Adult Swim officially replaces Sailor Moon as the best anime of 2009

In February, long-time fans of the magical girls were delighted to learn Sailor Moon will return to Cartoon Network's legendary Adult Swim lineup. Unfortunately, this joy will not last long, as it is now officially confirmed Dragon Ball Z Kai will replace Sailor Moon begins Monday, April 13. While both series are beloved by fans, many are frustrated that Sailor Scouts is being pulled from the air so soon after their triumphant return. Dragon Ball Z Kai fans will be delighted to know that some new episodes are finally making it to the small screen.

Both Sailor Moon and Dragon Ball Z have a long history on Cartoon Network, p both first appeared on Toonami in 1998. Dragon Ball Z Kaia remastered and shortened iteration of Akira Toriyama's beloved adaptation, it was released to the Toonami Adult Swim block uncut in 2014. The series' presence has garnered a lot of praise from viewers who are happy to see their favorite scenes and characters remastered for a modern audience. However, some question whether more time in the spotlight should be given to other classic series.

A split image showing characters from the Sailor Moon Anime

Sailor Moon is actually darker than she looks

Sailor Moon is not only a magical girl series, but also deals with dark themes such as death, sacrifice, and difficult choices, especially in the manga.

Dragon Ball Z Kai will replace Sailor Moon on Adult Swim starting April 13

As confirmed by Cartoon Network, Dragon Ball Z Kai will replace Sailor Moon beginning Monday, April 13 during the 5:00 ET programming block. The latter only recently returned to the lineup and began airing reruns on March 9, prompting backlash from fans eager to see the show finally make it back to the small screen. Fortunately, while Dragon Ball Z Kai After the Frieza Saga seemed to have stalled over the last few relaunches, fans can now look forward to fresher content. The first episode will air on April 13, 'The Angry Super Saiyan! Goku Throws Down the Gauntlet,” is just six episodes since the start of the Cell Saga, indicating that Adult Swim has regained the rights to this beloved installment of the series after letting them lapse.

Dragon Ball Z Kai met with huge acclaim when it first premiered in 2009. The remastered version of the legendary anime series sought to condense the most important scenes into a more cohesive and easily digestible edition. Kai also featuring new music and re-recorded vocal tracks. For those currently looking beyond the power of nostalgia, Cartoon Network's Toonami programming block will also be going strong in 2026, with an up-to-date line-up featuring heavyweight series such as Dandadan, Blue lock, Tokyo Revengersand One piece.

Meanwhile, fans on social media are calling for Adult Swim to pull the plug Sailor Moon once again, with many stating that the popular shojo series “can't catch a break.” Despite a massive fan base in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Takeuchi's magnum opus was eventually pulled from the air in 2001, not returning to US TV until May 2024 as part of Toonami Rewind. It remained on Adult Swim from January to June 2025, reappearing for this short-lived return.

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While Dragon Ball Z has remained a pillar of Toonami history for nearly three decades, fans who grew up with the TV block are also clamoring for the return of other retro series including Tenchi Muyo, Outlaw Star, Big O, YuYu Hakushoand Rurouni Kenshinto name a few. While it seems unlikely at this point, the internet continues to make its voice heard, and it remains to be seen if these anime gateways will ever return to American television for a new generation to enjoy.