Animax

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the television network. For the animation studio,
see Animax Entertainment.

Animax

Logo used since 2006

Country Japan

Broadcast area Nationwide

Headquarters Minato, Tokyo, Japan[1]

Programming

Language(s) Japanese

Picture format 1080i (HDTV)

Ownership

Owner AK Media
(Nojima)

Key people Ryoji Nojima, CEO

Masao Takiyama, Chairman[1]
 Akira Sasaki, President

History

Founded July 1, 1998; 26 years ago

Links

Website www.animax.co.jp

Headquarters in Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo

Animax Broadcast Japan Inc. (Japanese: アニマック
ス, Hepburn: Animakkusu), stylized as ANIMAX in all caps, is a
Japanese animation satellite television network, dedicated to
broadcasting anime programming. Launched on July 1, 1998, Animax is the
first 24-hour network in the world dedicated to anime.[2][3]

Animax is part of AK Media, owned by Nojima, and is headquartered in New

Pier Takeshiba North Tower[4] in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. The channel was
originally co-founded by Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan, with its
shareholders including studios Sunrise,[1][5] Toei Animation,[6][7] TMS
Entertainment, and production company Nihon Ad Systems.[8][2]

Animax previously operated separate TV channels for Asia (four separate

feeds for South East Asia, the Philippines, Hong Kong and Taiwan), South
Asia and South Korea; in addition to either owning, or licensing its brand to,
several television networks, programming blocks, and VOD platforms around
the world. As of 2020, most of these services have either been sold off to
third-parties or closed altogether.

History
[edit]
Under Sony
[edit]

Animax's original logo, used from its formation until

2006 Animax's second logo, solidly used from 2006 to

2010, and 2013 to 2016 (except Japan). Animax's third
logo, used from 2010 to 2016 in the European countries.
Established on May 20, 1998, by Sony, Animax Broadcast Japan Inc. (株式
会社アニマックスブロードキャスト・ジャパン(Hiragana), Kabushiki-gaisha
Animakkusu Burōdokyasuto Japan) launched in Japan on July 1, the same
year, across the SKY PerfecTV! satellite television platform.[1] Headquartered
in Minato, Tokyo, Japan, and presided by Masao Takiyama, Animax's
shareholders and founders include Sony Pictures Entertainment
Japan, Sunrise,[1][5] Toei Animation,[6][7] TMS Entertainment, and NAS.[8][2] Its
founders also include noted anime producer and production designer Yoshirō
Kataoka.[1] The network began broadcasting in high definition from October
2009.[citation needed]

Animax also exhibits affiliations with anime pioneer Osamu Tezuka's Tezuka
Productions company, Pierrot, Nippon Animation, and numerous others.
[8]
Other noted Japanese celebrities and personalities to have appeared on
Animax with their own programs include actress Natsuki Katō, among
numerous others.[citation needed] The network's narrators are the voice actors Yukari
Tamura and Kōsuke Okano; and from October 2007, Sayuri Yahagi.[citation needed]

Beyond the channel, Animax has hosted and organized several anime-based
competitions across Japan, such as the Animax Taishō scriptwriting
competition[9] and the Animax Anison Grand Prix; a anime song music
competition judged by a panel of noted anime figures
Several other Animax-branded events and concerts across Japan have
included the annual Animax Summer Fest (アニマックスサマーフェ
ス, Animakkusu Samāfesu), a live concert during which renowned Japanese
bands, artists and voice actors perform, and is often held at Zepp Tokyo.
[10]
They've also held another annual Anime song concert event called Animax
Musix.[11][12]

Animax previously operated a mobile television service, which was

announced in February 2007, and launched through the mobile phone
company MOBAHO! from April 2007.[13]

Sale to Nojima
[edit]
On December 18, 2023, Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan announced that
will sell their stakes in both Animax and sister channel Kids Station to
electronic store chain Nojima. The deal was finalized on April 1, 2024.[14][15]

Sony would first establish a new company called "AK Media", which would
take over all shares in Animax and Kids Station from their previous owners.
Nojima's AK Entertainment subsidiary [a] would then acquire AK Media from
Sony.[16] It's been speculated that Animax was sold in-order for Sony to focus
on its US-based, global, anime entertainment and streaming companies
– Funimation (which was acquired in 2017) and Crunchyroll (which was
acquired in 2021) – which have since been merged into Crunchyroll LLC and
operate as a joint venture with Sony Music Entertainment Japan's Aniplex.[16]

Programming
[edit]
Main article: List of programs broadcast by Animax
Animax's programming is dedicated to anime, and it has been acknowledged
as the largest 24-hour anime-only network in the world.[3] The channel has also
aired imported foreign cartoons that have been dubbed in Japanese.[1] Its
viewer reach has been quoted as spanning over 89 million homes. across 62
countries and 17 languages.[17][18]

The channel has co-produced and exclusively premiered several original

anime series, including Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex[19] and Marvel
Anime.[20] Other Animax originals include Ultra Maniac, Astro Boy, Hungry
Heart: Wild Striker, and Aishiteruze Baby'.

International
[edit]
This section needs additional citations
for verification. Please help improve this article by adding
citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material
may be challenged and removed.
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sources: "Animax" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (Aug
ust 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Country Launch Replaced Shutdown

Channel Formerly
or region year by year

May 20,
Animax Japan
1998

Animax (Asian January 1,

Asia
TV channel) 2004

Sony Yay
July 5, April 18,
Animax India India Animax
2004 2017
Asia

Animax (Latin Latin July 31, May 1,

Locomotion Sony Spin
America) America 2005 2011

Animax (South
South April 29,
Korean TV
Korea 2006
channel)

Animax
May 14,
(German TV Germany discontinued July 7, 2016
2007
channel)

Animax (Eastern Hungary A+ Anime July 2, C8 March 31,

 Country Launch Replaced Shutdown
Channel Formerly
or region year by year

Romania

European TV Czech
2007 2014
channel) Republic

Slovakia

Animax
South November February 1,
(African TV Sony MAX
Africa 3, 2007 2011
channel)

Animax (block January 12,

Italy discontinued 2008
on AXN Italy) 2008

Animax
May 9,
(Portuguese TV Portugal AXN Black
2011
channel)
April 12,
2008
Animax
December
(Spanish TV Spain
31, 2013
channel)
discontinued

Animax (block November

Australia 2016
on SF) 5, 2008

Asia
[edit]
Main articles: Animax Asia, Animax India, and Animax (South Korea)
Asian versions of Animax, featuring its programming within separate networks
and feeds in their respective regions and languages, were rolled out beginning
in 2004. The first one was launched in Taiwan and the Philippines on January
1, 2004, and in Hong Kong on January 12, 2004. A week later, Animax
launched in Southeast Asia on January 19, 2004, featuring its programming
within feeds in English audio, as well as Japanese audio, with English
subtitling, and other languages in the region, becoming the company's first
English-language network.[21]

On July 5, 2004, Animax India was launched across India and neighboring
countries featuring its programming in English.[22]

On April 29, 2006, Animax started its operations in South Korea, broadcasting
separately from Seoul.[23]

Animax Asia aired their first ever simulcast, Tears to Tiara, on the same time
as the Japanese broadcast. They would also premiere Fullmetal Alchemist:
Brotherhood series, within the same week as Japan.[24]

In January 2020, Sony sold the South Korean and Southeast Asian Animax
channels to former Sony Pictures Television executives Andy Kaplan and
George Chien, who have since formed KC Global Media.[25]

Animax ceased transmissions in Laos, 16 March 2021.[citation needed] One year later,
Astro shut the channel down on 1 January 2022 in Malaysia.[citation needed]

Latin America
[edit]
Main article: Animax (Latin America)
Animax was launched in Latin America on July 31, 2005,
replacing Locomotion after Sony's purchase from Hearst
Corporation and Corus Entertainment, in January 2005.[26]

Animax Latin America would rebrand in August 2007, coinciding with the
premiere of a new adult-oriented programming block named Lollipop.
[27]
Likewise, on March 18, 2008, it was announced that the mobile service
Animax Mobile, available on Japan and Australia, was to be launched as well
in Mexico and eventually in other Latin American countries.[28]

Animax Latin America would eventually incorporate live-action programming

and was later relaunched as Sony Spin on May 1, 2011, with anime
programming retained until March 2012. Sony Spin would be discontinued on
July 1, 2014, and replaced with a local version of Lifetime.[29]

North America
[edit]
Animax has sponsored several anime-based events across North America,
including hosting an anime festival, in association with other anime distributive
enterprises such as Bandai Entertainment and Viz Media, across Sony's San
Francisco-based entertainment shopping complex Metreon in October 2001,
during which it aired numerous of its anime titles across the centre, including
special Gundam, The Making of Metropolis, and Love Hina screenings.[30]

The noted international business newspaper Financial Times, reported, in

September 2004, of Sony planning and being "keen" to launch Animax across
the United States and North America, after Sony had signed an agreement
with the largest cable company in the United States, Comcast, with whom it
had co-partnered in a US$4.8 billion acquisition of
legendary Hollywood studio MGM, to bring at least three of Sony's television
networks across the region.[31][32]

On June 13, 2007, Sony Pictures Television International officially announced

that Animax would be launching its mobile television service, Animax Mobile,
in Canada from July 2007, on Bell Digital's mobile phone service.[33] This was
Animax Mobile's third major expansion, after initially launching the mobile
television service in Japan from April 2007 and Australia from June 12, 2007.
[34]

On January 17, 2012, the streaming service Crackle, added Animax to their
lineup[35] for the North America region, marking the network's first launch in the
United States. Its programming has included for the first time several of
Animax's English language dubs, including that of shows that had yet been
adapted into English and had only aired in Southeast Asia and South
Asia prior, such as Nodame Cantabile, Yōkai Ningen Bem and several others.
Towards the end of 2013, the Animax branding was dropped.[citation needed]

Europe
[edit]
In April 2007, Animax launched across several countries in Europe,
including Hungary, Romania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, with Sony
announcing plans to launch in the United
Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Poland (put on hiatus) and
other major countries in the continent, with discussions at an advanced stage.
[36][37]
The launch marked Animax's first major expansion into Europe.[36][37] The
network then soon launched in Germany in May 2007, Spain and Portugal in
2008.[38]
United Kingdom
[edit]
In October 2007, further details emerged on Animax's launch details in the
United Kingdom, with Sony Pictures Television International senior-vice
president of international networks Ross Hair being quoted by Brand
Republic's Media Week as stating that Sony was preparing to launch Animax
in the United Kingdom initially as a video on demand service alongside other
Sony television networks, with Sony also looking at launching Animax across
the free digital television service Freeview subject to new frequencies and slot
being available.[39]

As of April 2011, one of Sony's 3 channels that they were planning to launch
in the UK since 2007, Sony Entertainment Television, is now available there
on Sky following Sony's acquisition of channel slots 157 and 190, which were
previously owned by Film 24 and Open Access 3, respectively, not only
making it now possible that Sony can launch Animax in the UK but also
marking Sony Pictures Television's entry into both
the British and Irish markets. On October 15, 2013, Sony Pictures Television
announced it will launch a UK version of Animax as a SVOD service. SPT
also announced a multi-year volume deal with Viz Media to secure exclusive
content for the service.[40]

The SVOD service launched online on October 24, 2013, with three simulcast
series and over twenty archive series[41] including many titles which originally
debuted on Kaze's Anime On Demand service. Some content has also
appeared on Sony Movie Channel's Late Night Anime block,[42] with the
channel's website referencing Animax. Starting from March 2014, the Late
Night Anime block has since been rebranded to Animax. An app
for PlayStation 4 was released in October 2014.[43]

On March 5, 2015, Scuzz launched Animax Movie Nights, a weekly block that
aired anime movies on Thursday nights for the next month.[44]