As Funimation Channel Funimation Channel started out as a syndicated block on Colours TV, one of OlympuSAT's affiliate networks. Programs during this era were
Dragon Ball,
Negima!,
Kodocha,
The Slayers,
Blue Gender,
Kiddy Grade,
Fruits Basket,
Case Closed and
YuYu Hakusho. The block was later discontinued in favor of a more successful expansion on subscription television. The Funimation Channel launched on September 29, 2005, as a joint venture between
Funimation and Olympusat, it became the second 24-hour anime digital cable network in North America (the first being
A.D. Vision's
Anime Network). Olympusat was the exclusive distributor of the channel. Olympusat was chosen as the exclusive distributor of Funimation Channel. The service originally was available to a few cities via
digital terrestrial television and was temporary-only as the channel was trying to gain a foothold in the already-crowded pay television landscape. In May 2009, Funimation Channel continued its expansion on subscription providers launching on
Comcast's VOD platform 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. As of September 27, 2010, Funimation launched an HD feed alongside existing VOD services. On February 16, 2012,
Verizon announced that it will drop Funimation Channel from its
Verizon FiOS service "on, or after March 15" due to "very low viewership". In response to reaction from its customers, Verizon returned Funimation Channel via VOD. Channel 262 remains on the
FiOS system operated by Frontier Communications in some ex-Verizon territories.
Cablevision's Optimum TV recently launched 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,
Aniplex of America,
Viz Media,
Sentai Filmworks,
Right Stuf Inc.,
NIS America, 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 December 31, 2015, and would start broadcasting live-action, grindhouse and independent East Asian movies. It was subsequently announced, on December 15, 2015, that Funimation would end its partnership with Olympusat, and announced plans to relaunch Funimation Channel in 2016. On March 14, 2016, Olympusat announced a localized version of Toku in Latin America, named
Toku Español. However, as of 2022, the channel is yet to be launched in the region. On July 25, 2016, it was announced that Toku was going to be launched in the FlixFling streaming service by early 2017, but to date, that never happened. On June 8, 2017, it was announced that Toku is available on
Amazon Channels as a streaming service for members of
Amazon Prime, offering channel content on demand for US$4.00 per month, after a 7-day free trial. On August 23, 2017,
Consolidated Communications added Toku on its channel line-up. On May 22, 2018, Toku launches a 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 embedded forums. The service, powered by Vimeo, costs either US$4.00 per month or US$40.00 per year. This is Toku's official debut outside the United States, being available for the first time in Canada. Toku's programming comes from
Media Blasters,
Discotek Media,
Tsuburaya Productions, MonoFilm Sales and other anime and movie licensors. ==Availability==