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Sentai Filmworks

From Alfawiki
Sentai Filmworks, LLC
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryEntertainment
Founded2008; 18 years ago (2008)
FounderJohn Ledford
Headquarters
Houston
,
United States
Area served
United States
Key people
John Ledford (founder)
ProductsDubbing and distribution of Japanese animation and Asian cinema
ParentAMC Networks

Sentai Filmworks, LLC (commonly known as Sentai) is a Houston-based American entertainment firm that focuses on the dubbing and distribution of Japanese animation and Asian cinema. It stands as one of the five entities that emerged following the dissolution of ADV Films, alongside Section23, Switchblade Pictures, Maiden Japan, and AEsir Holdings. The company also manages its own post-production facility, Sentai Studios.

Established in 2008 by John Ledford, Sentai acquired most of ADV’s catalog after ADV—originally founded in 1992 by Ledford and Matt Greenfield—folded due to poor sales and asset liquidation in 2009. In January 2022, Sentai became a subsidiary of AMC Networks following its acquisition. The corporate headquarters are situated within Houston’s International District.

Despite what the name might imply, Sentai Filmworks is not involved with the international distribution rights for the Super Sentai franchise.

Early Beginnings

Houston native John Ledford began his career in 1990 by importing Japanese video games and consoles. After discovering anime through My Neighbor Totoro, Ledford joined forces with Matt Greenfield, who managed the Sacramento-based anime club Anime NASA. Together, they launched A.D. Vision on August 17, 1992.

ADV’s initial release was Devil Hunter Yohko, licensed after Ledford reached out to Toho.

Creation of Sentai

In June 2006, the Japanese conglomerate Sojitz Corporation purchased a 20% ownership stake in ADV Films to assist in securing additional Japanese titles. Following this, Sojitz collaborated with Japan Content Investments (JCI), Development Bank of Japan, and KlockWorx to make equity investments aimed at expanding ADV’s licensing capabilities and revitalizing its declining title output in 2006. ADV intended to support Sojitz in acquiring North American and European content for the Japanese market while also growing its manga portfolio.

By January 2008, ADV had removed multiple titles from its website, including Gurren Lagann. This action resulted in a lawsuit against ARM Corporation and Sojitz over alleged contract breaches related to licensing agreements; however, the case was eventually dismissed without judgment. In July of that year, Funimation obtained thirty titles previously licensed by Sojitz from ADV.

Following these developments, Ledford founded Sentai Filmworks in 2008, releasing series such as Clannad, Princess Resurrection, Indian Summer, Appleseed, and Mahoromatic (which had formerly been licensed by Geneon). On September 1, 2009, ADV ceased all operations and transferred assets—including distribution rights—to Section23 Films.

During its Anime Expo panel in July 2013, Sentai Filmworks announced it had secured licenses for classic works from Tatsunoko Production, including the original Gatchaman series and film, as well as Time Bokan: Royal Revival and Casshan.

On August 8, 2013, at Otakon, Sunrise disclosed a licensing agreement with Sentai Filmworks covering former Bandai Entertainment properties like Sacred Seven, Big O, and Kurokami.

Later developments

In 2014, Sentai established its own localization and recording studio, named Sentai Studios.

On June 1, 2015, Sentai revealed that Akame ga Kill! had been acquired by Adult Swim for airing on its Toonami programming block, shortly after the announcement at MomoCon 2015. The series debuted on August 8, 2015, quickly becoming one of Toonami's top-rated shows with an audience exceeding 1.8 million viewers. Subsequently, Parasyte -the maxim- premiered on October 3 of the same year. Sentai branded the broadcast of these series on social media as the "#SentaiHour." On July 6, 2019, Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma also began its run on Toonami.

In March 2017, Sentai entered into an agreement with Amazon to offer most newly licensed titles exclusively through its Anime Strike channel on Amazon Prime Video within the United States, starting with the Spring 2017 lineup. Following the shutdown of Anime Strike in early 2018, these titles became accessible to Amazon Prime members without additional fees.

Sentai launched its proprietary streaming platform, HIDIVE, in June 2017.

After the Kyoto Animation arson attack in July 2019, Sentai Filmworks initiated a GoFundMe campaign on July 18, which raised over $1 million within the first day and ultimately collected $2.37 million by the campaign’s conclusion.

On August 1, 2019, Sentai Holdings announced receipt of a $30 million investment from the Cool Japan Fund, emphasizing Sentai’s unique position as an independent anime licensor in North America. Later, on September 30, 2020, the Cool Japan Fund contributed an additional $3.6 million, citing improved financial performance in 2019 and outlining medium- to long-term growth strategies following adjustments due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On September 5, 2020, Sentai Filmworks partnered with Crunchyroll to handle home video and electronic sell-through distribution of Crunchyroll-licensed content. Initial releases under this collaboration included Granbelm, Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma: The Fourth Plate, Ascendance of a Bookworm, and World Trigger.

Acquisition by AMC

On January 5, 2022, AMC Networks completed the acquisition of Sentai Filmworks along with its parent company Sentai Holdings, LLC. This acquisition encompassed the Hidive streaming service and the Anime Network. Prior to this event, in August 2021, Sony's Funimation Global Group, a joint venture between Sony Pictures Entertainment and Aniplex (Sony Music Entertainment Japan), acquired Ellation—the parent company of Crunchyroll—from AT&T's WarnerMedia (later merged into Warner Bros. Discovery). In March 2022, Funimation was rebranded as Crunchyroll, LLC, which led to several Sentai titles being removed from Crunchyroll’s streaming catalog by March 31 that year.

Following Sony's acquisition of Right Stuf in August 2022, Sentai announced on March 7, 2023, that future physical releases from both Sentai and Section23 Films would be distributed through Distribution Solutions (DS), the distribution division of wholesaler Alliance Entertainment. This change took effect starting April 3.

Additionally, on March 2, 2023, Sentai declared a new partnership and distribution agreement with Mainichi Broadcasting System.

International distribution

Sentai Filmworks does not handle direct distribution of its titles outside the United States; instead, it grants sublicenses to other firms. For example, in 2011, MVM Entertainment obtained licenses for Mahoromatic: Something More Beautiful and subsequently for Broken Blade following Sentai's re-release of these works.

In March 2018, Sentai licensed the movie No Game No Life: Zero to Madness Entertainment, a distributor based in Mexico, which produced a Spanish-language dub. During the same month, Sentai secured the rights for Alice or Alice covering the territories of Spain and Portugal.

Noteworthy Titles

See also

External links

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