NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan LLC(Japanese:NBCユニバーサル・エンターテイメントジャパン hợp đồng hội xã,Hepburn:Enubīshī Yunibāsaru Entāteimento JapanGōdō gaisha)(abbreviated asNBCUEJ) is a Japanese music,anime,and home entertainment production and distribution enterprise that is a subsidiary ofNBCUniversal,owned by American telecommunications/media companyComcastheadquartered inAkasaka,Minato,Tokyo. It is primarily involved in the production and distribution ofanimewithin Japan.
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Native name | NBCユニバーサル・エンターテイメントジャパン hợp đồng hội xã |
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Romanizedname | EnubīshīYunibāsaru Entāteimento Japan gōdō gaisha |
| Formerly | LaserDisc Corporation (1981–1989) Pioneer LDC, Inc. (1989–2003) Geneon Entertainment Inc. (2003–2009) Geneon Universal Entertainment Japan, LLC. (2009–2013) |
| Company type | Subsidiary |
| Industry | Mass media |
| Founded | March 1981 |
| Founder | Pioneer Corporation |
| Headquarters | Minato,Tokyo,Japan |
Area served | Japan |
Key people | Shoji Doyama (CEOandpresident) |
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| Website | www |
| 1912 | Universal Picturesis founded |
|---|---|
| 1926 | NBCis founded |
| 1928 | Walter Lantz Productionsis established |
| 1943 | MCA Inc.establishes Revue Studios (laterUniversal Television) |
| 1953 | NBC begins first compatible color broadcasts, preceding other networks by nine years |
| 1956 | NBC's firstpeacock logodebuts |
| 1963 | American Cable Systems is founded |
| 1964 | Universal Studios Hollywoodopens |
| 1967 | NBC broadcasts the firstSuper Bowl |
| 1968 | American Cable Systems rebrands toComcast |
| 1972 | Comcast began trading on theNew York Stock Exchange(NYSE) |
| 1975 | Universal releasesJaws Filmworks is founded |
| 1976 | Filmworks becomes Casablanca Record & Filmworks |
| 1980 | PolyGram renames Casablanca Record & Filmworks to PolyGram Pictures MCA Videocassette‚ Inc. (laterUniversal Pictures Home Entertainment) is established |
| 1982 | Universal releasesE.T. the Extra-Terrestrial |
| 1983 | PolyGram Pictures closes |
| 1984 | Walter Lantz Productions' assets are sold to Universal Telemundo is founded |
| 1985 | Universal releasesBack to the Future |
| 1986 | General Electricre-purchases its former subsidiaryRCAfor $6.4 billion, including NBC and a stake inA&E |
| 1987 | PolyGram Movies is founded |
| 1989 | NBC relaunchesTempo TelevisionasCNBC |
| 1990 | Universal Studios Floridaopens Law & Orderpremieres on NBC PolyGram Movies is renamedPolyGram Filmed Entertainment Sky TelevisionandBritish Satellite Broadcastingmerge to form British Sky Broadcasting Universal Cartoon Studios (laterUniversal Animation Studios) is established |
| 1993 | Universal releasesJurassic Park |
| 1994-1997 | DreamWorks Animationis founded Seagramacquires Universal through it's acquisition of MCA NBC andMicrosoftreplaceAmerica's TalkingwithMSNBC Barry Diller purchases Universal's domestic television assets |
| 1998 | Seagram acquires PolyGram Filmed Entertainment Universal Television is renamed Studios USA Television |
| 1999 | PolyGram Filmed Entertainment is folded into Universal Pictures Universal Studios Florida expands to becomeUniversal Orlando Resort Law & Order: Special Victims Unitpremieres on NBC |
| 2000 | Seagram is sold toVivendiand merged withStudioCanalto become Vivendi Universal Entertainment |
| 2001 | Grand opening ofUniversal Studios Japan Universal releasesThe Fast and the Furious Vivendi purchases Studios USA |
| 2002 | NBC acquiresTelemundoandBravo Studios USA assets are folded into Universal Focus Featuresis formed Comcast acquiresAT&T Broadbandfor $44.5 billion |
| 2003 | Universal becomes the first studio with five summer releases breaking the $100 million mark |
| 2004 | GEand Vivendi merge NBC and Universal intoNBCUniversal |
| 2005 | The Officepremieres on NBC Comcast sets up a joint-venture withPBS,Sesame Workshop&HIT Entertainmentto form PBS Kids Sprout Comcast &Time Warner Cablejointly acquireAdelphia Cableassets for $17.6 billion |
| 2006 | USA Networkbegins 13-year streak as #1 cable network in total viewers |
| 2007 | Illuminationis founded |
| 2010 | Universal releases Illumination's first filmDespicable Me |
| 2011 | Vivendi divested in NBCU; Comcast buys 51% of NBCU from GE, turning it into a limited liability company NBCUniversal Archivesis founded |
| 2012 | Universal celebrates its 100th anniversary NBCUniversal divests itsA&E Networksminority stake |
| 2013 | Comcast buys GE's remaining 49% of NBCU Comcast/NBCU assumes full ownership of Sprout |
| 2014 | Comcast attempts to acquireTime Warner Cablefor $45.2 billion NBCUniversal reaches a new long-term deal withWWE |
| 2016 | NBCU acquiresDreamWorks Animation |
| 2017 | Sprout relaunches asUniversal Kids |
| 2018 | Comcast acquires Sky after a heated bidding war with21st Century Fox |
| 2019 | NBCU acquires Cineo Lighting |
| 2020 | NBCU launchesPeacock DreamWorks’sTrolls World Touris releasing on Video on Demand |
| 2021 | Grand opening ofUniversal Beijing Resort |
| 2023 | The Super Mario Bros. Moviebecomes Illumination's highest-grossing film |
The company was founded in March 1981 byPioneer CorporationasLaserDisc Corporation,aLaserDiscplayer production company. In 1989, the company was renamedPioneer LDC, Inc.as it branched into the anime, music, and film industries, and laterGeneon Entertainment Inc.(after being acquired byDentsuin 2003). In 2008, Geneon merged withUniversal Pictures Japanto formGeneon Universal Entertainment Japan, LLC;in 2013, the company changed its name to the current NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan. Some of the well-known anime series the company has produced areA Certain Magical Index,The Heroic Legend of Arslan,Danganronpa: The Animation,Golden Kamuy,Seraph of the End,andIs the Order a Rabbit?among many others.
Despite the name, NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan does not distributeUniversal Picturesfilms theatrically in Japan;Toho(through Toho-Towa) exclusively distributes them for Japanese theaters.
History
editFounding
editPioneer Corporationfounded the LaserDisc Corporation(レーザーディスク kabushiki gaisha,RēzāDisuku Kabushiki-gaisha)in March 1981 to produce LaserDisc players in Japan.[1]The LaserDisc Corporation changed its name to Pioneer LDC, Inc.(パイオニア エル・ディー・シー kabushiki gaisha,Paionia Eru Dī Shī Kabushiki-gaisha)in 1989 as part of an attempt to branch off into the anime,film,andmusicindustries.[1]As Pioneer LDC, they developed and published severalvideo gamesfor theSega SaturnandPlayStation,such as games based onMagical Girl Pretty Sammy,Tenchi Muyo!,andSerial Experiments Lain.[2][3][4]
In December 1985, Pioneer LDC made an effort to expand into the North American business, by establishing a subsidiary in the region namedLaserDisc Corporation of Americain an effort to consolidate the Pioneer Video and Pioneer Audio units, who maintained the Pioneer Artists label, which was initially based near New Jersey, following the introduction of a combined CD/laserdisc player.[5]
In late 1991, Pioneer LDC established a European division, Pioneer LDCE (short for LaserDisc Corporation of Europe), hoping to revive interest of Laserdiscs in the European market afterPhilips' Laserdisc players flopped in Europe.[6]Around the same time, the company begin licensing titles fromGuild Film Distributionto release 140 films to Laserdisc for theUnited Kingdommarket, and additionally licensed titles from VCL Communications/Carolco Picturesto release 20 titles to theGermanmarket.[7]
In 1992, LaserDisc released their first anime titleTenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki.[1]
On July 21, 2003, the company was acquired by Japanese advertising and marketing company firmDentsuand renamed to Geneon Entertainment Inc.(ジェネオン エンタテインメント kabushiki gaisha,Jeneon Entateinmento Kabushiki-gaisha),while its North American division, Pioneer Entertainment, was renamed Geneon USA.[8][9]
Sale to NBC Universal
edit
On November 12, 2008, Dentsu announced that it was selling 80.1% of its ownership in the company toNBC Universal's Universal Pictures International Entertainment (UPIE), who planned to merge the company with its Universal Pictures Japan division—which had no longer theatrically distributed Universal Pictures films in Japan, having delegated its theatrical distribution tasks toTohosubsidiary Toho-Towa since the dissolution ofUnited International PicturesJapan in 2007—to form a new company.[10][11]The merger later closed, with the new company known as Geneon Universal Entertainment Japan, LLC.(ジェネオン・ユニバーサル・エンターテイメントジャパン hợp đồng hội xã,Jeneon Yunibāsaru Entāteimento Japan Gōdō-kaisha).[12]On December 9, 2013, the company once again changed its name to NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan LLC.[13]
On February 17, 2013, they made a partnership withUniversal Sony Pictures Home Entertainmentto distribute their anime titles directly in Australia and New Zealand.[14]
Purchase of Paramount Japan
editOn January 1, 2016, Paramount Japan was purchased by NBCUniversal and dissolved shortly afterwards.[15]This was due toParamount Picturesestablishing a joint-venture with Toho-Towa named Towa Pictures Company Limited, which would distribute Paramount's films in Japan.[16]
On July 12, 2017, they announced a partnership withCrunchyrollto co-produce anime with "international appeal".[17]
References
edit- ^abc"Pioneer Stops Making Laserdisc Players After 27 Years".Anime News Network. January 14, 2009.RetrievedMay 29,2019.
- ^"Magical Girl Pretty Samy Part 2: In the Julyhelm [Japan Import]".Amazon.RetrievedFebruary 20,2021.
- ^"Tenchi Muyou! Rensa Hitsuyou [Japan Import]".Amazon.RetrievedFebruary 20,2021.
- ^"serial experiments lain [Japan Import]".Amazon.RetrievedFebruary 20,2021.
- ^Seideman, Tony (January 11, 1986)."Laser Players, Disks Carve Market Niche"(PDF).Billboard.p. 47.RetrievedOctober 16,2023.
- ^Clark-Meads, Jeff (February 22, 1992)."Pioneer Pushing Laserdiscs In Europe"(PDF).Billboard.p. 45.RetrievedOctober 16,2023.
- ^Dean, Peter (March 7, 1992)."Pioneer Laserdisc Europe Filling Film Void"(PDF).Billboard.p. 35.RetrievedOctober 18,2023.
- ^"Dentsu acquires Pioneer - News".Anime News Network. July 21, 2003.RetrievedNovember 5,2013.
- ^"Pioneer Entertainment Inc. to Become Geneon".Anime News Network.September 26, 2003.RetrievedFebruary 18,2021.
- ^"ジェネオン エンタテインメント㈱ một bộ cây thức の UPIEへ の 譲 độ とジェネオン エンタテインメント㈱とUPIE tử hội xã と の xác nhập について"(PDF).Dentsu. November 12, 2008.Archived(PDF)from the original on July 14, 2014.RetrievedMay 29,2019.
- ^"Geneon to Merge with Universal Pictures Japan - News".Anime News Network. November 12, 2008.RetrievedNovember 5,2013.
- ^"Geneon Universal Entertainment".Geneonuniversal.jp. Archived fromthe originalon May 21, 2013.RetrievedNovember 5,2013.
- ^"Geneon Universal Ent. Japan is Now Known as NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan"(PDF)(in Japanese). NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan. December 9, 2013.Archived(PDF)from the original on August 24, 2014.RetrievedDecember 9,2013.
- ^"Universal Sony Home Pictures to Release Anime in Australia".Anime News Network.February 17, 2013.RetrievedFebruary 20,2021.
- ^サイト khoá の お biết らせ[Site Closure Notification] (in Japanese). Paramount Japan. January 1, 2016.Archivedfrom the original on March 4, 2016.RetrievedMay 22,2016.
- ^"Paramount Titles to Distribute Through Toho-Towa in Japan".Variety.October 7, 2015.RetrievedApril 29,2020.
- ^"Crunchyroll Partners With NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan to Co-Develop Anime".Anime News Network.July 12, 2017.RetrievedFebruary 18,2021.
External links
edit- Official website(in Japanese)