Without Toonami, anime might not be what it is today in North America. This classic block of cartoons began in 1997. There was anime airing on other networks at this time as well so it’s not like Toonami came up with the idea. For example, the Pokemon anime was released in 1998 right alongside the original games. Try as they might, no other channel could create something as iconic as Toonami.
The original block ran in afternoons until 2004. Toonami then went to a longer time slot on Saturday afternoons. This would eventually lead to Adult Swim which also introduced a lot of anime to the public. Now, between 1997 and 1999, there were only five anime shows that aired. Let’s see what they were and how they have influenced life since.
5 Voltron
Voltron was the anime equivalent to Power Rangers. It featured five heroes who piloted animal-like mechs that then transformed into a bigger mech. This was usually toward the climax of the show. The formula was similar to Power Rangers but the mech aspect was a bigger part of the anime.
These mechs were like their partners. Voltron was the first full anime to premiere with Toonami in 1997. As Power Rangers was still popular, this was the right move to make for the programming block even though the anime was from the 80s. It looked dated then and even rougher now. Still, some hold this anime close to their hearts.
4 Robotech
Robotech premiered in Japan around the same time as a Voltron. It was an 80s anime disguising itself as a new one in 1998. The animation was leagues better than Voltron though and cleans up nicely in HD. It had a similar theme as well since it was another mech show.
The biggest difference was that pilots were singular. Planes and other vehicles transformed into mechs. There wasn’t a combining aspect to the battles. It was sort of like a preview for anime fans of Gundam Wing. That would not hit Toonami until 2000. It was the first Gundam anime to premiere on Toonami but certainly not the last. Robotech may not have had the popularity of any Gundam anime in the West, but it was and still is a classic in Japan.
3 Dragon Ball Z
Dragon Ball Z also launched in 1998. It was another 80s anime as well although it was on the cusp of the 90s in 1989 in Japan. It is without a doubt Toonami’s biggest hit. Dragon Ball Z might have been THE anime to hook viewers into the genre. It was immediately unlike anything on Western TV. Cartoons like Batman the Animated Series had action but it had to pull a lot of punches. Not Dragon Ball Z.
Some blood was cut along with a few language barriers but even with limitations, it was still a breath of fresh air to Western audiences. The only problem fans had with the anime was that Toonami kept repeating the same arcs over and over again even though the anime was done in Japan. It took a lot longer to localize things in the 90s. It took years for the Namek saga to conclude. Will Goku ever get to Namek? Other than that snafu, Dragon Ball Z was, and still is, a great anime.
2 Sailor Moon
Putting Sailor Moon on Toonami was a stroke of genius. It was the polar opposite of Dragon Ball Z which was aimed at boys. It was an actual 90s anime too unlike every other entry. It started in 1992 in Japan. Voltron and Robotech could also be construed as male-focused anime. Sailor Moon then was for the girls. That didn’t mean boys couldn’t get anything out of it in 1998. Anime was anime and hungry newly turned fans would take anything they could get their hands on.
Unlike Dragon Ball Z, this magical girl anime suffered from a lot of censored material. There were notably a ton of gay characters in the original anime which were retooled to be less controversial. It was forward-thinking storytelling in Japan but less so in the West. Eventually, there was a re-release of the anime in the 2010s which put the anime in HD and re-translated everything to make it closer to the original. This is all thanks to Viz.
1 Ronin Warriors
Ronin Warriors was a little like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It was the last 90s anime to premiere on Toonami and it was yet another 80s debut in Japan. It was about an evil warlord that came back to life from the samurai era into the present. A bunch of modern teens were entrusted with magical samurai armor to stop this ghost-like entity and its minions.
Every suit of armor had an element attached to it along with a weapon. The main character was imbued with fire and used twin samurai swords for example. It was a toyetic anime which is why it can be likened to TMNT. Another reason is that the localization turned these Japanese crusaders into surfers dudes. It was a bit jarring to hear then and even stranger now. The language and overall show are a bit hard to rewatch today. It never received a fancy remake like Sailor Moon either. Still, for nostalgic Toonami fans, Ronin Warriors brought a lot of joy into the homes of kids.