Manga Entertainment

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Manga Entertainment
Type	Subsidiary of Starz Media LLC
Founded	1991
Headquarters	Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
Industry	Entertainment (Anime)
Products	Anime theatrical and direct marketing and production
Website	Manga Entertainment Manga Entertainment UK Madman Entertainment (Handles Manga's Licences In Australia)

This article is about Manga Entertainment, the anime distributor. For Manga, a term for Japanese comics, see Manga.

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Manga Entertainment is a producer, licensor and distributor of Japanese animation in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Australia and New Zealand.

Manga Entertainment was founded by Andy Frain for Chris Blackwell's Island International Group in 1991. The company's first release Akira was both critical and commercial success,^{[citation needed]} and led the company to license more anime for release in the Europe, Australia and subsequently the United States. Manga Entertainment became a hugely successful brand, consistently achieving Top 20 entries in the UK video charts.^{[citation needed]}

The company's distribution was initially focused in the UK, Australia and Europe before expanding to the U.S in 1994. Manga's USA branch became Manga Entertainment Inc. and focused on the North American anime market. Manga Entertainment's Australian division became Manga Entertainment Australia Ltd., but Manga Entertainment in the UK still have control over a majority of Manga Australia's catalogue. Andy Frain resigned from Manga in November 1995 to start Touchwood Animation Ltd but he retained a minority share in the company which he sold back to Blackwell prior to Manga's acquisition by IDT. In November 1995 Marvin Gleicher replaced Frain as CEO, with Mike Preece as UK managing director.

Despite their name, the company's principal business is the distribution of anime rather than manga, although they have published some manga in the UK under the Manga Books imprint such as Crying Freeman.^[1]

[edit] The company

Manga Entertainment is an entertainment company that co-produces animation such as Ghost in the Shell and Iron Kid,^[2], usually through financial contributions toward production costs. However Manga is primarily involved in the distribution of anime in Europe and the U.S. Manga is a division of Starz Media, a subsidiary of venture capital firm Liberty Media.

Manga Entertainment UK does not license some anime to Australia because Madman Entertainment has already secured the rights the license and distribute to the titles below and are at least 6 months ahead of Manga UK:

• Death Note
• Bleach
• Ghost In The Shell 2: Innocence
• Naruto
• Casshan
• Millennium Actress
• Otogi Zoshi
• Robotech
• She, The Ultimate Weapon
• Tokyo Underground

Manga has also played a part in dubbing anime, when it is not sub-licensing a production that has already been licensed by another company (e.g., Akira, licensed and redubbed by Geneon in 2001, Bounty Dog, and Lupin III: Bye Bye Liberty Crisis).

Manga Entertainment originally opened in London in 1991 in order to bring anime to the European market. The companies first release was the film Akira. The success of Akira was unprecedented and the Manga Entertainment company was quickly created. The U.S. arm debuted in July 1994 and the company now operates internationally from Chicago. Manga has become a very well known brand around the world due to its continuing distribution of anime, which have proved to be a great success with fans around the world e.g. Ghost in the Shell This can be seen when Manga released Ghost in the Shell which was the first and only Japanese animated film to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Top 40 Video Sales chart (August 24, 1996), but has also become associated with controversy concerning the distribution of hentai anime Urotsukidoji.

Managing Director, Kaoru Mfaume, oversaw Manga Entertainment's worldwide operations until he left in 2007. His tenure at Manga followed an extensive career in the anime industry originally working as a production and development executive before becoming Manga’s Vice President of Acquisitions. He has served as executive producer on a number of high profile anime projects including Dead Leaves, Blood The Last Vampire, Street Fighter Alpha Generations, Iron Kid and is a permanent member of the Ghost in the Shell Production Committee.

[edit] Company history

Siren Entertainment was Manga's distributor in Australia from 1993 to 1995, after which Manga's distributor in Australia became Madman Entertainment, which is now Australia and New Zealand's No.1 Anime Distributor and Licensor. Anime was known in Australia as Robotech and Astro Boy in the mid to late 80's (Astro Boy and Robotech both licensed by Manga), but when Akira was released in Australian Cinemas in 1991, that all changed and Manga Video popularised Anime in the 90's and changed the name of anime in Australia to Manga. This changed again when Manga Australia's new distributor, Madman Entertainment started opertating and the term, Manga, was changed to Anime again.

Manga Australia merged into Madman Entertainment in mid 2003 but still licenses Anime to Australia so Madman Entertainment could distribute them. Until 2003, Madman had a menu on a previous version on the website which had Madman brands that you could go to, and Manga was one of them. Manga's old web domain name, www.manga.com.au is now used by Madman for it's Manga comics website. Manga's old Australian domain was www.sirenent.com.au/manga, but that website is now defunct because Siren Entertainment stopped distribution of Manga's products. Manga has lost a few anime licenses in Australia due to the quality Australia demands when it comes to DVDs, but Madman has released most of Manga Australia's lost licenses. Notable licenses lost are The Castle Of Cagliostro, Macross Plus: The Movie, Wings of Honneamise, Space Adventure Cobra, and Project A-ko.

If anime wasn't being touched by Madman Entertainment would be distributed by Polygram until 1999. Polygram started distributing volumes 2 and 3 of Violence Jack, but not 1 due to the Australian OFLC banning volume 1 from retail sale. Chris Blackwell moved Manga Entertainment to Chris's new company, Palm Pictures. But Manga was bought out by IDT Entertainment a few years after Manga was bought by Palm Pictures. It is now headquartered in Chicago, with offices in London, Los Angeles Australia(Manga Australia's distributor, Madman Entertainment) and Tokyo.

[edit] Manga UK products

[edit] Manga Force

Main article: Manga Force: The Ultimate Collection

From January 2007 Manga UK started to produce a fortnightly magazine aimed at promoting both the company itself through the use of some of its more revered titles. Issue one for example used Ghost in the Shell. The magazine will run for fifty issues and cost £8.99 for each issue after the first issue which was £2.99.

[edit] Anime Showcase

DVD cover for Anime Showcase

Anime Showcase is a promotional DVD which is being distributed for Manga UK by HMV. The price of the DVD is £3.99 and includes various snippets of different anime including:

• Noein - Episode 1
• Heat Guy J - Episode 1
• Otogi Zoshi - Episode 1
• A five minute preview of Hellboy: Sword of Storms
• Trailers For 'Tokyo Zombie', 'Noein', 'Tactics' and others.

A second Anime Showcase DVD was recently released. Priced at £3.99 (or free with selected Manga DVDS), it contained the following-

• Bleach - Episodes 1 & 2
• Naruto - Episodes 1 & 2
• Trailers for various Manga properties.

[edit] Anime licenced by Manga Entertainment

As of 2005, Manga Entertainment owns the English rights to 57 anime titles. Their UK arm, Manga Entertainment UK, also sub-licenses a number of titles such as Akira and Naruto from American companies who do not have a UK division.

[edit] Current Licenses

[edit] United Kingdom (DVD Region 2)

• AD Police (BBFC: 18)
• Adventures with Iczer (BBFC: 12)
• Akira (BBFC: 15)
• Amon Saga (BBFC: 15)
• Appleseed (1988 OVA version) (BBFC: 15)
• Armageddon (BBFC: 12)
• Bleach (BBFC: 15) (Series 1 Part 2s release mistakenly rates the DVD as a 12 on the cover. The discs have the correct age rating)
• Black Jack (The Movie) (BBFC: 12)
• Blood: The Last Vampire (BBFC: 15)
• Bubblegum Crash (BBFC: 12)
• Casshan:Robot Hunter (OVA) (BBFC: 12)
• Choke (BBFC: 18)
• Dangaioh (BBFC: 15)
• Dark Myth (BBFC: 15)
• Dead Leaves (BBFC: 15)
• Death Note (BBFC: 12 [1] [2])
• Detonator Orgun (BBFC: 15)
• Ghost in the Shell (BBFC: 15)
  

  

  Cover of Ghost in the Shell.
• Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence (BBFC: 15)
• Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (BBFC: 15)
• Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig (BBFC: 12)
• Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Solid State Society (BBFC: 15)
• Golgo 13 (BBFC: 18)
• Heat Guy J (BBFC: 12)
• Highlander: The Search for Vengeance (BBFC: 15)
• Kai Doh Maru (BBFC: 15)
• Karas (BBFC: 12)
• Landlock (BBFC: 15)
• Urotsukidoji: Legend of the Demon Womb (BBFC: 18 - Edited)
• Urotsukidoji: Legend of the Overfiend (BBFC: 18 - Edited)
• Macross Plus (BBFC: 12)
• Madox 01 (BBFC: PG)
• Millennium Actress (BBFC: PG)
• Naruto Unleashed (BBFC: 12)
• Naruto the Movie: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow (BBFC: 12)
• Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death and Rebirth (BBFC: 15)
• Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion (BBFC: 15)
• New Dominion Tank Police (BBFC: 12)
• New Gall Force (BBFC: PG)
• Ninja Scroll (BBFC: 18 - Original release - Edited, 10th anniversary edition - Uncut)
• Orguss 02 (BBFC: 15)
• [[Otogizōshi (anime)|Otogi Zoshi]] (BBFC: 15)
• Perfect Blue (BBFC: 18)
• Razor Blade Smile (BBFC: 18)
• Read or Die (OVA) (BBFC: 15)
• Robotech (BBFC: 12)
• She, The Ultimate Weapon (BBFC: 15)
• Street Fighter Alpha (BBFC: 15)
• Street Fighter Alpha Generations (BBFC: 12)
• Street Fighter 2 (BBFC: 15)
• Survive Style 5+ (BBFC: 15)
• Sword for Truth (BBFC: 18)
• Tactics (BBFC: 15)
• Tetsujin 28 (BBFC: 12)
• Tetsujin 28: The Movie (BBFC: PG)
• The Secret Adventures of Tom Thumb (BBFC: 15)
• Tokyo Fist (BBFC: 18)
• Tokyo Underground (BBFC: PG)
• Vampire Hunter D (OVA version) (BBFC: 15)
• Vampire Wars (BBFC: 18)
• Virus Buster Serge (BBFC: 12)
• X: The Movie (BBFC: 12)
• Zeoraima (BBFC: 15)

[edit] Australia (DVD Region 4, Distributed By Madman Entertainment, formerly by Siren Entertainment and Polygram)

• Akira (OFLC: M, Theatrically Released in 1991 by Island Visual, Manga Entertainment UK, Ronin Films and ICA Projects)
• Amon Saga (OFLC: M)
• Anime Classics (OFLC: R 18+, A boxset containing Ninja Scroll, Akira and Ghost In The Shell, a re-branding of Manga UK's Manga Classics)
• Appleseed OVA (OFLC: M, Previously released on VHS by itself and bundled with Battle Angel Alita)
• Blackjack (OFLC: M)
• Blood: The Last Vampire (OFLC: M)
• Dead Leaves (OFLC: MA 15+)
• End Of Evangelion (OFLC: M)
• Ghost in the Shell (OFLC: M, Theatrically released in 1995 by Manga Entertainment Australia)
• Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (OFLC: M)
• Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd GIG (OFLC: M)
• Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Individual Eleven (OFLC: M)
• The Professional: Golgo 13 (OFLC: R 18+)
• Highlander: The Search for Vengeance (OFLC: M)
• Kai Doh Maru (OFLC: M)
• KARAS (OFLC:M)
• Macross Plus (OFLC: PG)
• Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death and Rebirth (OFLC: M)
• Ninja Scroll (First VHS Production Certification, Manga's USA uncut version, OFLC: MA 15+, Re-Issued VHS Certification OFLC: R 18+, using Manga's Australian and UK BBFC cut for the VHS, edited DVD and the uncut DVD version, Theatrically Released in 1994 by Manga Entertainment Australia)
• Patlabor: The Movie (OFLC: PG, re-released as a 2 disc DVD collection with Patlabor 2, Theatrically released in 1995 by Manga Entertainment Australia and Siren Entertainment)
• Patlabor: The Movie 2 (OFLC: PG, re-released as a 2 disc DVD collection with Patlabor 1, Theatrically released in 1996 by Manga Entertainment Australia)
• Perfect Blue (OFLC: MA 15+ Theatrically released in 1999 by Manga Entertainment UK and Madman Entertainment)
• Shadow Skill (OFLC: M)
• Street Fighter Alpha: Generations (OFLC: M)
• Street Fighter Alpha: The Movie (OFLC: M)
• Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie (OFLC: M, Theatrically released in 1996 by Manga Entertainment Australia, Columbia Tristar and Sony Music Entertainment Australia)
• Street Fighter II V (OFLC: M)
• Urotsukidoji: Legend Of The Overfiend (OFLC: R 18+, Edited, Theatrically released in its uncut form by Manga Entertainment Australia in 1992)
• Urotsukidoji: Legend Of The Demon Womb (OFLC: R 18+, Edited, Theatrically released by Manga Entertainment Australia in 1995)
• Virus Buster Serge (OFLC: M)
• Wicked City (OFLC: R 18+, Previously released on VHS bundled Monster City a.k.a Demon City Shinjuku on 1 tape and by itself)
• X: The Movie (OFLC: MA 15+)

[edit] Expired licences in Australia

• Cyber City Oedo 808 (Re-Released By Madman Entertainment, OFLC's Manga VHS certifications, M and MA 15+, DVD certification, M, Released on 3 VHS tapes, and released on 1 tape as apart of Manga's The Cyberpunk Collection)
• Demon City Shinjuku (OFLC: M, Re-Released By Madman Entertainment, used to be called

by Manga's Name, Monster City, released on 1 tape from Manga, and bundled with Wicked City on 1 tape)

• Fist Of The North Star (OFLC: M)
• Giant Robo (OFLC: PG, M)
• Landlock (OFLC: M)
• Macross Plus: Movie Edition (OFLC: PG)
• Macross II (OVA version by Kiseki Films, OFLC: PG, Manga's movie version, OFLC, M)
• Orguss 02 (OFLC: PG)
• Project A-ko (OFLC: PG, M, Re-released by Madman Entertainment)
• The Castle of Cagliostro (OFLC: PG Re-Released By Madman Entertainment,)
• Wings Of Honneamise (OFLC: M, Re-Released By Madman Entertainment under Bandai Visual's Honneamise Label, Theatrically released by Manga Entertainment Australia in 1995)
• Mystery Of Mamo(OFLC: M, Re-released by Madman Entertainment)
• Space Adventure Cobra (OFLC: M, Re-released by Madman Entertainment, Theatrically released by Manga Entertainment Australia in 1995)
• The Secret Adventures of Tom Thumb (OFLC: M)
• Violence Jack (OFLC: RC, R 18+, Distribution of the Violence Jack OVA's was scrapped in Australia a few months after Violence Jack 1 was refused classification. But 2 and 3 went through without a problem.)

[edit] Yet to be released on DVD by Manga Entertainment in Australia (Still Licensed)

• 3x3 Eyes (OFLC: M)
• Armageddon (OFLC: MA 15+)
• A Wind Named Amnesia (OFLC: PG)
• AD Police (OFLC: MA 15+)
• Angel Cop (OFLC: M)
• Battle Angel Alita (OFLC: M, released on 1 tape by Manga and bundled on 1 tape with Appleseed OVA)
• Bounty Dog (OFLC: M)
• Blue Sonnet (OFLC: M)
• Bubblegum Crash (OFLC: M)
• Crying Freeman (OFLC: M, R 18+)
• Devilman (OFLC: M, MA 15+)
• Dominion Tank Police (OFLC: PG)
• Doomed Megalopolis (OFLC: M)
• Genocyber Episodes 4 and 5 were not released by Manga Video (OFLC: M, R 18+)
• Gunhed (OFLC: M)
• Guyver (OFLC: PG, M)
• Goku: Midnight Eye (OFLC: M)
• Goku II: Midnight Eye (OFLC: MA 15+)
• Junk Boy (OFLC: MA 15+)
• Kabuto (OFLC: M)
• Mad Bull 34 (OFLC: R 18+)
• New Dominion Tank Police (OFLC: PG, M)
• Odin: Photon Sailer Starlight (OFLC: M)
• Sohryuden (Known in Australia as The Legend of the 4 Kings OFLC: M)
• Tactics
• Tokyo Babylon (OFLC: PG, M)

[edit] North America (DVD Region 1)

• Amon Saga
• Angel Cop [17+]
• Appleseed OVA [16+] [TV-14]
• Black Jack: A Surgeon with the Hands of God [13+]
• Blood: The Last Vampire [17+]
• Bounty Dog
• The Castle of Cagliostro [9+] [MPAA: PG-13]
• Dangaioh [13+]
• Dead Leaves [17+]
• Ghost in the Shell (along with Polygram Films) [17+]
• Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (along with Bandai Entertainment) [13+ and 16+ on Disc 3 (for Episode 10: Jungle Cruise)] [TV-14]/[TV-PG/TV-14/TV-MA]
  • Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd Gig [13+] [TV-14]/[TV-MA]
  • Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. Solid State Society [13+]
• Ghost Sweeper Mikami (Movie) [16+]
• Highlander: The Search for Vengeance
• Kaidohmaru
• Karas [13+]
• Landlock
• Macross II [13+]
• Macross Plus [13+]
• Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death and Rebirth [15+]
• Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion [17+]
• Ninja Scroll [18+]
• Noein [13+]
• Perfect Blue (along with Miramax Films) [17+] [MPAA: Restricted; Unrated for uncut version]
• Psychic Wars
• Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie (along with Columbia Pictures) [13+] [MPAA: PG-13]
• Street Fighter II V [13+]
• Street Fighter Alpha: The Movie [13+]
• Street Fighter Alpha: Generations [13+]
• Shadow Skill (OVA and movie)
• Sword for Truth
• Tactics [13+]
• Tokko [13+]
• Vampire Wars
• Virus Buster Serge
• X the Movie [TV-14] [MPAA: Restricted]

See also the list of anime licensed by Manga Entertainment.^[3]

[edit] US Spanish-language releases

• Ninja Scroll
• Patlabor the Movie 1 (expired)

[edit] Expired licenses in North America

• Devilman
• Guyver [13+]
• Fist of the North Star (TV, first 36 episodes only) [13+]
• Patlabor 1: The Movie [10+]
• Patlabor 2: The Movie [10+]
• New Dominion Tank Police
• Red Hawk [15+]
• Dark Myth
• Black Magic M-66 [16+]
• Wings of Honneamise
• Gunbuster [13+]
• Mad Bull 34 [18+]
• Giant Robo
• Rayearth (OVA) [13+]
• Violence Jack

Both Patlabor Movies were subsequently licensed by Bandai Visual USA and released through its Honnemise distribution label. Their releases included remastered video and audio and new English dubs for both movies (they were released in 2006). Bandai Visual USA also released a subtitled-only DVD set of Gunbuster February 2007.

[edit] Controversy

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The quality of this article or section may be compromised by wording which promotes the subject in a subjective manner without imparting real information. You can help Wikipedia by removing peacock terms or finding content which backs the claims.

A frequent complaint is that the name of the company is misleading.^{[citation needed]} Manga refers to printed Japanese comics rather than animation. This lead to many Western consumers to believe manga was also an animated medium.^{[citation needed]}

Manga is also known for releasing many DVDs with technical problems low quality DVD transfers from PAL materials^{[citation needed]}, overall low quality video^{[citation needed]}), defective DTS audio tracks ^[4] and subtitles for the hearing impared instead of translated subtitles.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Manga Video and Manga Entertainment LTD
• Mangaforce Fan Site.
• Original Manga Trailer