Defunct November 11, 2016 | Founder Mataichiro Yamamoto | |
Founded July 1996; 20 years ago (1996-07) Headquarters | ||
Urban Vision Entertainment Inc. was an American-based production/distribution company created in Los Angeles, California formed in July 1996 by Mataichiro Yamamoto to help introduce the animation medium known as anime to the American mainstream.
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History
Urban Vision Entertainment was formed in July 1996 by Mataichiro Yamamoto to help introduce the alternative animation genre known as anime to mainstream media. The company primarily produces and acquires Japanese animation for direct-to-home video release. Urban Vision founder Mataichiro Yamamoto helped pioneer the anime genre in the US with the computer-generated theatrical release, Golgo 13: The Professional in 1983.
Urban Vision worked closely with the world-renowned Studio Madhouse animation studio in Tokyo, Japan (Wicked City, Ninja Scroll, Vampire Hunter D). The company's initial release, another Madhouse project, was Bio Hunter, released on home video in July 1997. Additional Urban Vision releases include Gatchaman, Twilight of the Dark Master, Dragon Slayer, Psycho Diver: Soul Siren and Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals.
In the mid-2000's Urban Vision had shifted its focus from anime to live-action movies. In 2003, Urban Vision launched Ciudad, a sub-label to release Spanish-language films. In 2006, they had launched AsiaVision, a sub-label to release Japanese films.
Decline
Urban Vision had been inactive in 2010 and had not announced any new licenses. Until, on September 7, 2010, the online retailer Right Stuf removed all of their Urban Vision catalog due to the distributor not shipping out orders to them. The following day, Urban Vision released a statement saying that the company had been restructuring itself and are halting their home video production unit and focusing on digital distribution. In November 2016, the company has been shut down. Before the company was shut down, a majority of their titles have since been re-licensed and re-released by Discotek Media and Sentai Filmworks.