Ask John: Will My Hime Air on the Cartoon Network?

Question:
According to various accounts, many Sunrise TV series, like the Big O, S-cry-ed, and Gundam Seed, have all had success on the Cartoon Network. Together with Bandai’s decision to release My HiME, do you think it’s possible that Cartoon Network will pick up My HiME? Or would the shoujo-ai undertones in the series be even too risqué for their Adult Swim block?

Answer:
A number of anime series produced by Sunrise Studios have had successful broadcasts on the Cartoon Network, however I don’t expect My Hime to follow that pattern. The Sunrise productions that have aired on the Cartoon Network are the various Gundam series, The Big O, Outlaw Star, Cowboy Bebop, Scryed, Inuyasha, and Witch Hunter Robin. One thematic characteristic all of these shows have in common is that fact that none of them have a predominantly female cast. Even non-Sunrise anime broadcast on the Cartoon Network, such as IGPX, Case Closed, Lupin the III, Ghost in the Shell, Yu Yu Hakusho, and so on, don’t have a primarily female cast. Tenchi Muyo is probably the last anime broadcast on the Cartoon Network that had a dominant female cast, but even Tenchi Muyo revolves around a male character. Kagome may co-star in Inuyasha, but Inuyasha himself is the show’s title character and protagonist. Witch Hunter Robin stars a female character, but doesn’t have a dominantly female cast.

My Hime does have a seemingly lesbian character and includes numerous playful hints of girl/girl love, but I don’t think it’s those elements which make My Hime a longshot for Cartoon Network broadcast. Unlike every other anime series ever broadcast on the Cartoon Network, My Hime does not have a significant leading male character that male viewers can identify with or invest themselves in. My Hime is not a shoujo series. It’s not designed to appeal to female viewers (although there are some female anime fans who do like it), so it’s not an ideal series for the Cartoon Network to use to attract female viewers. And because the show has no leading man, I suspect that it’s unlikely to appeal to typical mainstream male Cartoon Network viewers. I may end up being mistaken, or the Cartoon Network may decide to gamble on broadcasting the series, but presently I think that My Hime doesn’t fit the Cartoon Network’s viewer demographic or established model for successful broadcast anime. The Cartoon Network strives to broadcast anime that will appeal to its largest viewer audience, and I don’t think that My Hime is a show that will be popular with the Cartoon Network’s biggest audience for anime.