Gephyrophillia | Watch This Space #42

Originally Posted on 03/02/2003 by Jeff Harris

Night One of Saturday Video Entertainment System (SVES for short in the Toonami fanbase, Saturday for short to Cartoon Network execs) came and went. Aside from watching the merchandise-oriented "first" episode of Yu-Gi-Oh (Yeah, I know that wasn't the real first episode, but rather the one 4Kids' built the card game empire on), SVES was pretty damned good. It had a very nice selection of shows ranging from kid-friendly titles to a lot of the Toonami faves we've grown to like. Plus, it was a hoot seeing show openings on the block like Dragonball and .hack//SIGN (see, that wasn't so hard, was it Cartoon Network?), though I have to question where exactly were the openings to Zoids/0 and Transformers: Armada. Heck, Superfriends had TWO openings (the syndicated opening and the Challenge of the Superfriends opening . . . weird). Overall, it was presented very differently from the other three action franchises (Adult Swim, Boomeraction, and some weekday block, the name's on the tip of my tongue), and I wonder if that's the Jedimaster himself (and Batman's worst enemy) Mark Hamill playing the role of announcer for this new block. So far, so good.

Okay, that's it for the obligatory review of SVES. I gotta talk about what everybody was talking about around 7:59 PM EST.

The first glimpses of the new Toonami look has been officially unveiled in a 60-second promo with TOM, still voiced by Steve Blum, sitting in his new shell, beginning the new promo before turning the reins of the ad to Toonami voiceover extraordinaire Peter Cullen, who basically showcased the new lineup effective on Toonami's sixth birthday, Monday, March 17 at 5 PM EST/PST. I got to say, after seeing the initial ad in the recent issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM), I wasn't initially impressed by what the full body was going to look like. He looked flat, too bulky, and a bit too stout. I just figured "it'll look better animated!" Sure enough, it did. Not only was the new TOM and the new Absolution look great in the promos, but I was just glad to see Steve back lending his sardonic voice to the popular host. Call me crazy, but I just don't see the Power Ranger touch many of the readers on the big board see. There's probably a slight influence, but it's just the same old TOM with more upper body strength. Heck, if anything, he looks like a member of the Voltron Force. Hopefully, the comic on the official site will explain the changes a bit more (though it would have been nicer to see the changes on-air rather than on-line).

Speaking of changes, the new lineup begins tomorrow.

Okay, that's a baldfaced lie.

The SHORTENED lineup begins tomorrow. There's one new show (Yu Yu Hakusho) premiering at 6 PM EST/PST. The NEW lineup begins two weeks from tomorrow on Monday, March 17 at 5 PM EST/PST, beginning the Next Chapter of Toonami with a brand new playground as well as the Toonami premiere of the final episodes of Dragonball Z and the US television premiere of Toonami Latin America standard Rurouni Kenshin at 6:30 PM.

The shortened lineup for the next two weeks is the following (all time Eastern/Pacific):

5 PM: G-Gundam
5.5 PM: Dragon Ball Z
6 PM: Yu Yu Hakusho (NEW to Toonami!)
6.5 PM: Transformers Armada

Wonder what the week will bring. Got more work to do.

Until we are one, later.
Jeff Harris
CNX Creator/Webmaster
March 2, 2003