My $.02...
I tend to think the threat is just a joke to try to bring more people into the ATHF movie. Really, if there isn't that much overlap between comedy and action fans, would the people who will see the ATHF movie really care if AS loses anime?
AS likes to crack on its anime fans due to the fact that comedy typically pulls in better ratings, and that many of us anime fans admittedly tend to take the format too seriously. But here's my thought: Adult Swim is the #1 network in its demographic during the hours it airs. That means the entire 7-8 hour block, 6 nights a week, which includes anime and comedy alike. I really don't think anime is the liability that they sometimes make it out to be.
KhakiBlueSocks wrote:Anyway, if Adult Swim gets rid of its Saturday Anime block, what other channels on cable have anime?
Some of these have already been mentioned...
- AZN Television (though it's only on digital cable in most areas, and they've scaled back quite a bit on the time they devote to anime)
- IFC (has aired 3 series so far and has been fairly generous with the time slots)
- Anime Network (though it's only available as a full-time channel in a limited number of towns. Most major digital cable operators do offer some of their programming on-demand, though.)
- FUNimation Channel (though it's available 24/7 in even fewer cities than Anime Network is. It is also available in a handful of cities as a free over-the-air channel, if you have a digital TV.)
- Colours TV (available on Dish Network. They air a nightly block of FUNimation programming.)
- ImaginAsian TV (only available in a limited number of areas)
- Encore Action (available on most cable and satellite systems as part of a movie tier package or subscription to the Starz! movie channel)
- Encore WAM! (available on most cable and satellite systems as part of a movie tier package or subscription to the Starz! movie channel)
Just a quick note about Encore Action and Encore WAM! if you have satellite... This weekend (through April 22), both DirecTV and Dish Network are offering a free preview of the Starz! movie packages, which include Encore Action and Encore WAM! So you may be able to check out some of the anime programming they offer during that time.
ChristianKitsune wrote:Maybe AS just drove the fans away? I mean...it seems a bit wierd to me, that the anime/manga industry is still growing...but ratings like this occur.
Maybe people would rather buy DVDs or watch their anime on Youtube, rather than wait an entire week to watch anime on a network that dogs on it all the time...*Shrugs*
For a while I thought anime was starting to do poorly in the US because of the ratings on Adult Swim..but I have been proven wrong XD..
I know I'm coming at this with a glass half-full perspective... But personally, I think it goes back to the fact that AS is #1 in its timeslot as a whole, including the hours it airs anime. A lot of networks would probably love to have the ratings that even the anime pull in.
Also, I think that probably a lot of people have gotten addicted to anime because of AS. I'm one of them. ]I actually sort of like Shin-Chan...^^[/QUOTE]
I agree. Personally I think it's a very funny show, but I really wish they'd clean up their mouths.
Tom Dincht wrote:As far as the anime form of Family Guy goes, when discussing pop culture references I would probably say you were correct to a certain degree but the nature of the show itself is far different.
I'd agree with this also. Shin-Chan reminds me more of South Park, in that it has little kids who are knowledgeable about some adult topics, as well as the cultural references. But Shin-Chan doesn't come off as mean-spirited or try to be a social commentary the way South Park does.
mitsuki lover wrote:Really it would work if:A)they gave it more time...
You may be right here. In the past that when they would make a Saturday schedule change, ratings would fall off. Then they would slowly start rising again, eventually making it to 400,000 or so for the top shows, which is a respectable number. But AS would change the schedule again, and the ratings would fall off. And this cycle would continue.
mitsuki lover wrote:...and B)they rotated their anime around every so often.Certainly airing the same series all the time is probably what killed it the first time around.
I would be careful on this point. Right when FMA was at its peak (consistently pulling in between 400,000 & 600,000 a week -- and GitS wasn't doing too badly either), they switched up the schedule, premiering Samurai Champloo, and ratings fell shortly thereafter. FMA was pulled at the halfway point, because AS wanted to premiere the rest of the episodes later in the year. If AS wanted to hold off on the rest of the episodes, personally I think they would have been better off rerunning the first 26 eps again. I tend to think that pulling FMA entirely really killed off the momentum it had going, and Saturdays have never been the same since.
Anyway that's my $.02...