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Cel Shaded
Jason Yadao
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KIKU airs 4 anime series
Well, I'm back ... thanks again to Wilma J. for filling in for me while I was gone. Let's get right back into the news ...
KIKU-TV, once the home of such anime series as "Crayon Shinchan" and "Blue Blink," last week started airing four anime series from Funimation's syndicated block. It is the first non-cable broadcast network in the nation to do so.
"KIKU has a history of running anime prior to the craze taking root," KIKU General Manager Phyllis Kihara told me last week. "We're committed to continue our Japanese and Asian programming, and this was one way to get programming to the public right now."
The series, airing dubbed in English on weekdays, are:
"Blue Gender," focusing on a squad brought out of cryogenic hibernation to battle a race of alien bugs that has taken over Earth (6 p.m.)
"Kiddy Grade," the story of two butt-kicking babes and an overarching intergalactic conspiracy (6:30 p.m.)
"Tenchi Muyo! GXP," one of the latest installments in the long-running "Tenchi Muyo!" romantic comedy/action franchise. This time, though, Tenchi's neighbor Seina is the one caught up in hijinks with a bevy of beauties (10 p.m.)
"Baki the Grappler," about a fighter who wants to become strongest in the world, like his father (10:30 p.m.)
"We were just looking for what we thought might be of interest to anime lovers," Kihara said. "Some anime out there is a bit cartoony; we wanted something that might appeal to someone a little older."
Each series will get one complete run-through before giving way to other series; however, Kihara said if there is enough demand from viewers, KIKU will consider rerunning series, as it has done in the past with several evening dramas.
As for airing other series in Funimation's syndicated catalog, which includes fan favorites like "Kodocha," "Case Closed," "Negima" and "Fruits Basket"?
"It's possible," Kihara said ...
Cel Shaded, a look at the world of Japanese anime and manga, appears every Monday. Reach
Jason S. Yadao at
jyadao@starbulletin.com