Bandai Visual

Bandai Visual was a Japanese anime, film-production, home-video, music, and content-distribution company associated with the Bandai Namco Group. It began in 1983 as AE Planning Co., Ltd., a Bandai-established distributor created after the success of Bandai's Emotion film-distribution division. The company's early activities centered on distributing animation and original video animations, licensing films and television properties, and supplying physical home-entertainment products. It later became Bandai Visual Sales in 1989 and Bandai Visual Co., Ltd. in 1991, absorbing Bandai's Media Division and taking control of the Emotion label. The Emotion identity became central to the company's business. Under that label, Bandai Visual issued anime, films, music, and re-releases in formats including VHS and laserdisc, and eventually expanded into DVD, Blu-ray, digital distribution, and related content services. The company also operated briefly in theatrical exhibition and entered video-game publishing in the mid-1990s through the Emotion Digital Software brand. Its broader portfolio included animation production, licensing, home-video distribution, music publishing, broadband content, and international rights management. Bandai Visual's strongest cultural influence came through anime. It was involved in the production or distribution of works connected with properties such as Mobile Suit Gundam, and its 1996 publication of Mobile Suit Gundam Wing helped establish a major route for Gundam's recognition among viewers in the United States. Bandai Visual itself did not directly control every overseas release: many North American licenses were handled through related companies, particularly Bandai Entertainment and its predecessor or affiliated operations. These businesses also released manga, graphic novels, collector-oriented home video, and English-language anime products. The company expanded its music activities by making Emotion Music a wholly owned subsidiary in 2003 and by operating alongside or in cooperation with Lantis-related music businesses. Following the 2006 restructuring of Bandai Namco Holdings, Bandai Visual headed the group's Visual and Music Content Strategic Business Unit. It also controlled or supported international distribution operations, including Bandai Visual USA and the European-facing Beez Entertainment business. Bandai Namco progressively consolidated Bandai Visual under its corporate structure. In 2007 it announced the acquisition of the remaining voting shares, and the company was delisted in February 2008 after becoming wholly owned. Bandai Visual USA was absorbed into Bandai Entertainment in 2008, while Bandai Entertainment later ended new physical releases and closed its distribution operations in North America. In 2018, Bandai Visual and Lantis were reorganized into Bandai Namco Arts. Bandai Visual consequently ceased to operate as an independent company, although the name continued as a label. The successor business was later reorganized as Bandai Namco Music Live and Bandai Namco Filmworks, with the latter carrying forward much of the visual-content heritage associated with Bandai Visual.

Bandai established AE Planning Co., Ltd. on August 23, 1983, in Tokyo. The new company was created as an animation and film distributor following the commercial performance of Emotion, Bandai's film-distribution division. AE Planning initially concentrated on distributing original video animations and other licensed works, including Pierrot's Dallos. From 1984 it also licensed and distributed laserdisc films in Japan. A 1987 business alliance between Bandai and The Walt Disney Company expanded its distribution role to include Disney animated films in Japan. In March 1989, AE Planning became Bandai Visual Sales and opened an additional office in Nagoya. During this period it distributed home-video material such as Ultraman and Mobile Suit Gundam releases and operated the Emotion Theater at a Bandai retail location in Tokyo. The theater later closed in 1997. In August 1991, the company adopted the name Bandai Visual Co., Ltd. and absorbed Bandai's Media Division, bringing several home-video activities under one organization. The transaction also gave Bandai Visual control of the Emotion label, which was used for anime, music, reissues, and other entertainment products. Bandai Visual broadened its activities during the 1990s. In 1996 it began publishing games under the Emotion Digital Software name, including releases based on Western computer titles and Japanese animation properties. The same year, it published Mobile Suit Gundam Wing. The series became a major success in Japan and subsequently helped renew interest in Gundam among American viewers. Bandai created Bandai Entertainment in the United States to support overseas licensing and distribution. Although Bandai Visual and Bandai Entertainment were separate entities, the American company licensed many Bandai Visual and Sunrise properties, along with manga and related publishing products. Bandai Visual USA later operated as a North American licensing and publishing business, with collector-focused releases issued under the Honnêamise label. The company entered the music and digital-content fields more deeply in the early 2000s. In January 2003, it acquired Emotion Music as a wholly owned subsidiary. It also supplied material to broadband distribution services including Bandai Channel. After the 2006 restructuring of Bandai Namco Holdings, Bandai Visual became the principal company for the group's Visual and Music Content Strategic Business Unit. Its wider network included music-related labels and international distribution operations. In Europe, Beez Entertainment handled anime and music distribution, while in North America Bandai Visual USA worked with external distributors and later became part of Bandai Entertainment. Bandai Namco Holdings moved to consolidate ownership during 2007 and 2008. The group announced the purchase of the voting shares it did not already hold in November 2007. After acquiring the remaining public shares, it delisted Bandai Visual from JASDAQ on February 15, 2008. In the same year, Bandai Visual USA was merged into Bandai Entertainment. Bandai Entertainment subsequently reduced its physical publishing program, stopped new DVD, Blu-ray, and manga releases in 2012, and closed its North American distribution operations in 2013. A number of former licenses later moved to other anime distributors. Bandai Visual continued as a content and label business within the group. In September 2017 it acquired the anime studio Actas. In February 2018, Bandai Namco announced that Bandai Visual would be combined with Lantis in Bandai Namco Arts, with the reorganization taking effect on April 1. Bandai Visual therefore ceased to exist as an independent operating company, although its name remained in use as a label. The successor structure was later reorganized under the Bandai Namco Filmworks identity for visual-content activities.

• 2018

  Formation of Bandai Namco Arts

  [1]Bandai Visualen.wikipedia.org

  Bandai Visual and Lantis are reorganized into Bandai Namco Arts, ending Bandai Visual's independent corporate existence.

• 2017

  Actas acquisition

  [1]Bandai Visualen.wikipedia.org

  Bandai Visual acquires anime studio Actas.

• 2008

  Delisting and North American consolidation

  [1]Bandai Visualen.wikipedia.org

  Bandai Visual is delisted after becoming wholly owned, while Bandai Visual USA is merged into Bandai Entertainment.

• 2003

  Emotion Music becomes wholly owned

  [1]Bandai Visualen.wikipedia.org

  Bandai Visual acquires Emotion Music as a wholly owned subsidiary to strengthen its music operations.

• 2001

  JASDAQ listing

  [1]Bandai Visualen.wikipedia.org

  Bandai Visual is listed on the JASDAQ market.

• 1996

  Gundam Wing publication

  [1]Bandai Visualen.wikipedia.org

  Bandai Visual publishes Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, whose later American success contributes to Gundam's Western visibility.

• 1991

  Becomes Bandai Visual

  [1]Bandai Visualen.wikipedia.org

  The company changes its name to Bandai Visual Co., Ltd. and absorbs Bandai's Media Division.

• 1989

  Renamed Bandai Visual Sales

  [1]Bandai Visualen.wikipedia.org

  AE Planning adopts the Bandai Visual Sales name and expands its Japanese office network.

• 1984

  Laserdisc distribution begins

  [1]Bandai Visualen.wikipedia.org

  The company expands into licensing and distributing laserdisc films in Japan.

• 1983

  AE Planning is established

  [1]Bandai Visualen.wikipedia.org

  Bandai establishes AE Planning Co., Ltd. in Tokyo as an animation and film-distribution company.

A premium-oriented anime and visual-content company combining production, licensing, home entertainment, music, and international distribution.

• Anime and home entertainment label

  Emotion

  Emotion was the principal label associated with Bandai Visual's anime, film, music, and home-video output. It originated in Bandai's earlier film-distribution activities and became part of Bandai Visual after the company absorbed Bandai's Media Division. Releases under the label covered television animation, original video animation, reissues, sound recordings, and physical media.

• Anime distribution and home entertainment · 1996

  Mobile Suit Gundam Wing

  Bandai Visual published Mobile Suit Gundam Wing in 1996. The title became an important part of the company's anime portfolio and later contributed to the Gundam franchise's breakthrough visibility in the United States through related overseas licensing and distribution activity.

• Video-game publishing · 1996

  Emotion Digital Software

  Emotion Digital Software was Bandai Visual's game-publishing imprint, introduced during the company's expansion beyond film and home video. Its catalog included computer and Japanese animation-related games, demonstrating an effort to extend the Emotion identity into interactive entertainment.

• Premium anime distribution label

  Honnêamise

  Honnêamise was a boutique label used by Bandai Visual USA for deluxe, collector-oriented, and more art-focused anime releases. It took its name from Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise. The imprint ended when Bandai Visual USA was absorbed into Bandai Entertainment in 2008.

• 2018

  Merger with Lantis into Bandai Namco ArtsM&A

  Background

  Bandai Namco aimed to combine visual-content and music businesses within a more integrated group company.

  Action taken

  Bandai Visual and Lantis were reorganized into Bandai Namco Arts effective April 1, 2018.

  Aftermath

  Bandai Visual remained as a label rather than an independent corporation, while its operating functions continued through successor Bandai Namco businesses.

  Source

• 2008

  Integration of Bandai Visual USA into Bandai EntertainmentStrategy

  Background

  Bandai Namco consolidated its North American anime, manga, and licensing operations.

  Action taken

  Bandai Visual USA was merged into Bandai Entertainment on July 1, 2008.

  Aftermath

  The Honnêamise label ceased operating as a separate imprint, while the combined business continued licensing and publishing selected catalog titles.

  Source

• 2007

  Consolidation under Namco BandaiM&A

  Background

  Bandai Namco sought to place Bandai Visual fully under group ownership as part of its broader corporate integration.

  Action taken

  The parent group announced a purchase of the voting shares it did not already own and subsequently acquired the remaining public shares.

  Aftermath

  Bandai Visual became wholly owned and was delisted from JASDAQ in February 2008.

  Source

1. 1Bandai Visualen.wikipedia.org