content: <PAGE>
   
                        SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
  
                                  ______________
  
                                     FORM 8-K
  
                                  CURRENT REPORT
                      PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE
                          SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
  
   
  DATE OF REPORT (DATE OF EARLIEST EVENT  REPORTED)  SEPTEMBER 27, 1996
                                                    -----------------------------
   
                                AVANT! CORPORATION
  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRATION AS SPECIFIED IN CHARTER)
   
  
            DELAWARE                     0-25864                       94-3133226
  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        (STATE OR OTHER                (COMMISSION               (IRS EMPLOYER 
  JURISDICTION OF INCORPORATION        FILE NUMBER)           IDENTIFICATION NO.)
   
  
  1208 EAST ARQUES, SUNNYVALE, CALIFORNIA                                   94086
  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  (ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES)                             (ZIP CODE)
   
   
  REGISTRANT'S TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE  (408) 738-8881
                                                     ----------------------------
  
  
  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
           (FORMER NAME OR FORMER ADDRESS, IF CHANGED SINCE LAST REPORT)
   
   
   
                                                                   Total pages: 6.
                                                          Exhibit Index on Page 4.
  <PAGE>
   
  ITEM 2.   ACQUISITION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ASSETS.
  
            On September 30, 1996, Avant! Corporation (the "Registrant") and
  Anagram, Inc. ("Anagram") announced the completion of the previously announced
  merger of the two companies. Shareholders of Anagram approved the merger with
  consents duly adopted and approved in accordance with the California
  Corporations' Code, respectively, on September 27, 1996.
  
            Upon the closing of the merger, Anagram became a wholly owned
  subsidiary of Avant! and each share of Anagram capital stock and each
  security of Anagram exercisable for Anagram capital stock was converted into
  the right to receive 0.502 shares of the Registrant's common stock, or an
  aggregate of approximately 2,414,000 shares of Avant! common stock, with all
  options to purchase shares of Anagram capital stock outstanding immediately
  prior to the Anagram Closing being assumed by Avant! and converted into
  options to purchase shares of Avant! common stock.
  
            The additional information required by this Item was previously
  reported in the Registrant's Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus dated September
  30, 1996.
  
  ITEM 7.   FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND EXHIBITS.
  
  (a)       FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF BUSINESS ACQUIRED.
  
            The information required by this Item was previously reported in the
  Registrant's Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus dated September 30, 1996.
  
  (b)       PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION.
  
            The Information required by this Item was previously reported in the
  Registrant's Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus dated September 30, 1996.
  
  (c)       EXHIBITS.
  
            Exhibit No.  Description
            -----------             
  
            99.1         Press release dated September 30, 1996, announcing the
                         consummation of the merger of Registrant and Anagram.
  
                                         2
  <PAGE>
   
                                    SIGNATURES
  
            Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
  the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
  undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
  
  
                                Avant! Corporation
                                ------------------
                                (Registrant)
  
  
  Date:  October 11, 1996       By: /s/ John P. Huyett
                                    -----------------------------------------
                                    John P. Huyett, Vice President of Finance
                                    Chief Financial Officer and Principal
                                    Accounting Officer
  
                                         3
  <PAGE>
   
                                AVANT! CORPORATION
  
                                   EXHIBIT INDEX
  <TABLE> 
  <CAPTION> 
                                                                     SEQUENTIALLY
                                                                       NUMBERED
  EXHIBIT NO.                     DESCRIPTION                         PAGE NUMBER
  -----------     --------------------------------------------       -------------
  <S>             <C>                                                <C>
  99.1            Press release dated September 30, 1996,
                  announcing the consummation of the merger
                  of Avant! Corporation and Anagram, Inc.
   
  </TABLE>
metadata_documents: [{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM 8-K", "secsgml_size_bytes": 5142}]
metadata_filer: {"company-data": {"conformed-name": "AVANT CORP", "cik": "0000943892", "assigned-sic": "7372", "irs-number": "943133226", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "000-25864", "film-number": "96642867"}, "business-address": {"street1": "1208 EAST ARQUES AVE", "city": "SUNNYVALE", "state": "CA", "zip": "94086", "phone": "4087388881"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "1208 E ARQUES AVE", "city": "SUNNYVALE", "state": "CA", "zip": "94086"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "ARCSYS INC", "date-changed": "19950413"}}
text: SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
  
                                  ______________
  
                                     FORM 8-K
  
                                  CURRENT REPORT
                      PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE
                          SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
  
   
  DATE OF REPORT (DATE OF EARLIEST EVENT  REPORTED)  SEPTEMBER 27, 1996
                                                    -----------------------------
   
                                AVANT! CORPORATION
  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRATION AS SPECIFIED IN CHARTER)
   
  
            DELAWARE                     0-25864                       94-3133226
  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        (STATE OR OTHER                (COMMISSION               (IRS EMPLOYER 
  JURISDICTION OF INCORPORATION        FILE NUMBER)           IDENTIFICATION NO.)
   
  
  1208 EAST ARQUES, SUNNYVALE, CALIFORNIA                                   94086
  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  (ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES)                             (ZIP CODE)
   
   
  REGISTRANT'S TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE  (408) 738-8881
                                                     ----------------------------
  
  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
           (FORMER NAME OR FORMER ADDRESS, IF CHANGED SINCE LAST REPORT)
   
   
   
                                                                   Total pages: 6.
                                                          Exhibit Index on Page 4.
  ITEM 2.   ACQUISITION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ASSETS.
  
            On September 30, 1996, Avant! Corporation (the "Registrant") and
  Anagram, Inc. ("Anagram") announced the completion of the previously announced
  merger of the two companies. Shareholders of Anagram approved the merger with
  consents duly adopted and approved in accordance with the California
  Corporations' Code, respectively, on September 27, 1996.
  
            Upon the closing of the merger, Anagram became a wholly owned
  subsidiary of Avant! and each share of Anagram capital stock and each
  security of Anagram exercisable for Anagram capital stock was converted into
  the right to receive 0.502 shares of the Registrant's common stock, or an
  aggregate of approximately 2,414,000 shares of Avant! common stock, with all
  options to purchase shares of Anagram capital stock outstanding immediately
  prior to the Anagram Closing being assumed by Avant! and converted into
  options to purchase shares of Avant! common stock.
  
            The additional information required by this Item was previously
  reported in the Registrant's Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus dated September
  30, 1996.
  
  ITEM 7.   FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND EXHIBITS.
  
  (a)       FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF BUSINESS ACQUIRED.
  
            The information required by this Item was previously reported in the
  Registrant's Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus dated September 30, 1996.
  
  (b)       PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION.
  
            The Information required by this Item was previously reported in the
  Registrant's Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus dated September 30, 1996.
  
  (c)       EXHIBITS.
  
            Exhibit No.  Description
            -----------             
  
            99.1         Press release dated September 30, 1996, announcing the
                         consummation of the merger of Registrant and Anagram.
  
                                         2
  SIGNATURES
  
            Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
  the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
  undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
  
                                Avant! Corporation
                                ------------------
                                (Registrant)
  
  Date:  October 11, 1996       By: /s/ John P. Huyett
                                    -----------------------------------------
                                    John P. Huyett, Vice President of Finance
                                    Chief Financial Officer and Principal
                                    Accounting Officer
  
                                         3
  AVANT! CORPORATION
  
                                   EXHIBIT INDEX
  SEQUENTIALLY
                                                                       NUMBERED
  EXHIBIT NO.                     DESCRIPTION                         PAGE NUMBER
  -----------     --------------------------------------------       -------------
  99.1            Press release dated September 30, 1996,
                  announcing the consummation of the merger
                  of Avant! Corporation and Anagram, Inc.