Animax Asia

Animax Asia is a Japanese anime television network that broadcasts Animax's English-language feeds in Southeast Asia and South Asia, as well as in other regions of mainland Asia, including Hong Kong and Taiwan. It is operated by Sony Pictures Television Networks, Asia (SPENA), a television operator unit of Japanese media conglomerate, Sony.

Animax is the first channel in Asia fully dedicated to broadcasting anime 24 hours a day. It was initially launched in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Southeast Asia in January 2004,^[1] and was launched in several other countries soon after. The company has reached over 66 million viewers spanning 15 markets throughout Asia.^[2] Since 2013, the network is unavailable in Vietnam due to government content restrictions.^[3]

History

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  Logo Animax Asia used from 2004-2006

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  Logo Animax Asia used from 2006-2010, 2013–2016

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  Logo Animax Asia used from 2010-2013

Hong Kong and Taiwan

Animax Asia first launched in Taiwan on 1 January 2004, and then in Hong Kong 11 days later.^[4] It broadcasts a variety of anime programming, from old to modern television series. Animax also airs anime series that premiered in Taiwan and 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.^[5][6]

Southeast Asia

A week after its launch in Taiwan and Hong Kong, Animax 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.^[4] It also later incorporated an English audio dub feed.^[4] On 31 August 2006, Animax launched in Malaysia, in the Southeast Asian English language feed and also in Japanese audio feed with subtitles in the local languages. Prior to this, selected Animax shows were shown on astro@15 (formerly channel 15, now channel 715), an interactive channel, starting 15 December 2004, from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m., later shortened to 2 hours (until 9 a.m.). Anime such as Chobits, Cardcaptor Sakura, Great Teacher Onizuka, Ultra Maniac, Haibane Renmei, Doctor Dokkiri, Vision of Escaflowne, Midori no Hibi, Captain Tsubasa, Wolf's Rain, Mobile Suit Gundam, Cowboy Bebop, Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. were some of the network' early airing in Southeast Asia. It has also aired several series, including Fate/stay night, Blood+, Honey and Clover, Maria-sama ga Miteru, Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo, Otogizōshi, Jigoku Shōjo, Galaxy Angel, Witch Hunter Robin, Samurai 7, Gunslinger Girl, Urusei Yatsura, Ranma 1/2, and Detective Conan.

It also includes programming blocks, such as "Ani-Chan", which is aired on weekdays at 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm containing the programs 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 containing the programs Dragon Ball and Law of Ueki; "Mega Zone", its prime time programming block is aired on weekdays from 7:00 pm containing the programs Gun X Sword, Fate/stay night and Honey and Clover; and its "Weekends" programming block is aired every Sunday at 9:00 pm and 10:00 pm containing the series Dear Boys, Blood+ and Please Teacher!.^[7]

Philippines

Animax began its operations in Philippines from January 2004. It is a joint venture between Sony Pictures Entertainment and Asian Cable Communications inc. (ACCION). 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 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 localized programs such as Mad Mad Fun and In The Qube. Its simulcasts (of Tears to Tiara, Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, InuYasha: The Final Act and Kaichou-wa Maid-sama!), former inclusion of Korean programs in its roster, and acquisition of fresh titles like Accel World. Animax Philippines was reverted into its Southeast Asian feed since mid-2015. On July 25, 2016, Animax was reformatted with the new look, new logo, new graphics and new anime programming lineup for the concede session works by popular demand before the final episode of In Search of the Lost Future and the premiere of Aria the Scarlet Ammo.

India

Animax began operations across India from 5 July 2004. On 1 January 2008, Animax India merged with Animax Asia's programming feed. The channel is broadcast and operated from Singapore by Animax Asia and distributed by Sony Pictures Networks India Pvt.Ltd.The channel is broadcast across South Asia and has a time shift version in Pakistan with local advertisements.

Programming

Programmes currently on air

New

• Flip Flappers (Simulcast)
• Poco's Udon World (Simulcast)
• Twin Star Exorcists (Simulcast)
• Hello Kiniro Mosaic
• The Seven Deadly Sins: Signs of Holy War (TV special)
• Cute High Earth Defense Club Love

Upcoming

• Beautiful Bones: Sakurako's Investigation
• Ore Monogatari

Reruns

• Hyouka
• Azumanga Daioh
• Unbreakable Machine-Doll
• The Hentai Prince and the Stony Cat
• Accel World
• Cardfight!! Vanguard: Link Joker
• City Hunter
• Fairy Tail
• The World God Only Knows
• Riddle Story of Devil
• Guilty Crown
• Inari, Konkon, Koi Iroha
• Ghost Fighter
• Naruto
• Naruto Shippuden
• Bleach
• Kamisama Kiss
• K-On
• Little Busters!
• Kekkaishi
• Brynhildr in the Darkness
• My Little Monster
• Tamako Market
• Valvrave the Liberator
• Golden Time
• Beyond the Boundary
• Kill Me Baby
• Little Battlers Experience
• Blue Dragon
• Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions
• Strike the Blood
• My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU
• SKET Dance
• The File of Young Kindaichi
• All others

Local produced

• Animax Musix

Translation and dubbing teams

Animax has many translation and dubbing studios for the broadcast of its anime series across its English-language networks in Southeast Asia and South Asia, some of which were not licensed by North American distributors and do not have any English adaptation counterparts, such as Detective School Q, Dokkiri Doctor, Twin Spica, Zettai Shōnen, Clamp School, Future Boy Conan, installments of the World Masterpiece Theater series, and various others. Animax has also produced and aired uncensored English versions and dubs of anime series, among the most notable of them being their dub of Cardcaptor Sakura, which was shown uncensored and retained all of the original names, plot details and dialogue, and numerous others.

Animax has also broadcast English dubs on its English-language networks the series produced by other enterprises, such as Bandai Entertainment, The Ocean Group, Bang Zoom! Entertainment, Geneon Entertainment, Funimation Entertainment, VIZ Media, Central Park Media, and various others. Some of the other enterprises' series aired by Animax are, Cowboy Bebop, Witch Hunter Robin, Mobile Suit Gundam, Brain Powerd, Please Teacher!, Galaxy Angel, Arjuna, Jubei-chan, Tsukikage Ran, Angel Tales, Saber Marionette, Appleseed, Alien 9, the InuYasha films, Fullmetal Alchemist, Yukikaze and several others.

Original production

Animax Asia also created original productions directly connected to anime and youth culture; these include Imagine Nation, Technomax, Mad Mad Fun, LaMB, c/o AUTODESK: PARANOMA 2004-2007, and 2012 Asia Pacific Design Challenge.

See also

• Animax
• Animax (India)
• List of programs broadcast by Animax
• Animax Pakistan

Notes and references

External links

• Animax Asia
  • Animax Taiwan (Chinese)
  • Animax HD Taiwan (Chinese)
• Animax Asia at Anime News Network's encyclopedia