AS Action Really Necessary? [Archive]

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Skank

12-10-2005, 11:09 PM

I'm not saying that anime is bad or stupid. All I'm saying is that there must be a better place for it. When it began, Adult Swim was simply a programming block for an older demographic. Anime fits there. But, as we've seen over the past few years, Adult Swim has evolved and moved on to being known for it's absurd yet ingenious humor. It seems to me that the need to devote half the block on weekdays and all night on Saturday to Japanese action shows is holding Adult Swim back from reaching it's full potential as a block of shows that mock the stupidity of the world around us and give us a style of humor that isn't just immaturity, but immaturity with bad words and sexual innuendos. And the way I see it, that's exactly what it wants to be.

Discloner

12-10-2005, 11:14 PM

Delthayre

12-10-2005, 11:16 PM

I neither grasp your point nor agree with your proposal.

You seem to have an elevated or confused idea of what Adult Swim is. I generally don't think of it in terms of having any sort of mission statement or higher purpose, I just think of it as a place for animation that skews toward or at least appeals to older audiences, which is what the action and comedy segments essentially do.

And I should also submit that achieving," immaturity with bad words and sexual innuendo," isn't really an ideal goal, even if it seems like what Williams Street is going for sometimes.

Scorpio_G

12-10-2005, 11:28 PM

There's a easy answer to this.

" If it ain't brok'n' it don't need fixin'."

NahMan85

12-10-2005, 11:37 PM

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes...times That By A Million!

Aquadementia

12-10-2005, 11:41 PM

Dismantling of ASA? Oh boy, thems fightin' words.

In all honesty, as long as these shows are shown...it doesn't matter to me what block their in. Adult Swim airs them, and at a reasonable hour with few edits and occasionally repeat airings. For this reason alone I like the fact that ASA is as much a part of Adult Swim as their comedy department. Kind of a ying/yang deal.Put darn well there.
Especially when you consider how good the current anime line up has been lately.
As far as the original comedies, they've been hit or miss, miss hard in many cases.
..... It seems to me that the need to devote half the block on weekdays and all night on Saturday to Japanese action shows is holding Adult Swim back from reaching it's full potential as a block of shows that mock the stupidity of the world around us and give us a style of humor that isn't just immaturity, but immaturity with bad words and sexual innuendos. And the way I see it, that's exactly what it wants to be.
And taking that view of the what "adult comedy" is, is taking the shortcut to producing total garbage.

livingfruitvirus

12-10-2005, 11:42 PM

Cartoon Network gets to have both worlds.

Adult Swim can't?

Beat

12-11-2005, 12:03 AM

Cartoon Network gets to have both worlds.

Adult Swim can't? The degree of seperation between Cartoon Network and its average viewer is much greater than the degree between Adult Swim and its average viewer. As a random example, Inu-Yasha was a high-rated show way back when, but Adult Swim loved nothing more than to bully the fanbase on the air, something a regular network could never do.

At the end of the day, all that really matters seem to be four shows, none produced directly by Williams Street. Family Guy, Futurama, Boondocks, and Robot Chicken. You could overhaul the entire block with dance specials and people would still tune in. True, many WS members don't like anime, but dismantling it won't change anything, except isolating the anime fans.

Keep both.

djthomp

12-11-2005, 12:06 AM

AS Action Really Necessary? Why yes, yes it is.

Anime411

12-11-2005, 12:35 AM

My opinion? It started out that way, as Adult Swim, so it should stay that way. If they want to make it all comedy, all it something else. Adult Swim had Anime in it and even if it's just only a bit it can't be called AS without it!

Captain Zechs

12-11-2005, 12:48 AM

Yes, it is needed.

Personally, I feel that AS action is what keeps me watching, all their humor shows aside from Family Guy and Futurama are horrible. Why? Because, like you or someone said, they are immature and make stupid sex jokes, that sort of thing just makes me hate it right away. I think its needed and would loose a good chunk of viewers without it.

ClockStomper

12-11-2005, 04:36 AM

Adult Swim has evolved and moved on to being known for it's absurd yet ingenious humor. It seems to me that the need to devote half the block on weekdays and all night on Saturday to Japanese action shows is holding Adult Swim back

I laugh at the absurdity of this statment. Just because the people on the board like ASC shows a lot, it doesn't reflect actual success. ASC survives off of the FOX repeats and Robot Chicken. The "absurd yet brilliant" William Street originals you refer to don't do that well outside of Aqua Teen. Their latest round of new series have been crap. Nowadays WS doesen't need to churn out their own stuff, since their are enough comedy shows made by others to fill out the block.

Anime is a cheap way to get a big stock of new material to fill out the schedule without production costs.

Kagetsu

12-11-2005, 01:51 PM

,,,reaching it's full potential as a block of shows that mock the stupidity of the world around us and give us a style of humor that isn't just immaturity, but immaturity with bad words and sexual innuendos. As sarcasm, that's really funny.

<Insert fullblown angry rant about cheap fratboy humor>

Late night action anime are some of the best shows on CN.

Master Moron

12-12-2005, 02:10 PM

You know, I actually don't think Adult Swim really needs the action to survive. I'd hate for them to get rid of it, but in all honesty they could probably fill their whole schedule with Family Guy, American Dad, Futurama, Boondocks, Robot Chicken, and Aquateen and the majority of the audience would still watch regardless of how repetitive it got.

And seeing that card on Sunday that indicated they weren't getting new anime acquisitions in 2006 in addition to Stroker and Hoop joining the Saturday lineup makes me wonder if they are planning on getting rid of the action.

jbanks97

12-12-2005, 03:20 PM

No it's not

But the block would suck without it.

Space Chief

12-12-2005, 03:59 PM

Hell yes.

I'll take FMA over Stroker & Hoop anyday.

Rasputin

12-12-2005, 04:20 PM

I'm in the UK and don't even have a TV, so consider me envious that such a thing as Adult Swim Action exists AT ALL.

Young 'uns these days...spoilt! The lot of yeh! *waves stick*

Sr.Infierno

12-12-2005, 08:49 PM

No it's not

But the block would suck without it.
Isnt that kind of an oxymoron?

herbkir

12-12-2005, 09:34 PM

Anime was part of Adult Swim from its very beginning. The emphasis they place on anime has varied over time, but there always has been some on the schedule. And I don't think they ever will get rid of anime entirely. Their ratings numbers indicate that about a third of their core audience are anime fans. These folks, me included, would be royally pissed if they ever dropped it entirely. You don't alienate a third of your market unless you're sure you can replace them. Which AS can't.

Their comedy lineup lives off the Fox comedies plus Robot Chicken and ATHF. The rest of their home-grown comedies are hit and miss, appealing to some and hated by others. Me, I like Squidbillies and Tom and can tolerate Venture Bros., but things like Mouse and Perfect Hair and Stroker & Hoop are a waste of my TV time and I just don't watch them anymore. Everyone else here has their own love-hate lineup of AS comedy.

The whole thing with action being in trouble comes because AS has been placing the anime premieres on Saturday nights, TV's worst night for viewership, when they should be putting them all on Thursday nights, which is the week's best night for viewership. Comedy premieres should stay on Sundays, which is the 2nd best viewer night. Saturdays should be kissed off with encores of anime and comedy premieres.

If AS isn't planning any major anime acquisitions in 2006, it also may reflect the current dearth of well-made adult-level shows available under U.S. license that would be suitable for TV with minimal editing. While the AS standards have loosened up a lot, a lot of what is available would still be off-limits. (^_*)

Sketch

12-12-2005, 09:55 PM

Much of WS loves anime. They wont be too quick to throw it out. It has to fail BIG TIME for that to happen. The question to if it's neccessary can be answered in a few ways. Ratings wise? No not really but originally they couldn't just fill the whole schedule with their own stuff so they chose to use edgy Japanese cartoons to fill the gap because they were successful with older viewers on Toonami the Midnight Run (and Toonami in general). Adult Swim is fairly well known block now so sever it's ties to anime would be dissasterous to the anime industry. AZN, TAN, FUNi's channel and G4 cannot do what Adult Swim does. Adult Swim being on Cartoon Network is wide spread and recognizable (AS being known is thanks to FOX shows for the most part though). Simply put Adult Swim is the best place for adult target anime on television and will remain so for as long as it exsits. Toonami can't show all the anime on CN much less the higher targeting ones. While that niche market is not huge it is also not small enough not to matter at all. And like I said... WS likes anime (at least some of it does).

So yes ASA is neccessary because without it where would adult targeted or even older teen targeted anime air? Hoping for Toonami to be "all ages" again is a pipe dream that even I wont hope for at this point. Without Adult Swim, great shows like Ghost in the Shell: 2nd Gig would have to air on G4 or something and FMA would have to be edited down to air on Toonami (since FUNi wouldn't dare not have it on CN no matter what). As it stands now ASA is very important to keep around.

Then again there isn't much coming out of Japan that isn't shonen that will interest the America public so maybe it wouldn't be so painful afterall. As it stands AS dropping anime couldn't possibly hurt the anime localization industry more than the companies that buy too much otaku pandering stuff already have.

Beat

12-12-2005, 10:05 PM

Much of WS loves anime. Seems about 50/50 nowadays. I know 70/30, Tim and Eric (Tom and the Mayor, respectively), and the Perfect Hair Forever people despise it.

That said, the stuff that's getting the praise and the DVD's is too strong, so Adult Swim has been making do with leftovers for a while. Gantz is too strong? Get Paranoia Agent, which is basically Diet Gantz. Straight up actioners too bloody and out of proportion? (Baki). Get something that might qualify as kid-vid.

It just seems like they're out of the store brand animes, and they still can't air the ones that they really want.

livingfruitvirus

12-12-2005, 10:14 PM

The degree of seperation between Cartoon Network and its average viewer...etc...etc....
What I meant with that post is the name Adult Swim was never intended to be exclusive to comedy or domestic shows, which is what the original poster seemed to imply was the case. Just like Cartoon Network isn't an exclusive identity a storytelling genre (despite its recent identity crisis with the medium it SHOULD be exclusive to). I'm sure the press and media publications think of Family Guy or Futurama or ATHF or Robot Chicken when Adult Swim is mentioned to them, but recognization of brand name doesn't determine its content. Besides, Adult Swim has been on for four years. If they wanted to get rid of anime, they would have by now.

and the Perfect Hair Forever people despise it. Did they say that?

Better yet, you can email the creator Matt Harrigan at derfleknute@aol.com .

Delthayre

12-12-2005, 10:17 PM

Did they say that?
Or The Tom Goes the the Mayor people for that matter. Honestly, I must not pay attention somewhere, because I've scarcely heard of this.

Beat

12-12-2005, 10:20 PM

What I meant with that post is the name Adult Swim was never intended to be exclusive to comedy or domestic shows, which is what the original poster seemed to imply was the case. Just like Cartoon Network isn't an exclusive identity a storytelling genre (despite its recent identity crisis with the medium it SHOULD be exclusive to). I'm sure the press and media publications think of Family Guy or Futurama or ATHF or Robot Chicken when Adult Swim is mentioned to them, but recognization of brand name doesn't determine its content. Besides, Adult Swim has been on for four years. If they wanted to get rid of anime, they would have by now. That much is true. There's three (Maybe 4 with Boondocks) shows that garner mainstream appeal and attention, and the rest are all superficial to the block at best, slight burdens at worst.

Did they say that? There was an interview on Adult Swim run through a Bablefish machine, and a few video interviews a while back. In it, the director admits he doesn't like anime (although he doesn't say that he outright hates it the way some ASC fans do) but thinks it's easy to make fun of.

As for Eric...

Q:
Eric, do you like any anime? If you do, name some, and also......is this HUMPERS lawsuit for real?C'mon man, I need a straight answer!!!!!!!!

A:
No. But I have not really seen any.

Humpers lawsuit is for real! Hollywood brings out the devil in people.

Lachesis

12-13-2005, 12:35 PM

Gantz is too strong? Get Paranoia Agent, which is basically Diet Gantz.

Gantz is a mindless fight show with excessive sex and gore for shock value. Paranoia Agent is miles out of its league.

Shnay

12-13-2005, 12:43 PM

Seems about 50/50 nowadays. I know 70/30, Tim and Eric (Tom and the Mayor, respectively), and the Perfect Hair Forever people despise it.So a guy who doesn't really like anime but thinks it's easy to joke about, and a guy who admits he hasn't seen much of it "despise" anime? Even if they did, how would the opinions of 70/30 or Tim and Eric at all influence the handling of ASA?

Beat

12-13-2005, 12:51 PM

So a guy who doesn't really like anime but thinks it's easy to joke about, and a guy who admits he hasn't seen much of it "despise" anime? Even if they did, how would the opinions of 70/30 or Tim and Eric at all influence the handling of ASA?
OK, despise was too strong a word, except in the case of 70/30. You all saw those episodes of Sealab.:sweat:

Anime411

12-13-2005, 05:18 PM

I would also like to mention the other possible issues that might come up with dropping Anime. I have attended a convention once before, and let me tell you, if Adult Swim dropped their Anime Action, half of those convention goers would probably have no idea what is going on and why Funimation sits there and who all the voice actors are. Not only would it not be good for AS to lose Action but it could hit on a lot of other merchandising! For example, all the products one could purchase might take a hit, and people would be picking and choosing Anime DVD's to buy, not knowing what is good and what is bad.

The Dealer's Room was FULL of Anime Merch and it was almost the size of a warehouse. I would say about 3/4 of the prevalent merch was all Adult Swim and a little Toonami related. Mostly Inuyasha and Yu Yu Hakusho and such. I'm sure without AS showing Anime, there would be A LOT of other companies kinda pissed off. Maybe that's just my opinion, but it looked that way at Otakon.

If you really don't like Anime, just don't watch it. If you don't like AS comedy, don't watch it! It's quite simple. That's why they combine it together in separate halves. To try and make everyone happy. It started out with ONLY Anime, and it would be kind of sad to just drop it.

Of course, as for better ratings, they put NGE premiers on Thursday which was a good idea. Maybe the ratings will go up now? ^_^

Sketch

12-13-2005, 05:42 PM

Like I said, it's bad for the industry because Adult Swim is the single best place to air an adult targeted anime series because it's accessible to much of America's television viewers certainly more so than any of the other channels that even air a small sum of anime targeted at anyone older than 14.

Toonami has the main powerhouse for dealers right now and will probably get more series with that much pull but they can't show everything. Toonami certainly couldn't show Ghost in the Shell even back when it was the only block for aciton on CN. Adult Swim's Action's existance is indeed very neccessary for anime's future on US television.

LostKunoichi

12-13-2005, 06:57 PM

If anyone has been to an anime convention should know that even ATHF is cosplayed. I like both the comedy and action. Of course I only started watching it for for the anime but soon grew to love (some) of the comedy. The anime is staying. If not AS will lose a lot of their viewers...and I'll go on a hunger strike until FMA comes back.:eek:

NahMan85

12-13-2005, 10:48 PM

Scirel

12-13-2005, 11:04 PM

PHF isn't really that much of a parody anyway, as the only things so far I`ve seen that parody anime is some light stuff in the pilot, other than that the only thing that is really a parody of anime is the girl's uniform. It's mostly the usual WS zany/randomness. Then again, I`ve only seen three of the eps that have aired, I might have missed something in another.

Rasputin

12-15-2005, 07:13 AM

Gantz is a mindless fight show with excessive sex and gore for shock value. Paranoia Agent is miles out of its league.
I haven't seen Gantz, but I echo the statement that Paranoia Agent is a veritable island of cerebrality in a sea of pap right now...