The Rise, Fall and Rise Again of Toonami

[@JordanFringe94]

Thanks so much for watching! Let me know some of your memories with Toonami in the comments!

[@EarthyOSC]

Ok

[@anthonyi.3118]

Toonami was just oozing with cool vibes that really made it stand out amongst the kiddy stuff of the time

[@MarkB7774]

I was always waiting for Toonami to come on.

[@MartinThePolarBear]

Definitely watching DBZ, Yu Yu Hakusho, Sailor Moon, and Gundam

[@diaquallo]

Watching all my favorite shows after school, it was a classic!

[@rickeykoga2312]

Toonami was my entire childhood - the entire aesthetic, the esoteric cut scenes, and the content. The 90s and 2000s lineup was absolutely stacked

[@aiwash2766]

Toonami also was the birth of Lofi music without us even knowing, watching toonami around 2007 as a 7 year old I had no idea I was watching anime, it was just weird cartoons for me, thankfully I remember watching anime through toonami and it makes me cherish those memories even more

[@OmgRae979]

Yes!! I was 7 thinking “I like this animation of entertainment” = “I like these cartoons”😂

[@thesaltyweeb]

Lofi huh? Thats great to know!

[@MrGanjie]

Toonami and adultswim bumpers really slid us some nice lofi style beats

[@hemisphereblack5126]

Thats how i got into Flying lotus

[@jamespuso1627]

I feel like that was more adult swim proper in the 00s with those J. Dilla beats than it was Toonami, although Jason Demarco was responsible for both

[@SalsaConMesquite]

As a 95 baby, I cannot stress how much Toonami had an effect between CN and AS. I've grown up on so much anime introduced thru Toonami and I'm so glad you made this. Ty JF.

[@SalsaConMesquite]

DB and Sailor Moon at 5 years old were my first anime

[@Movienerd092]

@@SalsaConMesquitesame here

[@sophisitcated1194]

so true! ugh, the good memories from AS and Toonami are unmatched!

[@rookooful]

toonami also aired spirited away which sparked my love of ghibli movies. I must have watched that movie at least 5 times on toonami.

[@sophisitcated1194]

ooh, yes! that was my introduction back in 2000/2001. i use to love when Toonami would air it here and there. good times.@@rookooful

[@TheBrez]

Tom from Toonami is the uncle who gave everyone cool anime to grow up with. Will never forget being introduced to FLCL, Evangelion, and other fantastic series through Toonami.

[@ualarga]

Fricking Trigun!!

[@chasonthedon]

The 90’s gave birth to such timeless classics, ourselves included

[@kristopherwillis8075]

Facts 🎯

[@dwaynejackson551]

The 90s molded me, toonami made me the dork I am today.

[@jqueue3id]

Favorited comment.

[@blablableep6811]

90s kids in a nutshell

[@ianskiver6246]

You right. I’m old goddamnit but you right

[@ThatShadowSiren]

Toonami was CN to me as a kid. The heart and soul of the network. I still say Toonami's original cancelation was the moment the CN that I knew died and was very happy when Toonami reappeared on Adult Swim. I still try to have it in the background on Saturday Nights to this day. I'm very glad 11 years later, the Toonami we have now is still going strong.

[@chriskennedy6300]

My god... TOONAMI... back in 1998 when I was 11 and remembering how eager I was to head home from Junior High School to watch everything it offered to make my day. How I wish I could go back and relieve those times again... Nostalgia can be quite powerful and THIS video dialed it up to 11.... Thank you Jordan... ✌😎

[@creatorsfreedom6734]

Toonami was a nice Interlude for the more Mature Cartoon's , to which then later on Adult Swim would show even more Adult Based Content , or used too

[@redmustangredmustang]

I run home and watch DBZ just in time when the school bus got home. Shows how old we are.

[@LyricalIAm]

I was 2 😂

[@dark14life]

Haha, I was 18 back in '98. When I was 11 I was using an old cable box with analog tuning to watch -Cinemax- Skinemax late at night. Damn, I hadn't thought about that in years.

[@dark14life]

@@creatorsfreedom6734 Sealab 2021 baby!

[@Zero_63194]

Toonami is responsible for making me learn the difference between cartoons and anime. I love it

[@morrius0757]

And introducing us to the term they used to transition our minds from cartoon to anime by creating the term Japanimation. lol

[@RtistiqSkubie]

​@@morrius0757Japanamation was term used WELL BEFORE Toonami came along. During Demon City & Crying Freeman early 90s

[@DBZAOTA482]

It was the same for most people outside Japan. DBZ and Gundam Wing were unlike any western cartoon at the time, which in turn drew much more interest in Japanese animation (what it was known as at the time).

[@Azelja]

Although I don't really watch it anymore, it almost brings a tear to my eye to know something so impactful from my childhood is still around and running strong.

[@Random_Guy_20xx]

Yeah, especially in the internet streaming Era of anime

[@MegaVidFan1]

One of my oldest memories is recording the episode of Naruto, where he and Gaara fight in the forest, on VHS. I set the timer myself and was beyond proud. Years later, in the 7th grade, I discover that Naruto is available in-full on Netlfix. Without Toonami in those early days, I wouldn't be whi I am today. Thanks for covering this, Jordan! I've never clicked on a notification so fast.

[@syxodude91]

I'm a little older but that's exactly how I felt when I was in middle school and I would record episodes of DBZ and Yu Yu Hakusho from Toonami circa 2002/2003.

[@sophisitcated1194]

im younger, but those 02 to 04 toonami shows were top tier!!! my memories foggy a little but i recall the faces and somewhat storylines of those shows.#GoodTimes@@syxodude91

[@RobbieStacks90]

My oldest memory of Toonami is of watching Voltron every weekday afternoon all those years ago. Cartoon Network of the 90s "For your listening pleasure, Toonami is proudly broadcast in full rich mono..."

[@cheezyfish]

Toonami was truly a product of it's time and it was a master craft in creating and experiencing an event that kept you immersed going in and out of shows.

[@balance4699]

This video has made unimaginably happy and to hear that toonami came back and is going stronger then ever has made not only my day but my life. I stopped watching cartoon network around high school so i missed out all this AMAZING news. So happy to hear what was a major part of not only my childhood but so many others came back and bringing as much joy to others as it did me back then

[@dark14life]

I'm 43 years old. I was 17 in 1997 when the Moltar era of Toonami kicked off. I would watch it occasionally. But, I didn't become a true Toonami fan until they introduced TOM. The bumps that came out around that time, the little music videos they'd show us between cartoons (Soul Coughing - Circles was a great one), the anime, the atmosphere. It was perfect for a late teen/early 20's guy. And then there were the specials like Toonami Midnight Run: Special Edition which really introduced me to EDM with Daft Punk's music videos and I got to experience Gorillaz music videos for the first time, too! Clint Eastwood is crazy when you're tripping on acid. It was just an epic time for television and anime especially as it was really starting to take off in North America at that time. Lots of good memories with the first iteration of Toonami. Thanks for the nostalgia.

[@RobbieStacks90]

I was 8 when Toonami started. I still remember the nascent days of Toonami when I'd watch Voltron every day after school, and Moltar would shoot out the little robot for those short skits in between commercials.

[@travisreifke4356]

Agreed. I'm 38 years old, so I was 12 when Toonami first aired in 1997. I definitely wasn't that into it until Tom was introduced. I always remember late 1999-2002 being the golden years of Toonami. It was such a great time to be alive and young. Toonami introduced me to so much amazing anime and gave me a ton of memories from my youth. Toonami will always be pure nostalgia to me.

[@SuperKamehameha2]

Toonami exposed me to so many amazing anime in the early 2000s, Zoids, Yu Yu Hakusho, Gundam, Sailor Moon, Naruto, and my all time favorite series, DB/DBZ. Those Z promos back in the day with the Tom's Optimus Prime voice narrating them is still legendary. That final broadcast still stays with me. "Stay gold, bang." I'm glad it came back too. I dont really watch it anymore but its still really cool to have around

[@hcook1023]

Yeah that ending was how I found out Toonami was cancelled "Stay gold, Bang" holy shit that sounds like an ending

[@Bndbha]

This video made me tear up. Remembering staying up late Saturday nights and watching cowboy bebop, michiko and hatchin, space dandy, kill la kill, bleach. It makes me want to go back and appreciate it more, appreciate everything the creators went through to bring such amazing shows to a new audience. All I can do is say thank for unlocking old memories that I wish I never forgot.

[@creatorsfreedom6734]

* Kicks the Door Open * * RawR* it's time for Bed

[@dark14life]

Toonami Midnight Run was awesome back in the day. They were still translating episodes so we'd end up watching the freaking Frieze saga twice while waiting for the Cell saga. I took to downloading dubs off of Kazaa/Morpheus/Limewire.

[@growtocycle6992]

Michiko... An underrated gem. Everything in your list is good anime

[@brocode5984]

Toonami is such a historical piece of pop culture that truly inspired and created a whole generation of anime watchers. Even now I bet if you ask most people who watch anime in the us where they started they would tell you Toonami

[@justinarzola4584]

DBZ Kai on nicktoons was my first exposure to anime,despite watching a lot of cartoon Network( and even Adult Swim behind my parent's back)back in the day I really don't remember toonami for some reason,probably cause I was also spending Time watching Disney and Nick too.

[@619AGT]

One of the ways I interact with new anime fans, is that I ask them if they’ve ever seen or at least heard of Yu Yu Hakusho. Once they ask me about it, I not only tell them how great of a show it is, but how I got introduced to it. And that’s how I bring up the topic of Toonami. That’s much of an impact it had on me like alot of people. And that’s just ONE great aspect I’ve experienced with it.

[@fedoraking3611]

Two things about Toonami coming back: 1. I didn't know it was an April fool's day suprise thing when it came back. 2. I had a strict stepdad at the time, and I couldn't stay up late, so I missed almost all of the episodes they showed that night.

[@Vaquita_Vibes]

As a kid in the mid 2000s, Toonami was super hype, I was even around when the event "A Month of Miyazaki" happened in 2006 and i got to see lots of studio ghibli movies which i love to this day.

[@AKUNJIG]

Yep. My Sister owned Kiki's Delivery Service in 1998, but I was in shock when I saw Princess Momoke on Toonami. The visuals were amazing!

[@jjlee3735]

I remember taping over another movie on our VHS player so I could record Spirited Away during the month of Miyazaki in 06!

[@Xenn000]

Toonami definitely got me into anime. Sailor Moon, Yu Yu Hakisho, and the big one DBZ were all on at one time and I watched all of them as a kid. Then Naruto started playing and that eventually led me to try the original Japanese dub online, and realizing that there's 100 more episodes as long as I don't mind reading subs. I'm so thankful for Toonami showing me another type of animation, and it actually did change my life as I'm now an avid anime fan.

[@KaoEmazing]

It’s so crazy to think that since the streaming era, I didn’t even realize Toonami still existed till I discovered this video now. Incredible to say the least. Toonami honestly shaped my interests at a young age and I’m very thankful for all it did for me. I love Toonami for that, and I’m now a 26 year old anime geek. Great video and much love.

[@mattgiannecchini15]

Toonami really changed my life when I was a tween entering HS. 12 years old I’d watch dragon ball, naruto, sailor moon, akame ga kill, assassination classroom, attack on titan, black lagoon, space dandy, parasyte, mobile suit gundam, samurai champloo and inuyasha. dont even get me started on the music like nujabes and DOOM. Im 24 and I remember those nights like they were yesterday

[@timmckee6340]

Yeah this program was MY intro to anime and I am grateful to it for that. TOM was such an awesome host too; his voice and design were just so cool. While it’s a shame it went away, and I don’t think I watched it when it came back, I am GLAD it came back introducing ac whole new generations to anime as well.

[@CyborgWolf]

The fact that you had animes so late in America is so alien to me since we watched them since the 70s in France. Like, I was born in 90s & it was always part of my life, and mainstream.

[@hcook1023]

A large part was that America had a very robust kid networks for a very long time making their own content, another is anime is foreign so until somebody decided to have it dubbed there was no real demand for it even then it took a long time to build up a catalog to make it worthwhile

[@madmax2069]

Some channels showed anime in the USA back in the 80s, it just wasn't as often as it should have been and was where I got hooked to it as a kid.

[@JCWinters-bu8de]

This video was (as Moltar originally put it…) a TRUE “POWER TRIP” down memory lane. Thank you for this video, mate… ☺️

[@RobbieStacks90]

We're not here to bow down to your demands! We're here... to fight!

[@AmusingLuis]

Hey Jordan, Massive fan of your work, i recent got to finishing ALL parts of Ash's Journey. really help me get by work. Im also super pumped you got to cover Toonami. it was a video topic I was hoping you'd get to!

[@JordanFringe94]

Thanks so much for the kind words and all the support! Truly appreciate it!

[@EZdelFresco]

Stuff like this is why I’m eternally grateful that I got to grow up in the era that I did.

[@CaberAber]

I haven't watched Toonami in years and honestly didn't know it was still around. But this video really felt like a biography to my life. Even without seeing much of the newer features of Toonami, it still felt like, well, Toonami.

[@Uno_Hunter]

Remembering how Sailor Moon used to be on USA and DragonBall Z used to be on another channel but it was super early in the morning is just a nostalgia bomb

[@mremptv1155]

This video just solidified in my mind that the introduction of Toonami is the most influential thing Cartoon Network has ever done outside of the introduction of the network itself. Adult Swim is a close third.

[@BrianAwesome]

I like how the 2012 April Fools Toonami wasn't just a Tom 3 nostalgia act, but it also had a modern twist. Especially with showing the Ryoki part of Tenchi Muyo, classic Astro Boy, and the "Orange Brick" version of Gohan defeating Cell 🔥

[@HardcoreRex]

Jordan just doesn't miss when it comes to his videos!

[@IamMichael365]

Okay Jordan, your ability to unlock certain memories in my brain that I had long forgotten has become something to marvel at! Just wow man....wow 🤯

[@Razdasoldier]

As someone who grew up with Toonami. It is why I love anime to this day.

[@RogersBase]

This was such a great breakdown of something that shaped my childhood! Thanks Jordan!

[@JordanFringe94]

Thanks so much Roger!

[@Tsunami_Symon]

This was my childhood every Saturday night, Tooniami is the reason why I love anime so much!

[@kindaslyguy4092]

I was born in 97, my parents both were working (2nd and 3rd shift) so I spent a lot of afternoons at both my grandparents' house watching cable in the early 2000's. I think because of that, most of my earliest memories I can contribute to CN as well as Toonami. I definitely remember Dragonball in 2001 as one of the first animes I had watched and even remember when adult swim started. I thank you for sharing the history of this unforgettable timeslot and I'm so thankful for the people who helped create then bring it back. I know cable is dying very slowly but part of me is a bit sad to think future kids may not have that discovery experience like I once did.

[@Fribee83]

Toonami was the introduction for so many of us older weebs back in the day! Anime could've been seen through Blockbuster but Toonami was the everyday watch for Tenchi, Sailor Moon, Hamtaro, Kenshin, and so many others before expanding to the more hardcore series of the era like Ranma, Slayers, and Excel Saga. Glad to get a brief nostalgia for the early anime mainstream and to see what happened to the block after outgrowing it. Even though I watch my anime on Crunchyroll now, it's great to see it's still around with some prime choices for someone to stumble upon and discover while flipping channels like I did nearly 25 years ago!

[@ChalupaBazuka]

Great stuff, Fringe. This vid hit like a nostalgia spaceship joyride. Thanks for making it!

[@maccamachine]

Hell yeah new video. Toonami was so awesome as a kid the vibe and feel of the block was incredible and felt so new. I remember when anime was first starting to gain some attention in the states it was a wild time just watching random ovas that would show up and toonami really helping it get more popular it’s all very nostalgic

[@jerseys89finest]

I'm glad this was my Era of TV.. born in 89 I grew up with all this stuff. I really enjoyed this video

[@calebglasscock7392]

I call myself a huge anime fan, but I didn't realize how lucky I was to be born and raised in the 90s and 2000s era. Toonami helped me discover how incredible anime really is and now we can all be thankful for the block to still be here for a new generation of anime and manga fans.

[@drclaw411]

I love this! Toonami (and midnight run) were such staples for me growing up. I’ll always remember Cartoon Orbit’s tie-in to the Lockdown event as well.

[@LowellLucasJr.]

I was just happy to have a block that featured Thundercats, Space Ghost and other Hanna-Barbera Classics! Never knew an Escalade into a phenomenon that we love all over! I can't even begin to tell you how excited I was that Toonami was showing Akira and Broly's movie uncut during December!

[@Dingus888]

2000 and onward viewer here, molded me as a human and i am grateful for my experiences with it. The new tom after tom died is a core memory. Like your first time getting winded

[@Gell-lo]

Toonami is such a vibe. Thanks for the deep dive into one of the most iconic pieces of medi I treasure.

[@Iamrooq]

Back then, Toonami felt like I was going into an unknown reality where anything is possible. That along with staying up WAY past the time I was supposed to made those nights so surreal yet entertaining

[@solemnjester2100]

I was born in 1998 the day after Saint Patricks day so Toonami is literally 1 day and 1 year older than me and thats crazy to me considering it was one of the biggest parts of my childhood. Im so glad its back and still thriving. This video was so nostalgic to watch.

[@reznor0079]

Toonami rewind just announced. Suit up. This was a perfect and accurate account of experiencing toonami from the beginning. I’m lucky enough to say I was there, my sister and I watching sailor moon and dbz on our local WB at 5 in the morning in the early mid 90s, watching Saturday night anime on the sci-fi channel. Our older brother was big in the early anime scene with bootleg tapes of early now iconic classics, showing them to us and us being completely enthralled. Toonami felt like a validation of everything we had experienced in the years leading up to it and made us realize that we weren’t alone. I was much older and fresh out of the service when I saw online that Toonami was back on April Fools Day. I hadnt watched since I joined the navy in 2005 but I heard that it had ended. I tuned in on a pirate stream as I didn’t have cable and watched until it ended at 5am. I’m glad I was there in its history. Fast forward to 2020, Covid lockdown had just started and me and my partner got cable, tv to watch or to have in the background. I hadn’t watched live tv in years at that point but I wanted something familiar and to my great joy, Toonami is still going strong. From that night til now, I’ve tuned in almost every Saturday night barring any social get together or outing. Support the things you love and believe in. Thank you for this video.

[@Lunar_WaveYT]

Update: It launched today bud

[@FranciscoPerez-kt9yg]

Toonami will forever hold a special place in my heart! Introducing me to Dragonball Z!! Then later Dragonball, which is my favorite of the 2. Watching Goku go super Saiyan for the first with ny bro. The hype we felt back then nothing will ever compare. Im glad toonami is still around introducing new anime to a younger audience. Thank you Toonami for all that you offered us!!!!

[@TORchic1]

Toonami was my first introduction to anime outside of what was deemed as children's cartoons in the West (e.g. pokemon, digimon, the weird dubs for Cardcaptor Sakura and Sailor Moon) and studio ghibli films. Great work!

[@joshhale9355]

I remember the final broadcast. I hadn’t watched in over a year (Tom was jarring at first but I remembered the voice) but that final speech brought back so many memories of getting home from school, sitting down with some ice cream and watching anime before I even knew what anime was, then sitting in front of my TV on Saturday nights hyped as fuck for the newest episode of Naruto and One Piece. I started to tear up because as I was getting older, I was really saying goodbye to so many things I loved as a child. Even though toonami came back, that final broadcast is still one of the earliest truly emotional moments I had watching tv.

[@ChaosGShadowX]

I was born in 91 and I remember growing watching all of this. I stopped watching around 2011. I had no idea it came back and it's still on! Not to mention how many programs came out through it!

[@jarakotsu]

Toonami introduced me to so many anime: Dragon Ball, Sailor Moon, Transformers Armada, Rurouni Kenshin, Yu Yu Hakusho, G Gundam, Zoids, .Hack//Legend of the Twilight, Ronin Warriors, Blue Submarine No. 6, Big O, Tenchi Muyo, and Zatch Bell

[@justinarzola4584]

I remember Zatch Bell and Transformers Energon on DVD.

[@smittenmittens1364]

This is literally the Jordan Fringe episode I've wanted more than anything for so long

[@Yugo_Reyes]

Thank you for this video. Man, the memories of anime and tom/Toonami.

[@jettrooperjp5142]

You don’t know how happy this video made me. I briefly remember watching toonami right before it ended as a little kid (1st grade to be exact) when I was watching shows on Cartoon Network. I had no idea what was going on, but I always stayed and watched. It was a whole new world for me to discover, all of these shows in a very different artstyle just captivated me…and then it vanished. Then came 2015, and 14 year old me discovering Attack on Titan, Kill la Kill, and Space Dandy. They where unlike anything I’ve ever seen at the time. This was right when I was getting into anime after my friend showed me One Punch Man, which just came out. Some of my best memories, like the aforementioned shows, Trigun, Naruto, Samurai Champloo, Ghost In The Shell, Black Lagoon, and so many more. Toonami is so much more than a TV block, it gives me the same interactive comfort that children’s shows and channels gave me as a child. Where others had a cooler older sibling guide them through the world of anime, I had Tom and Sara. Tom and Sara are not only there to guide you through the world of animation, hip-hop, games, and many other things, but they’re there for YOU.

[@Shinbu150]

Toonami and G4 (21:11) were way ahead of their times. I'm glad one of them made a successful comeback. Toonami still works because its simply showing already produced shows. Streaming kinda cuts into that market but there's still room on cable programing for it. G4 simply had no hope of ever be revived because KZbin and the internet already satisfies that target audience with everyone reviewing games and doing letsplays/guides. Edit: Although Ninja Warrior was still cool

[@Peace2Mateo]

We need a G4 deep dive

[@brentclark658]

1. Jordan is on a roll since the Survivor video 2. Thank you so much for this video Jordan, some of my best memories in life are associated with Toonami

[@mandalorianhunter1]

The 90s were the times, of good and bad. I remember the times of playing Crash, Spyro, Sonic and Tekken. For shows, Dexter's lab, Ed Edd and Eddy, Powerfulpuff girls, Rugrats and more. Damn so much nostalgia

[@zbh9268]

I've always loved Toonami, and am forever grateful for it introducing me to so many of my favorite series. When it ended in 2008, I basically didn't watch anime for a long time after that. Then 2012 comes along and Toonami returns and my love of anime was reborn with it. I may not have cable, or watch Toonami anymore, but I still watch anime both new and old because of it. Just knowing that it's still on the air and sharing new anime with the next generation makes me very happy.

[@joeskys2362]

I 'm just discovering Toonami now thanks to this video. At first I thought it was just a place Americans watched anime, but you Americans really had all the greatest animated entertainment in just one programing block. While us Canadians really had too dig deep to find some gems. You guys already had the whole treasure test. It just sounds fantastic❣🥰

[@morrius0757]

Toonami really did speed up the anime craze that so prevalent today in the U.S, I have no doubt anime would have still ended up being very popular, but not as popular as it is now without it. Like, from young people I've talked to, being an anime fan really doesn't get you bullied in school anymore and that's wild to me because we were outcasts back when I was in school.

[@ussxrequin]

This was a great video, Jordan. I loved Toonami as a teen. It was super fun, and this video matched its vibe. Thank you for reminding me of this gem. (I had no idea it's back.)

[@sapinballwizard]

I used to watch Sailor Moon and DBZ at 6am on a local Fox station back when I was a kid! I love finding out I wasn't alone in waking up super early to watch anime!

[@fruit3193]

I remember watching the block way back in the 2000’s, and I called the hosts the “ball guys” since I didn’t know their names lol I rediscovered Toonami in high school, and that’s how I got into a lot of anime that I still enjoy to this day.

[@darkmyro]

honestly tom and sara and the whole toonami block feels like an old friend to me it's kinda hard to describe. It introduced me t anime, had some of my favorite cartoons, and It really helped me develop my love of animation. I'll always have a special place in my heart for that block and those characters.

[@mrm64]

I must admit, even though I was one of the ones who raved for Toonami's return in 2012, I don't watch cable TV much anymore and just view things on the Internet via KZbin, Netflix, Hulu, etc. But Toonami will always be a part of my life. I got to see the Anime explosion in the West with DBZ, Pokemon, Sailor moon and etc in the late 90s, the rise of the Big 3 era with Naruto, Bleach and One Piece (etc.) in the 2000s and Toonami's revival that I helped make possible as one of the thousands of fans. Without it, Anime wouldn't be as respected and loved as it is today. Thanks for everything, Tom and crew!

[@mickmick124]

Loved Toonami back in the day. Not everything on it was to my tastes, but it got me to watch things I never would have before. Now I give a lot of anime a shot I never would have looked at twice, and have found a bunch of interesting shows. So glad it's not only back but going strong.

[@diz_sama]

I got so emotional here man. I had a whole military career of several years. Being underwater and missing so much. But when I was done and it was over. Toonami was still there going strong. I will forever love this series. Also great video dude. 😢

[@fedupN]

Ran into Toonami back when it first started, pre-Tom. It re-introduced me to Thundercats and made me realize that some shows don't stand the test of time. :D It was amazing rolling with it over the years. The music videos, like Mad Rhetoric (Walking Stick) and Broken Promise (Dreams), really hit hard, burrowing into the brain. Even when I fell off of watching it, it was always cool that it was still there, carrying on. Glad to hear it has a strong revival!

[@RobbieStacks90]

I was a young kid back then, so 90s Toonami was my first introduction to Thundercats. I still remember the first time I saw the trial episodes (when Lion-O had to beat all the Thundercats at what they did best, and then kill Mumm-ra); those were easily the best episodes in the whole show.

[@joewaldeck]

Ah Toonami you gave me my first formal introduction to anime before I knew what anime was. Where I first saw my fav anime YuYu Hakusho, and where I grew up with One Piece and Naruto. Toonami was great growing up as a kid in the 2000’s.

[@BSReese93]

Toonami was my introduction to anime and without I wouldn't of met the goat VA Steve Blum (need to met him in person), his speeches on Toonami were always so touching. Also don't @ me, y'all but Cowboy Bebop is hands down the best anime of all time.

[@therealav77]

I haven’t even watched the video yet. And can this is another Jordan Fringe classic banger. This one’s gunna be good!!

[@Protonrexkirby]

Man i remember watching toonami when i was little and boy do i remember most of the shows mentioned (although i dont remember some but then again its been years) but watching this video just makes me appreciate toonami so much more(so much then i already do already)

[@timsheppard6204]

Speaking of games fun fact TOM made an appearance as a gadget in Sly 2 band of thieves via a sweepstakes to where you could win a PS2 and a copy of the game. I didn't know that for the longest time and it was cool when i first heard it

[@lizardguyNA]

Toonami is still going? Damn. God... the memories.

[@repetitivemusicenthusiast]

I did not expect to have so much nostalgia for this one. Insanely good video really took me back to those nights you stayed up way to late as a kid

[@Personarose]

Was heartbroken when I found out Toonami ended on my birthday so I was so ecstatic to witness the reappearance on April Fools Day which lead to its return

[@Red_Fives217]

Ah Toonami. You Introduced me to both anime and The Elder Scrolls. I remember Tom giving a brief promo/review of Morrowind. Better Days 😌

[@gregsky01]

I got into so many cool things watching Toonami. I remember I used to run home from school every day to watch DBZ. Even as long as the Frieza saga went back then I was still hooked. I remember when they put Gundam Wing in the DBZ timeslot and how upset I was (too young to understand what a season break was and that it would be coming back). I was introduced to BTAS before Toonami but then I fell in love with Batman Beyond. I was mesmerised by Samurai Jack. Toonami was just incredible

[@TubbyBubbleLove42]

The hour long bus ride home after school was filled with anticipation of Toonami. Goku going super saiyan for the first time was so hype. Longest week of my life waiting for it to happen.

[@OlyChickenGuy]

I started Toonami with Moltar. When Tom became a host, it was originally very jarring to me, but I came to appreciate the character as more than just a unique bumper over time.

[@Chillin_spree]

I remember the premiere of toonami when it first aired, I have since watched almost every toonami and have gotten to grow up into an adult to it. I love how I have followed this my entire life and to see the recap was amazing, thank you!

[@maskills241]

Im a simple man, i see a toonami retrospective, i watch.

[@atlys258]

Man, I remember when Toonami started back during the brief ~3yr window from 97-00 when I had cable as a kid, I practically lived for the weekday blocks watching Sailor Moon, DBZ, Ronin Warriors, & Reboot among others and then when Midnight Run first started I always tried to stay up late to watch but would inevitably fall asleep just a few minutes in to the first or second show waking up in my bed hours later having teleported from the living room as one does naturally 😂 I gotta say it makes me really happy that it came back and is still going strong for younger generations to enjoy and forge those same kinds of memories 🖤

[@GojiMet86]

Toonami was almost like a forbidden fruit, especially if you risked family walking into the living room and seeing you watch weird "Satanic" cartoons.

[@Vibrantly_Monochromatic]

Thanks for the short documentary Its nice seeing how many of us can relate how a programming block was the gateway to anime

[@DMobi]

If there was one thing that Toonami taught me was not to fear failure.

[@ViroVeteruscy]

Pretty much the Moltar days for me, a really good way to see all these shows and appreciate being able to see anime back in the 90s.

[@NuclearWaffle0]

Dude I was going through this video just like "Omg I remember that, I remember that!" Toonami was really something amazing. Honestly speaking, I thought it would never be as big as it once was because of how easy to access anime is now, but hearing that it's still extremely popular makes me happy to hear, cause now a newer generation gets to experience the same joy I felt staying up late at night to listen to some dope music and see shows that are just so wildly different from what you are used to.

[@rileymartin8284]

I remember the april fools return of toonami. I was doing something on my computer at the time, but after I got a twitter notification, dropped that and ran to my room (not that far) to turn it on & watch what I could. Saw an episode of Tenchi, Outlaw Star, Blue sub 6, and a couple other things. It was a blast from the past for me, and when Toonami returned in full I was so happy, even if by that point I was a record & watch later type of viewer (I had a dvr), Toonami 2.0 was how I was introduced to a number of anime in the 2010's. I'm very happy to hear it's still going strong even if my old childhood curse of missing every T.I.E. remains to this very day.

[@statesminds]

I first saw Toonami when dbz and sailor moon was airing during the original run starting late 90s and watched and adult swim all the way til i left for college in 09 lol. It def means a lot to me. I even occasionally pop in and check it out nowadays

[@boodeesparx1192]

Sounds like we da same age 😅 I stumbled upon adult swim by accident when I was like ten and thought I found illegal contraband lol

[@marknielsbeats]

Toonami was so creative in many ways. It was like hooking yourself to the matrix when the parents went to sleep.

[@drewcifur3443]

This was a really great video. I remember all these moments growing up but never had internet so the context was all new to me.

[@984records99]

I will forever love Toonami when it came to an end I literally cried it's really signified that I got old as hell and the end of an era was upon us but I'm so glad it's stuck around we were really witnessing Greatness thank you Toonami ❤️💯🙏🏾

[@shifter1030]

Omg thank you so much for the memories when you mentioned IGPX a show I haven’t even thought of since I was a child I literally freaked out and so much came flooding back. you’re so great jordan, keep the past alive in all of us aging children and let the nostalgia flourish.

[@michaelnally2841]

Toonami was the reason I looked forward to Saturdays as a kid.

[@sashamurashi225]

I regret this not being my childhood, great video Fringe.

[@VindeZwarts]

This episode was beautiful 🥹

[@Saint-Ocean]

We only had Toonami in Australia from 01 to 06 but even in that short 5 years it shaped my taste in media for years to come