Cartoon Network celebrated April Fools’ Day as it usually does by replacing anime with Tommy Wiseau’s infamously bad movie The Room, or so it seemed. The opening credits were interrupted by the return of the Toonami programming block, which included 11 anime series: Bleach #247, Dragon Ball Z #191, Gundam Wing #10, Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki #19, Outlaw Star #25, Big O #1, Yu Yu Hakusho #110, Blue Submarine No. 6 #1, Trigun #23, Astro Boy #1, and Gigantor #1.
Several of the episodes featured censored nudity rather than cutting it altogether as is typical. Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki pixelated a giant naked woman and Blue Submarine No. 6 edited out the nipples of a topless mermaid.
Even the CG host, Tom, had a more adult tone. He recommended fans buy the Outlaw Star DVD in order to: “Get it in the way Toonami could never give it to you, with nudity and more violence.” And he references Jay-Z in a promo for the harem anime Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki: “He’s got 99 problems and these bitches are the main one.”
Steve Blum, who voices Tom, has started a petition on facebook to bring back Toonami permanently:
Yo, Toonami Faithful…
Thanks for tuning in. Hope it kicked in some happy memories and kicked off a happy April! As you (hopefully) know, bringing Toonami back isn’t up to me. I’m just a voice guy. Many of you want to know how to make your voices heard. Maybe start here… http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/feedback/ Go to “programming” then “Toonami”
Love you guys from the bottom of my servos.
UPDATE:
The return of Toonami is looking more likely. Adult Swim is putting their toes in water and asking fans to sound off. “Want it back? Let us know. #BringBackToonami,” they tweeted on April 2nd (read: NOT April Fools’ Day).
