Rumor mill

[Henry88]

Posting information of upcoming stuff that has not been confirmed.

[mbozzo]

The Powerpuff Girls might become a series again. I hope not. The drawings are lousy.

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CBM:

[XvGojira]

Where do they get the idea that this will be "simple" like Teen Titans Go? I don't see anything anywhere about that from the Reddit source they posted.

Although some one did point out there are that looks like that design.

[lhb412]

This is a previously existing toyline. If they're basing the next cartoon on a previously existing toyline then DC animation has officially become Marvel animation.

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[The Shadow]

So the idea is to have the run the Pacific Rim animated series on television somewhere. My first thought is that Cartoon Network (specifically the Toonami block) would be a good fit, but CN seems a bit too quick to dismiss super robot series [Megas XLR, Big O, Sym-Bionic Titan]. Although, since it the show is getting funded from outside CN it would probably have a much better chance than the shows CN was involved in.

Legendary also seems interested in the animated series being broadly accessible, which means the current Toonami's late night status makes it a less than optimum choice. Cartoon Network's daytime programming has entirely shifted away from shows like what the PR series would be. There's Nickelodeon or Nicktoons, but they seem to be having a love hate relationship with shows that aren't Spongebob. The Legend of Korra (probably N's closest in tone show) just started a new season and just like with previous seasons you pretty much get just one chance to watch an episode, although it seems that Nickelodeon is going to repeat the first three episodes Friday evening this week (now today). Disney (likely their Disney XD channel) might work, but then Disney happily snuffed out the well received Avengers: EMH with the Avenger's Assemble.

A pay channel could work, but I expect most people would then catch the show via torrent or just wait until the home video releases, either way that makes for reduced countable viewership numbers.

I wonder if one of the broadcast networks might pick it up as a prime time offering? It'd probably be the first such series (adventure/sci-fi/?) since Johnny Quest if it happens. That NBCUniversal umbrella could prove useful, besides NBC that also raises the potential for USA and SyFy; especially if SyFy is truly looking to be The Science-Fiction Channel again.

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Collider:

Says It’s Envisioned as a Long Arc That Connects to PACIFIC RIM 2, Not Episodic

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[The Shadow]

Wow, that looks fantastic! I'd love to see a Flash Gordon feature film like that.

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The streaming service has announced five new children’s series, including updates of the 1980s cult-favorite cartoons.

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[Shin_Edda_Robo!!!!!]

All leads point to this being related to Nick's TMNT cartoon. Maybe a show they're watching after Crognar?

[lhb412]

^If that's truly connected to TMNT, not just an independent hoax by some savvy animators, then it is shameful, because it's obviously a way for Nick to include Usagi, a character with a strong history with the TMNT franchise, without actually paying for the rights. These characters are blatantly based on the Usagi Yojimbo series and characters.

You see, Usagi Yojimbo is a (totally brilliant) comic book series created, written, and drawn by Stan Sakai which has been going for 30 years. Stan owns Usagi, and currently publishes his work through Dark Horse Comics. Coincidentally, Usagi originally came out at around the same time as the original TMNT comics, and when their popularity took off Usagi also got a boost, and despite contending with a flood of low quality TMNT rip-offs on the market Usagi held it's own because of it's quality - I mean, it's actually a much better comic than TMNT! The creators of the TMNT, Eastman and Laird, certainly liked it. They befriended Stan and used their popularity to draw attention to Stan's work, first by doing some short crossover comics, and then by putting Usagi in the old TMNT cartoon and toy line (this would be done again for the 2003 version of the TMNT).


Now, Stan saw how the TMNT made millions for his buddies, Eastman and Laird, and in the early '90s the machinery had started to do the same thing for Usagi: cartoon, toyline, ect. But there were problems: Usagi's more realistic, early 17th century Japanese period setting with duels to the death, assassinations, and other sordid affairs weren't exactly the stuff of Saturday morning S&P, but Stan had a solution. Here's a model sheet for that solution:




Stan's also a big sci-fi fan, and he happily came up with a new, more child friendly version: Space Usagi! Descendents of the series characters in the far future, transposing the entire cast into a futuristic setting! The samurai flavor could be retained, because this is a culture based on (but not slavishly adhering to) feudal Japan, but by fighting robots and monsters, using stun weapons and the like, the story would be far more acceptable for a kids cartoon! A Space Usagi toy appeared in the TMNT toyline, Stan made a Space Usagi comic miniseries, and short, animated promo reel for a series was produced.



But, then it fell apart. Another prospective sci-fi bunny kids' franchise, Bucky O'Hare, had bombed around the same time, and that kind of poisoned the well for Space Usagi. Stan never got a cartoon, or a movie, though there have been many tries in the past two decades. None, however, went as far as Space Usagi. Stan makes a living as a cartoonist, basically a blue collar existence. When his wife became ill a couple of years ago (she passed away last December) the comics industry gathered to organize a massive art auction to cover the insurance costs. A beautiful art book, The Sakai Project, came of this. Stan still writes and draws Usagi, the next issue comes out in May.

Now, if this was a character owned by a big corporation I wouldn't care. That big corporation already has big money and an easier path towards wringing all the money they can out of their theoretical character, but Usagi is owned by Stan Sakai, an immensely talented but otherwise normal guy who could use the money.

If this is for TMNT, or viral marketing for some other venture that's capitalist in any way then Stan should get money.

Again, this may not be the case, but the prospect of this being true makes my blood boil.

[lhb412]

*smacks head*

Referencing the way TMNT had the word 'ninja' replaced with 'hero' in some territories, some of the ephemera for Super Turbo Atomic Mega Rabbit substitutes 'mega' for 'ninja.'

Super Turbo Atomic Ninja.... S.T.A.N. Rabbit.

Stan Sakai.

Maybe my vitriol was too early. Maybe this is something Usagi related: the TMNT watch this show and it somehow leads to an Usagi crossover?

[The Shadow]

If you listen to the them song on the Super Turbo Atomic Mega Rabbit video, it sounds like some instances of the refrain the singers are saying "Super Turbo Atomic Ninja Rabbit" instead of "Mega". Maybe something to do with the "Ninja" word substitution and a clue towards a properly licensed Usagi appearance (which you already posted about as well, Lhb412)?

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