Class of 2001

Shortest Series To Air On Toonami

Second Series Toonami Has Saved

You're probably wondering why a 13-episode series is doing on a list of the most important shows to have ever aired on Toonami.

The Big O is probably the best example to showcase the power of Toonami. In Japan, it barely registered a blip on the consciousness. It was popular, but it was short. When the creators of the series heard that The Big O, a very Western-inspired series, is coming to America, they hoped that American interest would be enough to revive the series. Bandai, the series' American distributor, decided to test the series courtesy of a block that has turned many properties into popular shows, Cartoon Network's Toonami.

The Big O premiered on April 2, 2001 to mixed reviews. Jaded otaku hated it because it looked too much like American animation, primarily Batman. Some people "just didn't get it." Fans of action animation loved it. Anime purists liked it because it had very similar elements of other anime shows like Giant Robo and Astro Boy (who's recent series also aired on Toonami). The Toonami faithful loved it and wanted more. Afterall, you could only air 13 episodes so many times. When the manga was released later that year, the popularity grew, and as soon as word hit Japan about The Big O's popularity in America, plans for the second season became more concrete. Cartoon Network served as a co-producer on the new cycle of episodes. In 2002, the new season of The Big O began in Japan and in 2003, Cartoon Network Japan began airing the series on their Toonami, the first anime series to be a part of that block (strange, ain't it? The Toonami of Japan had been mostly American-made action animation) while Cartoon Network US aired the second cycle of episodes exclusively on the Adult Swim premiere Sunday night block in the summer of 2003.

The Negotiator has returned thanks to the fans.