March 24th, 2008: Hall of Fame - The Greatest Promos
I've decided it's time. Time for the rundown of the greatest Toonami interstitials and advertisements ever made. The block was known for its advertising, and over its eleven year existence Toonami has aired literally hundreds of promos. Some of those, however, thanks to subtle (or not-so-subtle, in some cases) fusions of beat, melody, action, drama, narrative, and overall cohesion, stand out head and shoulders above the rest. They are the advertisements that sold anime in the U.S. and revitalized classic Western animation for a new generation. They are works of art in themselves, and as such they definitely deserve a Hall of Fame. But we'll let the videos do most of the talking, all right? Here we go: the top twenty Toonami promotionals of all time. Brace yourself.
Name: Gundam Wing - In the Distant Future
Why It's Special: This was a groundbreaking promo for a groundbreaking show, running a full two minutes and managing to convey both the plot and the mecha chaos. The trailer was so good, in fact, that Bandai began ditching their own promotional for the series and using this one on all their DVDs and VHS tapes. If you don't believe me, grab an Anime Legends boxset and find a Gundam Wing promo. Odds are it'll be this one, complete with the 'weekdays at five thirty, only on Toonami' line.
Name: Tenchi Muyo! - Love Stinks
Why It's Special: Another epic trailer, chock full of boundary-pushing content and general madness. If you don't get all pumped up to watch the series after seeing this, then you have no soul. Tenchi Muyo! was a fan favorite on Toonami, and although it has largely faded from recollection in recent years, this promo serves as a reminder of all the crazy harem insanity.
Name: G Gundam - Long Promotional
Why It's Special: One of the angriest, most dramatic Toonami ads to date. Hear that thrashing metal? Yeah, they don't do that anymore. "Take my love, my anger, and all of my sorrow! You will never be forgiven!" Angst is for all ages.
Name: Ignition (Advanced Robotics)
Why It's Special: Toonami sure did love its mechs. This promo is a tribute to all the big stompy robot series it aired, albeit with a rather dark point of view. Humans will die, machines will reign supreme? Surely not!
Name: Mad Rhetoric
Why It's Special: These vids aren't in order of excellence, but if they were, then this would be the easy pick for #1. The imaginative use of voice clips, the heavy electronica backing, and the retinal overload of money shots make this promo one to remember. If Toonami ever, ever makes something better than this, then I'll wear my underwear outside my pants for a day. I promise.
Name: Broken Promise (Dreams)
Why It's Special: I already wrote an entire article on this one, so I doubt there's much else I could say, except maybe to quote myself. "This spot is all about being tough, standing tall, keeping your head up, and assuming your righful responsibilities. It's about kids, yes, but in many ways it's also about the transformation we all make from a child to a independent adult. Personally, Dreams is the most important thing I took from Toonami as a kid. And [...] I'm still trying to put what I learned into action."
Name: Pardon Our Dust
Why It's Special: For those of who who think Toonami couldn't dish it out in the earlier days, this is a slap in the face. Sure, Outlaw Star and Blue Sub #6 look better, but Ronin Warriors and Gundam Wing can still bring the heat. Best moment? "Time out! Get set... And go!"
Name: Technologically Superior
Why It's Special: Another older one, asserting Toonami's computer savviness. We believe.
Name: Space Is the Place
Why It's Special: Probably because of the sheer amount of airtime this promo got. It's also more laid-back and expository than most of the other spots on this list; I would say it even comes close to Broken Promise in terms of providing a dream-like, hypnotic experince. I never looked at the stars the same way after this.
Name: Dragonball Z - Longest Running Show...Ever
Why It's Special: In addition to being an excellent ad, the spot pretty much summarizes everything that DBZ was (and sort of is, stilL) for Toonami.
Name: Tougher Than the Best, Stronger Than the Rest
Why It's Special: A regrettably obscure promo that appeared on a demo disc in the Official PSX Magazine, sometime in 2001. It's a great newbie introduction to Toonami, laying out the principles and goals of the block. So few people saw this; it's a relief to see it appear on YouTube after all this time. I wish I could find my original copy...
Name: Dragonball Z - Struggle
Why It's Special: It has lyrics, which makes it unique. The song is by BlueTube, and you can grab the MP3 in Toonami Fan's miscellaneous Toonami soundtrack pack. It's funny how many people remember this one, even though it was short and had a pretty low profile at the time.
Name: Is Toonami a Failed Experiment?
Why It's Special: Aside from lending itself well to quotation by disenchanted fans and haters alike, the promo was one of the most startling instances of block-viewer interaction. How often does a television channel ask the people watching if the programming sucks or not? Not often.
Name: Giant Robot Week - Long Promo
Why It's Special: The GRW was an unmitigated disaster, failing to get good ratings or even interest fans. This promo, however, does an excellent job of making a disappointing affair look nigh-unto brilliant. That's marketing for you.
Name: Mobile Suit Gundam - Long Promo
Why It's Special: If you notice, this one is worded almost exactly like the mega-promo for Gundam Wing. Who knew a '70s mech show could be so intense? Unfortunately, the show eventually tanked on Toonami, but it started out strong and this is one of the reasons why.
Name: Outlaw Star - Long Promo
Why It's Special: Outlaw Star is probably one of the top five most successful Toonami shows ever. It was critically acclaimed and almost universally embraced by fans. I believe a lot of that was because, much like DBZ and Gundam Wing before it, Outlaw Star pushed the boundaries of content and thematic materials a little bit further. This promo gets that idea across rather well.
Name: IGPX - Long Promo
Why It's Special: Do you feel it? History in the making, I mean. This was Toonami's first original series, and although it (frustratingly, mysteriously) failed to catch on, it was slick as can be and chock-full of what defined Toonami. It's appropriate, therefore, that it be ushered into the block with such a rim-rattling trailer.
Name: Building You A Better Cartoon Show
Why It's Special: It's an early promo that summarized what Toonami was going to attempt, and was also cool enough to work its way into the authorized Toonami Fan quote list. It unquestionably deserves a place here.
Name: Rurouni Kenshin - Long Promo
Why It's Special: The series has a sorted history on the block, but this promo continued Toonami's tradition of epic trailers and did a great job of building hype around the show. Remember, the Tokyo Arc was a big hit for Toonami. This promo stands for everything those seasons were about.
Name: Welcome To Toonami
Why It's Special: Wait, who said that it HAD to be Toonami-produced? Jeff Harris came up with this one just a short time ago, and it is the ultimate summary of Toonami's lifespan. Pretty much every show, every moment, and every special presentation is included - yes, even Hamtaro.
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