Toonami has been the place to be for anime fans for a very long time as the programming block is one of the few places for anime not only on cable, but television as well. Which means that when a new series joins its line-up, it’s a pretty big deal and show of support for the series as they’re becoming available to a wider audience.
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Which brings up to Pop Team Epic, the series soon replacing Dragon Ball Z Kai on Toonami June 30.
Here’s Adult Swim‘s Toonami line-up as of June 30 at midnight EST:
- 10:30p – Dragon Ball Super
- 11:00p – My Hero Academia
- 11:30p – FLCL: Progressive
- 12:00a – Pop Team Epic
- 12:30a – JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders
- 1:00a – Hunter x Hunter
- 1:30a – Black Clover
- 2:00a – Naruto: Shippuden
- 2:30a – Space Dandy
- 3:00a – Cowboy Bebop
- 3:30a – Lupin the 3rd
Fans were wondering what Toonami would replace a hefty series such as Dragon Ball Z Kai, and the answer definitely came as a surprise for most. Replacing FLCL Progressive on the schedule as that show takes over the Dragon Ball Z Kai timeslot, Pop Team Epic will definitely be a great experiment for the program.
Toonami often experiments with its broadcasts, the completely in Japanese April Fool’s Day prank is a recent example, but this series will be the most experimental yet as the anime often plays out in two “halves.” As its original 4-panel gag manga is short, the anime is as well with each episode playing out over 11 minutes. To make up for the other 11 minutes in the broadcast, the series plays the first half again but tweaks elements such as voice actors and settings. It’s certainly going to be interesting to see how Toonami fans react to Pop Team Epic‘s first episode.
For those unfamiliar with Pop Team Epic, it’s taken the Internet by storm over the last few years. Originally created by Bkub Okawa for Takeshobo’s Manga Life Win website, this webcomic has made waves for pairing its central 14 year old girls in completely wild circumstances. Profanity, pop culture references, and parodies abound in this series that’s both become a popular meme, and an even more popular anime series.
The series is currently streaming on Crunchyroll and FunimationNOW, and the synopsis for the series is as such:
“Crude, rude, and a little…cute? Get ready for the larger-than-life attitude of Popuko and Pipimi, the small and tall stars of Pop Team Epic! Based off the bizarre four-panel webcomic by Bukubu Okawa comes a comedy that’ll throw you off with its out-there jokes and intense absurdity. You think you’re ready for these girls? Think again, F#%**er!”
