Line #30 Creator/SunbowEntertainment


1	[[quoteright:260:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sunbow_logo_5208.jpg]]
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3	Sunbow Entertainment was an American animation studio, founded in 1980 and owned up until 1998 by Griffin-Bacal Advertising in New York. The first animation efforts by Griffin-Bacal were producing the animated commercials for Creator/{{Hasbro}}'s ''Franchise/GIJoe'' toy line. The success of the animated commercials led partners Tom Griffin and Joe Bacal to form Sunbow Productions. One of Sunbow's most well known productions is the long running syndicated series ''Series/TheGreatSpaceCoaster'', and perhaps their least-known is ''WesternAnimation/TheBrothersFlub''.
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5	Sunbow is noted for many cartoons aired during the 1980s. Although it is not limited to Hasbro's various toy line products its reputation is tied to the many cartoon series tied to them. Its animation was initially produced by the Japanese animation studio Creator/ToeiAnimation, supplemented by the South Korean animation studio Creator/{{AKOM}} later on. By 1988, most of Hasbro's toylines were losing money and various internal struggles forced the company to end popular series such as ''WesternAnimation/GIJoeARealAmericanHero'', ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformers'', and ''{{WesternAnimation/Jem}}''. Two of Sunbow's animated movies, (''WesternAnimation/TransformersTheMovie'' and ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyTheMovie1986'') flopped at the box office, forcing ''WesternAnimation/GIJoeTheMovie'' to be released directly to video and an animated ''Jem'' movie to be shelved entirely.
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7	In a bid to produce original material, Sunbow produced several cartoons through the early 1990s such as ''TheNudnikShow'', ''WesternAnimation/TheTick'' and ''WesternAnimation/ConanTheAdventurer''. Of these, only ''WesternAnimation/TheTick'' managed to gain popularity and critical acclaim.
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9	On April 28, 1998, Sunbow Productions was bought by Creator/{{Sony}} Wonder, a division of Sony Music. Sunbow's distribution arm remained open, and began to distribute Sony Wonder's TV series alongside their own in Europe.
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11	In March 2000, Sony Wonder entered into [[https://kidscreen.com/2000/03/01/28202-20000301/ an exclusive deal]] with the German-based company TV Loonland AG (who previously co-produced ''WesternAnimation/FatDogMendoza'' for Sunbow) in which the latter would distribute the former's content in German-speaking countries and selected CEE countries. The partnership culminated with TV Loonland acquiring in October of the same year Sony Wonder's TV assets for US$10 million dollars, with Sony retaining [[https://www.awn.com/news/german-tv-loonland-acquires-sony-wonder North American home entertainment and worldwide audio rights to the catalog]].
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13	In May 2008, Hasbro purchased the Sunbow TV series based on the toy company's properties[[note]](the reacquisition actually consisted of [[https://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/hasbro-sheds-light-on-the-sunbow-deal/13131/ two transactions]]: one with the shows' former owner TV Loonland and the other with Sony who retained the North American HE rights to all pre-2000 Sunbow series, including co-productions with Hasbro)[[/note]]; these shows were an important part of Creator/TheHub (now Discovery Family). In December 2009, TV-Loonland AG filed for bankruptcy and in early 2011, most of the rights to the non-Hasbro Sunbow Entertainment shows (along with the rest of TV-Loonland shows) were acquired by m4e AG, which soon became a division of Creator/{{Studio 100}}.
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15	Previously, Rhino Entertainment owned the US home video distribution rights to the Sunbow catalogue. The rights then changed hands to Sony Wonder with its acquisition of Sunbow. However, Sony Wonder was shut down in March 2007 and absorbed into Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
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17	In 2009, Creator/ShoutFactory began reissuing the original ''WesternAnimation/GIJoeARealAmericanHero'', ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformers'', ''{{WesternAnimation/Jem}}'', and ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyAndFriends'' series on DVD.
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19	Among the various series produced by Sunbow are (co-productions with [[Creator/DePatieFrelengEnterprises Marvel Productions]] are marked with a *):
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21	[[index]]
22	* ''Series/TheGreatSpaceCoaster'' (1981)
23	* ''WesternAnimation/GIJoeARealAmericanHero''* (1983/84, miniseries; 1985-86, series)
24	** ''WesternAnimation/GIJoeTheMovie''* (1986)
25	* ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformers''* (1984-1987)
26	** ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformersTheMovie''* (1986)
27	* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyTVSpecials''* (1984/85)
28	* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyTheMovie1986''*
29	* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyAndFriends''* (1986-87; anthology series)
30	** ''WesternAnimation/GloFriends''
31	** ''WesternAnimation/{{Moondreamers}}''
32	** ''WesternAnimation/PotatoHeadKids''
33	* ''WesternAnimation/SuperSunday''* (1985-86; anthology series)
34	** ''WesternAnimation/BigfootAndTheMuscleMachines''* (1985)
35	** ''WesternAnimation/{{Jem}} and the Holograms''* (1986-88)
36	** ''WesternAnimation/{{Inhumanoids}}''* (1986)
37	** ''WesternAnimation/{{Robotix}}''* (1986)
38	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Visionaries}}: Knights of the Magical Light'' (1987; co-production with Creator/TMSEntertainment)
39	* ''The Nudnik Show'' (1991)
40	* ''ComicBook/BuckyOHareAndTheToadWars'' (1991) (co-production With IDDH, Abrams-Gentile and Continuity Comics)
41	* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyTales'' (1992-93)
42	* ''WesternAnimation/ConanTheAdventurer'' (1992-93)
43	* ''WesternAnimation/ConanAndTheYoungWarriors'' (1994)
44	* ''WesternAnimation/TheTick'' (1994-96, co-production with Fox Children's Productions)
45	* ''WesternAnimation/LittlestPetShop1995'' (1995, co-production with C&D)
46	* ''WesternAnimation/TheMask'' (1995-97; co-production with Creator/FilmRoman, Creator/DarkHorseComics and [[Creator/NewLineCinema New Line Television]])
47	* ''VideoGame/TheAdventuresOfHyperman'' (1995-96)
48	* ''WesternAnimation/GIJoeExtreme'' (1995-97)
49	* ''Deepwater Black'' (''Mission: Genesis'' in the U.S.) (1997)
50	* ''WesternAnimation/SaltysLighthouse'' (1997-98)
51	* ''WesternAnimation/TheBrothersFlub'' (1999-2000, co-production with Ravensburger Film + TV and Sony Wonder Television)
52	* ''WesternAnimation/FatDogMendoza'' (2000-2001, co-production with TMO-Loonland, Sony Wonder Television and Cartoon Network Europe)
53	* ''WesternAnimation/GenerationO'' (2000, co-production with RTV Family Entertainment and Sony Wonder Television)
54	* ''WesternAnimation/TheCrampTwins'' (2001-2004, Series 1 Only, Co-production with TV-Loonland AG and Cartoon Network Europe, Creator/{{Telemagination}} took over for Series 2)
55	[[/index]]

Context Creator / SunbowEntertainment