Toku (TV network)

Toku
Launched September 29, 2005
(as Funimation Channel)
December 31, 2015
(as Toku)
Owned by Olympusat
Slogan Be Reanimated
(2016 - 2018)
Live The Action
(2018 - present)
Country United States
Broadcast area United States
Canada
Latin America (in deployment)
Headquarters West Palm Beach, Florida
Formerly called Funimation Channel (2005–2015)
Branding licensed from Funimation[1]
Website http://www.tokuhd.com
Availability
Satellite
Dish Network Channel TBA
Cable
Available on most cable systems Check local listings for details
IPTV
AT&T U-verse Channel 1484 (HD)
Claro Puerto Rico Channel 1120 (HD)
Frontier FiOS Channel 262 (HD)
Streaming media
Amazon Video www.amazon.com
(requires subscription to access content)
go90 www.go90.com

Toku (stylized as TOKU) is a 24-hour and On Demand television network owned by Olympusat dedicated to broadcasting anime and Asian live-action programming.[2]

Formerly known as Funimation Channel, it adopted its current name on December 31, 2015, after Funimation ended their partnership with Olympusat. As such, Toku has not aired any Funimation titles since January 1, 2016. Tristan Leostar is the content aggregator for the Toku network.

History

As Funimation Channel

Logo as Funimation Channel

Funimation Channel started out as a syndicated block on Colours TV, one of OlympuSAT’s affiliate networks.[3] Programs during this era were Dragon Ball, Negima!, Kodocha, The Slayers, Blue Gender, Kiddy Grade, Fruits Basket, Case Closed and Yu Yu Hakusho. The block was later discontinued in favor for a more successful expansion on digital cable, fiber optics and DBS systems

On May 1, 2008, Funimation Channel became a 24-hour English-dubbed anime digital cable network; the second of its kind in North America (following A.D. Vision's Anime Network).[4] Olympusat was chosen as the exclusive distributor of Funimation Channel.[5] The service originally was available to a few cities via UHF digital signals and was temporary as the channel was trying to gain a foothold in the already crowded digital cable landscape.

In May 2009, Funimation Channel continued its expansion on cable launching on Comcast's VOD platform [6] and offering two services - Free On Demand and PPV On Demand. The PPV VOD offers viewers a chance to watch titles prior to their DVD release.[7] Movies and packaged specials are available at $2.99 each while episodes are available at $.99 each.

As of September 27, 2010, a High Definition feed was launched alongside existing VOD services.[8] On February 16, 2012, Verizon announced that it will drop Funimation Channel and Bridges TV from its Verizon FiOS service "on, or after March 15" due to "very low viewership".[9] In response to reaction from Verizon FiOS TV customers, FiOS TV returned Funimation Channel via Video on Demand.[10] Channel 262 remains on the FiOS system operated by Frontier Communications in some ex-Verizon territories.[11] Cablevision's Optimum TV recently launched[12] FUNimation Channel On Demand in the NY/NJ/CT Tri-State area. Adding this MSO increased FUNimation Channel's footprint to over 40 million households nationwide.

Funimation Channel's programming came from Funimation, Viz Media, Nozomi Entertainment and the now-defunct Central Park Media and Enoki Films USA.

As Toku

On December 8, 2015, it was reported that the channel would change its name to Toku on Thursday, December 31, 2015 and "will add more variety including highly-rated Asian movies in the Live Action, Grindhouse and Independent genres."[13][14] It was subsequently announced, on December 15, 2015, that Funimation would end its partnership with Olympusat and relaunch Funimation Channel sometime in 2016.[15]

On March 14, 2016, Olympusat announced a local version of Toku in Latin America, named Toku Español.[16]

On July 2016, the channel began to expand in streaming, when it was announced that the channel was going to be launched in the streaming service FlixFling for early 2017, but to date, that never happened.[17] On June 8, 2017, it is announced that Toku is available on Amazon Channels as a streaming service for members of Amazon Prime, offering channel content on demand for $3.99 per month, after a 7-day free trial.[18][19]

On August 23, 2017, Consolidated Communications launched the linear channel on its service.[20]

On May 22, 2018, the channel launches the beta version of its new streaming service WatchTOKU.com for the United States and Canada, which includes channel content and future releases, as well as forums. The service, powered by Vimeo, costs either US$3.99 per month or US$39.99 per year. This is Toku's official debut outside the United States, being available for the first time in Canada. [21]

Toku's programming comes from Media Blasters, Tsuburaya Productions, MonoFilm Sales and other anime and movie licensors.

Availability

The linear channel is available on AT&T U-verse,[22][23] Claro Puerto Rico, Hotwire Communications, Consolidated Communications, Sjobergs Inc., IFiber Communications and OptiLink; its HD feed was launched on September 27, 2010.[24]

The VOD service is available on Optimum,[25] Xfinity, Vubiquity, Frontier FiOS and Armstrong. [26] The VOD service was previously available on Charter Communications and Massilion.[27]

The channel is available in streaming through its WatchToku.com streaming service, as well as its Amazon Prime and Go90 channels.

Programming

Anime series

Current

Upcoming

Former

Live-action series

Upcoming

Anime films

Live-action films

OVAs

References

  1. ↑ Olympusat, Inc. Owns & Operates FUNimation Channel
  2. ↑ "TV Listings & Channel Guide | AT&T U-verse". Uverse.com. Retrieved 2016-05-06.
  3. ↑ "Navarres Funimation Entertainment Doubles Anime Programming for Syndicated Anime Block". RedOrbit. September 7, 2006. Retrieved 3 November 2010.
  4. ↑ "Funimation Entertainment Announces the launch of the Funimation Channel in Seattle". Mania. December 20, 2006. Archived from the original on January 23, 2015. Retrieved November 3, 2010.
  5. ↑ "Navarre's Funimation Entertainment and Verizon Sign Distribution Agreement". Navarre. September 29, 2005. Archived from the original on November 17, 2006. Retrieved June 17, 2006.
  6. ↑ "Funimation Anime on Demand Now on Comcast Nationwide". Anime News Network. May 5, 2009. Retrieved 3 November 2010.
  7. ↑ "PR Newswire". Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  8. ↑ "Funimation Channel Goes High-Definition". Anime News Network. September 7, 2010. Retrieved 3 November 2010.
  9. ↑ "Verizon Drops Funimation Channel from FiOS Service". February 16, 2012. Retrieved February 17, 2012.
  10. ↑ "Olympusat's FUNimation Channel Now Available on Verizon FiOS TV Video on Demand". Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  11. ↑ Frontier FiOS TV channel lineup
  12. ↑ "Olympusat's FUNimation Channel Launches SVOD Package On Optimum TV". Prweb.com. 2012-12-21. Retrieved 2016-05-06.
  13. ↑ "FUNimation Channel Changing Its Name". The Fandom Post. 8 December 2015. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
  14. ↑ "Guides & Types of Programming". Retrieved 8 December 2015.
  15. ↑ "Funimation Channel to Relaunch in 2016". Anime News Network. 15 December 2015. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  16. ↑ "Toku en español: Nuevo canal llega a Latinoamérica". ANMTV. 14 March 2016. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
  17. ↑ "Flixfling Partners with Olympusat to Launch Its First Ever Lineup of Premium Spanish-Language Channels". Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  18. ↑ "TOKU IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR AMAZON PRIME MEMBERS". Olympusat Inc. 8 June 2017. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
  19. ↑ "TOKU Opens Streaming Channel on Amazon Prime". Anime News Network. 8 June 2017. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
  20. ↑ "OLYMPUSAT'S TOKU LAUNCHES ON CONSOLIDATED COMMUNICATIONS". Olympusat Inc. 8 September 2017. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
  21. ↑ "TOKU Airs Ultraman Mebius Spinoffs, Launches Streaming Website Beta". Anime News Network. 24 May 2018. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  22. ↑ "Operators". Funimation Channel. October 7, 2009. Retrieved 3 November 2010.
  23. ↑ "Choice Cable TV" (PDF). Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  24. ↑ "Funimation Channel Launches on AT&T-U Verse in High-Definition". Anime News Network. September 30, 2010. Retrieved 3 November 2010.
  25. ↑ "Under Maintenance". Optimum.com. Retrieved 2016-05-06.
  26. ↑ "Armstrong Cable - Funimation Channel". Retrieved 1 December 2011.
  27. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on February 5, 2011. Retrieved February 1, 2011.
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