Based in Singapore, Animax Asia is a 24-hour network outside of Japan dedicated to popular anime from Japan. Animax was launched in Japan, June 1998 as a partnership between Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) and four major anime studios including Toei Animation, Sunrise, TMS Entertainment, and Nihon Ad Systems. Animax Asia will be broadcast region-wide through three dedicated, highly customized services for Taiwan, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. Targeting the youth and young adult audience, the service will be an encrypted service and distributed via satellite and cable. Basic cable carriage agreements have already been lined up in key territories including Taiwan, Hong Kong, Philippines and Indonesia.

“In Asia there are some 94 million TV viewers of anime. Anime’s broad appeal promises to make Animax a hit with cable operators looking to drive subscription revenues and with advertisers seeking a youth audience.” said Todd Miller, Senior Vice President, International Networks, Asia, Sony Pictures Television International. Animax Asia will begin broadcasting in Taiwan on January 1, 2004 and in selected Asian countries January 19, 2004 (5pm Sin/HK). For more information on Animax-Asia, visit their website – Animax-Asia.com