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Pony Canyon

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Pony Canyon Inc.
Native name
Chu thức hội xã ポニーキャニオン
Company typePrivateKK
IndustryMovies, TV shows, music, video games
GenreVarious
FoundedOctober 1, 1966
(as Nippon Broadcasting System Services, Inc.)
HeadquartersMinato, Tokyo,Japan
Area served
Worldwide
ProductsCDs, DVDs
Number of employees
450[1]
ParentFuji Media Holdings
Subsidiaries
Websiteponycanyon.co.jp
Pony Canyon logo from 1987 to 2006

Pony Canyon Inc.(Chu thức hội xã ポニーキャニオン,Kabushiki gaishaPonī Kyanion),also known by the shorthand formPonican(ぽにきゃん,Ponikyan),is a Japanese company, established on October 1, 1966,[2]which publishes music, DVD and VHS videos, movies, and video games. It is affiliated with the Japanese media groupFujisankei Communications Group.Pony Canyonis a major leader in the music industry in Japan, with its artists regularly at the top of the Japanese charts. Pony Canyon is also responsible for releasing taped concerts from its artists as well as manyanimeproductions and several film productions.

Pony Canyon is headquartered in Tokyo with offices inTaiwanandSouth Korea.[3]It employs approximately 360 people. Pony Canyon also owns the recording label Flight Master.[4]

History

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On October 1, 1966,Nippon Broadcasting System,Inc. opened a new record label division, called as Nippon Broadcasting System Service, Inc., in order to produce and market music from Japanese artists. The division formally changed its name in 1970 to Pony Inc. in order to match thebrand namesit had been using previously. These were "PONYPak" for 8-track cartridges from 1967, and "PONY" for cassettes from 1968.

On August 1, 1970, another Japanese record label, Canyon Records Inc. was founded.[5]Like Pony Inc., Canyon Records was part of theFujisankei Communications Group.[5]Canyon Records was financially backed at 60% by Pony Inc. and at 40% by Pony's parent company Nippon Broadcasting System.[5]

In 1982, Pony ventured intointeractive contentby producingpersonal computer gamesoftware under the name "Ponyca". In 1984, the company entered license agreements with major overseas companiesMGM/UA Home Video,Vestron Video International,Walt Disney Home VideoandBBC Video(the company also entered a license agreement withRCA/Columbia Pictures International Videoin 1986), and in 1985, they established offices in New York and London. In 1986, Pony signed licensing agreements withA&M Recordsand in 1989 withVirgin Recordsto handle both companies' Japanese CD releases.

On October 21, 1987, Pony Inc. and Canyon Records merged their operations to form Pony Canyon Inc.[2]

In 1990, Pony Canyon branched out, and opened five subsidiaries outside Japan, one of them is a subsidiary inSingaporecalled Skin which was managed by Jimmy Wee and signed local English language performers such as Gwailo, Art Fazil, Chris Vadham, The Lizards' Convention,Humpback Oakand Radio Active. In addition to Singapore, Pony Canyon has also had a subsidiary in Taiwan, and a joint venture in Hong Kong and South Korea, named as Golden Pony and SAMPONY, respectively. Four of five subsidiaries were closed in 1997 due to Asian financial crisis, leaving the Malaysian subsidiary as the only subsidiary to remain in operation.[6]However, the Hong Kong and Korean operations were reestablished as a wholly owned subsidiary, although the Korean operation had a 16% stake of local partner. In 2003, the Hong Kong and Taiwan branch of Pony Canyon, both affected by the financial crisis, were acquired by Forward Music. In 2018, Pony Canyon reestablished its branch in Taiwan.

As a video game producer, Pony Canyon brought theUltimaseries fromOrigin Systemsand theAdvanced Dungeons and Dragonsseries fromStrategic SimulationstoNintendo'sFamily Computer.Between 1986 and 1990, they produced remakes of the first fourUltimatitles for theMSX2and NES platforms. These remakes differed from the original versions, with rewritten game code and all-new graphics.[7]Pony Canyon's video game library was generally released in North America byFCI.Pony Canyon has not released any video games sinceVirtual View: Nemoto Harumifor thePlayStation 2in July 2003.

The company has occasionally been involved in film production. For example, they were a co-production company for the 1996 Indian erotic filmKama Sutra: A Tale of Love.[8]

Following a merger with Nippon Broadcasting System,Fuji Television Network, Inc.became the major shareholder of Pony Canyon in 2006. The following year, Fuji Television made Pony Canyon its wholly owned subsidiary.[9]Fuji Television was subsequently renamed Fuji Media Holdings in 2008.[10]Despite associations with Fuji Television, not all of Pony Canyon's TV show and movie library has been broadcast on Fuji Television. Some of Pony Canyon's non-Fuji TV catalog includesDoraemonmovies.

In September 2014, Pony Canyon opened a North American anime distribution label,Ponycan USA,which aims to license their titles for streaming and home video in US and Canada.[11]Their home video releases will be distributed exclusively byRight Stuf Inc.[12]

Music artists

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Main category:Pony Canyon artists

Below is a selected list of musical artists signed under the Pony Canyon label in the past and present.

Composers

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Video games

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Below is a selected list of video games either developed or published by the Pony Canyon label.

Anime

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Below is a list ofanimeseries licensed for streaming and home video release in North America by Pony Canyon's Ponycan USA label.

See also

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References

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  1. ^"Hội xã khái yếu | ポニーキャニオン công thức xí nghiệp サイト".Archivedfrom the original on December 5, 2019.RetrievedNovember 14,2019.
  2. ^abCompany ProfileArchivedDecember 5, 2019, at theWayback Machine- Pony Canyon's official site
  3. ^HomepagePony Canyon Korea.
  4. ^HomepageFlight Master (a Pony Canyon label).
  5. ^abc"Japan's Record Manufacturers".Billboard Magazine.July 22, 1970. p. J-13.Archivedfrom the original on May 14, 2021.RetrievedDecember 2,2020.
  6. ^Pony Canyon cuts back in Asia.Billboard magazine.January 17, 1998.Archivedfrom the original on May 14, 2021.RetrievedSeptember 17,2011.
  7. ^"Ultima I: The First Age of Darkness (Pony Canyon Version) - PC - GameSpy".uk.pc.gamespy.com.Archivedfrom the original on March 4, 2016.RetrievedSeptember 26,2018.
  8. ^"Kama Sutra: a tale of love".Trove.National Library of Australia.Archivedfrom the original on April 4, 2019.RetrievedApril 3,2019.
  9. ^Schilling, Mark (March 30, 2007)."Fuji TV ponies up for Fusosha".Archivedfrom the original on August 14, 2018.RetrievedSeptember 26,2018.
  10. ^"Corporate Profile - FUJI TELEVISION NETWORK, INC".www.fujitv.co.jp.Archivedfrom the original on April 7, 2019.RetrievedSeptember 26,2018.
  11. ^"Pony Canyon Production Company Expands To US Market".Anime News Network.September 25, 2014.Archivedfrom the original on November 2, 2020.RetrievedJuly 9,2020.
  12. ^"Right Stuf Inc. Announces Exclusive Distribution Deal with Pony Canyon Inc"(Press release). Anime News Network. January 9, 2015.Archivedfrom the original on October 25, 2020.RetrievedJanuary 10,2015.
  13. ^Inc, Natasha."Lập hoa nhật thái がアーティストデビュー, 1stシングルは tự thân xuất diễn の “Thần cơ え” エンディング ".Âm lặc ナタリー(in Japanese).RetrievedJanuary 1,2024.{{cite web}}:|last=has generic name (help)
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