The Click

January 5 - 11

One of these days, I'm going to get everything right. My finger will be so fixed on the pulse of what anime is airing on TV and when, it'll probably burst a blood vessel. People won't even come to my forums anymore, except possibly to spam links to "LIVE GIRLZ ON CAMZ," because there will be no mistakes to correct. Sunshine and flowers, peace on Earth, hot chocolate and sexual favors for everyone, et al.

But! I am but one man. One very lonely, albeit quite charming and with a lot of money and a motorcycle, man. I have, as I would assume most of you have as well, a full-time job outside of writing things about various and sundry cartoons on TV, not to mention the rigors of the absolutely immense social life I have. Which I totally am not making up, I go out and have friends and stuff. Outside. For real.

Which is why I should mention that all y'all are utterly indispensable in this regard. I would've never remembered, say, Witchblade airing on IFC unless you wonderful readers were courageous enough to confront my wrongheadedness with your facts. To you, I say well done! And on with the show!

Akira
(Teletoon)
Saturday January 5 1:00am (Repeats Sat Jan 5 9:30pm)

From what is my understanding, Teletoon is to YTV what Nickelodeon is to Cartoon Network - they both cater to much the same audience, feature similar programming, but its obvious which one is more popular and, therefore, has more money. Hence why I guess YTV is much keener on the idea of airing anime for older demographics, I guess, but Teletoon has taken a bold, some might even suggest brazen, step forward. For the record, it actually aired Friday the 4th at 9pm, and these are just the repeats since I goofed and missed it last week - but still! This is certainly a risky venture, given not only the film's content but its surprisingly fractured, surreal storyline compared to the rest of their typically-safe lineup. Therefore, I order all you Canadians by royal decree to sit down and watch Akira, perhaps for the umpteenth time, on Teletoon. Vote with your eyes, a vote that says, "yes, yes! We want more big-ticket anime features on TV up here!"

Astro Boy
(Adult Swim)
-Sunday January 6 5:30am - Episode 20 "Toxor, the Mist Man"
-Monday January 7 5:30am - Episode 21 "Satellite R-45"
-Tuesday January 8 5:30am - Episode 22 "Sea Serpent Isle"
-Wednesday January 9 5:30am - Episode 23 "The Deadly Flies"
-Thursday January 10 5:30am - Episode 24 "Kingdom of the Sea"
-Friday January 11 5:30am - Episode 25 "The Strange Birthday Presents"
-Saturday January 12 5:30am - Episode 26 "Don Tay's Infernal Machine"

Returning this week to right wrongs with his powers of limited animation, Astro Boy jets back from his unexplained hiatus from Adult Swim's wee hours. Tivo this, you color-and-full-animation-spoiled bastards! Sorry, but if I don't needle you once in a while, I'm going to assume you won't ever watch it.

PREMIERES:

Black Lagoon
(G4TechTV Canada)
Friday January 11 8:00pm - Episode 12 "Guerillas in the Jungle"

I've heard of "cursing like a sailor" before, but Black Lagoon sometimes takes that old platitude to new heights. You Canadians are seriously hearing words like the F word, C word, GD word at 8 o'clock at night? I can hear the righteous in the streets rioting up there already. Anyway, this week! Rock is taken captive, and tries to remain steadfast against some methods of unusual "interrogation."

Bleach
(YTV)
Friday January 11 9:30pm - Episode 44 (Repeats Sat Jan 12 2:00am)

Will Uryu unleash an attack powerful enough to dispatch his despotic nemesis, the villain Captain Kurotsuchi, at the cost of his powers? Or will some plot contrivance prevent either from happening? Who knows!

Blood+
(Adult Swim)
Sunday January 6 12:30am - Episode 39 "The Magic Words Once More" (Repeats Sun Jan 6 3:30am)

Adult Swim returns to airing, sigh, anime, now that one of their perennial ratings-getters, Futurama, is on Some Other Network. Will people watch Blood+ at all without a billionth repeat of Futurama to pique their interest? Find out!

Death Note
(Adult Swim)
Saturday January 5 11:30pm - Episode 11 "Assault" (Repeats Sun Jan 6 2:30am, Tue Jan 8 12:30am, 3:30am)

A mysterious figure known as "Kira" is bumping off his assorted naysayers left and right, and its up to that dutiful insomniac detective, L, to put a stop to it.

(YTV)
Friday January 11 10:00pm - Episode 12 "Love" (Repeats Sat Jan 12 1:30am)

ONE EPISODE, FIVE DAYS AND 11 HOURS AND 30 MINUTES LATER: Light agrees to help L on the investigation to catch Kira in order to throw off the heat on himself. Selfish motives are always the best ones.

Desert Punk
(Adult Swim)
-Wednesday January 9 12:00am - Episode 15 "The Girl Next Door"
-Wednesday January 9 12:30am - Episode 16 "Curry and Rice"

The Desert Punk is saddled with his most thankless duty yet: slinging across the desert an immense container of crap. Dung, poo-poo, "Number 2," feces. But the container of offal contains an immense power, sought by an assortment of baddies.

Digimon
(Toon Disney)
Monday January 7 8:30pm - Episode 227 "The Wild Boy of the Digital World" (Repeats Tue Jan 8 1:00am, Fri Jan 11 8:30pm, Sat Jan 12 1:00am)

Marcus and the rest of his rag-tag group of Digimon enslavers, I MEAN "tamers," return to the "Digital World" to seek one of their own.

Gundam Seed Destiny
(YTV)
Friday January 11 10:30pm - Episode 40 "Legacy of Gold" (Repeats Sat Jan 12 2:30am)

One of the ZAFT forces' most valuable captives, the unpronounceable Lord Djibril, escapes and seeks asylum at the pernicious Orb Union.

Last Exile
(G4TechTV Canada)
Sunday January 6 8:00pm - Episode 25 "Quiet Move" (Repeats Mon Jan 7 12:00am)

The mystical MacGuffin, the "Dragon Fang," is within Klaus and co.'s grasp, but the nefarious Dio is hot on their trail.

Naruto
(Cartoon Network)
-Saturday January 5 9:00pm - Episode 128 "A Cry on Deaf Ears"
-Saturday January 5 9:30pm - Episode 129 "Brothers: Distance Among the Uchiha"

Naruto attempts to use his own brand of shrieking, problematic diplomacy to stop Sasuke from waltzing into Orochimaru's clutches, and when that of course fails, Naruto returns to what he's best at: growling incessantly, yelling, and fighting.

(YTV)
Friday January 11 8:00pm - Episode TBA

We're back to this again, I see. Fabulous! I can go make myself a nice cheese sandwich every time Naruto on YTV comes up again.

One Piece
(Cartoon Network)
Saturday January 5 10:00pm - Episode 118 "Is Escape Impossible? Eneru's IQ Test is Set in Motion"

Luffy and the others are strangers in a strange, strange land, and when they try to escape, they're captured and put through the rigors of a bizarre "test" by the "King," Eneru. And other stuff.

Pokemon
(Cartoon Network)
Saturday January 5 9:30am - Episode 510 "Mass Hip-Po-Sis" (R Fri Jan 11 7:00am)

Ash and friends help a stranded Hippo-like Pokemon from a steep cliff, and become the unwitting yet not unwilling subjects of an impromptu TV documentary. It's like the show Planet Earth, except not real at all!

Requiem From the Darkness
(G4TechTV Canada)
Saturday January 5 8:00pm - Episode 12 "The Death Spirits of Seven Man Point, Part 1" (Repeats Sun Jan 6 12:00am)

A once-noble clan of noble-noblesse nobility is mysteriously afflicted by a deadly curse, and Momosuke, never tiring of the adventures of ghosts and ghouls, sets out to investigate.

Tactics
(Sci Fi)
-Monday January 7 11:00pm - Episode "The Black Tengu Awakens"
-Monday January 7 11:30pm - Episode "Mysterious Yearning at Yoshiwara"

Young Kantarou and his magical Tengu buddy travels across the countryside of Japan bustin' ghosts that those other guys, who you definitely called when there was somethin' strange in the neighborhood, refused. What I find more interesting than the show itself is that it's been brought to the US by way of Manga Entertainment, a company more comfortable with things like Ninja Scroll and the like. Big, beefy, brain-dead anime where blood and profanity flow viciously like the river Euphrates. Tactics is quieter, softer, and much more colorful and decidedly female-oriented; I guess its good to mix things up, I suppose.

Tokyo Underground
(G4TechTV Canada)
Sunday January 6 8:30pm - Episode 25 "Collapse: An Incurable Heart" (Repeats Mon Jan 7 12:30am)

The penultimate Tokyo Underground episode IN CANADA has it all: Action! Suspense! Drama! Delicious Cocktail Weenies With That Delightfully Tangy Sauce!

Transformers Animated
(Cartoon Network)
Saturday January 5 10:30am - Episode 4 "Home is Where the Spark Is" (R Sun Jan 6 11:00am)

Couldn't they think of a more interesting title than simply "Transformers Animated"? Or is Hollywood so drunk with Transformers money that they simply don't care, and assume that anything with "Transformers" in front of it these days will sell by the bucketloads? Sadly, that's probably accurate. Anyway, the Autobots are on Earth and set up their hideout in an old auto-parts store, and hijinx ensue, subliminal messages flash every three seconds urging you to buy Transformers toys, and such.

Witchblade
(IFC)
Friday January 11 11:30pm - Episode 2 "Bewilderment" (Repeats Sat Jan 12 1:35am)

Witchblade on IFC, huh? That's a bit of an odd choice for a network that positions itself as the austere home for edgy filmmaking of the intelligentsia. A mostly-nude super-heroesse bouncing around and slicing up her foes, following, uh, Brokeback Mountain? Whatever - new anime on TV, I'm happy. It's a good thing.

MOVIES/SPECIALS

Ghost in the Shell: Solid State Society
(Encore WAM)
Thursday January 10 4:20am (Repeats Thu Jan 10 10:50pm)

Seems like Encore WAM has stopped stripping the Gokusen and two others seven days a week all the time, which is honestly a good thing of you ask me, and are stepping up to the plate with a repeat airing of the superb Stand Alone Complex feature, Solid State Society. Check it out in case you missed it on Sci Fi or can't find the DVD anywhere.

Karas: The Prophecy
(Encore Action)
Tuesday January 8 3:45pm

Haven't I written about Karas enough? Or at least air the friggin' second one again - that one's only been on the air once, as opposed to five-thousand.

Kakuren: Hide and Seek
(AZNTV)
Tuesday January 8 2:00am (Repeats Tue Jan 8 2:30am)

A pleasantly creepy surprise! Too bad its so short.

Tachigui: Amazing Lives of the Fast Food Grifter
(AZNTV)
Thursday January 10 7:00pm (Repeats Fri Jan 11 12:00am, 4:00am, Sat Jan 12 2:00am)

If only more than 15 people alive today watched AZNTV, this would be my Click Pick, hands down. A Mamoru Oshii-directed, Production I.G.-animated live-action/animated epic of fast food workers in an alternate-reality WWII scenario. Hell yes.

That's all the pithy commentary I can offer today, folks! For more general bullcrap, there's this blog that I write, I guess, though I need to start updating that thing more than once every week for it to even matter one iota. Regardless, I'll be back next week with more fun writing about starting at a box containing incandescent tubes!

REPEATS/STRIPS

10 Tokyo Warriors
(Encore WAM)
-Tue Jan 8 2:40am - Episode TBA
-Wed Jan 9 12:05am - Episode TBA

Ayakashi
(ImaginAsianTV)
-Sun Jan 6 10:00pm - Episode 10 "Goblin Cat, Part 1" (R Mon Jan 7 2:30am, 2:00pm)
-Tue Jan 8 5:30pm - Episode 11 "Goblin Cat, Part 2" (R Tue Jan 8 8:30pm, Wed Jan 9 1:00am, 12:30pm)

Big O
(Adult Swim)
-Sun Jan 6 1:30am - Episode 1 "Roger the Negotiator" (R Sun Jan 6 4:30am)

Bleach
(Adult Swim)
-Sat Jan 5 11:00pm - Episode 45 (R Sun Jan 6 2:00am, Tue Jan 8 1:00am, 4:00am)

Cat's Eye
(ImaginAsianTV)
-Mon Jan 7 9:30am - Episode 4 "Paris-Like Aggressor" (R Tue Jan 8 5:30am)
-Tue Jan 8 9:30am - Episode 5 "Night Flying With Dangerous Perfume" (R Wed Jan 9 5:30am)
-Wed Jan 9 9:30am - Episode 6 "Feels Like Love, a Little Bit" (R Thu Jan 10 5:30am)
-Thu Jan 10 9:30am - Episode 7 "Splendid Love Message" (R Fri Jan 11 5:30am)
-Fri Jan 11 9:30am - Episode 8 "Distant Dodochino" (R Sat Jan 12 5:30am)

Desert Punk
(Starz Edge)
-Tue Jan 8 3:00pm - Episode 13 "Opposites Collide"
-Tue Jan 8 3:30pm - Episode 14 "Kosuna: Fully Automatic"

Digimon
(Toon Disney)
-Sat Jan 5 5:30pm - Episode 29 "Return to Highton View Terrace"
-Sun Jan 6 5:30pm - Episode 30 "Almost Home Free"
-Mon Jan 7 7:00pm - Episode 224 "The Vile of Vilemon!"
-Mon Jan 7 7:30pm - Episode 225 "The Digi-Egg That Fell to Earth"
-Mon Jan 7 8:00pm - Episode 226 "The Rise of RizeGreymon!"
-Mon Jan 7 10:00pm - Episode 157 "Lobomon: Warrior of Light"
-Tue Jan 8 10:00pm - Episode 158 "Kumamon Baby Light My Fire"
-Wed Jan 9 10:00pm - Episode 159 "Kazemon Kicks It"
-Thu Jan 10 10:00pm - Episode 160 "Ladies and Gentleman: The Beetlemon!"
-Fri Jan 11 10:00pm - Episode 161 "A Molehill Out of a Mountain"

Dinosaur King
(4KidsTV)
-Sat Jan 5 9:30am - Episode 3 "Tanks a Lot!"

Dragon Ball Z
(Cartoon Network)
-Sat Jan 5 10:30pm - Episode 154 "No Worries Here"

Eureka 7
(Adult Swim)
-Wed Jan 9 1:30am - Episode 20 "Substance Abuse" (R Wed Jan 9 4:30am)
-Thu Jan 10 1:30am - Episode 21 "Runaway" (R Thu Jan 10 4:30am)
-Fri Jan 11 1:30am - Episode 22 "Crack Pot" (R Fri Jan 11 4:30am)
-Sat Jan 12 1:30am - Episode 23 "Differentia" (R Sat Jan 12 4:30am)

FLCL
(Adult Swim)
-Tue Jan 8 1:30am - Episode 1 "Fooly Cooly" (R Tue Jan 8 4:30am)

Fullmetal Alchemist
(Adult Swim)
-Sun Jan 6 12:00am - Episode 10 "The Phantom Thief" (R Sun Jan 6 3:00am)

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
(Adult Swim)
-Wed Jan 9 1:00am - Episode 5 "Decoy" (R Wed Jan 9 4:00am)
-Thu Jan 10 1:00am - Episode 6 "Meme" (R Thu Jan 10 4:00am)
-Fri Jan 11 1:00am - Episode 7 "Idolator" (R Fri Jan 11 4:00am)
-Sat Jan 12 1:00am - Episode 8 "Missing Hearts" (R Sat Jan 12 4:00am)

Inuyasha
(Adult Swim)
-Sun Jan 6 5:00am - Episode 45 "Sesshomaru Wields Tokijin"
-Tue Jan 8 5:00am - Episode 46 "Juromaru and Kageromaru"
-Wed Jan 9 5:00am - Episode 47 "Onigumo's Heart Still Beats Within Naraku"
-Thu Jan 10 5:00am - Episode 48 "Return to the Place Where We First Met"
-Fri Jan 11 5:00am - Episode 49 "Kohaku's Lost Memory"
-Sat Jan 12 5:00am - Episode 50 "That Unforgettable Face"

Kami Chu
(ImaginAsianTV)
-Sun Jan 6 9:30pm - Episode 15 "A Small Step" (R Mon Jan 7 2:00am, 1:30pm)
-Tue Jan 8 5:00pm - Episode 16 "Look, Don't You Think Spring Has Come?" (R Tue Jan 8 8:00pm, Wed Jan 9 12:30am, 12:00pm)

Moonphase
(AZNTV)
-Mon Jan 7 8:30pm - Episode TBA (R Tue Jan 8 1:30am, 5:30am)
-Tue Jan 8 8:30pm - Episode TBA (R Wed Jan 9 1:30am, 5:30am)
-Wed Jan 9 8:30pm - Episode TBA (R Thu Jan 10 1:30am, 5:30am)

Naruto
(Cartoon Network)
-Mon Jan 7 10:30pm - Episode 105 "A Fierce Battle of Rolling Thunder"
-Tue Jan 8 10:30pm - Episode 106 "The Last Leg: A Final Act of Desperation"
-Wed Jan 9 10:30pm - Episode 107 "The Battle Begins: Naruto vs. Sasuke"
-Thu Jan 10 10:30pm - Episode 108 "Bitter Rivals and Broken Bonds"

Noein
(Sci Fi)
-Tue Jan 8 12:00am - Episode 1 "Blue Snow"
-Tue Jan 8 12:30am - Episode 2 "Runaway"

Orguss
(ImaginAsianTV)
-Mon Jan 7 8:30am - Episode 6 "Vanishing Point" (R Tue Jan 8 5:00am)
-Tue Jan 8 8:30am - Episode 7 "I Love You" (R Wed Jan 9 5:00am)
-Wed Jan 9 8:30am - Episode 8 "Runaway" (R Thu Jan 10 5:00am)
-Thu Jan 10 8:30am - Episode 9 "Revolution" (R Fri Jan 11 5:00am)
-Fri Jan 11 8:30am - Episode 10 "Barbarians" (R Sat Jan 12 5:00am)

Paradise Kiss
(ImaginAsianTV)
-Sun Jan 6 10:30pm - Episode 11 "Stage" (R Mon Jan 7 3:00am, 2:30pm)
-Tue Jan 8 6:00pm - Episode 12 "Future" (R Tue Jan 8 9:00pm, Wed Jan 9 1:30am, 1:00pm)

Pokemon
(Cartoon Network)
-Sat Jan 5 9:00am - Episode 509 "Malice in Wonderland!" (R Thu Jan 10 7:00am)
-Sun Jan 6 10:30am - Episode 492 "Getting the Pre-Contest Titters!" (R Fri Jan 11 3:00pm)
-Mon Jan 7 7:00am - Episode 506 "Top-Down Training"
-Mon Jan 7 3:00pm - Episode 488 "Borrowing on Bad Faith"
-Tue Jan 8 7:00am - Episode 507 "A Stand-Up Sit Down!"
-Tue Jan 8 3:00pm - Episode 489 "Faces With Steelix Determination!"
-Wed Jan 9 7:00am - Episode 508 "The Electrike Company"
-Wed Jan 9 3:00pm - Episode 490 "Cooking Up a Sweet Story"
-Thu Jan 10 3:00pm - Episode 491 "Oh Do You Know the Poffin Plan!"

Remi
(ImaginAsianTV)
-Mon Jan 7 6:00am - Episode 13 "Encounter With the Swan" (R Mon Jan 7 9:00am, Tue Jan 8 4:30am)
-Tue Jan 8 6:00am - Episode 14 "Remi's Troupe on the Swan" (R Tue Jan 8 9:00am, Wed Jan 9 4:30am)
-Wed Jan 9 6:00am - Episode 15 "A Happy Journey by Boat" (R Wed Jan 9 9:00am, Thu Jan 10 4:30am)
-Thu Jan 10 6:00am - Episode 16 "Two Mothers in a Dream" (R Thu Jan 10 9:00am, Fri Jan 11 4:30am)
-Fri Jan 11 6:00am - Episode 17 "Goodbye to the Swan" (R Fri Jan 11 9:00am, Sat Jan 12 4:30am)

Samurai Champloo
(Adult Swim)
-Sun Jan 6 1:00am - Episode 5 "Artistic Anarchy" (R Sun Jan 6 4:00am)

Shin Chan
(Adult Swim)
-Wed Jan 9 12:30am - Episode 22 "Damn You, Telepathy!" (R Wed Jan 9 3:30am)
-Thu Jan 10 12:30am - Episode 23 "Your IQ's Like 5, Right?" (R Thu Jan 10 3:30am)
-Fri Jan 11 12:30am - Episode 24 "Stop Referencing the Show!" (R Fri Jan 11 3:30am)
-Sat Jan 12 12:30am - Episode 25 "Condescending Spanish for Heiresses" (R Sat Jan 12 3:30am)

Transformers Cybertron
(Cartoon Network)
-Mon Jan 7 6:00am - Episode 47 "Guardian"
-Tue Jan 8 6:00am - Episode 48 "Homecoming"
-Wed Jan 9 6:00am - Episode 49 "End"
-Thu Jan 10 6:00am - Episode 50 "Unfinished"
-Fri Jan 11 6:00am - Episode 51 "Beginning"

Yu-Gi-Oh! GX
(4KidsTV)
-Sat Jan 5 10:00am - Episode 125 "Triple Play, Part 2"