Pony Canyon
the 1st of October 1966 marked the founding of Nippon Broadcasting System Service, Inc. by Nippon Broadcasting System, Inc. This new division aimed to produce and market music from Japanese artists. The company changed its name to Pony Inc. in 1970 to align with existing brand names like PONYPak for 8-track cartridges and PONY for cassettes. Another label called Canyon Records Inc. was founded on the 1st of August 1970. It received financial backing at 60% from Pony Inc. and 40% from Nippon Broadcasting System. These two entities merged their operations on the 21st of October 1987 to form Pony Canyon Inc. The combined entity became a major leader in the Japanese music industry. Artists under this label regularly topped domestic charts throughout the decades.
Pony Canyon opened five subsidiaries outside Japan starting in 1990. A Hong Kong branch known as Golden Pony launched in 1991 through a merger with Golden Harvest. A Singaporean branch followed later, along with a South Korean branch named Sam Pony via partnership with Samhwa Video Production. Four of these five subsidiaries closed in 1997 due to the Asian financial crisis. Only the Malaysian subsidiary remained operational during that period. The Hong Kong and Korean operations were reestablished as wholly owned subsidiaries by 1998. In 2003, both the Hong Kong and Taiwan branches were acquired by Forward Music after being affected by the financial crisis. Pony Canyon reestablished its Taiwan branch again in 2018. Offices exist today in Taiwan and South Korea while headquarters remain in Tokyo.
In 1982, Pony ventured into interactive content by producing personal computer game software under the name Ponyca. Between 1986 and 1990, they produced remakes of the first four Ultima titles for MSX2 and NES platforms. These versions featured rewritten game code and all-new graphics compared to original releases. The company also brought Advanced Dungeons and Dragons series from Strategic Simulations to Nintendo's Family Computer. Their video game library was generally released in North America by FCI. No new games have been released since Virtual View: Nemoto Harumi for PlayStation 2 in July 2003. Earlier efforts included titles like Attack Animal Gakuen, Bubble Ghost, Dr. Chaos, and Hydlide among others.
September 2014 saw Pony Canyon open Ponycan USA, a North American anime distribution label. This initiative aimed to license titles for streaming and home video across US and Canada markets. Home video releases were distributed exclusively by Right Stuf Inc. Titles licensed under this banner included Clean Freak! Aoyama kun, Cute High Earth Defense Club Love!, Days, Denkigai no Honya-san, Etotama, Garakowa: Restore the World, Kuromukuro, Lance N' Masques, The Lost Village, Rokka: Braves of the Six Flowers, Sanrio Boys, Sound! Euphonium, Welcome to the Ballroom, and Yuki Yuna Is a Hero. These selections targeted North American audiences seeking Japanese animation content through legal channels established after decades of informal distribution methods.
Fuji Television Network, Inc. became the major shareholder
of Pony Canyon following a merger with Nippon Broadcasting System in 2006. Fuji Television made Pony Canyon its wholly owned subsidiary the next year. In 2008, Fuji Television was renamed Fuji Media Holdings. Despite these associations, not all TV show or movie library items aired on Fuji Television broadcasts. Some non-Fuji catalog entries include Doraemon movies. On the 20th of December 2025, TOBE joined forces with Pony Canyon to create RED ON label. This new venture takes meaning from Resonance, Expression, and Destiny while aiming to open artistic possibilities domestically and internationally. Hiromitsu Kitayama serves as the first artist under this joint arrangement. Headquarters remain located within Tokyo's Sumitomo Real Estate Toranomon
building until at least 2019 when operations shifted elsewhere.
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Common questions
When was Pony Canyon founded and what was its original name?
Pony Canyon traces its founding to the 1st of October 1966 when Nippon Broadcasting System Service, Inc. established a division for music production. The entity changed its name to Pony Inc. in 1970 before merging with Canyon Records Inc. on the 21st of October 1987 to form Pony Canyon Inc.
How did Pony Canyon expand internationally and which subsidiaries survived the Asian financial crisis?
Pony Canyon opened five subsidiaries outside Japan starting in 1990 including Golden Pony in Hong Kong and Sam Pony in South Korea. Four of these branches closed in 1997 due to the Asian financial crisis while only the Malaysian subsidiary remained operational during that period.
What video game software did Pony produce between 1986 and 1990?
Between 1986 and 1990, Pony produced remakes of the first four Ultima titles for MSX2 and NES platforms featuring rewritten code and new graphics. The company also brought Advanced Dungeons and Dragons series from Strategic Simulations to Nintendo's Family Computer under the name Ponyca.
When did Pony Canyon open Ponycan USA and what content does it distribute?
Pony Canyon opened Ponycan USA in September 2014 as a North American anime distribution label targeting US and Canada markets. Home video releases were distributed exclusively by Right Stuf Inc. and included titles such as Sound! Euphonium and Welcome to the Ballroom.
Who became the major shareholder of Pony Canyon after the 2006 merger with Nippon Broadcasting System?
Fuji Television Network, Inc. became the major shareholder of Pony Canyon following a merger with Nippon Broadcasting System in 2006. Fuji Television made Pony Canyon its wholly owned subsidiary the next year before renaming itself Fuji Media Holdings in 2008.