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That was one of the stupidest decisions AS programming made with the Toonami lineup. I’m still wondering exactly why it ever happened because “performance” most likely wasn’t the reason. Then they actually played season 4 as the lead as if they never buried season 3. Just what the actual hell?

I thought tickets averaged closer to 10 dollars. And we’re counting the total gross in the US not just the first weekend. Easily 2 million tickets were sold by now. Probably 3 to 4 times the audience DS got on Toonami on average even counting DVR and on-demand. It was top 10 on Netflix for a couple of weeks and that’s easily a million viewers.

They want to air Shippuden once a week for as long as possible. They also don’t want to use more than one slot on Shippuden during Toonami. It’s at 3am anyway. The only shows after it lately have been reruns.

The ratio of people who went to see it ONLY because they saw the show on Toonami is likely very small. The biggest chunk would be from the simulcast and Netflix undoubtedly helped more than Toonami did. We’ll see if Toonami can reap the benefits with a dub premiere of the next season. They didn’t really get attention from airing much less rerunning season one.

Seems odd they didn’t mention Uzumaki which you’d think would be done in time to air this year but DeMarco did tweet something about it progressing slowly (sorry I looked but can’t find that tweet). I’m thinking October or November for Blade Runner, maybe December if it doesn’t have to line up with a Japanese broadcast. Fena will be previewed at Annecy in June, maybe it will air as early as July.

At the very bottom of this Variety article announcing the premiere date for Tuca & Bertie season 2, we get this: “Other upcoming series on Adult Swim include the Japanese anime style “Blade Runner: Black Lotus” and “Fena: Pirate Princess,” which are co-productions between the network and Crunchyroll and will be apart of the Toonami lineup later this year.” https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/tuca-bertie-season-2-adult-swim-premiere-date-1234962719/

It took some digging but I finally found Adult Swim’s current total viewer average. It’s sitting at 420 (lol) thousand viewers. https://www.scribd.com/document/505334295/April-2021-Cable-Network-Ranker-Total-Viewers The 2020 average was about 500k. Which was down 20% from 2019. If the average is close to 400,000 now then Birdgirl and Final Space getting around 300,000 seem to be doing alright. And that also means DBS and Attack on Titan probably look pretty good right now as far as the network is concerned. I definitely think MHA could pull in as many or more viewers as DBS reruns can but I don’t expect it could pull in significantly more. I still am willing to believe it can edge out DBS regularly but regardless of it being at 12am or 12:30, I don’t expect it to pull in 400k regularly.

I decided to dig up some ratings from when MHA was the lead and compared them to the most recent ratings I could find that showed how well Family Guy did before DBS. Looking at these, it seems like DBS reruns hold Family Guy at least a tad better than MHA premieres. There are some weeks when DBS reruns came very close to Family Guy's ratings. We unfortunately have no idea how Family Guy has been doing lately and can only judge how Final Space premieres are doing compared to Super but I'd have to guess Family Guy isn't beating Super by more than about 100,000 viewers if even that. If they're not confident that MHA can hold those viewers as well as DBS does then it's a least somewhat understandable why they insist MHA isn't the right show to air directly after Family Guy. December 7th 2019 Family Guy (repeat) (ADSM, 10:00 PM, 30 min.) • 0.692 million viewers (#43) • 0.43 HH (#46) • 0.32 A18-49 (#9) • 0.28 A18-34 (#7) • 0.34 A25-54 (#10) • 0.10 A55+ Family Guy (repeat) (ADSM, 10:30 PM, 30 min.) • 0.811 million viewers (#27) • 0.50 HH (#32) • 0.40 A18-49 (#4) • 0.31 A18-34 (#3) • 0.43 A25-54 (#7) • 0.11 A55+ My Hero Academia (Adult Swim, 11:00 PM, 30 min.) • 0.550 million viewers • 0.28 A18-49 • 0.27 A25-54 • 0.06 A55+ One-Punch Man (Adult Swim, 11:30 PM, 30 min.) • 0.453 million viewers • 0.22 A18-49 • 0.22 A25-54 • 0.07 A55+ Read more: https://programminginsider.com/saturday-final-ratings-sec-championship-caps-cbs-sports-best-college-football-season-average-viewership-since-1990/ June 13th 2020 Family Guy (repeat) (Adult Swim, 11:00 PM, 30 min.) • 0.659 million viewers [#112] • 0.419 million adults 18-49 • 0.32 A18-49 [#2] • 0.30 A25-54 [#26] • 0.10 A55+ [#595] Family Guy (repeat) (Adult Swim, 11:30 PM, 30 min.) • 0.608 million viewers [#137] • 0.407 million adults 18-49 • 0.31 A18-49 [#3] • 0.32 A25-54 [#16] • 0.08 A55+ [#655] My Hero Academia (repeat) (Adult Swim, 12:00 AM, 30 min.) • 0.451 million viewers [#248] • 0.295 million adults 18-49 • 0.23 A18-49 [#20] • 0.23 A25-54 [#78] • 0.05 A55+ [#787] Paranoia Agent (repeat) (Adult Swim, 12:30 AM, 30 min.) • 0.347 million viewers [#421] • 0.259 million adults 18-49 • 0.20 A18-49 [#43] • 0.19 A25-54 [#111] • 0.03 A55+ [#862] Read more: https://programminginsider.com/saturday-final-ratings-nine-broadcast-networks-combine-for-just-11-million-viewers-in-prime-time/ June 20th 2020 Family Guy (repeat) (Adult Swim, 11:00 PM, 30 min.) • 0.696 million viewers [#107] • 0.433 million adults 18-49 • 0.33 A18-49 [#5] • 0.35 A25-54 [#15] • 0.12 A55+ [#571] Family Guy (repeat) (Adult Swim, 11:30 PM, 30 min.) • 0.713 million viewers [#100] • 0.472 million adults 18-49 • 0.36 A18-49 [#4] • 0.39 A25-54 [#11] • 0.10 A55+ [#623] My Hero Academia (Adult Swim, 12:00 AM, 30 min.) • 0.521 million viewers [#188] • 0.344 million adults 18-49 • 0.27 A18-49 [#15] • 0.27 A25-54 [#54] • 0.06 A55+ [#754] Paranoia Agent (repeat) (Adult Swim, 12:30 AM, 30 min.) • 0.359 million viewers [#371] • 0.246 million adults 18-49 • 0.19 A18-49 [#58] • 0.19 A25-54 [#109] • 0.04 A55+ [#801] Read more: https://programminginsider.com/saturday-final-ratings-2019-feature-film-ford-v-ferrari-makes-hbo-network-premiere/ June 27th 2020 Family Guy (repeat) (Adult Swim, 11:00 PM, 30 min.) • 0.637 million viewers [#151] • 0.364 million adults 18-49 • 0.28 A18-49 [#5] • 0.30 A25-54 [#14] • 0.12 A55+ [#563] Family Guy (repeat) (Adult Swim, 11:30 PM, 30 min.) • 0.688 million viewers [#130] • 0.382 million adults 18-49 • 0.30 A18-49 [#4] • 0.33 A25-54 [#7] • 0.13 A55+ [#542] My Hero Academia (Adult Swim, 12:00 AM, 30 min.) • 0.499 million viewers [#229] • 0.289 million adults 18-49 • 0.22 A18-49 [#15] • 0.24 A25-54 [#53] • 0.08 A55+ [#670] Paranoia Agent (repeat) (Adult Swim, 12:30 AM, 30 min.) • 0.358 million viewers [#431] • 0.219 million adults 18-49 • 0.17 A18-49 [#66] • 0.18 A25-54 [#136] • 0.05 A55+ [#762] Read more: https://programminginsider.com/saturday-final-ratings-tnt-wins-prime-time-among-adults-18-49-and-25-54-with-telecast-of-2018-feature-film-avengers-infinity-war/ October 3rd 2020 Family Guy (repeat) (Adult Swim, 11:00 PM, 30 min.) • 0.563 million viewers [#162] • 0.293 million adults 18-49 • 0.23 A18-49 [#32] • 0.28 A25-54 [#47] • 0.10 A55+ [#674] Family Guy (repeat) (Adult Swim, 11:30 PM, 30 min.) • 0.546 million viewers [#175] • 0.289 million adults 18-49 • 0.22 A18-49 [#33] • 0.25 A25-54 [#70] • 0.10 A55+ [#648] Dragon Ball Super (repeat) (Adult Swim, 12:00 AM, 30 min.) • 0.429 million viewers [#264] • 0.240 million adults 18-49 • 0.19 A18-49 [#62] • 0.20 A25-54 [#109] • 0.10 A55+ [#695] JoJo’s Bizarre Adventures: Golden Wind (Adult Swim, 12:30 AM, 30 min.) • 0.344 million viewers [#383] • 0.185 million adults 18-49 • 0.14 A18-49 [#113] • 0.15 A25-54 [#192] • 0.08 A55+ [#788] Read more: https://programminginsider.com/saturday-final-ratings-snl-on-nbc-attracts-its-second-largest-season-premiere-audience-in-12-years/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=saturday-final-ratings-snl-on-nbc-attracts-its-second-largest-season-premiere-audience-in-12-years October 10th 2020 Family Guy (repeat) (Adult Swim, 11:00 PM, 30 min.) • 0.420 million viewers [#282] • 0.232 million adults 18-49 • 0.18 A18-49 [#61] • 0.19 A25-54 [#115] • 0.09 A55+ [#754] Family Guy (repeat) (Adult Swim, 11:30 PM, 30 min.) • 0.508 million viewers [#193] • 0.298 million adults 18-49 • 0.23 A18-49 [#23] • 0.23 A25-54 [#74] • 0.10 A55+ [#738] Dragon Ball Super (repeat) (Adult Swim, 12:00 AM, 30 min.) • 0.381 million viewers [#335] • 0.234 million adults 18-49 • 0.18 A18-49 [#54] • 0.17 A25-54 [#138] • 0.07 A55+ [#883] JoJo’s Bizarre Adventures: Golden Wind (Adult Swim, 12:30 AM, 30 min.) • 0.327 million viewers [#444] • 0.222 million adults 18-49 • 0.17 A18-49 [#70] • 0.16 A25-54 [#165] • 0.03 A55+ [#1180] Read more: https://programminginsider.com/saturday-final-ratings-saturday-night-live-on-nbc-leads-entertainment-telecasts-in-total-viewers-for-second-consecutive-week/ October 24th 2020 Family Guy (repeat) (Adult Swim, 11:00 PM, 30 min.) • 0.434 million viewers [#291] • 0.236 million adults 18-49 • 0.18 A18-49 [#72] • 0.19 A25-54 [#130] • 0.07 A55+ [#879] Family Guy (repeat) (Adult Swim, 11:30 PM, 30 min.) • 0.460 million viewers [#261] • 0.258 million adults 18-49 • 0.20 A18-49 [#43] • 0.19 A25-54 [#130] • 0.08 A55+ [#803] Dragon Ball Super (repeat) (Adult Swim, 12:00 AM, 30 min.) • 0.433 million viewers [#293] • 0.262 million adults 18-49 • 0.20 A18-49 [#39] • 0.18 A25-54 [#149] • 0.08 A55+ [#813] JoJo’s Bizarre Adventures: Golden Wind (Adult Swim, 12:30 AM, 30 min.) • 0.400 million viewers [#324] • 0.228 million adults 18-49 • 0.18 A18-49 [#85] • 0.17 A25-54 [#196] • 0.07 A55+ [#866] Read more: https://programminginsider.com/saturday-final-ratings-snl-on-nbc-rises-from-recent-two-weeks-with-adele-as-host/ December 5th 2020 Family Guy (repeat) (Adult Swim, 11:00 PM, 30 min.) • 0.515 million viewers [#205] • 0.289 million adults 18-49 • 0.22 A18-49 [#31] • 0.25 A25-54 [#56] • 0.12 A55+ [#659] Family Guy (repeat) (Adult Swim, 11:30 PM, 30 min.) • 0.573 million viewers [#173] • 0.343 million adults 18-49 • 0.26 A18-49 [#20] • 0.30 A25-54 [#27] • 0.11 A55+ [#699] Dragon Ball Super (repeat) (Adult Swim, 12:00 AM, 30 min.) • 0.436 million viewers [#285] • 0.277 million adults 18-49 • 0.21 A18-49 [#37] • 0.21 A25-54 [#81] • 0.08 A55+ [#819] Sword Art Online: Alicization of the Underworld Part 2 (Adult Swim, 12:30 AM, 30 min.) • 0.301 million viewers [#508] • 0.187 million adults 18-49 • 0.14 A18-49 [#115] • 0.15 A25-54 [#200] • 0.07 A55+ [#919] Read more: https://programminginsider.com/saturday-final-ratings-cbs-tops-prime-time-with-sec-college-football/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=saturday-final-ratings-cbs-tops-prime-time-with-sec-college-football

My guess is the contract only allows for so many airings and they don’t want to blow through them when they have other options.

We have marathon ratings to prove it as well as prime time ratings. They also gave it a whole hour on weeknights for a while so it clearly did fine there.

Dragon Ball Super reruns aren’t drawing viewers just because they air first. People really will watch DBS reruns regardless of when it’s airing. It’s comfort food like Family Guy, having the two back to back is a pretty unbeatable combo. That’s what they don’t want to give up.

While I'm generally for the live and let live mentality and am very capable of ignoring Super when it's airing... I'm not so easily dissuaded to ignore how Super's continued presence short-changes every other show on the block, especially the ones after 1am. I can't simply "switch off" how much that irritates me, so I can understand others who feel the same. It's difficult to find the balance between maintaining verbal pressure against DBS reruns and not letting the negative feelings consume me. It undoubtedly affects my enjoyment of the block. I'm trying to be happy about Dr. Stone and My Hero Academia but it's not easy to ignore the Goku shaped elephant in the room whenever something neat joins the block.

I think we're getting a bit hung up on the "nostalgia pick" comment though. I didn't necessarily take that as his game plan for replacing DBS. I heard it as two separate thoughts. He and Gill have some ideas for shows that could potentially replace DBS, that's one thought. The other thought is that no anime does as well in reruns as DBZ / Super, not even My Hero Academia, but maybe there's a show that can draw somewhere near that level and it might be another old favorite. That doesn't necessarily mean that a nostalgia pick should lead the block nor does it mean that's what he has in mind for when they collectively decide that DBS has outwore its welcome. If I had to guess what he might want to try in the top slot... Original series, the next season of Primal, a DC animated series if they could get one, the upcoming season of Bleach and maybe a hot anime they haven't aired before like Jujutsu Kaisen. And yeah he'd probably jump at the chance to air Sailor Moon if he could but I don't think he'd actually try Gundam Wing or G Gundam at midnight. Yu Yu Hakusho is a long commitment that they probably aren't sure would pan out.

I don't think anyone who regularly live tweets the ToP actually mind that DBS is still airing in the lead. At least not very much.

If they really think a nostalgia play is the way to go then they should try sticking Naruto Shippuden at midnight. I know it didn't do fantastic at 10pm but it might be able to beat DBS reruns.

Well I sure as HFIL don't promote Super airing beyond griping that it's airing (and never during the broadcast because I'm not even home by then most Saturdays). It would however be odd for Toonami News or Toonami Squad to just pretend Toonami started at 12:30am so I don't see that happening.

Then I consider this interview a success.

Now there's an expectation that any week they tune in there will be Dragon Ball Super at midnight. Not before midnight. Not after midnight. Specifically midnight. It's what viewers expect and it's what advertisers expect. And truthfully it's not usually a detriment for any show to be directly after DBS at the 12:30 slot. The problem is they have a stacked line-up and shows like Dr. Stone get 1am AT BEST when the 2nd slot is already occupied by the show that should be at midnight. And some shows end up premiering after 2am. Toonami's only dub premiere in May will be moved to 2am. Granted it's the not well received second season of The Promised Neverland but it still seems like a waste to put the only dub premiere that late. It would also be less of a problem if DBS was at 11pm or even 11:30pm instead of having 4 straight American Dad episodes in prime time but that loops back to the prior statement, everyone expects DBS at midnight and moving it earlier doesn't help it do better. They should be preparing for when Family Guy leaves by building up something else on Saturday but its clear they are going to ride that 11pm hour of Family Guy as far as they can before they abruptly get thrown off.

Overall a great line-up. It's a bit cold to move Neverland to 2am but it's not a good adaption anyway. Though for consistency I would have opted to move Food Wars to 2am and leave Neverland at 1:30. It's not a big jump regardless. I'm thrilled to have Dr. Stone back and having it air right next to MHA. But you know... that fark'n Dragon Ball Super rerun just sucks the life out of any good change the block makes.

Yeah this probably isn’t at least mostly Jason’s decision. AS programming decides the schedule and contracts often dictate when shows can air. AS schedules are a bunch of stubborn nimrods though and Jason will defend anything they do.

Oh man... they’ll probably recast Haru too.

Landon McDonald actually sounds a lot like Vic and took over for Rohan and a character in Bungo Stray Dogs, I also think Xander Mobus can do similar voices to Vic's but FUNimation's go to Vic replacement seems to only be Johnny Yong Bosch. He took over for Broly and Sabo and now he's filling in a Scythe as well. I wonder if Vic gave Johnny his blessing for taking all his FUNimation roles or something or if the directors at FUNi just think he's a good substitute. Johnny certainly has notoriety and that's one reason why Vic got the roles he did so perhaps they feel it's an "equivalent exchange". Now just imagine Johnny returning as Ichigo but also taking over Ikkaku in Bleach. Yeah... probably not gonna happen but it'd be interesting. Xander would be a good choice for Ikkaku though. Regarding the first segment of the episode: I appreciate we're getting a chance to see how recent revelations for Company 8 affect Iris. It only makes sense for her to have a crisis of faith after finding out the Holy Sol Temple was created by one of the White Clad. But that one guy from Company 1 made a good point about what they're really putting their faith in. It was also good to hear Shinra talk about how difficult it is for him to put infernals to rest but he's grateful that he hasn't become numb to it. And they juxtapose that thoughtful segment with Assault's special training to defeat Tamaki. That was certainly a choice. I do appreciate that they show a goofy side to many of the members of the White Clad but not so much that the group loses it's threatening aura.

This isn't the first time Warner has attempted to reboot ThunderCats as a movie. I remember that old screen test. I'm more than a little bit concerned that this is also the guy who directed Netflix's Death Note movie but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.

That'sa nice! I do not tolerate this Gridman slander and count me among the people who feel physically pained by how well GXP is ranked.

I dunno about that. The visuals for OPM season 2 were a huge let down but the story was basically there. Tokyo Ghoul Root A is fair comparison here but I have to say I managed to get more out of Root A then I've gotten out of the 2nd anime season of The Promised Neverland and that's a dang shame because the first season was great. If you thought they stood around and talked a lot in season one, season two take that to a whole different level. There's a bunch of scenes where they kids are just standing around as something is explained to them where in the manga the reader was treated to a depiction of what they're talking about. So it's pretty dull even when the story takes interesting turns. On top of that the anime by-passes what a lot of people consider to be the best arc of the whole story and that's just a waste. And the viewers won't even see the disappointment coming because the first few episodes are thrilling. So I expect plenty of people will watch the first episode and be like "oh people didn't know what they were talking about, this is good" but they'll see soon enough that the anime is writing checks it can't cash.