The Landstander
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The AS Glossary Reference Thread 2000
This list contains many oftenly used terms, names, and catchphrases in the Toonzone Adult Swim forums and Adult Swim fanbase in general. Some of these are barely used anymore, but hey!
Adult Swim (AS) - Cartoon Network's block of programming that plays shows rated TV-PG and TV-14 and, now, TV-MA.
AdultSwim.com - Official website of Adult Swim. Contains show information and media, as well as greetings, games, and a fan message board.
Adult Swim Comedy (ASC) - Comedy portion of Adult Swim. Plays Adult Swim's original comedy programming including shows from Williams Street, Home Movies, and Harvey Birdman, as well as acquired comedy programming from other TV networks.
Adult Swim Action (ASA) - Action portion of Adult Swim. Plays Japanese animation of action origin, but is not exempt to shows with comedy mixed in.
Adult Swim Pipeline (ASP) - A short lived attempt to integrate Shonen Jump into Adult Swim in a digital manga format. Adult Swim Pipeline lasted from November 2002 to May 2003.
Adult Swim: The Fansite (AS:TF) - Toonzone.net's old Adult Swim fansite. First run by Matt Wilson, then Matt Williams. The site is now dead, but tends to come back at different points.
AS OnDemand - For certain cable providers (namely ComCast), Adult Swim can be viewed on OnDemand stations. Basically, you can select the show to watch and see it whenever you like. Neat, huh? Check under "The Cutting Edge".
Black and white cards - The current packaging used for Adult Swim. Uses a minimalist method of white text on a black background. According to Mike Lazzo, this is their way of talking to the audience.
Broadcast Operations Control (BOC) - AKA Broadcast Operations Center (WS were just too slack to find out which it is). The people that send Adult Swim out to you to watch.
Broadcast Standards and Practices (BS&P) - Similar to the S&P Department (see below), the BS&P are the physical written set of documents indicating the rules of how Turner Broadcasting works. These documents are top secret, never to have been laid eyes on by a non-Turner employee.
Cartoon Network (CN) - The cable TV network where Adult Swim airs. Also co-produced "The Big O" season 2.
C&C - Stands for Comments and Criticism. For show premieres, threads like these are made by the mods for users to make comments and review.
Cable Operator's Break (COB) - Also known as "local commericals". These usually take over in place of interstials or Cartoon Network commericals. Makes some people mad.
cus anime is teh s uck - A line originating from the AdultSwim.com message boards. This phrase was soon put on the air, where they subtly declared it their slogan. The phrase eventually caught on, and is on a t-shirt available from the AdultSwim.com Store. The phrase is somewhat Adult Swim's version of "all your base are belong to us."
Dolphin Grey Team - One of the two teams that does the Adult Swim black and white card packages. They alternate weekly with the Gunmetal Grey Team.
Duelist Goku - An ex-Toonzone member who wasn't exactly loved by all. Users continue to bring him up, mostly for negative examples. Duelist has attempted to rejoin Toonzone many times under names like Pelican Soldier, Yui, Vegeta, Yugi Motuo, and Cowboy Bebop, only to be banned.
Fantasy Schedule - As previously mentioned, Fantasy Schedules are when a member takes the shows on a block and moves them around to form his/her ideal lineup. These threads are currently against the AS forum rules, but they can still be referred to (usually for comical purposes).
Gated Community - Once during the cards, Toon Zone was specifically mentioned by the AS cards. The card named a few different AS fan forums with a description; Toon Zone's was "Gated Community". Take it however you wish, but the description pops up now and again.
genetaliouses - Coolboyman posted this once in a thread regarding TV ratings, in which he responded with what he thought should be appropriate for certain TV ratings. For one, he posted that there should be "no breasts or genetaliouses." People sort of didn't get the word, but it continues to be used in such phrases like "You're such a genetaliouse, Roger Smith."
Gunmetal Grey Team - One of the two teams that does the Adult Swim black and white card packages. They alternate weekly with the Dolphin Grey Team.
ITT - A short lived replacement for "Reviews." C&C replaced it in a week. Stands for "In This Thread" and is used in other threads as well.
Man Faye - A popular internet icon in the anime community; a man dressed as Faye Valentine from Cowboy Bebop. Here's the image.
Original Video Animation / Original Animation Video (OVA/OAV). An animated series (usually a miniseries) that gets released straight to video/DVD. Many times an OAV/OVA will make a TV debut.
Old people in the pool - When Adult Swim first began in 2001 and through 2002, the block's package consisted of old fat people swimming in a pool.
proud would be jwl - A catchphrase based on the user jwl. jwl is one of the only Toonzone users banned due to "gross stupidity." He's seen as somewhat of a mascot of the forums, forever to be ridiculed.
Pepito - Soon-to-be emperor Pepito is on an ongoing quest for domination throughout the universe, through the usage of tactics such as stealth operations, propaganda, and all out military strategics. Pepito became more known in the Adult Swim community when the message "HAIL PEPITO!" was displayed during the Williams Street Halloween Adult Swim webcam party on October 26th, 2003. Website - http://pepito.toonamiarsenal.com
Pierre Bernard - On Late Night with Conan O'Brien, there used to be a skit called Pierre Bernard's Recliner of Rage. Pierre, a dorky looking staff member, would complain about trivial stuff as the latest set of Robotech DVDs or Star Wars collectibles. One time, Pierre complained about the show Detective Conan/Case Closed, saying how it took off Cowboy Bebop and how he could no longer listen to Bebop's jazz tunes to calm his nerves. He gets brought up every once in awhile, usually in reference to an angry fan.
Ratings Reports - Oftentimes people will post ratings to show how an AS program is currently doing. These reports are gathered from various places; TV news sites, press releases, and the AS cards (usually on Sundays).
Safety Cards - 2nd Adult Swim bumper style consisting of ASC characters and generic actionish people (two martial arts, sci-fi girl, and a giant robot) animated in a airline safty card style.
S&P Department - Standards and Practices Department. Regulates what can and can't be shown on Cartoon Network, and deals with legal issues such as contract obligations and lawsuits.
Someone Talked! - The phrase used when content previously let through unedited is edited the next time the episode is shown. This assumes that the S&P saw "someone talking" about the missed edit.
Sweet Zombie Jesus - A quote from Professor Farnsworth on Futurama. Famous in the Adult Swim community because the name "Jesus" was censored from the line when it aired on CN.
Sweet Jesus! - A controversial line from the short "Rejected" that never made it to air. At first the short was refused airtime due to this line, but was later approved. See "Rejected" in REJECTED SHOWS for more.
The Heap - Sitting around the board decomposing, the heap contains all closed threads in a single mega-thread. When a heap gets too big, it gets burned (deleted), causing many post counts to plummet like an asteroid to Earth. The Heap has since been discontinued.
Thread Core Unstable - A rare occurance when the moderators turn a boring thread into a spam-happy thread.
When You Wish Upon a Weinstein - An episode of Family Guy unaired on Fox due to its controversial content (read: lots of jokes about the Jewish). Aired on November 2nd, 2003 at 11PM, albeit with one line changed.
Who Will Wins - One day, a newbie went across all of the Toon Zone boards posting polls asking Who Will Wins. Of course, this board was the only one to modify the board to include memorable pictures of a catbus and a man holding a ten-foot weiner.
B.) PRODUCTION COMPANIES
Here's a list of companies involved in the many shows that have aired on Adult Swim. This contains only the companies that had a good deal of involvement in the shows, and not companies such as "the studio where the show was recorded one time."
AIC - Japanese studio that produced "Blue Gender."
Allied Art and Science (AAS)- Produced episodes 2-4 of "Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law."
Bandai Entertainment - Possibly the most enthusiastic anime distributor when it comes to anime on tv. Provided the first anime series on Adult Swim - Cowboy Bebop, as well as many others including "Kikaider," "Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack," "The Big O," and a number of Toonami ported shows used to fill time before more adult targeted shows were acquired.
Bandai Visual - Production company that co-produced the "Gundam" series, "The Big O," and "Cowboy Bebop."
Cartoon Network Studios - Produced pilot for "Welcome to Eltingville" and produced "Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law" episodes 5-9.
Curiosity Company - Production company of "Futurama."
Film Roman - Produced "The Oblongs," "Mission Hill" and the first season of "Family Guy."
Flickerlab - Co-produced the Adult Swim pilots "Saddle Rash" and "The Finkel Files."
Fox Television Animation - Produced the series "Family Guy" for seasons 2 and 3. This studio no longer exists.
FUNimation Productions, Ltd. (FUNi) - An anime distributor that attempts to get all their titles on tv. FUNimation provided the second Adult Swim anime series - Yu Yu Hakusho, until it was moved to Toonami to their delight. They've also provided Adult Swim with the series - Blue Gender.
Fuzzy Door Productions - Seth MacFarlane's company that works on Family Guy. Named after Seth's door in college, which was fuzzy.
Gainax - Japanese studio that produced "FLCL."
Ghost Planet Industries (GPI) - Williams Street's old name. They made older "Space Ghost" and "Cartoon Planet" episodes under this name.
Grimsaem Animation Co. - Animates the TV series "Family Guy" and constantly had to re-do the animation due to screwups.
Hanna-Barbera (HB) - The studio that created most of the characters that WS uses for it's original shows. Also was the basis for Cartoon Network's in-house traditionally animated series before creating Cartoon Network Studios.
J.J. Sedelmaier Productions - Produced pilot for Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law
Ka-Plunk Productions - Co-produced the Adult Swim specials "Saddle Rash" and "The Finkel Files."
Loren Bouchard Productions - Co-produced the Adult Swim pilot "Saddle Rash."
Madhouse - Produced the anime series "Trigun" and "Reign: The Conqueror."
MK12 - Studio that did the graphics and animation for the First Aid AS package.
Pioneer Entertainment - Another anime distributor that likes to get their titles on TV. Pioneer has provided Adult Swim with "Trigun" and "Lupin the 3rd" TV series.
Radical Axis, Inc. - Small Atlanta studio that does the animation for Aqua Teen Hunger Force.
Rough Draft Studios - Produced the series "Futurama," and animates the series "Harvey Birdman." They've also animated a couple episodes of "Family Guy."
Seventy-Thirty Productions (70-30) - Produces "Sealab 2021."
Synch Point - Very small company that provided Adult Swim with the series Fooly Cooly (FLCL).
Soup2Nuts - Produces "Home Movies" and the "Lewis Lectures" special. Also known as Tom Snyder Productions and Science Court Inc.
Spümco - Produced "The Ripping Friends" and the Jetsons and Boo Boo/Ranger Smith specials.
Sunrise, Inc. - Japanese studio (w/ Korean animation division) that produces the "Gundam" series, "The Big O," "Cowboy Bebop," "Kikaider," and "Inuyasha."
Tokyopop - Company that distributes anime and manga (especially manga). Supplied the series "Reign: The Conqueror" for Adult Swim.
Turner Studios - Producer of "Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law" as of episode 10.
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation - The company that commissioned the now-turned Adult Swim acquired series - Futurama, and Family Guy.
Twentieth Television - Company that syndicates Futurama and Family Guy to Adult Swim.
Viz - Another anime distributor that's just recently begun getting into TV. They provide Adult Swim with the long running series Inuyasha.
Warner Bros. (WB) - Company that commissioned/distributes the now-turned Adult Swim acquired series: "Baby Blues," "Mission Hill," and "The Oblongs."
Wild Hare Studios - Does the animation for "The Brak Show."
Williams Street (WS) - Williams Street is the division of Cartoon Network that produces Toonami and Adult Swim. They also produce original shows - Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Sealab 2021, The Brak Show, Space Ghost Coast to Coast, and write for Harvey Birdman. Unlike Toonami, WS does program Adult Swim, and has since Mike Lazzo took over programming duties in 2003.
C.) ADULT SWIM SHOWS
This list contains the various shows that have aired on Adult Swim. Within the list are the original comedy series, acquired comedy series, and acquired anime programming. The list only contains full series that were originally intended for Adult Swim.
COMEDY
American Dad - The companion Seth MacFarlane creation, American Dad is a slightly political charged show about Stan Smith, a highly Republican father working for the CIA, and how he deals with his loving wife, nerdy son, liberal daughter, alien houseguest and annoying useless fish character. American Dad was brought into production before Family Guy was brought back for a fourth season, and thus some see it as a meaningless Family Guy ripoff. Nonetheless, American Dad continues to premiere on Fox and repeat on AS.
Aqua Teen Hunger Force (ATHF) - Often considered the strangest of the original Adult Swim shows, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, or, as it is often referred to, ATHF, is about the adventures of a crime fighting (though they never REALLY fight crime) group of fast food products, including Shake, a mean-spirited chocolate milkshake, Frylock, an intelligent box of fries, and Meatwad, an adorable and naive ball of... well... meat. They also live next door to Carl, a slacker of sorts, and often mooch off his pool. After a stealth airing early in the morning, the show debuted on Adult Swim when it began, and has slowly gone from the show everyone hates to a small cult hit to a big cult hit to what is currently a suprisingly mainstream ratings-getter. ATHF is still in production.
Baby Blues - Darryl & Wanda McPherson are typical parents, trying to raise their child, Zoe. Unfortunately, they must deal with all the situations that come with being a parent, from the dysfunctional neighbors to the indifferent baby sitter. Havoc ensues. Based on the wildly popular comic strip by Rick Kirkman and Jerry Scott, it was picked up by The WB and had a short season before being picked up by Adult Swim, beginning the shower of cancelled animated sitcoms on AS. A second season was planned, but dropped, and the show aired on Adult Swim with the public reacting indifferently. It is fairly doubtful AS will air this show again.
The Brak Show - A spinoff off the hit Space Ghost Coast To Coast, the show stars Brak, his best friend, Zorak, his easygoing mom, his small dad, and his killer robot neighbor, Thundercleese, in a different sitcom every week. Brak ran with a small following from 2001-2003, when it was unexpectedly ended and the cast turned into unhappy penguins. Brak has remained an oddly likable but not very lovable AS show.
Family Guy (FG) - Family Guy debuted on FOX early 1999 and enjoyed moderate success until FOX messed around with the show by having it change timeslots constantly. The show was finally cancelled in 2002, with 49 out of 50 episodes aired. After Futurama's success on AS, Family Guy became extremely rumored for Adult Swim, until it was quietly picked up a few months later. Upon premiering in April, it took Adult Swim by storm and the FG/Futurama pair became an unstoppable ratings goliath. The show enjoys comfortable success at the time, and a season 2 episode, which was banned because of the amount of religious jokes in it, aired November 9, 2003. Family Guy was such a hit on both AS and on DVD that Fox (unprecedentedly) decided to bring it back for a fourth season.
Futurama - On New Year's Eve 1999, Phillip J. Fry delivers a prank pizza order to a cryogenics lab and is accidentally frozen for 1000 years. He wakes up in the year 3000 and soon lands a package delivery job at his only remaining relative, Farnsworth's business. The staff includes Hermes, a Jamaican workaholic, Bender, a fowl-mouthed, vice-ridden, alcoholic robot, one eyed half-alien captain Leela, pretty Asian girl Amy Wong, and the strange but funny Dr. Zoidberg. Soon, Fry and the crew are delivering all sorts of packages to different planets. Created by Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons, it was first picked up by FOX in 1999, but was soon relegated to a lousy time where it was often pre-empted for sports. In late 2002, Adult Swim picked up Futurama, but it was soon leaked and news was all across the internet. Futurama became an overnight ratings success, beginning Adult Swim's golden age, a process that would soon elevate to new heights with the later adquisition of Family Guy. The series will move to Comedy Central in 2008 with new episodes.
Home Movies (HM) - In 1999, UPN debuted an animated series designed to attract female viewership. It dealt with Brendon, a young boy who loves making movies. Living in a single parent household, Paula, his mother, is often with budget problems. The cast of Brendon's movies, his friends, include Jason, a dysfunctional kid who supplies "grossout humor" in the first episodes, and Melissa, who is, to a degree, "the voice of reason". Aside from making movies, Brendon plays soccer, and is taught by the even more dysfunctional Coach McGuirk. Ironically enough, the show was cancelled due to a lack of male viewers, but bought by Cartoon Network. New episodes were made in the cheaper and more polished "flash animation" and the show has been an AS fan favorite every since. Home Movies fourth season in 2004 was met with ratings ranging from mediocre to bad, and the show was cancelled at 52 episodes. It remains at the rear end of the block.
Harvey Birdman Attorney at Law (HBAAL) - Duplicating the success of Space Ghost, Williams Street attempted taking another obscure 60's superhero, Birdman, into the world of law. In the series, Birdman defends many a Hanna-Barbera character in the court, whether win or lose. Jokes ensue. Made traditionally, unlike the other WS shows, Birdman has a cleaner feel to it. However, the style has been a double-edged sword for it, because of the time needed to make episodes. This was fixed when the show switched to Flash animation in 2004, and for the first time an actual season of episodes premiered.
Mission Hill (MH) - Nerdy Kevin French is forced to move in with his older brother Andy, a lazy 24-year-old. In Andy's condo, there are all sorts of colorful characters, including a senior gay couple. The series had a miserable time at The WB, but was soon picked up by Adult Swim and became a fan favorite.
The Oblongs - The Oblongs are your average 50's family... Except they all suffer from physical and mental abnormalities. There's the patriarch, Bob, (No arms, feet, hands or legs) the wife, Pickles, (Addiction to tobacco and alcohol) Biff & Chip, (Conjoined twins) 4-year-old Beth, (Large growth from her head) and Milo, the youngest. (A LOT of mental disabilities and disorders and WAY too optimistic) Together, they all live down in the valley, avoiding the "perfect" residents of the hills. The series premiered mid-season on The WB, but was cancelled due to extreme creative differences between Jace Richdale and Angus Oblong, the two creators. The series was later picked up by Adult Swim, and while it has been deeply loathed by the internet community, Oblongs is popular with the casual viewer and is a constant ratings hit. The show still shows up periodically, usually at the 1:00 AM spot.
The Ripping Friends (RF) - The Ripping Friends are the toughest, manliest men alive! Together, they will RIP through all their enemies with their amazing brawn! They're just a little off on the brain department. Created by Ren & Stimpy's John K., the series was first made for FOX Kids, where it was edited constantly, much like R&S. However, Ripping Friends bombed on FOX Kids, and it was left without a home. In late 2002, Adult Swim picked it up as a reaction to Spike TV picking up Ren and Stimpy, in hopes of a new season, which, like Baby Blues, was never made. It bombed on Adult Swim as well, and is considered by many to be the worst Adult Swim program. John K. is currently working on new Ren & Stimpy episodes, and the possibility of new Ripping Friends or even a new Spumco series is slim to none.
Robot Chicken (RC) - Seth Green's baby, Robot Chicken is a fast paced, reference packed, claymation sketch comedy show that lampoons everything from 80s cartoon characters to the current crop of celebrities. Premiering in Feb. 2005 in a rather decent timeslot, Robot Chicken instantly connected with the viewer fanbase, becoming AS's biggest original ratings smash. Despite a love-it-or-hate-it style, RC has found plenty who love-it, and will be around for a long time.
Sealab 2021 (SL2021) - Considered to be the most lowbrow show out of the originals, its stupidity has also been its secret to success. It enjoyed a very large success at first, but as the series went on, general fan opinions went down. The Sealab crew fought back, mocking them out and taunting them (with such ingenious characters as Sharko), until the show reached its end in 2005.
Space Ghost Coast to Coast (SGC2C) (SGCTC)- In 1993, when Cartoon Network was just a fledgling rerun channel, Williams Street (Ghost Planet Industries at the time) stepped up and made something completely different. In this new series, 60's superhero Space Ghost and his archenemies, Zorak and Moltar, hosted a very offbeat talk show, often lampooning the guests themselves. The show became a huge cult phenomenon and spawned 2 spinoffs and the idea of Adult Swim. Hell, Moltar even hosted the then new Toonami block and is now a recognisable face for many a Toonami vet. While Space Ghost, like Brak Show, has remained quiet these last few years, we have SGC2C, as the fans have affectionately adressed the show many a time, to thank for making much of Cartoon Network what it is today. However, due to fading interest from WS as well as the general public, it is doubtful Space Ghost will be returning with new episodes at any time in the near future.
Tom Goes to the Mayor (TGttM) - Tom Peters, an entrepreneur in the small town of Jefferton, has a bunch of great ideas, and the Mayor is there to make sure that they don't work out at all and that Tom's life remains a living hell. Tom is notable for its animation style, if you can call it that; photographs of the actors are put through photoshop filters to come out with the "Tom" look. A cult show at best, Tom has been met with harsh criticism comparable to Joseph McCarthy's opinion of communism. Though the show is far from a hit in pretty much any type of terms, the show manages to keep a small group of supporters.
The Venture Bros. (VB) - The first Adult Swim pilot that aired after Adult Swim's premiere date to make it to a full fledged series. Following the adventures of the Venture family—Scientist Doctor Venture, his twin teenage sons Hank and Dean, and their bodyguard Brock Samson—The Venture Brothers is built on the framework of serialized 1960’s science fiction boy adventure serials like Tom Swift and Jonny Quest. But no genre is free from The Venture Brothers’ twisted, gritty, postmodern brand of subversion as it broadly satirizes the worlds of Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Fantastic Four, James Bond, Scooby Doo…and everything in between! The locations are exotic. The technology is bizarre and astounding. The villains are wicked. And the family dynamic is…tense, to say the least. VB was a cult hit and did decent in the ratings, and a second season is in production.
ACTION
Blue Gender (BG) - Yuji, a man with a grave illness, is frozen in time only to be woken up in a time when the planet is overrun by giant bugs known as the Blue, and hooks up with a group of soldiers headed by Marlene Angel. Their mission: to make it to the space station Second Earth. As WS pithily put it: "Bugs. Not much else to say about it, really." Mixed opinions about this one, though part of it has to be to the fact that it followed FLCL. Dubbed by FUNimation, (in)famous for their dub of Dragonball Z. Blue Gender had a few runs, but never caught on, and hasn't been seen in some time.
Cowboy Bebop (CB) - Spike Spiegal is a bounty hunter in the future, tracking down criminals in his ship, the Bebop. Along with the many characters in his crew, Spike has built a huge niche in the Adult Swim population. Cowboy Bebop was the first anime to air on Adult Swim, and spawned the Saturday lineup and many, many fans, a decent portion of them being people who dislike anime, and CB has been said to be "the anime for anime dislikers". While in Japan, some of the episodes were too risque to air on primetime terrestrial television (satellite channel WOWOW aired the whole series), Adult Swim actually almost got the series unedited until Standards & Practices, the guys in charge of editing, said Williams Street couldn't do it. Still, the series was shown in its entirety, and captured the fans of many to the point that if Cowboy Bebop is taken off its early morning timeslots, the adultswim.com population make a riot that is only surpassed by when InuYasha is taken off the air for a short time. A movie was released in America in the Spring of 2003 and enjoyed niche success. It had the unfortunate incident of premiering close to 9-11-2001, forcing 3 episodes into bannedland. Luckily the 3 banned episodes were soon shown to the US public. Throughout all of AS, Bebop has remained "that show that is still on".
Detective Conan (DC) - Shin'ichi Kudo is a high-school student who is famous for helping the police solve crimes, his girlfriend is Ran who's dad, Kogorou Mouri is a detective who blames Shinichi for his lack of business. He is given poison by a man in black which was supposed to kill him but instead shank him to the size of a boy. He has to hide his identity from the men in black or fear for his life, he now goes by the name Conan. Conan premiered, and though some internet audiences enjoyed it, the general public's reaction was one of anger and destruction. Conan was taken off and eventually kept to a death slot at 5 AM with Lupin III, and there is little chance of it coming back.
Full Metal Alchemist (FMA) - This popular anime show follows the short Edward and armor-with-a-soul Al through their adventures in alchemy. With its blend of action, storytelling and humor FMA was able to pick up an audience and has become one of AS's most successful anime purchases.
Fooly Cooly (FLCL) (Furi Kuri) - Naota is a typical (If slightly cynical) 6th grade boy living in the town of Mabase. Despite the recent arrival of Medical Mechanica, a building of sorts that looks like an iron, (Yeah, you heard right...) and the fact that the adults act like children and the children act like adults, Naota insists that nothing ever happens in his town. But then a strange woman by the name of Haruko arrives, runs him over with a Vespa and hits him over the head with a strange guitar. Soon, things begin to grow out of Naota's head, including the robot Canti, and horns (They take different forms throughout the series) that appear whenever there's sexual tension around. Apart from all the chaos that has occured due to Haruko's stay in Mabase, he must also deal with his older brother's girlfriend, who has been making advances on him since his brother lieft to play baseball in America. Created by the famous studio Gainax (Evangelion, Kare-Kano, Gunbuster) as the "millenium anime", it blends many of the aspects of Gainax's former series and tops them off with a rich serving of insanity. FLCL, by many considered to be Gainax's finest work, debuted on Adult Swim in August and enjoyed big success, airing almost uncut (sans 2 edits). It is Williams Street's favorite anime, and also a big hit among anime fans everywhere. Also, it quietly pushed the envelope for Adult Swim, with lots of sexual innuendo and brief nudity.
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (GITS:SAC) - In this cyber-punk fantasy world, we follow the employees of a government agency, Section 9, as they deal with various crime elements within Japan. These include the sneaky and intelligent Major Motoko and the tough Batou. The series is split into "Stand Alone" and "Complex" episodes; as one could guess, the "Stand Alone" episodes are episodic stories usually dealing with a different plot in each episode, while the "Complex" episodes follow the unique story of the terrorist "Laughing Man" situation. GitS was met with a generally positive reaction from fans (though some criticized the show for not having particularly interesting or dynamic characters), but the show didn't do as well in the ratings department, often placing a distant third (if it made the Top 3 Rated lists at all).
Inuyasha (IY) - Kagome Higurashi, after being sucked down a well into feudal Japan, finds out that she is the re-incarnation of a priestess who held a powerful jewel. She frees Inuyasha, a dog-demon who was pinned to a tree for 50 years by the same priestess, Kikyo. While trying to retrieve the sacred jewel, Kagome ends up shattering it into pieces which scatter across the land. Now Inuyasha, Kagome, and an ensemble of characters have to search for the shards before the villain Naraku can. This show is the latest sensation from Rumiko Takahashi, a very famous manga artist and writer. It's also a show that's known for not having the smartest fanbase out there, though TZ tends to find more of the intelligent fans than most other places. IY remains a long series with ratings power (the longest series the block has aired), making it something AS loves to toss in the lineup.
Kikaider - In this modern-age Pinocchio tale, we meet Jiro, an android with a concience. Wandering in search of who he is and why he is here, he later meets Mitsuko, a young woman who is the daughter of Jiro's creator. Together, they wander through the land in search of meaning, and Jiro is constantly attacked by his brother Hakaider, ordered to dispose of Jiro by the evil Dr. Gill. When he is angry, he turns into his alter-ego, Kikaider and posesses incredible fighting skill. An OVA later had Jiro meet his many brothers and was fairly critizized for most of the time, altough it was praised somewhat due to its thought-provoking ending. A very depressing, thinking-man's Pinnochio story, Kikaider was generally liked, but treated with indifference throughout its run.
Lupin the 3rd (LIII) (L3) - Arsene Lupin (Pronounced loo-pawn) the third is a master criminal, albeit a goofy, wisecracking, and likable one. Joined by the typical female spy-type Fujiko, (Also referred to as Fuji-cakes) The smart-ass with even more wise-cracks, Gigen, and the cliche "brave samurai" Goemon, they look all over the world for treasure while avoiding the bumbling, incompetent Inspector Zenigata, who's always on their trail. One of the longest running animes in Japan, (with tons and tons of movies and TV specials as well as 3 series, this one being the longest and most popular second) this corny, dated, yet likable anime has recieved a decent fanbase but is, like the later Reign, avoided like the plague by the general public and is in danger of not being renewed, which means it will have only aired 26 out of 200+ episodes.
Paranoia Agent - In this highly stylized and seemingly bizarre anime from Satoshi Kon, a string of attacks by a bat-wielding maniac (nicknamed Lil' Slugger) puts a town into panic mode. Two detectives find themselves in a confusing case with unusual victims, confused identities and....well really, you just have to see it. Paranoia picked up with the hardcore AS audience, but the general public weren't so kind, as PA didn't do well in the ratings.
Reign: The Conqueror - a.k.a. Alexander or Araekusanda: Loosely based on the life of Alexander the Great, Reign follows his life from the taming of Bucephalus, through his empire building from Macedonia to India, to finally the death of Hephaestion. However, Reign is no period drama, the setting can only be described as apocalyptic steampunk, and the story itself you won't find in any history book. It follows a doomsday prophesy, Alexander will unite the world and then destroy it, and every political, religious and scientific faction in the western world has something to say about it. Reign is perhaps the bloodiest show to air on Adult Swim to date, but is actually most controversial for its fashion choices, character designer Peter Chung (of Aeon Flux fame) decided that chainmail bikinis weren't just for the ladies any more, and most viewers soundly disagree with him.
Samurai Champloo (SC) - Depriving it's title from two names that surprisingly sound acceptable together, samurai and, the Okinawan word for "mix", Champloo, this is the show where anachronisms are blended right in with the past setting. Sword-carrying folk are in abundance. Our three protagonist meet in a twist-of-fate kind of way and go on a long journey to search for an important samurai who the female lead, Fuu, dearly wants to find. Mugen is a rowdy badass with poor table manners, using a Capoeira-esque mean of whooping tail. Jin is the traditional calm samurai dawning a pair of glasses. There's a rodent, Momo, but it's got nothing to do with what drives this Hip-Hop intergrated series of episodic tales. Samurai Champloo began it's air on Adult Swim in 2005 on the Saturday night action block, and seemed destined to do so even before production in Japan. Well-liked and created under complete supervision of highly-acclaimed director, Shinichiro Watanabe, also creator of Cowboy Bebop.
Scryed - Kazuma is a mutant who has special powers and abilities as the result of a global disaster that altered his genetic makeup. Although humanity has begun the task of rebuilding civilization after the disaster, people like Kazuma are being hunted by their non-mutant brethren. Or, if you want the shorter version, Scryed is a pretty basic fighting anime, and not much more. Scryed did okay in the ratings, but the fanbase was mixed; some felt it was a show better suited for Toonami.
Trigun - Get ready for Deep Space Planet Future Gun Action!! On the sandy desert planet of Gunsmoke bounty hunters everywhere are looking for the man known as Vash the Stampede. The reward for capturing Vash dead or alive is $$60,000,000,000 (thats double dollars.) 20 years ago the city of July was destroyed by Vash who then became known as the Humanoid Typhoon. Strangely enough even though Vash destroyed the city no one was hurt. Recently the Bernadelli Insurance Agency has sent out Meryl Stryfe and Milly Thompson to find Vash, and try to keep him from causing more damage. Could this weird, goofy guy with the spiky blond hair and red trench coat be him? Love and Peace!!
Witch Hunter Robin (WHR) - In a world where witches abuse their supernatural powers, a special team is tasked with hunting this new threat to society. This organization is known as the STN and comprises of several highly skilled craft users and experts in covert operations. But their most powerful craft user is a young woman named Robin. Her mysterious gift to summon deadly flames will determine the fates of her colleagues and lead her into a dark world of mystique and witchcraft.
Wolf's Rain (WR) - This show takes place in a post-apocalyptic world, and the Human race is scattered about in a few cities who are led by Nobles, and wolves are said to be extinct. However this is not true. Wolves have survived by deceiving humans, and living in society next to humans. The story begins with Kiba, a wolf, entering Freeze City, in search for the key to Paradise. The key, a flower maiden named Cheza, is taken in a war between the Nobles. Along the way Kiba meets 3 other lone wolves, Hige, Toboe, and Tsume. They all go in search for Cheza, in the hope to open Paradise.
D.) MOVIES
A list of movies that have aired during Adult Swim. At this time, there's only one, but AS has expressed interest in acquiring more.
The Animatrix - A set of 9 short films directed by some of the top names in Japanese/Korean/US animation that dig deeper into the mythology surrounding the Matrix. The Shorts were:
The Final Flight of the Osiris- A lone hovercraft races to alert Zion of a setinel attack.
The Second Renaissance (Pt. 1) - Part one of this two part episode features the roots of the machine war.
Kid's Story- A high school student is contacted by Neo, and attempts to escape the Matrix.
The Second Renaissance (Pt. 2)- Part two chronicles the machine war, and the birth of the Matrix.
Program- A Zionist is asked to betray her crew in a Kurosawa type setting.
World Record- A track runner, through sheer force of will, is able to escape the Matrix.
Beyond- A "haunted house" attracts a group of kids and a young woman looking for her cat.
A Detective Story-A hard boiled detective pursues a mysterious hacker named Trinity.
Matriculated- A group of Zion scientists attempt to convert the machines to their side by creating a matrix for machines.
Metropolis - Based on Fritz Lang's classic silent film, this highly stylized futuristic film looks at a growing tension between humans and androids. Ken-Ichi is looking for a rebel scientist named Dr. Laughton when he finds Tima, an android created to take over Metropolis. A bit slow for some, Metropolis aired in 2005.
Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack - The movie that concludes the story of Newtype pilots Amuro Ray and his rival, Char Aznable, begun in the original Mobile Suit Gundam series, originally aired on January 4, 2003, the final night of the Saturday night Adult Swim block. Taking place 14 years after the conclusion of the original series, the movie shows Char's most recent attempt at reviving the forces of Zeon, now under the moniker of Neo Zeon. In response, Amuro, now a member of the Londo Bell task force created to seek out and stop insurrections against the Federation, and Char must do battle one final time, using Mobile Suits specially tailored to utilize their Newtype abilities, in order to stop Char's Neo Zeon faction from taking control of the Earth Sphere. Char's Counterattack aired uncut and in widescreen (and was also the first feature film to air on Cartoon Network in widescreen), however, because neither Toonami nor Adult Swim ever showed Mobile Suit Gundam in its entirety, and because the two Gundam series that take place in between the original series and the movie were never even shown, many viewers were somewhat confused at having seen the end of Amuro and Char's story, without having seen all of the beginning, and without having seen any of the middle.
Read or Die - Agent Paper, a nerdy yet intelligent and skilled in the art of, uh, paper, is recruited to help fight against a madman bent on an unusual scheme involving a certain Beethoven composition. Along the way she runs into various literary references and personalities. Read or Die aired in 2004, and was met with general enjoyment.
E.) TOONAMI PORTED SHOWS
In 2002, in order to fill time during the Adult Swim Action Saturday block until the network could acquire more shows, Adult Swim filled the time with Toonami shows that attracted a decent amount of adult viewers, as well as two that were never aired on Toonami, and were aired on Adult Swim Action merely to get them to air. A few more incidents happened after the Saturday block ended (and was eventually relaunched in April 2004).
The Big O - The Big O originally made a Toonami debut in Spring 2001, edited appropriately for that block (Adult Swim didn't exist yet for another five months). Paradigm City is a city of amnesia: 40 years ago, something caused every citizen of the city to lose their memories. In the present day, the city has regained its structure and the people live in peace, but the amnesia of 40 years ago remains. Roger Smith is Paradigm's top negotiator, living above the cold reality of Paradigm's streets. But sometimes problems can be too big for one negotiator, and that's when Roger calls in the Big O, a robot of unknown origins and incredible power. With help from android lady R. Dorothy Wayneright and his faithful butler Norman, Roger and the Big O keep the City of Amnesia safe from any threats against it. Combining elements of Batman, James Bond, and Giant Robo, Big O's deep, complex story and stylized animation made it a hit with older fans, even after its run on Toonami ended, and in a historic decision, Cartoon Network made the decision to co-fund an additional 13 episodes to continue the story. Big O's first 13 episodes made their Adult Swim debut in July of 2003, completely unedited, and the second season of 13 episodes, an Adult Swim Action exclusive, premiered Sunday, August 3rd, 2003, in the coveted first timeslot of the evening, a slot typically reserved for the block's comedy stalwarts like Home Movies and Futurama. Some controversy surrounded Big O getting a 3rd season from AS (even a website popped up to protest), but Big O isn't coming back.
Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket (0080) - Al is a young boy in a war-torn world. It's December in the year U.C. 0079, and Al soon meets Bernie, a Zeon soldier. The two soon become friends, and Bernie becomes attracted to Chris, Al's next-door neighbor. Unfortunately for Bernie, he and Chris are on opposite sides, and Bernie must destroy the latest Gundam yet, which Chris happens to be the test pilot of, and Al is soon caught in the middle of the distressing situation and soon learns, first-hand, about the horrors of war. The series first debuted in Japan as an OVA, (A direct to video anime) and later made a Midnight Run debut on Toonami. Though it had an uneventful history for the most part, the series has become a fan-favorite and is considered by many to be the best of Gundam. In 2002, it went to Adult Swim as filler for the last few weeks of ASA Saturday's existance. (6 episodes, like most OVA's are)
Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory (0083) - Taking place 3 years after the end of Mobile Suit Gundam, Gundam 0083 (subtitled "Stardust Memory") tells the story of rookie Mobile Suit pilot Kou Uraki's first combat experiences, as he tries to stop Zeon ace pilot Anavel Gato from using a stolen Gundam with nuclear capabilities to re-ignite the war between the Federation and the Zeon. Originally released as a 13-episode OAV in Japan, Gundam 0083 made its debut on the now-defunct Saturday night Adult Swim Action block, alongside Yu Yu Hakusho and Pilot Candidate. 0083 originally aired with Toonami-level editing, despite it's Adult Swim time slot, but the show's final episode was re-edited for Adult Swim standards.
Mobile Suit Gundam (MSG) (0079) - In the year 1979, anime director Yoshiyuki Tomino created a new giant robot series unlike anything seen in Japan before. Taking place in the year 0079 of the Universal Century (UC), it depicted a violent and bloody war where the robots were not super powered warriors, but tools being used by both sides in order to obtain absolute victory over the other. The series followed young pilot Amuro Rei, a boy thrusted in the middle of the war flying the secret weapon of the Earth Federation: the RX-78 Gundam. He is one of many young soldiers thrown together on the Federation ship White Base fighting in the war against the "evil" principality/duchy of Zeon, who was winning the war due to their earlier advancements in the development of the Mobile Suit technology. One of the most famous of the Zeon is the enigmatic Char Aznable, who is fighting for his own mysterious purposes, yet ends up as one of the chief rival of the young Amuro. The series follows the White Base in their efforts during the final months of the One Year War (so called because the entire war ended up lasting from the beginning of January to the end of December in UC 0079) and would, towards the end, envelope ideas involving the evolution of humanity to beings known as "Newtypes". When Mobile Suit Gundam first aired in Japan in 1979, it was marked by low ratings and cancelled with only 43 episodes made. However, through subsequent reruns, Gundam became the "Star Trek" of Japan, becoming known as a show before its time overlooked by the masses early on until becoming a phenominon. Three movies redepicting the events of the TV series were released in Japan in the early 1980's, eventually leading to a sequel series, Zeta Gundam, which premiered in 1985. Since then, the Gundam franchise has spawned many series, first within the UC timeline, then in various alternate timelines (including the breakout show of 2003, Gundam SEED), not to mention various movies, manga, video games, and toys and model kits of all shapes and sizes!
Outlaw Star (OS) (OlS) - Originally debuting as a heavily-edited Toonami show in January of 2001, Outlaw Star was part of the Adult Swim Action block as filler (but still with Toonami edits) in the latter part of 2002. Which is ironic, because had Adult Swim existed at the time Outlaw Star was available, it would have most certainly gone to Adult Swim in a far less edited form. Gene Starwind, a young outlaw attempting to make a name for himself, comes into possession of a highly advanced spaceship, which he dubs the Outlaw Star. Together with his crew; 11-year-old genius Jim Hawking, mysterious android girl Melfina, former assassin Suzuka, and super-strong cat woman Aisha, they travel the cosmos looking for treasure, rewards, and the next big score. But there may be more to Melfina's history and the construction of the Outlaw Star than Gene knows...
Pilot Candidate (PC) - Known as "Candidate for Goddess" originally, Pilot Candidate is the story of eager new military recruit Zero Enna, and his adventures in training to reach his dream: Piloting one of the seemingly-alive mechas known as "Goddesses" in the defense of Zion, the last human colony, from the evil alien race that has nearly wiped out the human race. Pilot Candidate made its debut alongside Yu Yu Hakusho and Gundam 0083 on the Adult Swim Action block, however was originally intended for Toonami, and thus aired with Toonami-level editing. The show is known best for a distinct lack of quality (as noted by many fans. Multiple times.) in both its storytelling, and its dubbing production, which is to say, most people thought it sucked
Tenchi Muyo! (TM!) - Tenchi Masaki is an ordinary boy, training to become a man. He lives a decent life, up until a whole flock of girls enters his life, causing chaos, humor, and lots of action. The series, first a success in Japan, entered Toonami in 2000. However, the show was far too risque for Toonami, so lots of edits were made. (Including the infamous "bad tea") On Toonami, the show became a big hit, until it was rerun to death and brought back in early 2002 as filler for the then new Adult Swim Action block. However, the show was still Toonami-edited, due to it being merely filler.
Voltron - Voltron is a shapeshifting giant mecha featured in a 1980s animated television series. The series features a team of six (later seven) young pilots commanding five robot lions, which could be combined to form Voltron. In an undefined future era, the Voltron Force was in charge of protecting the planet Arus from the evil King Zarkon, his son Lotor, and the witch Haggar, who would create huge Robeasts to terrorize the people of Arus. This series was part of Toonami's original lineup when the block debuted in 1997; now it currently airs at 5:30AM.
Yu Yu Hakusho (YYH) - After saving a kid from an incoming car, Yusuke Urameshi is dead. After a few tasks, he is brought back to life as a "spirit detective". Joined by powerful, yet likable bully Kuwabara, childhood friend Keiko, unlikely "grim reaper" of sorts Botan, and the duo of Hiei and Kurama, former criminals, they must fight all kinds of evil criminals that are wanted in the spirit world. Said by many to play out like a better, more interesting Dragon Ball Z, it was brought to the US and Adult Swim as DBZ licencee FUNimation's first TV job outside the Dragon Ball saga. Its run in Japan was very successful, it being a fight anime and all, and that success was duplicated in the US, but unfortunately, with children, causing the Saturday lineup to die and Adult Swim to move to weekdays. The series itself was moved to Toonami in March of 2003, where new, Toonami-edited episodes were aired.
F.) GUEST SHOWS
After September 11, 2001, Cartoon Network yanked Cowboy Bebop from the schedule and replaced it for a couple weeks with some classic cartoons. Here they are.
The Popeye Show - In 2002, Popeye appeared on Adult Swim for a few weeks. In a knee-jerk reaction to 9/11, Cartoon Network pulled Cowboy Bebop temporarily and replaced it with this. Popeye returned for a celebration of its anniversary for a short period in 2004, but was met with anger and taken off. All the episodes eventually aired when Adult Swim premiered its 5AM block in 2005.
Rocky and Bullwinkle - In 1959, a television revolution was born with a moose and a squirrel. The show followed their comical adventures through their world in this now famous cold war satire. See Popeye for the rest.
Toonheads - Aired with Popeye, and unfortunately this intelligent, informative and entertaining look at classic animation was taken off after a short period.
G.) SPECIALS
Every now and then, Adult Swim commissions or acquires one-time short cartoons for air to get some critical attention. This was a big thing in 2002, and in 2003 only 1 was acquired for air. Supposedly we'll see for 2004.
Boo Boo Runs Wild/A Day in the Life of Ranger Smith - In 1995/96, John K's Spumco was contracted to produce updated Yogi Bear, or rather, Ranger Smith cartoons in his own inimitable style. Naturally, given Spumco's slow burn style, the shows did not see fruition until 1998, when Cartoon Network decided to "stealth-air" them in the middle of the night. CN eventually premiered them as a special in fall 1999, where it was given mixed reviews. The specials eventually made it to AS in 2002.
The Lewis Lectures - Another gem from the folks at Soup2Nuts. This short was/is actually a special that has appeared at film showings across the country. It made its way to TV in 2002 as a special.
Night of the Living Doo - A 1/2 hour cartoon originally made for Cartoon Network in 2001. On their way to the Halloween movie festival, the gang picks up the hitchhiking actor Gary Coleman. The Mystery Machine suffers several minor problems that would usually keep it off the road, but Mr. Coleman keeps finding ways to fix it (much to Freddy's dismay -- it's obvious he wants to look for spooks). While passing a spooky old castle, Freddy swurves off the road, ensuring Gary Coleman won't be able to fix the Mystery Machine. The gang find that the castle is owned by actor David Cross, who reveals that the castle is rumoured to have zombies... The gang prepares to settle in for the night, but it isn't long before Scooby and Shaggy see a zombie, and upon returning with the news, they realize Gary is missing. The short aired on Adult Swim in 2002.
Father and Son Day/The Best Son - One of the most recent works from Spumco, only this time they remake The Jetsons, and do it in Flash to boot. These 2 cartoons premiered online first before heading to TV in 2002.
Penguins Behind Bars - A 1/2 hour special from Canada based on the book of the same name. It premiered in the summer of 2003.
Boo Boo and the Man - Spumco can't let Yogi and his pals go without one more cartoon. This Flash short premiered only on AdultSwim.com.
- A. Dictionary
- B. Production Companies
- C. Adult Swim Shows
- D. Movies
- E. Toonami Ported Shows
- F. Guest Shows
- G. Specials
- H. Pilots
- I. Interstitials
- J. Adult Swim Rejects
- K. The Looks
- L. DVDs
- M. The Rarely Updated But Still Technically In Existance Treasure Box
- N. Contributors
This list contains many oftenly used terms, names, and catchphrases in the Toonzone Adult Swim forums and Adult Swim fanbase in general. Some of these are barely used anymore, but hey!
Adult Swim (AS) - Cartoon Network's block of programming that plays shows rated TV-PG and TV-14 and, now, TV-MA.
AdultSwim.com - Official website of Adult Swim. Contains show information and media, as well as greetings, games, and a fan message board.
Adult Swim Comedy (ASC) - Comedy portion of Adult Swim. Plays Adult Swim's original comedy programming including shows from Williams Street, Home Movies, and Harvey Birdman, as well as acquired comedy programming from other TV networks.
Adult Swim Action (ASA) - Action portion of Adult Swim. Plays Japanese animation of action origin, but is not exempt to shows with comedy mixed in.
Adult Swim Pipeline (ASP) - A short lived attempt to integrate Shonen Jump into Adult Swim in a digital manga format. Adult Swim Pipeline lasted from November 2002 to May 2003.
Adult Swim: The Fansite (AS:TF) - Toonzone.net's old Adult Swim fansite. First run by Matt Wilson, then Matt Williams. The site is now dead, but tends to come back at different points.
AS OnDemand - For certain cable providers (namely ComCast), Adult Swim can be viewed on OnDemand stations. Basically, you can select the show to watch and see it whenever you like. Neat, huh? Check under "The Cutting Edge".
Black and white cards - The current packaging used for Adult Swim. Uses a minimalist method of white text on a black background. According to Mike Lazzo, this is their way of talking to the audience.
Broadcast Operations Control (BOC) - AKA Broadcast Operations Center (WS were just too slack to find out which it is). The people that send Adult Swim out to you to watch.
Broadcast Standards and Practices (BS&P) - Similar to the S&P Department (see below), the BS&P are the physical written set of documents indicating the rules of how Turner Broadcasting works. These documents are top secret, never to have been laid eyes on by a non-Turner employee.
Cartoon Network (CN) - The cable TV network where Adult Swim airs. Also co-produced "The Big O" season 2.
C&C - Stands for Comments and Criticism. For show premieres, threads like these are made by the mods for users to make comments and review.
Cable Operator's Break (COB) - Also known as "local commericals". These usually take over in place of interstials or Cartoon Network commericals. Makes some people mad.
cus anime is teh s uck - A line originating from the AdultSwim.com message boards. This phrase was soon put on the air, where they subtly declared it their slogan. The phrase eventually caught on, and is on a t-shirt available from the AdultSwim.com Store. The phrase is somewhat Adult Swim's version of "all your base are belong to us."
Dolphin Grey Team - One of the two teams that does the Adult Swim black and white card packages. They alternate weekly with the Gunmetal Grey Team.
Duelist Goku - An ex-Toonzone member who wasn't exactly loved by all. Users continue to bring him up, mostly for negative examples. Duelist has attempted to rejoin Toonzone many times under names like Pelican Soldier, Yui, Vegeta, Yugi Motuo, and Cowboy Bebop, only to be banned.
Fantasy Schedule - As previously mentioned, Fantasy Schedules are when a member takes the shows on a block and moves them around to form his/her ideal lineup. These threads are currently against the AS forum rules, but they can still be referred to (usually for comical purposes).
Gated Community - Once during the cards, Toon Zone was specifically mentioned by the AS cards. The card named a few different AS fan forums with a description; Toon Zone's was "Gated Community". Take it however you wish, but the description pops up now and again.
genetaliouses - Coolboyman posted this once in a thread regarding TV ratings, in which he responded with what he thought should be appropriate for certain TV ratings. For one, he posted that there should be "no breasts or genetaliouses." People sort of didn't get the word, but it continues to be used in such phrases like "You're such a genetaliouse, Roger Smith."
Gunmetal Grey Team - One of the two teams that does the Adult Swim black and white card packages. They alternate weekly with the Dolphin Grey Team.
ITT - A short lived replacement for "Reviews." C&C replaced it in a week. Stands for "In This Thread" and is used in other threads as well.
Man Faye - A popular internet icon in the anime community; a man dressed as Faye Valentine from Cowboy Bebop. Here's the image.
Original Video Animation / Original Animation Video (OVA/OAV). An animated series (usually a miniseries) that gets released straight to video/DVD. Many times an OAV/OVA will make a TV debut.
Old people in the pool - When Adult Swim first began in 2001 and through 2002, the block's package consisted of old fat people swimming in a pool.
proud would be jwl - A catchphrase based on the user jwl. jwl is one of the only Toonzone users banned due to "gross stupidity." He's seen as somewhat of a mascot of the forums, forever to be ridiculed.
Pepito - Soon-to-be emperor Pepito is on an ongoing quest for domination throughout the universe, through the usage of tactics such as stealth operations, propaganda, and all out military strategics. Pepito became more known in the Adult Swim community when the message "HAIL PEPITO!" was displayed during the Williams Street Halloween Adult Swim webcam party on October 26th, 2003. Website - http://pepito.toonamiarsenal.com
Pierre Bernard - On Late Night with Conan O'Brien, there used to be a skit called Pierre Bernard's Recliner of Rage. Pierre, a dorky looking staff member, would complain about trivial stuff as the latest set of Robotech DVDs or Star Wars collectibles. One time, Pierre complained about the show Detective Conan/Case Closed, saying how it took off Cowboy Bebop and how he could no longer listen to Bebop's jazz tunes to calm his nerves. He gets brought up every once in awhile, usually in reference to an angry fan.
Ratings Reports - Oftentimes people will post ratings to show how an AS program is currently doing. These reports are gathered from various places; TV news sites, press releases, and the AS cards (usually on Sundays).
Safety Cards - 2nd Adult Swim bumper style consisting of ASC characters and generic actionish people (two martial arts, sci-fi girl, and a giant robot) animated in a airline safty card style.
S&P Department - Standards and Practices Department. Regulates what can and can't be shown on Cartoon Network, and deals with legal issues such as contract obligations and lawsuits.
Someone Talked! - The phrase used when content previously let through unedited is edited the next time the episode is shown. This assumes that the S&P saw "someone talking" about the missed edit.
Sweet Zombie Jesus - A quote from Professor Farnsworth on Futurama. Famous in the Adult Swim community because the name "Jesus" was censored from the line when it aired on CN.
Sweet Jesus! - A controversial line from the short "Rejected" that never made it to air. At first the short was refused airtime due to this line, but was later approved. See "Rejected" in REJECTED SHOWS for more.
The Heap - Sitting around the board decomposing, the heap contains all closed threads in a single mega-thread. When a heap gets too big, it gets burned (deleted), causing many post counts to plummet like an asteroid to Earth. The Heap has since been discontinued.
Thread Core Unstable - A rare occurance when the moderators turn a boring thread into a spam-happy thread.
When You Wish Upon a Weinstein - An episode of Family Guy unaired on Fox due to its controversial content (read: lots of jokes about the Jewish). Aired on November 2nd, 2003 at 11PM, albeit with one line changed.
Who Will Wins - One day, a newbie went across all of the Toon Zone boards posting polls asking Who Will Wins. Of course, this board was the only one to modify the board to include memorable pictures of a catbus and a man holding a ten-foot weiner.
B.) PRODUCTION COMPANIES
Here's a list of companies involved in the many shows that have aired on Adult Swim. This contains only the companies that had a good deal of involvement in the shows, and not companies such as "the studio where the show was recorded one time."
AIC - Japanese studio that produced "Blue Gender."
Allied Art and Science (AAS)- Produced episodes 2-4 of "Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law."
Bandai Entertainment - Possibly the most enthusiastic anime distributor when it comes to anime on tv. Provided the first anime series on Adult Swim - Cowboy Bebop, as well as many others including "Kikaider," "Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack," "The Big O," and a number of Toonami ported shows used to fill time before more adult targeted shows were acquired.
Bandai Visual - Production company that co-produced the "Gundam" series, "The Big O," and "Cowboy Bebop."
Cartoon Network Studios - Produced pilot for "Welcome to Eltingville" and produced "Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law" episodes 5-9.
Curiosity Company - Production company of "Futurama."
Film Roman - Produced "The Oblongs," "Mission Hill" and the first season of "Family Guy."
Flickerlab - Co-produced the Adult Swim pilots "Saddle Rash" and "The Finkel Files."
Fox Television Animation - Produced the series "Family Guy" for seasons 2 and 3. This studio no longer exists.
FUNimation Productions, Ltd. (FUNi) - An anime distributor that attempts to get all their titles on tv. FUNimation provided the second Adult Swim anime series - Yu Yu Hakusho, until it was moved to Toonami to their delight. They've also provided Adult Swim with the series - Blue Gender.
Fuzzy Door Productions - Seth MacFarlane's company that works on Family Guy. Named after Seth's door in college, which was fuzzy.
Gainax - Japanese studio that produced "FLCL."
Ghost Planet Industries (GPI) - Williams Street's old name. They made older "Space Ghost" and "Cartoon Planet" episodes under this name.
Grimsaem Animation Co. - Animates the TV series "Family Guy" and constantly had to re-do the animation due to screwups.
Hanna-Barbera (HB) - The studio that created most of the characters that WS uses for it's original shows. Also was the basis for Cartoon Network's in-house traditionally animated series before creating Cartoon Network Studios.
J.J. Sedelmaier Productions - Produced pilot for Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law
Ka-Plunk Productions - Co-produced the Adult Swim specials "Saddle Rash" and "The Finkel Files."
Loren Bouchard Productions - Co-produced the Adult Swim pilot "Saddle Rash."
Madhouse - Produced the anime series "Trigun" and "Reign: The Conqueror."
MK12 - Studio that did the graphics and animation for the First Aid AS package.
Pioneer Entertainment - Another anime distributor that likes to get their titles on TV. Pioneer has provided Adult Swim with "Trigun" and "Lupin the 3rd" TV series.
Radical Axis, Inc. - Small Atlanta studio that does the animation for Aqua Teen Hunger Force.
Rough Draft Studios - Produced the series "Futurama," and animates the series "Harvey Birdman." They've also animated a couple episodes of "Family Guy."
Seventy-Thirty Productions (70-30) - Produces "Sealab 2021."
Synch Point - Very small company that provided Adult Swim with the series Fooly Cooly (FLCL).
Soup2Nuts - Produces "Home Movies" and the "Lewis Lectures" special. Also known as Tom Snyder Productions and Science Court Inc.
Spümco - Produced "The Ripping Friends" and the Jetsons and Boo Boo/Ranger Smith specials.
Sunrise, Inc. - Japanese studio (w/ Korean animation division) that produces the "Gundam" series, "The Big O," "Cowboy Bebop," "Kikaider," and "Inuyasha."
Tokyopop - Company that distributes anime and manga (especially manga). Supplied the series "Reign: The Conqueror" for Adult Swim.
Turner Studios - Producer of "Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law" as of episode 10.
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation - The company that commissioned the now-turned Adult Swim acquired series - Futurama, and Family Guy.
Twentieth Television - Company that syndicates Futurama and Family Guy to Adult Swim.
Viz - Another anime distributor that's just recently begun getting into TV. They provide Adult Swim with the long running series Inuyasha.
Warner Bros. (WB) - Company that commissioned/distributes the now-turned Adult Swim acquired series: "Baby Blues," "Mission Hill," and "The Oblongs."
Wild Hare Studios - Does the animation for "The Brak Show."
Williams Street (WS) - Williams Street is the division of Cartoon Network that produces Toonami and Adult Swim. They also produce original shows - Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Sealab 2021, The Brak Show, Space Ghost Coast to Coast, and write for Harvey Birdman. Unlike Toonami, WS does program Adult Swim, and has since Mike Lazzo took over programming duties in 2003.
C.) ADULT SWIM SHOWS
This list contains the various shows that have aired on Adult Swim. Within the list are the original comedy series, acquired comedy series, and acquired anime programming. The list only contains full series that were originally intended for Adult Swim.
COMEDY
American Dad - The companion Seth MacFarlane creation, American Dad is a slightly political charged show about Stan Smith, a highly Republican father working for the CIA, and how he deals with his loving wife, nerdy son, liberal daughter, alien houseguest and annoying useless fish character. American Dad was brought into production before Family Guy was brought back for a fourth season, and thus some see it as a meaningless Family Guy ripoff. Nonetheless, American Dad continues to premiere on Fox and repeat on AS.
Aqua Teen Hunger Force (ATHF) - Often considered the strangest of the original Adult Swim shows, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, or, as it is often referred to, ATHF, is about the adventures of a crime fighting (though they never REALLY fight crime) group of fast food products, including Shake, a mean-spirited chocolate milkshake, Frylock, an intelligent box of fries, and Meatwad, an adorable and naive ball of... well... meat. They also live next door to Carl, a slacker of sorts, and often mooch off his pool. After a stealth airing early in the morning, the show debuted on Adult Swim when it began, and has slowly gone from the show everyone hates to a small cult hit to a big cult hit to what is currently a suprisingly mainstream ratings-getter. ATHF is still in production.
Baby Blues - Darryl & Wanda McPherson are typical parents, trying to raise their child, Zoe. Unfortunately, they must deal with all the situations that come with being a parent, from the dysfunctional neighbors to the indifferent baby sitter. Havoc ensues. Based on the wildly popular comic strip by Rick Kirkman and Jerry Scott, it was picked up by The WB and had a short season before being picked up by Adult Swim, beginning the shower of cancelled animated sitcoms on AS. A second season was planned, but dropped, and the show aired on Adult Swim with the public reacting indifferently. It is fairly doubtful AS will air this show again.
The Brak Show - A spinoff off the hit Space Ghost Coast To Coast, the show stars Brak, his best friend, Zorak, his easygoing mom, his small dad, and his killer robot neighbor, Thundercleese, in a different sitcom every week. Brak ran with a small following from 2001-2003, when it was unexpectedly ended and the cast turned into unhappy penguins. Brak has remained an oddly likable but not very lovable AS show.
Family Guy (FG) - Family Guy debuted on FOX early 1999 and enjoyed moderate success until FOX messed around with the show by having it change timeslots constantly. The show was finally cancelled in 2002, with 49 out of 50 episodes aired. After Futurama's success on AS, Family Guy became extremely rumored for Adult Swim, until it was quietly picked up a few months later. Upon premiering in April, it took Adult Swim by storm and the FG/Futurama pair became an unstoppable ratings goliath. The show enjoys comfortable success at the time, and a season 2 episode, which was banned because of the amount of religious jokes in it, aired November 9, 2003. Family Guy was such a hit on both AS and on DVD that Fox (unprecedentedly) decided to bring it back for a fourth season.
Futurama - On New Year's Eve 1999, Phillip J. Fry delivers a prank pizza order to a cryogenics lab and is accidentally frozen for 1000 years. He wakes up in the year 3000 and soon lands a package delivery job at his only remaining relative, Farnsworth's business. The staff includes Hermes, a Jamaican workaholic, Bender, a fowl-mouthed, vice-ridden, alcoholic robot, one eyed half-alien captain Leela, pretty Asian girl Amy Wong, and the strange but funny Dr. Zoidberg. Soon, Fry and the crew are delivering all sorts of packages to different planets. Created by Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons, it was first picked up by FOX in 1999, but was soon relegated to a lousy time where it was often pre-empted for sports. In late 2002, Adult Swim picked up Futurama, but it was soon leaked and news was all across the internet. Futurama became an overnight ratings success, beginning Adult Swim's golden age, a process that would soon elevate to new heights with the later adquisition of Family Guy. The series will move to Comedy Central in 2008 with new episodes.
Home Movies (HM) - In 1999, UPN debuted an animated series designed to attract female viewership. It dealt with Brendon, a young boy who loves making movies. Living in a single parent household, Paula, his mother, is often with budget problems. The cast of Brendon's movies, his friends, include Jason, a dysfunctional kid who supplies "grossout humor" in the first episodes, and Melissa, who is, to a degree, "the voice of reason". Aside from making movies, Brendon plays soccer, and is taught by the even more dysfunctional Coach McGuirk. Ironically enough, the show was cancelled due to a lack of male viewers, but bought by Cartoon Network. New episodes were made in the cheaper and more polished "flash animation" and the show has been an AS fan favorite every since. Home Movies fourth season in 2004 was met with ratings ranging from mediocre to bad, and the show was cancelled at 52 episodes. It remains at the rear end of the block.
Harvey Birdman Attorney at Law (HBAAL) - Duplicating the success of Space Ghost, Williams Street attempted taking another obscure 60's superhero, Birdman, into the world of law. In the series, Birdman defends many a Hanna-Barbera character in the court, whether win or lose. Jokes ensue. Made traditionally, unlike the other WS shows, Birdman has a cleaner feel to it. However, the style has been a double-edged sword for it, because of the time needed to make episodes. This was fixed when the show switched to Flash animation in 2004, and for the first time an actual season of episodes premiered.
Mission Hill (MH) - Nerdy Kevin French is forced to move in with his older brother Andy, a lazy 24-year-old. In Andy's condo, there are all sorts of colorful characters, including a senior gay couple. The series had a miserable time at The WB, but was soon picked up by Adult Swim and became a fan favorite.
The Oblongs - The Oblongs are your average 50's family... Except they all suffer from physical and mental abnormalities. There's the patriarch, Bob, (No arms, feet, hands or legs) the wife, Pickles, (Addiction to tobacco and alcohol) Biff & Chip, (Conjoined twins) 4-year-old Beth, (Large growth from her head) and Milo, the youngest. (A LOT of mental disabilities and disorders and WAY too optimistic) Together, they all live down in the valley, avoiding the "perfect" residents of the hills. The series premiered mid-season on The WB, but was cancelled due to extreme creative differences between Jace Richdale and Angus Oblong, the two creators. The series was later picked up by Adult Swim, and while it has been deeply loathed by the internet community, Oblongs is popular with the casual viewer and is a constant ratings hit. The show still shows up periodically, usually at the 1:00 AM spot.
The Ripping Friends (RF) - The Ripping Friends are the toughest, manliest men alive! Together, they will RIP through all their enemies with their amazing brawn! They're just a little off on the brain department. Created by Ren & Stimpy's John K., the series was first made for FOX Kids, where it was edited constantly, much like R&S. However, Ripping Friends bombed on FOX Kids, and it was left without a home. In late 2002, Adult Swim picked it up as a reaction to Spike TV picking up Ren and Stimpy, in hopes of a new season, which, like Baby Blues, was never made. It bombed on Adult Swim as well, and is considered by many to be the worst Adult Swim program. John K. is currently working on new Ren & Stimpy episodes, and the possibility of new Ripping Friends or even a new Spumco series is slim to none.
Robot Chicken (RC) - Seth Green's baby, Robot Chicken is a fast paced, reference packed, claymation sketch comedy show that lampoons everything from 80s cartoon characters to the current crop of celebrities. Premiering in Feb. 2005 in a rather decent timeslot, Robot Chicken instantly connected with the viewer fanbase, becoming AS's biggest original ratings smash. Despite a love-it-or-hate-it style, RC has found plenty who love-it, and will be around for a long time.
Sealab 2021 (SL2021) - Considered to be the most lowbrow show out of the originals, its stupidity has also been its secret to success. It enjoyed a very large success at first, but as the series went on, general fan opinions went down. The Sealab crew fought back, mocking them out and taunting them (with such ingenious characters as Sharko), until the show reached its end in 2005.
Space Ghost Coast to Coast (SGC2C) (SGCTC)- In 1993, when Cartoon Network was just a fledgling rerun channel, Williams Street (Ghost Planet Industries at the time) stepped up and made something completely different. In this new series, 60's superhero Space Ghost and his archenemies, Zorak and Moltar, hosted a very offbeat talk show, often lampooning the guests themselves. The show became a huge cult phenomenon and spawned 2 spinoffs and the idea of Adult Swim. Hell, Moltar even hosted the then new Toonami block and is now a recognisable face for many a Toonami vet. While Space Ghost, like Brak Show, has remained quiet these last few years, we have SGC2C, as the fans have affectionately adressed the show many a time, to thank for making much of Cartoon Network what it is today. However, due to fading interest from WS as well as the general public, it is doubtful Space Ghost will be returning with new episodes at any time in the near future.
Tom Goes to the Mayor (TGttM) - Tom Peters, an entrepreneur in the small town of Jefferton, has a bunch of great ideas, and the Mayor is there to make sure that they don't work out at all and that Tom's life remains a living hell. Tom is notable for its animation style, if you can call it that; photographs of the actors are put through photoshop filters to come out with the "Tom" look. A cult show at best, Tom has been met with harsh criticism comparable to Joseph McCarthy's opinion of communism. Though the show is far from a hit in pretty much any type of terms, the show manages to keep a small group of supporters.
The Venture Bros. (VB) - The first Adult Swim pilot that aired after Adult Swim's premiere date to make it to a full fledged series. Following the adventures of the Venture family—Scientist Doctor Venture, his twin teenage sons Hank and Dean, and their bodyguard Brock Samson—The Venture Brothers is built on the framework of serialized 1960’s science fiction boy adventure serials like Tom Swift and Jonny Quest. But no genre is free from The Venture Brothers’ twisted, gritty, postmodern brand of subversion as it broadly satirizes the worlds of Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Fantastic Four, James Bond, Scooby Doo…and everything in between! The locations are exotic. The technology is bizarre and astounding. The villains are wicked. And the family dynamic is…tense, to say the least. VB was a cult hit and did decent in the ratings, and a second season is in production.
ACTION
Blue Gender (BG) - Yuji, a man with a grave illness, is frozen in time only to be woken up in a time when the planet is overrun by giant bugs known as the Blue, and hooks up with a group of soldiers headed by Marlene Angel. Their mission: to make it to the space station Second Earth. As WS pithily put it: "Bugs. Not much else to say about it, really." Mixed opinions about this one, though part of it has to be to the fact that it followed FLCL. Dubbed by FUNimation, (in)famous for their dub of Dragonball Z. Blue Gender had a few runs, but never caught on, and hasn't been seen in some time.
Cowboy Bebop (CB) - Spike Spiegal is a bounty hunter in the future, tracking down criminals in his ship, the Bebop. Along with the many characters in his crew, Spike has built a huge niche in the Adult Swim population. Cowboy Bebop was the first anime to air on Adult Swim, and spawned the Saturday lineup and many, many fans, a decent portion of them being people who dislike anime, and CB has been said to be "the anime for anime dislikers". While in Japan, some of the episodes were too risque to air on primetime terrestrial television (satellite channel WOWOW aired the whole series), Adult Swim actually almost got the series unedited until Standards & Practices, the guys in charge of editing, said Williams Street couldn't do it. Still, the series was shown in its entirety, and captured the fans of many to the point that if Cowboy Bebop is taken off its early morning timeslots, the adultswim.com population make a riot that is only surpassed by when InuYasha is taken off the air for a short time. A movie was released in America in the Spring of 2003 and enjoyed niche success. It had the unfortunate incident of premiering close to 9-11-2001, forcing 3 episodes into bannedland. Luckily the 3 banned episodes were soon shown to the US public. Throughout all of AS, Bebop has remained "that show that is still on".
Detective Conan (DC) - Shin'ichi Kudo is a high-school student who is famous for helping the police solve crimes, his girlfriend is Ran who's dad, Kogorou Mouri is a detective who blames Shinichi for his lack of business. He is given poison by a man in black which was supposed to kill him but instead shank him to the size of a boy. He has to hide his identity from the men in black or fear for his life, he now goes by the name Conan. Conan premiered, and though some internet audiences enjoyed it, the general public's reaction was one of anger and destruction. Conan was taken off and eventually kept to a death slot at 5 AM with Lupin III, and there is little chance of it coming back.
Full Metal Alchemist (FMA) - This popular anime show follows the short Edward and armor-with-a-soul Al through their adventures in alchemy. With its blend of action, storytelling and humor FMA was able to pick up an audience and has become one of AS's most successful anime purchases.
Fooly Cooly (FLCL) (Furi Kuri) - Naota is a typical (If slightly cynical) 6th grade boy living in the town of Mabase. Despite the recent arrival of Medical Mechanica, a building of sorts that looks like an iron, (Yeah, you heard right...) and the fact that the adults act like children and the children act like adults, Naota insists that nothing ever happens in his town. But then a strange woman by the name of Haruko arrives, runs him over with a Vespa and hits him over the head with a strange guitar. Soon, things begin to grow out of Naota's head, including the robot Canti, and horns (They take different forms throughout the series) that appear whenever there's sexual tension around. Apart from all the chaos that has occured due to Haruko's stay in Mabase, he must also deal with his older brother's girlfriend, who has been making advances on him since his brother lieft to play baseball in America. Created by the famous studio Gainax (Evangelion, Kare-Kano, Gunbuster) as the "millenium anime", it blends many of the aspects of Gainax's former series and tops them off with a rich serving of insanity. FLCL, by many considered to be Gainax's finest work, debuted on Adult Swim in August and enjoyed big success, airing almost uncut (sans 2 edits). It is Williams Street's favorite anime, and also a big hit among anime fans everywhere. Also, it quietly pushed the envelope for Adult Swim, with lots of sexual innuendo and brief nudity.
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (GITS:SAC) - In this cyber-punk fantasy world, we follow the employees of a government agency, Section 9, as they deal with various crime elements within Japan. These include the sneaky and intelligent Major Motoko and the tough Batou. The series is split into "Stand Alone" and "Complex" episodes; as one could guess, the "Stand Alone" episodes are episodic stories usually dealing with a different plot in each episode, while the "Complex" episodes follow the unique story of the terrorist "Laughing Man" situation. GitS was met with a generally positive reaction from fans (though some criticized the show for not having particularly interesting or dynamic characters), but the show didn't do as well in the ratings department, often placing a distant third (if it made the Top 3 Rated lists at all).
Inuyasha (IY) - Kagome Higurashi, after being sucked down a well into feudal Japan, finds out that she is the re-incarnation of a priestess who held a powerful jewel. She frees Inuyasha, a dog-demon who was pinned to a tree for 50 years by the same priestess, Kikyo. While trying to retrieve the sacred jewel, Kagome ends up shattering it into pieces which scatter across the land. Now Inuyasha, Kagome, and an ensemble of characters have to search for the shards before the villain Naraku can. This show is the latest sensation from Rumiko Takahashi, a very famous manga artist and writer. It's also a show that's known for not having the smartest fanbase out there, though TZ tends to find more of the intelligent fans than most other places. IY remains a long series with ratings power (the longest series the block has aired), making it something AS loves to toss in the lineup.
Kikaider - In this modern-age Pinocchio tale, we meet Jiro, an android with a concience. Wandering in search of who he is and why he is here, he later meets Mitsuko, a young woman who is the daughter of Jiro's creator. Together, they wander through the land in search of meaning, and Jiro is constantly attacked by his brother Hakaider, ordered to dispose of Jiro by the evil Dr. Gill. When he is angry, he turns into his alter-ego, Kikaider and posesses incredible fighting skill. An OVA later had Jiro meet his many brothers and was fairly critizized for most of the time, altough it was praised somewhat due to its thought-provoking ending. A very depressing, thinking-man's Pinnochio story, Kikaider was generally liked, but treated with indifference throughout its run.
Lupin the 3rd (LIII) (L3) - Arsene Lupin (Pronounced loo-pawn) the third is a master criminal, albeit a goofy, wisecracking, and likable one. Joined by the typical female spy-type Fujiko, (Also referred to as Fuji-cakes) The smart-ass with even more wise-cracks, Gigen, and the cliche "brave samurai" Goemon, they look all over the world for treasure while avoiding the bumbling, incompetent Inspector Zenigata, who's always on their trail. One of the longest running animes in Japan, (with tons and tons of movies and TV specials as well as 3 series, this one being the longest and most popular second) this corny, dated, yet likable anime has recieved a decent fanbase but is, like the later Reign, avoided like the plague by the general public and is in danger of not being renewed, which means it will have only aired 26 out of 200+ episodes.
Paranoia Agent - In this highly stylized and seemingly bizarre anime from Satoshi Kon, a string of attacks by a bat-wielding maniac (nicknamed Lil' Slugger) puts a town into panic mode. Two detectives find themselves in a confusing case with unusual victims, confused identities and....well really, you just have to see it. Paranoia picked up with the hardcore AS audience, but the general public weren't so kind, as PA didn't do well in the ratings.
Reign: The Conqueror - a.k.a. Alexander or Araekusanda: Loosely based on the life of Alexander the Great, Reign follows his life from the taming of Bucephalus, through his empire building from Macedonia to India, to finally the death of Hephaestion. However, Reign is no period drama, the setting can only be described as apocalyptic steampunk, and the story itself you won't find in any history book. It follows a doomsday prophesy, Alexander will unite the world and then destroy it, and every political, religious and scientific faction in the western world has something to say about it. Reign is perhaps the bloodiest show to air on Adult Swim to date, but is actually most controversial for its fashion choices, character designer Peter Chung (of Aeon Flux fame) decided that chainmail bikinis weren't just for the ladies any more, and most viewers soundly disagree with him.
Samurai Champloo (SC) - Depriving it's title from two names that surprisingly sound acceptable together, samurai and, the Okinawan word for "mix", Champloo, this is the show where anachronisms are blended right in with the past setting. Sword-carrying folk are in abundance. Our three protagonist meet in a twist-of-fate kind of way and go on a long journey to search for an important samurai who the female lead, Fuu, dearly wants to find. Mugen is a rowdy badass with poor table manners, using a Capoeira-esque mean of whooping tail. Jin is the traditional calm samurai dawning a pair of glasses. There's a rodent, Momo, but it's got nothing to do with what drives this Hip-Hop intergrated series of episodic tales. Samurai Champloo began it's air on Adult Swim in 2005 on the Saturday night action block, and seemed destined to do so even before production in Japan. Well-liked and created under complete supervision of highly-acclaimed director, Shinichiro Watanabe, also creator of Cowboy Bebop.
Scryed - Kazuma is a mutant who has special powers and abilities as the result of a global disaster that altered his genetic makeup. Although humanity has begun the task of rebuilding civilization after the disaster, people like Kazuma are being hunted by their non-mutant brethren. Or, if you want the shorter version, Scryed is a pretty basic fighting anime, and not much more. Scryed did okay in the ratings, but the fanbase was mixed; some felt it was a show better suited for Toonami.
Trigun - Get ready for Deep Space Planet Future Gun Action!! On the sandy desert planet of Gunsmoke bounty hunters everywhere are looking for the man known as Vash the Stampede. The reward for capturing Vash dead or alive is $$60,000,000,000 (thats double dollars.) 20 years ago the city of July was destroyed by Vash who then became known as the Humanoid Typhoon. Strangely enough even though Vash destroyed the city no one was hurt. Recently the Bernadelli Insurance Agency has sent out Meryl Stryfe and Milly Thompson to find Vash, and try to keep him from causing more damage. Could this weird, goofy guy with the spiky blond hair and red trench coat be him? Love and Peace!!
Witch Hunter Robin (WHR) - In a world where witches abuse their supernatural powers, a special team is tasked with hunting this new threat to society. This organization is known as the STN and comprises of several highly skilled craft users and experts in covert operations. But their most powerful craft user is a young woman named Robin. Her mysterious gift to summon deadly flames will determine the fates of her colleagues and lead her into a dark world of mystique and witchcraft.
Wolf's Rain (WR) - This show takes place in a post-apocalyptic world, and the Human race is scattered about in a few cities who are led by Nobles, and wolves are said to be extinct. However this is not true. Wolves have survived by deceiving humans, and living in society next to humans. The story begins with Kiba, a wolf, entering Freeze City, in search for the key to Paradise. The key, a flower maiden named Cheza, is taken in a war between the Nobles. Along the way Kiba meets 3 other lone wolves, Hige, Toboe, and Tsume. They all go in search for Cheza, in the hope to open Paradise.
D.) MOVIES
A list of movies that have aired during Adult Swim. At this time, there's only one, but AS has expressed interest in acquiring more.
The Animatrix - A set of 9 short films directed by some of the top names in Japanese/Korean/US animation that dig deeper into the mythology surrounding the Matrix. The Shorts were:
The Final Flight of the Osiris- A lone hovercraft races to alert Zion of a setinel attack.
The Second Renaissance (Pt. 1) - Part one of this two part episode features the roots of the machine war.
Kid's Story- A high school student is contacted by Neo, and attempts to escape the Matrix.
The Second Renaissance (Pt. 2)- Part two chronicles the machine war, and the birth of the Matrix.
Program- A Zionist is asked to betray her crew in a Kurosawa type setting.
World Record- A track runner, through sheer force of will, is able to escape the Matrix.
Beyond- A "haunted house" attracts a group of kids and a young woman looking for her cat.
A Detective Story-A hard boiled detective pursues a mysterious hacker named Trinity.
Matriculated- A group of Zion scientists attempt to convert the machines to their side by creating a matrix for machines.
Metropolis - Based on Fritz Lang's classic silent film, this highly stylized futuristic film looks at a growing tension between humans and androids. Ken-Ichi is looking for a rebel scientist named Dr. Laughton when he finds Tima, an android created to take over Metropolis. A bit slow for some, Metropolis aired in 2005.
Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack - The movie that concludes the story of Newtype pilots Amuro Ray and his rival, Char Aznable, begun in the original Mobile Suit Gundam series, originally aired on January 4, 2003, the final night of the Saturday night Adult Swim block. Taking place 14 years after the conclusion of the original series, the movie shows Char's most recent attempt at reviving the forces of Zeon, now under the moniker of Neo Zeon. In response, Amuro, now a member of the Londo Bell task force created to seek out and stop insurrections against the Federation, and Char must do battle one final time, using Mobile Suits specially tailored to utilize their Newtype abilities, in order to stop Char's Neo Zeon faction from taking control of the Earth Sphere. Char's Counterattack aired uncut and in widescreen (and was also the first feature film to air on Cartoon Network in widescreen), however, because neither Toonami nor Adult Swim ever showed Mobile Suit Gundam in its entirety, and because the two Gundam series that take place in between the original series and the movie were never even shown, many viewers were somewhat confused at having seen the end of Amuro and Char's story, without having seen all of the beginning, and without having seen any of the middle.
Read or Die - Agent Paper, a nerdy yet intelligent and skilled in the art of, uh, paper, is recruited to help fight against a madman bent on an unusual scheme involving a certain Beethoven composition. Along the way she runs into various literary references and personalities. Read or Die aired in 2004, and was met with general enjoyment.
E.) TOONAMI PORTED SHOWS
In 2002, in order to fill time during the Adult Swim Action Saturday block until the network could acquire more shows, Adult Swim filled the time with Toonami shows that attracted a decent amount of adult viewers, as well as two that were never aired on Toonami, and were aired on Adult Swim Action merely to get them to air. A few more incidents happened after the Saturday block ended (and was eventually relaunched in April 2004).
The Big O - The Big O originally made a Toonami debut in Spring 2001, edited appropriately for that block (Adult Swim didn't exist yet for another five months). Paradigm City is a city of amnesia: 40 years ago, something caused every citizen of the city to lose their memories. In the present day, the city has regained its structure and the people live in peace, but the amnesia of 40 years ago remains. Roger Smith is Paradigm's top negotiator, living above the cold reality of Paradigm's streets. But sometimes problems can be too big for one negotiator, and that's when Roger calls in the Big O, a robot of unknown origins and incredible power. With help from android lady R. Dorothy Wayneright and his faithful butler Norman, Roger and the Big O keep the City of Amnesia safe from any threats against it. Combining elements of Batman, James Bond, and Giant Robo, Big O's deep, complex story and stylized animation made it a hit with older fans, even after its run on Toonami ended, and in a historic decision, Cartoon Network made the decision to co-fund an additional 13 episodes to continue the story. Big O's first 13 episodes made their Adult Swim debut in July of 2003, completely unedited, and the second season of 13 episodes, an Adult Swim Action exclusive, premiered Sunday, August 3rd, 2003, in the coveted first timeslot of the evening, a slot typically reserved for the block's comedy stalwarts like Home Movies and Futurama. Some controversy surrounded Big O getting a 3rd season from AS (even a website popped up to protest), but Big O isn't coming back.
Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket (0080) - Al is a young boy in a war-torn world. It's December in the year U.C. 0079, and Al soon meets Bernie, a Zeon soldier. The two soon become friends, and Bernie becomes attracted to Chris, Al's next-door neighbor. Unfortunately for Bernie, he and Chris are on opposite sides, and Bernie must destroy the latest Gundam yet, which Chris happens to be the test pilot of, and Al is soon caught in the middle of the distressing situation and soon learns, first-hand, about the horrors of war. The series first debuted in Japan as an OVA, (A direct to video anime) and later made a Midnight Run debut on Toonami. Though it had an uneventful history for the most part, the series has become a fan-favorite and is considered by many to be the best of Gundam. In 2002, it went to Adult Swim as filler for the last few weeks of ASA Saturday's existance. (6 episodes, like most OVA's are)
Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory (0083) - Taking place 3 years after the end of Mobile Suit Gundam, Gundam 0083 (subtitled "Stardust Memory") tells the story of rookie Mobile Suit pilot Kou Uraki's first combat experiences, as he tries to stop Zeon ace pilot Anavel Gato from using a stolen Gundam with nuclear capabilities to re-ignite the war between the Federation and the Zeon. Originally released as a 13-episode OAV in Japan, Gundam 0083 made its debut on the now-defunct Saturday night Adult Swim Action block, alongside Yu Yu Hakusho and Pilot Candidate. 0083 originally aired with Toonami-level editing, despite it's Adult Swim time slot, but the show's final episode was re-edited for Adult Swim standards.
Mobile Suit Gundam (MSG) (0079) - In the year 1979, anime director Yoshiyuki Tomino created a new giant robot series unlike anything seen in Japan before. Taking place in the year 0079 of the Universal Century (UC), it depicted a violent and bloody war where the robots were not super powered warriors, but tools being used by both sides in order to obtain absolute victory over the other. The series followed young pilot Amuro Rei, a boy thrusted in the middle of the war flying the secret weapon of the Earth Federation: the RX-78 Gundam. He is one of many young soldiers thrown together on the Federation ship White Base fighting in the war against the "evil" principality/duchy of Zeon, who was winning the war due to their earlier advancements in the development of the Mobile Suit technology. One of the most famous of the Zeon is the enigmatic Char Aznable, who is fighting for his own mysterious purposes, yet ends up as one of the chief rival of the young Amuro. The series follows the White Base in their efforts during the final months of the One Year War (so called because the entire war ended up lasting from the beginning of January to the end of December in UC 0079) and would, towards the end, envelope ideas involving the evolution of humanity to beings known as "Newtypes". When Mobile Suit Gundam first aired in Japan in 1979, it was marked by low ratings and cancelled with only 43 episodes made. However, through subsequent reruns, Gundam became the "Star Trek" of Japan, becoming known as a show before its time overlooked by the masses early on until becoming a phenominon. Three movies redepicting the events of the TV series were released in Japan in the early 1980's, eventually leading to a sequel series, Zeta Gundam, which premiered in 1985. Since then, the Gundam franchise has spawned many series, first within the UC timeline, then in various alternate timelines (including the breakout show of 2003, Gundam SEED), not to mention various movies, manga, video games, and toys and model kits of all shapes and sizes!
Outlaw Star (OS) (OlS) - Originally debuting as a heavily-edited Toonami show in January of 2001, Outlaw Star was part of the Adult Swim Action block as filler (but still with Toonami edits) in the latter part of 2002. Which is ironic, because had Adult Swim existed at the time Outlaw Star was available, it would have most certainly gone to Adult Swim in a far less edited form. Gene Starwind, a young outlaw attempting to make a name for himself, comes into possession of a highly advanced spaceship, which he dubs the Outlaw Star. Together with his crew; 11-year-old genius Jim Hawking, mysterious android girl Melfina, former assassin Suzuka, and super-strong cat woman Aisha, they travel the cosmos looking for treasure, rewards, and the next big score. But there may be more to Melfina's history and the construction of the Outlaw Star than Gene knows...
Pilot Candidate (PC) - Known as "Candidate for Goddess" originally, Pilot Candidate is the story of eager new military recruit Zero Enna, and his adventures in training to reach his dream: Piloting one of the seemingly-alive mechas known as "Goddesses" in the defense of Zion, the last human colony, from the evil alien race that has nearly wiped out the human race. Pilot Candidate made its debut alongside Yu Yu Hakusho and Gundam 0083 on the Adult Swim Action block, however was originally intended for Toonami, and thus aired with Toonami-level editing. The show is known best for a distinct lack of quality (as noted by many fans. Multiple times.) in both its storytelling, and its dubbing production, which is to say, most people thought it sucked
Tenchi Muyo! (TM!) - Tenchi Masaki is an ordinary boy, training to become a man. He lives a decent life, up until a whole flock of girls enters his life, causing chaos, humor, and lots of action. The series, first a success in Japan, entered Toonami in 2000. However, the show was far too risque for Toonami, so lots of edits were made. (Including the infamous "bad tea") On Toonami, the show became a big hit, until it was rerun to death and brought back in early 2002 as filler for the then new Adult Swim Action block. However, the show was still Toonami-edited, due to it being merely filler.
Voltron - Voltron is a shapeshifting giant mecha featured in a 1980s animated television series. The series features a team of six (later seven) young pilots commanding five robot lions, which could be combined to form Voltron. In an undefined future era, the Voltron Force was in charge of protecting the planet Arus from the evil King Zarkon, his son Lotor, and the witch Haggar, who would create huge Robeasts to terrorize the people of Arus. This series was part of Toonami's original lineup when the block debuted in 1997; now it currently airs at 5:30AM.
Yu Yu Hakusho (YYH) - After saving a kid from an incoming car, Yusuke Urameshi is dead. After a few tasks, he is brought back to life as a "spirit detective". Joined by powerful, yet likable bully Kuwabara, childhood friend Keiko, unlikely "grim reaper" of sorts Botan, and the duo of Hiei and Kurama, former criminals, they must fight all kinds of evil criminals that are wanted in the spirit world. Said by many to play out like a better, more interesting Dragon Ball Z, it was brought to the US and Adult Swim as DBZ licencee FUNimation's first TV job outside the Dragon Ball saga. Its run in Japan was very successful, it being a fight anime and all, and that success was duplicated in the US, but unfortunately, with children, causing the Saturday lineup to die and Adult Swim to move to weekdays. The series itself was moved to Toonami in March of 2003, where new, Toonami-edited episodes were aired.
F.) GUEST SHOWS
After September 11, 2001, Cartoon Network yanked Cowboy Bebop from the schedule and replaced it for a couple weeks with some classic cartoons. Here they are.
The Popeye Show - In 2002, Popeye appeared on Adult Swim for a few weeks. In a knee-jerk reaction to 9/11, Cartoon Network pulled Cowboy Bebop temporarily and replaced it with this. Popeye returned for a celebration of its anniversary for a short period in 2004, but was met with anger and taken off. All the episodes eventually aired when Adult Swim premiered its 5AM block in 2005.
Rocky and Bullwinkle - In 1959, a television revolution was born with a moose and a squirrel. The show followed their comical adventures through their world in this now famous cold war satire. See Popeye for the rest.
Toonheads - Aired with Popeye, and unfortunately this intelligent, informative and entertaining look at classic animation was taken off after a short period.
G.) SPECIALS
Every now and then, Adult Swim commissions or acquires one-time short cartoons for air to get some critical attention. This was a big thing in 2002, and in 2003 only 1 was acquired for air. Supposedly we'll see for 2004.
Boo Boo Runs Wild/A Day in the Life of Ranger Smith - In 1995/96, John K's Spumco was contracted to produce updated Yogi Bear, or rather, Ranger Smith cartoons in his own inimitable style. Naturally, given Spumco's slow burn style, the shows did not see fruition until 1998, when Cartoon Network decided to "stealth-air" them in the middle of the night. CN eventually premiered them as a special in fall 1999, where it was given mixed reviews. The specials eventually made it to AS in 2002.
The Lewis Lectures - Another gem from the folks at Soup2Nuts. This short was/is actually a special that has appeared at film showings across the country. It made its way to TV in 2002 as a special.
Night of the Living Doo - A 1/2 hour cartoon originally made for Cartoon Network in 2001. On their way to the Halloween movie festival, the gang picks up the hitchhiking actor Gary Coleman. The Mystery Machine suffers several minor problems that would usually keep it off the road, but Mr. Coleman keeps finding ways to fix it (much to Freddy's dismay -- it's obvious he wants to look for spooks). While passing a spooky old castle, Freddy swurves off the road, ensuring Gary Coleman won't be able to fix the Mystery Machine. The gang find that the castle is owned by actor David Cross, who reveals that the castle is rumoured to have zombies... The gang prepares to settle in for the night, but it isn't long before Scooby and Shaggy see a zombie, and upon returning with the news, they realize Gary is missing. The short aired on Adult Swim in 2002.
Father and Son Day/The Best Son - One of the most recent works from Spumco, only this time they remake The Jetsons, and do it in Flash to boot. These 2 cartoons premiered online first before heading to TV in 2002.
Penguins Behind Bars - A 1/2 hour special from Canada based on the book of the same name. It premiered in the summer of 2003.
Boo Boo and the Man - Spumco can't let Yogi and his pals go without one more cartoon. This Flash short premiered only on AdultSwim.com.
