CN Upfront: TOONAMI Programming

After an entire year of successful original programming, the Cartoon Network has recently finished its annual programming conference with high hopes for the up and coming year. This year, the company broke a wide variety of stories; pertaining to new television series' for all demographics, and with regards to all of their increasingly popular programming blocks as well. For the rest of the 2005-year, expect some high quality and well produced animation to hit the airwaves.

This particular article of press is an announcement with regards to everything related to the incredibly popular Toonami programming block. For all of your info on Toonami and all of its programming, visit Animation Insider's Toonami website, at ANX.aifandom.com.

Toonami’s 2005 schedule is loaded with new series, all-new episodes of the best action-animé programming and the premiere of IGPX, the first Toonami original series. Toonami is Cartoon Network’s popular action-animé programming block which airs Saturday nights from 7-11 p.m. (ET, PT).

IGPX (The Immortal Grand Prix), set to debut in November, takes viewers inside the world of the Immortal Grand Prix with a team on their way to the championship match. For the new series, Cartoon Network partnered with Production I.G., the famed Japanese animation studio responsible for Ghost in the Shell and animation sequences in Kill Bill.

IGPX

The year is 2048 and the “IGPX,” has become the world’s most-popular sport. It’s so big that an entire city was built for the racing industry, and competitions takes place on a huge, 60-mile track called “The Big Eye.” In the “Immortal Grand Prix,” two teams of three giant robots, driven by human pilots, race at speeds greater than 350 mph. Team Satomi, a crew of amateur pilots, has just won a minor-league championship and now finds themselves vaulted into the sport’s highest level- the IG-1. Now, the untested rookies of Team Satomi must overcome impossible odds and beat the world’s most skilled pilots (and ruthless opponents) in the planet's biggest event, the “Immortal Grand Prix.”

In other news in addition to IGPX in 2005, Toonami will air a new series about the early days of The Dark Knight, four new acquisitions and new episodes of Teen Titans and Justice League Unlimited. Highlights of the Toonami programming line-up for 2005 are as follows:

New Series:

The Batman: Based on the famed DC Comics superhero and the most complex and intriguing character in comic-book history, The Batman, has its Cartoon Network premiere on Saturday, April 2, at 8:30 p.m. (ET, PT). In his mid-20s, The Batman is just finding his way as protector, defender and Dark Knight while balancing his public persona as billionaire bachelor Bruce Wayne, the seemingly laid-back heir to a multibillion-dollar fortune and honorary CEO of Wayne Industries. Living in Gotham, this younger Batman confronts each member of his classic Rogues Gallery for the first time, including Joker, Penguin, Catwoman, Mr. Freeze, Riddler and Man-Bat, among others.

Acquisitions:

Zatch Bell: The new series takes viewers to the world of good and evil demons as Zatch Bell seeks to become the benevolent king over all of the demons that have come to Earth to conduct the ultimate battle. Reluctant as he may be to fight against the evil demons, Zatch battles his adversaries with the help of his human friend, Kory. The power of the duo grows stronger as their relationship develops. Zatch Bell will air in March.

One Piece: A boy, whose body has the properties of rubber, and his friends are on the search for the treasure left behind by a pirate king called “One Piece.” Whoever finds this treasure will become King of the Pirates. One Piece will begin in May.

Naruto: Twelve years ago, a nasty demon decimated a village but was contained in a baby’s body. Now this antisocial boy, a student at a ninja academy, does not know that he is possessed. As he evolves as a ninja his inner demon gives him more and more powers. But he must learn to control them to become a master ninja without destroying those around him. The series is scheduled to air in third quarter.

Bobobo-bo Bo-Bobo: In this silly action series BoBoBo can talk to and understand hair. With the help of his blond hair, he is out to save the land from the Hair Patrol posse and their leader, Baldy Bald, who is forcing everyone to be bald. The action series is scheduled to air in fourth quarter.

New Episodes of Returning Series:

Teen Titans: Led by Robin, the group forms a defensive force to protect their sunny hometown from a new generation of villains. When the group, which also includes Beast Boy, Raven, Starfire and Cyborg, are not battling bad guys, the Teen Titans live together in a T-shaped tower, playing video games and bickering about whose turn it is to do the dishes. New episodes bring new and exciting changes for the Teen Titans. Cyborg has his final showdown with Brother Blood, and the Teen Titans move to a new tower with five new members. Popular DC Comics characters, such as Aqualad, Bumblebee and Speedy, pitch in to help the Teen Titans in 17 new episodes that will air this year.

Justice League Unlimited: The Justice League, led by Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern, has grown much larger because the threats are even greater. This season, Black Canary, Shayera, Vigilante, Vixen and The Question step up to face such villains as Lex Luthor, Felix Faust and Tobias Whale. And Superman takes on Cadmus in a battle that will determine the future of the League. Twenty-three new episodes will air this year.

D.I.C.E: D.I.C.E (DNA Integrated Cybernetic Enterprises) is a large organization established to deal with emergencies occurring throughout the Sarbylion galaxy. D.I.C.E F-99 is the only unit comprised entirely of highly trained kids. When a problem arises, D.I.C.E is called to the rescue. And when their special training and skills aren’t enough, they rely on their Dinobreakers to help get the job done. Twenty-six episodes will air this year.

Dragonball GT: Goku, Trunks and Pan set out on their quest to recover the bizarre Black Star dragon balls, which were scattered across the entire galaxy after Goku was transformed into his boyhood state. If Goku cannot succeed in collecting the dragon balls, the planet on which the wish was made will explode. Goku has only one year to save Earth. The quest continues with 16 new episodes in 2005.

Duel Masters: The animé series about Shobu, a master of an engrossing playing card game who can bring the cards’ creatures to life, returns in March with twenty-six new episodes.