Adult Swim Cuts Back on Anime September 12, 2008
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from icV2 and AnimeNation:
In a surprise move the Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim has reduced the number of anime series in its Saturday night lineup. Starting this Saturday, September 13th, Viz Media’s Bleach will lead off the Adult Swim block at 11pm (ET, PT) followed by an episode of FUNimation’s Fullmetal Alchemist. The previous schedule, which had been announced on August 25th, featured four anime series–FUNimation’s Shin Chan (at midnight ET, PT) followed by Bleach, Bandai’s Code Geass and Media Blasters’ Moribito.
This is disappointing. Cartoon Network & Adult Swim were the most widely-available outlets for Anime in the US. CN/AS was my favorite network when I could watch DBZ, Gundam, Robotech, Inuyash and other Anime shows. Now, the only thing I watch is Bleach. What happened? Is it a shift in strategy at the network, or lack of quality Anime to show on the network? Let me know what you think.
Grow Up? May 14, 2007
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While reviewing the anime film, Paprika, Newsweek’s David Ansen wonders why Americans aren’t more open to animated films for adults.
There’s no reason the imaginative freedom that animation allows shouldn’t be unleashed on adult themes, especially when graphic novels have entered the literary mainstream and when CGI has blurred the line between live action and animation in films like “300.” Outside the United States, animators are not so likely to be confined to the ghetto of kiddie movies.
Read more at Newsweek.
Superman: Doomsday & Justice League: New Frontier September 29, 2006
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The Superman Homepage has the following details regarding these two animated features…
Superman: Doomsday
In an epic tale of sacrifice, Superman battles an intergalactic serial killer in a superpowered Armageddon - “Superman: Doomsday”.
Justice League: New Frontier
Live the intense tale of the founding of the greatest band of superheroes ever - “Justice League: New Frontier”.
In this origin epic, a virtual who’s who of superheroes featuring not only Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman, but also Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter and Flash, these very different heroes must overcome their fear and suspicion of one another to forge an alliance against a creature so formidable that it will take all of their powers combined to prevail!
A New Transformers Show for “Us”? August 19, 2006
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There’s been a lot of buzz about the new Transformers movie on the Internet lately, as the studio seems to be prepared to go all out for it. Reading about this movie makes me wonder if Hasbro would allow some studio to produce a new TV or Direct-to-video show for “Us”. What do I mean by “us”? I’m referring to the original fans that bought Transformers toys in the 80s. Those of us that still watch the original Transformers movie on DVD from time to time. Those of us that hate the new shows like “Cybertron” and “Robots in Disguise.” Those of us that Hasbro ignores because we don’t by toys.
I’m sure there are plenty of you out there like me that watched “Beast Wars” and “Beast Machines” that may have had mixed emotions about the show, but still admired the nod they gave us “old heads” by bringing back Ravage, showing clips of the original Megatron, and doing other little things to keep some continuity with the original series.
But after that, we were served with other shows like “Robots in Disguise”, “Armada” and “Cybertron” that are no way near as entertaining and are obviously only written for little kids. Don’t get me wrong–I understand that these are weekly 30-minute informercials for their toys. Many of the shows we watched in the 80s served the same purpose. There just seemed to be something “special” about the shows that came from Hasbro/Marvel/Sunbow back then, that’s not in the newer shows that were imported from Japan.
I just wish Hasbro would look at that market of kids from the 80s that grew up and still watch “cartoons”–not the ones intended for kids, but the more mature Anime series and the direct-to-video products being produced by Marvel and DC. We would by the DVDs. Some of us would even buy premium figures based on the show. They wouldn’t even have to call the show Transformers. There are enough terms that could be borrowed from the old Transformers Mythology to create a title that would be recognizable to us old-school fans. And I’m sure they would have no problem airing the show on Toonami, Adult Swim or Sci-Fi. If they can do it for Robotech, why not Transformers?
What do you guys think?
JLU’s Dwayne McDuffie to develop original adult action/adventure animated series August 17, 2006
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BET has inked an agreement to develop a new original adult action/adventure animated series with Dwayne McDuffie, co-creator (with BET’s Denys Cowan) of the Emmy Award and Humanitas Prize winning cartoon, Static Shock. Cowan and McDuffie were co-founders of Milestone Media, Inc., the most successful Black-owned comic book company in history. McDuffie is also a producer and story editor on Cartoon Network’s Justice League, Editor-In-Chief of Milestone Media’s award-winning line of comic books, and has worked as an editor for Marvel Comics and Harvey Entertainment. As head of BET Animation, Cowan will oversee the development of all new projects and work closely with McDuffie.
This is great news! I enjoyed McDuffie’s work on Static (especially the later seasons) and Justice League Unlimited. This partnership should help fill the void left by the cancellation of JLU. We will also get a nice alternative to the “kid-oriented” projects that DC Animation seems to be more interested in developing.
Read the full press release.
More DC Animation July 27, 2006
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Paul Levitz stood to make an announcement, and spoke about a new strategy for DC to move into direct-to-video animation.
Working with Warner Bros. Home Video and WB Animation, the company will launch a new line of direct-to-video DC animated movies that are being designed with DC Comics fans in mind, Levitz said.
He continued, saying that DC is looking to do a series of titles that will tell the character bits and stories that were important to fans, and will be working with the comic book creators on them.
I’m really looking forward to the new batch of Direct-to-Video projects planned by DC and Marvel. DC really needs to redeem themselves from the disappointing Superman: Brainiac Attacks feature. Thank goodness I was able to watch that one for free on Cartoon Network.
Read more on Newsarama
Get your Anime T-Shirt! June 12, 2006
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The Coolest shirt on the net!
Getting your Superhero Fix in the Future May 13, 2006
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The Journal Gazette has a feature on the future on anmimated superheroes, following the demise of Justice League Unlimited. It mentions new TV shows like The Legion of Superheroes and Fantastic Four, and movies like Teen Titans Tokyo and Iron Man.
Also found this comment interesting:
Cartoon Network officials say “Justice League†has been canceled due to low ratings.
Yeah, and CN constantly changing the time slot , putting the show on a long hiatus and lack of promotion had nothing to do with it. Thank goodness for DVDs!
First look at Legion May 2, 2006
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The Superman Homepage has link to the promo art for the new Legion of Superheroes. Unfortunantely, this show does not appear to be a spin-off of Justice League Unlimited, as many thought after seeing the episode “Far From Home.”
The art appears to be similar to the style of Teen Titans. More pseudo-anime.
It will be interesting to see what becomes of the show, with the current Superboy lawsuit.
Can’t figure out when JLU is coming back on? April 9, 2006
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Don’t try. Cartoon Network will probably change the schedule again. But with TiVo, I never have to worry about that. With a Tivo Season Pass, I can record Justice League Unlimited whenever it comes on. Unlike a VCR, you don’t have to tell it to record on Cartoon Network, Saturday at 10:30 pm. It will figure out the correct time and automatically change it when CN changes the schedule again.
It will also recommend similar shows based on your tastes. If you like JLU, it’ll recommend shows like Teen Titans or X-Men.
The best part is, you’ll never have to rush home to watch a show, or hurry up and watch a taped show because your 6-hr tape is full. With an 80-hr capacity, you can record without worries!
