QTV Channel 11 - Soon To Be An All-News Channel

Earlier, I read about the shocking news on Q channel 11 League of Astig Facebook fan page here and says that GMA 7 will reprogram Q into all-news channel starting next year. It will also serve as a rival for ABS-CBN's ANC channel which is a cable channel that runs news 24/7.

For those who like free-to-air news channel, it's a good news. However for the rest of the people, particularly women and anime fans will get disappointed. Why am I saying this to you? First of all, there's a problem about GMA Network's net income in the third quarter this year due to low ratings. Another reason is that there's a new GMA network president. So, it's possible that the staff will make plans to increase their income - by making programs for adult audiences. There's a risk that the schedules which contain shows for kids and teens, will affect the reprogramming of Q. As I read that announcement on Facebook, judging from the fan's reactions, they're worry that the Q will be the next channel to stop airing kids show. Some of the largest networks like ABS-CBN (Team Animazing) then TV5 (Animega) got rid of their schedules for anime show and replaced variety shows.

In 2005, GMA Network launched it's sister channel called Q, which intended to be a lifestyle channel for women. Q aired a lot of shows about traveling, helpful tips, entertainment, and cooking shows which the network fairly increase their income. At the same time, Q launched many anime and kids shows, mostly they were aired on GMA before. They also aired anime shows which was brought from ABS - CBN like Heidi and Daddy Long Legs. In 2009, Q made two sets of schedules for children - Super Bulilit, in the mornings and League of Astig, in the afternoons. As of this year, the status of airing kiddie shows on Q goes fine like before.

No one can tell what Q and GMA are up to next year, but let's hope that they'll never do what ABS - CBN and TV5 did because anime in the Philippines will decline sooner.

Trapp Family Singers Now On Q

Q channel 11 once again brought another World Masterpiece Theater animated series called Trapp Family Singers. The show aired yesterday (November 1) and it's on Super Bulilit block. Watch Trapp Family Singers on Q every weekday mornings around 9:30 AM.

For those who are familiar to this show, Trapp Family Singers is another WTO series aired in ABS-CBN back in 90's along with Daddy-Long-Legs and Heidi.

Monster Buster Club

Image from Blue Sky Disney at http://blueskydisney.blogspot.com

Seriously, I didn't realize why I got hooked in this show on Q. I also started liking this series so I wanted to find more about it through internet. Sadly, most of the articles related to have non-English languages so I decided to review about this one. Monster Buster Club or MBC is a CGI cartoon series produced by Marathon Production (the studio where Martin Mystery and Totally Spies! came from) and it's also the first CG-animation made by that studio. Few years ago, this show was aired in Jetix Europe and later on Toon Disney.

Monster Buster Club follows the three 10-year old kids along with Cathy who is an alien. Together with Cathy's grandfather, they formed the secret organization called the Monster Buster Club where their mission is to protect Single Town from alien invaders. Unlike Cartoon Network's Kids-Next-Door, MBC has advanced technology gadgets to capture alien enemies from different galaxies. Like most of the young heroes, the MBC members deal everyday lives like school, bullying, and crushes while balancing their time to bust monsters. Just like your friends, every person has different personalities. There goes Cathy Smith - a happy-go-lucky alien girl who always smile (which I'd say she's my favorite because of her character), Danny - a sporty guy with a sense of humor, Sam - a tough but rational girl, and Chris - smart and a technology expert.

While that show aimed for kids, Monster Buster Club doesn't contain blood or gore but slime is at least okay. It's also a show which contains comedy and a lot of action. Many kinds of weapon are used like laser beams and alien trappers are present. Sometimes, the main characters do their efforts defeating enemies like punching or throwing objects lighter their own. Also, there goes colorful backgrounds and character designs are great. Even the aliens are looking tough. While the story is all about busting aliens, the four kids deal problems like popular people, teachers or bullies. With the gang's positive attitude (and Cathy's optimism), they solve a lot of mysteries and their problems.

To know more about Monster Buster Club, you can visit their official site here. You can also watch that show on Q 11 weekday afternoons at 4:30 PM.

Kirby: Right Back At Ya!

If you think Nintendo's Pokemon is the only anime based on video game you know, then think again. One of the popular video game characters from Nintendo appeared in anime. Kirby: Right Back at Ya! or known as Kirby of the Stars in Japanese appeared in the year 2001 up to 2003 with 100 episodes.

If you play any games from Nintendo, you might heard or tried any Kirby games which was first appeared in ol' Game Boy days. The anime tells about the adventures of Kirby in the planet Earth. Kirby falls from the space due to his spaceship broke then fell to PuPuPu village (Cabby Town in English dub-version). Meanwhile, the mean, fat and greedy ruler King DeDeDe the penguin plots evil plans to get rid of Kirby by sending out monsters he bought from Holy Nightmare Corporation (NightMare Enterprises). As usual, the monsters cause problems and mayhem but with Kirby, along with his friends saves the day.

Like any tokukatsu shows you seen on TV (let's say Super Sentai or Kamen Rider series), every episode appear every different monster sent by the antagonist but then they're destroyed by the hero. It's just like it was meant for kids. Not only adventures, but there are few moral values from real-life that are light-hearted. There are some characters that are actually based on the video game counterpart like Meta Knight, Chef Kawasaki, Waddle Doo and the main villain Nightmare. But there are some characters that are added for the anime only - like the siblings Fumu and Bun (Tiff and Tuff) and King DeDeDe's right hand Escargoon. They even appeared as computer animation then switch back to hand-drawn animation which is worth good.

The anime was aired in North America's 4Kids Entertainment almost a year ago after it aired in Japan. There are a lot of name changes from the original Japanese dub-version. After it was aired in America, Funimation Entertainment released the DVD of Kirby: Right Back At Ya! in 3 volumes and a 90-minute movie entitled Kirby: Fright to the Finish-Movie.

In the Philippines, the Kirby anime was used as original Japanese version which first aired on GMA 7 last year. It was re-aired in QTV 11 in weekday mornings this year. In conclusion, Kirby: Right Back at Ya! is good anime for kids and not as much terrible to watch.

Yawara! A Fashionable Judo Girl

Yawara! A Fashonable Judo Girl is Naoki Urasawa's first manga series back in 1986 to 1993 before other of his famous manga series in America like Monsters and 20th-Century Boys. It became a success franchise because Yawara! was somewhat related to real-life judo sports. Real life sports? Back in year 1992, which I tell you about the Barcelona Olympics where female players in judo are honored to participate in that flourish event. One of the female competitors of Japan, 16-year old Ryoko Tamura took the place being the world champion in Women's Judo. Since that time, Ryoko was given a nickname "Yawara-chan" to many people in Japan and still as popular as ever.

In the other hand, Yawara! was of course Naoki Urasawa's manga series which ran in 29 volumes in manga and 124-episodes (including special episodes) in anime version. Yawara! tells about a protagonist high-school girl named Yawara Inokuma who dreams to go with friends, shopping and getting her dream boyfriend. Unfortunately for her, she forced to train judo since childhood under her grandfather Jigorou Inokuma. Jigorou's dream was to make her granddaughter become a champion in Barcelona Olympics. Because of Yawara's less interest in judo, Jigorou found a perfect rival for her - a spoiled, rich lady named Sayaka Honami. When Yawara defeat Sayaka in few sweats, Sayaka decided to train judo so she could beat Yawara in a championship. Meanwhile, a sports reporter named Kosaku Matsuda found Yawara's talent in judo and convince her to be a champion.

It doesn't matter if you're not into judo but in fact there are heartwarming sensation coming through in many episodes - from comedy to romance. There are funny moments (especially when it comes to Jigorou's being over-protective to Yawara) that present. At first, we may think Jigorou is a pain a butt but no. We see him as a challenge for Yawara. His love in judo and food are always on his mind...of course his care of his granddaughter is the most. He always believe that Yawara will embrace her talent and will work hard for honor in Japan. At every end of episodes, who would love his appearances in countdown for Barcelona Olympics? Aside from Jigorou, we could see Sayaka Honami as another obstacle. Sayaka was defeated by Yawara eventhough she was trained for few weeks. In few episodes, we can tell that Sayaka's weakness for her, is an embarrassment for getting a false tooth. Later, she hired a handsome coach named Shinosuke Kazamatsuri. For Mr. Kazamatsuri, he uses his handsome looks to attract many girls around but when it comes to Yawara he skip his heart and turning to be his love interest. Sayaka already found Kazamatsuri's behavior to Yawara and decided to become rivals in love also. On the other hand, Kosaku is not only just interested in Yawara's dream, he also protects her even though he's a clumsy and goofy reporter. I can't tell much about spoilers...better watch what's next, thou.

The anime series was featured in 1989, which the same year Ranma 1/2 ran it's animated series. Not only it's anime version, Yawara! was also adapted into live-action as evidence in this Amazon.com.jp here. Both of the franchises also became a popular culture like, I said before Ryoko Tani as "Yawara-chan". With it's hip beat and lovely music, judo action, and a good premise Yawara is sure really enjoying to watch.

If you're in the Philippines, you can watch Yawara! on QTV channel 11 weekdays at 3:00 PM.

Astro Boy is Back!

Astroboy is one of the most recognized anime and manga characters in Japanese entertainment history. It was created by the "God of Manga and Anime" Ozamu Tezuka and the franchise will finally turn into 3D movie this year. Check out the image below.

Image from Imagi Animation Studios

According to Wikipedia, the 3D movie will be release in US in October this year. Not really sure when will come out in the Philippines, thou. If you aren't familiar with Astro Boy, he is a robot who was created by the head of Ministry of Science, who however became the villain Doctor Tenma in the image of his departed son, Tobio. When Doctor Tenma realize that he could not care Astro Boy because of inability to grow up and express emotions, he sold the robot. Few years later, Doctor Elephant is the one who took care Astro Boy and became his legal guardian. To his surprise, the doctor find out Astroboy can fight evil robots and save humanity with his cyber weapons.

Well, can't say much more about the series but Astro Boy successfully spawn (aside from many volumes of manga) three anime series - one in 1960's, 1980's and the latest 2003 series which commemorate Astro Boy's birthday in Japan in the same year. I'm glad when QTV 11 finally air Astro Boy 2003 series since last week and in addition, finally dubbed in English. It airs every weekday mornings but I forgot what time. I somehow curious about the English dub version of some anime shows air on local TV. It's been long years that I watch the show again and I know it was aired in ABS-CBN few years ago in Tagalog-dub.

Networks In The Philippines - Part 5

I still wrap up and continue the "Networks in the Philippines" segment. The three previous posts I've posted was intentionally to think about the other local channels. It's not easy to discuss them simultaneously but it seems I'll have to rant about them this time.

Q (Quality Television Network)
Launched in late 2005, like in the previous post I've discussed Q replaced by ZOE-TV under the agreement of two key personnels from GMA Network and ZOE-TV. Q became the current sister channel of GMA Network much like ABS-CBN's sister channel Studio 23. At the first early years of the network, Q was first called QTV or Quality Television Network and originally intended to show programs mostly for women. In their later years, that network is now available for general viewers. Then last year, QTV later changed into Q for some sort of reasons.

Q is best known for showing lifestyle and foreign-produced programs. Of course, shows for children are intended to. There is a current block called "Funbox" where Q shows cartoons every weekday and weekend mornings. They show some good children's programs from their own like Care Bears, Tom and Jerry Kids, Prince Mackaroo, and Poochini. Some shows like Make Way for Noddy, Cardcaptor Sakura, Battle B-Daman, Dragon Tales and Anne and Green Gables are all borrowed from GMA Network. They also got good programming schedules in the weekend afternoons and evenings. I've relly enjoyed the anime shows they aired like Hakugei: The Legend of Moby Dick (I've posted a review about that). Whatever does Q have, at least they got good shows as Q means "quality".

Studio 23
There's something really enjoying about this network. Studio 23 launched around 1996 as ABS-CBN's sister channel. Studio 23 notch the great shows for everyone including young adults because of their imported and new episodes from North American shows and English programming like Oprah and Charmed. Not only they air English-language programs, they also air Filipino-demographic shows. In the later years, Studio 23 also targeted shows for teenagers like the Pinoy Dream Academy and Pinoy Big Brother. Sports events like UAAP and NCAA really targeted among high school and college students. Studio 23 is also the home of other ABS-CBN cable channels like Myx.

Judging from their cartoon and anime shows they air, like in Q they also borrowed shows from ABS-CBN mostly anime like Samurai X and Yu-Gi-Oh. They also aired good classic shows like Superman: The Animated Series and the 1987 version of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Studio 23 was also known to air the Pinoy-anime series Barkada Trip. Well, at least that's the station I catch up anime shows unlike when they're in ABS-CBN before.