Adult Swim's New Kid-Friendly Direction

[JMTV]

Does Cartoonito not still exist somehow?

He was talking about the packaging and the presentation from CN for the past few years that looks like it was trying to pivot to preschoolers. Hell, if you go all the way back to 2018 or 2019, the bumpers and promos did not look all that appealing, and I doubt kids would even enjoy them since they don't like being pandered to.

Wait, for real? Nickelodeon kid show ads on Adult Swim?

The ad placement may be the doing of Directv. Nick is presumably just buying ad space trying to lure in kids who may leave the tv on during early adult swim hours, when kids cartoons are still on. This week there were more Nick ads than Checkered Past promos on its own block. They have been airing Nick ads pretty consistently for months though. Mostly general Nickelodeon ads, sometimes promoting new episodes of shows like Monster High or SpongeBob.

Yeah, I saw Nickelodeon ads when I watching Toonami Rewind on Adult Swim. It was mostly just promoting new Loud House content for Nick and Paramount+.

Until 2007 the channel looked neutral, ever since then it caters more and more solely to kids in all regards. It's off putting, to the point I prefer AS or even Nick.

Pretty much. At least Adult Swim was able to kept their edgy tone consistently without falling back on the market research.

If they made a deal with Crunchyroll the licensed movies could be endless

and anime shows that used to be on Toonami and Adult Swim as well. Why Crunchyroll are being so stingy about licensing their shows to Toonami is literally beyond me...

 

[Silverstar]

Will season 3 of the superman show be a little darker?

I hope not. I don't watch a Superman show for darkness. That's what Batman's for.

 

[Tacomaster]

They don't have to just come from WBD

I know, and I even had four non-WBD films (the Futurama movies and Sausage party). But this is just for a bedrock, when we don’t have any other deals going on.

That's a good start. 30+ weeks. If they made a deal with Crunchyroll the licensed movies could be endless.

Good luck. You’re gonna need it. Meanwhile, I wonder if Viz distributes any anime movies.

Heck, maybe they could even get to air Beavis and Butthead. THAT would be the ultimate win of Adult Swim.

I mean, you don’t even see that movie in general anymore…

As for me, I kinda want WBD to expand their deal with GKIDS to air movies on both CN and Adult Swim- and not just Ghibli, either.

Films - GKIDS Films

Browse the GKIDS collection films, including The Breadwinner, My Life as a Zucchini, and the famed Studio Ghibli library of films.

gkids.com

The ad placement may be the doing of Directv. Nick is presumably just buying ad space trying to lure in kids who may leave the tv on during early adult swim hours, when kids cartoons are still on.

And when Nickelodeon is still on, at that.

This week there were more Nick ads than Checkered Past promos on its own block. They have been airing Nick ads pretty consistently for months though. Mostly general Nickelodeon ads, sometimes promoting new episodes of shows like Monster High or SpongeBob.

OUCH. Imagine promoting a kids network- a RIVAL kids network- more than the block you’re currently watching.

I hope not. I don't watch a Superman show for darkness. That's what Batman's for.

Zack Snyder, take note.

 

[J'onn J'onzz]

Viz does have some films that would be good picks for Toonami. I hope they can get Naruto the Last movie after Shippuden finishes, but they’ve never aired any of the Shippuden films yet.

 

[Tacomaster]

They can’t make up their minds here. Given how Fight Girl wasn’t shown at the specific kids or AS panels, I get the feeling they can’t decide where this show should air.

My theory: Corporate wanted to put this show on AS, likely to repeat the success of MAWS (though not Unicorn, as there’s no word of that show getting a second season, and Genndy’s working on something else now), hence why it was set to come to Adult Swim Canada. However, the main American Adult Swim branch rejected it, and rightfully so.

Also notable because Ouweleen, who currently runs both CN and AS (both as corporate entities and US operations, but NOT international operations) greenlit the show for Cartoon Network specifically, unlike Unicorn and Superman, which were greenlit under Ascheim’s vision.

So now the show’s future is in turmoil, split between corporate wanting it to air on one side of the network and the network themselves wanting it to air on the other side.

 

[Moe]

Me: Cartoon Network, where are your ID?
Cartoon Network: Sure, there is my ID.
Me: Your ID showed that your name is Adult Swim.
Cartoon Network: Oops, I got multiple IDs with me.
Me: first ID - Adult Swim, second ID - Cartoonito, third ID - Toonami, fourth ID - Cartoon Network, fifth ID is Boomerang, sixth ID - Discovery Family and seventh ID - TBS. What's confusion.
Cartoon Network: Hmm...
Me: You have identity crisis?
Cartoon Network: I guess.
Michael Ouweleen: Hey, their name is Adult Swim.
Moe: I can see.
Michael Ouweleen: Hey Cartoon Network, don't play with your identity and you are ADULT SWIM.
Cartoon Network: *embarrassed*
Michael Ouweleen: You gets a lot of work and it is not over yet, so come with me.

Excuse me, that is hilarious and I can't tell about their true identity.

 

[JMTV]

They can’t make up their minds here. Given how Fight Girl wasn’t shown at the specific kids or AS panels, I get the feeling they can’t decide where this show should air.

My theory: Corporate wanted to put this show on AS, likely to repeat the success of MAWS (though not Unicorn, as there’s no word of that show getting a second season, and Genndy’s working on something else now), hence why it was set to come to Adult Swim Canada. However, the main American Adult Swim branch rejected it, and rightfully so.

Also notable because Ouweleen, who currently runs both CN and AS (both as corporate entities and US operations, but NOT international operations) greenlit the show for Cartoon Network specifically, unlike Unicorn and Superman, which were greenlit under Ascheim’s vision.

So now the show’s future is in turmoil, split between corporate wanting it to air on one side of the network and the network themselves wanting it to air on the other side.

I don't know. I wish WBD needs to stop playing musical chairs, and put the show out there already! Adult Swim or not!

 

[harry580]

the question is...what going to happen to cartoon network & adult swim due to all of this, given discovery family is airing some cartoon network shows, can we say that discovery family could become cartoon network while current cartoon network becomes adult swim but that would go back to moe saying that cable companies refusal will make it fail like the hub network did

 

[JMTV]

the question is...what going to happen to cartoon network & adult swim due to all of this

I don't know. Even though I'm glad we are getting some new projects for CN/AS coming soon, but WBD's bone-headed business decisions really makes it hard for us.

 

[Tacomaster]

if we must be fair, it’s not like their new ADULT shows are anything to write home about, especially not positively

 

[JMTV]

if we must be fair, it’s not like their new ADULT shows are anything to write home about, especially not positively

I did see the sneak peek of the Rick and Morty anime spinoff after I watched the Season 2 finale of Smiling Friends, and...it didn't look all that great.

Sure, you can argue that Adult Swim's new original series like PSI Cops, and OMG Yes!, and Invincible Fight Girl and stuff like that weren't exactly must see TV material, but unlike Cartoon Network, at least Adult Swim were still able to take risks when it comes to new and original projects that people were actually looking forward to, which is a rarity for WBD these days.

Let's be honest, when the last time CN had a new original series in recent years that people were actually looking actually looking forward to that is not based off of a pre-existing franchise?

 

[Tacomaster]

The sad thing is two of these three are part of Adult Swim’s retro block now. Sellouts.

 

[J'onn J'onzz]

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Looks like Ed Edd n Eddy won’t be getting an Adult Swim revival. The creator is against the idea. If any show on Checkered Past could use an Adult Swim revival, I would pick Courage. They could go further with the creepiness of the monsters for an Adult Swim version. I believe the creator or Courage actually wants to revive his series too.

 

[PicardMan]

Looks like Ed Edd n Eddy won’t be getting an Adult Swim revival. The creator is against the idea. If any show on Checkered Past could use an Adult Swim revival, I would pick Courage. They could go further with the creepiness of the monsters for an Adult Swim version. I believe the creator or Courage actually wants to revive his series too.

During this current wave of American adult animation experimenting with other genres, horror hasn't really been that major a part of that and it would be cool to see a cartoon try horror out.

 

[JMTV]

Looks like Ed Edd n Eddy won’t be getting an Adult Swim revival.

TBH, as much as I love Ed Edd n Eddy, I don't want to see the show to come back. The Eds had a good run. Let's just put them to rest. The Big Picture Show is a great conclusion anyway.

The creator is against the idea.

I don't blame him, especially we're living in a time where companies brought back franchises just for being safe and profitable rather creating something new and experimental.

Also, I want to get this out of the way. I heard people on social media were excited for Ed Edd n Eddy making a comeback, and that makes want to facepalm. For those people who do that: please stop. Because all you're doing is spreading misinformation. If you actually read the Animation Magazine interview (like I have) instead of looking at the headlines, Danny Antonucci NEVER once in his words said that that Ed Edd n Eddy is coming back. Never once.

Danny literally said that the show had a good run, and bringing it back for Adult Swim and even creating spin-off shows for the characters just wouldn't feel the same, especially when the original show was good as it is. That's it. Nothing more complicated than that.

So, I don't understand why people were going crazy over Ed Edd n Eddy coming back, when really, it's not going to happening, and it never will.

If any show on Checkered Past could use an Adult Swim revival, I would pick Courage.

For me, it's Billy and Mandy and Kids Next Door, but Courage is definitely a great choice.

 

[Tacomaster]

I see a few CN shows getting AS revivals: Courage and Billy and Mandy are good picks, but I’d actually like to see Johnny Bravo come back for AS.

 

[Conttactt]

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Looks like Ed Edd n Eddy won’t be getting an Adult Swim revival. The creator is against the idea. If any show on Checkered Past could use an Adult Swim revival, I would pick Courage. They could go further with the creepiness of the monsters for an Adult Swim version. I believe the creator or Courage actually wants to revive his series too.

And that’s a good thing. Kids shows that get an adult version reboot are always terrible. S&P is a great catalyst for actual creative humor. Western adult shows always fall back to excessive swearing and alcoholism as a replacement to actual humor.

Danny was polite there, but there are other examples of people suggesting a reboot to him and he gets very hostile towards the idea. He knows how the industry is today and how it would ruin the Ed’s. Not to mention the show is kind of a product of its time. The kids don’t have any technology besides TV. A modernized version would be awful.

 

[PicardMan]

And that’s a good thing. Kids shows that get an adult version reboot are always terrible. S&P is a great catalyst for actual creative humor. Western adult shows always fall back to excessive swearing and alcoholism as a replacement to actual humor.

Well, X-Men 97 is an exception, but that rule has proven true for adult reboots of kids' comedy cartoons.

 

[Markus Nelis]

Calling AS sellouts is immature. Things aren't that bad. The nostalgia block is still there which means advertisers are happy with it. Would you really get bad revenue from CN (if you were in charge) if it was still on at 5 to 8p? I'm sure you'd say no. Executives do what's best for business. You can all keep that negative energy but they don't care as long as they're doing fine.

 

[Otakuninja2006]

Calling AS sellouts is immature. Things aren't that bad. The nostalgia block is still there which means advertisers are happy with it. Would you really get bad revenue from CN (if you were in charge) if it was still on at 5 to 8p? I'm sure you'd say no. Executives do what's best for business. You can all keep that negative energy but they don't care as long as they're doing fine.

No, he's right. AS is a bunch of sellouts.