The Click

July 12th - 18th

Yikes almighty - I can't recall, in all my many storied years of Click-writing, such a dull, uninteresting week of stuff on TV. Has the Grand Ship Anime finally sank in the public's eyes? Is it time to sell every scrap of anime merchandise you own, strip naked, and stand in the street, cursing at God's cruel machinations?

No, not yet at least. If anything we can make some illogical correlation to the recent end of the fun that was Anime Expo, and that you need a little anime vacation, so you can totally get back into the swing of it next time. Yes, that slapdash explanation logically covers everything! So let's get this thing going:

Shin Chan
(Adult Swim)
Sunday July 13 1:30am - Episode 40 (Repeats Sun July 13 4:30am)

Consider this Click Pick just a friendly reminder that Shin Chan is still airing, and, perhaps surprisingly, still funny! It has its ups and downs, sure, but (at the risk of starting some ridiculous internet cartoon-war) it provides me with a much more solid joke-to-laugh quotient than any of the recent Family Guy episodes I've seen. Sadly the South Park guys haven't decided that Shin Chan is a blight upon society like Family Guy apparently is, so it really needs all the extra exposure it can get!

PREMIERES:

Bakugan Battle Brawlers
(Cartoon Network)
Saturday July 12 11:00am - Episode 20 "A Little Help From My Friends" (Repeats Sun July 13 10:30am)

Oh, an episode title based upon the name of a Beatles song. How original. So original, in fact, that my initial response to it was the incredibly passe, sarcastic use of "how original." Circles and layers of originality! Anyway, this week! Shun leaves his group of Bakugan friends for various, unspecified reasons. Drama ensues.

Bleach
(Adult Swim)
Sunday July 13 12:00am - Episode 72 (Repeats Sun July 13 3:00am)

Ichigo and his close buddies attempt to bust Ishida out of the hospital, when two water-wielding Bounts show up to drown the poor tapestry fanatic.

Code Geass
(Adult Swim)
Sunday July 13 1:00am - Episode 12 "Messenger From Kyoto" (Repeats Sun July 13 4:00am)

Lelouch, using his patented swagger and charm as the masked Zero, cons a group of Japanese Freedom Fighters into giving him and his Black Knights their full trust, cooperation, and most importantly, money. And by "swagger and charm" I mean his magic, evil Geass eye. Which is more than a little dishonest, but it gets the job done.

Digimon
(Toon Disney)
Monday July 14 9:30pm - Episode 249 "Awaken Belphemon!" (Repeats Tue July 15 6:30am, Sat July 19 2:30am)

Belphemon, a big and mean and powerful Poke-I MEAN DIGIMON of indescribable strength, is summoned as a way to SAVE THE DAY for all that is just and right.

Kyo Kara Maoh
(ImaginAsianTV)
-Wednesday July 16 7:00pm - Episode 70 "The Forgotten People" (Repeats Wed July 16 10:00pm, Thu July 17 1:00am, Sat July 19 5:00am)
-Wednesday July 16 7:30pm - Episode 71 "Big Brother's Big Rampage" (Repeats Wed July 16 10:30pm, Thu July 17 1:30am, Sat July 19 5:30am)

A strange evil hand threatens to destroy both the Demon Kingdom and the Earth! This sends our hero into no small amount of abject panic, what with the swirling dark clouds of evil swallowing up his friends and loved ones.

Pokemon
(Cartoon Network)
Saturday July 12 9:30am - Episode 530 "Sleight of Sand"

A Hippo-like Pokemon surprises our Pokemon Trainer Friends by lying, mouth agape, in a sand pit. The sheer potential for dramatic action here is astonishing!

Robotech
(SPACE)
-Saturday July 12 11:00am - Episode 79 "Frost Bite" (Repeats Sun July 13 7:00am)
-Saturday July 12 11:30am - Episode 80 "Birthday Blues" (Repeats Sun July 13 7:30am)
-Saturday July 12 12:00pm - Episode 81 "Hired Gun" (Repeats Sun July 13 8:00am)
-Saturday July 12 12:30pm - Episode 82 "The Big Apple" (Repeats Sun July 13 8:30am)

Hey! Guys! Read Protoculture Addicts magazine! And now, a tenuous link: "Protoculture" just so happens to feature quite prominently in these four episodes of Robotech, airing this Saturday on SPACE in Canada!

Speed Grapher
(IFC)
Friday July 18 11:00pm - Episode 20 "Good Vibrations" (Repeats Sat July 19 2:00am)

Both Saiga and Kagura learn the hard-fought yet invaluable lesson that even though some people say that they are your friend or that they're here to help cure you of some vague sickness, that won't always stop them from trying to kill you with swords or poison. Sometimes even both.

MOVIES/FEATURES

Vampire Wars
(Sci Fi)
Tuesday July 15 12:00am

Sci Fi has another two weeks before Gurren Lagann shows up, so until then, they're gettin' busy scaring away any potential audience that show has with pure, unfettered crap! Crap like Vampire Wars, that is so amateurishly made on every level that it transcends brilliance, makes a brief stop at unwatchability, then drives the whole way back in reverse to brilliance. WARNING: despite the title, Vampire Wars has very few vampires or wars.

So! Next week will be much better, I PROMISE. YTV has a whole new Saturday night lineup, which is sweet, and Naruto will be back from pre-emptions, and more! MORE, I SAY.

Goodnight, everyone.

REPEATS/STRIPS

Ayakashi
(ImaginAsianTV)
-Thu July 17 6:30pm - Episode 3 "Goddess of the Dark Tower, Part 3" (R Thu July 17 10:00pm, Fri July 18 6:30pm)
-Thu July 17 10:30pm - Episode 4 "Goddess of the Dark Tower, Part 4"

Bakugan Battle Brawlers
(Cartoon Network)
-Mon July 14 8:00am - Episode 12 "Bakugan Still"
-Tue July 15 8:00am - Episode 13 "Just For the Shun of It"
-Wed July 16 8:00am - Episode 14 "The Story of Vestroia"
-Thu July 17 8:00am - Episode 15 "Duel in the Desert"
-Fri July 18 8:00am - Episode 16 "No Guts No Glory"

Cat's Eye
(ImaginAsianTV)
-Wed July 16 11:00pm - Episode 31 "Starting From the Kiss" (R Fri July 18 10:00pm)
-Wed July 16 11:30pm - Episode 32 "Museum Filled With Danger" (R Fri July 18 10:30pm)

Death Note
(Adult Swim)
-Sun July 13 12:30am - Episode 1 "Rebirth" (R Sun July 13 3:30am)

Digimon
(Toon Disney
-Sun July 13 1:30am - Episode 186 "Workin' on the Train Gang"
-Sun July 13 6:30am - Episode 187 "My Brother In Spirit" (R Mon July 14 1:30am)
-Mon July 14 6:30am - Episode 143 "Song of a Sakuyamon"
-Tue July 15 6:30am - Episode 144 "Janyu's Ark"
-Wed July 16 6:30am - Episode 145 "Homeward Bound"
-Thu July 17 6:30am - Episode 146 "Reunion"
-Fri July 18 6:30am - Episode 147 "Beelzemon's Big Day"
-Sat July 19 6:30am - Episode 188 "Ne'er the Twins Shall Meet"

Dinosaur King
(4KidsTV)
-Sat July 12 10:30am - Episode 13 "Escape From Zeta Point"

Elemental Gelade
(ImaginAsianTV)
-Sat July 12 9:00am - Episode 26 "The Song For the Sky and Tomorrow" (R Sun July 13 11:00am)

Inuyasha
(Adult Swim)
-Sat July 12 11:00pm - Episode 20 "Despicable Villain! The Mystery of Onigumo" (R Sun July 13 2:00am)
-Sat July 12 11:30pm - Episode 21 "Naraku's True Identity Revealed" (R Sun July 13 2:30am)
-Sun July 13 5:00am - Episode 132 "Miroku's Most Dangerous Confession"
-Sun July 13 5:30am - Episode 133 "The Woman Who Loved Sesshomaru, Part 1"
-Mon July 14 5:00am - Episode 134 "The Woman Who Loved Sesshomaru, Part 2"
-Mon July 14 5:30am - Episode 135 "The Last Banquet of Miroku's Master"
-Tue July 15 5:30am - Episode 136 "A Strange Invisible Demon Appears"
-Wed July 16 5:30am - Episode 137 "An Ancestor Named Kagome"
-Thu July 17 5:30am - Episode 138 "Mountain of Demons: Survival of the Duo"
-Fri July 18 5:30am - Episode 139 "Great Duel at Shoun Falls"
-Sat July 19 5:30am - Episode 140 "Eternal Love, the Naginata of Kenkon"

Kirby: Right Back at Ya!
(4KidsTV)
-Sat July 12 11:00am - Episode 6 "Un-Reality TV"

Kyo Kara Maoh
(ImaginAsianTV)
-Sat July 12 10:00am - Episode 68 "The Age of Glory" (R Sun July 13 12:00pm)
-Sat July 12 10:30am - Episode 69 "What Must Be Protected" (R Sun July 13 12:30pm)

Law of Ueki
(ImaginAsianTV)
-Sat July 12 9:30am - Episode 26 "Terror! The Law of Anon" (R Sun July 13 11:30am)
-Wed July 16 6:00pm - Episode 27 "The Law of Hideyoshi" (R Wed July 16 9:00pm, Thu July 17 12:00am, Sat July 19 4:00am)
-Wed July 16 6:30pm - Episode 28 "The Law of the Sun House" (R Wed July 16 9:30pm, Thu July 17 12:30am, Sat July 19 4:30am)

Naruto
(Cartoon Network)
-Mon July 14 10:30pm - Episode 148 "The Search For the Rare Bikochu Beetle"
-Tue July 15 10:30pm - Episode 149 "What's the Difference? Don't All Insects Look Alike"
-Wed July 16 10:30pm - Episode 150 "A Battle of Bugs: The Deceivers and the Deceived"

Oban Star-Racers
(Toon Disney)
-Sun July 13 2:30am - Episode 3 "Grave Like Groor"
-Mon July 14 2:30am - Episode 4 "In Like Flint"

Orguss
(ImaginAsianTV)
-Fri July 18 11:00pm - Episode 3 "Pretty Machine"
-Fri July 18 11:30pm - Episode 4 "Caravan"

Pokemon
(Cartoon Network)
-Sat July 12 9:00am - Episode 529 "Riding the Winds of Change"
-Mon July 14 7:00am - Episode 274 "Gotta Catch Ya Later!"
-Mon July 14 7:30am - Episode 275 "Hoenn Alone"
-Tue July 15 7:00am - Episode 276 "Get the Show on the Road!"
-Tue July 15 7:30am - Episode 277 "A Ruin With a View"
-Wed July 16 7:00am - Episode 278 "There's No Place Like Hoenn"
-Wed July 16 7:30am - Episode 279 "You Never Can Taillow"
-Thu July 17 7:00am - Episode 280 "In the Knicker of Time"
-Thu July 17 7:30am - Episode 281 "A Poached Ego!"
-Fri July 18 7:00am - Episode 282 "Tree's a Crowd"
-Fri July 18 7:30am - Episode 283 "A Tail With a Twist"

Shinzo
(Toon Disney)
-Tue July 15 4:00am - Episode 16 "The Giant Robot"
-Wed July 16 4:00am - Episode 17 "The Great War"
-Thu July 17 4:00am - Episode 18 "Secrets of the Seven"
-Fri July 18 4:00am - Episode 19 "The Feathered Fiend"
-Sat July 19 4:00am - Episode 20 "The Two Mushrambos"

Sonic X
(4KidsTV)
-Sat July 12 10:00am - Episode 4 "Chaos Emerald Chaos"

Speed Grapher
(IFC)
-Mon July 14 8:30pm - Episode 19 "Lips and Lies" (R Tue July 15 12:30am)

Transformers Animated
(Cartoon Network)
-Sat July 12 10:30am - Episode 4 "Home Is Where the Spark Is" (R Sun July 13 11:00am)
-Mon July 14 6:00am - Episode 17 "The Elite Guard"
-Mon July 14 6:30am - Episode 18 "The Return of the Headmaster"
-Tue July 15 6:00am - Episode 19 "Mission Accomplished"
-Tue July 15 6:30am - Episode 20 "Garbage In, Garbage Out"
-Wed July 16 6:00am - Episode 21 "Velocity"
-Wed July 16 6:30am - Episode 22 "Rise of the Constructicons"
-Thu July 17 6:00am - Episode 23 "A Fistful of Energon"
-Thu July 17 6:30am - Episode 24 "S.U.V. - Society of Ultimate Villainy"
-Fri July 18 6:00am - Episode 25 "Autoboot Camp"
-Fri July 18 6:30am - Episode 26 "Black Friday"

Yu-Gi-Oh! GX
(CW Kids)
-Sat July 12 11:00am - Episode 147 "Conquering the Past, Part 2"