AnimeStation

AnimeStation was an American pay television network dedicated to anime that lasted from November 1, 2003 to August 1, 2015. It was owned by Sony Pictures Television Networks throughout the majority of it's lifetime, with various co-owners including A.D. Vision (ADV Films), G4 Media Inc, and MTV Networks. However, it was last owned by RaGE Media USA and Viacom who bought it in July of 2015, and was used to launch AniNick USA.

Various anime and pop culture (film and video games mostly) related interstitial programming aired in between commercial breaks. The channel was known for it's airing of various underground anime hits such as Project ARMS, Kaleido Star, The File of Young Kindaichi, and Last Exile. All mentioned anime received extensive airplay and was shown a variety of times in the channel's lifetime. Anime was usually uncut with a focus on heavier/edgier action anime airing after 9pm (an overnight block was later branded as AnimeStation: After Hours)

The network for a time even dubbed their own anime using various Los Angeles and Canadian-based dubbing studios, most notably, The File of Young Kindaichi.

Pre-launch
Marcel Summers, an avid fan of 80s and 90s anime and businessman who helped jump start various networks, including a foreign horror/chiller based network, approached Sony Pictures Television about launching a anime network to rival Toonami primarily and various B-tier anime blocks as well. Summers approached A.D. Vision to help fund and procure some programming for the network, of which they accepted.

Due to the already niche of anime, it was hard getting programming and cable networks to get on board with the project. Summers then decided to go to RealNetworks and inked a subscription based Webcast network for the RealPlayer for the network so that people with an internet connection can pay $25 a month to watch a live feed. This was discontinued in January of 2005 when more cable providers and the two biggest satellite providers, Dish and DirecTV, were carrying the network.

Launch
The network launched on November 1, 2003 at 3pm with a afternoon of Captain Tsubasa: Road to 2002, airing for three hours (for a total of six episodes aired). Hungry Heart: Wild Striker aired afterwards from 6pm-7pm. Other launch programming included the dub premiere of The File of Young Kindaichi at 9pm and 9:30pm and the television premiere of Project ARMS at 10pm and 10:30pm. Both shows would be reran from 1am to 3am, and from 1am to 3am. A movie, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, aired from 11pm-1am and re-aired later that morning from 3am to 5am.

The November 2, 2003 schedule included reruns of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, as well as Sorcerous Stabber Orphen, Captain Tsubasa: Road to 2002, and Hungry Heart: Wild Striker in the daytime. During the night, The File of Young Kindaichi and Project ARMS aired back-to-back new episodes at 9-11pm again. At 11pm, Gunsmith Cats aired in a movie block and lasted until 1am. The recently aired The File of Young Kindaichi and Project ARMS reran from 1a-3a, with Gunsmith Cats rerunning from 3a-5a. Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within aired from 5a-7a, leading into Monday November 3, 2003.

...

In March of 2004, G4 Media, Inc. acquired A.D. Vision's stake in the network, as A.D. Vision already had The Anime Network in tow. ADV Films however still contributed to AnimeStation for a while. With G4 Media's investment, more providers came aboard.

2004-2005
The G4 era started off in April of 2004 officially, where AnimeStation's and G4 Media's ad sale and program sales teams merged into one. A few months later, this included Tech TV's ad and program sales teams due to the finalization of G4 Media buying Tech TV.

Decline, sale, and shutdown
After Sony purchased Viacom's stake in the network in 2013, Sony Pictures Television Networks decided to put the network in autopilot mode, running various shows that they had still in their library for the next few years. RaGE Media USA approached Sony to purchase the network, who agreed for $100 million USD. Viacom joined RaGE Media USA in buying the network. They eventually upgraded the network to a 1080p feed, alongside running various AniNick originals that haven't been seen on television for years (coincidentally, AnimeStation used to run some shows produced by AniNick).

After some autopilot and internal troubles, the channel shut down on August 1, 2015 to make way for AniNick USA, which later rebranded as AnimeNation in December of that year.

Launch programming
The launch programming consists of shows that aired in the first three months of the network's life, from November 1, 2003 to January 31, 2004.

Shows

 * Turn A Gundam
 * NYAV Post commissioned dub
 * Argento Soma
 * Bandai Entertainment (licensor)/Bang Zoom! Entertainment (dubbing company)
 * Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040
 * ADV Films (licensor/dubbing company)
 * Captain Tsubasa: Road to 2002
 * Ocean Studios commissioned dub
 * Excel Saga
 * ADV Films (licensor/dubbing company)
 * The File of Young Kindaichi
 * Studiopolis commissioned dub
 * Gasaraki
 * ADV Films (licensor/dubbing company)
 * Gokudo
 * AnimeWorks/Media Blasters (licensor)/Headline Sound Studios (dubbing company)
 * His and Her Circumstances
 * The Right Stuf International (licensor)/Headline Sound Studios (dubbing company)
 * Hungry Heart: Wild Striker
 * Ocean Studios commissioned dub
 * Neo Ranga
 * ADV Films (licensor/dubbing company)
 * NOIR
 * ADV Films (licensor/dubbing company)
 * Project ARMS
 * Viz Media (licensor)/Ocean Studios (dubbing company)
 * Saint Seiya
 * ADV Films (licensor/dubbing company)
 * Sorcerous Stabber Orphen
 * ADV Films (licensor/dubbing company)
 * Sorcerous Stabber Orphen: Revenge
 * ADV Films (licensor/dubbing company)
 * Super GALS!
 * ADV Films (licensor/dubbing company)

Movies

 * Darkside Blues
 * Central Park Media (licensor)/Matlin Recording (dubbing company)
 * Doomed Megalopolis
 * ADV Films (licensor)/Screenmusic Studios (dubbing company)
 * Streamline Pictures originally licensed.
 * Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within
 * Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (licensor)/Screenmusic Studios (dubbing company)
 * Grey: Digital Target
 * Viz Media (licensor)/Ocean Studios (dubbing company)
 * Gunsmith Cats
 * ADV Films (licensor/dubbing company)
 * Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade
 * Bandai Entertainment (licensor)/Ocean Studios (dubbing company)
 * Ninja Resurrection
 * ADV Films (licensor/dubbing company)
 * Sin: The Movie
 * ADV Films (licensor/dubbing company)
 * Sonic the Hedgehog: The Movie
 * ADV Films (licensor/dubbing company)
 * Spriggan (1998)
 * ADV Films (licensor/dubbing company)

Original programming
AnimeStation usually produced original interstitial programming from it's inception in 2003, however they have co-funded and co-produced some anime, as well as wholly produced their own anime in 2008. Currently, Comet North America (Firebasket Entertainment Group) has the rights and master tapes to the original anime.

Interstitial programming
All programs were produced in some way by Sony Pictures Television with ADV Films and G4 Media co-producing some earlier episodes. Currently, Comet North America (Firebasket Entertainment Group) has the rights and master tapes to the programs.
 * AnimeStation In Tokyo (2003-2013)
 * Usually ran for 1.5-3 minutes. ASiT was the premier interstitial program for the network, showcasing various hotspots and venues around Tokyo, Japan. At least twenty episodes were filmed between 2001 and 2003, leading up to the launch of the network. The program ran new episodes for 10 years, until December 2013, when Sony Television announced the retirement of the program after 1005 episodes produced. There were also around 30 half hour episodes produced for special times during the year, especially during Christmas season and Golden Week. Full episodes were available to be viewed and downloaded from the network's website, and since 2008, was available to be watched on YouTube after 48 hours on air.
 * AnimeStation Cooking Lesson (2003-2013)
 * Usually ran for 2-3 minutes. AnimeStation Cooking Lesson was the primary cooking-themed interstitial program for the network, showcasing various quick and easy recipes. Around 300 episodes were filmed between 2003 until the program's retirement in December 2013, alongside ASiT. Half hour specials were also produced, at least 15. Full episodes were available to be viewed and downloaded from the network's website, and since 2008, was available to be watched on YouTube after 48 hours on air.
 * Anime Corner Store (2004-2011)
 * Usually ran for 1.5-2 minutes. Anime Corner Store focused on local anime and video stores that sold anime goodies around North America. About 250 episodes were produced until 2011, when Sony Television cancelled the series due to budget reasons. ACS later then became a short segment that was a part of @Cons. Full episodes were available to be viewed and downloaded from the network's website, and since 2008, was available to be watched on YouTube after 48 hours on air.
 * AnimeStation@Cons (2004-2015)
 * Usually ran for 1.5-3 minutes. AnimeStation@Cons was one of the most successful and popular interstitial programming for the network, showcasing various Anime/Comic conventions throughout Asia and North America, with some episodes being in Europe (including UK/Ireland). Around 1000 episodes were filmed and produced between 2004 and 2015, with half hour and even hour long special episodes being produced. The program was the longest lasting original interstitial program, with Sony Television producing episodes well into 2014 and 2015. The program was retired in July 2015, with the last episode airing in September of 2015. Episodes could still be seen on AniNick USA until AniNick's rebranding into AnimeNation. Full episodes were available to be viewed and downloaded from the network's website, and since 2008, was available to be watched on YouTube after 48 hours on air.
 * AnimeStation Cosplay Countdown (2004-2012)
 * Usually ran for 1-2 minutes. Cosplay Countdown was another successful and popular interstitial programming for the network, showcasing various cosplay costumes from conventions and other events in Asia, Europe (including UK/Ireland), and North America. Over 500 episodes were produced and aired between 2004 and 2011, with quarter hour special episodes being produced. Sony Television retired the program after 2012, due to budget reasons and the merger of the program into @Cons. Full episodes were available to be viewed and downloaded from the network's website, and since 2008, was available to be watched on YouTube after 48 hours on air.
 * AnimeStation Japan Adventures (2005-2010)
 * Usually ran for 1-2 minutes. Japan Adventures followed some of the same presenters from ASiT and put them across various landmarks and locations outside of Tokyo. The show lasted five years and was replaced by a similar program. About 200 episodes were filmed and produced for the network. Full episodes were available to be viewed and downloaded from the network's website, and since 2008, was available to be watched on YouTube after 48 hours on air.
 * Electric Town (2005-2010)
 * Usually ran for 1.5-2 minutes. Electric Town followed a few presenters as they traveled through Akihabara and showcasing various shops and arcades in the area. About 200 episodes were filmed and produced before Sony Television cut the series due to budgets and merged the program into ASiT.

Presidents

 * Marcel Summers (2003-2008)
 * Bonnie Hammer (2008-2009)
 * John Denn (2009-2013)
 * Mia Wilson (2013-2015)
 * Marquis Richards (2015)

Programming Directors

 * Marcel Summers (2003-2008)
 * John Denn (2008-2013)
 * Kade Herman (2013-2015)
 * Mia Wilson (2015)

Consultants

 * Marcel Summers (2009-2011)
 * Kade Herman (2015)