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There are only a few more episodes of Parasyte left as we quickly approach the month of April. The fact that Toonami is close to a finale can lead some to speculate about what show could join the lineup. There are a myriad of series that can be considered, but Sentai Filmworks decided to tweet out a question to the thousands of people who follow them on Twitter. They wanted to know what show fans would like to see next on Toonami. On the surface, this could be viewed as a simple tactic to gain more attention from the Toonami faithful. After all, Sentai Filmworks only recently had shows added to Toonami’s repertoire. Does this tweet mean that Sentai Filmworks will continue to be represented after Parasyte ends, or not?

To be fair, I believe that either Parasyte or Akame ga Kill will replace Kill la Kill when it finishes its second run. Which means that Sentai Filmworks should be represented in the future. It is interesting, thinking about Toonami fans’ reaction if Sentai Filmworks was “shut out” from the block, but I don’t think that will happen. Thanks to the well-produced dubs of Akame ga Kill and Parasyte, the stigma of Sentai Filmworks producing inferior dubs (compared to other companies) seems to be disappearing. This resurgence in popularity can make some of their more recent dubs desirable for the viewers of Toonami. Especially given the social media presence the people at Sentai Filmworks have when Toonami airs their shows (from the voice actors, the ADR directors, to the company’s Twitter page). So Sentai Filmworks’ attempt to be proactive about getting more of their content on the block should be viewed as an interesting development.

I doubt that Sentai will solely try to work out a deal for the show that’s mentioned the most, but getting fans involved is a smart strategy. When a show from FUNimation ends its run or is close to ending, I haven’t seen a Twitter post asking fans which show they’d like to see on Toonami (at least recently). By having fans tell Sentai Filmworks what show they’d like to see on the block, could help keep their reputation (for Toonami shows) a positive one. Many fans were excited to watch both Akame ga Kill and Parasyte, as those two series were two of the most asked about shows (whether it be about home media releases, dub cast, or a possible Toonami run), on their “Ask Sentai” articles. Plus these two franchises, in particular, are considered Sentai Filmworks’ strongest titles. Continuing to give the fans a voice in how they’d like to consume anime provides Sentai Filmworks with some leverage when it comes to adding a new show.

(In fact, the people at Sentai Filmworks are pretty good at listening to fans since they dubbed Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun, after an out-pouring of fan requests on Facebook).

It’s as if Sentai was telling Toonami that they still want to have their shows on the block, stemming from the success of Parasyte and Akame ga Kill. Obviously, if a show makes it on Toonami, the popularity and general awareness of a series can grow exponentially. This recognition is something that Sentai Filmworks deserves, considering how they worked out a deal with Toonami to have some of their biggest titles on the block. Founder of Toonamifaithful.com Paul Pescrillo has talked about how Sentai Filmworks stepped up in recent months to give Toonami some of their best work, and how that should be rewarded with a new show in Toonami’s lineup. With all the dubbing the company has been doing lately, they have many titles that would be welcomed by fans.

So the question then becomes which Sentai Filmworks shows should Toonami look into? I’ve previously mentioned a few shows that Sentai owns the rights to that would be interesting for Toonami. I’ve even written about non-traditional action series like Food Wars or No Game No Life (as examples that could make for unconventional choices). However, when Toonami does decide on a new series, I think that they’ll go down the route that fans are used to seeing. That’s because there is one show that has caught my eye when looking at possible Sentai Filmworks shows. The series I’m talking about is Log Horizon.

Log Horizon has become one of the more endearing and beloved shows that Sentai Filmworks has at their disposal. It has two seasons topping out at 50 total episodes which would add some stability to the block (which isn’t a horrible thing in the slightest). I found this series to offer something different from other “trapped in the game” shows which made it more enjoyable to me. The artwork and character designs are stimulating because I haven’t seen anything like it before. I was most attracted from watching how the players trapped in the game built “their world” inside the video game. Shiro (the lead character) explains to his fellow players how they are now the foreigners in this game and have to establish a way of life so both the non-playable characters and players could coexist. Also, just listening to Shiro’s thought-process when he devises a plan was a true treat. It has been well-received by fans, which would make it an excellent choice for Toonami to seriously consider. Besides Log Horizon, I can also see Chaika – The Coffin Princess, Black Bullet, and Hamatora as alternatives for Toonami to air.

It is also possible that Sentai Filmworks has a new show up in its sleeve that they haven’t even announced a dub for yet. The series GATE, which is currently in its second season, seems to be popular among fans. Could Sentai Filmworks have a broadcast dub in the works? Both FUNimation and Aniplex USA have produced broadcast dubs, so maybe Sentai Filmworks is already making plans for one. I’m sure it is something that Sentai Filmworks has looked into, considering how many FUNimation has produced. If Sentai Filmworks does decide to provide a broadcast dub or at least a dub with a quick turn-around, that could bring shows like GATE, Chivalry of a Failed Knight or Ushio & Tora to the table for a surprise dub premiere. Personally, I don’t believe that Sentai has any plans to go in the direction of doing broadcast dubs, but nothing should be out of the question for a company trying to gain more fans and potentially more profits. That gives Toonami a few interesting angles to look into with Sentai Filmworks. That is of course, if Toonami plans to look in that direction in the first place.

I actually don’t think Toonami will be picking up another Sentai Filmworks show to replace Parasyte. That isn’t because I do not think that any of their shows are good. I do like a lot of the titles they own. I just find it odd for Sentai Filmworks to tweet out a question about which show fans want to see on Toonami if there was already something in play. They could be tricking everyone to make sure no one is on to them. After all, stipulations are always in play when it comes to announcing something about anime due to contract agreements. Such restrictions force Sentai Filmworks to try and keep fans from figuring out their plans early. So this could just be a clever misdirection on Sentai Filmworks’ part.

So you might be asking, If I don’t believe that a Sentai show will join Toonami’s lineup after April 9, then what show am I banking on? That’s a good question, considering how Jason DeMarco told Toonami fans to expect big THINGS coming. I doubt anyone outside of the Toonami crew can grasp what the big things really are. Maybe that means Tokyo Ghoul will join the lineup considering how popular the franchise is (especially the manga). Big things could also mean that later this year, One-Punch Man could have a dub premiere on the action block (I can imagine the glee from fans if that does happen). Right now, with Parasyte quickly approaching the end, I don’t think it’ll be a huge blockbuster show that everyone has been waiting for to be showcased on Toonami.

This is what happens when a dubbing company sends out a little tweet for fun. Fans and analysts alike start to speculate on what it could mean for Toonami. It would be great if a new Sentai Filmworks series was on deck because of the hard work they’ve put in these past few years. It would be even better  if Sentai Filmworks surprises fans with a dub premiere from a show, no one thought of before. Or it might be a show that fans aren’t as hyped up about. Even that would be fine. It’s all the same to me, and whatever show is chosen should help in making Toonami a better cartoon block.

C.J Maffris is an editorial writer for Toonamifaithful.com. He hopes that Sentai Filmworks will continue to be represented in the action block. Feel free to speculate on a new show with him on Twitter @SeaJayMaffris