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New MeTV Toons Channel Launches in Summer With Speed Racer, Marine Boy Anime

Classic television network MeTV (Memorable Entertainment Television) announced on Wednesday that it is launching a channel for classic cartoons titled MeTV Toons this summer. The new network will broadcast the Speed Racer anime, among other series. The gallery of characters on Me TV Toons' website also shows the Marine Boy anime and the Silverhawks animated show.

The new 24/7 network will feature animated series from past decades such as Bugs Bunny & Friends, Tom and Jerry, Popeye, Scooby Doo, Rocky and Bullwinkle, Jonny Quest, The Flintstones, The Jetsons, The Smurfs, Yogi Bear, Inspector Gadget, Wacky Races, and Freakazoid!

Animation historian Jerry Beck will also produce original content related to the MeTV Toons library. Voice actor Bob Bergen (Porky Pig, Marvin the Martian) will be the announcer for MeTV Toons.

MeTV Toons will be available on broadcast television, traditional and virtual operators, and on ad-supported streaming services.

Shout! Studios announced on Thursday that it will release the Speed Racer (Mach Go Go Go) anime on digital platforms on June 1. The company is releasing both the English-dubbed version and the original Japanese version Mach Go Go Go on video-on-demand. Funimation previously released the anime on Blu-ray Disc/DVD.

The 1967-68 car-racing anime Mach Go Go Go was licensed by Trans-Lux and released in the United States in 1967 as Speed Racer. The worldwide rights for the Speed Racer property reverted to Tatsunoko Production from American licensing company Speed Racer Enterprises (SRE) in 2011, though Tatsunoko filed lawsuits against SRE to uphold the reversion, and they were not dismissed until 2014.

The Marine Boy (Kaitei Shonen Marine) series, a remake of 1965's original Ganbare! Marine Kid anime, aired in the U.S. in 1967 and in Japan in 1969. The English version features the same cast as Speed Racer.

Sources: MeTVToons, Variety (Michael Schneider)