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Toriko, One Piece Get 3D Film Double-Billing

On the 44th issue of Shonen Jump magazine in japan announcing on Monday that the 3D One Piece movie and Toriko will open in a double billing in Japan on March 19, 2011. Anime in 3D could be the next big thing.. How cool would it be to see Dragonball Z and other anime titles in 3D ? well then again somethings should be left alone.One Piece is sure to be a hit in japan but... can the US market this only time can tell and how would blue MR PoPo look in 3D.Well somethings should be left alone.

Review: Saturday Morning: Cartoons' Greatest Hits

Looking for animation soundtracks can be a daunting task. The studios don’t release soundtracks for their television animation, and trying to find stuff from years ago can be almost impossible. Thank God for the existence of inspired compilations. These compilations give us cartoon music fans the outlet we need. One such outlet is Saturday Morning: Cartoons Greatest Hits.
Released by MCA Records in 1995, Saturday Morning: Cartoons Greatest Hits offers nineteen (19) tracks of classic theme and insert songs from the Twentieth Century, performed by some of the Twentieth Century’s best performing artists.
Listening to the CD while writing this review, it is quite clear why I am an animation music fan. The CD starts off strong and doesn’t stop once it gets going. There are no sound bite tracks to get in the way of the music. The artists sound like they were enjoying performing their songs, which adds to the fun. The artists seem to be natural fits for their individual tracks as well. I feel like I could pop the CD in and drive around the country several time just listening to and singling along with the music and it would never get old.
Speaking of singing, the booklet includes the lyrics to all tracks. Each track is listed with a description of the original cartoon, as well as a quote from the artist that performed it. The booklet ends with a commentary essay from the compilation’s producer, Ralph Shall.
Writing a review of a soundtrack compilation of inspired works shouldn’t just be about the disc itself. Each individual track deserves to be mentioned on its own.
The first track on the disc is "The Tra La La Song (One Banana, Two Banana)" from The Banana Splits Adventure Hour. Performed by Liz Phair and Material Issue, "One Banana, Two Banana" is a fantastic start to the show. I have never seen or heard of this puppet series, but Phair and the Issue’s rendition of this song make me want to find out what I have been missing.
Sponge’s rendition of the English Speed Racer theme, "Go Speed Racer Go," captures the spirit of the show. It’s fast and relentless. Sponge's Vinnie claimed that “as Speed Racer gave to me, we gave back in the form of a musical monument,” and it shows.
The third song is "Sugar Sugar" by Mary Lou Lord with Semisonic. The track from The Archie Show was a hit single on the music charts back in 1969, and, with Lord and Semisonic’s rendition, I can see why.
No cartoon soundtrack compilation would be a cartoon soundtrack compilation without a Scooby Doo song or two, and Saturday Morning is no different. Matthew Sweet’s "Scooby Doo, Where Are You?" is a fun take on this old classic. I wonder if this track was what gave Sweet all he needed to be chosen to do the theme song for the new Scooby Doo series, Scooby Doo Mystery Inc.
The other songs on the album include thtme songs from Josie and the Pussycats performed by Juliana Hatfield and Tanya Donelly, The Bulldogs by Collective Soul, Butthole Surfers’ Underdog, Gigantor by Helmet, Spider-man by the Ramones, Fat Albert by Dig, Popeye by face to face, The Grovie Goolies by the Toadies, Sublime’s Hong Kong Phooey, H. R. Pufnstuf by the Murmurs, and many others.
The final track, "Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy" from Ren and Stimpy, performed by Wax, was a great choice. The song embodies the emotions one gets from listening to this disc.
It should be noted that several of these theme songs did not come from a cartoon, but from puppet shows. This is my only gripe with the disc. Puppet shows are great, but they aren’t cartoons, and shouldn’t be on a compilation calling itself cartoons' greatest hits.
With that said, Saturday Morning: Cartoons Greatest Hits is a great pick up for any animation fan. It is a great set of classic cartoon theme songs performed by some of the best voices in music. Even if you are no longer into cartoons, you should pick it up just for the music. The compilation still holds today, fifteen years after its original release, and I expect it will remain that way well into the future.

Toon Tunes: 50 Favorite Classic Catoon Theme Songs

A few weeks ago, I was browsing around Amazon for more American music for Toon Radio. Most of the stuff was stuff I already had or anime. However, a few pages in, I came accross an entry for Toon Tunes, featuring a collection of classic theme songs from various cartoons and anime. Of course, I bought it, and I am not disapointed in my purchase.

It took a few weeks before the CD arived from the Amazon reseller, but it was worth the wait. The fifty (50) theme songs included in this compilation, released by Rhino Entertinament in 1997, run the gauntlet of classic animation, some of more receant vintage than others. These theme songs include stuff that has never been released, at least not in their original versions. They are also clear and complete. You can actually hear every note, unlike some downloadables I have found.

In spite all this good, Toon Tunes does have its draw backs. Since it only has 50 tracks, some important classic series are not included here.It also does not provide performing artist or copyright information for the various themes. It just listes the composers. If you need to find out who sung these songs (like I do), you will have to do a an internet search. However, these are a small price to pay for what you get in return.

In conclusion, every cartoon fan should have Toon Tunes in their music library. The inclusion of some of  the 20th century's best animation theme songs makes it a must have.  The television networks may never relase soundtracks for their television animation, but we can rest assured that all of our favorate cartoon themese will eventaully be released. We may just have to wait 50 years. I'm looking forward to seeing if there is a Toon Tunes 2.

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Track Information

Toon Tunes: 50 Favorite Classic Catoon Theme Songs

1. Popeye The Sailor
2. Tom and Jerry
3. The Woody Woodpecker Show
4. Mighty Mouse
5. Casper, The Friendly Ghost
6. Howdy Doody *
7. Ruff and Reddy
8. Huckeberry Hound
9. Quick Draw McGraw
10. Fractured Fairy Tales
11. Peabody's Improbable History
12. The Flintstones
13. Felix The Cat
14. Yogi Bear
15. Snagglepuss
16. The Bullwinkle Show
17. Dudley Do-Right
18. The Alvin Show
19. Beany and Cecil
20. Wally Gator
21. Lippy The Lion & Hardy Har Har
22. The Jetsons
23. Top Cat
24. Magilla Gorrilla
25. Jonny Quest
26. Underdog
27. The Pink Panther
28. Peanuts
29. Gigantor **
30. Space Ghost
31. The New Adventures of Superman
32. The Atom Ant Show
33. The Secret Squirl Show
34. George Of The Jungle
35. Super Chicken
36. Spiderman
37. Speed Racer
38. The Banana Splits Adventure Hour
39. Dastadly & Muttley In Their Flying Machines
40. Josie & The Pussycats
41. Pebbles & Bamm-bamm
42. The New Scooby Doo Movies
43. Conjunction Junction ***
44. The Simpsons ****
45. Captain Planet & The Planeteers
46. Teeneage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1980s version)
47. Rugrats
48. The Ren & Stimpy Show
49. Animaniacs
50. Merrie Melodies

* Howdy Doody is not in the playlist because we couldn't find compliant artist and composer information. Iyou want us to add thsi theme please feel free to submit this information.

** The Gigantor theme we use comes from the Best of Anime compilation.

*** We are using the version of Conjunction Junction that came with the Best of Schoolhouse Rock compilation

**** We are using the version that comes on the official Simpsons soundtrack album.

Toon Radio News Sept 8 and 9 2010

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