TheMisterManGuy
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In January 2002, the FOX Broadcasting Company sold its 4 hour Saturday morning block to 4Kids Entertainment, Inc. Known for adapting popular Anime titles such as Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh! 4Kids would be responsible for all content development and ad revenue for the block, with Fox itself having little to no involvement. 4Kids used its newly minted "FoxBox" as a vehicle for new Anime properties, several of which became infamous in the anime community for the hacked up editing and censorship 4Kids gave them. But way before 4Kids came into, Fox was already airing anime on its networks.
In the early 2000s, the Fox Kids Network aired several anime shows, most of which were licensed by then-corporate sibling, Saban Entertainment, Inc. Aside from its biggest hit at the time, Digimon: Digital Monsters, Fox Kids aired other shows such as Flint: The Time Detective, DinoZaurs, Escaflowne, Transformers, and Mon Colle Knights. Fox Kids grouped its anime programing into a 2-hour Friday block named "Anime Invasion" in 2000.
It wasn't just Fox Kids either. Fox's ill-fated Fox Family Channel also broadcasted several of the same shows as part of the "Made in Japan" Sunday block, but also added Monster Rancher and the 90s Mega Man series. At the time, Cartoon Network was really the only other channel heavily investing in anime, so Fox Kids and Fox Family were the closest things to alternatives for the 2000s.
As you know, Fox's Family division was purchased by Disney in 2001, leading to the 4Kids deal. If Fox hadn't sold off Fox Family Worldwide, then I think they could've built their anime lineup into a solid Toonami/Adult Swim alternative. I've said this before, but Fox Family had a ton of untapped potential as a network that never actually got utilized.
In the early 2000s, the Fox Kids Network aired several anime shows, most of which were licensed by then-corporate sibling, Saban Entertainment, Inc. Aside from its biggest hit at the time, Digimon: Digital Monsters, Fox Kids aired other shows such as Flint: The Time Detective, DinoZaurs, Escaflowne, Transformers, and Mon Colle Knights. Fox Kids grouped its anime programing into a 2-hour Friday block named "Anime Invasion" in 2000.
It wasn't just Fox Kids either. Fox's ill-fated Fox Family Channel also broadcasted several of the same shows as part of the "Made in Japan" Sunday block, but also added Monster Rancher and the 90s Mega Man series. At the time, Cartoon Network was really the only other channel heavily investing in anime, so Fox Kids and Fox Family were the closest things to alternatives for the 2000s.
As you know, Fox's Family division was purchased by Disney in 2001, leading to the 4Kids deal. If Fox hadn't sold off Fox Family Worldwide, then I think they could've built their anime lineup into a solid Toonami/Adult Swim alternative. I've said this before, but Fox Family had a ton of untapped potential as a network that never actually got utilized.