Since its launch in July, 2004, Animax has been catering to that segment of audience which never really got much attention in India. Targeted at the 13 to 35 age group and niche anime lovers, Animax India has been around for more than a decade now. However, catering to a wafer thin segment meant low viewership. Rumours have been running rife that Sony would go in for a refresh in the kids category with a new channel for more than a year now.
And now, with the announcement of new Sony kids channel, Sony YAY!, AnimationXpress has learnt that Sony plans to pull the plug on Animax India which is an offshoot of Animax Asia, a Japanese anime television channel. It is operated and broadcast from Singapore by Animax Asia and distributed by Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) India. It is also the only channel to simulcast anime in the same week and on the same day as Japan.
The media conglomerate plans to bid adieu to it once and for all. However, the content will find a new destination. Animax India has been providing content to a target group which are all thumbs with the digital medium of entertainment. And what could have been better place for Sony than its OTT service Sony LIV to stock up on anime content and let the audience enjoy the show on the go!
SPN India, CEO, N P Singh states, “Animax has been here for a long period of time. Anime is popular with a very small segment of audience, so we will have to take away Animax. Instead we will give them the opportunity to view it on Sony LIV in sometime.”
Singh confirms that the network will soon be making an official announcement about it and anime will definitely be a part of the Sony LIV content cluster. That’s one good news for the anime fans.
Currently, the network airs BanG Dream!, My Hero Academia, Alice & Zouroku, Fairy Tail (season 7), Girlish Number along with reruns of previous shows.
Stay tuned to know more details about this new transition.