Late Night Anime - Broadcast Area

Broadcast Area

As of July 2006, there are 67 late night titles being broadcast, out of 95 total anime titles. This number includes those broadcast by satellite and UHF stations as well. However, not all are broadcast nationwide. Tokyo, for instance, has 49 late night anime series being broadcast. In Okinawa, only 3 of them are on the air.

In many cases, the title is broadcast only in the area of the station producing the anime (which, in most cases, is Tokyo). In other cases, they are only broadcast in Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya. UHF anime tends to be broadcast in Osaka, Nagoya, and Kantō region, but not in Tokyo. There are some titles that are broadcast nationwide, but such cases are the exception, not the rule. In other areas, variety shows with local tarento are often popular, making anime's entry difficult. This is especially the case in Hokkaidō, where Yo Oizumi and his program are extremely popular.

If a household has access to CS satellite or cable television, the situation becomes a little better, because anime oriented pay CS satellite stations such as Kids Station, Animax, or AT-X broadcasts many of those titles. However, their broadcastings are often weeks or months behind the first run. Moreover, satellite and cable television are not as common in Japan when compared to the United States.

However, this situation is changing thanks to the increase of households which can watch BS satellite broadcasting. In November 2011, about 72 percent of Japanese can watch principal BS satellite broadcasting without charge such as BS11, BS-TBS, BS Fuji and BS Japan. As a result, the number of UHF anime broadcast by BS11 is increasing, and in 2012, BS11 broadcasts most of them. Moreover, BS11 broadcasts late night anime less than 8 days behind the first run. As to major network stations, since 2001, BS-TBS (previously called BS-i) has broadcast most TBS's anime though it didn't broadcast K-ON!! which was broadcast by all JNN terrestrial broadcasting stations, and since 2006, BS Fuji has broadcast all Fuji TV's late night anime. However, BS-TBS and BS Fuji broadcast its anime about a month behind the first run, and BS Japan which is a subsidiary of TV Tokyo seldom broadcasts TV Tokyo's anime.