Anime tv channel return in the UK?

I was born in 1994. Some of my most precious memories of childhood are staying up on the weekends to watch shows like Outlaw Star and Dragon Ball Z/GT on Toonami. I'd love for the younger generation to have something similar.

However, I think the landscape is entirely different now, in 2024 compared to what it was back then. I'm not sure if there is the same demand for an anime TV channel due to the rise of streaming services. Back in the day you'd have to wait days or weeks to watch the next episode of something and there would come a point when the channel showing the anime ran out of episodes they could show - and so they would then just show reruns until they acquired the rights to show the next part.

I think because of modern binge watching and people's short attention spans nowadays, there wouldn't be enough appetite for an anime TV channel. Of course, I could be wrong though.
 
I suppose that's true! The older generation will love it as well though haha (original toonami uk viewers)
Perhaps as a block first on Cartoon Network UK, and then if the demand is high then its own channel?
And for those who like binge watching (perhaps its own on-demand player like BBC iPlayer?)
I tried emailing CNUK about if toonami could be revived but no reply sadly
 
Definitely. I think if it were ever to gain any kind of traction again, it would have to start as part of a larger TV channel. Maybe having its own time slots, etc.

I remember when Film4 showed feature-length anime films and the like - not sure if they still do nowadays. But perhaps something like that would be cool.

M0nsoon said:
And for those who like binge watching (perhaps its own on-demand player like BBC iPlayer?)
Click to expand...

Sadly, I think this is what the likes of Crunchyroll's streaming service already provide.

There is something called PlutoTV where they have specific channels that just show one specific show on repeat all day (e.g., shows like South Park, CSI, Most Haunted, Hell's Kitchen, basically any crap TV). Perhaps something like that for anime would be pretty cool and could give off that old-school Toonami vibe.
 
On BBC iplayer, they have One Piece now plus DBS and most of the pokemon series!
If CNUK won't do it, then maybe the BBC can via BBC3 which starts at 7pm at night??
I would defo stay up till midnight if it went on that long (if it was a block!), I suppose there could always be an independent channel thats just anime 24/7 (Not the toonami brand)
Either way, it would be very cool (I currently watch anime illegally as crunchyroll is quite expensive)
 
A lot of the channels you would expect to show anime are extremely restricted in what they can show. If a channel is categorised as for children they can't show content above a PG rating. Hell they even have to censor some US content aimed at children to comply with these restrictions, that's why Toonami was a seperate channel in the entertainment category.
 
Last edited:
if enough of us ask, perhaps they might put on a 'TOONAMI' block on CNUK in the evenings?
They have an email on their website!!! or maybe tag em on twitter/X?
even if its a 2hr block, it'll be good!!
 
You were born in the 21st Century and you still watch television? That thing you have to watch at a set time with ads you can’t skip or block? I think you might be in the minority there, I’m from the previous century and not even I do that any more. Not to dampen your enthusiasm but I can’t think what TV could offer that streaming doesn’t already do better, particularly where anime is concerned.
 
hey i mean if US Toonami is running still perhaps we can use that in the UK?
On a Friday night? then if you miss the episodes, then they're shown on sunday/saturday?
if it goes well, then turn into a proper channel?
 
M0nsoon said:
if enough of us ask, perhaps they might put on a 'TOONAMI' block on CNUK in the evenings?
They have an email on their website!!! or maybe tag em on twitter/X?
even if its a 2hr block, it'll be good!!
Click to expand...
They literally can't do that due to broadcast regulations. It doesn't matter what time slot it's put in it can't exceed a BBFC PG rating, even at 2am where you could put pretty much anything on another channel.

Iirc you can't even use the same transponder as a children's channel to put a part time channel without the same restrictions, it's the reason Adult Swim is a paid for programming block on Channel 4 as opposed to being run on Cartoon Network like in the US.
 
Last edited:
Surprised to see the Pluto one has GE999 in the UK, the last time I remember anyone having that, it was region locked.

But yeah, I think Retro Crush was the first online service I’d seen running a TV-style stream with a range of shows at different times of day, but that is region locked.
 
Back
Top