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If there is one thing I tend to think about as I keep up with the many simulcasts that air every season on streaming websites, I contemplate whether or not any of those series is something Toonami would be interested in broadcasting. Especially now with the increase of broadcast dubs that FUNimation has produced, giving series an English dub faster and allowing the people at Toonami to consider it earlier. So with the amount of simulcasts that my colleagues and I watch, I thought it’d be an interesting idea to look back at series that premiered this past season. Why not take a look at some of the best series that finished their original run that could be considered for potential newcomers to the block. So let’s take a look back at the simulcasts that ended this summer!

CJ’s Picks

The first series I think people should consider for Toonami is Tales of Zestria the X which you can watch at FUNimation.com. It is a beautiful series produced by Ufotable (the same studio that brought fans Fate/Zero and Fate/Stay Night Unlimited Blade Works). Just a few minutes into the first episode and you can easily see the similarities between all three of the series I mentioned. While I’m not so well-versed in this franchise, the people at FUNimation gave fans a breakdown of this particular series as well as the franchise as a whole in three installments (part one, part two, part three). Despite not knowing everything about the franchise, I still found it very enjoyable to watch. The series gives off a “Toonami vibe” with the action in it, making me think it would be a welcomed choice for the block.

So why do I think this show would be a winner on Toonami as suppose to other series? Well for starters, FUNimation is producing a broadcast dub of this series (recently aired episode nine). Theoretically, it would be quicker to get this show on the block compared to shows that do not. Or at least that’s what fans might believe in theory. Of course, there could be unforeseen obstacles to airing a broadcast dub on television considering Toonami has shown only Dimension W and Space Dandy (which was a world premiere) since broadcast dubs were introduced during this era of Toonami. But beyond any of the logistics, it’s a show that makes sense because of the stellar action and story. It has the kind of stuff that Toonami has shown in the past and would be an excellent choice for them down the road. While I wouldn’t call this the best series FUNimation has to offer this season, I think it’d be the best series FUNimation has from this past season to consider for Toonami.

The next series on my list is one that shouldn’t surprise anyone. From the same mind of One-Punch Man, ONE’s Mob Psycho 100 easily tops my list of anime that you can watch now on Crunchyroll which would be awesome to show on Toonami. In this series, we watch our main protagonist, Mob, deal with a world full of spirits, Espers and the various kinds of quirkiness you navigate through in middle school. Why are we following the adventures of Mob? He might be the strongest and greatest Esper in the entire world. For viewers to see his real potential, he has to have a stress level of 100 percent for him to lose control of his emotions. And since he’s in middle school that happens quite a few times, and those break downs are spectacular. It’s a fun and silly series that brings some action that I know viewers would eat up.

What stands out from this series for is the beautiful animation Studio BONES created making the most of ONE’s unique style. From fights to face faults, to dark and depressing moments, Mob Psycho 100 just dazzles the eyes throughout the entire series. While it isn’t as action packed as it’s predecessor, it certainly has enough to keep fans interested and the humor is on par with One-Punch Man. But what makes this series even more desirable are the values that you’ll learn while watching. Those are things anyone can easily relate when they think back on growing up, making this series a must watch for those who enjoy anime. On top of that there are plenty of memorable characters and that makes Mob Psycho 100 the total package. What’s even better is that FUNimation will be producing a broadcast dub of this series thanks to the partnership with Crunchyroll, meaning that there could be a chance for Toonami to air it and maybe even sooner than later. No doubt that has fans speculating if this show could be the first Crunchyroll series to air on Toonami. That’s something I certainly would like to see.

Finally, the last series that tops my list could very well be the best anime series of the year. Of course, I’m talking about Re:Zero -Starting Life in Another World-. Yes, I know how this show has been hyped up, and it’d be dangerous for someone like me to tell viewers to stop what they are doing and watch on Crunchyroll. In fact, I already know that this series isn’t for everyone due to the main character and how depressing this series can get. But because of its massive popularity and despite it’s tendency to be polarizing, I think Toonami should keep their eyes open on this series if there is a chance to have a dub premiere on the block. It has many similarities to a bevy of shows that have been on Toonami since its return to television. Fans get to watch through 25 episodes of Subaru, a regular everyday guy, somehow transferred to a fantasy world with knights, magic, and monsters, survive and live to make it to the next day.

Why would this be my first pick among the anime of this past Summer to on Toonami? It’s hype and popularity are reason enough for me to pick it, but it was one of the more enjoyable series I’ve watched in a long time. I greatly enjoyed the fights present throughout this series, as well as watching Subaru trying to make it out alive. Despite how it can slow down from arc to arc, I believe it has enough action to hold viewers interest, and potentially bring more viewers to the block.

Right now little is known as to who in the U.S. owns the rights to this show, and it doesn’t look like a broadcast dub will be produced. However, that could work in Re:Zero’s favor considering fans will be hungry to hear the dub of this series. Plus considering that Toonami has invested in other shows, makes me believe that they’d look at this show to have the dub premiere with them as opposed to getting it after the dub premieres on a streaming website.

Now while these series are my top-3 choices, there were certainly other series that I thought were interesting and fun to watch as well (Qualidea Code, Alderman on the Sky, and SERVAMP), but these three felt like a cut above the rest when it comes to what Toonami might look at. They were super enjoyable and very popular among viewers who kept up with them week to week. Do I think that they could easily pass on every single show I mentioned? It is possible considering Toonami has plenty of plans for the coming years already. But I believe that these shows from this past season, should garner a little more attention, as I thought the season of Summer 2016 was fantastic.

Sketch’s Pick

I did not watch very many simulcasts this past summer but the one that immediately caught my attention and kept it throughout the season was 91 Days, another Crunchyroll series that will soon have a dub from FUNimation. 91 Days is a gangster thriller set in the prohibition era about a young man who is seeking revenge for the murders of his parents and brother. He returns from hiding after recieving a letter which implicated those responsible for killing his family. He enlists the help of his best friend in order to be invited into the mafia family that killed his flesh and blood. The narrative had me at the edge of my seat. It is a bit lighter on action than most of the shows Toonami has aired but there are plenty of chases, shoot outs and duels to keep the action up.

91days

91 Days would offer a nice contrast to most of the shows on Toonami’s line-up without straying away from an aciton focus. I could see the series hitting it off with viewers who enjoy live-action dramas with intricate plots. I hope Toonami considers it despite the availability of several better fitting titles because its a unique gem that offers something different from the more common fantasy, sci-fi or slice of life settings of most anime.

Those are our staff picks for 2016 Summer anime season. We hope you enjoyed reading our first attempt at this kind of column. In the future we’ll try to have more of the staff involved. Until next time, Toonami faithfuls. – Sketch

C.J Maffris is an editorial writer for Toonamifaithful.com. What summer simulcasts did you enjoy the most this year? Any show C.J might have missed or overlooked? Feel free to comment about simulcasts you think could air on Toonami or tweet at him @SeaJayMaffris