Gephyrophillia | Watch This Space #34

Originally Posted on 02/20/2003 by Jeff Harris

Well, there were no major surprises, that's the bad news.

The good news is that there were NO surprises!

Cartoon Network announced their initiatives today, and since most of the Toonami fanbase knew what to expect, we didn't get shocked by anything.

Here's the breakdown so far (GREETINGS FROM THE FUTURE: I'm going to tell you what past, younger Jeff couldn't at the time. In bold, I'll tell you where each of the unknown entities ended up. - JH, 07/10):

Fifteen new episodes of Dragon Ball Z, beginning Monday, March 17 only on Toonami. You knew that.

Ninty-five episodes of Rurouni Kenshin premiering March 17 only on Toonami. You knew that too.

Not Toonami, but definitely worth mentioning. The anime-inspired Low Brow is premiering in December 2003 (it didn't premiere in December, but it DID become a Toonami-exclusive show when it premiered in May 2004) and DC's premiere youth team, Teen Titans, is premiering in August 2003 (it became a part of Toonami around the same time the block became a Saturday-exclusive in April 2004). Trigun is premiering next month on Adult Swim.

Fifty-two new episodes of Dragon Ball airing later in the year back in Toonami.

Twenty-six episodes of the first American-guided Gundam series, Superior Defender (PREMIERE).

Thirteen new episodes of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (Started out on Toonami, moved to SVES).

Twenty-six new episodes of Transformers: Armada (also became SVES exclusive).

Twenty-six episodes of .hack//SIGN, currently airing (Began on Toonami, became an SVES exclusive for the bulk of the series).

Twelve episodes of Kikaider (Adult Swim).

Thirteen new episodes of The Big O. Yes, it's Toonami. Or Adult Swim. Or SVES. It's coming. Be happy. (It was on Adult Swim. People weren't happy. Low ratings. Wonder why.)

Here's the only show that we didn't know about. Blue Gender, FUNimation's first major acquisition beyond the Dragon Ball Z universe (they acquired it long before Yu Yu Hakusho), is finally premiering on Cartoon Network later in the year, on Adult Swim. Or SVES. But definitely not Toonami, from the sound of the jaded otaku on the big boards. (And they were right. It too aired on Adult Swim)

Other shows that are coming to Cartoon Network are known franchises that could potentially become Toonami-bound.

Forty-three episodes of X-Men: Evolution. (SVES then weeknights.)

Fifty-two episodes of Jackie Chan Adventures (First on SVES, then weeknights, finally Toonami.)

Noted omissions include the much-rumored Zeta Gundam and One Piece, both of which could be "either or" at this rate (Zeta Gundam never aired, but One Piece premiered that fall on Fox Kids before heading to Toonami in 2005). Otherwise, most of the rumored shows have been announced.

Oh, and Cartoon Network's premiering 20 shorts that takes place between the second and third episodes of some science-fiction movie franchise called Star Wars. The Clone Wars, guided by Genndy Tartakofsky, will introduce new characters and feature the important battle that will lead Anakin Skywalker closer to the Dark Side, becoming Darth Vader, which will culumnate in the third and final episode of the popular Star Wars franchise. This is the first animated interpretation of Star Wars since Droids/Ewoks, and unlike those shows, these will actually be worth watching. Oh, and some of these WILL be seen on Toonami!

This is too much to handle here, so I'll try to digest it all tomorrow.

Until we are one, later.
Jeff Harris
CNX Creator/Webmaster
February 20, 2003