In May of this year Cartoon Network premiered a new block called Toonami Rewind which aired on Fridays at 5pm Eastern and plays two hours of classic shows: Sailor Moon, Naruto, and Dragonball Z Kai. Many longtime fans of the block will recognize how closely it resembles the original afternoon lineup format that many of us grew up watching after school.
So far many fans have responded positively and have been tuning in over the past six months to enjoy the nostalgia of these series. We at Toonami Faithful have long advocated the return of some of the classic cartoons and anime to the block so we’ve been especially appreciative of this move by CN. While we have been loving Rewind, we also see the potential to expand it to replay other shows. We wanted to highlight some of our top picks which we hope to see in the future play on Rewind.
Paul:
Anyone who’s listened to the podcast knows by now that I’m a huge fan of this show, so I’d like to see Thundercats on Toonami Rewind because it’s one of the OGs which aired in the early days of Toonami back in 1997. You can’t say Toonami without saying Thundercats, in my opinion. It was on the block so many times during the Cartoon Network era that it fits nicely with the theme of Rewind. Since Warner Bros. Discovery, as far as I know, has the rights to both versions of the show, theoretically it would not cost any money to acquire the rights to air it. Also, I’d like people to experience this show because while it might be “old,” I feel it was one of the best shows to air back in the original Toonami run, and any Toonam fan should experience it at least once.
Umeko:
Samurai Champloo would be an excellent addition to Toonami Rewind. This classic series remains one of a handful of anime that a broad scope of fans like and is highly recommended as a must see for all new viewers. It originally ran on Adult Swim proper in 2005 and again on the Toonami block in 2016. The blend of action with the musical influence of hip-hop continues to keep fans fascinated with the adventure of Mugen, Jin, and Fuu. Samurai Champloo deserves another run for the earlier time slot for fans who weren’t able to watch the series late at night. Additionally, with the excitement for Shinichirō Watanabe’s new series Lazarus, which will air in 2025, it’s a great opportunity to capitalize on the hype and air some of his older work.
If Toonami Rewind sticks to the nostalgic theme, Mobile Suit Gundam Wing would be another outstanding addition to the line up. Mechs have long had a place on Toonami, and on a personal level, the storyline of those five pilots fighting an oppressive Earth was especially appealing to me! This anime was my introduction to the Gundam series and aired during Cartoon Network’s Toonami in 2000. Mobile Suit Gundam Wing should get another chance to shine just like my wonderful Usagi Tsukino has as Sailor Moon.
Sketch:
Since Toonami isn’t just an anime block, some Western Animation would be a great addition to Rewind. While I would love to have Batman, Superman, and especially Justice League on Toonami Rewind, the DC series that I think best fits the vibe and attitude of the block is Batman Beyond. Naruto feels like the odd man out airing next to shows from the early 90s and Batman Beyond is the right kind of late 90s show to bridge that gap. It’s also unquestionably a great show.
Gundam SEED is another show I’d like to give a redemption arc. Toonami had to pull the broadcast about halfway through back in 2004 due to low ratings and continued to air it outside of Toonami proper. Though that might be reason enough not to consider bringing it back, tastes have changed in two decades and the series isn’t without its fans. It would also pair pretty well with Naruto visually since both are early digital paint shows from the 2000s. Just don’t bother airing the sequel.
You knew this was coming and yes I’m well aware that One Piece is already on Saturday Toonami knee-deep in the Dressrosa arc, but if there ever was an opportunity to give the first 143 episodes of One Piece the redemption arc it deserves it’s within Toonami Rewind. Those early episodes are far better paced than the ones Toonami is currently trudging through and feature some of the most iconic moments in the entire series. It would be a shame to not take this rare opportunity to finally air them with a good dub.
Laserkid:
Toonami Rewind is a fascinating opportunity to see classics return to the network for old fans to appreciate and hopefully new fans to be made. With this in mind, the first show I can think of that I’d love to see is The Big O. Season two used to air on loop for ages in 2003, but even that has not aired since its rerun in 2013. Sentai Filmworks has the rights to season one, so there is potential for a partnership with Adult Swim. With an art style reminiscent of Batman The Animated series but with anime trappings, The Big O feels like a bridge piece between western and eastern animation styles. Besides, having the voice of Tom himself, Steven J Blum, as the protagonist Roger Smith is a delight.
The other classic series I’d like to see is Cyborg 009. Thanks to Discotek the entire dub was rescued, much of which did not air on Toonami back in the day. Rewind is a perfect fit for a show like this with the added opportunity to show the entire series on air without a break. Additionally, Cyborg 009 is a classic action show and has a nice episode count of 51, which would help pad the block for a long time.
Kuro:
When Rewind first started airing I initially anticipated the return of other beloved classics such as YuYu Hakusho or Inuyasha, which aired in 2003 and 2012 respectively. Both are long-running series that viewers have often asked to be re-aired and have continued to be popular amongst anime fans today. However, both shows are currently available on multiple streaming platforms such as Netflix, Hulu, and Crunchyroll, and therefore wouldn’t be a practical expense for Warner Bros. Discovery to invest in, even if they seem like a great fit.
That said, I feel there are other shows that would suit the Toonami Rewind theme. Star Blazers is an old school animated sci-fi series that chronicles the adventures of the crew of the Spaceship Yamato as they travel to distant planets looking for a way to save Earth. Though the series aired on Toonami in 2001, it was initially aired back in the late 1970’s and 80’s and was one of the first animated series to have an overarching plot and storyline. Its positive reception by western audiences paved the way for subsequent series to follow the model of a plot-driven series rather than an episodic one. Given its history and influence, Star Blazers would make a great fit for Rewind, with the added benefit of being 77 episodes long. A remake, which aired in 2012 titled Star Blazers: Space Battleship Yamato 2199, could also make a great addition to either Rewind or Toonami proper, however I think a rerun of the original series would be a fun throwback for classic Toonami fans as well as exposing newer fans to an impactful series.
The other series I feel would harmonize well with the current 90’s theme of Toonami Rewind is Record of Lodoss War. This fantasy Dungeons & Dragons inspired adventure was an online exclusive series on Toonami Reactor and never actually aired on the block. It’s easily one of the best fantasy anime series I’ve ever seen and uses deep shading and sharp line animation that was a staple of 90’s animation. Even though it is a short series, running only 13 episodes, the loveable characters and memorable storyline make it a perfect addition to Rewind. It’s also likely that many viewers of the OG Toonami never watched the series because it aired exclusively on Reactor, so this would be a great opportunity to introduce it to new audiences.
Seeing Sailor Moon back on network television has been absolutely delightful; not only are the characters all iconic, but the series itself has been one of the most influential to audiences around the globe. I love seeing it back on the air alongside Naruto, which I’ve especially enjoyed revisiting since Naruto Shippuden ended its Toonami run earlier this year. Additionally, the Dragonball franchise has been a longtime staple to Toonami from its early days in the late 90s to today, so it’s no surprise to see it airing on Rewind as well.
We’re hopeful that Toonami Rewind continues its run for a long time to come, revisiting some of these other classics in its lineup in the future. Given how well it has been embraced by fans over the past few months, there is reason to be optimistic that we might see other shows make a future appearance on Friday afternoon as well!
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Kuro is a staff writer and editor for ToonamiFaithful.com. Feel free to follow her on Twitter @HappyKuroKitty or on BlueSky @happykurokitty.bsky.social