Adult Swim's New Kid-Friendly Direction

[Space Cadet]

Are all of these shows going to end up on Toonami? It’s already going to be weird going from Superman to Zom 100 in the midnight hour of Toonami in a few weeks. At least Superman is a legacy Toonami character going back to the Moltar days when they aired Fleischer shorts. The 90s series also aired in the TOM2 era. So it can slide by as grandfathered in, the same way Toonami’s big three long running Shonen are.

With IFG, we have been told in these tweets the show was intended to be rated TV-Y7. Can you really imagine a modern TV-Y7-FV CN kids original going into a TV-MA-LSV zombie sex comedy? One of the characters on Zom 100 is naked for prolonged periods in nearly every episode. Mainly it is used as a gag. But he was shown in a bedroom scene with a naked girl a few weeks back.

They might air it outside Toonami, the first season of My Adventures of Superman did.

 

[Conttactt]

Can’t they just take the focus away from the channel and put all their focus into the brand and make original CN shows for streaming pr both? Man I’m disappointed because they had so many opportunities to fix things but nope they just don’t care

Make what? More bean mouth, Calarts slop everyone hates at announcement?

Let’s take a theoretical situation. You are making a cartoon. An actually good one, would you want to pitch it to CN? Where they will shart all over it in favor of hours upon hours of TTGo and Gumball reruns? I don’t think so.

Talent in the western animation industry has absolutely plummeted in the past decade. The very small handful of people actually have talent are pitching their shows to Netflix, Amazon, etc. Somewhere it will actually survive.

Are all of these shows going to end up on Toonami? It’s already going to be weird going from Superman to Zom 100 in the midnight hour of Toonami in a few weeks. At least Superman is a legacy Toonami character going back to the Moltar days when they aired Fleischer shorts. The 90s series also aired in the TOM2 era. So it can slide by as grandfathered in, the same way Toonami’s big three long running Shonen are.

I really hope not. I can tolerate Superman, but I want that to be the end of the CN cast offs getting dumped on the block. That’s not why people watch Toonami. And right now the schedule is slipping back into a pretty dire state. Only 4 premiers, 2 of them are long runners, and 1 is Superman. If you are here for the anime (most of the audience is regardless of what Demarco claims) you are not eating well at all.

 

[aegisrawks]

Make what? More bean mouth, Calarts slop everyone hates at announcement?

Let’s take a theoretical situation. You are making a cartoon. An actually good one, would you want to pitch it to CN? Where they will shart all over it in favor of hours upon hours of TTGo and Gumball reruns? I don’t think so.

Talent in the western animation industry has absolutely plummeted in the past decade. The very small handful of people actually have talent are pitching their shows to Netflix, Amazon, etc. Somewhere it will actually survive.


I really hope not. I can tolerate Superman, but I want that to be the end of the CN cast offs getting dumped on the block. That’s not why people watch Toonami. And right now the schedule is slipping back into a pretty dire state. Only 4 premiers, 2 of them are long runners, and 1 is Superman. If you are here for the anime (most of the audience is regardless of what Demarco claims) you are not eating well at all.

I know you are right but if that is so where are people supposed to go then?

I think Disney would be the best choice though.

 

[JMTV]

Hate to break it to you but that wont stop Warner Discovery USA putting Iyanu on Adult Swim. Just that it will air on Cartoon Network elsewhere.

True, and that's me setting a pretty low bar.

Are all of these shows going to end up on Toonami?

I honestly doubt it. At least Superman, I'd give it a pass because the franchise had a history aired on Toonami before. Invincible Fight Girl would be a massive turn-off. Premieres outside of Toonami? Sure. But, inside the block? I don't think so.

Let’s take a theoretical situation. You are making a cartoon. An actually good one, would you want to pitch it to CN? Where they will shart all over it in favor of hours upon hours of TTGo and Gumball reruns? I don’t think so.

And that's a bad thing because?

A lot of people really needed the jobs regardless if the network aired TTG a lot.

Even though I agree about CN's notorious track record of handling their action shows has ben pretty abysmal, but that doesn't mean Invincible Fight Girl shouldn't thrive on CN.

I think Disney would be the best choice though.

Then again, sometimes Disney can be very iffy treating certain shows (we all know what happened to The Owl House).

 

[aegisrawks]

True, and that's me setting a pretty low bar.

I honestly doubt it. At least Superman, I'd give it a pass because the franchise had a history aired on Toonami before. Invincible Fight Girl would be a massive turn-off. Premieres outside of Toonami? Sure. But, inside the block? I don't think so.

And that's a bad thing because?

A lot of people really needed the jobs regardless if the network aired TTG a lot.

Even though I agree about CN's notorious track record of handling their action shows has ben pretty abysmal, but that doesn't mean Invincible Fight Girl shouldn't thrive on CN.


Then again, sometimes Disney can be very iffy treating certain shows (we all know what happened to The Owl House).

I know but again, Nick and CN are cartoon butcher shops, Disney is only the better choice by comparison.

 

[JMTV]

I know but again, Nick and CN are cartoon butcher shops, Disney is only the better choice by comparison.

Okay fair enough, but still if Disney were to treat The Owl House better, then I would 100% agree with you, but I digress.

 

[PicardMan]

I honestly doubt it. At least Superman, I'd give it a pass because the franchise had a history aired on Toonami before. Invincible Fight Girl would be a massive turn-off. Premieres outside of Toonami? Sure. But, inside the block? I don't think so.

Toonami also aired Unicorn Warriors Eternal, which is a Genndy show, but Genndy's weakest work. I have no problem with American toons, just the kiddification of Toonami, and Adult Swim as a whole. Not looking forward to another kids show airing on Toonami.

 

[Checkerboard]

This just reminded of when they aired CN shows on Boomerang.

 

[Tacomaster]

I have no problem with American toons, just the kiddification of Toonami, and Adult Swim as a whole. Not looking forward to another kids show airing on Toonami.

Honestly, like I said before, there should be two Toonamis, both aimed towards a YA crowd- one airing on a YA refocused CN and airing the PG, light TV-14, and even some heavy Y7-FV shows (DBZ Kai, Naruto, One Piece, Unicorn, Superman, Invincible Fight Girl, and if we’re picking from the CN crowd as well, Iyanu and Totally Spies), as a return to the classic version of the block. And then there’s the Midnight Run on Adult Swim, which airs the MA and heavy TV-14 shows (Zom 100, Ninja Kamui, Primal, and even Harley Quinn and the Rick and Morty anime).

Heck, I even have a schedule idea for the former block.

WEEKDAYS
5 PM: Dragon Ball Z Kai
5:30 PM: Naruto Shippuden
6 PM: One Piece
6:30 PM: Samurai Jack (seasons 1-4 only)

SATURDAYS
7 PM: Invincible Fight Girl
7:30 PM: Totally Spies!
8 PM: My Adventures with Superman
8:30 PM: Iyanu: Child of Wonder
9 PM: Dragon Ball Z Kai
9:30 PM: Naruto Shippuden
10 PM: One Piece
10:30 PM: Unicorn: Warriors Eternal

 

[PicardMan]

Honestly, like I said before, there should be two Toonamis, both aimed towards a YA crowd- one airing on a YA refocused CN and airing the PG, light TV-14, and even some heavy Y7-FV shows (DBZ Kai, Naruto, One Piece, Unicorn, Superman, Invincible Fight Girl, and if we’re picking from the CN crowd as well, Iyanu and Totally Spies), as a return to the classic version of the block. And then there’s the Midnight Run on Adult Swim, which airs the MA and heavy TV-14 shows (Zom 100, Ninja Kamui, Primal, and even Harley Quinn and the Rick and Morty anime).

The problem is that Adult Swim refuses to air anime on weekdays. That's why that won't happen. I don't have a problem with shonen airing on Toonami as there's blood and stuff in titles like MHA.

 

[JMTV]

Toonami also aired Unicorn Warriors Eternal, which is a Genndy show, but Genndy's weakest work. I have no problem with American toons, just the kiddification of Toonami, and Adult Swim as a whole. Not looking forward to another kids show airing on Toonami.

To be fair, I haven't seen a single episode of Unicorn Warrior Eternal. So I can't really say if it is Genndy's weakest work or not. So I have no idea. Though, I think the art style is pretty appealing.

With that said, the kiddifiction of Adult Swim is a major disservice to their own M.O since 2001. It's almost like they're embracing kids taking over the adult pool.

This just reminded of when they aired CN shows on Boomerang.

Except no where near as bad as that.

The problem is that Adult Swim refuses to air anime on weekdays. That's why that won't happen. I don't have a problem with shonen airing on Toonami as there's blood and stuff in titles like MHA.

Yeah, that's true. I guess maybe ever since Toonami came back, Adult Swim felt there's no point of putting anime on their regular lineup anymore. Maybe because they thought it was too expensive to keep the licensees for certain titles? Or they're just weren't as popular as the Fox reruns? IDK. Your guess as a good as mine.

 

[Tacomaster]

The problem is that Adult Swim refuses to air anime on weekdays. That's why that won't happen. I don't have a problem with shonen airing on Toonami as there's blood and stuff in titles like MHA.

Yeah, AS are a bunch of stubborn jerks in that regard. Especially with how popular anime in general is now, and how much of a following Toonami has, and you STILL don’t wanna budge? Oh, but then it would get in the way of their precious Fox reruns (which would have fled to FXX by now if Spectrum didn’t kneecap that network’s growth and success)

 

[ToonDude03]

My opinion is, as I stated before in another thread, the entire channel should just be called CN at this point. Having stuff like Unicorn, Superman, and Invincible Fight Girl on [as] really makes me think that the whole thing should be CN except for maybe a little block from midnight to about 4am per say to air all the mature shows like Rick and Morty and Smiling Friends.

Making it all CN again could bring back classic 90s-2000s shows to CN via Checkered Past, as well as family movie nights via ACME Night (kinda like how it was from 2021-2023)

 

[PicardMan]

My opinion is, as I stated before in another thread, the entire channel should just be called CN at this point.

The thing is that's not what's happening. It looks like Invincible Fight Girl, My Adventures with Superman, and Unicorn Warriors Eternal were too violent for the big wigs at Cartoon Network. I don't think Cartoon Network is going to die, but it seems like they are a zombie rerun network like 80% of cable.

 

[Tacomaster]

The thing is that's not what's happening. It looks like Invincible Fight Girl, My Adventures with Superman, and Unicorn Warriors Eternal were too violent for the big wigs at Cartoon Network.

Currently run by the same guy as AS, by the way.

 

[PF9]

Adult Swim becoming more kid-friendly could be offset by the occasional running of R-rated movies on ACME Night, like Joker (2019) or The Peacemaker (1997).

 

[harry580]

Adult Swim becoming more kid-friendly could be offset by the occasional running of R-rated movies on ACME Night, like Joker (2019) or The Peacemaker (1997).

yeah, while they at it: Chucky, you know, just to please moe

 

[Daikun]

Adult Swim becoming more kid-friendly could be offset by the occasional running of R-rated movies on ACME Night, like Joker (2019) or The Peacemaker (1997).

If they wanna air these movies somewhere around midnight, then sure. 5PM is way too early.

 

[Conttactt]

I know you are right but if that is so where are people supposed to go then?

I think Disney would be the best choice though.

Streaming like everyone else. Western projects are still coming out, it’s just all the good ones are on streaming.

My opinion is, as I stated before in another thread, the entire channel should just be called CN at this point.

The CN brand has lost a ton of its value, while the AS brand has only increased in value. It doesn’t make sense to use the CN brand, especially when that makes the network less appealing to advertisers.

You guys are way too hung up on this name issue. Even at its inception, AS was more of a teen block. But that doesn’t sound very good as a name. It’s like with MTV. How many decades has it been since it’s shown music content? A lot, but the MTV brand is recognizable so they stick with it.

And that's a bad thing because?

A lot of people really needed the jobs regardless if the network aired TTG a lot.

Even though I agree about CN's notorious track record of handling their action shows has ben pretty abysmal, but that doesn't mean Invincible Fight Girl shouldn't thrive on CN.

If you are pitching a show, you have a ton of work into it, would you want it to go somewhere where you know all that work would be disrespected?

WEEKDAYS
5 PM: Dragon Ball Z Kai
5:30 PM: Naruto Shippuden
6 PM: One Piece
6:30 PM: Samurai Jack (seasons 1-4 only)

SATURDAYS
7 PM: Invincible Fight Girl
7:30 PM: Totally Spies!
8 PM: My Adventures with Superman
8:30 PM: Iyanu: Child of Wonder
9 PM: Dragon Ball Z Kai
9:30 PM: Naruto Shippuden
10 PM: One Piece
10:30 PM: Unicorn: Warriors Eternal

The problem with this idea is cost. As is, Toonami burns about 4 episodes of a show per month. A weekday block would burn 20. And the ratings just aren’t gonna be there to justify that huge increase in expense.

Plus, removing that content from Toonami on Saturdays means they have to invest in a bunch of shorter non shonen titles. Which I would love to see, but as we have seen in the past few years, they often struggle to fill even single timeslots.

 

[JMTV]

The CN brand has lost a ton of its value, while the AS brand has only increased in value. It doesn’t make sense to use the CN brand, especially when that makes the network less appealing to advertisers.

Then, merge those two brands, and still call it a general audience animation channel. They can still appeal to advertisers.

You guys are way too hung up on this name issue.

Again, it's the principle of the matter.

Even at its inception, AS was more of a teen block. But that doesn’t sound very good as a name. It’s like with MTV. How many decades has it been since it’s shown music content? A lot, but the MTV brand is recognizable so they stick with it.

Then, why call it "Adult" Swim in the first place? If I see the name Adult Swim, I expect to see Adult Swim had adult programming. Not Teen Swim. If Adult Swim airs family friendly programming, then why called it ADULT SWIM?! You know? All kids outta pool?! Not, kids comes into the pool will full of adults?!

If that's not a oxymoron, then I don't know what is.

Also, don't compare that to MTV. MTV lost its music mojo long ago.

If you are pitching a show, you have a ton of work into it, would you want it to go somewhere where you know all that work would be disrespected?

No, but that's besides the point. Regardless of how CN overairs TTG and Gumball, people still needs the jobs in order to survive.