What does the UK have on TV for Anime fans? Nothing, really...

Sky channel 188 is "Showcase TV" and they were showing Cowboy Bebop and Ghost in the Shell: 2nd Gig.

Well, I thought after Toonamis 'execution' where some, known to be rarely, good anime was shown, none was available.. but it seems there actually is... kind of.

Doing a bit of searching...

http://www.mediauk.com/tv/344215/showcase-tv

Showcase TV

Launch date: 13 September 2007
Owner: CSC Media Group

Contact details
Website: http://www.animecentral.com

The remains of AnimeCentral.....

True Entertainment is what Anime Central became in May 08.
[Ofcom]

Showcase TV is what True Entertainment became in August 08. [Ofcom]

Quote:Wee assume the repeats are due to having only those licenses at the moment.

AC Forum

Quote:Well, after all this time it's finally happened.
Channel 199 on Sky is now Showcase TV, consisting of programming from Pop Girl, Chart Show TV and True movies 2, with Ghost in the Shell and Cowboy Bebop bringing up the midnight slot (until their licenses run out).

It's been a wild ride over the past eleven months, but Anime Central is now dead. I'll miss it.
But the question is, where do wee go from here?

AC Forum

That was dated 27.8.08.

Hehe, someone suggested starting a Charity...

Quote:CSC (the company who owned AC) are not poor, in fact they're rolling in cash. The problem is; they didn't feel like spending anymore on Anime Central.

So, start a charity?
I think a bribe to the suits at CSC is more in order, anybody got a spare 10 million?

AC Forum

...

4am-5am: Cowboy Bebop
5am-6am: Ghost in the Shell S.A.C: 2nd Gig

On repeat, constantly.

The company that owns AnimeCentral, CSC Media Group, owns and airs...

Bliss (tv)
Chart Show TV (tv)
Flaunt (tv)
Flava (tv)
Kix (tv)
NME TV (tv)
POP (tv)
Pop Girl (tv)
Scuzz (tv)
Showcase TV (tv)
Tiny Pop (tv)
True Drama (tv)
True Movies (tv)
The Vault (tv)

The latest news on their site:

09/06/2008 Scuzz turning Japanese
Scuzz brings in Anime Central heavy weight, 'Ghost in the Shell SAC' to the alternative music channel’s weekend evening slot.

... this isn't the case as of now anyway, and how is anyone going to notice or care if it simply has a slot on a Rock channel?

CSC Media still show the AnimeCentral logo on their site as well..

This is the only way you'll watch Anime "legally" without having to buy DVDs.. or use an online option perhaps... in the UK, but really, what the hell is the point?

Is Anime not that popular or is it simply bad luck?

Well it seems to be a lost cause, for now anyway.
DVD sales of TV Shows are made from actually showing them, so what needs to be done, if they really want to prevent the illegal distribution of Anime, or more so, make more money off it , Anime Distributors for the UK need to sponsor Anime Channels and that will promptly cause more money to circulate IF it is popular enough.

A solution which makes sense, but hopefully they'll figure it out soon enough.

Of course another possibility is if Anime Distributors for the UK band together to create a new Anime Channel!

Well, I shant despair about something out of my hands - and something I can't help, heh.

- Sensei