Sentai Filmworks
John Ledford started a Japanese video game and video console import business in 1990. He was a native of Houston who watched My Neighbor Totoro at his friend's suggestion. That friend, Matt Greenfield, ran a local anime club called Anime NASA. Both men established A.D. Vision on the 17th of August 1992. Devil Hunter Yohko became ADV's first release after Ledford contacted Toho about optioning for the rights to license the series.
In June 2006, the Japanese Sojitz Corporation acquired a 20% stake in ADV Films. This partnership allowed ADV to acquire more titles in the Japanese market with Sojitz's help. By January 2008, ADV mysteriously removed a large number of titles from their website including Gurren Lagann. The company sued ARM Corporation and its parent Sojitz for breach of contract before withdrawing the suit that July. Funimation announced the acquisition of thirty of these titles licensed by Sojitz from ADV shortly after. Ledford founded Sentai Filmworks in 2008 and acquired the majority of ADV's titles. On the 1st of September 2009, ADV went defunct and sold off its assets which included transferring distribution rights to Section23 Films.
Sentai launched its own streaming service HIDIVE in June 2017. In March 2017, the company signed a deal with Amazon to stream the majority of its new licensees exclusively on its Anime Strike channel on Amazon Prime Video in the United States. That service started with the Spring 2017 season but shut down in early 2018. All titles previously exclusive to the service became available to Amazon Prime subscribers in the U.S. at no extra charge. On the 1st of June 2015, Akame ga Kill! was picked up by Adult Swim for broadcast on its Toonami programming block. The show began airing on the 8th of August 2015 and its premiere night drew over 1.8 million viewers making it one of the most watched programs in the block's history.
On the 4th of July 2013, Sentai Filmworks announced plans to release classic titles from Tatsunoko Production during an industry panel at Anime Expo. The partnership includes the original Gatchaman series and movie plus Time Bokan: Royal Revival and Casshan. Sunrise announced a licensing deal with Sentai Filmworks that included many titles formerly licensed by Bandai Entertainment during its Otakon panel on the 8th of August 2013. In 2011, MVM Entertainment licensed Mahoromatic: Something More Beautiful after Sentai's re-release of the series. Sentai held distribution rights to No Game No Life: Zero which they gave to Mexican distributor Madness Entertainment in March 2018. They directly commissioned a Spanish dubbed version for that film before announcing acquisition of Alice or Alice to Spain and Portugal on March 15.
On the 5th of January 2022, AMC Networks acquired Sentai Filmworks and its parent company Sentai Holdings LLC including the Hidive streaming service and the Anime Network. Prior to the sale, Sony's Funimation Global Group acquired Ellation from AT&T's WarnerMedia in August 2021. That entity later merged with Discovery Inc. to form Warner Bros. Discovery. On the 7th of March 2023, Sentai announced that distribution of all future home releases from them along with Section23 Films would be managed by Distribution Solutions. This unit belongs to wholesaler Alliance Entertainment and began operations on April 3. The company maintains offices in the International District in Southwest Houston at 10114 W. Sam Houston Parkway South Suite 100.
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Common questions
Who founded Sentai Filmworks and when was it established?
John Ledford founded Sentai Filmworks in 2008 after the dissolution of A.D. Vision. He previously started a Japanese video game import business in 1990 and co-founded A.D. Vision on the 17th of August 1992.
What happened to ADV Films and when did it officially close?
ADV Films went defunct on the 1st of September 2009 and sold off its assets including distribution rights to Section23 Films. The company had removed many titles from its website by January 2008 before withdrawing a lawsuit against ARM Corporation that July.
When did Sentai Filmworks launch its own streaming service HIDIVE?
Sentai launched its own streaming service HIDIVE in June 2017. Prior to this, the company signed a deal with Amazon in March 2017 to stream new licensees exclusively on Anime Strike which shut down in early 2018.
Which organization acquired Sentai Filmworks and when did the acquisition occur?
AMC Networks acquired Sentai Filmworks and its parent company Sentai Holdings LLC on the 5th of January 2022. This entity includes the Hidive streaming service and the Anime Network following a series of mergers involving WarnerMedia and Discovery Inc.
Where are the offices for Sentai Filmworks located?
The company maintains offices in the International District in Southwest Houston at 10114 W. Sam Houston Parkway South Suite 100. Distribution Solutions manages all future home releases starting operations on April 3 under Alliance Entertainment.