Note: as of 2/21/25 the schedule has been updated. Read more here: https://toonamifaithful.com/adult-swim-original-joins-the-block-this-march/
A schedule update for Toonami dropped on Friday, February 7 to mixed responses from fans. Replacing Mashle and the rerun of Invincible Fight Girl will be a replay of the 2023 original series FLCL Grunge as well as a doubled up run of Blue Exorcist. Overall, most viewers have expressed disappointment in this new lineup – if not outright frustration. The block will consist primarily of reruns of previously aired Toonami titles, One Piece being the exception, so the fairly negative feedback is understandable. It’s even causing staff of Toonami Faithful to scratch our heads and wonder – what in the world is going on over at Toonami?
On one hand, I can look at this lineup objectively and posit two possibilities: first, they have two new series coming this year, Lazarus and Rooster Fighter, and need a stop gap to fill the slot of the premiere spot until the former is ready to go on air. Since Grunge is three episodes long, one could safely assume they would air Shoegaze next, rounding out another three episodes to make it the six weeks until April. The second possibility is that folks running Toonami have no budget for new acquisitions and simply cannot afford a new show to add to the block, or have failed to meet the price of a show they were attempting to acquire.
But even if either or both of these possibilities are true, I can’t shake the feeling that no one really cares about creating an engaging block for fans. Toonami is so much more than a block of animated programs; it’s a special experience that the community comes together every Saturday for, expecting to enjoy a unique combination of shows hosted by beloved characters who watch and comment alongside us. And that includes the occasional immersive experiences, trippy music videos, game reviews, or fun bumps that air during the block. Filling up the block with all reruns and not one newer or premiering show gives the impression that the network leadership doesn’t understand any of this and doesn’t see Toonami as a worthy investment.
Bringing back Grunge (and probably Shoegaze) is such an odd choice on a number of levels, especially given that it landed with mixed reviews by FLCL fans. As does doubling up Blue Exorcist, which would be fine if the intention was to eventually air any of the subsequent seasons that have since been made, including the Kyoto Saga which premiered in 2017, but there has been no indication that this is the plan. In fact, there is almost no communication to fans at all, either through social media or press releases. Toonami historically has been notorious for not advertising regularly in advance of premieres or even current programming, but I would like to point out that most networks do not function this way. And with the departure of Jason DeMarco from Social Media, our only avenue of information about the direction of the block has ceased.
It’s not as if there weren’t other options that would suit the block. We know that they own the second season of the remastered version of IGPX, which never aired after its season 1 run back in November of 2023. They also have access to other animated DC Universe titles if Warner Bros. Discovery would lend them some, such as any of the Batman films. It’s been years since Toonami has aired any movies, so a few weeks of films would have been an interesting and entertaining change of pace.
Additionally, new seasons of previously-aired Toonami programs have been released, including the second season of the recently aired Mashle, Dr Stone, My Hero Academia, Demon Slayer, and DragonBall Daima. All of these would fit perfectly in the lineup and be well-received by viewers. Not having any of these titles, however, has led to rampant speculation that they are beyond the budget that WBD has set for Toonami, or that the license holders refuse to negotiate with WBD for a reasonable rate. The truth is we don’t know which of these is true, but I can’t help my feelings of disappointment that it could be either; these are all lucrative companies that have a lot more options that we aren’t aware of (and some that we are!) so a little flexibility would go a long way here. Haven’t Toonami fans shown enormous loyalty and don’t they deserve that in return?
Ultimately I can’t help but come to the conclusion that the leadership currently running the Toonami block at Adult Swim simply aren’t willing to invest in it, or even understand what makes fans so dedicated to tuning in each week. It’s discouraging that our loyalty over the years has been met with seeming ambivalence, and it’s not as if we are asking for the most premium of line-up possibilities. The block could function quite well if it consisted of one top-of-the-line series like Daima, one original series, and one older but still fairly fresh/unknown show acquired from a network like HiDive or Aniplex (Blue Exorcist, if it airs subsequent seasons, fits this role nicely). Then the block could round off with One Piece, Sailor Moon, and whatever reruns they currently have in their inventory. A little budget flexibility could go a long way toward keeping the viewers interested and happy, not to mention better communication and more community engagement via a social media channel aside from basic Facebook posts.
I want to be optimistic and hope that this objectively terrible lineup is only temporary, and that Toonami will get back on track come Spring with some interesting shows. Over the years that I’ve been a Toonami Faithful and a staff member of the Toonami Faithful website and podcast I have consistently maintained a positive outlook towards the future and supported lineup changes, giving every show a chance because I always end up enjoying myself when I watch. It’s been difficult to admit even to myself the disappointment and frustration that I am feeling, and which many others seem to echo. But I’m not willing to give up on something I have treasured for so long. We will all just have to see where this all goes.
Do you have thoughts about the new schedule? Let us know by commenting below or directly on our social media. Also, follow us on @ToonamiNews or ToonamiFaithful.bsky.social, and subscribe to our podcast on Soundcloud for future content and breaking news updates.
Kuro is a staff writer and editor for ToonamiFaithful.com. Feel free to follow her on Twitter @HappyKuroKitty or on BlueSky @happykurokitty.bsky.social