Animax (Asian TV channel)
Animax is a Southeast Asian pay television channel operated by KC Global Media which broadcasts Japanese language anime programming and English-language feeds in Southeast Asia, South Asia, Hong Kong, Macau, and Middle East.
Animax | |
---|---|
Launched | January 1, 2004, 16 years ago |
Network | Animax |
Owned by | KC Global Media |
Picture format | 1080i HDTV (downscaled to 16:9 480i/576i for the SDTV feed) |
Country | Singapore Indonesia Malaysia Philippines Taiwan Hong Kong Vietnam Cambodia Myanmar United Arab Emirates Qatar Saudi Arabia Bahrain Iraq Kuwait Jordan Lebanon Thailand |
Language | Japanese English Mandarin Arabic Malay |
Broadcast area | Southeast Asia, South Asia, and Middle East |
Headquarters | Singapore (Southeast Asia & Hong Kong) Taiwan United Arab Emirates (Middle East) |
Sister channel(s) | AXN One Gem |
Website | animax-asia |
Availability | |
Satellite | |
Astro (Malaysia) | Channel 719 (SD) (HD Coming Soon) |
Transvision (Indonesia) | Channel 360 (SD) |
Cignal (Philippines) | Channel 73 (SD) |
G Sat (Philippines) | Channel 26 |
SKY NET (Myanmar) | Channel 20 |
CANAL+ (Myanmar) | Channel 105 |
Cable | |
First Media (Indonesia) | Channel 52 (SD) Channel 342 (HD) |
Sky Cable / Destiny Cable (Philippines) | Channel 46 (Digital) |
Cablelink (Philippines) | Channel TBA |
Macau Cable TV (Macau) | Channel 66 |
Dialog TV (Sri Lanka) | Channel 134 |
South Luzon CATV (Philippines) | Channel 105 (Digital) |
VTVCab (Vietnam) | Channel 122 (HD) |
IPTV | |
now TV (Hong Kong) | Channel 150 |
Singtel TV (Singapore) | Channel 342 (HD/VOD) |
StarHub TV (Singapore) | Channel 532 (HD) |
myTV SUPER (Hong Kong) | Channel 504 (HD) |
FPT (Vietnam) | Channel 30 (Coming Soon On 2020) |
Dhiraagu TV (Maldives) | Channel 79 |
Streaming media | |
TrueID (Thailand) | |
POPS Worldwide (Thailand) |
Animax is the first television 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] In 2013, the network became unavailable in Vietnam due to government content restrictions, but was relaunched on April 1, 2020. [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 Entertainment, but was sold to former Sony Pictures Television executives at KC Global Media in January 2020.[5]
History
Hong Kong and Taiwan
Animax first launched in Taiwan on 1 January 2004, and then in Hong Kong 11 days later.[6] 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.[7][8] After the launch of Animax in Southeast Asia, the Hong Kong feed has merged with the Southeast Asian feed as Animax Asia, leaving Taiwan as the only country in the region receiving a Mandarin-language feed, now known as Animax Taiwan.
Southeast Asia
A week after its launch in Taiwan and 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.[6] It also later incorporated an English audio dub feed.[6] On 31 August 2006, Animax launched in Malaysia, in the Southeast Asia in 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 until 31 March 2020, From 1 April 2020, it's Pick up New Channels Number in channel 719), an interactive channel. On 31 August 2006, a paid satellite network from Malaysia, Astro inserted Animax channel into channel 75, which was subsequently converted to channel 25 and is currently on Astro 715 channel. On 15 December 2004, from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m., later shortened to 2 hours (until 9 a.m.). Animax was launched from Astro on channel 715 in Malaysia and Brunei (Kristal-Astro) on 31 August 2006 in Malaysia and Brunei. 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's 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!.[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.
On 25 July 2016, Animax was rebranded with a 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 AA.
In August 2017, the Philippine feed was relaunched but schedules are the same from the Southeast Asian feed.
India
In 2004, Animax India was launched in India and neighboring countries on 5 July, with Irfan Pathan as the brand ambassador of the channel.[10] It began with a 12-hours Hindi-language channel that targeted children and teens aged 7–14 and had planned to launch Hindi and English language audio tracks[11] but from 15 August 2006, Animax entirely shut down its Hindi audio track and kept its English one, and changed its target audience to ages 15–40.[12]
On 1 January 2008, Animax India merged with Animax Asia's programming feed, including all of its exclusive premieres. It rebranded its logo on 4 May 2010, and began airing American live-action series and reruns from AXN. In 2012, the channel stopped airing such programmes and reverted to its old logo, focusing only on anime.
In 2017, Animax ceased operations in India and was replaced by Sony Yay on 18 April. Sony Pictures Networks decided to bring all anime content from Animax to its digital platform. On 7 July, Animax was launched on Sony LIV as a live streaming channel.[13]
In the Maldives, Animax Asia is available via MediaNet and Dihraggi TV.
List of Anime Shows broadcast on ANIMAX Asia (Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, Macau, and Middle East)
- A Destructive God Sits Next to Me
- Absolute Boy
- Accel World
- Afro-Ken
- Air Gear
- Akashic Records of Bastard Magic Instructor
- Alice & Zoroku
- Alice Academy
- Alien Nine
- Angel Links
- Angel Sanctuary
- Angel Tales
- Anonymous Noise
- Arcana Famiglia
- Area 88
- Aria the Scarlet Ammo AA
- Armed Girl's Machiavellism
- Arpeggio of Blue Steel
- Assassination Classroom
- Astro Boy
- Avenger
- Ayakashi: Samurai Horror Tales
- Azumanga Daioh
- Baby Baachan
- Baccano!
- Baka and Test: Summon the Beasts
- BanG Dream!
- Beelzebub
- Beyond the Boundary
- Big Windup!
- Bincho-Tan
- Black Bullet
- Black Cat
- Black Jack
- Blade Dance of the Elementalers
- Blassreiter
- Bleach
- Blend S
- Blood+
- Blue Dragon
- Brain Powerd
- Brave Witches
- Brothers Conflict
- Brynhildr in the Darkness
- Buso Renkin
- Btooom!
- Captain Tsubasa
- Captain Tsubasa: Road to 2002
- Cardcaptor Sakura
- Cardfight!! Vanguard
- Cardfight!! Vanguard: Asia Circuit
- Cardfight!! Vanguard: Link Joker
- Cells at Work!
- Cerberus: Fate of Dark Dragon
- Chain Chronicle -The Light of Haecceitas-
- Chaos;Child
- Charlotte
- Chibi Maruko-chan
- Chihayafuru
- Chobits
- Chrome Shelled Regios
- City Hunter
- Clamp School Detectives
- Classroom of the Elite
- Clean Freak! Aoyama kun
- Code: Realize − Guardian of Rebirth
- ColourCloud Palace
- Coppelion
- Cowboy Bebop
- Cross Ange: Rondo of Angel and Dragon
- Cute High Earth Defense Club Love! (Only Season 1)
- Cyborg 009 (2001 TV Series)
- Cyborg Kuro-chan
- D.Gray-man
- D.Gray-man Hallow
- D.N.Angel (Southeast Asia Exclusive)
- Daigunder
- Dances with the Dragons
- Danganronpa: The Animation
- Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School
- Darker than Black (Only The Black Contractor)
- Date A Live III
- Dear Boys
- Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody
- Detective Conan (Philippines Exclusive)
- Detective School Q
- Digimon Adventure
- Digimon Adventure 02
- DNA²
- Dragon Ball
- Doctor Dokkiri
- DT Eightron
- Durarara!! x2
- Earth Maiden Arjuna
- Eight Clouds Rising
- Elegant Yokai Apartment Life
- Emma
- Eureka Seven Ao
- éX-Driver
- Fafner Exodus
- Fairy Tail
- Fancy Lala
- Fantastic Children
- Fate/stay night
- Final Fantasy: Unlimited
- First Love Monster
- Flame of Recca
- FullMetal Alchemist (Philippines Exclusive)
- Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
- Fushigi Yuugi (As Curious Play)
- Future Boy Conan
- Gabriel DropOut
- Galaxy Angel
- Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo
- Gatchaman Crowds
- Geneshaft
- GetBackers
- Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
- Ghost Slayers Ayashi
- Ghost Stories (As Ghosts at School)
- Ginban Kaleidoscope
- Girlish Number
- Girls' Last Tour
- Glass Fleet
- Gokusen
- Golden Kamuy
- Golden String
- Golden Time
- Graduation
- Granbelm
- Great Teacher Onizuka
- Grimgar, Ashes & Illusions
- Guilty Crown
- Gun x Sword
- Gunslinger Girl
- Gurazeni
- Gurren Lagann
- Gyrozetter
- Haibane Renmei
- Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens
- Hand Shakers
- Handa-Kun
- Harlock Saga
- Haven't You Heard? I'm Sakamoto
- Hayate the Combat Butler
- Hell Girl
- Hellsing Ultimate
- High School Prodigies Have It Easy Even In Another World
- Hina Logic - From Luck & Logic
- Hiwou War Chronicles
- Honey and Clover
- Hungry Heart: Wild Striker
- Humanoid Monster Bem
- Hunter × Hunter (2011 TV series)
- Hyouka
- Hyperdimension Neptunia: The Animation
- Idaten Jump
- I Don't Have Many Friends
- I'm Gonna Be An Angel!
- In Another World with My Smartphone
- In Search of the Lost Future
- Inari Kon Kon
- Inazuma Eleven Ares
- Initial D (Philippines Exclusive)
- In/Spectre
- Inuyasha
- Inuyasha: The Final Act
- Invaders of the Rokujouma!?
- Isekai Cheat Magician
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind
- Jubei-chan: The Ninja Girl
- Jyu-Oh-Sei: Planet of the Beast King
- K
- Kado: The Right Answer
- Kakuriyo: Bed and Breakfast for Spirits
- Kamichu!
- Kamisama Kiss
- Karakai Jozu no Takagi-San
- Kekkaishi
- Kill Me Baby
- KinMoza!
- Kino's Journey
- Kino's Journey The Beautiful World The Animated Series
- K-On!
- Kotoura-san
- Kyo Kara Maoh! (As God, Save Our King!)
- Land of the Lustrous
- Last Exile: Fam, The Silver Wing
- Last Period -The Journey to the End of the Despair-
- Laughing Under the Clouds
- Legend of the Galactic Heroes - Die Neue These
- Letter Bee
- Little Battlers Experience
- Little Battlers Experience W
- Little Battlers Experience WARS
- Little Busters!
- Little Women
- Living for the Day After Tomorrow
- Love and Lies
- Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions
- Luck & Logic
- Lucky Star
- Lupin the Third Part 5
- Magic of Stella
- Magic User's Club
- Magical Meow Meow Taruto
- Magical Warfare
- Magikano
- Maid Sama!
- Maoyu
- Maria Watches Over Us
- Matoi the Sacred Slayer
- Mekakucity Actors
- MeltyLancer
- Midori Days
- Minami Kamakura High School Girls Cycling Club
- Mitsuboshi Colors
- Mob Psycho 100
- Mobile Suit Gundam
- Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam
- Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ
- Monkey Typhoon
- Mr. Stain on Junk Alley
- Muhyo & Roji's Bureau of Supernatural Investigation
- Mushibugyo
- Music Girls
- My Hero Academia
- My Little Monster
- My Love Story!!
- My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!
- My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU
- Mysteria Friends
- Naruto
- Naruto Shippuden
- Ninku
- Nisekoi
- Nodame Cantabile
- Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan
- One-Punch Man
- Our Love Has Always Been 10 Centimeters Apart
- Otogi Zoshi
- Paradise Kiss
- Parasyte ~the Maxim~
- Phantom in the Twilight
- Photo Kano
- Pilot Candidate (As Candidate for Goddess)
- Place to Place
- Please Teacher!
- Poco's Udon World
- Pretty Rhythm: Aurora Dream
- Pretty Rhythm: Dear My Future
- Pretty Rhythm: Rainbow Live
- Princess Be Careful
- Princess Comet
- Princess Principal
- Princess Sarah
- Princess Tutu
- Pumpkin Scissors
- R.O.D. The TV
- Rage of Bahamut: Genesis
- Ran: The Samurai Girl
- Ranma ½
- REC
- Red Garden
- Re:Zero - Starting Life in Another World
- Real Girl
- Remi, Nobody's Girl
- Riddle Story of Devil
- Rental Magica
- Romeo × Juliet
- Ruin Explorers
- Saber Marionette J
- Saber Marionette J Again
- Saber Marionette J to X
- Saber Marionette R
- Sailor Victory
- Saiyuki (Only aired Saiyuki Reload, Saiyuki Reload Gunlock & Saiyuki Reload Blast)
- Sakura Quest
- Samurai 7
- Samurai Champloo
- Samurai Deeper Kyo
- Samurai Jam: Bakumatsu Rock
- Samurai X
- Scared Rider Xechs
- Sergeant Keroro
- Servamp
- Shakugan no Shana (Only aired II and III Final)
- Shangri-La
- Shonen Onmyoji
- Shonen Hollywood
- Silent Möbius
- Sket Dance
- Slam Dunk
- Snow White with the Red Hair
- SoltyRei
- Space Dandy
- Space Pirate Captain Harlock
- Spirit of Wonder
- Spooky Kitaro (Only aired 4th & 5th Series)
- Star Driver
- Stigma of the Wind
- Stratos 4
- Strike the Blood
- Tada Never Falls in Love
- Tales of the Abyss
- Tamako Market
- Tarepanda
- Tears to Tiara
- Terra Formars
- Texhnolyze
- The Book of Bantorra
- The Demon Girl Next Door
- The Family's Defensive Alliance
- The File of Young Kindaichi
- The File of Young Kindaichi R
- The Galaxy Railways
- The Helpful Fox Senko-san
- The "Hentai" Prince and the Stony Cat.
- The Irregular at Magic High School
- The Junji Ito Collection
- The Knight of Eon
- The Law of Ueki
- The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (2009 TV Series)
- The Ryuo's Work is Never Done!
- The Seven Deadly Sins
- The Squid Girl
- The Tower of Druaga
- The Vision of Escaflowne
- The World God Only Knows
- This Art Club Has a Problem!
- To the Abandoned Sacred Beasts
- Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun
- Tokyo Ravens
- Toward the Terra
- Tsubasa Chronicles
- Tsukihime
- Tweeny Witches
- Twin Spica
- Twin Star Exorcists
- TWOCAR - Racing Sidecar
- UFO Baby
- Unbreakable Machine-Doll
- UQ Holder!
- Urara Meirocho
- Urusei Yatsura (As Lum, The Invader Girl)
- Valvrave the Liberator
- Vatican Miracle Examiner
- Virgin Fleet
- Welcome to the N.H.K.
- What Do You Do at the End? Are You Busy? Will You Save Us?
- Windy Tales
- Wizard Barristers
- Wolf's Rain
- Woodpecker Detective's Office
- WWW.WORKING!!
- xxxHolic
- Yakitate!! Japan (Southeast Asia Exclusive)
- Yatterman Night
- Yo-kai Watch
- Yo-kai Watch Shadowside
- Young Black Jack
- Yu Yu Hakusho
- Yukikaze (anime)
Notes and references
- Sony Pictures Entertainment to Launch Animax Asia, Press Release, SPE, 29 October 2003, Anime News Network.
- https://www.animax-asia.com/about
- "Official announcement of stop broadcasting in Vietnam".
- "Animax Asia Launches HD Broadcast on Thursday". Anime News Network. December 17, 2015. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
- Littleton, Cynthia (January 7, 2020). "Sony Pictures Sells Asia Channels to Former Executives Andy Kaplan and George Chien (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved January 29, 2020.
- "About | Animax Asia". Sony Pictures Television International. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved October 4, 2014.
- "Animax tops ratings among local youths". Marketing Interactive. Retrieved 2015-04-30.
- "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.
- "Animax Asia". Retrieved 2007-10-20.
- Viveat Susan Pinto (6 July 2004). "Irfan to bowl for Sony's Animax". Afaqs news bureau. afaqs. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
- "Animax plans to go Hindi soon". thehindubusinessline. Retrieved 2009-04-20.
- "Animax goes all English from 15 August". indiantelevision. Retrieved 2009-04-20.
- http://www.sonyliv.com/share/live/5495190673001/Animax%20SD%20-%20LIVE%20CHANNEL?sfp=true
External links
- Animax Asia official website
- Animax Taiwan official website
- Animax at Anime News Network's encyclopedia