Toonami
Encyclopedia
Toonami was a registered trademark of Cartoon Network
, used initially for action-oriented programming blocks on Cartoon Network television channel
s worldwide, mostly showing American cartoons and Japanese anime
, originating in the United States on March 17, 1997 and ended on September 20, 2008.
The Toonami brand name was subsequently used in the United Kingdom as the name of an action-oriented animation channel replacing a former Cartoon Network-owned channel, CNX
, which had been a Toonami/live-action hybrid network. It has been hosted by two CGI hosts.
's primary action-animation block. The block, which made its world premiere on Monday, March 17, 1997, initially replaced Power Zone, Cartoon Network's most recent incarnation of the Super Adventures block which had been a staple on the network since October 1, 1992. Toonami was originally a weekday afternoon cartoon and anime block hosted by Space Ghost
villain-turned-producer Moltar at the Ghost Planet Industries building from 1997 to July 9, 1999.
On Saturday, July 10, 1999, Cartoon Network relaunched Toonami with a new environment, the Ghost Planet Spaceship Absolution, and a new host named TOM. The night also introduced the Toonami Midnight Run late night block which was originally a five-hour Saturday night block (technically Sunday) at midnight EST until March 2000, when it moved to weeknights in an hour-long format until January 2003.
On Saturday, April 17, 2004, Toonami was moved from weekday afternoons to a Saturday evening slot, where it aired for four hours starting at 7/6c. Beginning October 27, 2007, it aired for 2 Hours starting at 9/8c. On September 20, 2008 Toonami ended, with its final broadcast that same day.
, was the host for Toonami. Eventually, TOM took over and It was during this run that we were introduced to the computer of the ship through several online games that tied into an ongoing storyline aboard the ship. The mention of the ship is only because of the death of the original TOM in one of these story lines, and the arrival of TOM 2, a dark and sleeker model of host. When Toonami finally landed in the late night spot on Saturdays, the ship was eventually replaced with a number of exploring robots and their counterparts.
-esque character (voiced by Sonny Strait
) to a taller, stronger, darker, deeper-voiced incarnation temporarily dubbed as TOM 2.0 (voiced by Steven Blum
), though it was the same TOM who still hosted the block.
The following two TIEs, Lockdown and Trapped in Hyperspace, continued the adventures of TOM and SARA, but really didn't offer much storywise.
The TIE in September 2003 was a diversion from the TOM and SARA adventures and introduced a new, 2D universe. Immortal Grand Prix
(IGPX), created by Toonami producers Sean Akins and Jason DeMarco and produced by anime studio Production I.G, aired in five short installments and served as a pilot for the second Toonami original series, which premiered in November 2005 (a brief note: although Megas XLR
was the first original American-made franchise to actually debut on the block, it was initially a Cartoon Network original that was planned to air on Friday nights; other Cartoon Network action properties, namely Samurai Jack
, Teen Titans
, and Justice League
, aired on Toonami but weren't exclusive to the block until their final seasons).
The Intruder and Lockdown aired in the UK, but didn't achieve the same amount of success as their American airings.
, Voltron
, Robotech
, Dragon Ball Z, Gundam Wing, G Gundam, Gundam 08th MS Team, and Outlaw Star
. Midnight Run tended to have slightly more blood and violence than its day-time counterpart. It at one point ran an uncut version of Gundam Wing. It sometimes had a special edition. They had one special edition on Friday, August 31, 2001 at midnight, which aired music videos from Gorillaz
, including "Clint Eastwood", Kenna's "Hellbent", and from Daft Punk
's Interstella 5555. Another event was Dragon Ball Z taking over the Midnight Run for a week starting on March 26, 2001 to March 30, 2001; the time was 12-1AM for 5 days.
and a live-action series created by Goosebumps
author R. L. Stine
, The Nightmare Room. In spring 2002, Kids' WB announced that they would drop the Toonami name from their weekday lineup, once again making the Toonami brand exclusive to Cartoon Network.
series, which were licensed by A.D. Vision
. The series shown were Neon Genesis Evangelion
, Gigantor
, Robotech
, Martian Successor Nadesico
and Dai-Guard
. In the evening of the final day, the channel aired The Iron Giant
.
Toonami also replaced the block known as Saturday Video Entertainment System or SVES. One big reason for the move from weekdays to Saturday nights was because some of the shows on the weekday lineup (such as YuYu Hakusho
, Cyborg 009
, and Rurouni Kenshin
) became too violent for a weekday broadcast on the network (although reruns of the TV-PG-rated Naruto
aired throughout early 2007 on weekday afternoons at 5:30/4:30c, though CN stopped all Miguzi promos before the show started). The new Toonami line-up showcased anime like Naruto, Rave Master, Duel Masters
, Gundam SEED, One Piece
, Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo
, Zatch Bell, and Pokémon Chronicles
, as well as premiered North American productions like Teen Titans
, Megas XLR
, Justice League Unlimited
, and IGPX, Toonami's first and only original production co-produced by Production I.G and Bandai Entertainment.
Beginning in late October 2007 Toonami was cut from a four hour block to a two hour block on Saturday nights. Instead of action shows or some anime
, many CN comedy cartoons air from 7PM to 9PM. At the time of its cancellation on September 2008, the Saturday night lineup consisted of a full hour of Naruto
at 9/8c, Ben 10: Alien Force
at 10/9c, and Samurai Jack
at 10:30/9:30c. But on September 20, 2008 at 11/10c, Toonami shut down for good, ending it. Some speculate that the reason for the 2 hour block instead of the previous 4 hour block was Cartoon Network preparing to close down Toonami.
director Hayao Miyazaki
. Like sibling station TCM's
similar marathon in January 2006, Toonami aired a different movie every week between Toonami anniversaries (the marathon began on the weekend of the ninth anniversary of the block and ended the week before the second anniversary of the block's move to Saturday nights). The films scheduled for A Month of Miyazaki (which all aired uncut and unedited as per Miyazaki's policy not to have his films altered). However, there were many complaints due to the large number of commercial interruptions during the films, with commercial breaks cutting in about every 20 minutes. The movies were as follows:
commercial aired during the Xiaolin Showdown
marathon on Cartoon Network featuring close up shots of larger Clydes (the remote robot explorers that have been a fixture of Toonami since the beginning) along with the date 3/17/07 and TOM's chest emblem glowing blue.
On March 17, 2007, Toonami celebrated its tenth anniversary with a new packaging and numerous montages celebrating the block. TOM was revamped into a shorter robot who was a commander of a jungle control room with a trio of new robots.
The montages included a look at past hosts, former logos, and a decade's worth of clips and voiceovers from shows that aired on Toonami. There were a total of 4 montages, all of them having different clips. Three of them were one minute long.
As part of the anniversary (and to coincide with Cartoon Network's March Movie Madness event), Toonami planned another month of movies:
), ended the block with a brief, final monologue:
. Over the years, Toonami added shows like YuYu Hakusho
and Saint Seiya
, as well as the revamped versions of Cyborg 009
and Astro Boy. However, the block had to move to the late-night slots on CN Latin America due to protests of violent scenes on the block. Mexico moved Toonami to midnight in October 2003 while the rest of Latin America moved the block in November 2004.
In 2005, Toonami had short-lived weekend schedules, which were later replaced by the premiere of Adult Swim in Latin America.
In March 2006, Toonami revamped their lineup to include more adult-oriented series, such as Love Hina
, taking advantage of the schedule and the refusal of anime on Adult Swim, as well as to compete against the anime channel Animax
(now Sony Spin) for new anime series. In June 2006, Toonami premiered anime movies in two monthly variations: Dragon Ball Theatricals (which had 17 different Dragon Ball movies), and Toonami Movies (general animated action movies).
In January 2007, Cartoon Network cut Toonami completely. The movies were no longer aired, save those of Dragon Ball Z. After its cancellation in Latin America, the anime programming of the channel gradually vanished, currently the only anime which air on CN LA are Naruto
, Pokémon
, The Powerpuff Girls Z and Bakugan. As of January 2010, The block Animaction was created that's transmitting on Wednesday evenings that passes action programing and anime programming. Recently this block was removed in April 2011 in Latin America.
from 1997 to 1999, and then by Atlanta-based composer Joe Boyd Vigil
from 1999 to 2002, many of which were compiled in the CD Toonami: Deep Space Bass
in 2001, which is now out of print. His webpage can be found here. In 2003, DJ Clarknova took Toonami's beats (both old and new) and mixed them with sound bites from recent Toonami and Adult Swim shows. This resulted in an hour-long compilation of Toonami remixes, called the Toonami: Black Hole Megamix, but for unknown reasons was never published. However, the Megamix recently was hosted by Toonami Digital Arsenal, a popular unofficial Toonami multimedia site.
From 2003 through 2008, Toonami relied on original and library tracks from various artists from publisher Ninja Tune
. On rare occasions, videos from musicians such as Daft Punk
, Linkin Park
, The White Stripes
, and Gorillaz
aired on the block.
Infrequently, Toonami aired reviews of video games. The reviews, delivered by TOM and occasionally SARA, were fairly short and ran during commercial breaks. The hosts scored games on a 1 - 10 system: 10 signifying an excellent game, 1 signifying a very poor game. (The score system was originally 1 - 5 until 2001.)
Reviews became more common when TOM 2 began hosting. Games such as Beach Spikers, Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee
, and Mister Mosquito
received a 6/10, while Super Mario Sunshine
got a perfect 10/10. Toonami reviewed many games since the beginning and mostly gave a 9/10 or an 8/10. TOM 4 did not give many reviews, as his assistant T performed those duties.
One game received a "?" rating: Dropship: United Peace Force
for the PlayStation 2. TOM explained that he had no idea what to rate the game because he couldn't get past the sixth level, accompanied by repeated footage of TOM losing. The synopsis on Toonami Digital Arsenal reads "A robot is [sic] loses his mind over a video game. Hilarity ensues."
, the latter of which was an online-exclusive series. Editorial content was provided by the now-defunct Animerica Magazine
, published by VIZ Media
. After the three-month "trial run" was over, Cartoon Network took it offline and completely revamped it.
On November 14, 2001, Cartoon Network relaunched Toonami Reactor with all online-exclusive programs such as Star Blazers, Patlabor
, The Harlock Saga
, and Record of Lodoss War
as well as videos from Daft Punk
and Toonami-themed games. In the summer of 2002, Toonami Reactor was revamped again under the Adult Swim
aegis and, with a joint venture with VIZ's Weekly Shonen Jump
, programmed it as "Adult Swim Pipeline."
On April 25, 2006, a little over five years since the launch of the now-defunct Toonami Reactor, Cartoon Network and VIZ Media announced plans to launch Toonami Jetstream
http://www.toonamijetstream.com, a new ad-supported streaming video service featuring Toonami series like Naruto
, Samurai Jack
, Megas XLR
and IGPX
and the internet webcast premieres of Hikaru no Go
, MÄR
, Eyeshield 21
, The Prince of Tennis
, MegaMan Star Force, Kiba
, MegaMan NT Warrior
, & Zoids: Genesis
, the latter two of which haven't premiered as of June 2008.
Toonami Jetstream
launched on July 17, 2006 (after a brief unofficial sneak preview that began on July 14), and offered episodes of Naruto
, Hikaru no Go
, MÄR
, Zatch Bell!
, Pokémon
, Blue Dragon, Samurai Jack
, Kiba
, Storm Hawks
and Transformers: Animated
.
On January 30, 2009, Toonami Jetstream ended its run. Since then, many of the shows aired until cancellation now currently air on Cartoon Network Video on its main web site.
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network is a name of television channels worldwide created by Turner Broadcasting which used to primarily show animated programming. The channel began broadcasting on October 1, 1992 in the United States....
, used initially for action-oriented programming blocks on Cartoon Network television channel
Television channel
A television channel is a physical or virtual channel over which a television station or television network is distributed. For example, in North America, "channel 2" refers to the broadcast or cable band of 54 to 60 MHz, with carrier frequencies of 55.25 MHz for NTSC analog video and...
s worldwide, mostly showing American cartoons and Japanese anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
, originating in the United States on March 17, 1997 and ended on September 20, 2008.
The Toonami brand name was subsequently used in the United Kingdom as the name of an action-oriented animation channel replacing a former Cartoon Network-owned channel, CNX
CNX
CNX was a channel operated by Turner Broadcasting in the UK and Ireland aimed at the 12-34 male audience, first started broadcasting on October 14, 2002 and lasted until September 8, 2003 when it was changed to the Toonami channel. The station was based around three key ingredients—Action,...
, which had been a Toonami/live-action hybrid network. It has been hosted by two CGI hosts.
History
Toonami was Cartoon NetworkCartoon Network
Cartoon Network is a name of television channels worldwide created by Turner Broadcasting which used to primarily show animated programming. The channel began broadcasting on October 1, 1992 in the United States....
's primary action-animation block. The block, which made its world premiere on Monday, March 17, 1997, initially replaced Power Zone, Cartoon Network's most recent incarnation of the Super Adventures block which had been a staple on the network since October 1, 1992. Toonami was originally a weekday afternoon cartoon and anime block hosted by Space Ghost
Space Ghost
Space Ghost is a fictional superhero created by Hanna-Barbera Productions and designed by Alex Toth for CBS in the 1960s. In his original incarnation, he was a superhero who, with his sidekick teen helpers Jan, Jace, and Blip the monkey, fought supervillains in outer space...
villain-turned-producer Moltar at the Ghost Planet Industries building from 1997 to July 9, 1999.
On Saturday, July 10, 1999, Cartoon Network relaunched Toonami with a new environment, the Ghost Planet Spaceship Absolution, and a new host named TOM. The night also introduced the Toonami Midnight Run late night block which was originally a five-hour Saturday night block (technically Sunday) at midnight EST until March 2000, when it moved to weeknights in an hour-long format until January 2003.
On Saturday, April 17, 2004, Toonami was moved from weekday afternoons to a Saturday evening slot, where it aired for four hours starting at 7/6c. Beginning October 27, 2007, it aired for 2 Hours starting at 9/8c. On September 20, 2008 Toonami ended, with its final broadcast that same day.
Hosts
Originally, Moltar, of Space Ghost Coast to CoastSpace Ghost Coast to Coast
Space Ghost Coast to Coast is an American animated parody talk show hosted by the 60s Hanna-Barbera cartoon character Space Ghost. The show premiered on April 15, 1994 on Cartoon Network...
, was the host for Toonami. Eventually, TOM took over and It was during this run that we were introduced to the computer of the ship through several online games that tied into an ongoing storyline aboard the ship. The mention of the ship is only because of the death of the original TOM in one of these story lines, and the arrival of TOM 2, a dark and sleeker model of host. When Toonami finally landed in the late night spot on Saturdays, the ship was eventually replaced with a number of exploring robots and their counterparts.
Total Immersion Events
Starting in September 2000, Toonami presented special interactive events known as Total Immersion Events or TIEs. These TIEs took place both on-air during Toonami and online at the official site, Toonami.com, and always occurred the week that the block's most popular series, Dragon Ball Z, returned for a new season. The very first TIE was The Intruder, which introduced TOM's companion, an AI matrix known as SARA. The Intruder was an eight episode mini-series that aired during Toonami from September 18, 2000 up until September 27, 2000. It resulted in the rebirth of TOM, upgraded from a short BombermanBomberman
Bomberman is a strategic, maze-based computer and video game franchise originally developed by Hudson Soft. The original game was published in 1983 and new games in the series are still being published to this day. Today, the commercially successful Bomberman is featured in over 70 different games...
-esque character (voiced by Sonny Strait
Sonny Strait
Don "Sonny" Strait is an American voice actor who works for anime series of Funimation Entertainment. He has provided voices for a number of characters in English language versions of Japanese anime films....
) to a taller, stronger, darker, deeper-voiced incarnation temporarily dubbed as TOM 2.0 (voiced by Steven Blum
Steven Blum
Steven Jay Blum is an American voice actor known primarily for his work in anime dubs and video games, using his distinctive deep voice. Among his credits include the voice of Spike Spiegel of the anime series Cowboy Bebop and Mugen of the anime series Samurai Champloo...
), though it was the same TOM who still hosted the block.
The following two TIEs, Lockdown and Trapped in Hyperspace, continued the adventures of TOM and SARA, but really didn't offer much storywise.
The TIE in September 2003 was a diversion from the TOM and SARA adventures and introduced a new, 2D universe. Immortal Grand Prix
Immortal Grand Prix
refers to two anime series co-produced simultaneously by Cartoon Network and Production I.G. The first is a "microseries" consisting of five 5-minute episodes, and the second is a 26-episode animated series loosely related to the first....
(IGPX), created by Toonami producers Sean Akins and Jason DeMarco and produced by anime studio Production I.G, aired in five short installments and served as a pilot for the second Toonami original series, which premiered in November 2005 (a brief note: although Megas XLR
Megas XLR
Megas XLR is an American animated television series that aired on the Toonami block on Cartoon Network and is produced by Cartoon Network Studios. It was created by Jody Schaeffer and George Krstic...
was the first original American-made franchise to actually debut on the block, it was initially a Cartoon Network original that was planned to air on Friday nights; other Cartoon Network action properties, namely Samurai Jack
Samurai Jack
Samurai Jack is an American animated television series created by animator Genndy Tartakovsky that aired on both Cartoon Network and Toonami from 2001 to 2004. It is noted for its highly detailed, outline-free, masking-based animation, as well as for its cinematic style and pacing...
, Teen Titans
Teen Titans (TV series)
Teen Titans is an American animated television series based on the DC Comics characters of the same name. The show was created by Glen Murakami, developed by David Slack, and produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It premiered on Cartoon Network on July 19, 2003, and the final episode "Things Change"...
, and Justice League
Justice League (TV series)
Justice League is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes which ran from 2001 to 2004 on Cartoon Network. The show was produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It is based on the Justice League of America and associated comic book characters published by DC Comics...
, aired on Toonami but weren't exclusive to the block until their final seasons).
The Intruder and Lockdown aired in the UK, but didn't achieve the same amount of success as their American airings.
Midnight Run
The Midnight Run was once a Toonami block that ran from 1999-2003. It ran daily at 12 AM ET/PT. It consisted of anime such as Sailor MoonSailor Moon
Sailor Moon, known as , is a media franchise created by manga artist Naoko Takeuchi. Fred Patten credits Takeuchi with popularizing the concept of a team of magical girls, and Paul Gravett credits the series with "revitalizing" the magical-girl genre itself...
, Voltron
Voltron
Voltron is the titular super robot of an anime series that features a team of young pilots, known as the Voltron Force. The team’s individual vehicles join together to form the giant super robot, with which they defend the galaxy from evil...
, Robotech
Robotech
Robotech is an 85-episode science fiction anime adaptation produced by Harmony Gold USA in association with Tatsunoko Production Co., Ltd. and first released in the United States in 1985...
, Dragon Ball Z, Gundam Wing, G Gundam, Gundam 08th MS Team, and Outlaw Star
Outlaw Star
is a seinen manga series written and illustrated by Takehiko Itō and his affiliated Morning Star Studio. The series is a space opera/Space Western that takes place in the "Toward Stars Era" universe in which spacecraft are capable of traveling faster than the speed of light...
. Midnight Run tended to have slightly more blood and violence than its day-time counterpart. It at one point ran an uncut version of Gundam Wing. It sometimes had a special edition. They had one special edition on Friday, August 31, 2001 at midnight, which aired music videos from Gorillaz
Gorillaz
Gorillaz is an English musical project created in 1998 by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett. This project consists of Gorillaz music itself and an extensive fictional universe depicting a "virtual band" of cartoon characters...
, including "Clint Eastwood", Kenna's "Hellbent", and from Daft Punk
Daft Punk
Daft Punk are an electronic music duo consisting of French musicians Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter . Daft Punk reached significant popularity in the late 1990s house movement in France and met with continued success in the years following, combining elements of house with synthpop...
's Interstella 5555. Another event was Dragon Ball Z taking over the Midnight Run for a week starting on March 26, 2001 to March 30, 2001; the time was 12-1AM for 5 days.
Rising Sun
A Saturday morning incarnation, Toonami Rising Sun typically ran from 9:00 A.M. to noon. This block was somewhat hampered to avoid competing with sister network Kids' WB. However, the Garlic Junior Saga of Dragon Ball Z fame did premiere in this block. This block lasted between 2000-2001. }Kids' WB's Toonami
From July 30, 2001 until June 30, 2002, Kids WB aired a Toonami block that was, more or less, the Kids' WB lineup with the Toonami name. It was critically panned by industry observers, who noticed the action branding of the block didn't translate content wise, which had added shows like Scooby-DooScooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo is an American media franchise based around several animated television series and related works produced from 1969 to the present day. The original series, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, was created for Hanna-Barbera Productions by writers Joe Ruby and Ken Spears in 1969...
and a live-action series created by Goosebumps
Goosebumps
Goosebumps is a series of children's horror fiction novels written by American author R. L. Stine and first published by Scholastic Publishing. It is a collection of stories that feature semi-homogenous plot structures, with fictional children being involved in scary situations...
author R. L. Stine
R. L. Stine
Robert Lawrence Stine , known as R. L. Stine, and Jovial Bob Stine, is an American writer. Stine, who is called the "Stephen King of children's literature," is the author of hundreds of horror fiction novels, including the books in the Fear Street, Goosebumps, Rotten School, Mostly Ghostly, and The...
, The Nightmare Room. In spring 2002, Kids' WB announced that they would drop the Toonami name from their weekday lineup, once again making the Toonami brand exclusive to Cartoon Network.
Giant Robot Week
In the last week of February 2003, Cartoon Network aired on Toonami Giant Robot Week, a five-day special based on mechaMecha
A mech , is a science fiction term for a large walking bipedal tank or robot, including ones on treads and animal shapes.-Characteristics:...
series, which were licensed by A.D. Vision
A.D. Vision
A.D. Vision was an American international multimedia entertainment company headquartered in Houston, Texas, prior to its collapse and distress sale to four other Houston-based companies in 2009...
. The series shown were Neon Genesis Evangelion
Neon Genesis Evangelion
, commonly referred to as Evangelion, is a commercially and critically successful Japanese anime series that began airing in October 1995. The series was highly influential, and launched the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise. It garnered several major animation awards...
, Gigantor
Gigantor
Gigantor is an American adaptation of the anime version of Tetsujin 28-go, a manga by Mitsuteru Yokoyama released in 1956. It debuted on U.S. television in 1964. As with Speed Racer, the characters' original names were altered and the original series' violence was toned down for American viewers...
, Robotech
Robotech
Robotech is an 85-episode science fiction anime adaptation produced by Harmony Gold USA in association with Tatsunoko Production Co., Ltd. and first released in the United States in 1985...
, Martian Successor Nadesico
Martian Successor Nadesico
, is a science fiction comedy anime TV series, and a later manga series created by Kia Asamiya. The manga, published in English by CPM Manga, is significantly different from the anime....
and Dai-Guard
Dai-Guard
, lit. "Terrestrial Defense Corp. Dai-Guard" is an anime television series, produced and animated by XEBEC, and directed by Seiji Mizushima. It aired from October 5, 1999 to March 28, 2000 on TV Tokyo, ran for 26 episodes. 6 volumes of videos were released on VHS and DVD...
. In the evening of the final day, the channel aired The Iron Giant
The Iron Giant
The Iron Giant is a 1999 animated film produced by Warner Bros. Animation, based on the 1968 novel The Iron Man by Ted Hughes. Brad Bird directed the film, which stars a voice cast of Jennifer Aniston, Harry Connick, Jr., Vin Diesel, Eli Marienthal, Christopher McDonald and John Mahoney...
.
Toonami Rules Saturday Nights
On April 17, 2004, Cartoon Network moved Toonami from weekday afternoons to Saturday evenings with a new demographic of preteen and teen audiences while adding a new lighter-toned action franchise, Miguzi, to weekdays in its place.Toonami also replaced the block known as Saturday Video Entertainment System or SVES. One big reason for the move from weekdays to Saturday nights was because some of the shows on the weekday lineup (such as YuYu Hakusho
YuYu Hakusho
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yoshihiro Togashi. The name of the series is spelled YuYu Hakusho in the Viz Media manga and Yu Yu Hakusho in other English distributions of the franchise. The series tells the story of Yusuke Urameshi, a teenage delinquent who is struck and...
, Cyborg 009
Cyborg 009
is a manga created by Shotaro Ishinomori. It was serialized in many different magazines, including Monthly Shōnen King, Weekly Shōnen Magazine, Shōnen Big Comic, COM, Shōjo Comic, Weekly Shōnen Sunday, Monthly Shōnen Jump and Monthly Comic Nora in Japan...
, and Rurouni Kenshin
Rurouni Kenshin
, also known as Rurouni Kenshin and Samurai X, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Nobuhiro Watsuki. The fictional setting takes place during the early Meiji period in Japan. The story is about a fictional assassin named Himura Kenshin, from the Bakumatsu who becomes a wanderer to...
) became too violent for a weekday broadcast on the network (although reruns of the TV-PG-rated Naruto
Naruto
is an ongoing Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. The plot tells the story of Naruto Uzumaki, an adolescent ninja who constantly searches for recognition and aspires to become the Hokage, the ninja in his village who is acknowledged as the leader and the strongest of...
aired throughout early 2007 on weekday afternoons at 5:30/4:30c, though CN stopped all Miguzi promos before the show started). The new Toonami line-up showcased anime like Naruto, Rave Master, Duel Masters
Duel Masters
is a franchise based on a manga, anime and a trading card game. There is also a video game.-Trading Card Game:The card game originated in Japan, marketed by Takara Tomy. It was produced in English by Wizards of the Coast, who purchased the rights to the name Duel Masters from , which ran a...
, Gundam SEED, One Piece
One Piece
is a Japanese shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda. It has been serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump since August 4, 1997; the individual chapters are being published in tankōbon volumes by Shueisha, with the first released on December 24, 1997, and the 64th volume released as...
, Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo
Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yoshio Sawai, published by Shueisha, and serialized in the Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine...
, Zatch Bell, and Pokémon Chronicles
Pokémon Chronicles
Pokémon Chronicles, known in Japan as , is a spin-off series of the Pokémon anime, revolving around characters other than Ash Ketchum.It first aired in Britain on Toonami, where the initial run has now finished. The only places where episodes are currently airing for the first time are the...
, as well as premiered North American productions like Teen Titans
Teen Titans (TV series)
Teen Titans is an American animated television series based on the DC Comics characters of the same name. The show was created by Glen Murakami, developed by David Slack, and produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It premiered on Cartoon Network on July 19, 2003, and the final episode "Things Change"...
, Megas XLR
Megas XLR
Megas XLR is an American animated television series that aired on the Toonami block on Cartoon Network and is produced by Cartoon Network Studios. It was created by Jody Schaeffer and George Krstic...
, Justice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited is an American animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and specifically based on the Justice League superhero team, it is a direct sequel to the...
, and IGPX, Toonami's first and only original production co-produced by Production I.G and Bandai Entertainment.
Beginning in late October 2007 Toonami was cut from a four hour block to a two hour block on Saturday nights. Instead of action shows or some anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
, many CN comedy cartoons air from 7PM to 9PM. At the time of its cancellation on September 2008, the Saturday night lineup consisted of a full hour of Naruto
Naruto
is an ongoing Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. The plot tells the story of Naruto Uzumaki, an adolescent ninja who constantly searches for recognition and aspires to become the Hokage, the ninja in his village who is acknowledged as the leader and the strongest of...
at 9/8c, Ben 10: Alien Force
Ben 10: Alien Force
When it recalibrated it gained a more watch-like shape, a green wristband, became smaller and sleeker, and the face dial became black and green. The inside of the hourglass shape glows in different colors at special moments; these colors signify the state that the Omnitrix is presently in...
at 10/9c, and Samurai Jack
Samurai Jack
Samurai Jack is an American animated television series created by animator Genndy Tartakovsky that aired on both Cartoon Network and Toonami from 2001 to 2004. It is noted for its highly detailed, outline-free, masking-based animation, as well as for its cinematic style and pacing...
at 10:30/9:30c. But on September 20, 2008 at 11/10c, Toonami shut down for good, ending it. Some speculate that the reason for the 2 hour block instead of the previous 4 hour block was Cartoon Network preparing to close down Toonami.
A Month of Miyazaki
On Saturday, March 18, 2006, in honor of the block's ninth anniversary, Toonami began airing A Month of Miyazaki, a four-week celebration of the works of acclaimed animeAnime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
director Hayao Miyazaki
Hayao Miyazaki
is a Japanese manga artist and prominent film director and animator of many popular anime feature films. Through a career that has spanned nearly fifty years, Miyazaki has attained international acclaim as a maker of animated feature films and, along with Isao Takahata, co-founded Studio Ghibli,...
. Like sibling station TCM's
Turner Classic Movies
Turner Classic Movies is a movie-oriented cable television channel, owned by the Turner Broadcasting System subsidiary of Time Warner, featuring commercial-free classic movies, mostly from the Turner Entertainment and MGM, United Artists, RKO and Warner Bros. film libraries...
similar marathon in January 2006, Toonami aired a different movie every week between Toonami anniversaries (the marathon began on the weekend of the ninth anniversary of the block and ended the week before the second anniversary of the block's move to Saturday nights). The films scheduled for A Month of Miyazaki (which all aired uncut and unedited as per Miyazaki's policy not to have his films altered). However, there were many complaints due to the large number of commercial interruptions during the films, with commercial breaks cutting in about every 20 minutes. The movies were as follows:
- Spirited AwaySpirited Awayis a 2001 Japanese animated fantasy-adventure film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli. The film tells the story of Chihiro Ogino, a sullen ten-year-old girl who, while moving to a new neighborhood and after her parents are transformed into pigs by the witch Yubaba,...
- Princess MononokePrincess Mononokeis a 1997 epic Japanese animated historical fantasy feature film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli. is not a name, but a general term in the Japanese language for a spirit or monster...
- Castle in the SkyCastle in the SkyAll compositions by Joe Hisaishi.#"The Girl Who Fell from the Sky" – 2:27#"Morning in Slag Ravine" – 3:04#"A Fun Brawl " – 4:27#"Memories of Gondoa" – 2:46#"Discouraged Pazu" – 1:46#"Robot Soldier " – 2:34...
- Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
3.17.07 (Toonami's 10th anniversary)
On January 27, 2007, a teaserTeaser
A teaser is a type of gambling bet that allows the bettor to combine his bets on two different games. The bettor can adjust the point spreads for the two games, but realizes a lower return on the bets in the event of a win....
commercial aired during the Xiaolin Showdown
Xiaolin Showdown
Xiaolin Showdown is an American animated television series that aired on Kids WB and was created by Christy Hui. Set in a world where martial arts battles and Eastern magic are commonplace, the series follows four young warriors in training that battle the forces of evil...
marathon on Cartoon Network featuring close up shots of larger Clydes (the remote robot explorers that have been a fixture of Toonami since the beginning) along with the date 3/17/07 and TOM's chest emblem glowing blue.
On March 17, 2007, Toonami celebrated its tenth anniversary with a new packaging and numerous montages celebrating the block. TOM was revamped into a shorter robot who was a commander of a jungle control room with a trio of new robots.
The montages included a look at past hosts, former logos, and a decade's worth of clips and voiceovers from shows that aired on Toonami. There were a total of 4 montages, all of them having different clips. Three of them were one minute long.
As part of the anniversary (and to coincide with Cartoon Network's March Movie Madness event), Toonami planned another month of movies:
- March 3 - The Invincible Iron ManThe Invincible Iron ManThe Invincible Iron Man is a direct-to-DVD animated movie based on the Marvel Comics character Iron Man. The film was officially released on January 23, 2007. Marc Worden reprises his role as Iron Man whom he voiced in the two Ultimate Avengers animated movies...
- March 10 - MosaicMosaic (film)Mosaic is an animated superhero film about a new character created by Stan Lee. It features the voices of Anna Paquin, Kirby Morrow, and Cam Clarke. It was released under the Stan Lee Presents banner, which is a series of direct-to-DVD animated films distributed by POW Entertainment with Anchor Bay...
- March 17 - Hellboy: Blood and Iron
- March 24 - Stan Lee Presents: The Condor
- March 31 - Spirited AwaySpirited Awayis a 2001 Japanese animated fantasy-adventure film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli. The film tells the story of Chihiro Ogino, a sullen ten-year-old girl who, while moving to a new neighborhood and after her parents are transformed into pigs by the witch Yubaba,...
and Teen Titans: Trouble in TokyoTeen Titans: Trouble in TokyoTeen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo is a 2006 animated film adaptation of the DC Comics superhero team Teen Titans. It is set in the milieu of the animated series' Teen Titans that ran from 2003-2006. The film premiered on Cartoon Network on September 15, 2006...
Cancellation
On Saturday September 20, 2008, Cartoon Network ended Toonami. Employees who worked on the block moved to other parts of the channel. Toonami Jetstream remained with the Toonami name until January 30, 2009. At the end of Toonami's final airing, the host, TOM (voiced by Steven BlumSteven Blum
Steven Jay Blum is an American voice actor known primarily for his work in anime dubs and video games, using his distinctive deep voice. Among his credits include the voice of Spike Spiegel of the anime series Cowboy Bebop and Mugen of the anime series Samurai Champloo...
), ended the block with a brief, final monologue:
Latin America
In December 2002, Toonami premiered on Cartoon Network Latin America, replacing a similarly themed block, Talisman. Toonami aired shows that were already on the lineup such as Dragon Ball Z, Gundam Wing, and Pokémon as well as served as the home of InuyashaInuYasha
, also known as , is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. It premiered in Weekly Shōnen Sunday on November 13, 1996 and concluded on June 18, 2008...
. Over the years, Toonami added shows like YuYu Hakusho
YuYu Hakusho
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yoshihiro Togashi. The name of the series is spelled YuYu Hakusho in the Viz Media manga and Yu Yu Hakusho in other English distributions of the franchise. The series tells the story of Yusuke Urameshi, a teenage delinquent who is struck and...
and Saint Seiya
Saint Seiya
, also known as Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac or simply Knights of the Zodiac, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masami Kurumada and serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1986 to 1991, and adapted into an anime TV series by Toei Animation from 1986 to 1989.The story follows...
, as well as the revamped versions of Cyborg 009
Cyborg 009
is a manga created by Shotaro Ishinomori. It was serialized in many different magazines, including Monthly Shōnen King, Weekly Shōnen Magazine, Shōnen Big Comic, COM, Shōjo Comic, Weekly Shōnen Sunday, Monthly Shōnen Jump and Monthly Comic Nora in Japan...
and Astro Boy. However, the block had to move to the late-night slots on CN Latin America due to protests of violent scenes on the block. Mexico moved Toonami to midnight in October 2003 while the rest of Latin America moved the block in November 2004.
In 2005, Toonami had short-lived weekend schedules, which were later replaced by the premiere of Adult Swim in Latin America.
In March 2006, Toonami revamped their lineup to include more adult-oriented series, such as Love Hina
Love Hina
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Ken Akamatsu. It was originally serialized in Weekly Shōnen Magazine by Kodansha from October 21, 1998 to October 31, 2001 and was published in 14 tankōbon volumes by Kodansha. The series tells the story of Keitaro Urashima and his attempts to...
, taking advantage of the schedule and the refusal of anime on Adult Swim, as well as to compete against the anime channel Animax
Animax
is a Japanese anime satellite television network, dedicated to broadcasting anime programming. A subsidiary of Japanese media conglomerate Sony, it is headquartered in in Minato, Tokyo, Japan, with its co-founders and shareholders including Sony Pictures Entertainment and the noted anime studios...
(now Sony Spin) for new anime series. In June 2006, Toonami premiered anime movies in two monthly variations: Dragon Ball Theatricals (which had 17 different Dragon Ball movies), and Toonami Movies (general animated action movies).
In January 2007, Cartoon Network cut Toonami completely. The movies were no longer aired, save those of Dragon Ball Z. After its cancellation in Latin America, the anime programming of the channel gradually vanished, currently the only anime which air on CN LA are Naruto
Naruto
is an ongoing Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. The plot tells the story of Naruto Uzumaki, an adolescent ninja who constantly searches for recognition and aspires to become the Hokage, the ninja in his village who is acknowledged as the leader and the strongest of...
, Pokémon
Pokémon
is a media franchise published and owned by the video game company Nintendo and created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1996. Originally released as a pair of interlinkable Game Boy role-playing video games developed by Game Freak, Pokémon has since become the second most successful and lucrative video...
, The Powerpuff Girls Z and Bakugan. As of January 2010, The block Animaction was created that's transmitting on Wednesday evenings that passes action programing and anime programming. Recently this block was removed in April 2011 in Latin America.
Music and games on Toonami
Toonami always proved a haven for techno/electronica music throughout its history, using original compositions; first by skater/artist Tommy GuerreroTommy Guerrero
Tommy Guerrero is an American skateboarder and musician. As a teen, he was one of the prominent members of the Bones Brigade, Powell Peralta's professional skateboarding team that was successful during the 1980s...
from 1997 to 1999, and then by Atlanta-based composer Joe Boyd Vigil
Joe Boyd Vigil
Joe Boyd Vigil is an audio engineer, sound designer and composer of electronic music. Boyd Vigil composed the score for Cartoon Network's action TV block Toonami from 1999 through 2002. His compositions make up the official soundtrack album titled Toonami: Deep Space Bass that was released in 2001....
from 1999 to 2002, many of which were compiled in the CD Toonami: Deep Space Bass
Toonami: Deep Space Bass
- Toonami: Black Hole Megamix :There were plans for a follow-up album to be released, but due to Deep Space Basss low sales, along with several other factors, the album was never officially released...
in 2001, which is now out of print. His webpage can be found here. In 2003, DJ Clarknova took Toonami's beats (both old and new) and mixed them with sound bites from recent Toonami and Adult Swim shows. This resulted in an hour-long compilation of Toonami remixes, called the Toonami: Black Hole Megamix, but for unknown reasons was never published. However, the Megamix recently was hosted by Toonami Digital Arsenal, a popular unofficial Toonami multimedia site.
From 2003 through 2008, Toonami relied on original and library tracks from various artists from publisher Ninja Tune
Ninja Tune
Ninja Tune is a London-based independent record label started by DJs Matt Black and Jonathan More, better known as Coldcut and managed by Peter Quicke. The label has a strong leaning towards mostly Electronic Music...
. On rare occasions, videos from musicians such as Daft Punk
Daft Punk
Daft Punk are an electronic music duo consisting of French musicians Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter . Daft Punk reached significant popularity in the late 1990s house movement in France and met with continued success in the years following, combining elements of house with synthpop...
, Linkin Park
Linkin Park
Linkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills, California. Formed in 1996, the band rose to international fame with their debut album, Hybrid Theory, which was certified Diamond by the RIAA in 2005 and multi-platinum in several other countries...
, The White Stripes
The White Stripes
The White Stripes was an American rock band, formed in 1997 in Detroit, Michigan. The group consisted of the songwriter Jack White and drummer Meg White . Jack and Meg White were previously married to each other, but are now divorced...
, and Gorillaz
Gorillaz
Gorillaz is an English musical project created in 1998 by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett. This project consists of Gorillaz music itself and an extensive fictional universe depicting a "virtual band" of cartoon characters...
aired on the block.
Infrequently, Toonami aired reviews of video games. The reviews, delivered by TOM and occasionally SARA, were fairly short and ran during commercial breaks. The hosts scored games on a 1 - 10 system: 10 signifying an excellent game, 1 signifying a very poor game. (The score system was originally 1 - 5 until 2001.)
Reviews became more common when TOM 2 began hosting. Games such as Beach Spikers, Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee
Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee
Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee is a fighting video game produced by Pipeworks Software, Inc. and released for the Nintendo GameCube on October 8, 2002. The game was later released for the Xbox in North America on April 16, 2003...
, and Mister Mosquito
Mister Mosquito
Mister Mosquito, spelled Mr. Moskeeto in PAL regions and known in Japan as , is a video game developed by Zoom for the PlayStation 2 video game console...
received a 6/10, while Super Mario Sunshine
Super Mario Sunshine
is a platforming video game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube. It was released in Japan in July 2002, in North America in August 2002, and in Europe and Australia in October 2002...
got a perfect 10/10. Toonami reviewed many games since the beginning and mostly gave a 9/10 or an 8/10. TOM 4 did not give many reviews, as his assistant T performed those duties.
One game received a "?" rating: Dropship: United Peace Force
Dropship: United Peace Force
Dropship: United Peace Force is a flight simulator combat game for the PlayStation 2, released in 2002. The player assumes the role of a pilot in the United Peace Force, a fictional multinational military organisation charged with combating terrorism and organized crime across the world...
for the PlayStation 2. TOM explained that he had no idea what to rate the game because he couldn't get past the sixth level, accompanied by repeated footage of TOM losing. The synopsis on Toonami Digital Arsenal reads "A robot is [sic] loses his mind over a video game. Hilarity ensues."
Online video services
On March 26, 2001, Cartoon Network launched Toonami Reactor, their first online streaming video service. The three-month service featured streaming episodes from Dragon Ball Z and Star BlazersSpace Battleship Yamato
is a Japanese science fiction anime series featuring an eponymous spacecraft. It is also known to English-speaking audiences as Space Cruiser Yamato; an English-dubbed and heavily edited version of the series was broadcast on North American and Australian television as Star Blazers...
, the latter of which was an online-exclusive series. Editorial content was provided by the now-defunct Animerica Magazine
Animerica
Animerica is a quarterly digest published by Viz Media. It initially started as a monthly magazine featuring reviews of anime and manga titles, as well as related works. After a preview issue was released in November 1992, the magazine's first issue was released in February 1993 with a March 1993...
, published by VIZ Media
VIZ Media
VIZ Media, LLC, headquartered in San Francisco, is an anime, manga, and Japanese entertainment company. It was founded in 1986 as VIZ LLC. In 2005, VIZ LLC and ShoPro Entertainment merged to form the current VIZ Media LLC, which is jointly owned by Japanese publishers Shogakukan and Shueisha, and...
. After the three-month "trial run" was over, Cartoon Network took it offline and completely revamped it.
On November 14, 2001, Cartoon Network relaunched Toonami Reactor with all online-exclusive programs such as Star Blazers, Patlabor
Patlabor
Patlabor also known as , is an anime and manga franchise created by Headgear, a group consisting of director Mamoru Oshii, writer Kazunori Itō, mecha designer Yutaka Izubuchi, character designer Akemi Takada, and manga artist Masami Yūki.The popular franchise included a manga, a TV series, two OVA...
, The Harlock Saga
Captain Harlock
is a fictional character created by manga artist Leiji Matsumoto.Harlock is the archetypical romantic hero, a space pirate with an individualist philosophy of life. He is as noble as he is taciturn, rebellious, stoically fighting against totalitarian regimes, whether they be earthborn or alien...
, and Record of Lodoss War
Record of Lodoss War
is a franchise of fantasy novels by Ryo Mizuno based around the work he originally created for a world called Forcelia for role-playing games . There have since been multiple manga, anime and computer game adaptations, several of which have been translated into English...
as well as videos from Daft Punk
Daft Punk
Daft Punk are an electronic music duo consisting of French musicians Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter . Daft Punk reached significant popularity in the late 1990s house movement in France and met with continued success in the years following, combining elements of house with synthpop...
and Toonami-themed games. In the summer of 2002, Toonami Reactor was revamped again under the Adult Swim
Adult Swim
Adult Swim is an adult-oriented Cable network that shares channel space with Cartoon Network from 9:00 pm until 6:00 am ET/PT in the United States, and broadcasts in countries such as Australia and New Zealand...
aegis and, with a joint venture with VIZ's Weekly Shonen Jump
Weekly Shonen Jump
is a weekly shōnen manga anthology published in Japan by Shueisha under the Jump line of magazines. The first issue was released with a cover date of July 2, 1968, and it is still circulating. One of the longest-running manga magazines in Japan, it has a circulation of 2.8 million copies...
, programmed it as "Adult Swim Pipeline."
On April 25, 2006, a little over five years since the launch of the now-defunct Toonami Reactor, Cartoon Network and VIZ Media announced plans to launch Toonami Jetstream
Toonami Jetstream
Toonami Jetstream was an ad-supported online broadband service and a remake of Toonami's previous video streaming service Toonami Reactor provided by Cartoon Network and Viz Media....
http://www.toonamijetstream.com, a new ad-supported streaming video service featuring Toonami series like Naruto
Naruto
is an ongoing Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. The plot tells the story of Naruto Uzumaki, an adolescent ninja who constantly searches for recognition and aspires to become the Hokage, the ninja in his village who is acknowledged as the leader and the strongest of...
, Samurai Jack
Samurai Jack
Samurai Jack is an American animated television series created by animator Genndy Tartakovsky that aired on both Cartoon Network and Toonami from 2001 to 2004. It is noted for its highly detailed, outline-free, masking-based animation, as well as for its cinematic style and pacing...
, Megas XLR
Megas XLR
Megas XLR is an American animated television series that aired on the Toonami block on Cartoon Network and is produced by Cartoon Network Studios. It was created by Jody Schaeffer and George Krstic...
and IGPX
Immortal Grand Prix
refers to two anime series co-produced simultaneously by Cartoon Network and Production I.G. The first is a "microseries" consisting of five 5-minute episodes, and the second is a 26-episode animated series loosely related to the first....
and the internet webcast premieres of Hikaru no Go
Hikaru no Go
is a manga series, a coming of age story based on the board game Go written by Yumi Hotta and illustrated by Takeshi Obata with an anime adaptation. The production of the series' Go games was supervised by Go professional Yukari Umezawa...
, MÄR
MÄR
, an acronym for Märchen Awakens Romance, is a manga series written and illustrated by Nobuyuki Anzai. The television anime based on the series is titled and was originally broadcast in Japan on the TXN station....
, Eyeshield 21
Eyeshield 21
is a manga about American football written by Riichiro Inagaki and illustrated by Yusuke Murata. It has been adapted into an anime movie in 2004 , an anime television series in 2005, several video games and a trading card game from Konami. The manga is serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump...
, The Prince of Tennis
The Prince of Tennis
is a Japanese shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Takeshi Konomi. The title is often shortened to , a portmanteau of the two parts in the Japanese pronunciation of the words "Tennis Prince". The manga was first published in Japan in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump in July 1999, and ended...
, MegaMan Star Force, Kiba
Kiba
Kiba can be:* A Japanese language word for fang* Kiba , fantasy anime series* Kiba Inuzuka, a character in the manga and anime series Naruto* Kiba, a fictional character in the anime series and manga, Wolf's Rain...
, MegaMan NT Warrior
MegaMan NT Warrior
Mega Man NT Warrior or Mega Man Battle Network, known in Japan as , is an anime and manga series based on the Mega Man Battle Network video game series...
, & Zoids: Genesis
Zoids: Genesis
is the fourth anime installment of the Zoids franchise. It tells the story of Ruuji Familon, a young boy who finds a Liger-type Zoid during a salvage mission. Initially, the village is attacked by Bio-Raptor Bio-Zoids, and later a Bio-Megaraptor...
, the latter two of which haven't premiered as of June 2008.
Toonami Jetstream
Toonami Jetstream
Toonami Jetstream was an ad-supported online broadband service and a remake of Toonami's previous video streaming service Toonami Reactor provided by Cartoon Network and Viz Media....
launched on July 17, 2006 (after a brief unofficial sneak preview that began on July 14), and offered episodes of Naruto
Naruto
is an ongoing Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. The plot tells the story of Naruto Uzumaki, an adolescent ninja who constantly searches for recognition and aspires to become the Hokage, the ninja in his village who is acknowledged as the leader and the strongest of...
, Hikaru no Go
Hikaru no Go
is a manga series, a coming of age story based on the board game Go written by Yumi Hotta and illustrated by Takeshi Obata with an anime adaptation. The production of the series' Go games was supervised by Go professional Yukari Umezawa...
, MÄR
MÄR
, an acronym for Märchen Awakens Romance, is a manga series written and illustrated by Nobuyuki Anzai. The television anime based on the series is titled and was originally broadcast in Japan on the TXN station....
, Zatch Bell!
Zatch Bell!
Zatch Bell!, known in Japan as is a shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Makoto Raiku. It was published in Shogakukan's Weekly Shōnen Sunday...
, Pokémon
Pokémon
is a media franchise published and owned by the video game company Nintendo and created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1996. Originally released as a pair of interlinkable Game Boy role-playing video games developed by Game Freak, Pokémon has since become the second most successful and lucrative video...
, Blue Dragon, Samurai Jack
Samurai Jack
Samurai Jack is an American animated television series created by animator Genndy Tartakovsky that aired on both Cartoon Network and Toonami from 2001 to 2004. It is noted for its highly detailed, outline-free, masking-based animation, as well as for its cinematic style and pacing...
, Kiba
Kiba (anime)
, a fantasy anime by Madhouse, began broadcasting on TV Tokyo on April 5, 2006. The series is directed by Hiroshi Kōjina with Upper Deck Japan, a trading card game company, as the main sponsor...
, Storm Hawks
Storm Hawks
Storm Hawks is an animated television series created by Asaph "Ace" Fipke and made by Nerd Corps Entertainment in conjunction with Cartoon Network and YTV. It premiered on Cartoon Network on May 25, 2007. It started to air on YTV in September 2007. It started to air on Cartoon Network in the UK on...
and Transformers: Animated
Transformers: Animated
Transformers Animated is an American animated television series based on the Transformers toy line. The series debuted on Cartoon Network on December 26, 2007 and has been shown on NickToons in the UK since February 2008. It is produced by Cartoon Network Studios and animated by Japanese animation...
.
On January 30, 2009, Toonami Jetstream ended its run. Since then, many of the shows aired until cancellation now currently air on Cartoon Network Video on its main web site.
Toonami series and movies
1997- ThunderCatsThunderCatsThunderCats is an American animated television series that was produced by Rankin/Bass Productions debuting in 1984, based on the characters created by Tobin "Ted" Wolf. The series follows the adventures of a group of cat-like humanoid aliens...
(TV-Y7-FV) - Cartoon Roulette (composed of Space GhostSpace GhostSpace Ghost is a fictional superhero created by Hanna-Barbera Productions and designed by Alex Toth for CBS in the 1960s. In his original incarnation, he was a superhero who, with his sidekick teen helpers Jan, Jace, and Blip the monkey, fought supervillains in outer space...
, Birdman and the Galaxy TrioBirdman and the Galaxy TrioBirdman and the Galaxy Trio is an animated science fiction TV series created by Alex Toth and produced by Hanna-Barbera. It debuted on NBC on September 9, 1967, and ran on Saturday mornings until September 6, 1969...
, The HerculoidsThe HerculoidsThe Herculoids is a Saturday morning animated television series that was produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions. The show debuted on September 9, 1967 on CBS...
, Mightor, ShazzanShazzanShazzan is an animated television series, created by Alex Toth and produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions in 1967 for CBS. The series follows the adventures of two teenage siblings, Chuck and Nancy, traveling around a mystical Arabian world, mounted on Kaboobie the flying camel...
, Teen Force, The ImpossiblesThe ImpossiblesThe Impossibles were a rock music band from Austin, Texas on the Fueled by Ramen label. They originally played ska punk prior to their first break-up but transitioned to a more indie rock/alternative sound upon reuniting....
, and the 1940s Superman) (TV-Y7) - VoltronVoltronVoltron is the titular super robot of an anime series that features a team of young pilots, known as the Voltron Force. The team’s individual vehicles join together to form the giant super robot, with which they defend the galaxy from evil...
(TV-Y7-FV) - The Real Adventures of Jonny QuestThe Real Adventures of Jonny QuestThe Real Adventures of Jonny Quest is an animated action-adventure television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Cartoons and broadcast on Cartoon Network from August 26, 1996 to April 16, 1997. A revival of the 1960s Jonny Quest franchise, it features teenage adventurers Jonny Quest, Hadji Singh,...
(TV-Y7)
1998
- RobotechRobotechRobotech is an 85-episode science fiction anime adaptation produced by Harmony Gold USA in association with Tatsunoko Production Co., Ltd. and first released in the United States in 1985...
(TV-Y7-FV) - Beast Wars: TransformersBeast WarsTransformers: Beast Wars is a Transformers toyline released by Hasbro between 1995 and 2000, and a Daytime Emmy Award winning full-CG animated television series spawned by it that debuted in 1996...
(TV-Y7-FV) - Sailor MoonSailor MoonSailor Moon, known as , is a media franchise created by manga artist Naoko Takeuchi. Fred Patten credits Takeuchi with popularizing the concept of a team of magical girls, and Paul Gravett credits the series with "revitalizing" the magical-girl genre itself...
(TV-Y7-FV) - Dragon Ball Z (TV-Y7-FV) and (TV-PG-V)
- SuperfriendsSuper FriendsSuper Friends is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes, which ran from 1973 to 1986 on ABC as part of its Saturday morning cartoon lineup...
(TV-Y7)
1999
- ReBootReBootReBoot is a Canadian CGI-animated action-adventure cartoon series that originally aired from 1994 to 2001. It was produced by Vancouver-based production company Mainframe Entertainment, Alliance Communications, BLT Productions and created by Gavin Blair, Ian Pearson, Phil Mitchell and John Grace,...
(TV-Y7-FV) - The Powerpuff GirlsThe Powerpuff GirlsThe Powerpuff Girls is an American animated television series created by animator Craig McCracken and produced by Hanna-Barbera for Cartoon Network...
(TV-Y7-FV) - Ronin WarriorsRonin WarriorsRonin Warriors, known in Japan as , is a Japanese anime series and manga adaptation created by Hajime Yatate. The anime was produced and animated by Sunrise, and aired across Japan on Nagoya Television from April 30, 1988 to March 4, 1989 and has a total of 39 episodes.Ronin Warriors was produced...
(TV-Y7-FV)
2000
- G-Force: Guardians of Space (TV-Y7-FV)
- Gundam Wing (TV-Y7-FV) and (TV-PG)
- Tenchi Muyo!Tenchi Muyo!, is a Japanese anime, light novel, and manga series created by Masaki Kajishima and Hiroki Hayashi.The generally accepted translation of the title is No Need for Tenchi or Useless Tenchi, though at the time of its appearance it was also translated variably as No Heaven and Earth and This Way Up...
(TV-Y7-FV) - Tenchi UniverseTenchi Universewas a 26 episode anime series produced by the AIC and Pioneer Animation. It is loosely based on the first six episodes of the Tenchi Muyo! OVA series. The series premiered on April 2, 1995 in Japan and concluded its airing on September 24, 1995. The series aired in the United States on Cartoon...
(TV-Y7-FV) - Tenchi in TokyoTenchi in Tokyo, is a 26-episode Japanese cartoon series produced by AIC in 1997. It is the third series from the Tenchi Muyo! series.-Overview:...
(TV-Y7-FV) - Batman: The Animated SeriesBatman: The Animated SeriesBatman: The Animated Series is an American animated series based on the DC Comics character Batman. The series featured an ensemble cast of many voice-actors including Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Arleen Sorkin, and Loren Lester. The series won four Emmy Awards and was nominated...
(TV-Y7-FV) - Blue Submarine No. 6Blue Submarine No. 6is a post-apocalyptic manga series written and illustrated by Satoru Ozawa, first published in 1967, which was subsequently developed into a four-episode original video animation series by Gonzo.- Plot :...
(TV-Y7-FV) - Superman: The Animated SeriesSuperman: The Animated SeriesSuperman: The Animated Series is an American animated television series starring DC Comics' flagship character, Superman. The series was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on The WB from September 6, 1996 to February 12, 2000. Warner Bros...
(TV-Y7-FV)
2001
- Outlaw StarOutlaw Staris a seinen manga series written and illustrated by Takehiko Itō and his affiliated Morning Star Studio. The series is a space opera/Space Western that takes place in the "Toward Stars Era" universe in which spacecraft are capable of traveling faster than the speed of light...
(TV-Y7-FV) - The Big OThe Big Ois a Japanese animated television series created by director Kazuyoshi Katayama and designer Keiichi Sato for Sunrise Studios. The writing staff was assembled by the series' head writer, Chiaki J. Konaka....
(TV-Y7-FV) - CardcaptorsCardcaptor Sakura, abbreviated as CCS and also known as Cardcaptors, is a Japanese shōjo manga series written and illustrated by the manga artist group Clamp. The manga was originally serialized monthly in Nakayoshi from the May 1996 until the June 2000 issue, and later published in 12 tankōbon volumes by Kodansha...
(TV-Y7-FV) - Mobile Suit GundamMobile Suit Gundamis a televised anime series, created by Sunrise. Created and directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino, it premiered in Japan on Nagoya Broadcasting Network on April 7, 1979, and lasted until January 26, 1980, spanning 43 episodes...
(TV-Y7-FV) - Gundam 08th MS Team (TV-Y7-FV)
- Dragon BallDragon Ballis a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Akira Toriyama. It was originally serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1984 to 1995; later the 519 individual chapters were published into 42 tankōbon volumes by Shueisha. Dragon Ball was inspired by the classical Chinese novel Journey to the...
(TV-Y7-FV) - Batman BeyondBatman BeyondBatman Beyond is an American animated television series created by Warner Bros. Animation in collaboration with DC Comics as a continuation of the Batman legacy...
(TV-Y7-FV) - Zoids (TV-Y7-FV)
- Gundam 0080 (TV-Y7-FV)
2002
- HamtaroHamtarois a Japanese anime series. The main character is a hamster named Hamtaro who has a variety of adventures with other hamsters, called "Ham-Hams" . The show is based on a manga series by Ritsuko Kawai, Hamtaro Gets Lost and Other Stories, and Jealous Hamtaro and Other Stories...
(TV-Y) and (TV-G) - Classic ZoidsZoids: Chaotic CenturyZoids: Chaotic Century, simply titled in Japan, is the first of Five anime series based on the Zoids range of mecha model kits produced by TOMY. The series was animated by XEBEC, and aired from 1999-09-04 to 2000-12-23 on TBS...
(TV-Y7-FV) - G Gundam (TV-Y7-FV)
- He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (TV-Y7-FV)
- Transformers: ArmadaTransformers: ArmadaTransformers: Armada, known in Japan as , is a Transformers animated series, comic series and toy line which ran from 2002–2003. It was originally scheduled for 2001, however was delayed until early-2002...
(TV-Y7-FV) - G.I. Joe (TV-Y7-FV)
- Samurai JackSamurai JackSamurai Jack is an American animated television series created by animator Genndy Tartakovsky that aired on both Cartoon Network and Toonami from 2001 to 2004. It is noted for its highly detailed, outline-free, masking-based animation, as well as for its cinematic style and pacing...
(TV-Y7-FV)
2003
- .hack//SIGN.hack//SIGN.hack//Sign is an anime television series directed by Kōichi Mashimo and produced by studio Bee Train and Bandai Visual, that makes up one of the four original storylines of the .hack franchise...
(TV-Y7-FV) - Martian Successor NadesicoMartian Successor Nadesico, is a science fiction comedy anime TV series, and a later manga series created by Kia Asamiya. The manga, published in English by CPM Manga, is significantly different from the anime....
(TV-Y7-FV) - GigantorGigantorGigantor is an American adaptation of the anime version of Tetsujin 28-go, a manga by Mitsuteru Yokoyama released in 1956. It debuted on U.S. television in 1964. As with Speed Racer, the characters' original names were altered and the original series' violence was toned down for American viewers...
(TV-Y7-FV) - Neon Genesis Evangelion (TV-Y7-FV)
- Dai-GuardDai-Guard, lit. "Terrestrial Defense Corp. Dai-Guard" is an anime television series, produced and animated by XEBEC, and directed by Seiji Mizushima. It aired from October 5, 1999 to March 28, 2000 on TV Tokyo, ran for 26 episodes. 6 volumes of videos were released on VHS and DVD...
(TV-Y7-FV) - YuYu HakushoYuYu Hakushois a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yoshihiro Togashi. The name of the series is spelled YuYu Hakusho in the Viz Media manga and Yu Yu Hakusho in other English distributions of the franchise. The series tells the story of Yusuke Urameshi, a teenage delinquent who is struck and...
(TV-Y7-FV) - Rurouni KenshinRurouni Kenshin, also known as Rurouni Kenshin and Samurai X, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Nobuhiro Watsuki. The fictional setting takes place during the early Meiji period in Japan. The story is about a fictional assassin named Himura Kenshin, from the Bakumatsu who becomes a wanderer to...
(TV-Y7-FV) - Justice LeagueJustice LeagueThe Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....
(TV-Y7-FV) - Cyborg 009Cyborg 009is a manga created by Shotaro Ishinomori. It was serialized in many different magazines, including Monthly Shōnen King, Weekly Shōnen Magazine, Shōnen Big Comic, COM, Shōjo Comic, Weekly Shōnen Sunday, Monthly Shōnen Jump and Monthly Comic Nora in Japan...
(TV-Y7-FV) - Superior Defender Gundam ForceSuperior Defender Gundam Forceis a Japanese anime series. The scenario was created by Yūichi Abe.-Overview:A Japan/America co-production, SD Gundam Force initially aired on Cartoon Network in the U.S...
(TV-Y7-FV) - IGPX: Micro SeriesImmortal Grand Prixrefers to two anime series co-produced simultaneously by Cartoon Network and Production I.G. The first is a "microseries" consisting of five 5-minute episodes, and the second is a 26-episode animated series loosely related to the first....
(TV-Y7-FV) - Dragon Ball GT (TV-Y7-FV)
- Star Wars: Clone Wars (TV-Y7-FV)
2004
- Duel MastersDuel Mastersis a franchise based on a manga, anime and a trading card game. There is also a video game.-Trading Card Game:The card game originated in Japan, marketed by Takara Tomy. It was produced in English by Wizards of the Coast, who purchased the rights to the name Duel Masters from , which ran a...
(TV-Y7-FV) - Astro Boy (TV-Y7-FV)
- Transformers: EnergonTransformers: EnergonTransformers: Energon, known in Japan as , is the 2004–2005 Transformers toyline, animated series and comic book series, another co-production between Hasbro and Takara and a direct sequel to Transformers: Armada...
(TV-Y7-FV) - Jackie Chan AdventuresJackie Chan AdventuresJackie Chan Adventures is an animated television series chronicling the adventures of a fictionalized version of action film star Jackie Chan. Many of the episodes contain references to Chan's actual works. This series ran on Kids' WB! from September 9, 2000 to July 7, 2005 for a total of 95...
(TV-Y7-FV) - Gundam Seed (TV-Y7-FV) and (TV-PG)
- Megas XLRMegas XLRMegas XLR is an American animated television series that aired on the Toonami block on Cartoon Network and is produced by Cartoon Network Studios. It was created by Jody Schaeffer and George Krstic...
(TV-Y7-FV) - Rave MasterRave Master, is a manga series written and illustrated by Hiro Mashima. The manga was serialized in Shōnen Magazine from July 1999 through July 2005, and published in thirty-five tankōbon by Kodansha. The manga series was licensed for an English release in North America by Tokyopop until Kodansha allowed...
(TV-Y7-FV) - Teen TitansTeen Titans (TV series)Teen Titans is an American animated television series based on the DC Comics characters of the same name. The show was created by Glen Murakami, developed by David Slack, and produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It premiered on Cartoon Network on July 19, 2003, and the final episode "Things Change"...
(TV-Y7-FV) - Justice League UnlimitedJustice League UnlimitedJustice League Unlimited is an American animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and specifically based on the Justice League superhero team, it is a direct sequel to the...
(TV-Y7-FV)
2005
- D.I.C.E. (TV-Y7-FV)
- Zatch Bell!Zatch Bell!Zatch Bell!, known in Japan as is a shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Makoto Raiku. It was published in Shogakukan's Weekly Shōnen Sunday...
(TV-Y7-FV) - The BatmanThe Batman (TV series)The Batman is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation based on the DC Comics superhero Batman. It ran from 2004 to 2008, on the Saturday morning television block Kids' WB...
(TV-Y7-FV) - One PieceOne Pieceis a Japanese shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda. It has been serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump since August 4, 1997; the individual chapters are being published in tankōbon volumes by Shueisha, with the first released on December 24, 1997, and the 64th volume released as...
(TV-Y7-FV) and (TV-PG-V) - Transformers: CybertronTransformers: CybertronTransformers: Cybertron, known in Japan originally as , is the 2005-2007 Transformers toy line and animated series, another co-production between Hasbro and Takara...
(TV-Y7-FV) - Yu-Gi-Oh!Yu-Gi-Oh! (second series anime)Yu-Gi-Oh!, known in Japan and the rest of East Asia as is an anime based on the Yu-Gi-Oh! manga. It is produced by Studio Gallop and Nihon Ad Systems, and the English-language adaptation was distributed by 4Kids Entertainment until March 29, 2011 when TV Tokyo and Nihon Ad Systems sued 4Kids...
(TV-Y7-FV) - NarutoNarutois an ongoing Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. The plot tells the story of Naruto Uzumaki, an adolescent ninja who constantly searches for recognition and aspires to become the Hokage, the ninja in his village who is acknowledged as the leader and the strongest of...
(TV-PG-V,D) - Bobobo-bo Bo-boboBobobo-bo Bo-bobois a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yoshio Sawai, published by Shueisha, and serialized in the Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine...
(TV-Y7-FV) and (TV-PG-D) - IGPXImmortal Grand Prixrefers to two anime series co-produced simultaneously by Cartoon Network and Production I.G. The first is a "microseries" consisting of five 5-minute episodes, and the second is a 26-episode animated series loosely related to the first....
(TV-Y7-FV) and (TV-PG-L)
2006
- Wulin WarriorsWulin WarriorsWulin Warriors is an English-language edited version of a Taiwan-made puppet show called Pili. The show aired in the US on Cartoon Network's Toonami in February 2006, but was taken off the block due to poor ratings and various complaints. In March 2008, it appeared again, but the episodes are only...
(TV-Y7-FV) - Pokémon ChroniclesPokémon ChroniclesPokémon Chronicles, known in Japan as , is a spin-off series of the Pokémon anime, revolving around characters other than Ash Ketchum.It first aired in Britain on Toonami, where the initial run has now finished. The only places where episodes are currently airing for the first time are the...
(TV-Y7-FV) - Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes (TV-Y7-FV)
- Pokémon: Battle Frontier (TV-Y7-FV)
- Yu-Gi-Oh! GXYu-Gi-Oh! GXYu-Gi-Oh! GX, known in Japan as , is an anime spin-off and sequel of the original Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters anime. It aired in Japan on TV Tokyo between October 6, 2004 and March 26, 2008, and was succeeded by Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's...
(TV-Y7-FV) - MÄRMÄR, an acronym for Märchen Awakens Romance, is a manga series written and illustrated by Nobuyuki Anzai. The television anime based on the series is titled and was originally broadcast in Japan on the TXN station....
(TV-PG-V) - The Prince of TennisThe Prince of Tennisis a Japanese shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Takeshi Konomi. The title is often shortened to , a portmanteau of the two parts in the Japanese pronunciation of the words "Tennis Prince". The manga was first published in Japan in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump in July 1999, and ended...
(TV-PG)
2007
- Storm HawksStorm HawksStorm Hawks is an animated television series created by Asaph "Ace" Fipke and made by Nerd Corps Entertainment in conjunction with Cartoon Network and YTV. It premiered on Cartoon Network on May 25, 2007. It started to air on YTV in September 2007. It started to air on Cartoon Network in the UK on...
(TV-Y7-FV) - Mega Man Star ForceMega Man Star Force (anime)Mega Man Star Force, known as in the original Japanese language version, is an anime and manga series based on the video game of the same name....
(TV-Y7-FV)
2008
- Bakugan Battle BrawlersBakugan Battle Brawlersis a Japanese action adventure anime television series produced by TMS Entertainment and Japan Vistec under the direction of Mitsuo Hashimoto. The story centers on the lives of creatures called Bakugan and the battle brawlers who possess them...
(TV-Y7-FV) - Blue Dragon (TV-Y7-FV)
- Ben 10: Alien ForceBen 10: Alien ForceWhen it recalibrated it gained a more watch-like shape, a green wristband, became smaller and sleeker, and the face dial became black and green. The inside of the hourglass shape glows in different colors at special moments; these colors signify the state that the Omnitrix is presently in...
(TV-Y7-FV)
External links
Unofficial websites- Absolution NeXt - A database of Toonami US programming past and present.
- Toonami Infolink - US Toonami news and forums.
- Toonami Digital Arsenal - Downloads of US Toonami promos, intros, interstitials, and music.
- Toonami Fan - Repository of community-created interviews, editorials, and retrospectives.