Toonami was a popular television block on Cartoon Network, started in 1997 until its cancelation in 2008. But after just four short years off the air, the block was brought back for Adult Swim. Diving even heavier into it's anime origins, Toonami has been going strong ever since.
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The original Toonami run is credited with bringing anime to the Unites States, with its most popular shows being Dragon Ball Z, Voltron, One Piece, andNaruto, among others, being extremely popular and introduced anime to an entire generation.
'My Hero Academia' (2016-Present)
My Hero is set in a world where 80% of the world has superpowers, called "Quirks". It follows Izuku Midoriya, also known as Deku, who is one of the few who is without a Quirk. The world of My Hero is particularly interesting, and no two character having the same Quirk gives it a unique feel.
It is considered one of the best "modern" anime out right now, due to its diverse characters, power scaling, story arcs and humor. It also spawned several movies to the show, which are usually optional, but MHA movies have a little tie, or at least a reference, in the main plot.
'Jojo's Bizarre Adventure' (2012-Present)
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure is such a unique anime, ranging from Fantasy to Supernatural. It follows the Joestar family throughout different points in time. While there is a common thread between each part, there is always a new story and characters introduced.
Jojo's is also a reflection of the real world, albeit with individuals possessing special abilities and supernatural elements. The locations of each part are all based in reality, so it's nice to see familiar places with a twist. The animation is also incredibly unique.
'Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba' (2016-2020)
The newest show to be placed on the Toonami block, in 2020. After a demon kills his entire family except his sister, Tanjiro trains to be a Demon Slayer, with his ultimate goal of turning his sister back from a demon to a human.
The show is not anything super unique or new. The story is straight forward, but the characters are well written, likeable, and the action is great. All those things are what made it a massive success in America, The movie, Mugen Train, which is the bridge between seasons one and two, is the highest grossing anime movie ever.
'Bleach' (2004-2012)
Bleach was a part of the debut lineup for Toonami's rebirth, along with classics Dragon Ball Z, Gundam Wing, Yu Yu Hakusho and more. Bleach follows teenager Ichigo Kurosaki after he inherits the powers of a Soul Reaper.
Ichigo is cool because, unlike other anime, he starts off strong and isn't disliked by practically anyone. Bleach had remained unfinished, but after ten years has made its return with the Thousand-Year Blood War arc. At some point, one can assume the show will find itself in Toonami's block once again.
'Naruto: Shippuden' (2007-2017)
The sequel series to Naruto, which had a home on Toonami from 2005 to its cancelation in '08. Shippuden picks up a few years later, with Naruto still on the hunt to save Sasuke from the dark path he goes down. Shippuden has some of the most iconic moments and arcs in all anime.
The show ran from 2007-2017, and has been a mainstay on Toonami since 2014. The show featured climactic fights years in the making, including: Sasuke vs Itachi, Madara vs the Shinobi Alliance, and the rematch between Nauto and Sasuke.
'Star Wars: The Clone Wars' (2008-2020)
The Clone Wars is one of the most beloved mediums to the Star Wars franchise that has ever been made. With the introduction of fan favorite Ahsoka Tano, as well as more detailed stories of other Jedi's the movies didn't cover.
After being canceled, Dave Filoni was able to finish the series with season seven, which premiered in 2020. It was regarded as the series best season, and saw iconic fights with Ahsoka and Darth Maul, as well as Ahsoka during Order 66.
'Cowboy Bebop' (1998-1999)
An OG anime that first appeared in the 90s for Adult Swim, was not a part of the original Toonami block. TOM, the animated host of the Toonami block, is also the voice of Spike, the main protagonist of Cowboy Bebop, Steve Blum.
Following a crew of bounty hunters, known as Cowboys, as they travel on their ship the Bebop. Spike and his crew meet new people while traveling space. The show has become an absolute classic in the anime community, and a show many point to watch when first introduced to the genre.
'Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood' (2009-2010)
After a controversial Fullmetal Alchemist show debuted in 2003 that diverted from its Manga source material, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood came out a few years later in 2009, and was very well received. It follows brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric as they try to get their bodies back after a failed Alchemic experiment.
The new version of Fullmetal is more in line with the source material, as far as characters personalities, arcs and plot. More lighthearted with serious moments, Brotherhood is a shorter anime but considered to be one of the best.
'Attack on Titan' (2013-Present)
Attack on Titan has been a mainstay on Toonami for years now, and rightfully so, since it is one of the most popular anime on the market. Eren Jaeger, Mikasa Ackerman, and Armin Arlert and others inside the walls try and survive when the giants known as Titans breach their walls.
The show is well known for its intricate plot, where every line of dialogue can have a more significant meaning upon further inspection, and every scene can come back full circle years later. Toonami has run a few AoT marathons since being a part of the block.
'Dragon Ball Super' (2015-2018)
The follow-up to Dragon Ball Z, Super debuted with two films: Battle of the Gods and Resurrection of F. Picking up years after the Majin Buu saga, Goku, Vegeta, and the rest of the Z Fighters go up against the Destroyer God, Beerus, the return of their rival, Frieza, and many more.
Perhaps one of the most popular arcs in Dragon Ball to date is the Tournament of Power, where Goku unlocks a new form, Ultra Instinct, against the powerful Jiren. He even has to team up wit Frieza to win the fight in the end.
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