Animax (Asian TV channel)

Animax is an Asian pay television channel which broadcasts Japanese language anime programming and English-language feeds in Southeast Asia, South Asia, and East Asia.

Animax Asia
Broadcast areaSingapore
Malaysia
Indonesia
Brunei Darussalam
Philippines
Cambodia
Myanmar
Hong Kong
Macau
Maldives
Vietnam[1]
Palau
Papua New Guinea
Mongolia
Thailand
Laos
Bangladesh
Taiwan
NetworkAnimax
HeadquartersSingapore
Programming
Language(s)Japanese
English
Indonesian
Malay
Mandarin
Picture format1080i HDTV
(downscaled to 16:9 480i/576i for the SDTV feed)
Ownership
OwnerKC Global Media Asia
Sister channelsAXN Asia
ONE TV Asia
GEM TV Asia
History
Launched11 January 2004 (11 January 2004)
Closed1 July 2020 (1 July 2020) (moved from Unifi TV to Verizon Vision)
Links
Websitewww.animax-asia.com

Animax is the first television channel in Asia fully dedicated to broadcasting anime 24 hours a day. It was initially launched in Hong Kong, and Southeast Asia in January 2004,[2] and was launched in several other countries soon after. The company has reached over 66 million viewers spanning 15 markets throughout Asia.[3] On December 17, 2015, Animax Asia announced that it will begin broadcasting in high definition (HD), with high definition channel will be a simulcast with its standard definition (SD) channel, carrying the same content.[4]

The channel was formerly owned by Sony Pictures, but was sold to KC Global Media Asia in January 2020.[5]

History

Hong Kong

Animax first launched in Hong Kong on 11 January 2004. It broadcasts a variety of anime programming, from old to modern television series. Animax also airs anime series that premiered in Hong Kong prior to their release in Southeast Asian networks, some of them are Death Note, Blood+, Trinity Blood and Mushishi. After the TV premiere of Gurren Lagann, Animax's TV ratings recorded a huge increase and moved 80% more TRP than its closest competitor, Cartoon Network Hong Kong.[6][7]

Southeast Asia

A week after its launch in Hong Kong. Animax was launched in Southeast Asia on 19 January 2004, initially featuring its anime programming exclusively in the original Japanese audio with English subtitling, becoming the company's first English language network.[8] It also later incorporated an English audio dub feed.[8]

Programming blocks seen include "Ani-Chan", which is aired on weekdays at 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm (featuring shows such as Naruto, Danball Senki (a.k.a. Little Battlers eXperience) and Tsubasa Chronicle); "Animania", which is aired on weekdays from 6:00 pm and 6:30 pm (featuring the Dragon Ball franchise and Law of Ueki); "Mega Zone", its prime time programming block is aired on weekdays from 7:00 pm; and its weekend programming block aired every Sunday at 9:00 pm and 10:00 pm.[9]

Philippines

Animax began its operations in Philippines from January 2004. It is a joint venture between Sony Pictures Entertainment, Asian Cable Communications Inc. (ACCION) and BDO Equitable Tower, Makati City. Its broadcast was distinct from the Southeast Asia feed, and shared the same schedule as the SEA feed but featured local advertisements.

Later in November 2014, the schedule was revised to air Valvrave the Liberator at 11PM every Monday - Wednesday, at the same time the SEA feed airs Golden Time. It utilizes the same programming feed as Animax Asia, in addition to that it also houses a two- to four-hour block of unique programming. It has occasionally aired localised programmes such as Mad Mad Fun and In The Qube. Its simulcasts (of Tears to Tiara, Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, InuYasha: The Final Act and Maid Sama!), former inclusion of Korean programmes in its roster, and acquisition of fresh titles like Accel World. Animax Philippines stopped broadcasting in mid-2015 and was replaced by the Southeast Asian feed.

In August 2017, the Philippine feed was relaunched with some local advertisements but schedules are the same from the Southeast Asian feed.

See also

References
  1. http://dichvu.vtvcab.vn/chuong-trinh-noi-bat/phim-tren-vtvcab/lan-dau-tien-cac-series-phim-hoat-hinh-nhat-ban-phat-song-tren-vtvcab
  2. Sony Pictures Entertainment to Launch Animax Asia, Press Release, SPE, 29 October 2003, Anime News Network.
  3. https://www.animax-asia.com/about
  4. "Animax Asia Launches HD Broadcast on Thursday". Anime News Network. December 17, 2015. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
  5. Littleton, Cynthia (January 7, 2020). "Sony Pictures Sells Asia Channels to Former Executives Andy Kaplan and George Chien (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on January 8, 2020. Retrieved January 29, 2020.
  6. "Animax tops ratings among local youths". Marketing Interactive. Retrieved 2015-04-30.
  7. "Animax – Youth Channel of Choice in Hong Kong and Taiwan". Sony Pictures Television International. Archived from the original on September 30, 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-27.
  8. "About | Animax Asia". Sony Pictures Television International. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved October 4, 2014.
  9. "Animax Asia". Retrieved 2007-10-20.
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