Sources: Broadcasting & Cable Magazine, Anime News Network
Official Site: Sci Fi Channel Wire

U.S. cable network Sci Fi Channel has announced its new Ani-Monday block for the Monday 11pm – 1am weekly timeslot, featuring anime films, series and shorts licensed from Manga Entertainment Inc., a Starz Media Company. SFC’s first real venture into the highly competitive late night block debuts on June 11th with the exclusive U.S. premiere of GHOST IN THE SHELL – SOLID STATE SOCIETY (Koukaku Kidoutai: Solid State Society, aka GHOST IN THE SHELL: STAND ALONE COMPLEX – SOLID STATE SOCIETY, 2006). This surprise premiere is notable considering that this TV movie was only first shown on SKYPerfecTV! network in Japan last September, and is scheduled for DVD release in the States on July 3rd.

Other titles planned to be shown in the block, also from Manga/Starz Media, are NINJA SCROLL, BLOOD: THE LAST VAMPIRE, BLACK JACK: THE MOVIE, and series such as READ OR DIE, STREET FIGHTER II V, NOEIN, TOKKO and MACROSS PLUS. Keep an eye on the Schedulebot section of the SFC website for up-to-date listings.

Longtime Sci Fi Channel viewers will recall that this is not SFC’s first foray into anime programming. During the 90s, SFC started each Saturday broadcast day with its 2 hour Saturday Anime program block, featuring films and OVA features, often heavily edited. Also notable, of course, is that SFC’s new Ani-Monday block will face off against rival Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim block which regularly includes anime, including the two GHOST IN THE SHELL: STAND ALONE COMPLEX series from which SOLID STATE SOCIETY spun-off!