The Epic Journey of Toonami
Staying Gold Never felt so good.
On March 17 1997 – the animation world thought that this little thing, this little mishmash of created and owned Warner Brother’s gained and used properties – and a few other 1980’s favorites would not make a week.
On April 1, 2012, the same animation world – no longer a world, not even an entity, but now controlled and ran through – advertisers, the yes men – the no hounds, and by a new movement based on a 80’s girl franchise – thought this thing that they so desperately got rid of for years, was just a phase. A joke.
On May 16th of the same year, they all believed – these same lost souls, and their equally decrepit fanbases thought this returned “monstrosity” as they called it mockingly – would die out in 3 weeks.
These Folks, set in their misconseved ways convinced themselves that 3 million a week was a fad.
Then, four million was a fad.
Then, two times – 5 million a week.
They thought – “send more money to the competitors – they will know how to cut their feet down”.
But they couldn’t do anything.
This “monstrosity” as they call it; trends on twitter worldwide, when those that have bigger budgets and more costlier advertisements cant.
That name, the name that has become a curse word, to the fans and subscribers of Crunchyroll, to the art film Critics of ANN, to some of the detractors in the tabloid anime media…
Toonami.
They hate the very nature of it.
But that is the reason why people have gravitated to it.
Jason DeMarco on “Space Dandy”: “I love it. It kind of reminds me of the kind of things I would have imagined as a kid after watching Star Wars and the bounty hunter cantina scene. I would do drawings and imagine a whole world of crazy, colorful aliens like that and this is basically that dream come to life. Hopefully people will connect with it, we’re all really excited about it.” (Inked Magazine)
Don’t Call it a Comeback: Toonami’s Heart Has been Beating for Years.
Despite all of the naysayers and despite all of the copy cats, Toonzai, Toonzaki, Jetix, Disney XD, Vortexx – they can never get to or reach the Genuine Article.
There is something called the Toonami Faithful (continuing on the whole Absolution/Sin Eater concept) who have kept the memory alive for a long as possible. Some sadly even tried to do the same as Crunchyroll, and somewhat still exist because of a lack of a certain show (I will also mention that later). But those that did, would be stunned on April Fools day, of 2012.
But it was no joke – Dragon Ball Z, Yu-Yu, and a host of others arrived on the Adult Swim block on that day.
The internet exploded.
Everybody, thought it was a onetime thing.
But the heart that was beating small, grew three times…maybe even thirty times larger that day.
For then a choice was made – a new Toonami was going to be born. Moreover, on May 26, 2012 – Toonami returned with some reruns… many thought it was only going to last three weeks.
But then 1 million a week happened.
Then new shows and some misfits from the Cartoon Network (Synbionic Titan, The Thundercats)came along,
Two Million a week.
Then One Piece was announced – along with Japan’s hottest new Franchise Sword Art Online.
Three, and Four…
By the time Star Wars the Clone Wars (a staple of Cartoon Network’s Friday Run of action animation), it reached 5 million a week.
Advertisers didn’t start taking notice (and in many cases, with some of the bad history between the main kids networks, the advertisers and Toonami, they tend to be very leery with product), but the Japanese animation studio Bones sure did.
Already airing both Soul Eater and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Bones commissioned a legend in the animation world, Shinichiro Watanabe, the creator of Cowboy Bebop, to work on a new show, Space Dandy. Once word reached that the show was in the works, Jason Demarco (co-creator of Toonami and now Adult Swim’s Vice President of Creative) jumped at the chance. In a interview with Inked Magazine he stated:
“Space Dandy fits in really well with Adult Swim because it has some really weird ideas and weird aliens along with a very surrealistic look and feel to it… I love it.”
These types of shows have some precedent, but what makes “Space Dandy” so unique is that the dub will air first before the Japanese get it several hours later. It’s a rare experience in the animation world, and it proves something that hasn’t been done before in the business. With the addition of the Naurto Shippunden series, and Blue Exorcist later in 2014, the sky the limit for the block, that nobody thought would survive past three weeks.
However, if you hear from the detractors – you would think that Toonami is a dark force, ready to break up the gravy train.
…Toonami always used hip-hop as well, which is sort of how I started this whole journey. I was always looking for beats for Toonami. So I heard Pelican City and I thought, this is some perfect music for us. I called the number at the back. He started giving us some music; he and I became friends. So Brian came to me and said, “Hey, have you heard of this rapper DOOM?” and I said, “Of course.” He said, “Well, he and I want to do a Toonami record,” and I said, “I don’t think anyone wants to do a Toonami record, but I think an Adult Swim record would be a cool idea.” And he said, “Oh word, DOOM’s a huge Adult Swim fan, he’s like a total cartoon nerd, I think he would love that.” And we pitched the idea to Lazzo, who didn’t really see any…thinking back on it there was no real reason he should have said yes, but he said yes and gave us the money to make the album. (XXL Magazine Interview on Adult Swim Records)
Promo for Summer Wars
Toonami’s Promise for Animation can no longer be denied:
The five people that work on Toonami are some of the nicest people around. They all work on this project on their free time. Jason Demarco wouldn’t have it any other way.
One of the most creative men in the business, Mr. Demarco has proven again and again that Toonami is the most important brand that Turner Broadcasting Has (right next to the NBA on TNT, and Adult Swim of course).
But in the inked interview, he says:
“I feel like the second you (get a tattoo like that) it’s like putting your girlfriend’s name on you, you’re asking for trouble,” DeMarco said. “The second I put Master Shake on my body I’m going to lose my job. It feels like karma. I mean, I love T.O.M. (the animated host of Toonami) I made T.O.M. and he’ll always be close to my heart for sure. I just have that voice in the back of my head that says ‘Come on.’”
That kind of honesty is sorely needed in the animation world.
DeMarco has worked with both Killer Mike and El-P (which the former was found by OutKast), and has correspondence with Kitty Pride (who wants desperately to become a anime character) who has toured with Danny Brown etc. Thelonous Martin, The Misfits, The Weekend, all know DeMarco and are fans of Toonami.
But one of the reasons why I feel, Toonami finally can do things it couldn’t do in its first iteration, was the addition of the short “Kick Heart”. Masaaki Yuasa’s kickstarter project, came to some iffy reviews, but the amazing thing was that many in the animation community tended to be iffy about it for no good reason. DeMarco’s Airing of Kick Heart reprsented a sea change. Space Dandy will have a episode directed by Katsuhiro Otomo and Yuasa will direct an episode later in the season.
I can see a day, where Toonami would air work from John K, Jonny Vasquez, Milton Knight – all based on the concept of action. I can also see a day other shows (say from Ankama) such as Wakfu and such. I can finally see the day that 10 shows from a diverse lineup would get million a week each. There is a reason why many of the Japanese studios are trying to look outward towards the west – they are under siege by a fanbase that is unloved in real life and shunned by the older generation as weak willed, unwilling to tame women while in the west they can’t get shows on the air that Americans would gravitate to – because the American Advertisers as stated before control animation now, and would rather have new reality show wackyness then worldly ideals.
Toonami has given them a way out. And all this was also helped by a fanbase that has been beyond dedicated. They believe in the movement of Toonami, no longer a Revolution, but the revelation that all of the detractors and naysayers – that those folks saying bad about Toonami, and worse trying to tell Jason Demarco how to do his job, are part of the lie machine that has ruined the business as a whole.
Who cares about animation if not for Jason Demarco and those that work with him on Toonami?
What kind of fanbase you willing to have?
From a first ending, becomes a new beginning:
Toonami’s rebirth is the rebirth of a new hope of what was once called the North American Animation Industry.
A new path has been opened. With an audience that cares about all animation. To let go and forget those that wish to do us harm, but if those that have seen through the lies, wish to have their forgetfulness forgiven, they can. The ship is called the “Absolution” after all.
Along the way, old friends are there to greet you – legendary masters – music from different worlds, sounds, and trinkets from the myriad. A little piece of what was our unity every Saturday night.
That is the hope that the block brings to a long destitute realm.
That’s why, from this brand new Chemical Wedding, the lead fog that the liars have put us in, will be taken off, and we will become…
And be able to, Stay Gold.
In the deep blackness of space, a ship called “Sin Eater” — rides alone, wanted by many — to cure the ailments. To regain and re-teach respect. To answer the call of a lost multitude. It was taken out of commission once, and from its place — steeds with the supposed gift of peace and friendship, only showed war and desecration.
In this space, warlords protected by intergalactic committees who only goal of educating the youth is failing by the day, now use these pirates to trap the youth in a never-ending mire of lies and deceit.
And all the while, planets controlled by men of ill repute, questionable loyalties and task forces of multi-colored suits of armor run through the land promoting the return of the old days, when the old traditions are left behind, and the old ideals were a bunch of misrepresentations.
But in this ship, in the heart of the sin eater, lies a robot. The robot has seen it all. The cheers, the tears. He also knows that he must create a new place — a new way for the makers, the creators to be free once more.
To absolve the peoples sins.
This is the movement long since denied…
The revolution has returned to be televised.
“Toonami has always been an action block but within the genre of action there’s a lot of room for different things. Action is the number one thing, if that fits it’ll work. We can have an action-comedy, we can have an action-drama, and we can have a really weird surrealistic show that has action. It feels broad even tough there is a focus on shows that move along at a good clip with a decent amount of action.” (Inked Magazine Interview)
Space Dandy, Premieres on Adult Swims Toonami: Saturday, January 4th 2014. Produced By BONES makers of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Soul Eater and Eureka Seven, and created by Shinichiro Watanabe, Director of Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo. It is a 26x24, with an English Translation Commissioned By Funimation Entertainment. Produced By Bandai Visual, a division of Namco Bandai Holdings LTD.
