Gephyrophillia | Watch This Space #133

Originally Posted on 07/21/2005 by Jeff Harris

On Sunday, July 10, 2005, this site celebrated a minor major milestone. My little old site, which began life as CN2: Toonami Realm before evolving into CNX: Toonami Revolution and the beast known as The X Bridge, has finished its seventh year of existance.

The number seven has a lot of relevance here at TXB. I launched my first website approximately seven months after I first got online full-time. I named my web entertainment company Nami49 after Toonami's (and my site's first unofficial) mascot Clyde49. 49 is seven squared. Toonami, the element that formed the backbone of this site, has seven letters in its name and airs on the seventh day in the Gregorian calendar.

But the seventh year is one I wouldn't want to look back on. It was a hectic and chaotic year for me, and I wish I could have gotten a lot more done. Part of it is because of personal family issues, and since it's personal, I'd like to keep it that way. Part of it is because of my ancient computer, the same 1997 Packard Bell model I've had since day one (it can't be upgraded or altered, and since it was made in 1997 [pre-Win98, so Microsoft won't support me and I can't use Firefox], it doesn't even have a CD burner nor USB drives). Part of it is because I'm thinking of so many things at once. I'm writing articles, opinions, reviews, and fiction, and I'm still thinking of a way to unify it all on this site. I'd like to say that it'll all be here at TXB, but I can't guarantee that.

Why? I dunno. Perhaps I'm growing up and realizing that I need to expand beyond this site. I need a real job, and until I could figure out how to make this site a revenue-generating outlet, I'll have to search for one. It's not that I don't want to do TXB because this is probably one of the most significant things I've ever done in my life. The original focus of the site has been diminished probably because, well, Cartoon Network refuses to grow up nor let Toonami truly mature into a great programming block.

It's good and all, but Toonami has so much potential, it's not even funny. I've seen Toonami evolve into a block that Cartoon Network didn't really want (and this site was one of the first online sites to support it, even before Cartoon Network launched Toonami.com), anime's biggest supporter (the anime industry wouldn't be as big as it is now it if Toonami wasn't around to broadcast titles they felt personified "the best"), a heavily toyetic block, an endless hell of reruns, and into its current Saturday night incarnation, a mishmash of great shows and shows that have you scratching your head. A puppet show? A totally hacked-up show about a teen pirate? Off-network reruns? Yu-Gi-fricken-Oh?!? There are a lot of great shows on Toonami like Justice League Unlimited and Teen Titans. Perhaps there's a reason more viewers have warmed up to those shows than the other shows, and it's no wonder many people are looking forward to the fall premieres.

Perhaps it's time to be more vocal. Perhaps in this new year, I could begin to be more critical about action-animation, anime, and the industry in general. Perhaps I should embrace the creative side of the industry. Afterall, they're the ones who makes the shows we love but are virtually handcuffed by people that just don't get it. I want to make this site into something worth talking about, something worth going to, something that could entertain and inform readers.

It's time to begin again. To all those that have ever ventured here throughout the years, thank you. To all those that have supported me over the past seven years, thank you. To those that have given me a home and made me feel like a part of the family, thanks a lot. To my brothers and sisters at arms, thanks and prepare yourselves. To those that feel I don't have anything left to say, well, you'll be surprised. It's time for me to get my priorities straight and begin the eighth year right. Guess that means I have to get to work, so, I guess I'll say thank you all for sticking around TXB.

*end transmission*

Jeff Harris,
Webmaster/EiC/Lead Writer, The X Bridge
July 21, 2005