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AnimEigo

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AnimEigo
Company typeDivision
IndustryEntertainment (anime)
Founded1988; 37 years ago (1988) in Ithaca, New York
FoundersRobert Woodhead
Roe R. Adams III
FateFolded into MediaOCD
HeadquartersLos Angeles, California, United States
Area served
United States and Canada
Key people
Robert Woodhead
Roe R. Adams III
Natsumi Ueki
Janice Hindle
Justin Sevakis
ProductsAnime, samurai cinema (former)
OwnerMediaOCD (2024–present)
Websitewww.mediaocd.com

AnimEigo is a home video label of the American entertainment company MediaOCD that publishes anime, and previously, samurai films and Japanese cinema. Founded independently in 1988, the company was one of the first in North America dedicated to licensing anime and helped give anime a noticeable following in the region. Its early history featured titles such as the original Bubblegum Crisis OVA series, Urusei Yatsura, Vampire Princess Miyu, and Kimagure Orange Road. In 2024, the label was acquired by Los Angeles-based video post-production company MediaOCD, run by Justin Sevakis, an anime industry veteran.[1]

Their name (pronounced "animaygo") is a portmanteau of "anime" and "eigo" (英語), the Japanese word for the English language.

History

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The company was founded in 1988 in Ithaca, New York, by computer programmers Robert Woodhead and Roe R. Adams III "as a joke" during the development of the computer game Wizardry IV: The Return of Werdna.[2] It later moved to Wilmington, North Carolina, and run by Woodhead and his wife, Natsumi Ueki.[3] Their first release was Metal Skin Panic Madox 01.[4] In July 2003, the company signed a deal with Koch Entertainment to help market and distribute their titles in the United States and Canada.[5] In 2016, the company moved distribution to MVD Entertainment.[6]

Following a market crash in 2006, the company downsized, and in the subsequent years, lost many of its titles.[7] For example, in February 2010, they announced they lost the rights to the Oh My Goddess! OVAs.[8] In February 2011, the company announced they had lost the rights to Urusei Yatsura, one of their more popular titles.[9] The company also lost the rights to the You're Under Arrest and Battle Royal High School anime series, as well as the Zatoichi, Lone Wolf and Cub, and Portrait of Hell live action movies.[10]

In October 2013, AnimEigo launched their first Kickstarter campaign to crowdfund a new release, specifically to re-release Bubblegum Crisis as a limited edition Blu-ray.[11] The Kickstarter was successfully funded in October 2013, and the Blu-ray was subsequently released in December 2014.[12] They later successfully kickstarted re-releases of Otaku no Video, Riding Bean, A.D. Police Files, Gunsmith Cats, Megazone 23, Metal Skin Panic MADOX-01, and Macross II: Lovers Again.[13]

In February 2024, MediaOCD, a post-production firm owned by Anime News Network founder Justin Sevakis, acquired AnimEigo's video distribution business. Woodhead and Ueki stayed on to assist in the transition and see existing projects to completion, planning to retire after their completion.[14] Under MediaOCD, the brand has revised its logo and acquired several new titles, including Nobody's Boy: Remi, Looking for the Full Moon, Black Jack OVA Series, and the 1968 Sasuke TV series. [15].

Distribution

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AnimEigo Blu-rays are available via the MediaOCD website, the Crunchyroll Store (formerly RightStuf), Amazon.com, and many other retailers who obtain physical media through traditional media wholesalers. DVDs of some older titles are also still being sold by these retailers.[16]

The company streams their titles on many platforms, including Hoopla, RetroCrush, Tubi, and CONtv.[17] Some of their titles were formerly on Hulu and VRV (via VRV Select), but they have been removed.[18][19]

Legacy

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The company is well known for the quality of its translation and subtitles, and pioneered such techniques as multi-color subtitles, overlapping dialogue, and supertitles that explain important cultural, linguistic and historical tidbits. Many releases also include cultural and linguistic liner notes with their releases.[20][21] Alert viewers will often find subtle references to pop culture and current events hidden in the subtitles of older AnimEigo releases. Sometimes the references are blatant; in episode 18 of Super Dimension Fortress Macross, the dying Roy Fokker not only repeats the famous words of Mr. Spock from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan – "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few..." but adds Captain Kirk's reply – "or the one".[22]

Restoration

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Since MediaOCD has a background in film restoration, the company has undertaken several restoration projects for AnimEigo's HD and UHD releases. These projects include Macross II[23] and Vampire Princess Miyu.[24] Additionally, the second episode of Bubblegum Crash was extensively restored from a damaged 35mm print, while the other two episodes were digitally cleaned and upscaled, utilizing an AI process called "AstroRes."[25]

List of Titles

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In print[26]
Title Release Medium Dub studio Notes
Subtitle Dub
A.D. Police 1993 1995 OVA Series (3) Southwynde Studios Alternate dub produced by Manga Video
Bubblegum Crash 1992 1994 OVA Series (3) Southwynde Studios Alternate dub produced by Manga Video
Bubblegum Crisis 1991 1994 OVA Series (8) Southwynde Studios English verion re-recorded all music
Looking for the Full Moon 2025 TV Series (52) Blue Water Studios Reused Viz Media dub
Megazone 23 2021 OVA Series (4) Industrial Smoke & Mirrors Reused ADV Films dub
Metal Skin Panic: MADOX-01 1990 1995 OVA (1) Swirl Films Alternate dub produced by Manga Video
Nasu: Summer in Andalusia 2025 Movie
Nobody's Boy: Remi 2025 TV Series (51) Included French dub
Otaku no Video 1993 OVA (2)
Romeo's Blue Skies 2025 TV Series (33)
Sasuke 2025 TV Series (29) (unknown) Reused dub of unknown origin
Super Dimensional Fortress Macross II: Lovers Again 2025 OVA Series (6) Animaze Reused U.S. Renditions dub
Sword of Desperation 2012 Live action movie
The Dagger of Kamui 1993 Movie
Time of Eve 2024 Movie & ONA (6) NYAV Post Reused crowdfunded dub
Vampire Princess Miyu (OVA) 1994 1996 OVA Series (4) Swirl Films Alternate dub produced by Manga Video

Out of print

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Anime Titles[27]


Live Action titles[28]

  • Metal Munching Maniacs (Special interest)

References

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  1. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio. "Justin Sevakis' Video Production Company MediaOCD Acquires AnimEigo (Updated)". Anime News Network. Anime News Network. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  2. ^ "The Secret History of AnimEigo". AnimEigo. Archived from the original on June 4, 2021. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  3. ^ "About Us". AnimEigo. Archived from the original on January 12, 2021. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  4. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (April 27, 2021). "AnimEigo's Metal Skin Panic MADOX-01 BD Kickstarter Launches on April 30". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on December 2, 2022. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  5. ^ "AnimEigo Celebrates 15 Years". Anime News Network. December 11, 2003. Archived from the original on June 16, 2021. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  6. ^ "MVD Welcomes AnimEigo". Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  7. ^ "AnimEigo History".
  8. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (February 4, 2010). "AnimEigo's Oh My Goddess Video Series License Expires". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  9. ^ Manry, Gia (February 9, 2011). "AnimEigo's Urusei Yatsura License Expires in September". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on January 18, 2021. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
  10. ^ *Bunao, Daryl (July 7, 2011). "AnimEigo's You're Under Arrest License Ends in January (Updated)". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  11. ^ Loo, Egan (October 25, 2013). "AnimEigo Starts Bubblegum Crisis Kickstarter Funding Campaign". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on November 6, 2014. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
  12. ^ Loveridge, Lynzee (October 29, 2013). "Bubblegum Crisis Blu-ray Kickstarter Meets Pledge Goal". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on November 6, 2014. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
  13. ^ *Loo, Egan (July 2, 2015). "AnimeEigo Meets Otaku no Video Blu-ray Kickstarter Goal". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on December 9, 2020. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  14. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (February 15, 2024). "Justin Sevakis' Video Production Company MediaOCD Acquires AnimEigo". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on February 15, 2024. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  15. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio. "AnimEigo Announces Black Jack OVAs, Romeo's Blue Skies, Vampire Princess Miyu HD, Sasuke". Anime News Network.
  16. ^ "Riding Bean". MediaOCD.com. MediaOCD. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  17. ^ *"Showing 1 - 2 of 2 results for "AnimEigo"". Hoopla.com. Archived from the original on February 29, 2024. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  18. ^ "Media Blasters Anime Titles to Expire on Hulu". Anime News Network. May 6, 2016. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  19. ^ "Bubblegum Crisis - Watch on VRV". VRV.co. Archived from the original on December 4, 2021. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  20. ^ "Bubblegum Crisis Collection VHS Review". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on March 18, 2023. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  21. ^ "Otaku no Video 1982 & 1985 Review". Anime News Network. January 20, 2002. Archived from the original on January 15, 2021. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  22. ^ "Macross TV Boxset Review". Anime News Network. April 24, 2002. Archived from the original on January 15, 2021. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  23. ^ "Macross World Forums". MacrossWorld.com. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  24. ^ "BlueSky AnimEigo". Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  25. ^ "Bubblegum Crash". MediaOCD.com. MediaOCD. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  26. ^ "MediaOCD.com". MediaOCD.com. MediaOCD. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  27. ^ "AnimEigo History". MediaOCD.com. MediaOCD. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  28. ^ "AnimEigo History". MediaOCD.com. MediaOCD. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
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