April 04th, 2008: The Real Traitor to the Revolution

This may seem to be a rebuttal to an earlier article, but actually, it’s an indictment of a larger problem. Previously, Nick wrote an article accusing Adult Swim of being a traitor to the Revolution. I agree with some of his points, but ultimately the traitor is not Adult Swim. The traitor is...Cartoon Network.

Yes, Cartoon Network, who once began a revolution of its own. In 1992, Ted Turner acquired Hanna-Barbera Productions and its library of cartoons. This, in addition to already having access to the MGM cartoon library and Fleischer Studios shorts that included Popeye and Superman. He then took a page from his creation of the Cable News Network and created a 24-hour animation channel. The name: Cartoon Network. The revolution: Have a home for cartoons that people of all ages could watch whenever they wanted.

Not long after, a revolution on another front began: the creation of animated programming for adults. In 1994, with the guidance and talents of Mike Lazzo, Dave Willis & Mike Maiellaro, TBS debuted a late-night talk show: Space Ghost Coast to Coast. Featuring animated characters and live-action guests via video screens, it was a crazy comedy that later found a late-night home on Cartoon Network.

In 1997, the Revolution we know as Toonami began. It spread to Saturday mornings as the Rising Sun and even to late-night as the Midnight Run. Cartoon Network discovered something interesting: older viewers would watch cartoons late at night, especially shows with more mature themes, including violence & sexual situations.

We know that both late-night comedy and action/anime evolved into Adult Swim. At first Cowboy Bebop was the only anime in a block of home-grown comedies, but it proved that the two genres could coexist. There was a market for wacky adult comedy and mature, compelling action animation late at night. Obviously, with Toonami’s acquisitions, Adult Swim Action (or ACTN, if you prefer) came into existence and showed mildly cut (and even uncut) anime to a late-night audience.

But was Adult Swim Action the true traitor to the Revolution? I say no, because I believe Cartoon Network forgot what it was created to be. On earlier bumps, Cartoon Network declared itself to be "the best place for cartoons". As Turner and Time Warner have changed the focus of Cartoon Network, that is no longer true. Toonami and Adult Swim have suffered; especially action cartoons, whether they come from the West or the East.

Expanding upon Jeff Harris's theme from the forums, let me borrow an analogy from a franchise that Cartoon Network will premiere in the fall: Star Wars. Once upon a time, in a (cartoon) galaxy far, far away…

As a child, Anakin Skywalker had a great gift; an affinity for The Force. A wise Jedi Knight called Obi-Wan Kenobi took him under his wing. Obi-Wan can be compared to Toonami; Anakin can be compared to Adult Swim, whether comedy or action. As they both advanced as Jedi Knights, they became warriors in The Clone Wars. Both battling in essentially the same Revolution: to build a better cartoon show, whether for children and tweens/teens, or for adults. However, on the horizon loomed Chancellor Palpatine...or was it Darth Sidius?

At a crucial time, Obi-Wan battled with his former padawan, Anakin, who was giving in to the Dark Side of The Force. Dangerously wounded and left for dead, Anakin was revived and re-created as the Dark Lord of the Sith: Darth Vader. This is the Adult Swim we know today, which champions comedy (sometimes weak and even bad comedy) and seems to want to destroy the hated action/anime world.

Yet, the Revolution didn’t end there. Anakin’s son, Luke Skywalker, with mentoring from Obi-Wan Kenobi & assistance from Princess Leia, became a Jedi Knight himself. He discovered that Darth Vader was his father, yet in the end, the two teamed up to defeat Darth Sidius. We know the Emperor better as Cartoon Network, controlled by The Dark Side of The Force. The Dark Side? Turner & Time Warner, if you please…

Who is Luke Skywalker? Us, of course. We are Revolution 11. Of course, in the Star Wars world, Luke convinces Darth Vader to overthrow the Emperor, the Rebel Alliance succeeds, Anakin can peacefully join The Force in the afterlife, and the story has a happy ending. In our real world? The battle continues, and all we can do is convince Cartoon Network to listen and act accordingly. Toonami and Adult Swim ACTN have a chance to be revived and even thrive again...if Cartoon Network and its masters at Turner and Time Warner can be convinced of the urgency. At stake is not only Toonami and Adult swim, but Cartoon Network itself. Will the Revolution prevail or will the Dark Side be victorious? In this world, the saga continues...

 

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