The Click

July 29th - August 4th

Greetings once again, my fellow addicts of televised entertainment! This week's The Click has everything: drama, love, excitement, loud car crashes, adult situations and brief nudity, boring diatribes on the human condition, and more. Maybe. In fact, it might not contain any of these, to be fair.

However, I do know one thing: there is lots of anime-type stuff on TV. From a quick glance at this stuff, you begin to notice a few things. Mostly; the bigger, newer titles tend to cling to the bigger networks. I.e., YTV and Cartoon Network get Naruto and Fullmetal Alchemist, while the Encore networks, for example, are straddled with now-ancient titles like Macross Plus or third-tier product like The Gokusen. Just recently, Encore Networks has been raiding Media Blasters' older catalog titles to fill in some of the gaps in their lineup; shows that would have otherwise never seen the light of day on TV, such as the early-90's one-off OAV, The Weathering Continent, are cropping up out of seemingly nowhere.

As out-of-left-field as these choices are, there's no denying that most of them are pretty lousy. Why settle for Mirage of Blaze when Media Blasters has Rurouni Kenshin, recently freed from its two-year contract stipulation with the Cartoon Network? Bandai has dozens of Gundam shows and one-time hits such as Escaflowne and Outlaw Star vying desperately for any kind of exposure. And much like the inevitable cry of “Freebird!” following a phoned-in Death Cab for Cutie concert, you'll hear “show Ranma ½!!!” a good dozen times whenever Adult Swim makes the mistake of asking for anime suggestions. Funimation and ADV make good use of their older titles, using them to fill in odd slots for their own networks. But for God's sake, guys, the next time Encore or whoever sends their janitor to pick up some anime to play late at night, don't give him tapes of Eiken you found in a box labeled “TO BE INCINERATED.”

Speaking of anime and incineration, let's move on to this week's big features:

Samurai Deeper Kyo
(Encore WAM)
-Tuesday August 1 4:30pm - Episode 1 "Wanted Dead or Alive" (Repeats Wed Aug 2 1:30am, 6:30am)
-Wednesday August 2 4:30pm - Episode 2 "Red Mirage" (Repeats Thu Aug 3 1:30am, 6:30am)
-Thursday August 3 4:30pm - Episode 3 "The Creeping Nightmare" (Repeats Fri Aug 4 1:30am, 6:30am)
-Friday August 4 4:30pm - Episode 4 "Tears of the Assassin" (Repeats Sat Aug 5 1:30am, 6:30am)

Hereby rendering my previous point utterly moot, Encore is now airing tapes proudly discovered in Media Blasters' “DO NOT THROW AWAY” box. Samurai Deeper Kyo is your everyday story about a humble samurai, a bloodthirsty demon, and how they fought to the bitter end and somehow have their two souls united as one. This tale begins as the now-humble Kyoshiro saunters about the land performing good deeds as a medicine man, unaware of the evil within him, until a bounty hunter by the name of Yuya Shina literally unleashes his inner demon. Is it an excellent show? No, but it is a surprisingly entertaining one.

Or, if half-demon samurai slicing up stuff on a sub-tier network isn't your thing, herein lies a bounty of other new goodies just waiting to be watched!

OTHER PREMIERES:

Basilisk
(Razer)
Thursday August 3 5:30pm - Episode 5 "The Surprise Attack" (Repeats Fri Aug 4 12:30am, 1:00pm)

Since my shameful display of gaucherie one week prior, I've taken to educating myself somewhat on this fine Gonzo-animated series. It's a show about ninjas! But unlike that other ninja anime, this one is very dark, brooding, and jam-packed with gimmicky villains, a'la Rurouni Kenshin. It describes the war of two feuding ninja clans, and their battles to acquire scrolls with deadly and long-forgotten techniques, as well as the support and backing of the ruling shogunate.

Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo
(Cartoon Network)
Saturday July 29 10:30pm - Episode 38 "Money Castle! Cash Only Please. Credit Cards Not Accepted"

Bo-bobo arrives at the stronghold of the Scrooge McDuck-like villain, Halekulani, who never seems to move himself from his bathtub full of money. It's stupid, it's crazy, it's Bo-bobo; we will enjoy it, others will wonder if they should call a mental health professional.

Case Closed
(YTV)
Saturday July 29 12:00am - Episode 18 "The Case of the Hi-Jacked Department Store"

Conan and his diminutive Junior Detective League pals blunder into a high-stakes hostage situation, as desperate no-goodniks hold up a department store and hold the entire night crew hostage. Conan, being the ever-dutiful detective, no doubt has a plan or a plot contrivance or something to catch those crooks!

Eureka 7
(Cartoon Network)
Sunday July 30 12:00am - Episode 16 "Opposite View" (Repeats Sun Jul 30 3:00am)

Tensions mount aboard the Gekkostate, particularly the fragile Renton, who grows increasingly frustrated over Eureka's waning health, as well as unending and strange nightmares. A show with robots, and comments on the human psyche? Hideaki Anno should sue!

Fullmetal Alchemist
(YTV)
Friday August 4 10:00pm - Episode 23 "Fullmetal Heart" (Repeats Sat Aug 5 1:00am)

Ed and Al, hospitalized from their dangerous escapade in the heart of Laboratory 5, quarrel with one another as Al begins to doubt his former existence and his brother's sincerity. Oh, those boys and their fights.

IGPX
(Cartoon Network)
Saturday August 5 12:00am - Episode 23 "Fate"

I try to make it a point to let everyone know when I'm at a loss for words, and would rather publicize that fact than make something up. Here is one of those cases; the nature of writing these things being what they are, I'm currently writing this very paragraph before the previous episode has aired, which means I, nor anybody else, knows what will be officially going on in the concurrent one. I suppose I could comment about how unfair it is that such a good show was ignored by most viewers, and how it is quite worth your time to check it out, but that is all subjective opinion and such. However, it is also very, awesomely true.

Inuyasha
(Cartoon Network)
Wednesday August 2 12:30am - Episode 157 "Destroy Naraku With Adamant Barrage" (Repeats Wed Aug 2 4:00am)

Sesshomaru switches teams again and battles that dastardly Naraku with everything he has; meanwhile Inuyasha takes the opportunity to try and seize the remaining jewel shard, encased in Hosenki's diamond-covered body. Ew.

(YTV)
Friday August 4 9:00pm - Episode 152 "Protect and Plunder" (Repeats Sat Aug 5 2:30am)

Flashing my memory back a couple of weeks, I can remember... yes... this episode deals with then-spotlighted villain Princess Abi, who decides to sever her ties with Naraku. But at what cost? Cue dramatic music, et cetera.

Naruto
(Cartoon Network)
Saturday July 29 9:00pm - Episode 45 "Surprise Attack: Naruto's Secret Weapon"

Naruto has a big new jutsu that he plans on using to finish his bout with Kiba, but Kiba wisely keeps Naruto busy and unable to complete it. Plus, there's a fart!

Oban Star-Racers
(Toon Disney)
Monday July 31 7:30pm - Episode 9 "Surprising Like Super-Racer" (Repeats Tue Aug 1 12:30am)

I feel like I should copy and paste the blurb I previously compiled for IGPX, sans the guilt trip part anyway. Ditto, I haven't seen this, nobody else has, but that of course gives you all the more incentive to tune in! Besides, it's a cute, fun, easy on the eyes racing-type-thing.

Pokemon Chronicles
(Cartoon Network)
Saturday July 29 7:30pm - Episode 10 "Oaknapped!"

In a shocking, stunning display of originality and adroitness, those incredibly clever, incredibly astute Pokemon did the unthinkable; in this episode, two thief characters have been renamed Butch and Cassidy! What a sprightly bunch! Anyway, Professor Oak gets kidnapped and stuff happens.

Samurai 7
(Independent Film Channel)
Saturday July 29 10:30pm - Episode 18 "The Emperor" (Repeats Sun Jul 30 1:30am, Thu Aug 3 11:30pm, Fri Aug 4 2:30am)

Kambei hatches a plan to infiltrate the Nobuseri's heavily-guarded HQ by willingly letting himself be taken prisoner. Will he succeed, or has he only put himself in needless risk? Such a question can only be answered through the science of TV-watching.

(Razer)
Thursday Aug 3 5:00pm - Episode 5 "The Drifter" (Repeats Fri Aug 4 12:00am, 12:30pm)

Worn out during their search for capable samurai, Kambei and the others recharge their batteries in a rural tea shop. Soon they hear tale of a nomadic samurai who chops firewood for small change, and the group decide to investigate.

Spider Riders
(KidsWB)
Saturday July 29 10:30am - Episode 8 "The Wandering Warrior"

Hunter and Shadow, whose names are also just glistening with unique inventiveness, find themselves trapped in the aptly-named Forest of Bewilderment, and must fight for a way out or risk being lost forever. Instead of, y'know, simply dying, but whatever.

Trinity Blood
(Razer)
Thursday August 3 6:00pm - Episode 5 "Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow" (Repeats Fri Aug 4 1:00am, 1:30pm)

The vampire killin' Abel Nightroad returns to the Vatican with a new cohort in tow, Sister Esther. And here I thought Catholics were only about killing old people in museums in France, and leaving a trail of cryptic clues to be decoded by a hack author making millions by writing amateurish books designed to make stupid people feel smart. Hm.

Yu-Gi-Oh! GX
(YTV)
Saturday July 29 12:00pm - Episode 44 "The Seventh Shadow Rider"

Professor Banner of the esteemed Duel Academy suddenly goes missing, and the kids search high and low for him, fearing his defeat at the hands of the evil “Shadow Riders.” That doesn't stop them, however, from having a card duel or two! Or three.

Zatch Bell
(Cartoon Network)
Saturday July 29 8:00pm - Episode 59 "The Labyrinth's Angry Torrent"

Kiyo, Zatch, and his mamodo-wielding buddies are seemingly helpless as Zatch's lightning spells have no effect on their pursuers. Not to jinx it or anything, but they're probably screwed.

MOVIES/SPECIALS

The Weathering Continent
(Encore Action)
Saturday July 29 12:00am (Repeats Sat Jul 29 12:30pm, Mon Jul 31 12:00pm, Fri Aug 4 12:00am, 12:00pm)

Now this is odd. I remember back in the ol' days, and by that I mean the VHS fansub days, this little one-shot OAV produced by none other than Production I.G was held up as a massive, crowning achievement; the Lawrence of Arabia of hour-long animated productions. Then I watched it, found out that it was rather boring, and discovered that, shockingly enough, people enjoy hyping up things they assume you will never see in order to make themselves seem smarter. Essentially, a group of mopey kids on a dying mid-Atlantic continent from long, long ago comment on their bleak lives and their bleak world and how bleak everything is, but they'll keep on living, damn it.

Gundress
(Encore Action)
Friday August 4 6:30pm

Nothing new to report here, other than Gundress comes on right after the awful-yet-wonderful Frankenstein Unbound, starring the late Raul Julia!

If all those premieres and specials have gone by and you still feel a tad unfulfilled and empty inside, I have just the prescription: anti-depressants! And reruns. See you all next week!

REPEATS/STRIPS

10 Tokyo Warriors
(Encore Action)
-Tue Aug 1 12:00am - Episode 1 (R Tue Aug 1 12:00pm)
-Tue Aug 1 12:30am - Episode 2 (R Tue Aug 1 12:30pm)
-Wed Aug 2 12:00am - Episode 3 (R Wed Aug 2 12:00pm)
-Wed Aug 2 12:30am - Episode 4 (R Wed Aug 2 12:30pm)
-Thu Aug 3 12:00am - Episode 5 (R Thu Aug 3 12:00pm)
-Thu Aug 3 12:30am - Episode 6 (R Thu Aug 3 12:30pm)
-Thu Aug 3 6:30am - Episode TBA

Basilisk
(Razer)
-Sat Jul 29 10:00pm - Episode 4 "The Horned Owl" (R Sun Jul 30 1:00am, 11:00am)

Battle B-Daman
(YTV)
-Tue Aug 1 3:30pm - Episode 35 "The Good, the Bad and the B-DaMan"
-Thu Aug 2 3:30pm - Episode 36 "Yamato Versus the Masked Marble, Part 2"

Beyblade
(YTV)
-Sat Jul 29 5:30am - Episode 40 "Hot Battle in a Cold Town"
-Sat Jul 29 1:00pm - Episode 20 "It's All Relative"
-Tue Aug 1 5:30am - Episode 41 "Out of the Past"
-Wed Aug 2 5:30am - Episode 42 "Drawn to the Darkness"
-Thu Aug 3 5:30am - Episode 43 "Live and Let Kai!"
-Fri Aug 4 5:30am - Episode 44 "Losing Kai"

Big O
(Cartoon Network)
-Tue Aug 1 1:30am - Episode 5 "Bring Back My Ghost" (R Tue Aug 1 5:00am)
-Wed Aug 2 1:30am - Episode 6 "A Legacy of Amadeus" (R Wed Aug 2 5:00am)
-Thu Aug 3 1:30am - Episode 7 "The Call From the Past" (R Thu Aug 3 5:00am)
-Fri Aug 4 1:30am - Episode 8 "Missing Cat" (R Fri Aug 4 5:00am)

Chrono Crusade
(Showtime Beyond)
-Mon Jul 31 12:00am - Episode 24 "Chrono" (R Mon Jul 31 5:30am, Fri Aug 4 12:45am)
-Fri Aug 4 9:00pm - Episode 1 "Sister Rosette"

Digimon
(ABC Family)
-Sat Jul 29 7:00am - Episode 62 "Ken's Secret"
-Sun Jul 30 7:00am - Episode 63 "The Emperor's New Home"

(Toon Disney)
-Sat Jul 29 9:30pm - Episode 111 "Now You See It Now You Don't" (R Sun Jul 30 2:00am)
-Sun Jul 30 9:30pm - Episode 112 "A Question of Trust" (R Mon Jul 31 2:00am)
-Tue Aug 1 9:30pm - Episode 68 "The Samurai of Sincerity" (R Wed Aug 2 2:30am)
-Wed Aug 2 9:30pm - Episode 69 "Big Trouble in Little Edo" (R Thu Aug 3 2:30am)
-Thu Aug 3 9:30pm - Episode 70 "20,000 Digi-Leagues Under the Sea" (R Fri Aug 4 2:30am)

Dragon Ball GT
(Cartoon Network)
-Sat Aug 5 12:30am - Episode 4 "The Most Wanted List"

(YTV)
-Sat Jul 29 3:30am - Episode 56 "The Fire & Ice Dragon Brothers"

Fullmetal Alchemist
(Cartoon Network)
-Sat Jul 29 11:30pm - Episode 19 "The Truth Behind Truths" (R Sun Jul 30 2:30am)
-Tue Aug 1 12:30am - Episode 50 "Death" (R Tue Aug 1 4:00am)

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
(Cartoon Network)
-Sun Jul 30 12:30am - Episode 8 "Missing Hearts" (R Sun Jul 30 3:30am)

(YTV)
-Sat Aug 5 12:30am - Episode 20 "Re-View"

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd GIG
(Cartoon Network)
-Thu Aug 3 12:30am - Episode 21 "Embarrassment" (R Thu Aug 3 4:00am)

Gigantor
(Cartoon Network)
-Tue Aug 1 5:30am - Episode 12 "The Freezer Ray"
-Wed Aug 2 5:30am - Episode 13 "The Magic Multiplier"
-Thu Aug 3 5:30am - Episode 14 "The Submarine Base"
-Fri Aug 4 5:30am - Episode 15 "Treasure Mountain"

Gokusen
(Encore WAM!)
-Sat Jul 29 4:30pm - Episode 4 "Oju Goes Blond! Whodunnit?" (R Sun Jul 30 1:30am, 6:30am)
-Sun Jul 30 4:30pm - Episode 5 "Oedo Clan in Crisis" (R Mon Jul 31 1:30am, 6:30am)
-Mon Jul 31 4:30pm - Episode 6 "Kyo-san's Knockout Performance" (R Tue Aug 1 1:30am, 6:30am)
-Tue Aug 1 4:00pm - Episode 7 "Shirokin Boy's Choir? Say What?" (R Wed Aug 2 1:00am, 6:00am)
-Wed Aug 2 4:00pm - Episode 8 "The Class Trip Into Hell Begins" (R Thu Aug 3 1:00am, 6:00am)
-Thu Aug 3 4:00pm - Episode 9 "Schoolground Battle Without Honor" (R Fri Aug 4 1:00am, 6:00am)
-Fri Aug 4 4:00pm - Episode 10 "School in the Crosshairs" (R Sat Aug 5 1:00am, 6:00am)

Gundam SEED
(YTV)
-Fri Aug 4 9:30pm - Episode 48 "Day of Wrath" (R Sat Aug 5 1:30am)

Inuyasha
(Cartoon Network)
-Sun Jul 30 1:30am - Episode 142 "Untamed Entei and Horrible Hakudoshi" (R Sun Jul 30 4:30am)

Kirby: Right Back at Ya!
(4KidsTV)
-Sat Jul 29 7:30am - Episode 7 "Kirby's Egg-cellent Adventure"
-Sat Jul 29 9:30am - Episode 32 "The Kirby Derby, Part 1"

Magical DoReMi
(4KidsTV)
-Sat Jul 29 7:00am - Episode 7 "Caitlyn's Day Out"

Mirage of Blaze
(Encore WAM)
-Sat Jul 29 4:00pm - Episode 12 "Choices of Conflict" (R Sun Aug 30 1:00am, 6:00am)
-Sun Jul 30 4:00pm - Episode 13 "Twilight of Beyond" (R Mon Jul 31 1:00am, 6:00am)
-Mon Jul 31 4:00pm - Episode TBA (R Tue Aug 1 1:00am, 6:00am)

Naruto
(Cartoon Network)
-Sat Jul 29 8:30pm - Episode 44 "Akamaru Unleashed! Who's on Top Now?"
-Mon Jul 31 10:00pm - Episode 1 "Enter: Naruto Uzumaki"
-Tue Aug 1 10:00pm - Episode 2 "My Name is Konohamaru"
-Wed Aug 2 10:00pm - Episode 3 "Sasuke and Sakura: Friends or Foes?"
-Thu Aug 3 10:00pm - Episode 4 "Pass or Fail: Survival Test"

(YTV)
-Fri Aug 4 8:00pm - Episode  "Akamaru Trembles: Gaara's Cruel Strength!" (R Sat Aug 5 2:00am)

Oban Star-Racers
(ABC Family)
-Sat Jul 29 10:30am - Episode 8 "Agile Like Aikka"

(Toon Disney)
-Sat Jul 29 8:30pm - Episode 7 "Treacherous Like Toros"
-Sun Jul 30 8:30pm - Episode 8 "Agile Like Aikka"

One Piece
(YTV)
-Sat Jul 29 4:00am - Episode 4 "The Passing of the Hat"

(Cartoon Network)
-Sat Jul 29 9:30pm - Episode 52 "Tony Tony Chopper"
-Sat Jul 29 10:00pm - Episode 53 "Freaky"

Peacemaker
(Showtime Beyond)
-Sun Jul 30 11:30pm - Episode  "Ryo" (R Mon Jul 31 5:05am, Fri Aug 4 1:10am)
-Fri Aug 4 9:30pm - Episode  "Quiet"

Pokemon
(KidsWB)
-Sat Jul 29 10:00am - Episode 384 "Showdown at Linoone"

(Cartoon Network)
-Mon Jul 31 5:00pm - Episode 367 "The Evolutionary War"
-Tue Aug 1 5:00pm - Episode 368 "Training Wrecks"
-Wed Aug 2 5:00pm - Episode 369 "Gaining Groudon"
-Thu Aug 3 5:00pm - Episode 370 "The Scuffle of Legends"
-Fri Aug 4 5:00pm - Episode 371 "It's Still Rocket Roll to Me"

(YTV)
-Tue Aug 1 5:00am - Episode 397 "Saved by the Beldum"
-Wed Aug 2 5:00am - Episode 398 "From Brags to Riches"
-Thu Aug 3 5:00am - Episode 399 "Shocks and Bonds"
-Fri Aug 4 5:00am - Episode 400 "A Judgement Brawl"

Pokemon Chronicles
(YTV)
-Sat Jul 29 5:00am - Episode 5 "The Family That Battles Together Stays Together"

(Cartoon Network)
-Sat Jul 29 7:00pm - Episode 9 "The Blue Badge of Courage"

s-CRY-ed
(Cartoon Network)
-Tue Aug 1 1:00am - Episode 21 "Holy Eye" (R Tue Aug 1 4:30am)
-Wed Aug 2 1:00am - Episode 22 "Martin Zigmarl" (R Wed Aug 2 4:30am)
-Thu Aug 3 1:00am - Episode 23 "Scheris Adjani" (R Thu Aug 3 4:30am)
-Fri Aug 4 1:00am - Episode 24 "Fist" (R Fri Aug 4 4:30am)

Samurai 7
(Razer)
-Sat Jul 29 9:30pm - Episode 4 "The Loner" (R Sun Jul 30 12:30am, 10:30am)

Samurai Champloo
(Cartoon Network)
-Sun July 30 1:00am - Episode 13 "Misguided Miscreants, Part 1" (R Sun July 30 4:00am)

Super Milk-Chan
(Cartoon Network)
-Sun Jul 30 5:00am - Episode 4 "The Return of the Young Master From the Planet"

Transformers Cybertron
(Cartoon Network)
-Mon Jul 31 6:00am - Episode 30 "United"
-Tue Aug 1 6:00am - Episode 31 "Cybertron"
-Wed Aug 2 6:00am - Episode 32 "Balance"
-Thu Aug 3 6:00am - Episode 1 "Fallen"
-Fri Aug 4 6:00am - Episode 2 "Haven"

(YTV)
-Sat Jul 29 1:30pm - Episode TBA

Trinity Blood
(Razer)
-Sat Jul 29 10:30pm - Episode 4 "The Star of Sorrow: Hunter's Banquet" (R Sun Jul 30 1:30am, 11:30am)

Ultimate Muscle: the Kinnikuman Legacy
(4KidsTV)
-Sat Jul 29 10:00am - Episode 39 "For Meat's Sake"

Viewtiful Joe
(KidsWB)
-Sat Jul 29 11:30am - Episode 24 "Hero Takes a Fall"

Yu-Gi-Oh!
(KidsWB)
-Sat Jul 29 7:00am - Episode 191 "Down in Flames, Part 3"
-Sat Jul 29 7:30am - Episode 192 "A Brawl in a Small Town, Part 1"

(YTV)
-Sat Jul 29 4:30am - Episode 203 "The Intruder, Part 2"
-Tue Aug 1 4:30am - Episode 204 "Makings of a Magician"
-Wed Aug 2 4:30am - Episode 205 "Birth of the Blue-Eyes"
-Thu Aug 3 4:30am - Episode 206 "Village of Lost Souls"
-Fri Aug 4 4:30am - Episode 207 "A Reversal of Fortune"

Yu-Gi-Oh! GX
(Cartoon Network)
-Sat Jul 29 6:30pm - Episode 26 "The School Duel, Part 2"