Oh Toonami, how we miss you

If ever there was a great North American tribute to the various anime that exist, it would indeed be Toonami.  My, how quickly those 11 years went by.

For those that don't know, Toonami was a block of programming on Cartoon Network.  It was put together in order to showcase a bit more action-heavy series' that the network acquired rights to.  Toonami also featured a very heavy focus on various anime programming.  For kids that were checking out cartoons after school, Toonami was a fantastic introduction to the world of anime.  Just take a look at all the anime content Toonami aired during it's 11 year run.


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Like I said, it wasn't all anime content, but it definitely anchored the block of programming.  There were some fantastic series in there that you would never, ever see another network touch.  Some of the anime caught on here, others didn't get the attention they deserved.  There were even a few odd anime choices on there that didn't exactly exemplify the best of what anime had to offer, but at least Cartoon Network was willing to search out what might make sense.

For 11 years, Toonami provided some amazing anime experiences.  The team behind the advertising also worked on what think are some of the best promos ever seen on Cartoon Network.  Just check out a fine example below.


Man, this kind of stuff is really pretty deep for the audience that was viewing!  I know that I really thought these bumps were powerful at the time, and looking back, they are still just as effective.  Tie these in with the Toonami block's advertising itself, which was almost like a show that could stand on its own.  These Toonami blocks were hosted by a robot named TOM, and through the course of the years we'd come to know TOM as a truly deep character.  Hell...Cartoon Network even had TOM die in order to revamp the Toonami block with TOM 2.0 promos!


It's this kind of content that made Toonami really something special.  A block of anime programming during the afternoon, complete with a host that brought about a storyline of its own.  Truly amazing work through series' bumps and a vibe that is unlike anything I've ever seen on TV.  I personally think we need Toonami to return, and hopefully it will some day.

What gives me that hope?  The final Toonami bump from the very last day that the block aired.  TOM says his farewells but gives hope for a future return.  This haunting, beautiful close to Toonami shows just how much care Cartoon Network has when it comes to sharing anime with the world.


We miss you Toonami...and you too, Tom.  Here's to hoping that you return in order to show the next generation of kids just how great anime can be.
Posted by wally