| Geneon Universal Entertainment Japan, LLC. (, Jeneon | | | | Entertainment and Geneon Entertainment Sign |
| Yunibaasaru Entateinmento Kabushiki-gaisha?) | | | | Exclusive Distribution Agreement for North America". |
| (formerly known as Pioneer Entertainment, or Pioneer | | | | Press release. Retrieved November 13, 2008. |
| LDC - Pioneer LaserDisc Company, a former | | | | ^ "Geneon to Merge with Universal Pictures Japan". |
| subsidiary of Pioneer Corporation) is a Japanese | | | | Anime News Network. November 12, 2008. Retrieved |
| anime and home entertainment production and | | | | November 13, 2008. |
| distribution enterprise headquartered in Akasaka, | | | | ^ "Geneon Universal Entertainment Japan Official |
| Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Geneon has been involved in the | | | | Website" (in Japanese). Retrieved February 22, 2009. |
| production and distribution of several anime in Japan. | | | | ^ "Akimbo Adds Geneon to Its Acclaimed Anime on |
| Geneon's North American branch specialized in | | | | Demand Collection". Anime News Network. June 13th |
| translating and distributing anime and related | | | | 2007. Retrieved May 18, 2009. |
| merchandise, such as soundtracks across the region. | | | | External links |
| Geneon is a portmanteau of the English words, | | | | Geneon Universal (Japanese) |
| generate and eon. On February 1, 2009, Geneon | | | | Funimation's official Geneon page |
| merged with Universal Pictures Japan into Geneon | | | | Geneon Entertainment, Inc. at Anime News Network's |
| Universal Entertainment. | | | | Encyclopedia |
| Contents | | | | Geneon Entertainment (USA) at Anime News |
| 1 History | | | | Network's Encyclopediav d e |
| 2 Reception | | | | NBC Universal, Inc. (a joint venture of General Electric |
| 3 References | | | | 80% and Vivendi 20%) |
| 4 External links | | | | Universal Studios |
| // | | | | Focus Features Islands of Adventure United |
| History | | | | International Pictures[nu 1] Illumination Entertainment |
| Geneon Universal was originally formed under the | | | | Universal Animation Studios Universal Studios Home |
| name Pioneer LDC in 1981. In July 2003, the company | | | | Entertainment Universal Playback Geneon |
| was acquired by Japanese advertising and marketing | | | | Universal (80.1%)[nu 2] Universal Orlando Resort |
| company firm Dentsu and renamed to Geneon | | | | Universal Pictures Universal Studios Hollywood |
| Entertainment, while its North American division, Pioneer | | | | Theme Park Universal Studios Florida Theme Park |
| Entertainment, was renamed to Geneon USA. | | | | Universal Studios Japan Universal Studios |
| In November 2004, Geneon USA signed a deal with | | | | Singapore Universal Studios Theme Parks |
| Toei Animation to distribute some of their titles into the | | | | Universal CityWalk |
| North American market. Launching titles included Air | | | | Broadcast TV assets |
| Master, Interlude, and Slam Dunk. However, in late | | | | NBC Telemundo NBC News NBC Sports |
| 2006, the deal ended and all of the released titles went | | | | Universal Sports (50%)[nu 3] |
| out of print. | | | | NBC Universal Cable |
| In March 2007, Geneon became the exclusive North | | | | A&E Television Networks (25%) Bravo |
| American distributor for Bandai Visual USA. Four | | | | Chiller CNBC MSNBC[nu 4] Mun2 Oxygen |
| months later, it was announced that ADV Films would | | | | Syfy ShopNBC (30%) Sleuth Telemundo Puerto |
| take over the distribution, marketing, and sales of | | | | Rico The Weather Channel[nu 5] Universal HD |
| Geneon USA's properties in the United States, starting | | | | USA Network Universal Sports (50%) |
| October 1, 2007. According to the announcement, | | | | Weatherscan[nu 5] |
| Geneon USA would continue to acquire, license, and | | | | CNBC global channels |
| produce English subs and dubs of anime for release in | | | | CNBC (US) CNBC World CNBC Latin America |
| North America. However, the deal was canceled in | | | | CNBC Europe CNBC Asia CNBC Africa |
| September before it was ever implemented, with | | | | CNBC Europe branches |
| neither company giving details as to why beyond | | | | Class CNBC (20%) CNBC-e CNBC Arabiya |
| stating they were "unable to reach a mutual | | | | (according to CNBC Europe) CNBC Nordic CNBC |
| agreement." On December 3, the Geneon USA division | | | | Africa TVN CNBC Biznes |
| was completely shut down, with titles solicited through | | | | CNBC Asia branches |
| November 5 shipped. Titles that were in mid-release or | | | | Nikkei CNBC CNBC-TV18 CNBC Awaaz CNBC |
| licensed but unreleased were left in limbo. The Bandai | | | | Pakistan CNBC Australia CNBC Hong Kong |
| Visual USA titles that were being distributed by | | | | CNBC Singapore SBS-CNBC |
| Geneon were not affected by this closure, though | | | | NBC Universalglobal networks |
| some were delayed while Bandai Visual found a new | | | | Sci Fi Channel 13th Street Universal Channel |
| distributor. | | | | Hallmark Channel Movies 24 KidsCo[nu 6] Diva |
| Another North American anime distributor, Funimation | | | | TV Steel[nu 7] Das Vierte Studio Universal |
| Entertainment, began negotiating with Geneon USA to | | | | Sci Fi global channels |
| acquire some of the company's licensed titles. In July | | | | US UK Germany France Australia Spain |
| 2008, a formal arrangement was announced and | | | | Benelux Philippines Poland Portugal Romania |
| Funimation acquired the rights to "manufacture, sell, and | | | | Russia Latin America Asia |
| distribute" various Geneon anime and live-action titles. | | | | NBC Universal |
| On November 12, 2008, Dentsu announced that it was | | | | Television Group |
| selling 80.1% of its ownership in the company to NBC | | | | NBC Studios NBC Universal Television Distribution |
| Universal's Universal Pictures International | | | | Telemundo Television Studios RTI Production |
| Entertainment (UPI), which plans to merge the | | | | Telemundo of Puerto Rico Studios Universal Media |
| company with its Universal Pictures Japan division to | | | | Studios |
| form a new company. The merger closed on | | | | NBC O&Os |
| February 1, 2009. The new company is named | | | | KNBC KNSD[nu 8] KNTV KXAS[nu 8] |
| Geneon Universal Entertainment Japan. | | | | WCAU WMAQ WNBC (New York Nonstop) |
| Reception | | | | WRC WTVJ WVIT |
| In 2006, Geneon was named "Best Anime Company" | | | | Telemundo O&Os |
| by the Society for the Promotion of Japanese | | | | KBLR KEJT-LP KHRR KDEN KNSO[nu 9] |
| Animation. | | | | KTAZ KTMD KVDA[nu 9] KSTS KVEA |
| References | | | | KXTX WKAQ WNEU[nu 9] WNJU WSCV |
| ^ "Dentsu acquires Pioneer". Anime News Network. | | | | WSNS |
| July 21, 2003. Retrieved September 16, 2007. | | | | ShopNBC O&Os |
| ^ "Geneon Entertainment Signs Distribution Agreement | | | | WWDP |
| With Toei Animation". Anime News Network. | | | | Spanish independent |
| November 11, 2004. Retrieved December 24, 2009. | | | | TV stations |
| ^ "Toei DVDs Cancelled". Anime News Network. | | | | KWHY |
| September 18, 2006. Retrieved December 24, 2009. | | | | Internet ventures:msnbc.com[nu 4] iVillage Television |
| ^ "Bandai Visual USA New Licenses And Distribution | | | | Without Pity OUTzoneTV.com getTRIO.com |
| Deal". Anime News Network. March 5, 2007. Retrieved | | | | BrilliantButCancelled.com calamitygame.com Hulu[nu |
| December 24, 2009. | | | | 10] |
| ^ "ADV Takes Over Geneon's Sales, Marketing, | | | | Other assets:qubo[nu 11] EMKA, Ltd. WSI |
| Distribution". Anime News Network. August 24, 2007. | | | | Corporation[nu 5] International Olympic Committee |
| Retrieved September 16, 2007. | | | | (79%) |
| ^ "ADV Films, Geneon USA's Distribution Deal | | | | Defunct properties: |
| Cancelled". Anime News Network. September 20, | | | | NBC Weather Plus (2004-2008) Trio (1997-2005) |
| 2007. Retrieved September 20, 2007. | | | | ^ 50%, with Viacom's Paramount Pictures. |
| ^ Dentsu (September 21, 2007). "Geneon USA | | | | ^ Co-owned with Dentsu. |
| Withdraws Appointment of Anime DVD Distribution | | | | ^ Combined operation with InterMedia Partners. |
| Business to A.D. Vision" (PDF). Press release. | | | | ^ a b Co-owned with Microsoft in a joint venture (82% |
| Retrieved September 21, 2007. | | | | owned by NBC, 18% owned by Microsoft). |
| ^ "Geneon USA to Cancel DVD Sales, Distribution by | | | | ^ a b c Co-owned with Blackstone Group and Bain |
| Friday". Anime News Network. September 26, 2007. | | | | Capital. |
| Retrieved November 13, 2008. | | | | ^ Co-owned with Corus Entertainment and Cookie Jar |
| ^ Bandai Visual (September 26, 2007). "Bandai Visual | | | | Group. |
| USA Continues to Release New Titles as Scheduled" | | | | ^ Co-owned with Mediaset. |
| (PDF). Press release. Retrieved May 2, 2008. | | | | ^ a b The stations are co-owned with LIN TV in a joint |
| ^ "Navarre/FUNimation Interested in Some Geneon | | | | venture (76% owned by NBC, 24% owned by LIN). |
| Titles". ICv2. February 2, 2008. Retrieved February 2, | | | | ^ a b c The stations are owned by NBC Universal, but |
| 2008. | | | | are controlled by ZGS Broadcast Holdings. |
| ^ "FUNimation Agrees to Distribute Select Geneon | | | | ^ Co-owned with News Corporation and The Walt |
| Titles". Anime News Network. July 3, 2008. Retrieved | | | | Disney Company. |
| November 13, 2008. | | | | ^ Co-owned with Corus Entertainment, Classic Media, |
| ^ Anime News Network (July 3, 2008). "FUNimation | | | | Scholastic Books and ION Media Networks. |