Right Stuf

Right Stuf was an American company specializing in the retail, licensing, publishing, production, and distribution of anime and other Asian entertainment. Founded in July 1987 by Robert "Todd" Ferson and Shawne P. Kleckner, the company developed from a specialist mail-order and home-video business into one of the best-known anime retailers in North America. Its online storefront, RightStufAnime.com, sold anime series and films on DVD and Blu-ray, manga and related books, figures, apparel, collectibles, music, and other fan merchandise. The company’s activities extended beyond retail. Right Stuf operated or supported several entertainment labels and divisions, most notably Nozomi Entertainment, which handled collector-oriented releases and licensing for classic and contemporary anime. Its catalogue included titles such as Astro Boy, Dirty Pair, Mobile Suit Gundam, The Irresponsible Captain Tylor, Revolutionary Girl Utena, Princess Knight, Kare Kano, Kimba the White Lion, Macross, and Junjo Romantica. Nozomi’s stated emphasis was on carefully produced releases for audiences of different ages, including archival and niche properties that were not always priorities for larger distributors. Right Stuf also established 5 Points Pictures in March 2012 as a label for live-action programming and announced a distribution agreement with CJ Entertainment. In addition, the company provided production and distribution services for Japanese and North American partners, including Sunrise, Eleven Arts, Pony Canyon, and Aniplex of America. Before its acquisition, Right Stuf had also worked with Funimation, later known as Crunchyroll, on streaming selected Nozomi Entertainment titles through the FunimationNow application in 2019. Sony Group Corporation acquired Right Stuf in August 2022, placing it within the Crunchyroll business operated through Sony Pictures and Aniplex. Following the acquisition, Right Stuf and Crunchyroll ended the sale and distribution of hentai and other adult content through the Right Stuf storefront. The policy change generated criticism among parts of the company’s longtime customer base. Right Stuf’s adult-anime label, Critical Mass Video, was subsequently taken over by Adult Source Media. In December 2022, co-founder and chief executive Shawne Kleckner announced that he would leave the company after 35 years. In September 2023, Crunchyroll announced that Right Stuf would be merged into the Crunchyroll Store in October. The Right Stuf storefront ceased operating on October 10, 2023, while Crunchyroll stated that it would adopt important Right Stuf pricing and shipping practices. Nozomi Entertainment continued under the Crunchyroll banner, retaining and licensing parts of its catalogue. The warehouse in Grimes, Iowa, remained owned by Kleckner and was leased to Sony through 2030 rather than being fully transferred in the acquisition.

Right Stuf was established in July 1987 by Robert "Todd" Ferson and Shawne P. Kleckner. Based in Grimes, Iowa, it became a specialist supplier of anime and Asian entertainment at a time when North American consumers often obtained imported or niche video programming through mail-order catalogues and dedicated retailers. The company built its identity around selection, availability, and service for collectors, eventually expanding its business through the RightStufAnime.com online store. Its retail operation sold physical anime releases, manga, figures, apparel, collectibles, and other fan products. The company also operated as a publisher, licensor, distributor, and production-services provider. These activities allowed Right Stuf to work with Japanese and North American rights holders and to support releases that required specialist knowledge of anime formats, licensing, localization, and collector expectations. At Anime Expo in 2007, the company announced that its production division had been renamed Nozomi Entertainment. Nozomi became the principal label for collector-grade anime releases and developed a catalogue spanning older television animation, influential cult titles, and newer licensed works. Its releases included Astro Boy, Dirty Pair, Mobile Suit Gundam, The Irresponsible Captain Tylor, Revolutionary Girl Utena, Princess Knight, Kare Kano, Kimba the White Lion, Macross, and Junjo Romantica. Some earlier titles had been issued through the Lucky Penny Entertainment label before that imprint was discontinued. Right Stuf diversified beyond animation in March 2012 by creating 5 Points Pictures, a live-action distribution label. The new division announced a film distribution agreement with CJ Entertainment. The company also provided services for Japanese labels and distributors, including Sunrise, Eleven Arts, Pony Canyon, and Aniplex of America. Its relationship with Funimation later expanded the company’s digital reach: in 2019, selected Nozomi Entertainment titles were made available through the FunimationNow application. Sony Group Corporation acquired Right Stuf in August 2022. The company became part of the Crunchyroll organization, which was operated through a Sony Pictures and Aniplex joint venture. The transaction changed the scope of the Right Stuf storefront. Crunchyroll and Right Stuf removed hentai and other adult content from their storefronts after the acquisition, prompting criticism from customers who associated Right Stuf with a broad and historically permissive catalogue. Critical Mass Video, the company’s adult-anime label, was subsequently taken over by Adult Source Media. In December 2022, Kleckner announced his departure after 35 years as co-founder and chief executive. The final structural change came in 2023, when Crunchyroll announced that Right Stuf would be absorbed into the Crunchyroll Store. The Right Stuf storefront closed on October 10, 2023. Crunchyroll said that the successor store would adopt Right Stuf pricing and shipping practices. Nozomi Entertainment continued under Crunchyroll, including ongoing licensing of its classic catalogue and planned releases such as the crowdfunded English-dubbed Blu-ray of the 1980s Dirty Pair television series. Although the brand and storefront ended as independent operations, the Grimes warehouse remained owned by Kleckner and leased to Sony through 2030.

• 2023

  Right Stuf storefront closes

  [1]Right Stufen.wikipedia.org

  Right Stuf was merged into the Crunchyroll Store, and its separate storefront ceased operating on October 10.

• 2022

  Sony acquires Right Stuf

  [1]Right Stufen.wikipedia.org

  Sony Group Corporation acquired Right Stuf and placed it within the Crunchyroll business.

• 2022

  Kleckner announces departure

  [1]Right Stufen.wikipedia.org

  Co-founder and chief executive Shawne Kleckner announced that he would leave after 35 years with the company.

• 2019

  Nozomi titles reach FunimationNow

  [1]Right Stufen.wikipedia.org

  Selected Nozomi Entertainment titles became available through Funimation’s FunimationNow streaming service.

• 2012

  5 Points Pictures is established

  [1]Right Stufen.wikipedia.org

  Right Stuf created a live-action distribution division and announced a film agreement with CJ Entertainment.

• 2007

  Production division becomes Nozomi Entertainment

  [1]Right Stufen.wikipedia.org

  Right Stuf announced at Anime Expo that its production division would operate under the Nozomi Entertainment name.

• 1987

  Right Stuf is founded

  [1]Right Stufen.wikipedia.org

  Robert "Todd" Ferson and Shawne P. Kleckner founded Right Stuf in July in Grimes, Iowa.

A specialist, collector-oriented anime and Asian-entertainment retailer and distributor known for a broad catalogue, physical-media releases, niche licensing, and direct access to anime merchandise.

• Online retail

  RightStufAnime.com

  RightStufAnime.com was the company’s online retail storefront and its most visible consumer-facing operation. It offered anime and Asian-entertainment home video, manga, figures, apparel, toys, collectibles, music, and related merchandise. The store was known for serving specialist collectors and for maintaining a broad catalogue across mainstream, classic, and niche properties. It closed in October 2023 after being merged into the Crunchyroll Store.

• Anime publishing and licensing · 2007

  Nozomi Entertainment

  Nozomi Entertainment was Right Stuf’s principal anime production, licensing, and home-video label. It focused on collector-grade releases for audiences of different ages and handled classic and modern series, including Astro Boy, Dirty Pair, Mobile Suit Gundam, The Irresponsible Captain Tylor, Revolutionary Girl Utena, Princess Knight, Kare Kano, Kimba the White Lion, Macross, and Junjo Romantica. Following the Right Stuf integration, Nozomi continued under the Crunchyroll banner.

• Live-action film distribution · 2012

  5 Points Pictures

  5 Points Pictures was created as Right Stuf’s live-action distribution label. It expanded the company’s focus beyond animation and announced a film distribution agreement with CJ Entertainment in 2012.

• Adult anime publishing and distribution

  Critical Mass Video

  Critical Mass Video was Right Stuf’s label for adult anime programming. It served different adult-animation preferences before the Sony and Crunchyroll acquisition led to the removal of adult content from Right Stuf storefronts. The label was subsequently taken over by Adult Source Media.

• 2022

  Right Stuf removes adult anime content after Crunchyroll acquisition

  Following the ownership change, Right Stuf and Crunchyroll discontinued distribution of hentai and other adult content through the storefront. The policy shift drew criticism from some established fans and affected the former Critical Mass Video business.

  Source

• 2022

  Removal of adult content after acquisition

  After Sony acquired Right Stuf and integrated it into Crunchyroll, the storefront stopped distributing hentai and other adult content. The change attracted criticism from some fans and effectively ended the Critical Mass Video activity within Right Stuf.

  Source

Read more

• 2023

  Merge Right Stuf into Crunchyroll StoreM&A

  Background

  Crunchyroll consolidated its retail operations after acquiring Right Stuf.

  Action taken

  Crunchyroll announced that the Right Stuf storefront would be merged into the Crunchyroll Store and shut down as a separate service.

  Aftermath

  The separate store closed on October 10, 2023. Crunchyroll stated that the successor store would adopt Right Stuf pricing and shipping practices, while Nozomi Entertainment continued under the Crunchyroll banner.

  Source

• 2022

  Join the Crunchyroll business after Sony acquisitionM&A

  Background

  Sony Group Corporation acquired Right Stuf as part of the consolidation of its anime and entertainment businesses.

  Action taken

  Right Stuf was placed within Crunchyroll, operated through Sony Pictures and Aniplex.

  Aftermath

  The acquisition changed the storefront’s content policy and ultimately led to the retirement of the independent Right Stuf storefront.

  Source

• 2022

  Remove adult content from storefrontsStrategy

  Background

  After the Crunchyroll acquisition, the combined business revised the categories of content it would sell and distribute through its storefronts.

  Action taken

  Right Stuf and Crunchyroll ceased distribution of hentai content through their storefronts, and Critical Mass Video was taken over by Adult Source Media.

  Aftermath

  The policy drew criticism from some fans and reduced the scope of the legacy Right Stuf catalogue.

  Source

• 2012

  Launch 5 Points PicturesProduct launch

  Background

  Right Stuf expanded its distribution scope from anime into live-action Asian programming.

  Action taken

  The company established 5 Points Pictures and announced a distribution agreement with CJ Entertainment.

  Aftermath

  The label operated as a former Right Stuf live-action distribution division.

  Source

• 2007

  Rename the production division as Nozomi EntertainmentStrategy

  Background

  Right Stuf sought a distinct identity for its anime production, licensing, and release activities.

  Action taken

  The company announced at Anime Expo that the production division would use the Nozomi Entertainment name.

  Aftermath

  Nozomi became the company’s principal collector-oriented anime label and continued under Crunchyroll after the later corporate integration.

  Source

1. 1Right Stufen.wikipedia.org