When it comes to anime in the United States, it’s impossible to discuss things without mentioning the impact of Toonami. Toonami was the premier anime block of the 90s and introduced people to major classics like Sailor Moon, Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, and, of course, Dragon Ball Z. Toonami has fallen off in prominence, but that doesn’t change how the landscape of anime would be unrecognizable without it.

The Toonami block is easily one of the most iconic parts of anime in the West, and they’re expanding their programming in a big way. It was recently announced on X that on May 31, Toonami will be launching Toonami Rewind, a weekly programming block dedicated to airing classic anime, marking the first time Toonami has run on a weekday in 20 years.

It’s the most innovative thing Toonami has done since its revival in 2012, and with the programming they have lined up, it’s perfect for any ‘90s kid who grew up on anime.

Toonami Rewind’s First Lineup Is Filled With Classic Anime

The programming block is filling their schedule with a blast of nostalgia for long-time anime fans

The first lineup for Toonami Rewind consists of Sailor Moon, Dragon Ball Z Kai, and Naruto; all three anime aired on Toonami in the ’90s and 2000s, but Sailor Moon will explicitly be using the Viz Media dub as opposed to the heavily edited dub by DIC Productions and Cloverway. The initial lineup for Toonami Rewind is a mixture of classic anime from the 90s and 2000s that went on to become some of the most iconic anime in the world, and anyone who grew up on those shows and others is sure to get a lot out of it.

Toonami Rewind Can Air Anime New Fans Haven’t Seen

The famous programming block can reintroduce modern anime fans to some the industry’s foundation

With Toonami having a new block dedicated to classic anime, there’s now a unique opportunity to capitalize on some missed opportunities. While Toonami aired a lot of anime during its original run, it couldn’t air many classic anime for a variety of reasons, with some notable examples being Slayers, Record of Lodoss War, and Neon Genesis Evangelion. With Toonami Rewind being devoted to classic anime, however, Toonami Rewind can air some of the classic anime Toonami never got the chance for, and that would bring a lot of variety and attention to the block and Toonami, as a whole.

Naturally, there are still some problems to be had with that. While censorship shouldn’t be as big a problem as it once was, getting the licensing rights to a lot of older anime should still be a problem, but with how gradually anime licensing has been getting consolidated over the years, it should be easier for Toonami to air older, classic anime than it was during their original run. That would truly sell the intent of Toonami Rewind being a refuge for people who grew up watching ’90s anime, and overall, Toonami hasn’t been this exciting in years.

Source: X.