Hero (TV channel)

Hero
Hero Logo
Launched	October 1, 2005 (first official broadcast) November 12, 2005 (official launch)
Network	ABS-CBN
Owned by	Creative Programs, Inc. (a subsidiary of ABS–CBN Corporation)
Picture format	480i (SDTV)
Slogan	I love anime, I am HERO
Country	Philippines
Broadcast area	Philippines
Headquarters	Quezon City, Philippines
Sister channel(s)	ABS-CBN News Channel DZMM TeleRadyo Cinema One Kapamilya Channel Knowledge Channel Lifestyle Network CgeTV Velvet Myx Balls Studio 23 The Filipino Channel ABS-CBN Channel 2 ABS-CBN Regional Network Group
Website	http://www.myheronation.com/
Availability
Cable
SkyCable (Metro Manila)	Channel 44
Sunvision Cable (Taguig City)	Channel 37
SkyCable Davao (Davao City)	Channel 17
SkyCable Baguio (Baguio City)	Channel 35
Parasat Cable TV (Cagayan de Oro City)	Channel 70

Hero is the anime cable channel in the Philippines formed by Creative Programs Inc. (the cable subsidiary of ABS-CBN) which also produces MYX, Cinema One, ABS-CBN News Channel, Lifestyle Network, Balls, CgeTV and Velvet. So far, it is seen on SkyCable in Metro Manila and in over 200 cable systems all over the Philippines. It is also known as Hero TV by fans and at times by the channel itself probably due to ambiguation purposes.

It is the first and only all-Tagalog-dubbed anime channel. It aired its first test broadcast from August to September, 2005; regular broadcast started on the following month. It was formally launched at the Philippine Trade Training Center on November 12, 2005

Initially, the channel aired from 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 midnight. On April 2006, the schedule was extended to 2:00 a.m. the next day. In January 2011, it became a 24-hour channel.

Some anime shown in the channel were also being shown in a special block in the The Filipino Channel called Hero on TFC. The said block lasted from 2006–07 and featured some anime already pulled out of the programming rotation at the time.

Slogans

Branding	Years Active	Slogan
Hero TV	2005–2007	Sa HERO TV, Ikaw ang Bida! (Here on HERO TV, You're the Protagonist!)
Hero TV	2008–2009	Tambayan ng mga Bida (Protagonists' Hang-out)
Hero TV	2009–2010	Bida Ka Dito! (You're The Protagonist Here!)
Hero TV	2010–2011	I am... HERO, Rise Above
Hero TV	2011–present	I love anime, I am HERO

Anime shown on the channel

Logo used from November 2005 to May 2010

Main article: List of anime broadcast by Hero

Much of the content in Hero is attributed to the fact that Creative Programs Inc's parent company ABS-CBN (through its main network) has produced numerous dubs of anime years before the launch of Hero, as well as maintained an ANIMAX airing block for quite sometime. Aside from those, the channel also airs anime that have not yet seen in any terrestrial or cable channel shown in the Philippines prior to its first showing in the channel, such as Mirmo de Pon!.

The channel also features anime dubbed by Telesuccess, Inc., supplier for most of the anime aired on ABS-CBN's rival GMA 7. Some of these are Love Hina, Rune Soldier, and Shaman King. Others seen in the channel were previously shown in English on Cartoon Network's Philippine feed or, in the case of Raijin-Oh, on government-controlled RPN 9.

Furthermore, the channel features re-dubs, i.e. it produced its own dubbed version of anime which previously were already dubbed in Tagalog. Examples of these are Mon Colle Knights, Metal Fighter Miku, Zenki, The Slayers, and Voltes V.

In 2011, undubbed anime was introduced to the channel with accompanying Filipino-language subtitles in the form of Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie: Pyramid of Light and the Initial D Extra Stage OVA. The reason for airing these two anime features in their original Japanese audio is not known, although it is implied that doing so would satisfy fans who prefer subtitled anime over dubbed ones.

Non-anime programs

Although the channel prides itself as an anime channel, some of the programs it aired were non-anime. They are Mission Odyssey and Shadow of the Elves, both produced by the Berliner Film Companie, and the tokusatsu or live-action shows The Gransazers, Masked Rider Ryuki, and Shaider. As of the present, all five programs mentioned have been pulled out of the program rotation.

The following programs joined and will join these five programs as non-anime programs shown on Hero:

Tokusatsu programs

• Kamen Rider Series (555 and Blade)
• Power Rangers (Dino Thunder, Ninja Storm, and SPD)
• The Justirisers
• Sazer X
• Ryukendo
• Ultra Series (Tiga, Cosmos, Nexus, and Max)

Asian animation programs

• BASToF Lemon (Korean animation series)
• Bubbles (小鲤鱼历险记 Xiǎo Lǐ Yú Lì Xiǎn Jì, a.k.a. The Adventures of Little Carp, Chinese animation series)
• Mix Master (Korean animation series)
• Chess Master (象棋王 Xiàng Qí Wáng, Chinese animation series)
• Tank Knights Portriss (a.k.a. Tank Knights Fortress, Korean - Japanese animation series)
• Shen Bing Kids (神兵小将 Shén Bīng Xiǎo Jiàng, Chinese animation series)
• Big Mouth Dudu (大嘴巴嘟嘟 Dà Zuǐ Bā Dū Dū, Chinese animation series)
• Mask Man (Korean animation series)
• Wings of Dragon (스피드왕 번개 Seupideuwang Beongae, Korean animation series)
• The Legend of Ne Zha (哪吒传奇 Né Zhā Chuán Qí , Chinese animation series)
• AI Football GGO (超智能足球 Chāo Zhì Néng Zú Qiú, Chinese animation series)
• Super Inggo at ang Super Tropa (Philippine animation series)
• New Attacker You! (Chinese remake of the 1980s anime/manga Attacker You!; Japanese title: 続・アタッカーYOU 金メダルへの道 (Zoku Atakkā You Kin Medaru e no Michi))
• Crystal Warrior (水晶戰士 Shuǐjīng Zhànshì, Chinese animation series)
• Jackie Chan's Fantasia (奇幻龙宝 Qíhuàn Lóngbǎo, Chinese animation series)

Anime-style western animation programs

• Di-Gata Defenders (produced by Nelvana)
• Mythic Warriors (produced by Nelvana)
• Class of the Titans (produced by Nelvana)
• G.I. Joe: Sigma 6 (spin-off of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero produced by Hasbro, 4Kids Entertainment and GONZO)
• Storm Hawks (Canadian/American TV series)

Non-anime-style western animation programs

• Heavy Gear
• Godzilla: The Series
• Street Fighter
• Megaman (produced by Ruby-Spears)
• Wildcats
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, 2003 version
• Beast Machines: Transformers
• Zorro: Generation Z
• Legend of the Dragon
• Chaotic
• Roswell Conspiracies
• Biker Mice from Mars, 2006 version
• Huntik: Secrets & Seekers

HERO-produced programs

• G³ (G-cubed) ("Games, Gigs, and Gadgets," a locally-produced technology program)
• Animenutes (a locally-produced anime news and information program)
• Level Up TV (a show for online gamers)
• My Hero Nation (a locally-produced anime news and information program)

Program blocks

Below are Hero's television blocks, past and present (past ones are marked with an asterisk):

• Kids' Squad (formerly Ohayoo Hero!) is a block which features anime meant to be watched by children.
• Shoujo Power (formerly Girl Power) is a block of programs that feature women as heroines.
• Dream Team is a sport-themed block.
• League of Heroes is a block which features the channel's most prominent anime characters, mostly those targeted at boys.
• Theatrixx is the channel's weekend movie block which shows a different anime movie or OVA. It was also a weekday block from mid-May to mid-July 2008. Upon its return in 2011, it also became the first block to show programs in their original audio (Japanese with Tagalog subtitles for anime movies/OVAs and English for Hollywood animations).
• Mighty Metal Squad* was a mecha-themed block devoted to robot-centric anime.
• Super Patrol Force* (formerly Super Sentai Showdown and Saturday Super Sentai) was a program block which featured tokusatsu shows.
• Hero Anime Laugh Strip* was a weekend block of programs that featured family-themed comedy anime shows.
• Food Fantasy Face-off* was a food-themed weekday block which featured Yakitate!! Japan and Mister Ajikko.

Local short segments

In between shows or commercial breaks, the channel produced short segments for the viewers' pleasure.

• Hero In Tune (formerly AniMYX) shows anime mini-music videos (actually random montage clips) which follow the karaoke-cum-music video style of sister music channel MYX.
• Dubber's Cut gives a dubber's insight on a certain anime that is being worked on.
• Hero We Go is a catch-all segment which either features events or anime-related interviews.
• Gimme/5 is a short segment that lists down the top five of anything from a particular anime series.
• Great Hero Otaku Adventure is a three- to four-minute mini-series about the adventures and misadventures of a Filipino anime otaku named Ito trying to win the heart of his crush Noriko and dealing with a bully named Randy.

Past segments include:

• I-Animate was a special segment that featured Filipino-produced animated shorts.
• Comics Cam was a special segment that featured winning entries of Filipino-produced comics competitions using limited animation.
• Hero Notes gave short anime/manga-related trivia.
• Hero Says featured short interviews with experts on focused subjects. Topics touched upon on this segment were voice dubbing, sports, traditional animation, comics, and cosplay.
• Hall of Heroes comprehensively profiled a certain anime character.
• Anime 101 was the anime fans' information guide on anime fandom and dubbing.
• Stars on Hero was actually a promotion skit done by various celebrities, usually those from ABS-CBN.
• Hero Alert announced major events related to anime, manga, and cosplay.
• Hero's Choice recommended places for viewers to visit and enjoy (hence a travel guide).
• Hero Solutions which asked random people about their "hero solutions" to existing problems.
• Dream On featured a viewer living out his ambition or dream job for a short period of time.

See also

• List of Philippine television networks
• List of Philippine companies

External links

• Official Website
• Official Forums
• Official Yahoo Group
• Official Blogspot Website
• Official Multiply Website
• Official Facebook Website
• Hero TV at Telebisyon.net