Mecha Shows to Overtake US TV

New reports confirm that the Heavy Gear CG animation television series will premier on American television this year. First announced in 1999, Sony Pictures and Mainframe Entertainment were to produce an action animation series based on the popular mecha PC simulation game to premier on American television in early 2001. Mainframe Entertainment has already produced more than half of the originally scheduled 40 episodes, and the series recently debuted on television in Australia. The series is set to premier on a currently undetermined major American television network later this year. Bandai Entertainment was awarded the master license to produce toys based on the series in 1999, but is currently waiting to gage response to the show before committing resources to producing a line of toys.

Foundation Imaging, in conjunction with Tribune Entertainment, Microsoft and Fasa, have announced a deal to develop and produce a series of full-CG hour long television episodes based on the Mech Warrior PC games, themselves originally based on the BattleTech franchise. Foundation Imaging has produced CG effects for television programs including Babylon 5 and Star Trek: Voyager, and has previous experience in producing full CG episodes with Roughnecks: The Starship Trooper Chronicles and Max Steel.