or


[10/27/05 - 12:00 AM]
Rainbow Media's IFC & Voom Hd Networks Acquire Japanese Anime Series
[via press release from IFC]

Rainbow Media's IFC & VOOM HD Networks Acquire Japanese Anime Series

Rainbow Media has acquired Japanese anime series, Samurai 7 and will cross-broadcast the 26 episodes on two of its brands, IFC and VOOM HD Network's channel, Animania HD. Based on filmmaker Akira Kurosawa's classic 1954 movie "The Seven Samurai," Samurai 7 is loyal to the original plot and characters, but offers a unique sci-fi twist with the action set in the future. The half-hour series will air in conjunction with IFC's longest running film strand, "Samurai Saturdays," a weekly presentation of classic, Asian martial-arts-themed movies. Animania HD will have the U.S HD premiere on Wednesday, March 1, 2006 @ 9:00 PM ET. IFC's broadcast premiere, of Samurai 7, will air on Sunday, March 19, 2006 @ 11:30 pm ET.

Shot in high definition with stunning production values, Samurai 7 revisits Kurosawa's epic tale of a small village in feudal Japan that's persecuted by robbers who return every harvest to seize the village's crops. Faced with starvation, the villagers set out on a mission to find and recruit some samurai (master swordsman who adhere to the strict code of honor and loyalty, bushido) to defend them. With no pay to offer except rice, and knowing full well that only down-on-their-luck samurai would even consider accepting such a deal, the villagers can only hope that their saviors will appear before the rice is ready for harvest.

Offering a platform where cartoon worlds take on astonishing depth and detail, Animania HD, is the only channel actively working with producers and distributors to air true HD animation for all ages. The acquisition of Samurai 7 serves to expand its demographic to the young adult 16-24 audience. The channel is just one of the many diverse programming categories on VOOM HD Networks, the largest suite of high definition channels available anywhere. Others include sports, movies, fashion, music and art. The VOOM HD Networks were developed by Rainbow Media to meet the growing demand for quality high definition programming, building on Rainbow Media's history of original programming innovation.

The Samurai 7 series was licensed by FUNimation Entertainment (www.funimation.com), co-produced by Japan's leading anime studio Gonzo Digimation ( www.gonzo.co.jp/english/ ) in partnership with Media International Corporation (MICO), and directed by Toshifumi Takizawa. Samurai 7 is fully digital animation that is an intensely raw anime series full of action, adventure and sci-fi thrills.





  [october 2005]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
      


· SHOWATCH
(series past and present)
· DEVWATCH
(series in development)
· MOVIEWATCH
(tv movies and mini-series)




[03/02/26 - 08:01 AM]
Video: Prime Video Announces Premiere Date and Reveals Title Sequence for Upcoming Animated Series, "Kevin," from Aubrey Plaza, Joe Wengert, and Dan Murphy
All eight episodes will debut exclusively on Prime Video on Monday, April 20, 2026, in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.
[03/02/26 - 08:00 AM]
"ZOMBIES 5" Greenlit for Disney+ and Disney Channel, with Breakout Stars Malachi Barton and Freya Skye Set to Return
Franchise stars Milo Manheim and Meg Donnelly return to executive produce, while Trevor Tordjman returns as Bucky, the beloved cheer captain and cousin of Addison from the original trilogy.
[03/02/26 - 07:01 AM]
Netflix Announces Mind-Blowing Science Competition Series, "SCHOOLED!", Hosted by Former NASA Engineer Mark Rober
Mark Rober is on a mission to discover the next generation of Inventors, Makers, and Engineers.
[03/02/26 - 06:01 AM]
Video: "One Piece" Season 2 - Final Trailer - Netflix
Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates set sail for the legendary Grand Line, encountering wondrous new lands and fresh dangers in their quest for treasure.
[03/02/26 - 02:01 AM]
Video: "53 Sundays" - Official Trailer - Netflix
When three siblings agree to meet and discuss their aging father's future, their reunion spirals into bickering, bantering and reliving old grudges.
[03/01/26 - 07:31 PM]
Outstanding Film and Television Performances Honored at the 32nd Annual Actor Awards Presented by SAG-AFTRA
The 32nd Annual Actor Awards will be available to stream on Netflix for 28 days after the show.
[03/01/26 - 10:45 AM]
"Shockwaves: The Attack on Iran" Airs Sunday, March 1, on ABC and Streams on Disney+ and Hulu
Led by David Muir, the special reports on what preceded the surprise deadly attack, President Trump's decision to launch Operation Epic Fury, the massive military operation between the United States and Israel and the reaction from Capitol Hill.

[02/27/26 - 09:31 PM]
Video: "Hello Bachhon" - Official Trailer - Netflix
A physics teacher sets out to make quality education accessible to all students through online learning. Based on a true story.
[02/27/26 - 04:01 PM]
Video: "BEASTARS" Final Season Part 2 - Final Trailer - Netflix
As interspecies distrust grows, Melon targets Haru, forcing Legoshi and Louis to unite from their separate worlds to confront their common enemy.
[02/27/26 - 03:00 PM]
"Survivor 50" Premiere Wins the Night Posting CBS' Most-Watched Wednesday Since 2022
Said premiere averaged 5.06 million viewers, peaking with 6.18 million.
[02/27/26 - 01:28 PM]
Paramount to Acquire Warner Bros. Discovery to Form Next-Generation Global Media and Entertainment Company
The transaction has been unanimously approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies and is expected to close in Q3 2026, subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory clearances and approval by WBD shareholders, with a vote expected in the early spring of 2026.
[02/27/26 - 12:30 PM]
The Jaw-Dropping Fifth and Final Season of Starz's Hit Drama Series, "Power Book III: Raising Kanan" Set to Premiere June 12
To date, the series has accumulated over 21 billion minutes viewed across all episodes and remains one of Starz's top-performing series.
[02/27/26 - 09:12 AM]
Team USA Hockey Olympic Gold Medalists Hilary Knight, Jack Hughes and Quinn Hughes to Appear Together on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" on Monday, March 2
The episode will also feature guests Nicole Kidman, Luke Thompson and a cooking demo by Chef Mario Carbone.

[02/27/26 - 08:12 AM]
Paul Wesley Joins Season Three of Hit Apple TV Series "The Buccaneers"
Wesley will play the role as Frank, a mysterious but charming stranger who arrives into Nan and Mrs. St. George's world, turning it upside down.

[02/27/26 - 07:31 AM]
Peacock to Exclusively Stream Focus Features' "Hamnet" Beginning March 6
Directed by two-time Academy Award-winning director Chloé Zhao, the film tells the untold story behind one of Shakespeare's most memorable works and celebrates the power of imagination and the creative spirit.