One of Cartoon Network’s nostalgic programming blocks, Toonami Rewind has been officially canceled, marking the end of its Friday evening showcase of classic Toonami hits Sailor Moon, Naruto, and Dragon Ball Z. Running from 5 to 7 p.m. ET/PT, Toonami Rewind was beloved for reintroducing viewers to iconic anime series that helped define the original Toonami era. However, the Friday block will now be replaced by Checkered Past, a new lineup focusing on vintage Cartoon Network originals that will run during the same time slot Monday through Thursday, with an additional segment taking over Friday evenings.

Toonami Rewind gave fans of the late 90s and early 2000s anime a rare opportunity to revisit formative series that brought Japanese animation into mainstream Western pop culture. Its cancelation leaves a void for those who cherished reliving the golden age of Toonami, and newcomers experiencing the classics for the first time. Still, Checkered Past seeks to tap into similar nostalgia, offering reruns of Cartoon Network classics like Dexter’s Laboratory, The Powerpuff Girls, and Johnny Bravo. The new block aims to celebrate Cartoon Network’s legacy with a mix of popular titles and hidden gems that once dominated television screens.

Toonami Rewind Was A Huge Missed Opportunity

Cartoon Network Lost Sight of What Made the Original so Special

The cancelation of Toonami Rewind is no big loss for anime lovers or longtime fans of TOM’s programming block anyway. Its lineup is extremely limited and lacks the provocative niche series like Hamtaro, The Big O, and Ronin Warriors that made the original Toonami so special in the first place. Since the network will not commit to more than repeats of three well-known series one night a week, Rewind fails to offer anything new or noteworthy. Its cancelation is a reminder of the ever-shifting landscape of television programming and the ways networks adapt to balance nostalgia with new and evolving content.

While Toonami Rewind showcases beloved anime, Checkered Past offers a chance to revisit a different kind of cultural legacy. For many viewers, shows like Ed, Edd n Eddy, and Courage the Cowardly Dog evoke just as much nostalgia as the anime that defined Toonami. Cartoon Network’s pivot underscores the channel’s strategy of relying on its original intellectual property, like the revivals and spin-offs of Adventure Time and The Regular Show. Whether this change will resonate as deeply with Toonami’s audience, or alienate them altogether, remains to be seen.

Classic Toonami Is Still Going Strong

The Lineup Is as Cutting-edge as Ever, but Still Makes Room for Old Favorites

Toonami itself remains secure and continues to air as part of Adult Swim’s Saturday night programming. The flagship block maintains its focus on premiering new anime episodes and curated series, but sometimes suffers from the same missteps as Rewind. While Toonami continues to introduce new series like Lazarus and the disappointing Rick and Morty: The Anime, TOM still devotes too much time to reruns of ubiquitous series, like a full hour of Dragon Ball Z Kai reruns. Adult Swim has assured viewers that the core Toonami is in no danger of disappearing, even though Rewind failed to catch on.

The decision to transition from Toonami Rewind to Checkered Past is a curious one. With Toonami Rewind less than a year into its run, the network has seemingly decided to scrap the concept altogether rather than expand past the bare minimum of nostalgia bait. This move also reflects a broader trend of networks increasingly repackaging archival content and becoming stale as a consequence. Toonami Rewind bet it all on its foundational series like Dragon Ball Z and lost, marking a huge missed opportunity to recapture the magic of a time when anime was shiny and new to Western audiences.