Because most of us are going to be watching The Dark Knight in theatres tonight, there's a good chance that you won't notice that Bionix isn’t airing in its regular timeslot. But if you tune in next Friday night, you'll notice that Bionix is once again not airing. It also won’t be airing the week after or... pretty much any week after that. It is actually entirely possible that you will never see Bionix air in that golden timeslot ever again. Tonight, YTV viewers will be treated to "Big Fun Fridays", a heavily tween-oriented line-up that consists of YTV's American Idol knock-off and a series of tween movies that scream "we want to be the Disney Channel!".

YTV has clearly already received a number of fan complaints, because despite what TV listings are saying, Fullmetal Alchemist, Death Note, and Eureka seveN reruns will still remain late at night, starting at 1:15am. Apart from that, all of the remaining anime on the station has been tossed aside to Bionix's needlessly crippled, obscured, and encore-free timeslot on the one night of the week that Neilsen analysts are doomed never to enjoy again throughout the entirety of their careers: Saturday. This massive fragmentation will be the most drastic change that the block has undergone in its four year history, and is most certainly the worst one to happen yet. It may seem like an innocuous change, but it certainly doesn't resonate well with our previous abundance of anime on Canadian TV rapidly toppling over as if the last two years never happened.

The truly hilarious irony: this unfortunate move just happened to exactly coincide with the fifth anniversary of this website.

That's right. The better half of a decade ago on July 18, 2003 (yes, I intentionally launched it a day after my birthday so that I'd remember), Zannen, Canada was launched. Being comprised of little more than some questionable rants written by a bored 16 year old over the summer and scraps leftover from my initial experiments with Dreamweaver, what started as a spin-off of the now defunct Pathea.com (remember THAT joke of a website?) wasn’t much to behold. But no one can really deny that as flawed as the content may have been, it got people talking. I'm not sure whether this day is better reserved for reflecting on this site, or breaking out of my current state of passive observation and bitching about how everything we’ve rallied for is facing oblivion. But come on, when’s the next time I’ll have a chance to do both?

My site was launched with the sole intention of getting what we would call “real” anime on TV. It’s hard to define that these days, especially with the way Viz is handling its properties, but it basically amounted to anime that hadn’t been heavily localized for television; closer to the types of shows that Toonami and Adult Swim had been picking up in the US for years. Two weeks later, by total coincidence, Inuyasha was announced for YTV. This was basically a cold shower for my amorous new cause, but I decided to keep things going anyway, just so people would have one place they could come and keep track of just where anime in Canada would go from there. And what a great direction it went - Bionix was formed a year later and developed a significant mainstream audience that expanded well beyond hardcore anime fandom. Its following was not quite like that of Cartoon Network’s Toonami, where fans would be willing to skip their best friend's wedding reception in order to catch that eleventh anniversary extravaganza and simultaneously complain online about what a letdown it is, but it didn’t take long for the block to make up for lost time and make a name for itself.

Delivering news and information on the block involved little more than checking a few key resources that nobody ever bothered to keep an eye on, and deliver it under the thin guise of Canadian animation news. These days, this site's community has burgeoned to the point where certain individuals are more than happy to take care of all the grunt work themselves, which I’ve certainly come to appreciate. Not to mention our trolls, resident critics, and those few veterans who always make sure to pop out of the woodwork every so often to remind me about who pointless my site has become. Thanks guys! We’ve certainly come a long way from the days when I refused to keep the forum up due to a lack of activity. But no, things are different now in the modern era of Wednesday, December 31, 1969.

I’ll admit that this website isn’t at the top of its game. While Zannen began by provoking that hidden, salacious desire of the masses to read giant blocks of text,what little writing is left has gone a bit downhill, and updates are a lot less frequent. But in a similar way, Bionix has rapidly fallen from grace. It had always been a stand-out block of programming on YTV in the sense that, for at least an hour-and-a-half a week (usually two hours), it was the only programming on the station completely immune to what we now like to call the annual “CanCon Purges”. Despite this obvious sign of success, and constant allusions to its popularity with the 12-17 demographic (funny that we keep harping on that, considering that I don’t think anybody who actually visits this website falls into that age group), it is now being cast away to the dead zone of Saturday nights, almost as if to imitate Cartoon Network. And we all know what a sorry state anime is in on that station.

At least with G4TechTV, Razer, and Much we could see logical reasons for anime being nixed. With TechTV, the affordable exclusivity deal they had with Geneon fell through after the latter company bowed out of the anime market earlier this year, Razer’s conversion to MTV2 leaves little room for crazy Asian drawings, and BECK had always been an isolated incident on Much. And there was also IFC Canada, but going exclusive with Manga Entertainment obviously didn't work out there. For a while we were ahead of the States for the first time… well, ever. But while anime is still in fairly bad shape on American TV, they still have a remarkable number of new shows coming this fall, especially on Sci-Fi. Now, YTV may still air some of that. And that would be just dandy. But even if the block does grow back the additional girth that it righteously gained throughout its run, the fact that it has been moved to Saturday is an enormous set-back, especially since the move may have more to do with a change of focus than an actual problem with ratings. (But don’t quote me on that – as usual, I don’t actually know.) Friday has generally been one of YTV’s red carpet nights, and with that timeslot gone due to a desire to shift focus over to tweens, anime is just… there… And with all of the other problems going on in the anime industry, it doesn’t exactly inspire much hope.

If what we’re seeing now is the track YTV is setting its sights on, we'll soon be back to where we were five years ago, only with Naruto and Bleach as the perennial exceptions to an otherwise dry anime landscape rather than Yu-Gi-Oh! and Pokemon. If Blue Dragon hits Bionix this September (what a dire move that would be), the block will consist of nothing but kid’s shows from Viz. Yes, they may wind up launching that all-anime digital specialty station, but moving all of their major premieres there will mark the final, true death of anime on conventional television. Bionix made “real” anime into something for the masses, not just for a few rabid fans willing to pay extra for what will likely be a very limited service. For the sake of diversifying the mainstream Canadian television landscape with a much needed international flavour, Bionix needs to be restored. It may not represent the full potential anime carries on Canadian TV, but for now it's pretty much all we have.
__________________________
Zannen, Canada webmaster.

Soemthing doesn't seem right. I mean, YTV must know that anime is ridiculously popular amongst the tween to teenager generation. They went to Anime North last and this year and apparently they got swamped by fans (especially Ajay last year xD). I mean, they were at a certain event for a decent amount of time just filming it! And then, out of the bloom, they screw over their own audience by getting rid of the anime? Are they blind or something?

Happy birthday!

Until we see the releases for fall we won't know for certain exactly how anime is going to stack up. And even though it might be a bit thin for the next year or two, it's also possible that anime distributors will rethink their approach to the NA market and provide networks with cheaper material. There's been a lot of material produced in the last ten years that has never aired and if there's a significant drop in anime DVD sales it's possible they might make it cheaper for stations to air the stuff to try and boost sales.

IFC and the like basically experimented with anime. It's no surprise that they showed little interest in continuing with it, especially when the were getting much of it from a now defunct company. But it's also possible that someone might try again.

We also would need shows suitable to air. There's been a lot of stuff recently that's more concerned with fanservice and mediocre stories than material that would work internationally. YTV is never going to run a show about teen girls that has them running around flashing their panties all the time or some gunman who kills at least one person every episode. We're always going to see the Ghibi stuff but we need more material that would fit YTVs standards. That's really why YTV needs an adult-oriented anime station.

On the positive side, NA animators are starting to learn from anime and producing material on par. Avatar is just as good as any anime show and much of the stuff coming from the WB in the past few years is much better than anything they've ever done. (The only downside is that they seem to favor only 13 episodes per season.)

Of course the real reason for the demise of anime could be nothing more than business. Anime is and always will be foreign product. There's a lot of pressure on stations to buy nationally, even if that product isn't as good as the foreign one.

Patrick McNamara
Central Hub (Access to podcasts, stores and blog):
http://writerpatrick.webs.com
Toy store: http://patrickjmcnamara.webs.com
Book store: http://stores.lulu.com/store.php?fAcctID=139581

Hey all, I've been reading updates on this site for a years, but this is my first time posting. Just wanted to say congrats on 5 years. I used to run a couple of sites myself, so I know how it feels to hit the 5 year mark. Keep up the great work! This is the only place I've been able to find current & reliable information about anime on Canadian TV, so until that changes I'll continue visiting. I personally appreciate it and I'm sure everyone else here does too.

I feel everyone's frustrations lately too. Especially with YTV... From what I'm seen and heard, I've come to the conclusion that YTV does what YTV wants, and thats basically it. Either people like it and watch it or they don't, but either way it doesn't matter. Whatever YTV decides to do, they will do it. Of course, occasionally they do listen to the fans and give us what we want, most of the time our cries fall on deaf ears.

For me, YTV (and Teletoon, durrr never mind :P) is my main source of anime. I live in Nova Scotia, and usually have heard of but never seen or never even heard of the television channels alot of you talk about. So yea, YTV is it. I, pretty much, just take what YTV gives me when it comes to anime. I download a bit some stuff but as for buying DVDs, I'm not really keen on buying shows I've never heard of, for the prices they are and some of them just look like something ridiculous.

I always found it funny how YTV puts forth the effort to go out and film events like Anime North, or whatever but then only show a few clips either in the Zone or on Saturday mornings. I'm sure they have enough footage to air some sort of Anime Special instead of some clips of random children saying funny things in front of an Optimus Prime cardboard stand up display.

Well, I'm going to go watch Pokemon now, because its the only anime show that I know is still on.

Happy birthday and congrats on the anniversary :)

I think summer is generally a dead time for TV, so I don't like to consider it much indication for where things are going for any TV station.

I'd like to see TAC launch, and I think it could be successful, but staff involved with that station needs to seriously consider what the target audience wants to see.

YTV should also continue to air anime, as they know that it's successful for them. Two genres at a time would be great for them as it allows them to attract a greater variety of viewers (e.g. a shoujo series and a series with more action)

I think that anime distributors should also be more assertive about promoting properties to television stations. Seek out stations and suggest a property that would work on their station and tell them why it will work. I'm sure many stations don't even consider anime because they don't know where to start or what could work for them.

Green Corner ~ Do you believe in magick?
Sailor Moon Snipits ~ The Online Sailor Moon Infocentre.

Congratulations to 5 years of Zannen, I can't wait for the 10th anniversairy ;-)

For YTV decision to air those awful (censored) tween movies and others "American idol" wannabees. This is a beancounter decision like that who can sink YTV on the floor like some beancounters like Roger Smith did to General Motors. The French channel Vrak-tv did some of those (censored) "American/Canadial idol" stuff with Mixmania and Phenonia, results: awfully kitsch :-P

For Saturday nights, instead of these boring tween movies, they should had put a "old-school" stuff when YTV beginned to air some classics like You Can't do that on Television, old-school anime "Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs", Filmation's Ghostbusters, Muppet Show, old Doctor Who episodes, The Hit list, Rock'N'Talk, etc....
I spotted some old clips on Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-odO--jO84w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSkuEPJgbWc&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N96kR1tyu0g&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lr8kffTHLvM&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXPrTDkgsU8&feature=related
and a old clip of "The Zone" with PJ Phil http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0O_IHOwgW0w&feature=related
and The Hit list http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opAKC_PZljk&feature=related

I hope YTV don't remove the anime block and they could add more because compared to Vrak-tv who don't air any anime it all >_<

the anime that was on the station years ago was dubbed but I see your point.

Gundam Plus II. Forums open to Gundam and any other anime related talk

Congratulations on hitting the five year mark. Let's party like it's 1970!

A few multiculturally-themed channels in the US - AZN and ImaginAsian TV - have aired anime in the past, some of it dubbed, some of it not. I'm sure companies like FUNimation would prefer their series be shown dubbed since it is, in essence, their own signature on the show, but there's no reason they have to be.

But I suppose, particularly in the current television climate, I respect the ONMI channels for sticking to their guns and serving their intended audience, rather than running anime as a cheap ploy to broaden their viewer base. Mind you, as long as they're allowed to run shows like Family Guy and Law & Order, they have no need to.

"Thank God for these bulletproof tables they've got everywhere now." - Jigen, Lupin the Third

Say, Pep, are we getting any new issues of CyberSix?

*restores somewhat of a point to the site... sortof*

Happy fifth!

Yes, I do. I was as known as Konkichi back in 2003.

Renting is fine for the individual but it does little to help the industry as a whole.

Patrick McNamara
Central Hub (Access to podcasts, stores and blog):
http://writerpatrick.webs.com
Toy store: http://patrickjmcnamara.webs.com
Book store: http://stores.lulu.com/store.php?fAcctID=139581

Hey Pep, this is Dark Fact from Toon Zone posting here for the first time.

I just want to say that what happened this past weekend for Bionix may very well had clinched it for me in terms of watching YTV at all now. Friday nights were always the one thing I looked forward to this channel every week. I was always eager to check out new episodes of Zatch Bell, Bleach, and Death Note. I cared less about Eureka Seven, Gundam Seed Destiny and Naruto (Naruto on account of a major scheduling flub on YTV's end).

When I first started watching YTV back in '92, I was impressed to see the wide variety of good shows that they had. I was also a HUGE fan of Samurai Pizza Cats which served as a good prototype to my anime fandom. I never missed an episode of that show when it was still airing on lunch hours on Sunday. Then, in '95, YTV aired Sailor Moon, which I considered to be the show to watch at the time. YTV also at the time chose to premiere Sailor Moon during the lunch hour and show an encore presentation of it in the Zone a few hours later. To this day, I considered that to be the greatest broadcasting decision in the history of that station. It helped catapult my anime fandom and thousands of other Canadian kids to the point of getting out there and researching more about anime. Hell, when you have a show like Sailor Moon that can get even high school boys attracted to, you know you got yourself a winner! :D

But that was back in '95. Over the course of YTV's legacy, we saw many other shows rise in popularity on that station. Dragon Ball Z, Inuyasha, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Pokemon, and Beyblade. In Winnipeg where I live, a lot of the rise in fandom had to do with what YTV gave us...back in '95 with Sailor Moon. The clubs I go to, the conventions I go to, everyone had something to say about anime and YTV, all being good. That said something. That said something for a channel that took one bold experiment with one foreign acquistion.

But fast forward to now. After the final two episodes of Death Note had aired a couple weeks back and YTV made the decision to go with tired reality programming and idol contests, the last good spark from that station had vanished before my eyes. Moving the Bionix block to Saturdays?? Jesse, lemme tell you that I go out with my friends on Saturday nights and I don't ever stay home to watch YTV ever. I'm sure a lot of other people do the same too. The fact that YTV chose to air the finale to the Zofis arc on Saturday night and the 53rd episode of Bleach was a major slap to the face. I can't record these shows because my sister has the VCR all hogged up for taping Oprah and I don't have DVR. Obviously, people do have the means to record the shows but that won't bring the station ratings. Friday nights was the convenience for us, as anime fans, and YTV ditched that in favor of fads that should've died out a couple of years ago.

I don't even know if I can even watch YTV anymore since their ditching of Friday night Bionix. There may be an occasional show or event here or there that I may catch on the station in the future but my days of watching the channel weekly may very well be over.

In a couple of months from now, the station will be celebrating its 20th anniversary. What Corus may be planning for the station is anyone's guess but from what I see, shows like Blue Dragon may not be enough to get me back on the saddle (on account that I'm too old to be watching censored anime and because I'm fed up with the Toriyama paranoia). If YTV really wants me to watch them again on a weekly basis, put something on that can grab my interest. It doesn't have to be anime. Just something interesting. Maybe that Australian sitcom H20: Just Add Water could be worth a shot?

And for God's sake, YTV, give MAR a second chance!

...............

I'm sorry, but parents are irrelevant. If shows are aired with disclaimers in suitable timeslots (as they have been), there's absolutely no reason for complaint.

And who says that they have to pick up something made in the last two years?

What about Fruits Basket? That would be a guaranteed hit for them, I think.

If you want something recent, how about Ouran High School Host Club?

I'm sure we could all think of a couple series that would fit for the teen demographic.

They don't need to air a ton of shows at once. 2-3 shows for teens at a time would be fine. And it would make it easier for them to be selective.

I have doubts that this is a permanent schedule change, as many TV stations make temporary changes for the summer. If it is meant to be permanent, they're going to realize before long that they're shooting themselves in the foot. I don't think it's time to panic.

Green Corner ~ Do you believe in magick?
Sailor Moon Snipits ~ The Online Sailor Moon Infocentre.

I've been frequenting the site for about 2-3 years, and I've enjoyed my experience here, and still am. Reading the former issues at the time was interesting, as I wasn't really into anime at the time during the "drought", and was perfectly fine with the kids titles that YTV would still acquire and air. Being able to talk about the latest episodes of whatever title and getting news about anime in our country are the other aspects about this site that I like.

In any case, congratulations on the five years, Pep.

I too want to see more episodes of MÄR. I've been interested for some time, and when I figured that YTV wasn't going to air anymore episodes, it was disheartening, to be sure.

Although, I find it even more disheartening that YTV didn't bother to air the last five episodes of Case Closed/Detective Conan. :(

Last time I asked YTV *anything* about their shows, why some are canceled and why others haven't been picked up, why they don't air more anime, how decisions get made as to what to air and when, they usually just send out the standard 'We are not airing that show at this time', 'thank you for your suggestions', 'we don't want to tell you what we're doing', etc.

How do we know that *anything* we tell them will have any impact? Companies usually respond to mass requests of customers, but petitions, unless they're backed up with some sort of extra power, usually don't work. How much less a single drop in the bucket that may or may not be accompanied by any other drops?

And how are we supposed to know how YTV does things (to suggest things they might actually *air*, and when) if no one tells us? And when last has YTV told the public how they operate in terms of deciding which programs to air and when?

We need a better plan. We need a way to help implement the solution. A way that's more effective than what we're doing.