Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
About The Site
Jeff Harris, Revised September 2005

2. Wait, wasn't this site known as CNX?
Yes. On May 5, 2003, CNX: Toonami Revolution became The Bridge. Simplistic name, I know, but in the end, I figured that a more permanent change was needed in this evolution of life. Weeks after I got my domain name, it officially got redubbed The X Bridge.

3. I'm new to the site. What exactly was CNX, what was on it, and why the change?
CNX came into the world on Friday, July 10, 1998 at GeoCities under the name of CN2: Toonami Realm. This was actually the second site online created by the CN2 Toonami Inner Circle, as the first one, Skullmonkey's Cartoon Network Campaign was the actual campaign area (of course that site, ran by Skullmnky, is now defunct), but CN2: Toonami Realm was the first one to introduce the name and concept of CN2 and it's somewhat familiar logo (it emulated the checkerboard design of Cartoon Network's logo not unlike the current on-air logo of Cartoon Network with a red "two" beside it) to the world).

The purpose in the early days was to convience Cartoon Network to create a spinoff network based on the Toonami block of programming. Now, considering this was 1998 and the network was airing on-air promos asking "Is Toonami a Failed Experiment?", this was going to be harder than I thought. Needless to say, the fanbase was building and the fans discovered the Revolution that was Toonami. Around late June 1999, Cartoon Network created a network that would be technically a CN2, and that network was Boomerang. So around the same time, CN2 became CNX, and the Toonami attitude which it personified for nearly a year had gotten bigger, and to some, better (I wouldn't say that, but that's just me).

In October 2002, Cartoon Network Europe launched a Toonami influenced-network. The name they used? CNX. I'd been in contact with those responsible for the creation of the network earlier that spring, giving my imput and such, but I had no idea they were actually going to launch an action-animation network. For the longest time, CNX was the name of this site, and until October 2002, ONLY this site. Of course, this all changed on October 14, 2002 at 6 AM GMT, when CNX, a new hybrid action channel from Cartoon Network UK and Turner Broadcasting International, launched, marking the first Turner network to be a European exclusive. The network airs mostly standard Toonami fare like Dragon Ball Z, Tenchi, Batman of the Future, and Gundam along with CN standards like Samurai Jack and Justice League, Adult Swim shows like Cowboy Bebop and Outlaw Star, and a few others. CNX was also the first home of English-language Dragon Ball GT. Like I said, CNX is ran by Cartoon Network UK, but it'll also have a daily 60-minute genre news and information show and live-action movies and series that's full of action like The Shield, Birds of Prey, and Boomtown. Not quite the dream that I had in mind, but it's the closest thing to the original dream of CNX.

In fall 2002, this site was known simply as N49, but reverted back to CNX about a couple of weeks later. Did CNX UK had something to do with the temporary name change? Partially. The folks at Cartoon Network UK didn't have any problems with me continuing to use the CNX name, but at the same time, I kind of figured that it would be kind of hard to continue using the CNX name when Turner has all legal rights to use it. Afterall, this is just a fansite, nothing more, nothing less. Plus, freeing my site of the CNX name opens it up for more expansion beyond Toonami, thus, the introduction of The X Bridge.

In September 2003, CNX was proven a failure and became the world's first Toonami network, eliminating the live-action movies and shows as well as the adult-skewing animated series like Cowboy Bebop and Spawn. In short, it's a kid-friendly network based on the Toonami format. The official domain is http://www.toonami.co.uk.

4. Who runs this place?
For those not familiar with me in Moltar's Hub nor the TICA Toonami Board at Toon Zone, let me introduce myself. My name is Jeff Harris. I'm a twenty-something year-old cartoonist/graphic artist/writer. I received my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Graphic Illustration and a minor in English from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia in May 2002. When I'm not working this site or working on designs, you could usually find me taking on my first loves, which drawing and writing. I guess what originally drew me to Toonami is the mesh of older cartoons I grew up with like Thundercats, Voltron, and Robotech and grew to enjoy what Toonami had to offer from ReBoot to DBZ to Gundam to Outlaw Star to The Big O to Teen Titans to Justice League to Naruto. A lot of these shows influenced me in the way I write and draw. Now my drawing style is a cross between Akira Toriyama, Humberto Ramos, and Chris Sprouse. I'm also currently working on a couple of comics and novels as well as continuing research on this animation history book I've been working on for years now (I've even categorized the five ages of animation).

5. Is this site and the webmaster affiliated with Cartoon Network?

Short answer, no. Long answer, The X Bridge, myself, and the sites of the Toonami Inner Circle Alliance are not affiliated with Cartoon Network, Williams Street Productions, Time Warner, or any of the production companies/distributors of the shows found on Toonami. And though I did have contact with them between January and October 2002, neither I nor my site are affilliated with the network formerly known as CNX (now known as Toonami) and Cartoon Network UK.

6. How come you don't update the site that much?

I don't have time. Between taking care of my grandfather as well as the assignments I have to do as a designer, my online time is very limited these days. It's kind of stressful, but I think that the real world should take up more of your time than the net world, so reluctantly, I can't update as often as I want to. Sorry about that.

7. What exactly is The Revolution?

It's a rebellion against things that are considered traditional and it's the spirit of the block that has been evidenced by it's early days. Let's face it. Toonami's far from being a traditional animation block, breaking the rules since it's creation. Afterall, the odds were against the creators of the block, Williams Street, from the beginning. Afterall, these were the guys who created Space Ghost Coast To Coast, another show that was doomed to fail. The cynics said, "Today's audiences won't watch classic 80's action-animation." They were wrong (and I still think they're still wrong). "Today's audiences won't watch anime like DBZ and Sailor Moon, which failed in syndication." They were wrong. "Today's audiences aren't ready for shows like Gundam Wing and Tenchi Muyo." They were wrong. And the revolutionary attitude Williams Street had became inspirational to the viewers of Toonami, and the same attitude that inspired me create this site.

8. What is TICA?

TICA, or the Toonami Inner Circle Alliance, is a small group of individuals I have aligned myself with. Each of us has a vision for the Toonami block as well as a love for Toonami and have a shared vision about what the block is all about. I started the Inner Circle back in the spring of 1998 back at CybertOOn's Cartoon Campaign's boardroom with a couple of guys, Skullmnky (who has somewhat disappeared from the scene a couple of years ago) and this guy named Frankie Rodriguez (who kind of disappeared before it even began, but I have to mention him because he was there in the creation process). Another fellow Toonami webmaster, Blkcloak of Toonami: The Unofficial, and myself became close allies and formed the backbone of TICA as you know it today.

Castle Control (you know him as CC, Col. Zechs Merquise, or just Mark) came aboard in fall 1998 with his myriad of popular webpages dedicated to Sailor Moon, Captain Harlock, and best of all, Voltron before settling down on Toonami Xperience. Tyler L. came around creating a Toonami multimedia called Toonami Multimedia, a site which, in return, inspired Zogg to create another Toonami multimedia haven, Toonami Basement (the two, of course, merged their collective sites into one monster of a Toonami multimedia site called Toonami Digital Arsenal). CookieS created the late Toonami Directory, which directed you to all things Toonami, AND Moltar's Hub, a hangout for Toonami fans everywhere, AND a co-creator of the late Toonami Radio with Tyler L., broadcasting the tunes you know you love! SC is a major Voltron fan and the one who helped cement the partnerships within the site, has left her indeligable mark on the Inner Circle with Absolution, a virtual gallery of talented artists and writers who are fans of the block. Ashura, current co-webmaster of Toonami Xperience, and Skitz Zero, a popular Dragon Ball Z expert, are multimedia geniuses, capable of creating broadcast-quality promos with ease. James Harvey, webmaster of World's Finest, has brought together a whole group of warriors to spread the good word about the DC Universe, and a definite change from the anime world.

Although the mission remains the same, the faces behind the scenes have changed. Some left on amicable terms (Blkcloak's a full-time college student, Skitz has all but abandoned the internet and working on different projects, and SC and I had a difference of opinion in 2002, and she left before I could make amends), some left because of bigger things (Jim became an editor while Mark and Brady joined ADV Films where their talents were better utilized both online and within the pages of Newtype USA, and CookieS, now simply Jon K., is a lead designer at Toon Zone as well as webmaster of HubTalk, a new animation domain that remembers old-school toons with fondness and respect). They're still Circle members and we all are linked by the revolution. The TICA has grown in recent months. The most recent webmaster to join the Circle is Discloner, whose Absolution NeXt has taken what began with CNX and brought it to the next level. The Toonami Forum at Toon Zone is a TICA-ran forum, modded by William Maune, Dark Spider, CC-Sama, Knux Five, Duke, and myself, where we discuss Toonami and Miguzi in spirited and fun discussions. Another domain powered by TICA operatives is Toonami Infolink, the net's best source for Toonami-based news and information. In over a year's span, we've doubled in numbers. The Alliance is growing. The mission has gotten a lot clearer.

9. Wait, wait. You're saying the Inner Circle is just Toonami? Why are you in it? There's hardly any Toonami stuff on it.
The Toonami Inner Circle Alliance is dedicated to the spirit of the Revolution that begun on-air with Toonami and began online on message boards and continued with the formation of the first generation of Toonami fansites (The X Bridge is one of the few first generation Toonami sites still online) and expanded within the Circle with the sites mentioned above as well as expanding beyond the Alliance with sites like Animation Insider (an animation news and portal formed by a fellow revolutionary Vincent "Rembrandt" Benenati), Anime Adrenaline (a great site which began life as Toonami TSG), Dark Revelation, and Toonami Outpost. All revolutionaries.

Like Anime Adrenaline, I have changed my focus from "just" Toonami and I was proud to be considered as a torchbearer for the community, and I have maintained my love of Toonami with The TICA Base, a section dedicated exclusively to Toonami. It's not a glossed-over picture gallery, but rather a site that celebrates the history of Toonami. I'm still the main moderator of the Toonami Forum at Toon Zone along with William Maune, Dark Spider, CC-Sama, Knux Five, and Duke. CNX may be over, but the revolutionary spirit that spawned the site continues to thrive within The X Bridge and beyond.

10.Are you trying to take over Toonami and/or Cartoon Network?
No. Why would I? I'm a fan, like yourselves, and right now, I think they're doing an EXCELLENT job. One of these days, I'd like to be employed by Cartoon Network, but they don't want me over there. I have ambitions and dreams about what I'd like to see over there, but I'm not trying to take over the network.

11. What's your beef with Jamie Kellner and the Kids' WB version of Toonami?
I don't have a beef, per se. I'm just utilizing my constitutional right of freedom of speech, criticizing the way of the world. I have stated negative comments about the way that the KWB "Toonami" block was getting a little more attention than the older, original Cartoon Network block. For those just joining the program, from July 2001 to June 2002, Kids' WB aired a very watered down version of the Toonami block every afternoon without even promoting the Cartoon Network block of the same name. They could have given the Toonami name a little more respect rather than just putting shows like Scooby-Doo, Detention, The Nightmare Room (a live-action show), and Generation O in a block that is an action-animation franchise, using the Kids' WB block to shill contests every week, and not even plugging the CN block at all.

I have also criticized the way that the previous management of Turner Broadcasting, led by Jamie Kellner, has basically turned the Turner networks (save the CNN networks) into channels to shill programs from The WB, which Kellner used to have a vested interest. That's not to say that I hate him. Despite his interesting business tactics, he's not a bad guy and has recently gained points in my opinion by being a television executive who has actually questioned why so many networks are dependent on "reality" programming rather than scripted programming. He's not the anti-christ or something sinister like that, and he did co-create the Kids' WB and the late Fox Kids blocks. I'm just saying that every now and then, guys like Kellner need a whack in the back of the head from time to time.

In March 2003, Kellner was removed from his position of power replaced by Philip Kent, a person who has gotten the company back to par.

14. What is SVES and why was it hated so much?

SVES was the fan-made name of the Saturday night action block on Cartoon Network that premiered on March 1, 2003. Compared to some as the "action equivalent of Cartoon Cartoon Fridays," Saturday drew the ire of many Toonami fans for taking shows like Dragon Ball, .hack//SIGN, Yu Yu Hakusho, and Rurouni Kenshin off the Toonami block and premiering shows like Knights of the Zodiac (Saint Seiya), Transformers Energon, and other shows that would have normally premiered on Toonami. The final airing of SVES was on Saturday, April 10, 2004, replaced the following week with a more teen-oriented relaunch of Toonami.

12. Wait, wait. Toonami was replaced with Miguzi. Why no complaints about that block?

Miguzi is way different than SVES. Two of the shows on Miguzi airs/has aired on Toonami, unlike SVES, which had a good 50 - 65% of its block comprised of former Toonami shows. And yes, Miguzi airs in the 5 - 7 PM EST/PST weekday slot vacated by Toonami, as well as 5- 7 PM on Saturdays and Sundays. The other difference between SVES and Miguzi is that Miguzi will be a product of Williams Street, who will have a more hands on approach to this block just like Toonami and Adult Swim. Afterall, they created it. While SVES was more of a by-product of Williams Street (creative input only), they had no sayso with the programming and management of that block, unlike Toonami, Adult Swim, and Miguzi, which are entirely WS products.

And since I dig the guys over at Williams Street as well as the tireless, hard work that they do, I feel that I should support the new Miguzi block.

13. Why don't you like the term anime?

Because I don't believe in segregating animation by country of origin with a brand. Animation is animation, whether it comes from the US, Canada, Japan, France, Australia, South Korea, China, Brazil, or anywhere else in the world. Back when Japanese animation first came stateside with Osamu Tezuka's Astro Boy and Kimba the White Lion and other shows, it was just called cartoons. In the late 70s, it was called Japanimation. In the late 80s, there was a strong push to eliminate the racist term Japanimation in favor of the Japanese term for cartoons, anime (ironically, the Japanese were influenced by the French in this aspect). By the time Pokemon first permiated the American consciousness, the term anime became universally used in the otaku segment and the mainstream media. Of course, once more Japanese-influenced shows and products were introduced and more Japanese/American creative collaborations began, the otaku segment began to become more vocal about "the Americanization of anime," which is, of course, a wee bit extreme, considering that otakus made Japanese animation "anime." I'm just an animation fan that's making a step to make anime animation again without borders or international distinction. Sure, Japanese animation is filled with diverse visions and voices, as is all animation, but why generally segregate Japanese animation from animation from other countries? It's unnecessary and a bit sad if you think about it. And that's why I refrain from using the term anime (except in older articles like "Is An Anime Channel Possible in the US?").