Why I think Toonami is overrated

[Black Ranger RX]

You know Toonami, that block on Cartoon Network that used to show Japanese Anime dubbed in English, that everybody's been getting hyped up about, and recently has had an April Fool's return on Adult Swim?

Well I don't want to cause any offense, or or controversy or anything even remotely like that, but personally I think Toonami is overrated.

I don't hate Toonami, I'm not saying Toonami sucks, or Toonami is a fucking pile of horse vomit, I'm just saying that Toonami is not worth all the hype it's been getting lately.

I'm not telling everybody to stop watching Toonami or encourage everybody to stop watching Toonami (if you wanna watch Toonami, go ahead) I'm just stating my opinion, because that's what we're allowed to do on Henshin Justice.

So why is Toonami overrated? Well first of all Toonami really is just a block on Cartoon Network that shows some Anime shows, and put some annoying commercial bumpers with some silly CGI robot around them.

Secondly, most of the shows on Toonami such as Gundam Wing, DragonBall Z, etc.. are on DVD, and for me that completely defeats the purpose of watching them on Toonami.

Think about it, you've got the complete collection of DragonBall Z on DVD, you can watch them whenever you want, you can even copy some of the episodes onto your iPod, you can even watch DragonBall Z on the bus, in the bath, whereever, and now all of a sudden you want to watch re-runs of DragonBall on Toonami? Why? What difference will it make, apart from having a bloody big "Toonami" logo on one of the corners of the screen, and scrolling text around telling us about "what cool shows they've got comming up", and competitions to win worthless **** signed by Justin Bieber or whoever.. and then the CGI Robot interupts the programme to tell you "we'll be back after these messages", and some WalMart advert appears..

Thirdly, I find it amazing that there are Toonami fanboys who are so fanatical about this Cartoon Network Anime block to the level of worshipping it
like a God. Considering that there are loads of other places where you can watch Anime, from Anime Central to.. well, as I said earlier about buying Anime series on DVD.

Really, it's no different to when Cartoon Network put DragonBall Z on after say.. Cow n Chicken at 7.PM. It's just Anime on Cartoon Network, which is great but not nessesarily "OMG!!! BLOODY FANTASTIC!!!"

Fourthly, a lot of people have been talking about what series they would like to watch on Toonami, and a lot of these Anime series they've been talking about have also been released on DVD too. For example: Fairy Tale, which although I've never watched this Anime I believe it's by the same guy behind OnePiece, right? Well that Anime has even been released on DVD in the UK.

So yeah... that has been my rant.

I'll tell you a little something though.. here in the UK we used to have Toonami as a seperate channel on Sky TV. Most of the programs on Toonami UK were not as much Anime, mostly fucking **** for pre teenagers, and Hanging Out with Mr Cooper.

I would probably appreciate Toonami more if it changed the way it was. Maybe instead of being a block on Cartoon Network, it could change itself into a website like Crunchyroll, and put all it's shows online for us all to watch worldwide, and made monney out of Advertizing revenue. If they made Toonami this way I would've appreciated Toonami more, maybe I would've even appreciated that CGI robot-thing a bit more too. But yeah, that's just wishful thinking.

 

[Icefish]

I think most of the hype concerning Toonami has been that of nostalgia. A lot of people grew up watching Toonami. Hell, I watched the hell out of Toonami. It's seeing something from your childhood come back that just gets people jazzed. I get where you're going with the whole "it's just a programming block," but you could also say the same thing about practically ANYTHING broadcast. Why bother with watching TV at all when you can see the same stuff online or on DVD?

I'll admit, I do find the sudden resurgence of Toonami popularity a bit confusing. We get one night of it and suddenly people are flipping out like it's the second coming of Christ. Then again, this isn't the first time people have gone hog wild over something relatively insignificant. Fans will get excited over whatever they want, regardless of how original or important it is.

Also, Toonami did have a Crunchyroll-esque streaming site many years back. I didn't really bother with it since it didn't have anything to offer that I really wanted. Not sure what happened to it. Probably got taken down at some point.

 

[Hell Kaiser Andy]

From what I hear Cartoon Network in the US airs pretty much crap constantly, and when you don't get a block that airs stuff you actually like in some way it's going to get some hype.

Besides, not everyone buys boxsets of animes.

 

[Painted_Outlaw]

I'll admit, I do find the sudden resurgence of Toonami popularity a bit confusing. We get one night of it and suddenly people are flipping out like it's the second coming of Christ. Then again, this isn't the first time people have gone hog wild over something relatively insignificant.

I wouldn't say the reaction is totally insignificant; I mean, if Adult Swim and even Steven Blum got into it, there is probably some backing to it.

For example: Fairy Tale, which although I've never watched this Anime I believe it's by the same guy behind OnePiece, right?

It's not; it's by the manga-ka who made Groove Adventure Rave (or, Rave Master as people probably know it better as).

 

[Liquid Chris Sentai]

Besides, not everyone buys boxsets of animes.

Then they should watch it online. I think one of the problems is that people blame other stuff like Cartoon Network for not being able to watch their favorite show, when they could do it themselves by buying the boxsets or watch it online somewhere.

 

[Hell Kaiser Andy]

Then they should watch it online. I think one of the problems is that people blame other stuff like Cartoon Network for not being able to watch their favorite show, when they could do it themselves by buying the boxsets or watch it online somewhere.

That wasn't what I meant. The point is even though you can watch it at anytime online there's still something about seeing it on your tv.

 

[Bad Wolf]

Well I don't want to cause any offense, or or controversy or anything even remotely like that, but personally I think Toonami is overrated.

how can something that hasn't been on in 4 years be overrated? personally the word "overrated" is overused nowadays.

I'm just saying that Toonami is not worth all the hype it's been getting lately.

you mean for the last 4 days?

So why is Toonami overrated? Well first of all Toonami really is just a block on Cartoon Network that shows some Anime shows, and put some annoying commercial bumpers with some silly CGI robot around them.

To a lot of us Toonami was an introduction to Anime with shows like Tenchi Muyo, Dragon Ball Z, Gundam Wing, and Big 0. not to metion the awesome Intros they would put at the beginning of shows. also Tom would also give inspirational speeches and music videos.

Secondly, most of the shows on Toonami such as Gundam Wing, DragonBall Z, etc.. are on DVD, and for me that completely defeats the purpose of watching them on Toonami.

now yes but before you couldn't really find them,(at least for me anyway)

Thirdly, I find it amazing that there are Toonami fanboys who are so fanatical about this Cartoon Network Anime block to the level of worshipping it
like a God. Considering that there are loads of other places where you can watch Anime, from Anime Central to.. well, as I said earlier about buying Anime series on DVD.

again now it's pretty common place to find episodes, but back in 98-99? I don't think so.

Fourthly, a lot of people have been talking about what series they would like to watch on Toonami...

this is probably the only thing I agree with, I don't get why people think just because if it was on Toonami it would make things 100% better. Bleach would still be terrible even if it was on Toonami.

Final statement:
I can't speak for everyone, but for me, Toonami got me. I was an awkward dude going through puberty and dealing with middle school and bullies. Toonami was a friend who was waiting for me after school and said "sit down kick back and relax, I got you." it really is just pure nostalgia. people love things that take them back to a time when they were happy whether it be Power Rangers or Toonami.

 

[Mr. Underachiever]

Toonami will always have a special place in my heart, but it should stay dead. Everyone going on Twitter clamoring for its return aren't gonna watch it if it comes back, and they don't seem to realize that there's no possible way they can bring it back and it not suck.

 

[Mr G]

Then they should watch it online. I think one of the problems is that people blame other stuff like Cartoon Network for not being able to watch their favorite show, when they could do it themselves by buying the boxsets or watch it online somewhere.

Not everyone has a broadband connection. I'd gladly watch online if I had high-speed access in my area, but I don't. Also, why commit to a boxset if you're unsure of whether you'll even like a show? If it comes on television at least you can sample it.

Toonami will always have a special place in my heart, but it should stay dead. Everyone going on Twitter clamoring for its return aren't gonna watch it if it comes back, and they don't seem to realize that there's no possible way they can bring it back and it not suck.

I can't speak for everyone, but I will definitely watch it. And, sure, it could suck. I would rather see them bring it back and at least give it a try though.

 

[Bigdog]

Reading all the comments, some of you have not much of a clue on internet access in the United States. If we had internet access like Japan or South Korea and the internet was used more to watch shows mainstream , you'd have an argument. but the majority of us don't. I have a decent internet connection , but most of the time, what I watch is on DVR if not live on TV itself. There's an allure ,a certain prestige to watching shows on TV than on the computer.

There are still a decent amount of people who have no access to the internet in the States or cannot afford it. Then we have to look at how many people have the Anime Network and a few other anim channels if they exist here. They usually are in the premiums and are inaccessible to many people.

The reason why people loved Toonami is that for the first time, they did not have to go on a wild goose chase to finding the next Inuyasha VHS or DVD or have to wait for some company to butcher it into smithereens like what happened with Dragonball the first time around. That's how it was in the 80's and if you weren't in the know , you were screwed. Tell me you would have watched Power Rangers or liked tokusatsu if it were moved to a premium channel in your childhood and tell me you would not go to the next best thing. The more accessible anime is , the better it is for us in general.

Toonami was so accessible to a large audience that it allowed people to see anime and bring upon a DEMAND for more accurate dubs , subs and even American anime like Avatar. Before then, it was quite impossible for American creators to really delve into their love of anime as it was no niche or opportunity to do so. Overrated or not, it allowed many of Americans to get introduced into the thought that "hey, this stuff isn't all about robots and scifi , it can be about many other stories that are as awesome"

DBZ was one of the network's biggest hits with boys 6-12 and raked in serious ratings to justify further video games and media, leaving the world with almost two decades of Dragonball Z based video games. If there wasn't such a demand, we'd never have gotten a movie, thoguh subpar as it was. It even justified a redub with uncut footage of the entire series.

If they do bring it back, I want them to go to the basics. Screw Naruto and Bleach, we have had enough of that. If anything , put the classics as a block on Boomerang or an afternoon section on CN and leave the newer anime and action cartoons to Toonami.

Here's my block:
- 009-1
- Guyver (2005)
- Zetman
- Tiger and Bunny
- Gigantor 2004 (This is BEGGING for a release)
-Gundam 00/Age , Turn a Gundam( Later shift).
- Shin Mazinger Shougeki! Z Hen
-Thundercats 2011
-Macross followups dubbed as Robotech (How the rights haven't been resolved is mind boggling.)
-Samurai Jack (They need to do a new season for this)
-PPG Z
-Kamen Rider Kabuto
-Ultraman series dub (later)
- Maybe DBZ.
-Tenchi Muyo Season 4
-Throw in the other anime on the block on CN. Syndicate YuGiOh.
-Insert 5 Shojo anime in here
-The Japanese Family Guy
-Naruto ( I hate the fillers, but they can skip them , right?) If not ,screw it.

It could be brought back and not suck. They just need to focus on getting new anime on there as well.