Anime Pilipinas has learned that the Pan-regional anime channel ANIPLUS HD is set to add two (2) more simulcast titles this month of August.
The two additions will be the slice-of-life drama anime Glasslip and the slice-of-life comedy anime HaNaYaMaTa, which will air just a few weeks after its airing in Japan.
GLASSLIP
グラスリップ
Toko Fukami’s family runs a glass-working business in a small seaside town. She hangs out with her four best friends at a cafe called “Kazemichi.” During the summer break of their senior year in high school, they meet a transfer student named Kakeru Okikura, who claims that a voice from the future talks to him, and that it’s led him to Toko. His arrival sets off a series of events that will make their final summer together one full of hope and heartache. (Synopsis from ANIPLUS HD)
Glasslip is an anime series directed by Junji Nishimura, who also directed Ranma ½ series, while he will also be joined by Rika Sato in handling scripts. Character designs are handled by Miki Takeshita, who also worked on titles like Red Data Girl and Another. The series is produced by P.A. Works.
The slice-of-life anime series is lead by Seria Fukagawa as Touko Fukami, Risa Taneda (Mirai Kuriyama, Beyond the Boundary) as Sachi Nagiyama, Nobunaga Shimazaki (Haruka Nanase, Free! series) as Yukinari Imi, and Ryota Ohsaka (Sadao Maou, Hataraku Maou-sama!) as Kakeru Okikura.
Junji Nishimura, who directed Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan and Zenki, directed to series, and he was joined by Rika Sato in handling the scripts. Miki Takeshita handles character design, which is being produced by P.A. Works.
North American anime licensor Sentai Filmworks announced earlier this month that they have licensed the anime together with six (6) other titles. It is being streamed on Crunchyroll in selected territories.
Glasslip premieres on August 06, airing two (2) episodes back-to-back Every Wednesday nights at 08:00pm SGT (07:00pm JKT), with repeats every Friday nights at 10:00pm SGT (09:00pm JKT).
HANAYAMATA
ハナヤマタ
Naru Sekiya is an ordinary 14-year old girl who likes fairy tales, but is worried about her lack of other interests. She has a chance encounter with a “fairy”, a foreign girl practicing dance at night. On a spur of the moment, Naru asks to join her, and she is introduced to the world of yosakoi dancing. (Synopsis from ANIPLUS HD)
Hanayamata (stylized as HaNaYaMaTa) is an anime adaptation of a Japanese manga series by Sou Hamayumiba, which is being serialized on the Houbunsha seinen magazine Manga Time Kirara Forward since June 2011, and currently has five (5) volumes.
The anime series is lead by Minami Tanaka (Minami Katayama, Wake Up, Girls!) as Hana N. Fountainstand, Yuka Ootsubo (Kyouko Toshinou, Yuru Yuri) as Tami Nishimikado, Kaya Okuno (Kaya Kikuma, Wake Up, Girls!) as Yaya Sasame, Reina Ueda (Juri Makina, Harmonie) as Naru Sekiya, and Manami Numakura (Hibiki Ganaha, The iDOLM@STER) as Machi Tokiwa.
The series is directed by Atsuko Ishizuka, who also directed Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo and the recently concluded No Game, No Life, while K-ON! scriptwriter Reiko Yoshida handled the series composition, and Atsuko Watanabe, who worked on titles like Valkyria Chronicles and GA: Geijutsuka Art Design Class, handles character designs. It is produced by the anime studio Madhouse.
The anime is also streamed by Crunchyroll in selected territories.
Meanwhile, the simulcast airing of the psychological-thriller anime Terror in Ressonance continues every Monday nights at 11:00pm SGT (10:00pm JKT).
The mecha anime Knights of Sedonia will have their full-season marathon for one weekend, on August 16-17 from 07:00pm to 09:25pm SGT (06:00pm to 08:25pm JKT).
In a related story, the Singapore-based telecommunications company Starhub has announced on Tuesday that ANIPLUS HD will now be a part of their Cable TV line-up.
In the press release, Starhub’s Media Business Unit head Lee Soo Hui says “We are always looking to expand our range of channels to give customers the widest selection to choose from. ANIPLUS HD broadens this selection with its growing catalogue of new and exciting titles direct from Japan in high definition.”
She also adds that aside from making the channel available through mobile via Starhub TV Anywhere, they will also roll out an on-demand channel in the coming months to give the viewers the control to watch their favourite anime programmes.
Rosanne Lo, General Manager of Plus Media Networks Asia, tells Anime Pilipinas, “We are delighted that ANIPLUS HD is able to be offered across all three subscription TV Platforms in Singapore. We will continue to meet Singapore fans’ strong demand for first-class Japanese anime content.”
When asked about their plans for expansion, she replied “We hope to be able to bring the same to [the] Philippines soon!”
ANIPLUS HD will be available on Starhub TV Channel 529 and through Starhub TV Anywhere starting Thursday, July 31st, at 09:00am. The channel will have a free preview to all subscribers from launch day until September 30. ANIPLUS HD On-Demand, on the other hand, will launch after the free preview end on Channel 530, which will feature episodes of selected series after its initial telecast on the main channel.
ANIPLUS HD and ANIPLUS HD On-demand will be available to Starhub subscribers as an add-on pack, called “ANIPLUS HD Pack”, which will be at SGD6.42 (less than PhP224).
For Starhub subscribers, you may visit starhub.com/aniplus for more details.
For more details on ANIPLUS HD and its programming, please visit their website at aniplus-asia.com, or you can like their Facebook page at facebook.com/aniplushd.asia and follow them on Twitter at @aniplusHD.
If you want to subscribe to ANIPLUS HD, simply contact your local cable & satellite provider for details.
