Hi I'm Dranzerstorm
You may remember me as a regular contestant on the caption battle contest.
Welcome to Retro Retrospective, my world dedicated to the old guard of the Otaku world; expect some reviews of the old & obscure, and in-depth geeky knowledge with the occasional top ten and I now have a logo.
Little info about me
Well I'm British and I'm in to all things animated and nostalgia.
I've grown up with every cartoon going and have watched hundreds of anime.
Oh and to answer a question I was asked once, no I don't wear glasses in real life, I would wear Loke's sunglasses though.
With Toonami back in action, lots of requests come up for what should be on the block so here are ten shows that should be must haves for the block.
10. Avengers: Earths Mightiest Heroes
Marvel is wasted in the hands of Disney and with the insane popularity of the Avengers it would be an easy choice to make.
9. Batman the Animated Series
Kinda ironic that DC, market most of their shows to Cartoon Network but has never broadcast it's best cartoon, and seeing as the original X-Men still gets reruns 20 Years from it's original run I think it's about time the best Batman cartoon came back as well.
8. Black Cat
A Shonen Jump series with enough slapstick to not be too serious and enough action to please the programming block.
7. Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple
Kid being bullied for being weak suddenly becomes a martial arts genius through the training of several different masters, hilarity ensues. Come on, it's got Toonami written all over it.
6. Amethyst: Princess of Gemworld
I've mentioned before how much I want this series to be a reality and with the likes of Sailor Moon & Cardcaptors having graced the action slot, it's about time the westerners show what it's really capable of.
5. Sengoku Basara
Over the top action with impossible moves and memorable characters, and hearing "YOUR LORDSHIP!" shouted on Toonami is too good to pass up.
4. Gurren Lagann
Speaking of awesome isn't it about time Gurren Lagann made an appearance on the Network? Might make up for the lack of mecha at the moment and runs nicely along side Sym Bionic Titan.
3. Scott Pilgrim
It does count as it was briefly animated but should they try a full series it would be an easy choice for Toonami and isn't reliant on a translation first.
2. Tiger & Bunny
Superheroes are a staple of a good Toonami block and Tiger & Bunny can fill up both that and anime. And with that animation style as well, it certainly makes Toonami look more professional.
1. Fairy Tail
But to be a household name you need a powerhouse series, not one that's been done before (Naruto), not one who's seen itself lose it's fans due to decay (Bleach), not a series with such a difficult dubbing history (One Piece) nor a series that's out of date (Dragonballz) or needs remaking (Dragonball Kai).
What we need is a fresh series that is as good as all the Shonen Jump classics but doesn't push things too far in terms of being overly violent or bad language. Get it now Toonami, you don't even need to edit it.
Were nearing the end of Cartoon Network month with this entry, a Toonami entry tomorrow and a two part top ten epic for the weekend.
Today we look at things Cartoon Network need to improve on.
10. Drop Ben 10
It's served it's time and there is only so many alien designs you can make before you lose focus, 2nd & 3rd seasons were fairly forgettable in the grand scheme of things and season 4 felt like a step backwards in evolution, so it's time to put this series to bed.
9. Expand Toonami
Back in the UK, Toonami briefly ran as an extra channel and although there's been several clones of it there has been nothing since and I don't think being on Adult Swim at stupid O'Clock is really going to help it. Speaking of Adult Swim.
8. Drop Adult Swim
From everything I've researched on Adult Swim it's possibly the worst run channel I've ever seen and I also blame it for ruining Cartoon Network in the first place with it's stupid advertisement campaigns. I certainly won't miss it.
7. Finish Unfinished Shows
A number of action shows were unfairly cut before reaching a reasonable climax with Samurai Jack, the above picture from Sym Bionic Titan & Megas XLR to name but a few, would be nice to have some closure over them so we can stop asking about it.
6. Restore Classic Shows Under New Channel
While I'm aware that Boomerang already does this we need another separate channel for Cartoon Network's old works, more so than what they currently do with Cartoon Planet; if were keeping the trend of naming channels after native weapons then lets call this channel Yo-Yo.
5. Don't Follow Trends
When it's tried to follow trends Cartoon Network fails 95% of the time, it doesn't need to follow trends set by it's rivals, we don't need a Spongebob Clone, we don't need a Phineas & Ferb Clone and we certainly don't need the next entry.
4. Drop Live Action Shows
I can't forgive them for 2009, the channel is called Cartoon Network, not live action Network, there are still some of these shows hanging about so maybe it's about time to end them and continue what you do best.
3. Avoid CGI if Possible
I've heard rumors that the Powerpuff Girls reboot special will be a CGI piece. CGI suits animation companies who are good at it, namely Pixar & Dreamworks, not shows like Star Wars, Transformers or the absolutely terrible Gormiti: Nature Unleashed which is the worst CGI cartoon ever created.
2. Stop Relying so Heavily on 2nd & 3rd Party Series
I've noticed the huge influence DC Comics & Warner Bros has on Cartoon Network and is literally saturating the channel with it's shows not to mention the amount of cartoons were getting from Canada with very little offering from the Network itself. Batman can't solve all your problems.
1. Drop Johnny Test
I don't think I'm alone in this statement, Johnny Test is another representation of how far the Network has fallen in the last few years and still continues to broadcast despite the fact that the series has become as universally hated as the thought of another season of the Simpsons.
Johnny Test wasn't a bad series but I felt it was ten years too late; back then a show like this would be well appreciated for creative and funny episodes but in modern day it's dated, been done before, ripping off better shows and doesn't deserve to keep going alongside Adventure Time, Regular Show & Amazing World of Gumball.
Having already seen one Cartoon Network show get remade into anime lets see if any others would work in the Top 10 Cartoon Network shows that would work as anime. Missing in Action
Samurai Jack: Fine the way it is.
Kids Next Door: Concept is far too American to work as an Anime.
Ben 10: Uses Anime art styles.
Puffy AmiYumi: The idea of it was to appeal to Western fans, doing it anime style would be pointless.
Megas XLR: It's meant to spoof anime as well as act as a Western take on the Mecha Genre.
Powerpuff Girls: Already remade as an anime.
Now with those out the way lets begin.
10. Robotboy
As the only robot series in the Network's library to actually be half decent, making the next step into anime seems like a natural transition, especially when it makes the designs more interesting.
9. Life And Times of Juniper Lee
A teenage girl who's already Asian fighting monsters using superpowers. Monster Hunter Juniper sounds like a good anime title and the set pieces wouldn't take long to remake.
8. Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy
A strange choice but the idea of a Grim Reaper being the butt monkey of an idiot and an angry girl makes for some fun slapstick, would work especially well in Soul Eater's Art Style.
7. Ed, Edd & Eddy
While the concept is very American it would work as a school comedy especially when you expand on the many schemes that take place and the voice actors are all Anime trained anyway. (Kira Yamato & Ed are the same actor that still baffles me)
6. Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends
Creative design may allow for this to expand beyond the simple concept of imaginary friends and go into much deeper territories that in it's American form are too afraid to explore.
5. Hero 108
Has the same creative display as Foster's Home and the main hero is more than capable of being a Shonen Jump cover model. It's also open to the Shonen Jump endless action series status.
4. Captain Planet
A group of five teenagers combine their element rings together to summon a superhero, although this might actually work as a super sentai series. They each transform into a hero with their element power then fuse to create Captain Planet, write this down Japan.
3. Dexter's Laboratory
If fanart is anything to go by then Dexter was made to be in an anime. The creative genius of his inventions combined with his many adventures in giant robots make for an easy transition.
2. Johnny Bravo
Seeing as he's so unpopular with women, he definitely qualifies for a harem protagonist, plus it might shed some of the stupid that plagued his character in his later episodes.
1. Adventure Time
100% works as an Anime and should be an Anime. I've seen tons of good fanart from Adventure Time in anime form and it's so beautiful to look at and the concept of the show makes for an easy sell in Japan.
Now for something fun from the vault, 1982 film Flight of Dragons.
In a world of magic and Dragons flying to Don McLean records, four color coded wizards come together to discuss creating a new realm where magic can stay separate from a world increasingly rejecting it.
The red wizard Ommadon voiced by Darth Vader says it isn't necessary for he will rule the lands himself suggesting from his visions that the world will go to war regardless and he's the right man to lead that carnage; The other wizards decide to stop him but each has their own excuse. Yellow wizard Lo Tae Zhao is a pacifist so he only leaves a flute, Blue wizard Solarius wants to beat something up but ends up just providing a shield, so Green wizard Carolinus picks some heroes to go on an epic quest along with Green Wizard's Dragon Gorbash.
Here's where the names get weird.
The fantasy party consist of the Dragon Gorbash. (Okay that's a good name for a dragon)
A knight called Sir Orrin Neville-Smythe. (Someone with that name served me tea once)
A man from the future called Peter Dickinson. (Because Green Wizard's secret weapon is a scientist from the future who funds his research by pawning Dungeons & Dragons games)
later joined by Aragh the Wolf, Giles the Elf & Danielle the Archer. (The naming is either bad or strangely normal)
Oh there's a Princess as well called Milisande (I think you feed that to parrots)
Things go wrong fairly early when Peter gets stuck in Gorbash's body through a poorly timed spell, from then on he spends most of his time dismissing dangers as science logic including a frustrated quote from another dragon teaching him how dragons get their fire "Shut up and eat your limestone!".
The fantasy journey is your standard affair until an army of dragons show up only for a convenient plot item namely the flute to put them all to sleep, accept for one dragon who kills everyone only for himself to get killed by the knight and then he dies as well. So before the climax everyone dies! Or so you think as Peter rises from the dragon he was trapped in and defeats the red wizard by and I kid you not by shouting science terms at him. Not joking watch the video.
With the Red Wizard defeated everyone is back to life, Peter is back in his world having pawned off all the special items he picked up in the fantasy realm and is also joined by the princess while the magic realm gets a new home as promised, happy endings all round.
For an 80s animated movie it looks both dated and nice looking, Cartoon Network actually managed to broadcast it despite the fact that people die in quite nasty ways, it's interesting to note that the film was co-created by Japan so that does explain quite a lot.
It's a cheesy film with an ending that deserves to be an internet joke.
Also during a showcase at a convention they played this film and I was proud of the fact that I was the only one that saw it when the presenter asked if anyone had seen it.
From 2010 Cartoon Network finally dug itself out of a downward spiral and returned to making cartoons, it's worth noting that Cartoon Network had successfully made a cartoon every year since 1993 except for 2009.
Now we finish the mini guide with today's cartoons. 7 entries today.
1. Adventure Time - 2010
Fantasy epic about a boy and his shape shifting dog in a magical world of princesses, vampires, ice kings and everything awesome.
Verdict: Is well deserving of it's cult status even if some episodes are a bit lacking in content but always entertaining to watch and surprisingly dark in places.
Fact: The second time Nickelodeon has kicked themselves for letting a good cartoon go to their rivals. (The other being Ed, Edd & Eddy) Would you believe they chose Fanboy & Chum Chum over Adventure Time?
2. Regular Show - 2010
The surreal adventures of a group of park keepers which consist of a Blue Jay, a Raccoon, a Yeti, a Gumball Machine, a Lollyman, a small chubby Hulk and a Ghost with a hand on his head.
Verdict: One of the best cartoons on tv today, packed to the brim with 80s & 90s references and surreal humor created from mundane tasks, they even make Milk & Cereal look awesome.
Fact: Mordecai is creator JG Quintel with much of the show representing his college years.
3. Sym-Bionic Titan - 2010
Two alien humanoids and their robot escape to Planet Earth only to followed by the villains that took over their home world, they fight back with a giant mecha called Sym-Bionic Titan.
Verdict: Genndy Tartakovsky's trademark art style is plain to see and the show can easily compete with most anime series (seeing as it was inspired by early mecha anime) but I don't think the world was ready for it or Cartoon Network for that matter.
Fact: They listed the main reason for cancellation was "No toys attached to it" which is a load of crap, they couldn't afford to keep Genndy so they cancelled his project to save money.
4. Robotomy - 2010
Two outsider robots enter a world of murderous robots as they attempt to get through school.
Verdict: Terrible. Someone clearly watched Futurama and said "copy that" not realizing you need John Di Maggio to make any robot series work.
Fact: Shortest cartoon on the Network's history.
5. The Problem Solverz - 2011
A bunch of badly drawn characters solving problems.
Verdict: IT HURTS MY EYES!!!! The psychedelic color scheme really hurts my eyes and I can usually handle it having been an anime fan for years.
Fact: Technical Difficulties Please Wait. (Please note that I am currently on my computer chair in pain holding my eyes after re-watching Problem Solverz)
6. The Amazing World of Gumball - 2011
The Watterson family made up of blue cats, pink rabbits & a talking fish go through day to day life in a world full of advertisement characters in every animation technique possible.
Verdict: A fantastic show with some of the best child voice acting in the business along with some very memorable moments.
Fact: This show is British made. (Finally a cartoon I can be proud of) In fact some of it's writers live only a few miles away from where I live.
Bonus: I say advertisement characters seeing as most of the designs were used by creator Ben Boquelet as part of an advertising project in college.
7. Secret Mountain Fort Awesome - 2011
Five monsters come to Earth to try and live with humans but as with anything to do with this plot, hilarity ensues.
Verdict: Strange.
Fact: Placed on hiatus and eventually cancelled and will be replaced by the show it was originally attached to "Uncle Grandpa"
Bonus: How are Cartoon Network doing now?
While they still give up too easily on some good ideas, while making bad decisions with others and still insist on live action programming, Cartoon Network's powerhouse three of Regular Show, Gumball & Adventure Time keep the channel alive and as long as they keep going with shows like those and keep replaying the older works during the night run, there should be nothing to worry about.
Bonus: The new Cartoons this year - 2013
Quick look at the three latest cartoons coming later in the year.
Steven Universe: Looks like Scott Pilgrim channeling Charlie's Angels.
Uncle Grandpa: Idea is stupid, character is stupid, the whole series looks stupid.
Clarence: Blatant ripoff of Phineas & Ferb.
Yeah only Steven Universe looks interesting.
