The 2004 Annie Award nominations were announced yesterday, and three Flash-animated shows grabbed the spotlight. Cartoon Network hosts all three programs, including the show that led all nominees, ‘Foster’s Home For Imaginary Friends,’ with 4 category mentions.

FOSTER’S HOME FOR IMAGINARY FRIENDS

• Best Animated Television Production
• Character Design in an Animated Television Production – Lynn Naylor-Reccardi
• Directing in an Animated Television Production – Eric Pringle
• Writing in an Animated Television Production – Lauren Faust

HI HI PUFFY AMI YUMI

• Character Design in an Animated Television Production – Shakeh Haghnazarian
• Production Design in an Animated Television Production – Michael Giaimo

ATOMIC BETTY

• Storyboarding in an Animated Television Production – Alex Basio

Congrats to the nominees! I’ll see you at the awards in January.

If a dozen Flash-animated shows are green-lit tomorrow morning, it’s undoubtedly a good thing for the Flash world at large. But it wouldn’t mean a damn thing if those shows were summarily canceled 6 weeks later, right? So put your hands together for the latest ratings success – ‘Hi Hi Puffy Ami Yumi,’ the new King (or should I say ‘Queen’) of the Kids 2-11 ratings segment (source: Animation Insider).

‘Hi Hi Puffy Ami Yumi,’ the plucky, eye-candy-filled, relationship-driven (sorry guys, no fights or power-ups in this show) has delivered the goods for Cartoon Network, the undisputed #1 supporter of Flash animation on US television. With the strongest ratings ever for an original premiere in the Kids 2-11 segment, ‘Puffy’ seems well poised for a lengthy run. Girls, not surprisingly, have taken to the show in droves, increasing CN’s female eyeball count by over 60% during that time slot.

As far as the show itself, the producers have chosen the perfect animation platform for the show’s look and feel (it’s animated by Renegade Animation). The simple, iconic designs and the Hanna Barbera-esque appeal make this is an ideal show for Flash, and I look forward to several more seasons of this beautiful show.

It was only 2 years ago, we must remind ourselves, that Flash barely had a toe-hold in any major US animation studios. There was ‘Mucha Lucha’ at Warner Bros. Animation, the Disney Channel shorts ‘The Proud Family Shorties,’ and the ill-fated ‘Kid Notorious’ at Comedy Central.

But check this out – as of today, there’s at least 9 Flash animated shows on (or soon to come on) US television.

1 Mucha Lucha – Warner Bros. Animation

2 Hi Hi Puffy Ami Yumi Show – Cartoon Network

3 Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends – Cartoon Network

4 Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law – Adult Swim, Cartoon Network

5 Atomic Betty – Cartoon Network

6 The Venture Bros. – Adult Swim

7 Katbot – Disney (coming soon, I hear)

8 Omega Dome – Noodlesoup (coming soon)

9 Maggie – Disney TV Animation (coming soon)

I’m not positive on Katbot or Omega Dome, but the rumors are leaning that way. Regardless, it’s been quite an impressive run for ol’ Flash TV animation, once pronounced dead on the floor of the big internet bubble. That being said, most of these are being animated overseas or up north in Canada. But, as studios are quickly learning, the ability to do on-the-fly retakes, and maintain extremely strick on-model accuracy throughout a production is a huge plus.

Long live Flash animation!