BBToons

BBToons, short for Bear Bones Toons, is an American pay television channel that serves as both a programming block and television channel, with the block version airing on USA Network and UniMás and on January 30, 2014, and the channel version in 2017. The block and channel airs programming from Bear Bones Productions and Sensation Animation while also airing select licensed content from other companies.

Formation
In late 2012, it was reported that Bear Bones and NBCUniversal were in talks of developing a animation-themed block for USA Network.

In April 2013, Bear Bones Entertainment teamed up with select companies to launch a new block for USA Network and UniMás. After several discussions, Bear Bones announced plans to launch a new, multi-platform cartoon entertainment brand known as BBToons. Bear Bones, USA Network and UniMás placed its first look in their Facebook account.

In October 2013, the first promo for the block aired on TV and was posted on YouTube. Bear Bones Productions and Sensation Animation had plans to create original series for the block. ''Slime! ''was officially labeled as the first BBToons original series. In addition, other companies including studios outside of the U.S. would also produce original series for BBToons while also creating it for their own countries. Later that same month, Sonic Boom and Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir were confirmed to be moving from Cartoon Network and Boomerang to the block, as well as select programming such as Angry Birds Toons, Angry Birds Stella, Wallace and Gromit: Cracking Contraptions, Oggy and the Cockroaches, Oscar's Oasis, and Scaredy Squirrel, would also move to the block.

A day before New Year's Day, a month before the block premiere, the full starting lineup for the block was confirmed. The next month, the block premiered.

Launch of the block
The block launched on January 30, 2014. The launch sequence features Malachi and Purple Guy (both voiced by Mala Miles) discussing who will launch the block. The camera then pans over to an animated version of Sid John (voiced by himself) drawing Pizzy and Fifi (voiced by Eric Bauza and Kari Wahlgren) in a notepad, coming thereafter to life, followed by a special event called Riley's Guide to BBToons hosted by Riley, launching the block. The first program to air was Malachi and Friends.

In 2013, Bear Bones signed a deal with Univision to program a programming block as a spin-off of BBToons, which is called BBToons en UniMás. It airs Bear Bones programs and other acquired programs in the Spanish language. The block started on February 1, 2014, replacing Toonturama.

Launch of the channel
Due to heavy fan demand, BBToons was confirmed to get its own 24/7 hour channel to replace the Bear Bones Channel. The respective blocks on USA and UniMás were shut down and all existing programming from the block was moved into the BBToons schedule, while BBToons retained its channel position through cable, satellite, and antenna. The first program to air on the channel was Sonic Boom.

BBToons Originals
BBToons Originals is a production studio owned by Bear Bones. It focuses on producing and developing original animated programs and shorts for BBToons, but sometimes also for Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, and Disney XD.

Pizzy and Fifi
Pizzy and Fifi are the network's mascots. They are cartoon animal characters that look similar to Malachi Universal characters and are a dog and cat. They first appeared in the short Pizzy and Fifi: The Greatest Adventures Begin.

Content agreements

 * Bear Bones Entertainment
 * Bear Bones Productions
 * Sensation Animation
 * Maloing Entertainment
 * BBToons Originals


 * The Walt Disney Company
 * Walt Disney Pictures (family films only)
 * Walt Disney Animation Studios
 * DisneyToon Studios
 * Disney Television Animation
 * 20th Century Fox (family films only)
 * 20th Century Fox Television
 * Blue Sky Studios


 * Sony Pictures Entertainment
 * Columbia Pictures (family films only)
 * TriStar Pictures (family films only)
 * Sony Pictures Television
 * Sony Pictures Animation


 * Warner Bros. Discovery
 * Warner Bros. Entertainment
 * Warner Bros. Pictures (family films only)
 * Warner Animation Group (select films only)
 * Warner Bros. Animation
 * Turner Broadcasting System
 * Turner Entertainment
 * Hanna-Barbera
 * Cartoon Network


 * NBCUniversal
 * Universal Studios (family films only)
 * DreamWorks Animation
 * Illumination Entertainment
 * Universal Animation Studios
 * DreamWorks Animation Television


 * Paramount Global
 * Paramount Pictures (select films only)
 * Paramount Animation
 * Fleischer Studios/Famous Studios/Paramount Cartoon Studios
 * Nickelodeon
 * Rainbow S.r.l


 * Amazon
 * Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (family films only)
 * Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Animation


 * Corus Entertainment (Nelvana)
 * WildBrain
 * 9 Story Media Group
 * Splash Entertainment
 * Sega
 * Nintendo
 * Hasbro (Entertainment One)
 * Ánima Estudios
 * The LEGO Group
 * m4e AG

Latin America and Brazil
The Latin American and Brazil version of the block was launched in June 2017 on Lifetime. The Latin American version of the channel was launched in January 2018.

Nordic and CEE
The Nordic version of the channel was launched in September 2019. The Central and Eastern Europe version of the channel was launched in early 2020.

India
The India version of the HD channel launched on April 18, 2017, replacing Animax HD. Animax ceased broadcasting in India on regular television and was replaced by Sony Yay on 18 April 2017.

South Korea
The South Korea version of the block was launched in August 2017 on Animax, closed block in 2020. The Korean version of the channel premiered in March 2018 and has the Korean translation at the bottom of the normal BBToons logo.

Japan
The Japanese version of the block was launched in December 2017 on Animax. The Japanese version of BBToons will premiere in December 2019, dedicated to broadcasting classic and modern cartoon programming. The channel also anime programming. A subsidiary of Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan and Mitsui & Co.'s joint venture AK Holdings.

Schedule
And for the channel version of the schedule, click here: BBToons/Channel Schedule.

TV rating
Note that most of the shows are rated TV-Y7 (and TV-Y7-FV), but there are a few shows that are rated TV-PG (select shows and films only).
 * TV-Y (preschool shows)
 * TV-Y7 (and TV-Y7-FV, most shows)
 * TV-G (some shows and most theatrical films)
 * TV-PG (some shows and most theatrical films)

Slogan

 * The new place for cartoons! (January 2014-July 2017)
 * We're ready for fun! (July 2017-November 2018)
 * Totally, B-B-Toons! (November 2018-present)
 * Isn't that funny? (comedy programming)
 * Power up! (action programming)

Critical response
The block version received favorable reviews from critics. It was praised for its lineup, look, and design, while the channel version received critical acclaim.

Trivia

 * BBToons is inspired by Warner Bros' Boomerang, The Walt Disney Company's Toon Disney, and Viacom's Nicktoons because it airs mainly cartoons.
 * The lineup promo had the Good Charlotte song, Girls and Boy.
 * This song had been recycled in some of the other promos (like the new channel promo and the New Year on BBToons promo).
 * Both the block and the channel have a characteristic 3-note tune as its jingle, strongly resembling the final notes of Totally TCC song.
 * It is the first cartoon block since the now-defunct NBC Kids.
 * The website link was www.bbtoons.com. There are games, videos, activities (including papercraft-like figures called BBToons Craft-Toons, coloring pages, crafts, etc.).
 * The idents are similar to ones from Nicktoons from 2002 to 2004, Cartoon Network from 1998-2004, and Toon Disney from 2005 to 2009, but both the block and the channel use Powerhouse-like bumpers by Renegade Animation.
 * In the Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies 1949 cartoon Often an Orphan, starring Porky Pig, a scene where Charlie Dog explains to Porky about his rough life in the city is cut out due to Charlie's quote "Look! It's the towers!! THEY'RE FALLING!!!" being a reference to 9/11 attack, a terrorist attack that happened 52 years after this cartoon, which could traumatize 9/11 victims with memories.
 * The opening sequence was inspired by Nickelodeon's block Friday Night Nicktoons' opening.
 * Due to its popularity, the channel spawns into a variety of stuff: a series of crossover comic books, a soundtrack, video games, and an app.