History Creator / Geneon

Geneon's Japanese corporate parent continues to be one of that country's major entertainment producers and distributors; their properties include not only anime but several mainstream films from around the world, including America. In November 2008, Geneon Japan merged with Creator/{{Universal}} Pictures. The company is now known as Geneon Universal.[[note]]According to Creator/{{Funimation}}, who managed to license several more of Geneon's titles in 2010, the merger process is still going on and they are unable to work on many of Geneon's titles like ''ACertainMagicalIndex'', ''ShakuganNoShana'', and ''Manga/BlackLagoon'' until the merger is finished, which explains the delay of the said titles.[[/note]]

[=*=] Originally released by Pioneer.

[=**=] Rereleased by Creator/{{FUNimation}}.

[=***=] Both of the above.

* Manga/SazanEyes*
* Anime/AdventuresOfMiniGoddess*
* Manga/AhMyGoddess: TheMovie
* Manga/AiYoriAoshi**
* {{Manga/Akira}}* (later re-released by Bandai)
* AmazingNurseNanako
* TabletopGame/AniMayhem
* Manga/{{Appleseed}}
* Anime/ArmitageIII***
* [[Anime/AyakashiSamuraiHorrorTales Ayakashi: Classic Japanese Horror]]
* Manga/BarefootGen
** Manga/BarefootGen 2
* Manga/{{Bastard}}
* Anime/BattleAthletes*
* Anime/BattleAthletes Victory*
* Anime/{{Beyblade}}
* [[Anime/TheLegendOfBlackHeaven Black Heaven]]*
* Manga/BlackLagoon**
* Anime/BottleFairy
* [[Anime/BurnUp Burn Up Scramble]]
* Anime/CaptainHarlock: Endless Odyssey
* Manga/CardCaptorSakura*
* Anime/{{Catnapped}}!*
* Manga/{{Chobits}}***
* {{Cybuster}}*
* TheDaichisEarthsDefenseFamily *
* Anime/DaphneInTheBrilliantBlue+
* Manga/DearS
* Literature/DeltoraQuest
* [[Manga/MaoDante Demon Lord Dante]]
* {{Disgaea}}
* Literature/ADogOfFlanders*
* DokiDokiSchoolHours
* [[LightNovel/{{Dokkoida}} Dokkoida?!]]+
* WesternAnimation/DragonHunters
* [[Anime/ParallelTroubleAdventureDual Dual! Parallel Trouble Adventure]]*
* Anime/ElHazardTheMagnificentWorld*
* ElementalGelade**
* Anime/ErgoProxy**
* EXDriver*
* Anime/FafnerInTheAzureDeadAggressor
* LightNovel/TheFamiliarOfZero**+ (first season only) (first season re-rescued by Creator/SentaiFilmworks when they picked up the fourth season, while skipping the second and third)
* VisualNovel/FateStayNight** (2006 TV series only)
* FightingSpirit
* FushigiYuugi*
* GadGuard
* {{Gankutsuou}}**
* GateKeepers*
* Manga/GhostTalkersDaydream
* {{Gigantor}}
* Manga/GirlsBravo**
* GreenLegendRan*
* Anime/GregoryHorrorShow
* Anime/GunXSword**
* HaibaneRenmei*
* TheHakkenden*
* [[HanaukyoMaidTai Hanaukyo Maid Team]]
* HandMaidMay
* Anime/HeatGuyJ***
* Anime/{{Hellsing}}*
** HellsingUltimate**
* VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry** (first season only)
* HumanCrossing
* HyperDoll*
* Manga/IkkiTousen*** (first season only)
* Anime/JubeiChan (second series, ''Jubei-chan II''; original series released by Creator/BandaiEntertainment)
* Anime/{{Kamichu}}**
* Manga/KannazukiNoMiko (aka DestinyOfTheShrineMaiden)+
* {{Karin}}**
* KishinCorps*
* KoiKaze
* KyouKaraMaou** (first season only)
* [[LRLicensedByRoyalty L/R: Licensed by Royalty]]
* Anime/LastExile*** (original 2003 series only)
* Manga/TheLawOfUeki**
* Anime/ALittleSnowFairySugar*+
* Manga/LupinIII (The second series and ''Mystery of Mamo'' feature film)*
* Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha** (except [=StrikerS=])
* [[Anime/PrettySammy Magical Project S]]*
* Manga/{{Mahoromatic}}*+
* {{Anime/Mao-chan}}*
* Manga/MasterKeaton*
* Anime/MelodyOfOblivion
* Manga/MermaidSaga (2003 "Mermaid's Forest" TV series only)
* Anime/{{Moldiver}}*
* [[Anime/SeireiNoMoribito Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit]]
* {{Nazca}}*
* New GetterRobo
* NieA7*
* PandaGoPanda*
* Manga/ParadiseKiss**
* Anime/ParanoiaAgent
* {{Patlabor}} Movie 3: WXIII
* PhantomQuestCorp.*
* Anime/{{Popotan}}+
* Manga/LePortraitDePetiteCossette+
* PrettySammy*
* RequiemFromTheDarkness
* Anime/RODTheTV (later re-released on Blu-Ray by Aniplex USA)
* RozenMaiden**+
* Creator/RumikoTakahashi Anthology
* Anime/SailorMoon (seasons ''S'' and ''[=SuperS=]'', and the three films)*
* {{Saiyuki}} Reload and Gunlock
* VideoGame/SakuraWars: TheMovie
* Anime/SamuraiChamploo**
* Anime/SerialExperimentsLain*
* Literature/ShakuganNoShana** (first season only; Funimation seems to have rights to future installments)
* Anime/SherlockHound*
* ShonenOnmyouji**
* Anime/SolBianca The Legacy
* SomedaysDreamers+
* [[Anime/SoulTaker The Soul Taker]]*
* StarOcean EX*
* Anime/StarshipOperators
* StellviaOfTheUniverse
* TheStoryOfSaiunkoku** (first season only; the second season remains unlicensed)
* Manga/StrawberryMarshmallow
* Manga/Submarine707R
* VideoGame/TalesOfPhantasia**
* Anime/TenchiMuyo*
* Manga/TenjhoTenge
* Anime/{{Texhnolyze}}
* Anime/TokyoUnderground
* Manga/{{Trigun}}**
* VisualNovel/{{Tsukihime}}+
* Manga/UltraManiac (later picked up by Viz, for streaming at least)
* Anime/{{Vandread}}***
* VideoGame/ViewtifulJoe
* Manga/{{X1999}}*
* Manga/{{Zipang}}

* [[VideoGame/SakuraTaisen Sakura Wars]]: TheMovie

Geneon USA began running into financial problems, despite being a popular and respected name among anime fans. Possible reasons for this included the increasing popularity of [[FanSub fansubs]], Geneon's support of the doomed Mini DVD format, and the company's tendency to license arty MindScrew series with limited commercial appeal (such as ''Anime/ParanoiaAgent'', ''Anime/{{Texhnolyze}}'', and ''Anime/ErgoProxy'') alongside more mainstream titles such as ''Anime/{{Hellsing}}'', ''Anime/SamuraiChamploo'', ''VisualNovel/HigurashiNoNakuKoroNi'', and ''Manga/BlackLagoon''. Whatever the explanation, by 2007, Geneon was in trouble. After an attempted alliance with Creator/ADVFilms (who were having problems of their own) quickly fell apart, Geneon USA announced that by the end of 2007 it would no longer manufacture or distribute [=DVD=]s. Not only did this leave several of its announced but uncompleted titles in limbo, it led many fans to assume that Geneon USA was completely out of business, when it actually still existed as a licensing firm. Still. American and Canadian anime fans spent the better part of a year wondering when--and if--the Geneon catalogue would find a new home.

Anime News Network has done an excellent [[http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/anncast/2009-12-03 podcast]] in which former Geneon USA executive Chad Kime talks about the reasons for Geneon America's decline; these include anime series that failed (''Anime/HeatGuyJ'' cost as much as ''Anime/FullmetalAlchemist'' but sold a fraction), budgeting for titles they did not own, and licensing titles because the previous titles didn't make money.

Geneon's Japanese corporate parent continues to be one of that country's major entertainment producers and distributors; their properties include not only anime but several mainstream films from around the world, including America. In November 2008, Geneon Japan merged with {{Universal}} Pictures. The company is now known as Geneon Universal.[[hottip:*:According to {{Funimation}}, who managed to license several more of Geneon's titles in 2010, the merger process is still going on and they are unable to work on many of Geneon's titles like ''ACertainMagicalIndex'', ''ShakuganNoShana'', and ''Manga/BlackLagoon'' until the merger is finished, which explains the delay of the said titles.]]

* {{Higurashi}}** (first season only)

[=**=] Rereleased by {{FUNimation}}.

[=+=] Rereleased by SentaiFilmworks.

The story has a happy ending. In 2008, Geneon licensed several of its titles (including most of the incomplete ones) to Creator/{{FUNimation}}, who rereleased them. Select properties were picked up by other labels. (''MoribitoGuardianOfTheSpirit'' went to MediaBlasters/Anime Works; ''{{Manga/Akira}}'' went to Creator/BandaiEntertainment/Honneamise; SentaiFilmworks, the successor to Creator/ADVFilms, wound up rescuing several licenses in 2009 and 2010; ''Anime/ElHazardTheMagnificentWorld'' was reissued by Creator/NozomiEntertainment; Discotek announced ''PandaGoPanda'' in late 2011.)

* LightNovel/TheFamiliarOfZero**+ (first season only) (first season re-rescued by Sentai Filmworks when they picked up the fourth season, while skipping the second and third)

* [[LightNovel/ZeroNoTsukaima The Familiar Of Zero]]**+ (first season only) (first season re-rescued by Sentai Filmworks when they picked up the fourth season, while skipping the second and third)

The story began in 1993, when Japanese technology giant Pioneer Electronics decided to start an entertainment division in both Japan and America. While Pioneer Entertainment distributed tapes and Laserdiscs in a variety of genres, from [[{{Music}} music]] to [[{{Documentary}} documentaries]], the company became best known as an anime producer and distributor. The company also became a major [=DVD=] supplier when the format became available. Titles first released during the Pioneer years included ''TenchiMuyo'', ''Anime/SerialExperimentsLain'', ''Anime/LastExile'' and '' Manga/{{Trigun}}''.

Geneon Entertainment--or as it's now known, Geneon Creator/{{Universal}}--is one of the world's major anime producers and distributors. The birth, death and rebirth of their North American division illustrates the current instability and unpredictability of the American anime industry.

Geneon USA began running into financial problems, despite being a popular and respected name among anime fans. Possible reasons for this included the increasing popularity of [[FanSub fansubs]], Geneon's support of the doomed Mini DVD format, and the company's tendency to license arty MindScrew series with limited commercial appeal (such as ''Anime/ParanoiaAgent'', ''Anime/{{Texhnolyze}}'', and ''Anime/ErgoProxy'') alongside more mainstream titles such as ''Anime/{{Hellsing}}'', ''Anime/SamuraiChamploo'', ''VisualNovel/HigurashiNoNakuKoroNi'', and ''Manga/BlackLagoon''. Whatever the explanation, by 2007, Geneon was in trouble. After an attempted alliance with ADVFilms (who were having problems of their own) quickly fell apart, Geneon USA announced that by the end of 2007 it would no longer manufacture or distribute [=DVD=]s. Not only did this leave several of its announced but uncompleted titles in limbo, it led many fans to assume that Geneon USA was completely out of business, when it actually still existed as a licensing firm. Still. American and Canadian anime fans spent the better part of a year wondering when--and if--the Geneon catalogue would find a new home.

The story has a happy ending. In 2008, Geneon licensed several of its titles (including most of the incomplete ones) to Creator/{{FUNimation}}, who rereleased them. Select properties were picked up by other labels. (''MoribitoGuardianOfTheSpirit'' went to MediaBlasters/Anime Works; ''{{Manga/Akira}}'' went to Creator/BandaiEntertainment/Honneamise; SentaiFilmworks, the successor to ADVFilms, wound up rescuing several licenses in 2009 and 2010; ''Anime/ElHazardTheMagnificentWorld'' was reissued by Creator/NozomiEntertainment; Discotek announced ''PandaGoPanda'' in late 2011.)

* GregoryHorrorShow

* ADogOfFlanders*

* [[IchigoMashimaro Strawberry Marshmallow]]

* RumikoTakahashi Anthology

Geneon Entertainment--or as it's now known, Geneon {{Universal}}--is one of the world's major anime producers and distributors. The birth, death and rebirth of their North American division illustrates the current instability and unpredictability of the American anime industry.

The story has a happy ending. In 2008, Geneon licensed several of its titles (including most of the incomplete ones) to {{FUNimation}}, who rereleased them. Select properties were picked up by other labels. (''MoribitoGuardianOfTheSpirit'' went to MediaBlasters/Anime Works; ''{{Manga/Akira}}'' went to Creator/BandaiEntertainment/Honneamise; SentaiFilmworks, the successor to ADVFilms, wound up rescuing several licenses in 2009 and 2010; ''Anime/ElHazardTheMagnificentWorld'' was reissued by Creator/NozomiEntertainment; Discotek announced ''PandaGoPanda'' in late 2011.)

* [[SubmarineSevenZeroSevenR Submarine 707R]]

The story has a happy ending. In 2008, Geneon licensed several of its titles (including most of the incomplete ones) to {{FUNimation}}, who rereleased them. Select properties were picked up by other labels. (''MoribitoGuardianOfTheSpirit'' went to MediaBlasters/Anime Works; ''{{Manga/Akira}}'' went to Creator/BandaiEntertainment/Honneamise; SentaiFilmworks, the successor to ADVFilms, wound up rescuing several licenses in 2009 and 2010; ''Anime/ElHazardTheMagnificentWorld'' was reissued by NozomiEntertainment; Discotek announced ''PandaGoPanda'' in late 2011.)

The story has a happy ending. In 2008, Geneon licensed several of its titles (including most of the incomplete ones) to {{FUNimation}}, who rereleased them. Select properties were picked up by other labels. (''MoribitoGuardianOfTheSpirit'' went to MediaBlasters/Anime Works; ''{{Manga/Akira}}'' went to BandaiEntertainment/Honneamise; SentaiFilmworks, the successor to ADVFilms, wound up rescuing several licenses in 2009 and 2010; ''Anime/ElHazardTheMagnificentWorld'' was reissued by NozomiEntertainment; Discotek announced ''PandaGoPanda'' in late 2011.)

* Anime/JubeiChan (second series, ''Jubei-chan II''; original series released by BandaiEntertainment)

* {{Popotan}}+

* {{Moldiver}}*

* TabletopGame/AniMayhem

!!Anime licensed by {{Geneon}} include:

* {{Mahoromatic}}*+

* MasterKeaton*
* MelodyOfOblivion
* MermaidSaga (2003 "Mermaid's Forest" TV series only)