Video post-production company MediaOCD will acquire the distribution business of one of the oldest English-language anime distributors in the United States, AnimEigo.
According to AnimeNewsNetwork, the joint announcement by MediaOCD and AnimEigo revealed the impending acquisition. Current and future limited edition crowdfunded releases of AnimEigo will remain under the AnimEigo brand, while MVD Entertainment Group will continue to offer Home Video releases of AnimEigo at retailers. AnimEigo’s digital storefront will continue to operate under new management and will migrate to the MediaOCD website in the coming months.
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AnimEigo’s Robert Woodhead and Tsumi Ueki, the husband-and-wife team that co-own and operate the anime distributor responsible for the availability of anime like classic Bubblegum Crisis and Oh My Goddess!, will provide transition support to MediaOCD, which Woodhead said could last a long time. years. Woodhead and Ueki will continue to manage current and future AnimEigo Kickstarter projects to ensure all promised goods are delivered. The duo will also continue to support previous Kickstarter-funded releases, including the recently concluded Kickstarter campaign for The Super Dimension Fortress Macross II: Lovers, Again. Woodhead and Ueki eventually intend to retire after the transition.
MediaOCD, the new owner of the AnimEigo distribution service, was founded by Justin Sevakis in 2012. Best known for film restoration and the production of Digital Cinema and Blu-ray Disc, MediaOCD launched the studio Independent Whole Grain in January 2024. The company is recognized in the anime industry for producing Discotek Media releases and discs for other companies, including Anime Limited, NIS America and Eleven Arts.
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AnimEigo’s legacy in the North American Anime industry
AnimEigo’s influence on the popularity of English-language anime in North America cannot be overstated, as the company’s licensing of popular anime titles proved important to the growth of the genre in area. The aforementioned gum crisis and Oh My Goddess! anime are just two of these highlights; Classic shows such as Megazone 23, Otaku no Video, You’re Under Arrest, Kimagure Orange Road, Crusher Joe and harem genre favorite Urusei Yatsura, among many others, are also titles the company has helped with. brought to the United States and beyond.
Woodhead founded AnimEigo with Roe R. Adams III in 1988. Woodhead also co-created the Wizardry role-playing game franchise, with Adams serving as designer for the series’ fourth installment, WizardryIV: The Return of Werdna. Woodhead and Adams came up with the idea of starting their anime distribution company while working on a game project.
Source: ANN