Central Park Media
John O'Donnell established Central Park Media in 1990 as an anime supplier. The company took root at 250 West 57th Street, a building that shares its name with the famous park nearby. They started operations in just 3,400 square feet of office space. By 1996, they had expanded to 7,000 square feet and eventually reached 10,000 square feet by January 2000. Their early strategy involved licensing popular titles like Slayers and Revolutionary Girl Utena for North American audiences. A curious decision to incorporate MD Geist into their logo turned the corporate spokes mecha into one of their bestselling products. Fans began asking about the character, prompting creator Koichi Ohata to write a sequel in 1996.
Central Park Media operated multiple divisions beyond standard anime distribution. Asia Pulp Cinema launched in 1999 to handle East Asian live-action films featuring actress Kei Mizutani. Software Sculptors specialized in screen savers and CD-ROM releases starting in 1993. This division produced software for Ranma ½ and Bubblegum Crisis before being absorbed by CPM. Bear Bear Press emerged in 1996 as an adult publishing arm under CPM Press. It released only two titles: La Blue Girl and Demon Beast Invasion before folding that same year. The company also ran UFOCity.com, a website dedicated to alien sightings and conspiracy theories until its shutdown in 2004. These varied operations reflected a broad attempt to capture different market segments simultaneously.
On the 26th of May 2006, Central Park Media laid off many employees amid rumors of impending bankruptcy. A representative at Anime Boston confirmed creditor problems following Musicland group's January 2007 bankruptcy. Managing director issued statements acknowledging the layoffs while citing financial difficulties. In March 2007, Japanese publisher Libre accused CPM's Be Beautiful division of illegally translating their properties. The situation worsened when CPM filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy on the 27th of April 2009 with debts exceeding US$1.2 million. Despite having not released anything on home video for over a year, they continued licensing anime titles for television distribution. Their website went offline permanently after closure, though the domain later transferred to Atelier VGI, a New York art dealer.
After Central Park Media ceased operations, many former licenses passed to other companies. ADV Films, Bandai Entertainment, Funimation, Sentai Filmworks, Discotek Media, Nozomi Entertainment, and Media Blasters acquired rights to re-release titles from 2004 onward. Some productions like Here Is Greenwood and Area 88 were redubbed by new owners. Grave of the Firelights was re-released in 2012 following its transfer to Sentai Filmworks. Revolutionary Girl Utena: The Movie aired on Funimation Channel before rights shifted again. Digital downloads moved through platforms like Direct2Drive and iTunes during CPM's final years. Even after liquidation, some titles remained available through streaming services despite the original company's collapse. The centralparkmedia.com domain eventually found new life under an art dealer rather than entertainment
purposes.
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Common questions
When did John O'Donnell establish Central Park Media?
John O'Donnell established Central Park Media in 1990 as an anime supplier. The company took root at 250 West 57th Street, a building that shares its name with the famous park nearby.
What happened to Central Park Media on the 26th of May 2006?
On the 26th of May 2006, Central Park Media laid off many employees amid rumors of impending bankruptcy. A representative at Anime Boston confirmed creditor problems following Musicland group's January 2007 bankruptcy.
Which division of Central Park Media handled East Asian live-action films starting in 1999?
Asia Pulp Cinema launched in 1999 to handle East Asian live-action films featuring actress Kei Mizutani. This division operated alongside Software Sculptors which specialized in screen savers and CD-ROM releases starting in 1993.
When did Central Park Media file Chapter 7 bankruptcy?
CPM filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy on the 27th of April 2009 with debts exceeding US$1.2 million. The company had not released anything on home video for over a year prior to this legal action.
Who acquired rights to re-release titles from Central Park Media after 2004?
ADV Films, Bandai Entertainment, Funimation, Sentai Filmworks, Discotek Media, Nozomi Entertainment, and Media Blasters acquired rights to re-release titles from 2004 onward. Grave of the Firelights was re-released in 2012 following its transfer to Sentai Filmworks.