Anime Network was an American

video on demand Video on demand (VOD) is a media distribution system that allows users to access videos, television shows and films Digital distribution, digitally on request. These multimedia are accessed without a traditional video playback device and a typica ...

(VOD) network dedicated to

anime is a Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, , in Japan and in Ja ...

owned by

AMC Networks AMC Networks Inc. is an American mass media and entertainment corporation headquartered in 11 Penn Plaza, New York City. The company owns and operates the AMC cable channel, BBC America, IFC, Sundance TV, and We TV. It also owns the art ho ...

History

The network was launched in

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

in late 2002 and is marketed to multi system operators (MSOs) as both a free and subscription video on demand (VOD) programming service. Anime Network also provides online streaming of its anime for North America via its website with free full-length preview episodes for non-members, more episodes for members, and all online titles available for subscribers. In October 2007, Anime Network was launched on

DirecTV DirecTV, LLC is an American Multichannel television in the United States, multichannel video programming distributor based in El Segundo, California. Originally launched on June 17, 1994, its primary service is a digital Satellite television, s ...

On Demand, initially on channel 1801 at launch. As of the fall of 2015, it can now be found on channel 1889. The Anime Network ceased broadcast of its linear 24/7 network on January 1, 2008; it continues to support a VOD service and online player on it
main website
On September 1, 2009, A.D. Vision had sold off the Anime Network to Valkyrie Media Partners LLC as part of the dissolution of the company and the reorganization of its assets. In June 2017,

Section23 Films SXION 23 LLC, doing business as Section23 Films, is an American multimedia distributor based in Houston, Texas specializing in releasing anime and Japanese films. Established in 2009, Section23 is one of five successors to ADV Films; alongside ...

announced it would discontinue the Anime Network Online streaming service and focus solely on Anime Network's pay television and subscription VOD services. HIDIVE, LLC, a new company which is not affiliated with Anime Network, Section23, or

Sentai Filmworks Sentai Filmworks, LLC (or simply Sentai) is an American entertainment company. Located in Houston, the company specializes in the dubbing and distribution of Japanese animation and Asian cinema. Its post-production arm is Sentai Studios. The ...

, acquired Anime Network Online's assets and spun them off into a new streaming service called HIDIVE. On June 20, 2017, Anime Network Inc. announced it acquired the "www.theanimenetwork.com" domain name from Anime Network Online.

Availability and distribution

At launch, the Anime Network was only available by video on demand to Comcast subscribers in the Philadelphia area with 1.2 million customers with more providers choosing to carry the service later on. The linear service launched on June 30, 2004, to complement the VOD service. Comcast Communications previously carried the channel on video on demand since its launch. On May 29, 2009, Comcast discontinued carriage of the service in both its free package and its pay-per-view digital television package which, however, are periodically included among Comcast Xfinity's Top Picks.

24/7 linear service

From June 30, 2004, to January 4, 2008, Anime Network offered a 24/7 channel available to pay television providers. The service was only carried by small cable companies. On January 4, 2008, Anime Network officially announced that the 24/7 service would cease operations. The network will still operate as a VOD provider.

Video on demand

The Anime Network's content was distributed through

in two formats.

Sony is a Japanese multinational conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at Sony City in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. The Sony Group encompasses various businesses, including Sony Corporation (electronics), Sony Semiconductor Solutions (i ...

announced at E3 2010 that the

PlayStation Network PlayStation Network (PSN) is a digital media entertainment service provided by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Launched in November 2006, PSN was originally conceived for the PlayStation video game consoles, but soon extended to encompass smartp ...

would begin carrying The Anime Network.

Anime Network (UK)

On June 3, 2007, Anime Network was launched in the United Kingdom as a programming block on the

Propeller TV Propeller TV is an Anglo/Chinese television production company. Until the beginning of April 2019 it provided a TV service broadcast from the SES Astra 2G satellite and was also carried on the SKY EPG at Channel 185. It was also available for s ...

satellite channel, produced by

A.D. Vision A.D. Vision Holdings, Inc. (known simply as ADV and also referred to as ADV Films) was an American multimedia entertainment distributor headquartered in Houston, Texas, and founded in 1992 by video game fan John Ledford and anime fans Matt Gr ...

. It was broadcast as a 2-hour block with 4 different anime series and aired from 8:00pm to 10:00pm, 7 days a week. The block was removed from the schedule on January 1, 2008, which was the same day Anime Network discontinued its North American 24/7 linear service to continue to support its VOD service.

Programming

*''

Azumanga Daioh is a Japanese ''yonkoma'' comedy manga series written and illustrated by Kiyohiko Azuma. It was serialized from February 1999 to May 2002 in the monthly magazine ''Dengeki Daioh'' by MediaWorks (publisher), MediaWorks; three additional c ...

'' *'' Coyote Ragtime Show'' *''

Elfen Lied is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Lynn Okamoto. It was serialized in Shueisha's Seinen manga, manga magazine ''Weekly Young Jump'' from June 2002 to August 2005, with its 107 chapters collected into twelve volumes. ''El ...

'' *'' Guyver: The Bioboosted Armor'' *'' Innocent Venus'' *'' Jinki:Extend'' *'' Kurau: Phantom Memory'' *''

Neon Genesis Evangelion , also known as ''Evangelion'' or ''Eva'', is a Japanese mecha anime television series produced by Gainax and Tatsunoko Production, and directed by Hideaki Anno. It was broadcast on TV Tokyo and its affiliates from October 1995 to March 1 ...

'' *'' Pani Poni Dash'' *'' This Ugly Yet Beautiful World''

References

External links

* * Anime Network's Online-Player
List of current titles
{{AMC Networks Television networks in the United States Television channels and stations established in 2002 ADV Films Sentai Filmworks Maiden Japan Anime television 2002 establishments in the United States AMC Networks Nerd culture