Toon Disney" is a block on Jetix. Jetix is also the umbrella brand for the international group of networks that once called itself Fox Kids. These networks have action as well as comedic titles all day long. Jetix Europe continues to be a producer of many international productions. Since there is no Jetix network in the US, and Jetix is the dominant brand on Toon Disney, it should be a no-brainer that ABC Cable should rename Toon Disney to Jetix, right?

Not so fast.

Jetix is a brand that has divided many Disney animation fans and is still seen as an action brand in the US. But Disney, that's a fairweather brand that represents family and comedic animation. Disney owns a lot of titles, including the shows of Fox Kids, Saban, and ABC, that could fit in this network. Like it or not, everything that was owned by Fox Kids is Disney. Everything owned by Saban is Disney. Everything owned by ABC that they kept (you see, a lot of former ABC properties, like Wild West COW Boys of Moo Mesa and Bump in the Night, were sold to DiC after Disney sold that separate unit) is Disney. So, with that said, it would be logical to keep the Disney brand as part of the name of the network.

Thus, from here on out, I shall call this network . . . Disney Jetix. The best of both worlds, a collision of creativity, the yin to its yang, two voices united as one.

Now, what would I put on Disney Jetix?