Cartoon channel searching for Filipino mystery winner

TOONAMI mascot Nami in action

Cartoon channel Toonami’s “mascot,” a time-traveling heroine code-named Nami, was created to represent its focus on animated action shows. A contest intended to strengthen the design was launched months ago, but Toonami has yet to find its Filipino winner.

“Nami was developed to have a fan component,” explained Turner International Asia Pacific Limited’s creative director Glenn Bartlett in an e-mail interview. “Earlier this year, we did a call-out for submissions across the region to give more detail to her backstory. We received hundreds of entries, a lot of which came from the Philippines. It was no surprise that a Pinoy boy named Zachary won; his essay really helped realize our vision.”

But the winner has yet to respond to Toonami’s announcements.

“We started our search for Zachary on Facebook, to no avail. But we’re not giving up that easily. Unless, of course, he’s just decided to go the superhero route and stay in disguise,” Bartlett said.

A 41-second clip of Nami in action was posted recently on the channel’s official Facebook page (Facebook.com/ToonamiAsia).

“If Zachary does come forward, we’ll be able to incorporate his words into the original animated clips to complement the story line. And he’ll receive a unique comic book, illustrated with his full work,” Bartlett elaborated, adding that anyone with information regarding the winner should contact Toonami via Facebook.

Launched at the end of 2012, Toonami was designed to give viewers prime animated superhero content, according to Bartlett: “Fans no longer have to channel-surf or wait until later in the day for their favorite shows to go on air [because] Toonami has it all, all the time.”

The creation of an exclusive channel for superhero-centric shows reflected the solid presence of the genre’s fans, he added. “When we launched Toonami, we were well aware of Asian viewers’ love of content laced with heavy doses of action and adventure. This passion extends beyond animation and is reflected in the types of movies produced in the region, like kung fu flicks and all those great action films from the 1990s. The Philippines has had a very prolific local action-movie industry and continues to be a big market for international superhero content.”

“Young Justice,” “Iron Man: Armored Adventures” “The Avengers,” “Beyblade” and the original “Ben 10” series continue to be among the channel’s most-watched shows. More heroes are expected to join the lineup in the coming months through series like “Xiaolin Chronicles,” “Transformers Beast Hunters” and “Beware the Batman.”

“I think what drives their success comes down to the strong and relatable characters… Toonami’s audience has always been drawn to recognizable, aspirational and larger-than-life superheroes,” Bartlett concluded.

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