Who founded A.D. Vision and when did they open their first office?

A.D. Vision was founded by John Ledford, Matt Greenfield, and David Williams, who opened their first office in Houston, Texas, in 1992.

What was the first title released by A.D. Vision and when did it launch?

Devil Hunter Yohko became the first title released by A.D. Vision in December 1992 after the founders secured a license from Toho.

When did A.D. Vision officially announce its closure and cease operations?

A.D. Vision announced its closure on the 1st of September 2009 and was forced to cease all operations and sell its assets by 2009.

Which companies acquired the assets of A.D. Vision after its collapse?

The assets of A.D. Vision were transferred to four new companies registered by Griffin D. Vance IV: Seraphim Studios, AEsir Holdings LLC, Valkyrie Media Partners LLC, and SXION 23 LLC.

A.D. Vision: the story on HearLore

Q: Which successor company became the primary licensor for A.D. Vision's anime library?

Sentai Filmworks became the primary licensor for acquiring Japanese anime into the North American market following the restructuring of A.D. Vision.

In 1992, three men with no prior experience in the entertainment industry opened a small office in Houston, Texas, and unknowingly ignited a revolution in how America consumed Japanese animation. John Ledford, a video game enthusiast from Houston, Matt Greenfield, who ran a local anime club called Anime NASA, and David Williams joined forces to create A.D. Vision. Their first major gamble involved contacting Toho, a massive Japanese film studio, to license Devil Hunter Yohko. Shozo Watanabe, the general manager of Toho's Los Angeles office, was skeptical of their ability to handle such a distribution, yet he convinced them to take the risk. That December, Devil Hunter Yohko became the first title released by A.D. Vision, marking the beginning of a company that would eventually dominate the North American anime market. The early days were defined by a grassroots approach, with the founders relying on their personal networks and a deep passion for the medium to build a business from the ground up. They started by importing video games and consoles, but the allure of anime, sparked by a screening of My Neighbor Totoro, shifted their focus entirely. This pivot would set the stage for a company that would become synonymous with the anime boom of the 1990s and 2000s.

By the mid-1990s, A.D. Vision had evolved from a small import business into a multimedia powerhouse, establishing a reputation for bringing some of the most iconic anime series to American audiences. They released titles such as Neon Genesis Evangelion, Super Dimension Fortress Macross, and RahXephon, which became cultural touchstones for a generation of fans. The company's strategy involved not just distributing home videos but also creating original productions and running a dedicated television channel, Anime Network, which launched in late 2002 as the first all-anime cable TV network in the United States. Their Houston-based studio, Amusement Park Media, began dubbing releases into English, allowing them to offer a more accessible product to a wider audience. This period was characterized by aggressive expansion, with A.D. Vision opening offices in Europe and Asia, and distributing their home media releases in the United Kingdom, Italy, and Germany. The company also ventured into publishing, launching Newtype USA and later PiQ, magazines that provided in-depth coverage of anime and manga culture. However, beneath the surface of this success, financial pressures were mounting, and the company's reliance on a narrow range of titles began to show cracks.

In 2006, A.D. Vision made a strategic move to secure its future by acquiring a 20% stake from the Japanese Sojitz Corporation, a deal that was intended to inject capital and expand their library of titles. The investment was meant to help the company recover from a drop in output in 2006 and to assist Sojitz with acquiring North American and European content for importation into Japan. However, the partnership quickly soured, and by 2008, A.D. Vision had removed a large number of titles from their website, including Gurren Lagann, which had test disks sent out with dubbed episodes. The relationship with Sojitz became strained, and in 2008, A.D. Vision sued ARM Corporation, a subsidiary of Sojitz, for breach of contract, though the lawsuit was eventually withdrawn. The company's fortunes continued to decline, and by 2009, they were forced to cease all operations and sell their assets. The collapse was not just a business failure but a significant moment in the history of anime distribution, as it marked the end of an era for one of the most influential companies in the industry. The reasons for the decline were multifaceted, including low sales, poor management decisions, and the increasing competition from other distributors like Funimation and Bandai Entertainment.

When A.D. Vision announced its closure on the 1st of September 2009, it seemed like the end of the road for the company. However, the story did not end there. The assets of A.D. Vision were transferred to four new companies: Seraphim Studios, AEsir Holdings LLC, Valkyrie Media Partners LLC, and SXION 23 LLC. These companies were all registered by Griffin D. Vance IV, who had been ADV's senior vice president of business and legal affairs. The move was seen by many as a way to take advantage of legal loopholes and to rebrand the company under a new name. The anime review site iSugoi.com published a podcast that analyzed the shutdown, suggesting that A.D. Vision had not truly shut down but had instead undergone a drastic rebranding and restructuring. The report concluded that the new companies, collectively referred to as Neo-ADV, were the direct successor-organization to the old A.D. Vision company name. This reorganization allowed the company to continue distributing anime and manga, with Sentai Filmworks becoming the primary licensor for acquiring Japanese anime into the North American market. The legacy of A.D. Vision lived on, even as the original company name was retired.

Throughout its existence, A.D. Vision was involved in numerous legal disputes that highlighted the complexities of the anime distribution industry. In 2008, the company sued ARM Corporation and its parent Sojitz for a breach of contract, though the lawsuit was withdrawn and no ruling was made. In August 2011, A.D. Vision sued Gainax over their refusal to accept an option payment for the perpetual live-action rights to Neon Genesis Evangelion, including the planned live-action film. The company charged that by refusing to accept payment, Gainax broke the contract and was asking for the rights and legal fees. In 2012, Funimation sued A.D. Vision, Sentai Filmworks, John Ledford, and several other associated organizations and individuals for breach of contract, accusing them of breaching a contract. They wanted to get their transfer of assets done three years earlier declared void. The suit was settled out of court, and the exact terms were not disclosed. These legal battles underscored the high stakes involved in the anime distribution industry and the challenges faced by companies like A.D. Vision in navigating the complex landscape of intellectual property rights and international partnerships. The disputes also highlighted the importance of clear contracts and the need for companies to be prepared for the possibility of legal challenges.

Despite its eventual collapse, A.D. Vision left an indelible mark on the anime industry in the United States. The company was responsible for introducing many iconic titles to American audiences, including Neon Genesis Evangelion, Super Dimension Fortress Macross, and RahXephon. Their efforts to dub and distribute these titles helped to build a dedicated fanbase and paved the way for the anime boom of the 2000s. The company's divisions, such as Anime Network, ADV Manga, and ADV Music, played a crucial role in expanding the reach of anime and manga culture in the United States. Even after the company's closure, its legacy continued through the successor companies, including Sentai Filmworks and Section23 Films, which have continued to distribute and license anime and manga. The story of A.D. Vision is a testament to the passion and dedication of the people who built the company, as well as the challenges and risks involved in the anime distribution industry. The company's rise and fall serve as a cautionary tale for future companies, highlighting the importance of strategic planning, financial management, and the need to adapt to a rapidly changing market.

A.D. Vision

The Golden Age of Distribution

The Sojitz Investment and Decline

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The Rebirth of Neo-ADV

The Legal Battles and Industry Impact

The Legacy of A.D. Vision