New York -- In addition to launching six new series, Cartoon Network in a change of strategy is debuting a new afternoon action-adventure program block called "Miguzi," officials said Wednesday.
At its upfront presentation here, Cartoon unveiled its plans to replace its "Toonami" anime block, which airs weekdays from 5 p.m.-7 p.m., with Miguzi. Toonami, in turn, will move to Saturday nights.
The Miguzi weekday-afternoon franchise -- which focuses on action-adventure shows with a comic twist -- is targeting kids 6-11.
Toonami is being positioned as the home for sophisticated action and anime programming for teens. It takes its new time slot -- Saturdays from 7 p.m.-midnight -- starting April 17.
Miguzi, set on an abandoned spaceship buried in the sea, debuts April 19. Its lineup includes Totally Spies;new acquisitions Code LYOKO and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; and Teen Titans.Miguzi will also feature live-action segments profiling entertainers, athletes and everyday heroes.
Toonami’s Saturday-night block will be anchored by one of Cartoon’s new shows, Megas XLR,about a 20-something grease monkey who discovers a giant fighting robot from the future in a New Jersey landfill.
Cartoon’s second new series, Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends, is from Craig McCracken, creator of The Powerpuff Girls. Foster’s Home premieres with a 90-minute movie July 16, with the series debuting Sept. 3.
Cartoon’s four other new shows are: Justice League Unlimited,where the Justice League characters return with a new series; Atomic Betty, about a brainy little girl who is also a superhero defender of the Cosmos, set for September; Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi,about two Japanese pop stars, which debuts in December; and The Life and Times of Juniper Lee,slated to bow next February.
