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 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, and was launched in several other countries soon after. The company has reached over 66 million viewers spanning 15 markets throughout Asia. In 2013, the network became unavailable in Vietnam due to government content restrictions, but was relaunched on April 1, 2020. On December 17, 2015, Animax Asia announced that it will begin broadcasting in high definition, with high definition channel will be a simulcast with its standard definition channel, carrying the same content.
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.
History
Hong Kong and Taiwan
Animax first launched in Taiwan on 1 January 2004, and then in Hong Kong 11 days later. 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. 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. It also later incorporated an English audio dub feed. 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 shows were shown on , 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. Animax was launched from on channel 715 in Malaysia and Brunei 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, ' 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, ', 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 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!.
Philippines
Animax began its operations in Philippines from January 2004. It is a joint venture between Sony Pictures Entertainment, Asian Cable Communications Inc. 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, 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. 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 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.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.
In the Maldives, Animax Asia is available via MediaNet and Dihraggi TV.