Animax Asia

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Main article: Animax
Animax Asia
Type Anime television network
Founded May 20, 1998 (launch of Animax)[1]
January 2004 (Animax Asia launch)
Headquarters Flag of Japan Minato, Tokyo, Japan (headquarters of Animax)[1]
Flag of Singapore Singapore (Animax Asia headquarters)
Key people Masao Takiyama, President & Representative Director of Animax[1]
Industry Anime
Parent Sony
Website Animax Asia

Animax Asia is the Japanese anime TV network Animax's English language feeds in Southeast Asia and South Asia, as well as its feeds across other regions of mainland Asia, including South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Animax Asia is operated and broadcasted by Singapore-based SPE Networks - Asia Pte. Ltd., which wholly owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Animax Asia was first launched in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Southeast Asia from January 2004[2], and launched in several other countries soon after. It currently airs across over 28 million households.[3]

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Hong Kong and Taiwan

Animax Asia was first launched in Taiwan on January 1, 2004, and in Hong Kong on January 12, 2004.[3] Its anime programming in the regions consists of numerous television series both old and new, including recent anime which is premiered in Taiwan and Hong Kong ahead of its other networks in Southeast Asia, such as Death Note, Blood+, Trinity Blood, Mushishi and several others. [4]

[edit] Southeast Asia

A week after its launch in Taiwan and Hong Kong, Animax launched in Southeast Asia, particularly in The Philippines and Indonesia, on January 19, 2004, originally featuring its anime programming exclusively in the original Japanese audio with English subtitling, becoming the company's first English language network.[3] It also later incorporated a English audio dub feed.[3] On August 31, 2006, Animax launched in Malaysia, utilizing the Southeast Asian English language feed and also airing its programming in a Japanese audio feed with subtitles in the local languages. The network's early programming in Southeast Asia consisted of such anime as Chobits, Cardcaptor Sakura, Great Teacher Onizuka, 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.[4], and it has gone on to air 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, and Ranma 1/2.[4]

It also utilizes numerous programming blocks, such as "Teen-Edge", which is aired on weekdays at 4:00pm and 5:30pm and has aired such programs as Chibi Maruko-chan, Hime-sama Goyōjin (a.k.a. Princess Be Careful) and Tsubasa Chronicle, "Animania", which is aired on weekdays from 6:00pm and 6:30pm and has aired such programs as Dragon Ball and Law of Ueki, "Mega Zone", its prime time programming block that is aired on weekdays from 7:00pm and aired such programs as Gun X Sword, Fate/stay night and Honey and Clover, and its "Weekends" programming block that is aired every Sunday at 9:00pm and 10:00pm and has aired series such as Dear Boys, Blood+ and Please Teacher!.[4][5]

[edit] South Asia

On July 5, 2004, Animax started operations across South Asia in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan, featuring its programming within an English-language feed. Animax South Asia's programming consists of several noted anime series, including Fate/stay night, Blood+, Cowboy Bebop, Galaxy Angel, Le Chevalier D'Eon, Glass Fleet, Doctor Dokkiri, Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo, Wolf's Rain, Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C., Cowboy Bebop, Samurai 7, Gunslinger Girl, Fantastic Children, Cardcaptor Sakura, Tsubasa Chronicle, Jigoku Shōjo, Midori no Hibi, Kyo Kara Maoh!, GeGeGe no Kitaro 4, Maria-sama ga Miteru and Magikano.

The network utilizes numerous programming blocks, such as "Sporty Tuesday", which is aired on every Tuesday from 10:00pm and 11:00pm and has broadcast such sports-oriented anime such as Initial D and Play Ball, "Supernatural Wednesdays", which airs every Wednesday at 10:00pm and 11:00pm with such supernatural and horror-themed programs as Blood+ and Jigoku Shōjo: Futakomori, "Wacky Thursdays", an ecchi and comedy-themed block that is aired every Thursday at 10:00pm and 11:00pm and has aired programs as Magikano, Kyo Kara Maoh! and Midori no Hibi, "Futuristic Fridays", which airs science fiction and fantasy-themed programs on Fridays from 10:00pm and 11:00pm, such as Fate/stay night and "Big Movie Monday", which has aired OVA and feature-length anime movies at Mondays from 10:00pm, such as Blood: The Last Vampire,Final Fantasy VII Advent Children,Onimusha,Rurouni Kenshin: Seisōhen, Read or Die (OVA), Escaflowne, and Appleseed.[4][6]

[edit] Animax India

The network in india started in 2004 with 12 hours Hindi feed,and in 2006 Animax started 24 hour english feed

[edit] Korea

On April 29, 2006, Animax started its operations in Korea, featuring its programming within a separate Korean feed.[7] Animax Korea's early programming included such shows as Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo, Otogizōshi, Galaxy Angel, Tweeny Witches, Eureka Seven, Blood+, Jigoku Shōjo and Honey and Clover.[7][8]

[edit] Philippines

Animax has a separate satellite feed for the Philippines. It has a program lineup different from other Southeast Asian feeds, as well as a localized program, Mad Mad Fun.

[edit] Programming

Main article: List of programs broadcast by Animax

Animax Asia is the first 24-hour anime television network launched in the region[3] and has broadcast numerous anime series[4], including Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Cowboy Bebop, Mobile Suit Gundam,"Kyo Kara Maoh!", Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam, Mobile Suit ZZ Gundam, Honey and Clover, Blood+, InuYasha, Fullmetal Alchemist, Eureka Seven, Urusei Yatsura, Ranma 1/2, Rurouni Kenshin, the Dragon Ball series, Cardcaptor Sakura, Tsubasa Chronicle, Chobits, Vision of Escaflowne, Death Note, , Wolf's Rain, Future Boy Conan,Emma - A Victorian Romance, Trinity Blood, 'Wangan Midnight, Jigoku Shōjo, as well as several OVA series and anime films, such as Steamboy, Alien Nine, Metropolis, Memories, Tokyo Godfathers, Ghost in the Shell, Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, Nasu: Summer in Andalusia, Blood: The Last Vampire, Appleseed, Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' on Heaven's Door, Escaflowne, each of the InuYasha movies, and many others.[4] Animax Asia also shows some music, youth/lifestyle shows, including Music Station and Technomax and has produced its own show Mad Mad Fun.

[edit] Translation and dubbing teams

Animax has utilized numerous translation and dubbing studios for the broadcast of numerous 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, Emma: A Victorian Romance, Future Boy Conan, numerous installments of the World Masterpiece Theater series, and numerous 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.

For broadcast across its English-language networks, Animax has also broadcast English dubs produced by other enterprises, such as Bandai Entertainment, The Ocean Group, Bang Zoom, Geneon Entertainment, VIZ Media, Central Park Media, and numerous others, airing their dubs of 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.

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes and references

  1. ^ a b c Animax official website - corporate profile (Japanese)
  2. ^ Sony Pictures Entertainment to Launch Animax Asia, Press Release, SPE, 29 October 2003, Anime News Network.
  3. ^ a b c d e About Animax - Animax Asia. Animax Asia. Retrieved on 2007-10-20.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Animax-asia. Anime News Network. Retrieved on 2007-10-20.
  5. ^ Animax Asia official site. Retrieved on 2007-10-20.
  6. ^ Animax India official site. Retrieved on 2007-10-20.
  7. ^ a b Animax Crashes Korea on Saturday. Anime News Network. Retrieved on 2007-10-20.
  8. ^ Animax Korea - Anime News Network. Anime News Network. Retrieved on 2007-10-20.

[edit] External links

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