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Cartoon Network, Tenchi, Silverhawks, and DBZ
da3dAlus writes: "Beginning Sept. 4, Cartoon Network will be showing the long awaited Android Saga episodes of DBZ. ReBoot will kick off the Toonami block, followed by Sailor Moon, DBZ, Gundam Wing, Tenchi in Tokyo (which begins this Friday), and Batman. In addition to CN's new Toonami lineup, Thundercats will be replaced by SilverHawks beginning Sept. 5 at 3:30. The return of the SilverHawks has been a speculation for several months now, but my local cable listing proves that they are in the upcomming lineup."
Looking forward to the new DBZ immensely, although I already have Tenchi in Tokyo on DVD. But silverhawks. God, was that ever a TV show designed to sell toys.
Come on, that was like totally a rip-off of ThunderCats. Any kid in the mid-eighties knew this. God, I hated that show, thanks.. thanks alot for reminding me rob..
- Everything that you like, sucks.
I wonder if there are any futures plans of possibly branching cartoon network into a seperate anime network with 24 hour anime.
That would be pretty cool, I know I'd watch it a lot more than I watch cartoon network now.
Things you think are in the Constitution, but are not.
I'm not asking for too much. I just want to see a revival of the old Transformer cartoons. Who's with me?!?!?!
--- I used to moderate, then I read the -1 articles and decided having to filter through them was not worth it.
What is it with this Anime fetish?
I can see the merits of something like Akira, but not all Anime is good. DBZ and Sailor Moon don't even have Kitch value, they are just plain bad. Watching them is like watching paint dry and the plots and ideas are purile or infantile or both. Give me Tom and Jerry over this rubbish any day.
More anime? I thought this was "News for Nerds" not "News for Losers"
;)
I wasn't aware there was a difference.
cheese logs keep my wang warm at night.
Does this mean they'll have to resort to prostitution to support themselves? Remember, kids: respect your elders.
So at first I dismissed this Japanimation craze that's sweeping /., but I checked out some of the cartoons that my roommate had and they rocked.
Way better than the cartoons we had as kids.
Pitty they were subtitled tho, I found that distracting.
Apparently the dubbed versions have worse voice acting than 'Godzilla vs. Monster Zero', so I guess it's for the best.
Anyway, for all you detractors, just check this stuff out.
These cartoons have more tits, explosions and tentacles than anything I've seen before. It's the ultimate in action.
--Shoeboy
When I first saw Thunder Cats on Cartoon Network, one of my childhood memories was dashed. Rather than nostalgia, as I had expected, I encountered severe shock. I had enjoyed something that bad? Sure, I was a kid, but please!
The worst part was the inconsistant writing and plotlines. The episode where Mumm-Ra disguises himself as a member of their species (but with a completely different fusion of cat and human featuers, looking as much like one of them as I look like an orangutan) made me realize just how unsophisticated I must have been to have enjoyed it. For all the bad voice acting and melodrama, the part that shocked me most is that I never balked at the technical oversights.
I'm a little afraid of what maturity will do to my fond memories of Silverhawks. Perhaps the greatest gift of innocence... the ability to watch bad 80s toy-based cartoons... and enjoy them without cracking up.
Mind you, even in retrospect, later episodes of Transformers (and the movie) rock. And I have got to find a channel that airs season 2 of Beast Machines in LA...
The good side to being one of the best in a challenging field is, you can watch cartoons without losing self respect.
-- Still waiting for the Nike endorsement
This was one of my childhood favorites but it has been a really long time (15-20 years) since seeing the ones I'm (poorly) remembering....
I also started getting disillusioned when they introduced the cheesy robot (k-9?) in a later season, which was clearly an R2D2 ripoff....
#include "disclaim.h"
"All the best people in life seem to like LINUX." - Steve Wozniak
#include "disclaim.h"
"All the best people in life seem to like LINUX." - Steve Wozniak
Transformers was the best of the lot, followed by G.I. Joe. Of all the miserable excuses for cartoons we had in that era, nothing had quite the mystique of Cybertron and its denizens.
...Yes, old friend...) and the later G2 12 issue run was wonderfully grim, and a worthy exploration of the legacy of their war.
The comics based on the same property went from cartoon-clone to inspired to silly to absolutely brilliant. Near the end, there were scenes in the comics that still get me close to tears (Did I do good, Prime?
I thoroughly enjoyed Beast Wars/Beast Machines as well. Somehow, in a mire of commercialism, the derivatives of the TF property managed to make art.
-- Still waiting for the Nike endorsement
Ah, but Robotech only remeinded me of what I used to get up early to watch during 2nd grade:
2) Star Blazers. I can still sortof remember the song "We're off to outer space... to save the human race... (something about radioactivity from Gamelan starships) ... if we don't, in just one year, mother earth will disappear."
Starblazers had the ultimate hack... Some people complain about people trying to shove new computers into old cases (you know, G3 in a Mac Classic, PC in an old NeXT cube). In Starblazers, they put a starship in an old Japanese seacruiser. Go figure.
3) After school, I watched "Battle of the Planets" (originally Gatchaman). There was a knock-off called G-Force on the Cartoon Network a couple of years ago. I couldn't tell if it was stupid because it was different, or if it was stupid because I was much older. :(
I remember thinking that Thundercats was sortof cool, and Voltron (though extremely predictable with them always drawing the sword at the end... but was that worse than the wave motion gun or main cannon of the SDF-1 or going to the fiery phoenix on Battle of the Planets? Discuss). But the above 3 would be my picks.
Libertarianism is rich wolves and poor sheep playing gambler's ruin for dinner.
I feel sorry for all the lil' kiddies being exposed to Shin Tenchi Muyo... The OVAs (Tenchi Muyo: RyoOhKi?) were great; nice story... interesting people... great theme. They watered it down for the TV show (Tenchi Muyo Universe?) by making it a drawn out story about a love triangle. But for the love of anything holy... do NOT let your friends watch Shin Tenchi Muyu (Tenchi in Tokyo in the US)!!! It a sad excuse for the Tenchi series. If you want new Tenchi, watch Tenchi Forever. Side note: DBZ and SM are great animes for whom they target. You can't judge all of Anime on the shows ment for 13yos. Oh, and Akira bombed in Nihon... think about that and watch it again. It's only a clasic coz it's the first thing most of us got to see.
Can't comment intelligently about Akira.
However, the problem with the previous poster is that you have to match him with some reasonable counterpart to Tom and Jerry...
Unfortunately, that means he needs something of less depth and plot than Card Captors, Dragon Ball Z, or Akira. He needs something silly, episodic, stateless, and funny. Um, something like, uh, Pokemon?
The nick is a joke! Really!
GPL Deconstructed
I was more into Voltron than Thundercats...
But you know, the weird thing about it is that if you remember it fondly, there was something about it that appealed to you that's probably still there. All of these shows, no matter how truly cheezy we see them as now, hit some sort of geek nerve with me.
/Brian
This is an outrage!
They can't take the thundercats away!
Everyone admit it, that was the greatest show (not just a cartoon, I'm talking television event/phenomenon/series) ever. Not even cancellation will destroy the legend. Cartoon Network will soon realize the errors of its ways (after an amazing drop in ratings)and will bring it all back. Not even C.N. can deny Lion-o his war against the very very evil (and stylish) Mum-ra. I think the mummy fashion is very chic, its coming back.
Yeah, you thought you forgot.
Thunder, thunder, thunder, thundercats, HO!
Woah there! They smashed an iMac in Dawson's Creek? Which episode? I wanna get a copy! I hate my wife's iMac. It ate our wedding photos.
--
It's a
-- Danny Vermin
Try "Neon Genesis Evangelion" from AD Vision. It's got some pretty damned good english voice actors, a very deep storyline, a some great fight scenes. It's 26 episodes long, with 4 episodes per DVD except for the last DVD with the last 2 eps. The movie ending to the series is currently in production from Manga video, has the same voice actors, and even better battles.
:)
Just *don't* watch it around bible-belters.
What about SpaceGhost? They took it off Friday night, and now its only on Sunday nights. ARGH! How about people write to cartoon network, and let get it on more often ... please?!?
Toonami stopped playing Robotech because it wasn't being watched (see this interview, question 8). But don't let it get you down; Animeigo has picked up the rights to release Macross (the first of three series that was altered to make Robotech), and ADV is apparently going to be releasing Robotech. Both releases on DVD.
Alan Zabaro
I'm a total Tenchi addict, so after devouring the first 2 oav series, 3 movies, and what episodes of Tenchi Universe I could get on DVD, I ordered like 4 of the Tenchi in Tokyo DVDs. Turned it off before the first episode ended. I can't believe what they did to some extremely interesting characters; they turned it from beautifully written anime to a nauseating parody of itself. Don't judge the whole franchise by Tenchi in Tokyo.
--
Ummm, that slot in the front is for CDs. It's not a scanner.
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NetInfo connection failed for server 127.0.0.1/local
Let's start with some cool ones then:
Escaflowne(26 or so)
Lain(13 or so)
Evangelion(26 or so)
El Hazard(8 or so)
Do these count as worth talking about, or watching?
Here's more:
Perfect Blue
Kenshin (95 or so)
Cowboy Bebop (still going)
Trigun (still going)
Tenchi Muyo: RyoOhKi!
Macross Plus (4 or so)
Most of the above are much more than 'silly gags' and 'beaten to death cliches'. They run the gamut from serious to entertaining, to contemplative and depressing.
Of course, this is just argument to keep Anime *on* Slashdot!
The nick is a joke! Really!
GPL Deconstructed
Jonny Quest: Dr. Quest made it cool to be a scientist. One week, he's a physicist, the next week he's a biologist. Little known fact: Haji was the initial recipient of a H1B visa.
Roadrunner: Physics lessons disguise as a cartoon. I learned all about sudden changes in momentum and about the laws of gravity.
George of the Jungle: Same physics lessons thus reinforcing what was taught by watching the Roadrunner show. Demonstrated that the laws of physics are universal.
Scooby Doo: Taught the scientific method. Plus the cartoon featured real nerds in action.
Speed Racer: An import from Japan that enjoyed a brief period of popularity in the US. This show inspired a generation of Japanese youths to become automotive engineers. Youth in the US wanted to become NASCAR drivers. Marked the beginning of the rise of the Japanese automotive industry.
Is it any wonder why science and math scores in this country are decreasing? Coincidence? I don't think so. It is sad that not a single Presidential candidate has spoken up about this.
I remember Silverhawks.
I couldn't remember the name of the show but I have always described this show to other people to see if they remember it as well...
Try telling people about space taxis and bad guys with interchangable heads and they look at you like something horrible and green has just spouted out of your forehead. Philistines.
---
I wear pants.
If any of you /.-ers out there had read my earlier statement of Anime being screened over Cartoon Network here is my follow-up
Let the mutilation begin!
-----
Slow down the rotation of the Earth...
Okay, no problem. In fact, we've already started.
The moon's gravitational pull is slowly reducing the rotational velocity of the Earth. It is estimated that the day was only twenty or so hours long when the dinos were around, IIRC. So, just wait another 100 million years or so, and we should be up to 30 hours a day.
(To those readers who find this interesting, I might recommend the book What if the Moon Didn't Exist? , by Neil F. Comins.)
dragonhawk@iname.microsoft.com
I do not like Microsoft. Remove them from my email address.
I like anime as much as any geek. Hell, just my Laserdisc collection of Anime is almost 200 Discs. It's very nice to see Anime get some regular TV time slots. However, after watching Tenchi on Cartoon network is became very clear that there is a price we pay. First, Cartoon network does some SERIOUS censoring of all Anime.
Now, even when the shows were originally dubbed there was some artistic rewording. This is typical for most Dubbed Anime. In one case Pioneer reworded a scene where Washu wants to collect a sperm sample from Techi using her mouth. If you watch the LD's with captioning on you'll see the original translation.
At any account, Cartoon Network goes about 20 steps further. Any reference to drinking, sake, or beer has been replaced with TEA. Blood digitally masked out. And some scenes simply cut out.
Now, some people might say they "have" to. However, I submit that all of these episodes have been shown on PBS before, uncut, durning the daytime without any problems. I could see some language changes, but Sake is Sake, let's not be so PC that it has to be Tea.
Couple things:
:/
Almost all of the cartoons and anime is created for the express purpose of selling toys. Ever notice how Bandai and Hasbro (or whoever they are now stateside) produce a boatload of animation and have the toys on the shelves before it even hits the airwaves?
Also, a note on censorship on cartoon network: I've noticed (assuming that many of you have not) that a whole lot is cut out of nearly every DBZ episode.. of course this is usually crazy death, destruction, japanese humor (that they assume the 15-year-old audience wont understand), and vulgarity (not to mention assorted swearing).
Personally, I cant even watch Tenchi on cartoon network because I know they have carved the storyline to pieces so that they can insert 8 min of commercials and translated ineffectively so that the voice "talent" can speak on queue. Anyway, it bothers me.
I suppose I'm just one of those purists that likes to watch fansubs instead of commercially produced anime. Quality over quantity.
Maybe someone should write an article (because I know no one will ask me to) on how repressed cable tv is in its current state. I'm <b> paying </b>for the privilege of watching premium television, and I'm being delivered a caricature of the original work.
I think there's something wrong with that.
- 0 -
As far as pure toy marketing power, nothing can beat M.A.S.K. I mean those toys were C-H-E-A-P. But I loved the show. I even made a Lego version of their gas station/hidden base.
M-M-M-M.A.S.K
is the mighty power that will save the day,
M-M-M-M.A.S.K
no one knows what lies behind their masquerade.
M-M-M-M.A.S.K
always riding hard on V.E.N.O.M.'s trail.
and i forget the rest
A wealthy eccentric who marches to the beat of a different drum. But you may call me "Noodle Noggin."
Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati
Molog
So Linus, what are we doing tonight?
So Linus, what are we going to do tonight?
The same thing we do every night Tux. Try to take over the world!
power puff girls.
:)
feer.
-dk
-dk
Dream with the feathers of angels stuffed beneath your head.
Wings of metal...Nerves of steel...:)
Bah! Silverhawks, Thundercats, Voltron, hell, even Power Rangers...imposters! They all bow down before the glory that is G-Force. No other cartoon team was their equal. Consider how many cartoon-team themes that we now take for granted were pioneered by G-Force.
- Teams must have 5 members: A studly leader, a rebel loner, a token female, a wacky kid brother, and a fat guy who's good with machines.
- Every 5th episode must be feature a team-member other than the leader in great detail. Said episode usually involves the feature team member doing something incredibly stupid, which usually leads to him/her being captured. The rest of the team must then bail out stupid team member, and give them a stern lecture about the importance of teamwork.
- Whenever the entire team is rendered unconcious, the studly leader is ALWAYS the first to wake up. Second up is the rebel loner.
- Each team member has their own unique form of transportation. There is usually a motercycle of some form. Each team member also has their own unique weapons. There is usually some form of boomerang, whip, and grapling hook.
- Whenever the team is facing off against their arch-enemy and his legion of goons, the rebel loner is the first to attack. The fat guy invariably ends up throwing 5 goons into a pile to show his massive strength, the wacky kid makes two goons run into each other, and the token female fights one goon the entire brawl. The studly leader, of course, goes straight for the arch-enemy, but always let's him escape.
Come to think of it, these themes also seem to apply to family sitcoms and boy-bands as well. Hmmm....
The thing that people seem to forget is that serial anime (like GBZ or Gundam Wing) are the asian counterpart of US cartoons.. Most series anime lacks deep plots or interesting philisphical meaning because it's being marketed primarily to 10-year-olds. I mean, if you want detailed explorations of a charaters motivations, got watch 'LA Law'. GBZ is about action, plain and simple, and any witty dialogue that gets thrown in, well, it's probably stuff that the editor forgot to edit in the cutting room. Hell, if we were all 9 years old, Techni would fscking 0wn.
The other side of this is Film Anime -- Stuff like 'Ghost in the Shell' and 'Lain' that, while possessing action sequences, are more about exploring issues and meanings verse 'pink shit' coming out of ones forhead. I dare you to get a pre-teen to sit still during 'Lain'.
Eh, fuck it. So be it.
Hilary Rosen's speech was about her love of money and her desire to roll around naked in a pile of money.
G-force? aka Battle of the Planets aka (bleh) "Eagle Riders"; that which was also and originally
known (to the Japanese) as Science Ninja Team Gatchaman!!!
How sneaky of you to link a Toonami thread into the Anime topics like that...
...seasonal anime. Stuff like Sailor Moon (you think I'm joking, don't you; watch it Japanese) or Neon Genesis Evangelion or Saber Marionette J.
The main story is drawn out over an entire season. While selling toys is a big part of it, the only way to do a seasonal anime properly is with a half decent story. After all, they can show it over and over and over and.....
It's good for those who like having stuff like plot, and don't want it all shoved at them in two hours.
Is this post not nifty? Sluggy Freelance. Worshi