The Untold Story Behind Fox Kids' Decision to Stop Airing Anime!

When Pokemon first aired on Kids WB, it revolutionized the presence of anime on network TV. Prior to this, Cartoon Network had achieved success with various anime shows on their Toonami block. However, Pokemon's impact on the mainstream was unparalleled. It led to a surge in anime programming on every network, from ABC Family to Nickelodeon. Fox Kids, in particular, experienced significant success with the unexpected popularity of Digimon: Digital Monsters.

Despite this success, Fox Kids eventually made the decision to completely stop airing anime only a few years later. Additionally, any anime shows that were in development for the network were also cancelled. What events or factors led to Fox Kids discontinuing their anime programming and abandoning their ongoing co-productions remains unknown.

The Success of Digimon

Fox Kids had occasionally aired anime in the past, but it was the success of Pokemon that prompted the network to search for a competitor. They found it in Digimon Adventure, which they brought to the United States as Digimon: Digital Monsters. The series was incredibly popular, leading Fox to approve a movie adaptation called Digimon: The Movie (although many children were unaware that it was actually three unrelated Digimon shorts edited into one film).

Following the success of Digimon and other anime shows like Toonami and Yu-Gi-Oh! from 4Kids Entertainment, Fox Kids decided to invest more in anime. One of their first acquisitions after Digimon was Monster Rancher, a show with a similar theme of collecting monsters through magic discs. Although not as successful as Digimon, Monster Rancher still did well, giving Fox Kids confidence in acquiring more anime for the network. However, these future shows did not achieve the same level of success.

Other Anime Series Have Limited Success

Monster Rancher enjoyed enough success to have all three seasons air on the network, but other shows failed to generate the same level of interest. Cybersix, an action series that aired in 1999, performed poorly. Flint the Time Detective, a time travel show, came and went without leaving a lasting impression. The anime shows airing on Fox Kids not only had low ratings but were also easily forgettable.

A couple of years later, the lukewarm response to Metabots would mark the end of anime on Fox Kids. Although this show performed better than others, it still failed to convince the network to continue airing anime. Interestingly, it was an embarrassing event a year earlier that made Fox Kids reconsider their relationship with anime.

Fox Kids Acquires The Vision of Escaflowne

Anime on Cartoon Network's Toonami was thriving while it struggled to gain popularity on Fox Kids. Dragon Ball Z, Gundam Wing, and The Big O were highly sought after by kids. Despite being offered these shows, Fox Kids executives rejected them and grew envious of Toonami's success. Then, a journalist asked Toonami executive Jason DeMarco if popular shows like Trigun or The Vision of Escaflowne would ever be featured on Toonami. DeMarco explained that Trigun couldn't be aired due to its gunplay, but mentioned that The Vision of Escaflowne was a potential option.

This statement convinced Fox Kids executives to bid for and acquire the anime. If Toonami wanted it, then it was likely to be a hit. However, they soon realized what they had purchased. Saturday morning cartoons during this time were primarily seen as for boys only. Shows with female protagonists were nearly non-existent, and The Vision of Escaflowne not only had a female lead but also focused on drama, romance, and the epic fantasy story.

The Vision of Escaflowne Bombs

Understandably, the executives had confidence in their ability to market the fantasy and action elements of the show. However, they were concerned about the romantic aspects, which they believed might pose a challenge. To make matters worse, the first episode lacked sufficient action and was primarily focused on elements that might not capture the interest of young boys. As a result, it was decided to debut with the second episode and incorporate flashbacks from the initial episode. The slower and more dramatic moments were also shortened, resulting in the removal of two additional episodes (bringing the total down from 26 to 23). Furthermore, although some of Yoko Kanno's musical compositions would be retained, a new score would be added to highlight the show's action and excitement. With these modifications completed, The Vision of Escaflowne premiered on Fox Kids in August 2000.

Regrettably for the Fox Kids executives, their interference and modifications resulted in a show that fell far short of its initial grand vision. By bypassing a significant portion of the first episode, viewers were left even more bewildered about the unfolding events. Fans who were acquainted with the original subtitled VHS version wasted no time criticizing the dubbed version as a subpar attempt. Despite a respectable viewership for the first episode, the series experienced a steady decline in viewership with each passing week. Eventually, it was announced that Escaflowne (now under a different title) would no longer be aired on Fox Kids after episode 9, making way for NASCAR Racers.

The ratings for the 23-episode series were so abysmal that it didn't even make it to air in its entirety. To make matters worse, when the series was released on DVD and VHS, Bandai Entertainment offered both the uncut and Fox Kids edit versions. Surprisingly, the uncut version turned out to be a massive success in terms of sales, while the Fox Kids version performed so poorly that Bandai had to discontinue it after only four volumes. This meant that the executives at Fox Kids had to face not only the failure of their show but also the fact that it had found success despite their meddling. In the cutthroat world of Hollywood, where business should reign supreme, sometimes personal emotions come into play, and this situation was definitely one of those times.

Fox Kids Ceases Airing Anime

Fox Kids interpreted the airing of Metabots as a signal that anime was not suitable for their network. They abandoned their plan to edit Magic Knight Rayearth out of concern that it would not measure up to the already available uncut version. The series Detective Conan was also dropped because it would require extensive editing to make it appropriate for children. As a result, the network executives decided to discontinue pursuing any further anime content. Eventually, Fox Kids permanently ended its Saturday morning cartoon lineup and sold the block to competitor 4Kids Entertainment. The rebranded Fox Box (later known as 4Kids TV) then began airing anime shows like Sonic X and Shaman King.

Although some attribute the downfall to Metabots, the executives faced severe backlash due to the catastrophic failure of The Vision of Escaflowne. It is never favorable for a show to flop on one network and achieve immense success elsewhere. The DVD sales were so remarkable that Bandai even released Escaflowne: The Movie in theaters. This setback left a stain on their reputation, and ultimately led Fox Kids to reduce their anime programming until it completely disappeared from the network.