Adult Swim is the name for the adult-oriented television programming block on Cartoon Network, which premiered on September 2, 2001.

Originally a Sunday-only block (that also reran on Thursdays), Adult Swim airs Saturday through Thursday nights at 11 PM (E/P) with an encore airing at 2 AM. The block, programmed by Williams Street Productions, the same group that created Toonami and Miguzi, plays American animated comedy series and shorts geared towards adults and a wide variety of Japanese anime series and films, all intended for mature audiences. The name comes from the name for hours designated at public swimming pools where only adults can swim in the pool.

Originally, all of the bumps shown in between shows featured footage of old people swimming in public pools with a lifeguard shouting through a megaphone dubbed over. The current bumps feature black "cards" with white text on them, which discuss everything from news about the programming to personal staff opinions on unrelated subjects. Adding on to this concept, Adult Swim now also airs cards which have viewer mail and witty responses to the viewer mail.

All times (and music, as they joke) are Eastern. As of Saturday, November 6, 2004, the Saturday Adult Swim programming schedule is as follows:

• 23:00/2:00 - Futurama
• 23:30/2:30 - The Venture Bros.
• 24:00/3:00 - Fullmetal Alchemist
• 00:30/3:30 - Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
• 1:00/4:00 - InuYasha
• 1:30/4:30 - Cowboy Bebop

As of Sunday, January 16, 2005, the Sunday Adult Swim programming schedule is as follows:

• 23:00/2:00 - Venture Bros.
• 23:30/2:30 - Aqua Teen Hunger Force
• 23:45/2:45 - Harvey Birdman, Attorney At Law
• 24:00/3:00 - Tom Goes to the Mayor
• 00:15/3:15 - Sealab 2021
• 00:30/3:30 - The Super Milk-chan Show
• 1:00/4:00 - Mission Hill
• 1:30/4:30 - Home Movies

As of Monday, January 10, 2005, the programming schedule for Adult Swim on Monday through Wednesday is as follows:

• 23:00/2:00 - Family Guy
• 23:30/2:30 - Futurama
• 24:00/3:00 - Aqua Teen Hunger Force
• 24:15/3:15 - Aqua Teen Hunger Force
• 00:30/3:30 - InuYasha
• 1:00/4:00 - Big O
• 1:30/4:30 - Wolf's Rain

Starting the week of November 8, 2004, Adult Swim on Thursdays will rerun shows at 12 AM that premiered on the Saturday and Sunday action and comedy blocks. The programming schedule for Adult Swim on Thursday is as follows:

• 23:00/2:00 - Family Guy
• 23:30/2:30 - Futurama
• 24:00/3:00 - Tom Goes to the Mayor
• 00:15/3:15 - Sealab 2021
• 00:30/3:30 - Fullmetal Alchemist
• 1:00/4:00 - Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
• 1:30/4:30 - The Super Milk-chan Show

Shows that have appeared on Adult Swim in the past (and shows that will appear in the immediate future) include:

• American Dad
• The Animatrix
• Baby Blues
• Blue Gender
• The Boondocks
• The Brak Show
• Case Closed (known as Detective Conan in other countries)
• FLCL
• Gundam 0083
• Kikaider
• Lupin III
• Mobile Suit Gundam
• Outlaw Star
• Paranoia Agent
• Pilot Candidate
• Read or Die
• Reign
• Saddle Rash
• Samurai Champloo
• Space Ghost: Coast to Coast
• Stroker and Hoop
• The Oblongs
• The Ripping Friends
• Tenchi Muyo!
• Trigun
• Welcome to Eltingville
• Witch Hunter Robin
• Yu Yu Hakusho

Despite lukewarm success in Japan, the series Big O was given a second season due entirely to popularity in the U.S.A. and Cartoon Network funding (although its creation and direction were still left to the Japanese creators). Currently, head writer Chiaki J. Konaka has shown interest in resolving the cliffhanger, but Cartoon Network has apparently opted out of more episodes in order to pursue new comedy shows.

External link

• AdultSwim.com (http://www.adultswim.com/)