Comic-Con Predictions

[Jimmy Kustes]

What do you predict the Comic-Con's Adult Swim panal will announce today?

You can state something new, or talk about Inu-yasha, Big O 2, Aquaman & Friends, Ripping Friends, and if they will come to the block. I'm also sure the panal will talk about somethings we already know, like the new look.

[Karl Olson]

Inu-Yasha: Maybe CN will announce, but the impression Viz is that it's being held up in someway at CN.

Big O: Hopefully, but it'd be announcing it fairly far in advance (given that winter still seems to be the target date for release,) and I'm still not totally confident that it's headed for ASA. It seems early in the game to be funding (or co-funding) the production of a show for a block which at best pulls 1-2 nielsen points.

Aquaman & Friends: At the least, I think we'll get more info on it I think, maybe even an air date.

Ripping Friends: I have a feeling that it's not headed for AS, especially now that Spumco is doing new Ren and Stimpy for TNN. It's possible though I suppose.

Trigun: I think they'll say they are working on aquiring it if they are asked about it. Otherwise, they won't mention it.

[Killtacular]

It seems early in the game to be funding (or co-funding) the production of a show for a block which at best pulls 1-2 nielsen points.

And they'll always STAY at 1-2 neilson points if they never do stuff like this.

I mean, come on. Home Movies is not going to be the breadwinner for the block. Adult Swim is going to HAVE to have original, TRADITIONALLY-ANIMATED stuff, that they can sell ad time for on other networks.

That's when you'll really start to see ratings come in. And that's one of the reasons why Big O 2 should be on ASA(the other reason being Big O should never have been on Toonami in the first place).

[Karl Olson]

You've got a point I guess. ASA, partially because of the target audience I suppose, won't be able gain steam on hand-me-downs (unlike Toonami). Some originals would help out. If anything, the continuation of Big O could bring in viewers wouldn't normally watch the block because something they can't run to Best Buy or Suncoast and buy.

[Andrew]

Originally posted by Matt Wilson
I mean, come on. Home Movies is not going to be the breadwinner for the block. Adult Swim is going to HAVE to have original, TRADITIONALLY-ANIMATED stuff, that they can sell ad time for on other networks.

That's when you'll really start to see ratings come in.

Five words: Ghost in the Shell TV

If CN can manage to land that show, I have a feeling it should more than pay for itself. A new, never-before-seen TV series based on one of the best-selling, most-mainstream and hugely popular anime movies in North America ought to be a ratings goldmine, if advertised properly.

Of course, they won't say anything about it today. Way too early for that. Best we could hope for is a "we're open to all options."

(the other reason being Big O should never have been on Toonami in the first place).

To Williams Street's credit, Adult Swim didn't exist and might have only been in the very early, pre-planning stages when they got the rights to Big O.

That said, what do I think about announcements for tonight?

Inu-Yasha: I'm afraid we're going to get a "no comment" or "we're in negotiations" at best. I'd love to be proven wrong, but I'm expecting the worst, hoping for the best. Viz's comments, as mentioned previously, don't inspire a great deal of hope.

Big O: Can't really say about this one. It's just been a huge mystery from the start. Bandai's "Top Secret" comment doesn't help, either. Best guess -- we'll know CN's involvement in the series.

Aquaman & Friends: Given how long we've been hearing stuff about this series around here, the WS guys should probably at least acknowledge its existence.

I'm also expecting one surprise licensing. We should get news of something for either Comedy or Action (I'm hoping Action) that we've never heard rumored before, or possibly even that we've never theorized before.

8:30 (EST) can't get here soon enough.

[Karl Olson]

If there are any surprises, I have a feeling that they will be for ASA, because it needs them more.

[Jude Santos]

im hoping for a surprise..i mean, we all knw that IY is coming (or is it?)

[Killtacular]

I'm more worried about ASC. People are bound to get tired of Hanna Barbera insults sooner or later.

[Jimmy Kustes]

Maybe we will figure out why the ratings-hit Ed, Edd, and Eddy won't be renewed by CN for more than 52 episodes. Could Danny A make a show for ASC a la Brother's Grunt?

[VashTheStampede]

I'm more worried about ASC. People are bound to get tired of Hanna Barbera insults sooner or later.
I HIGHLY doubt that. :D Actually you are right, but I don't think it has reached that point yet. However people are already getting sick of the same toonami shows on ASA.

[NewLib]

I agree ASC needs someone besides William Streets to make new stuff for it. I mean Home Movies is a start, but it defiantly needs some more non-WS alternatives. I think Big 0 2 will be officially announced for AS, as will Inu-Yashu. I think ASC will atleast have one new comedy. (Be that Aquaman and Friends)

[stanteau]

ASC needs a non-cult show.Problem is except for HM,BB,and MH it's all WS cult following shows and Aqua Man will be one as well.ASC needs a show like Family Dog or another MH type show.A more standard show with a tride and true formula of multiple storylines.Some anime could work great if anime was allowed on ASC,particularily Kare Kano.That would latch viewers from episode 1,only problem is towards the end it's quite drama heavy.

[Killtacular]

Comedic anime is more niche than Williams Street's stuff.

They need a traditionally animated comedy from either CN Studios or a third-party company, with character's not deviating from an existing property, in locations not deviating from an existing property, that is funny, animated well, and advertised on multiple stations.

Only then can Adult Swim start to take off.

[stanteau]

Kare Kano is far from niched,it's a very broad show that can eaisly be marketed to the US.The first 4 episodes are kinda slapsticky but after that it's all plot based and the comedy is quite situation based,plus the characters are very broad and realistic and VERY deep.Kare Kano is a truely unique anime.

[stanteau]

Another possibility is,remember the old SNL cartoons that Mike Judge drew,the prelude to Office Space?Those would be awesome as a continuing series.

[JDuncan]

Any anime would probably go to ASA, no matter what type of show it is. And, the only truly cult WS show would be SGC2C, because it's not straight comedy and half the time it's just disjointed inside jokes and WS trying to piss off the audience. Sealab, Brak, and, to a lesser extant, ATHF, are all mainstream humor presented in an odd fashion.

[Killtacular]

One look at Kare Kano assues me that it's not fit for ASC.

And even if it were down ASC's alley, they would need one hell of a localization team to make the English writing as sharp as the other shows on the block. But it looks like the show just got a low-key dub effort. Which would mean lines are delivered in that oh-so-reviled CORNBALL style that dubbed anime is known for.

Trust me, it'd be hated more than Baby Blues.

[Zulu]

I think that Big O 2 could be really cool for the ASA block, seeing how the original season was a solid show. Admitadly I know very little about this new season (judging from previous posts I would guess the creators of the series have made everything very hush hush), but does anyone have any idea as to when this show could be on the AS lineup (is production finished, just started, or awaiting initiation)?

I think that AS needs a Simpsons type commedy series (specifically seasons 3-7 type). I only use this as an example of material, as the series would certainly need to be original and have some life to it. A second option can perhaps be found in a revamp of Baby Blues working in place of a new series. Although I currently find Baby Blues to be very disapointing as a series (almost terrible really), I believe that if the show could be completely retooled (major overhaul stressed) for a new season it could work. BB does have a very mainstream feel to it, and regardless of the shows other short falls (my oppinion, sorry in advanced to those who like the show as is) the series has the potential to relate to a broader base of viewers. Simpsons did this most visably between its first and second seasons and the move payed off, perhaps BB could lessen its "moral of the story" aproach (specifically in regards to attention on baby zoe)and instead seek a more purely comedic approach.

Admitidaly this may be far too much to ask as the very title of the show itself practically dictates a mode of focus upon the baby. The show also may have a sort of "tainted" quality to it now that people have seen and perhaps not liked the current form of the show, thus making it difficult to get new viewers who were turned off by it before (ie. myself). More apropriatly a completely new mainstream series would need to be fashioned from scratch.... which means we should all start brainstorming very soon (by "we" I mean people who get paid to think cause I don't.... as you may have noticed by this rant).

[Nabuca]

Originally posted by Matt Wilson
Which would mean lines are delivered in that oh-so-reviled CORNBALL style that dubbed anime is known for.
You cant really make that generalization anymore, in the last two years there have been many series that feature English dubs that outdo the original Japanese VA's. For example, Cowboy Bebop, Trigun, Big O and Now/Then/Here/There. Its impossible for me to imagine Vash the Stampede as anyone else accept Johnny Yong Bosch, the same goes for David Lucas's performance as Spike.

[stanteau]

I don't mean to sound like a prude but what episodes did you see?

[Killtacular]

You cant really make that generalization anymore, in the last two years there have been many series that feature English dubs that outdo the original Japanese VA's. For example, Cowboy Bebop, Trigun, Big O and Now/Then/Here/ There. Its impossible for me to imagine Vash the Stampede as anyone else accept Johnny Yong Bosch, the same goes for David Lucas's performance as Spike.

I still treat these as exceptions to the rules. And what you say sure is subjective. I mean, for every person that likes Trigun's dub, there's someone that hates it. Same with Cowboy Bebop. Big O may be the only anime that really did outdo the Japanese version, IMO.


And again, I'm not just talking about the voice actors' ability to read a line in front of them. I'm talking about COMIC DELIVERY. I don't think anime will ever fit in ASC, because distributors are more concerned with getting the dub lines as close to the original dialogue as possible, rather than just doing their own interpretation and actually making it fun for a US audience. FUNimation TRIED to make their own interpretation of lines in Dragonball Z, but most of their lines were........ even cheesier than the originals.

For an anime to make a good american TV comedy, it needs to be exclusively produced/translated for TV, NOT DVD. It needs to have a staff of people that have written for American comedy toons before. It needs to not stick to accurate translations and adapt the style of humor to a faster approach.. more pop culture references and the like. Sort of what Excel Saga does, only with stuff that the mainstream public would get and laugh at.

[VashTheStampede]

I still treat these as exceptions to the rules. And what you say sure is subjective. I mean, for every person that likes Trigun's dub, there's someone that hates it.
Yeah, like me. Once again Matt's point is well made and hard to argue with. I have never seen a comedic anime that has made me laugh with the exception being Excel Saga. It just would not go over well with most people that watch AS.

[Jimmy Kustes]

Originally posted by Zulu
I think that AS needs a Simpsons type commedy series (specifically seasons 3-7 type). I only use this as an example of material, as the series would certainly need to be original and have some life to it. A second option can perhaps be found in a revamp of Baby Blues working in place of a new series. Although I currently find Baby Blues to be very disapointing as a series (almost terrible really), I believe that if the show could be completely retooled (major overhaul stressed) for a new season it could work. BB does have a very mainstream feel to it, and regardless of the shows other short falls (my oppinion, sorry in advanced to those who like the show as is) the series has the potential to relate to a broader base of viewers. Simpsons did this most visably between its first and second seasons and the move payed off, perhaps BB could lessen its "moral of the story" aproach (specifically in regards to attention on baby zoe)and instead seek a more purely comedic approach.


Instead of Baby Blues, WS might as well pay Jerry Scott and Jeff Borgman to make a Zits animated series. Instead of having a sitcom about a Jerry Scott and Rick Kirkman comic strip with no involvement by Jerry Scott or Rick Kirkman.

[randomguy]

They need a traditionally animated comedy from either CN Studios or a third-party company, with character's not deviating from an existing property, in locations not deviating from an existing property, that is funny, animated well, and advertised on multiple stations.

Agreed. As much as I love Home Movies, I'm aware that it's too niche, with too low-quality animation, to ever be effectively sold to a mainstream audience. The Williams street shows are great, but also too niche, and I happen to believe that Mission Hill and Oblongs were failures for a reason. So something fresh might just be in order. I think the potential is there for CN to make a ratings killing if they can find a killer app (bad term, I know) for the block.

Which is, of course, is precisely what Big O 2 might very well be for ASA. I know you feel that Big O never belonged on Toonami, but I'm glad it was there. The enormous success on Toonami was what allowed it to become so popular in the states in the first place, leading to CN's involvement. If it had been shown anywhere but Toonami, I doubt we'd ever get new episodes of The Big O at all. It wasn't exactly a smash in Japan. It feels weird even calling Big O a Japanese import in the first place; it feels so American, and I think it's Western touch will work well on ASA. For the first time, ASA has me excited. Pick up GITS, Lupin, and maybe a little Trigun action, and the block will be untouchable.