AnimeNation

AnimeNation
Private[1]
Genre Anime[1]
Founded 1995[2]
Founder Gene Field[1]
Defunct 2015 (2015)
Headquarters Tampa, Florida, United States[3]
Key people
 Gene Field
John Oppliger[1]
Divisions AN Entertainment[2]
RentAnime.com[4]
Website www.animenation.com

AnimeNation was an American business that included RentAnime.com, a discussion forum, anime industry news, and a column called "Ask John."[1][4][5] It was previously a retailer of anime and manga products until 2014 and an anime licensing and distribution company under the name AN Entertainment.[1][4][6]

AnimeNation

AnimeNation was founded in 1995 by Gene Field in Clearwater, Florida.[1][2] After the companies initial success, they opened a retail location.[1] They considered licensing shows in 1998 including Berserk and Cyber Team in Akihabara, but did not move forward until the company's stability improved.[5][7] In 1999, the company built a 15,000 square foot facility in the Lynmar Commerce Park, Tampa, Florida.[1][8][9] As of 2004, AnimeNation was one of the top two online anime specialty retailers in the United States.[1] The site also features a regular column, "Ask John", where AN employee John Oppliger answers reader questions about anime. As of 2005, John wrote over 1,070 articles.[5] The AnimeNation online store closed in 2014.[4][6]

AN Entertainment

In 2002, AnimeNation entered the anime market due to increased licensing and retail competition.[2][10] The name AN Entertainment comes from AnimeNation (AN), and Entertainment was chosen to possibly allow other shows (including live action) to be licensed.[2] They chose to finish one title before licensing another in order to produce the highest quality product.[11] Small staffing numbers also influenced the decision.[7]

The first title the company licensed was Risky Safety with Bang Zoom! Entertainment producing the dub and ADV Films distributing the release.[8][12][13][14] AN Entertainment used a script created by Fansub group Sachigumi with modifications for its Risky Safety release and also acquired the TV broadcast rights.[2][8][15] AN Entertainment acquired Miami Guns, but not TV broadcast rights, and the dub was produced by Phoenix Post Sound (Coastal Studios).[11][16][17] Haré+Guu was licensed by AN Entertainment (including TV broadcast rights), and co-produced with Bang Zoom! Entertainment.[10][11][18] Bang Zoom! produced the dub and Funimation distributed Haré+Guu.[10][19][20] They also licensed Haré+Guu Deluxe, but did not license Haré+Guu FINAL.[7][21] The original ending for the Haré+Guu TV show could not be used due to a licensing problem involving Bandai.[7][19] Haré+Guu was the first show aired on the Funimation Channel that was not a property of Funimation.[22] AN Entertainment's license for Risky Safety expired in Fall 2007.[23]

RentAnime.com website logo

RentAnime.com

AnimeNation also ran RentAnime.com, a DVD-by-mail service similar to Netflix, that specialized in anime.[1][3][24] The service suffered from mailing issues with the Tampa United States Postal Service, but they were later resolved.[3] RentAnime.com continued to operate despite the closure of AnimeNation's online store, until it closed at the end of 2015.[4][25]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Solochek, Jeffrey S. (November 5, 2004). "Right hobby, right time". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Alexander, Isaac (January 31, 2003). "AN Entertainment". Anime News Network. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 Borland, John (June 8, 2005). "DVD upstarts carve out niche businesses". CNET. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "AnimeNation Retailer Closes Shop After 20 Years". Anime News Network. September 13, 2014. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
  5. 1 2 3 Dong, Bamboo (April 17, 2005). "John Oppliger". Anime News Network. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  6. 1 2 Beveridge, Chris (September 15, 2014). "AnimeNation Closes Shop". The Fandom Post. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Macdonald, Christopher (August 5, 2006). "Otakon 2006 An Entertainment". Anime News Network. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  8. 1 2 3 "AnimeNation Announces Its First DVD Release". ICv2. February 2, 2003. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  9. ↑ Ripley, Jackie (October 8, 1999). "5 new tenants move to industrial center". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  10. 1 2 3 "AN Entertainment Schedules First Haré+Guu DVD Release". Anime News Network. October 6, 2005. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  11. 1 2 3 Koulikov, Mikhail; Macdonald, Christopher (August 12, 2004). "Otakon 2004 AN Entertainment". Anime News Network. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  12. ↑ "Risky Safety Release Announced". Anime News Network. March 28, 2003. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  13. ↑ "ADV to Distribute Risky Safety". Anime News Network. May 1, 2003. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  14. ↑ Arnold, Adam. "Omishi Magical Theater: Risky Safety Vol.1". Anime Fringe.
  15. ↑ Phillips, George (September 1, 2003). "Otakon - 2003 AN Entertainment". Anime News Network. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  16. ↑ "Miami Guns Official Press Release". Anime News Network. July 11, 2003. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  17. ↑ Mathews, Ryan (September 2, 2004). "The Dub Track Miami Guns". Anime News Network. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  18. ↑ "AN Entertainment Licenses Guu". Anime News Network. July 3, 2004. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  19. 1 2 Dong, Bamboo (August 20, 2005). "Otakon 2005 AN Entertainment". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
  20. ↑ Martin, Theron (February 27, 2006). "Haré+Guu DVD 1". Anime News Network. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  21. ↑ "Jungle Guu Update". Anime News Network. July 3, 2004. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
  22. ↑ "Haré+Guu on Funimation Channel". Anime News Network. September 20, 2006. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  23. ↑ "AN Entertainment Says Good-Bye to Risky Safety". Anime News Network. May 19, 2007. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  24. ↑ "RentAnime.com". Anime News Network. July 15, 2004. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  25. ↑ "RentAnime.com closing". Facebook RentAnime.com.

External links

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