July 31st, 2008: Hiatus Breaker
At the time I write this, Anime Expo has just ended. It was a revealing convention in more ways than one. First off, it established FUNimation as the dominant distributor of Japanese cartoons in the United States, since FUNimation now has control over 17 Geneon and 31 ADV titles (two of which I'll get to soon).
However, for Toonami fans, there was nothing but disappointing news.
First off, Gundam 00 will not head to the block that launched its popularity in the United States. Like Gurren Lagann, Gundam 00 is heading to the Sci-Fi Channel, although Gundam's airing date falls in November. I can only imagine the disappointment in Williams Street's Toonami branch right now because Cartoon Network could not, or would not, pick up the next chapter in the Gundam franchise.
Second, FUNimation's President, Gen Fukunaga, more or less confirmed that One Piece probably will not be heading back to Cartoon Network once the rights expire in early 2009. For three years, One Piece was a fixture on Toonami. Now, it is more likely than not that One Piece's TV destination will not be Cartoon Network, unless Adult Swim feels like running it uncut. But as anime struggles on Saturday nights, and as Adult Swim becomes more controlled by the whims of advertisers, there's a decent possibility Adult Swim will simply let its licenses expire without replacing them.
Third, although Viz announced that it has the next chapter in the Naruto franchise, no TV deal was announced at the Expo. That is curious, for one would think Viz would announce the deal as soon as it could. It may (and probably will) be that the announcement will be made at Comic-Con or Otakon later this year, but if both events pass without an announcement it can be safe to say that Shippudden's chances of being on TV are low.
So where does that leave Toonami in all this? It means that Toonami will be without a second fiddle to Naruto (One Piece) and a high-octane actioner (Gundam 00) that could have given the block much-needed assistance late in the year. Since Toonami has lost whatever chance it had at Moribito: Guardian Of The Spirit as well, where does this leave the block?
There's really only two major conclusions. Number one, Toonami will be moving to Friday nights and become dominated by Western cartoons. Number two, Toonami and Naruto will be left to its own devices on Saturday. Let's ignore the 3rd possibility (death) because of the depressing nature of it.
Cartoon Network announced at its Upfront in April that it is concentrating on comedy and "fantasy adventure". I suppose that after Gundam 00 heading to Sci-Fi, CN literally means "fantasy adventure", in other words, science fiction doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell on the network anymore.
So let's discount every sci-fi possibility. This includes Zoids Genesis, whose rights have probably expired by now anyway if it was acquired on a standard two-year contract.
What's left?
Actually quite a bit. Here's a few featurettes on shows that fit the "fantasy adventure" template that CN desires, that will only strengthen Toonami or the upcoming Friday night block.
In alphabetical order...
Class of the Titans: A favorite of the original Toonami faithful, Jeff Harris, this show takes a heavily loose interpretation of Greek mythology and transports it to the modern world and follows the children of the figures of Greek myths. Action, adventure, and a small amount of romance get tossed into the proceedings, with an overall balanced cast of identifiable characters. 52 episodes have aired in Canada and it is highly likely the show will continue in Canada, giving any potential US suitor plenty of episodes to utilize.
Deltora Quest: Take MAR, distill the characters of all of their annoyances and need for slapstick comedy, replace the talking weapon with actual, throw in a mentor figure, and have the Outlaw Star/IGPX director attached, and you have this show. Deltora Quest is a fantasy based on the YA novels by Emily Rodda, and is essentially the lone new Geneon title still in limbo. At this point, it is fairly likely that it will be licensed soon. The straightforward but not dumbed-down storyline should offer plenty of youth appeal.
Hulk: Gamma Corps: With Spidey on Saturday mornings and X-Men and Iron Man on Nicktoons, there is only one major license Marvel still has that remains. Hulk is it. CN would be foolish to not cash in on Marvel's multimedia rise. Many questions still remain about this show, especially as its production is contingent on the movie's success. Not only that, but She-Hulk will play a big role, and everyone knows what happened the last time She-Hulk had a big role in a Hulk show. If she is not a narcissistic idiot like she was in the 90's version, hopefully this take on the Incredible Hulk will not only provide plenty of action-packed entertainment, but provide an original look at the Hulk mythos.
Lyrical Girl Nanoha: Saved from limbo by none other than FUNimation, this show deserves a look thanks to its appeal to both genders. Intense action is interwoven with deeply personal stories in a show that subverts "magical girl" productions and uses the tropes in twisted and original ways. Yet, there is still enough formula for viewers to have some familiarity with the storyline. Edited, this one could work on Saturdya morning, but if left uncut it is a good fit for either Toonami or the Friday night block.
SGT. Frog: A title rescued from ADV's own sturggles, if there is a company that can make this title work it is FUNimation. There is more emphasis on comedy than action, and the show playfully mocks and celebrates Japanese cartoons and manga. Kids are now more than ever familiar with said cartoons and manga, ensuring that the references and parodies will not fly over the heads of most children.
Slayers Revolution: A long-ways-away possibility, this show seems to be only loosely connected to previous series, giving new viewers time to get acquainted with Lina and friends without being lost. This show is part the epitome of Japanese animated fantasy, and is a likely pickup by FUNimation. It is also the only animated show premiering in Japan this summer that offers any kind of mainstream appeal, with a concoction of adventure and comedy that is easy for non-otakus to understand. Of course, as the show has only just begun in Japan it remains to be seen if this revolution should be televised (bad pun intended), but by all accounts it seems to be quite the entertaining take on Slayers.
Spectacular Spider-Man: It is quite likely that this show will not go beyond 26 episodes unless something is done soon. Number one, 4kids Entertainment may wish to shaft it in favor of original productions, or could begin interfering creatively in ways that will make Greg Weisman and his team want to switch channels. Spidey's never been as popular as he is now, and Cartoon Network would be foolish to pass up on an attempt to have Spidey around, even in the form of reruns.
So, out of the above, those seven shows are probably the best acquisitions to look at for 2009 for the "fantasy adventure" theme. Will CN pick any of them up? Right now, there isn't even a guarantee that Naruto Shippudden will be acquired. I'd consider the Western shows a good possibility, as CN seems to be moving in a heavily-Western direction with its cartoons lately. Other than Naruto and Bakugan, it seems more likely than not that Cartoon Network will consist of mostly Western-created shows in 2009. While I love Western cartoons as much as anybody, I like exposure to a wide variety of thoughts and ideas, and seeing Japanese cartoons getting excluded from the "fantasy adventure" concoction will be disappointing to not only the Toonami faithful, but to anyone who appreciates good cartoons. This includes the children who are abandoning Cartoon Network for Nickelodeon and Disney.
But for now, 2009 is the distant future. If Cartoon Network's ratings continue to fall, or if Clone Wars underperforms or bombs, it is likely their stance on acquisitions will change again. Though, if Clone Wars does struggle, there is an equal chance that Cartoon Network will declare itself done with action/adventure cartoons altogether.
Until Comic-Con and Otakon, nothing is completely sealed. No one expected Total Drama Island to even air, much less explode out of the gate like it has. There is a chance that anything could happen, and that anything could be a wide variety of adventure cartoons come 2009.
The one thing we must be right now is patient. And hopefully, our collective patience will be rewarded by Cartoon Network in some way, shape, or form.
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