A.D. Vision

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve the article or discuss these issues on the talk page. It needs additional references or sources for verification. Tagged since December 2007. It may contain original research or unverifiable claims. Tagged since December 2007. Its tone or style may not be appropriate for Wikipedia. Tagged since December 2007. It may require general cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Tagged since December 2007.

A.D. Vision

Former type	Private
Genre	Anime dubbing, Manga
Fate	Diversity
Successor	Section23 Films
Founded	Houston, Texas, USA (August 1992)
Defunct	2009
Headquarters	Houston, Texas, USA
Number of locations	3 (2007)
Area served	United States, Japan, Canada, United Kingdom, Italy, Germany
Key people	John Ledford, Matt Greenfield
Industry	multimedia entertainment
Divisions	ADV Films, ADV Studios, ADV Theatrical, ADV International, Licensing, Anime Network, ADV Pro, ADV Manga, ADV Toys
Website	ADVFilms.com

A.D. Vision (commonly referred to as ADV) was an American international multimedia entertainment company headquartered in Houston, Texas,^[1][2] active in home video production and distribution, broadcast television, theatrical film distribution, merchandising, original productions, magazine and comic book publishing. It was the largest anime company in North America before its demise.^[2]

It was founded in 1992 by John Ledford and Matt Greenfield. Since then, the company had grown immensely in size and diversified with several subsidiary companies, handling an array of properties and original content. Perhaps their most popular property was Gainax's post-apocalyptic anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion,^[2] originally released by ADV in the U.S. in 1997 and re-released several times since. The company maintained offices in North America, Europe and Asia. It served the United States, Japan, Canada, United Kingdom, Italy, and Germany.^[3] On September 1, 2009, ADV announced it was selling off its assets, including intellectual properties, to five companies.

History

Plaza Southwest, the complex in Greater Sharpstown, Houston that contained A.D. Vision's headquarters^[4]

John Ledford, a man who started a Japanese video game and video console import business in 1990, received an introduction to anime from one of his friends; the friend introduced My Neighbor Totoro to Ledford. In 1992 Ledford and Matthew Greenfield launched ADV together and decided to begin licensing anime. Toho reluctantly licensed Devil Hunter Yohko to ADV, making the title ADV's first; even though Shozo Watanabe, the general manager of the Los Angeles office of Toho, expressed concern that ADV would not be able to handle the distribution of the film, Toho was unable to find another distributor, so it selected ADV.^[5]

Japan's Sojitz announced that Japan Content Investments (JCI), an investment group run by Sojitz, Development Bank of Japan, and film distribution company KlockWorx, will contribute money to A.D. Vision, in return for equity in the company. ADV founder John Ledford will remain the majority shareholder and CEO. JCI subsidiary ARM will also contribute money for ADV to use in acquiring new distribution licenses. The investment will allow ADV Films to raise its output of new anime titles, which had dropped in 2006, back to previous levels or above. In return, ADV will assist Sojitz with the acquisition of North American and European content for importation into Japan. According to ADV, they also reportedly have "big plans" for its manga line.^[6]

Distribution of Geneon properties

In August 2007, a notice was sent to retailers stating that ADV Films would be taking over the distribution, marketing, and sales of Geneon properties in the US as of October 1.^[7] In preparation, Geneon USA laid off most of its sales division; however, in September the distribution deal was canceled.^[8] Dentsu confirmed that the distribution deal was canceled through a press release on September 21, 2007 with no reasons given except that Geneon and ADV were "unable to reach a mutual agreement."^[9]

Sojitz partnership

In June 2006, ADV Films entered in to a partnership with the Japanese Sojitz Corporation. This was done as a means of acquiring more titles in the Japanese market.^[10] From this point on, virtually all titles that ADV acquired were with Sojitz's help. However, in January 2008, ADV mysteriously removed a large number of titles from their website.^[11] All the titles removed were titles acquired since the Sojitz collaboration including Gurren Lagann, which had test disks sent out with dubbed episodes. As of May 2008, Gurren Lagann was licensed by Bandai Entertainment. ADV Films made booth appearances at the Anime Central 2008 convention, but they canceled their planned panel.^[12] In July 2008, FUNimation Entertainment announced the acquisition of thirty of these titles.^[13]

Sentai Filmworks partnership

On October 20, 2008, it was revealed that ADV's new Japanese licensing partner is Sentai Filmworks. The highlight of the new partnership is that ADV will be licensing the television anime adaptation of the popular visual novel Clannad, also they acquired the rights to Koharu Biyori, Mahoromatic, Mahoromatic: Something More Beautiful (both were previously licensed by Geneon), Tsukihime (previously licensed by Geneon), Pet Shop of Horrors (previously licensed by Urban Vision), and Jewel BEM Hunter Lime (previously licensed by Media Blasters). ^[14]

Central Park Media acquisitions

Following the May 2009 bankruptcy and liquidation of Central Park Media, A.D.V. Films acquired the license to Grave of the Fireflies, the only Studio Ghibli film whose distribution is not controlled by the Walt Disney Company, and began releasing it on DVD on July 7, 2009. ^[15]. ADV Films also acquired the licenses to multiple other CPM titles as well.

Division and rebranding

On September 1, 2009, ADV announced that it was selling off its assets, including intellectual properties, its distribution arm and the Anime Network to five companies: Sentai Filmworks, Seraphim Studios, AEsir Holdings, LLC, Valkyrie Media Partners, LLC and SXION 23, LLC.^[16] The impact of this sale on the company's plans to license and release new titles, is still not fully unknown, but the ADV brand name and logo have been retired. Anime News Network has reported that Seraphim Studios, Valkyrie Media Partners and SXION 23 are all corporations registered by Griffin D. Vance IV, who was ADV's senior vice president of business and legal affairs.^[17]

The following companies have each an asset from A.D. Vision:

• Sentai Filmworks is the licensor company for acquiring Japanese anime into the North American market.
• Switchblade Pictures is the licensor company for acquiring Japanese live action films into the North American market.
• Seraphim Studios acquired Amusement Park Media, ADV's production studio, and was renamed Seraphim Digital Studios.
• AEsir Holdings have licensing rights to all former ADV Films titles. (Note: Some titles were relicensed to Sentai Filmworks.).
• Valkyrie Media Partners acquired The Anime Network, and the network will continue to operate their video on demand service.
• Section23 Films is the distributor and marketing company for Sentai Filmworks, Switchblade Pictures, and AEsir Holdings.

On September 18, 2009, anime review site iSugoi.com posted a full podcast devoted to the shutdown of ADV, analyzing that ADV hadn't really "shut down" and the new companies such as Section 23 were basically "ADV selling itself to itself": that it was not a "shut down" but "a drastic rebranding and restructuring". The report went on to say that "Section 23" is, for all intents and purposes, the direct successor-organization to the old "ADV" company name, and that ADV split its assets like The Anime Channel into the other three companies to take advantage of several legal loopholes. The podcast report concluded with the assertion that "Section 23", and the umbrella of three other associated companies ADV split into, could effectively be thought of as "Neo-ADV" (referencing how in Mobile Suit Gundam, when the Principality of Zeon was defeated their remnants reorganized into "Neo-Zeon").^[18]

On October 19, 2009, rival distribution company FUNimation Entertainment posted an "online Q&A video panel" hosted by events manager Adam Sheehan. When asked about "ADV going out of business", Sheehan's response was:

"ADV isn't 'out of business'. ADV did 'remaster' itself, as you might call it, and change itself into multiple different companies (Section 23, etc.), holding different parts of its brands, of its marketing, so they're still 'around'...the best way I would describe it is to think of it as Voltron, if it turned back into the five lions, so its not the one "Voltron" robot anymore, so the 'ADV' logo is no longer around, but the lions and all the properties are still around" ^[19]

Ken Hoinsky, Managing Founder of MX Media LLC, a translation and localization company contracting with most major anime distribution companies (FUNimation, Viz, Bandai) appeared on the October 29, 2009 Anime News Network podcast: in it he said that his company also contracts with "Section 23", but that he also collectively refers to the allied companies that ADV split into as "Neo-ADV". ^[20]

Divisions

ADV Films

For a list of titles licensed by ADV Films, browse the ADV Films category

ADV Films was the original core of the company. ADV Films was the home video publication arm of A.D. Vision based in Houston, Texas, specializing in publishing anime and tokusatsu videos, and other live-action material. In 1996, ADV Films opened its U.K. division, and diversified into the realm of live-action television series, such as Andromeda, and Japanese films.^{[citation needed]}

The first title to be licensed and released to video was Devil Hunter Yohko. They were the first North American anime licensor to use all-digital video mastering and transfer (specifically D2 digital video tape), and soon began acquiring an extensive library of titles. Initially, titles were released to video with the original Japanese language track and English subtitles added. A few years later, they began dubbing releases to English using their own voice actors. ADV started out using a nearby production studio as their recording facility, but after a few years they were able to open up their own production and recording facility in Houston, as well as a second studio in Austin, Texas. The studios were named Industrial Smoke & Mirrors (IS&M) and Monster Island, respectively. Monster Island closed down permanently in early 2005 and IS&M became known simply as ADV Studios. ^[21] In more recent years^[when?], ADV has also produced dubs of live action Japanese films, as well as doing some work with the video game industry.^{[citation needed]}

ADV Films offered a program called Anime ADVocates, which provided free screening material and other promotional content to nearly 3,000 anime clubs in North America.^[22] To qualify for the program, the club had to be sponsored by a local high school, college, university, or public library and have at least 10 members. Member clubs were also asked to participate in surveys about the content they received.^[23] However, in November 2007, ADV Films put the program on hiatus, then on January 18, 2008 ADV Films announced that the program was being suspended indefinitely due to amount of resources the program needed. They did, however, continue to offer anime clubs screening permission for their titles until their demise.^[22]

As of July 2008, ADV Films and ARM Corporation transferred the licenses to over 30 different shows into the hands of fellow anime distributor Funimation Entertainment. Those rights include the home video, broadcast, digital, and merchandising rights in North America and other regions.^[24] In 2009, ADV Films began acquiring licenses from the defunct Geneon Entertainment under its new licensing arm Sentai Filmworks.

Soft Cel Pictures

Soft Cel Pictures was the branch of the company which specialized in the release of hentai anime titles. This division was shut down in 2005 and most of its titles were acquired by Critical Mass, the hentai division of The Right Stuf International.^[21]

Anime Network

Anime Network is a cable channel in North America dedicated to anime. The network launched in North America in late 2002 and was marketed to multi-system operators (MSOs) as both a stand-alone 24-hour linear network and as a VOD programming service. The Anime Network is the United States' first all-anime cable TV network. On January 4, 2008, Anime Network officially announced that the traditional 24/7 service would cease operations. The network will still offer titles through VOD.

ADV Manga

ADV Manga was ADV's division for the licensing and distribution of English translations of Japanese manga. The division was launched in 2003, with a strong list of titles and an ambitious plan for growth within the U.S. manga market. However, ADV Manga canceled many of their titles in late 2004 and 2005. In late-2005, they began a more scaled-back release, concentrating on monthly released of a few titles, as well as releasing several acclaimed one-shots. In 2006, ADV Manga released the 6-volume Neon Genesis Evangelion: Angelic Days series and in 2007 the company resumed releasing several popular titles that had been on hiatus, including Yotsuba&! and Gunslinger Girl.^{[citation needed]}

At Anime Expo 2006, manga publisher Tokyopop announced that it had obtained the licenses for three titles formerly licensed by ADV that had been cancelled: Aria, Tactics, and Peacemaker Kurogane.^[25] Meanwhile, Yen Press has acquired the rights to Yotsuba&!^[26][27] and Azumanga Daioh.^[28]

ADV Music

ADV Music was the music publishing division which focuses on distributing anime and movie soundtracks. Launched in 2003 after ending their partnership with The Right Stuf International in AnimeTrax, their initial releases included the soundtracks for Super Atragon, Cat Girl Nuku Nuku and Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny.

ADV Pro

ADV Pro was the company's anime production studio. They have worked on such in house productions as Lady Death and Mutineers' Moon. John Ledford stated that ADV Pro had been "reactivated" and was currently working on Mutineers' Moon,^[29] however, with the current financial situation at ADV Films, this plan had been cancelled.

ADV Toys

ADV Toys was the merchandising and character licensing division.

Magazines

Newtype USA

Newtype USA was the US edition of Japan's Newtype magazine. A.D. Vision (ADV) has contacted their advertising partners to let them know that the February 2008 issue of Newtype USA was the last edition of the magazine.

PiQ

PiQ premiered in May 2008 as a replacement for Newtype USA.^[30][31] Published by PiQ, LLC, a now-defunct subsidiary,^[32] the magazine had a broader focus and expanded coverage of topics beyond anime and manga.^[33][34] PiQ retained much of the editorial staff and freelance writers that once worked on its predecessor, as well as the its 15,000 subscribers.^[33][34] In June 2008, after only four issues had been released, PiQ was canceled and the offices abruptly closed down. The July 2008 dated issue, which had already been released when the announcement was made, was the magazine's last issue.^[35][36]

References

External links

• A.D. Vision at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia