On February 24, 2003 Cartoon Network kicks off a week of some of the best action/anime series starring giant fighting machines in TOONAMI'S first Giant Robot Week, culminating with a special presentation of the acclaimed animated feature THE IRON GIANT on Friday, February 28, 2003, at 8:00 pm ET/PT. DAI-GUARD and NADESICO, which have never aired on U.S. television, are part of the anime series featured Monday, Feb. 24 Friday, Feb. 28 from 4-5:00 pm ET/PT each day. The weeklong event will also include segments from the classic series GIGANTOR, along with Cartoon Networks first original giant robot short, LOWBROW. Programming highlights include:
EVANGELION A deadly war is waged between the mysterious aliens, the Angels, and mankinds last hope, the Evangelions. The giant biomechanical Evangelions are the only forces that can withstand the Angels defense fields long enough to attack the massive invaders. (Monday, Feb. 24 and Tuesday, Feb. 25, at 4:30 pm ET/PT)
DAI-GUARD Giant invaders have attacked the earth and the only force strong enough to defend the planet is a giant robot, Dai-Guard. The only problem is that the robot is defective. A young team of workers must stop the aliens, while concealing the defects in their robot. (Thursday, Feb. 27 and Friday, Feb. 28, at 4:00 pm ET/PT)
NADESICO The planet is under attack and the space fleets are powerless to stop the invasion. An inexperienced crew consisting of a cook, the Generals ditsy daughter, geeks and misfits are sent into space to save Earth. (Monday, Feb. 24 Wednesday, Feb. 26, at 4:00 pm ET/PT)
ROBOTECH Robotech Defense Force, led by Captain Glova and his cadets, is the only hope for survival after giant alien spaceships invade Earth. (Wednesday, Feb. 26 Friday, Feb. 28, at 4:30 pm ET/PT)
"Our goal at TOONAMI is to bring the finest action cartoons out there to our fans, and theres no doubt we love giant robot shows," said Sean Akins, TOONAMI creative director. "When we first started talking about Giant Robot Week, these are the series that popped into our heads." To conclude Giant Robot Week, Cartoon Network will air THE IRON GIANT, the heartwarming 1999 Annie Award winning feature directed by Brad Bird, produced by Warner Bros. Animation, about a young boy and the alien robot that crashes into his life. TOONAMI airs weekday afternoons from 4-7 p.m. (ET, PT) and features programs like DRAGON BALL Z, DRAGONBALL and G GUNDAM, as well as a mix of popular music, computer generated 3D animation segments and the blocks host, TOM, an animated character who inhabits the space vessel Absolution.
