Category: Television

The popular Japanese anime series, INUYASHA, finishes off this Friday, Dec. 1, 2006, at 9:00 pm, as YTV airs the series finale in Bionix, YTV's anime programming block. It promises to be a cliff-hanging end to the 167-episode series that combines ancient Japanese folklore, epic storylines and blazing action. Fans don't need to worry, as the series will continue to air every Friday night in repeats.

Giggly girl Pucca premieres in a holiday-themed episode at 10:00 am, on Dec. 2, 2006, in Jetix, the comedy/action/adventure programming block on Toon Disney. It features three segments of Pucca and her continuing obsession with ninja boy Garu.

In "Northern Lights Out," Garu makes the dangerous trek to the Northern Lighthouse fraught with polar bears, shifting glaciers and snowstorms to start the lights again in order to save the village. A willing Pucca has stowed along for the journey.

Exclaim Ent.'s new animated Christmas special, THE VERY FIRST NOEL, will be available on DirecTV starting Friday, Nov. 24, 2006 and will run through Dec. 31. Featuring the voice of Andy Griffith (as Melchior), THE VERY FIRST NOEL will air daily on a regular basis on DirecTV Channel 103.

"The Christmas story provides a beautiful -- and powerful -- opportunity for bringing families together, so we think THE VERY FIRST NOEL will resonate with DirecTV's audience," said Exclaim co-founder Dennis DeShazer, who is also an exec producer of the special.

The real and imaginary inhabits/stars of FOSTER'S HOME FOR IMAGINARY FRIENDS have lots to be thankful for Thanksgiving Day as they set off to star in their first Cartoon Network Studios original movie, GOOD WILT HUNTING, and a 12-hour marathon of the most thankful episodes on Thanksgiving, Thursday, Nov. 23, 2006. That and the characters are featured on a float that morning in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

In an interesting example of promotional programming, Discovery Kids Channel is featuring Elijah Wood, the voice of "Mumble," the Emperor penguin in the upcoming animated feature film, HAPPY FEET, as host of a live-action special about saving penguins, SAVING A SPECIES: THE GREAT PENGUIN RESCUE debuts on the Discovery Kids Channel on Nov. 19, 2006, at 6:30 pm, repeating again at 9:00 pm.

SCI FI Channel's new 12-episode supernatural detective series, THE DRESDEN FILES, starring Paul Blackthorne (24, DEADWOOD), has started production in Toronto for a Jan. 2007 premiere.

Nickelodeon's Latina heroine Dora will embark on an unprecedented primetime event, as she teams up with nemesis Swiper on her first global journey to save Friendship Day. Dora will take viewers on jaunts to France, Tanzania, Russia and China in the hour-long special, DORA'S WORLD ADVENTURE, which premieres Nov. 19, 2006, 8-9:00 pm. on Nickelodeon.