History of
Toonami
Toonami
What was the name of the original, lava-lamp-like host of the Toonami block when it first launched in 1997?
Moltar
In the anime Ronin Warriors, what was the collective name for the five heroes who wore mystical armor?
The Ronin Warriors
What iconic '90s superhero was a non-anime favorite on the block?
Batman
What was the name of the original Toonami host (Moltar's) mechanical assistant, whose main job was to operate a small, remote-controlled camera?
Clyde 49 (He was Moltar's small, blocky camera bot.)
Toonami first launched on what television network?
Cartoon Network
What was the name of the main character in the magical girl anime Sailor Moon?
Usagi Tsukino (or her civilian name, Serena/Bunny, depending on the dub)
What non-anime series, which aired on Toonami, focused on a trio of genetically engineered little girls with unique superpowers?
The Powerpuff Girls
During T.O.M.'s original broadcast from the Ghost Planet Spaceship Absolution, what was the name of the ship's female Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) that spoke to him?
SARA (Sub-Automated Resident Assistant)
In which year did Toonami first sign on the air?
1997
Which anime about a high-school student who pilots a giant robot against alien invaders was known for its deep psychological themes and originally aired as part of Toonami's Midnight Run?
Neon Genesis Evangelion
What classic 80s cartoon, about shape-shifting robots from Cybertron, aired alongside the block's first anime hits?
Transformers
The first major story event, which introduced the T.O.M. 2 host redesign and featured the massive, red, blob-like antagonist, was called what?
The Intruder (This Total Immersion Event, or T.I.E., aired in 2000, but capped off the lore of the 90s era.)
The voice actor for T.O.M. 1 (the original, beer-bellied T.O.M.) was also the voice of what iconic Dragon Ball Z character?
Vegeta
Sailor Moon featured a talking cat companion. What was the name of the main heroine, Usagi's, black cat?
Luna
Toonami aired cartoons featuring the Super Friends characters. What was the name of the animated series that often featured Aquaman, Wonder Woman, and other classic heroes?
Justice League
In the first major story event, what shocking thing happened to the original T.O.M. (T.O.M. 1) that forced the A.I. to download his memory into a new body?
He was eaten by The Intruder (The massive red blob, which dissolved him.)
What was the name of the two-part special event that Toonami aired in 1999, which introduced the T.O.M.-era redesign and spaceship?
The New Toonami
Which incredibly popular martial arts anime became a staple of Toonami's late '90s lineup?
Dragon Ball Z
Before being an anime block, what 80s cartoon was the very first show to air on Toonami?
ThunderCats
The block often included random segments. What series of short skits, starring two crudely-drawn stick-figure characters, frequently interrupted the broadcast in the late 90s?
Lame Stop
The original host of Toonami was actually a villain from what other Cartoon Network show?
Space Ghost Coast to Coast
What was the very first anime series that aired on Toonami in 1997?
Voltron
What non-anime action show was on the original Toonami lineup, featuring characters from the Ghostbusters comics?
Ghostbusters: Extreme Ghostbusters
In 1999, the new T.O.M.-era Toonami launched a late-night, two-hour programming block aimed at older audiences. What was this block called?
The Midnight Run
The original Toonami used music influenced by what specific genre of electronic music, which became central to its vibe?
Drum and Bass
Which futuristic anime, that later became a massive worldwide franchise, did Toonami air in its Midnight Run block in 2001, just after the 90s era?
Mobile Suit Gundam Wing
Which 1980s superhero series, about a team of specialized power-suited soldiers, was featured on the Saturday morning version of the Toonami block?
G.I. Joe
What video game system did T.O.M. famously review in short segments, often giving brutally honest and sometimes negative takes on the games?
The Sega Dreamcast (T.O.M.'s reviews were a famous part of the block's culture.)
What was the name of the robot who took over hosting duties from Moltar in 1999?
T.O.M. (Toonami Operations Module)
What was the name of the protagonist's main rival in the Tenchi Muyo! anime series, who was often depicted as a red-haired pirate?
Ryoko
What famous animated space hero's series was one of the original shows on Toonami?
Jonny Quest (The show was The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest)
What was the name of the original segment that aired in the Moltar era, where viewers could write in letters or emails to the host?
Moltar's Mail Bag (or sometimes just Moltar Mail in the early days).
Moltar's final broadcast as host was on July 9, 1999. What was the name of the new spaceship that T.O.M. took over on July 12, 1999?
The Ghost Planet Spaceship Absolution (or simply The Absolution)
In the original Dragon Ball Z run on Toonami, what name did the character Piccolo originally give himself before his true name was revealed?
Junior
What Canadian-produced, groundbreaking show, featuring characters living inside a computer and fighting viruses, was a fixture on Toonami's schedule?
ReBoot
What famous rock band's song was used as the central, iconic theme for the Toonami Total Immersion Event, The Intruder?
Blur
Moltar, the original Toonami host, broadcast from what famous Cartoon Network location?
The Ghost Planet Industries building
Gundam Wing became a huge hit for the block. What year did it first premiere on Toonami?
2000
The original Moltar-hosted block replaced a previous Cartoon Network block of action cartoons known as what?
Power Zone
What short-lived action cartoon about a group of heroes transforming into animal forms was briefly part of the 1999 Toonami lineup?
The WildC.A.T.S.