
Geneon Entertainment was once one of the world's major anime producers and distributors. The birth and death of their North American division illustrates the instability and unpredictability that sometimes plagues the American anime industry. A few years later, the original Japanese company was bought out, but that's a different story.
The company was founded 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 to 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 Tenchi Muyo!, Serial Experiments Lain, Last Exile and Trigun. They also did distribution for other companies early on, such as Funimation, Viz Media, Toei USA, and Bandai Visual.
In 2003, Pioneer decided to sell off its entertainment division. The buyer was another Japanese corporate giant — Dentsu, an advertising firm. They renamed the company Geneon, which is a portmanteau of the English words generate and eon. The new name was meant to signify innovation and longevity, which became bitterly ironic in light of what happened next.
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 fansubs, the Dentsu deal resulting in Pioneer Electronics getting much of their early profits, mismanagement, over-saturation of the market, the anime boom dying, and the decline of home media sales. Whatever the explanation, by 2007, Geneon was in trouble. After an attempted alliance with ADV Films (who were having problems of their own) quickly fell apart, Geneon USA announced that they would cease manufacturing and distributing DVDs by the end of the year. This left several of its announced but uncompleted titles in limbo.
In 2008, Geneon negotiated Funimation to distribute their incomplete titles like Higurashi: When They Cry, Black Lagoon, Rozen Maiden, Shakugan no Shana, Karin, The Familiar of Zero, and others. Once that deal expired, all of Geneon's formerly licensed titles were all unlicensed and out-of-print, but many have since been rescued by other companies such as Funimation, Aniplex USA, Sentai Filmworks, Media Blasters, Discotek Media, and Viz Media.
Geneon's Japanese corporate parent continued to be one of that country's major entertainment producers and distributors; their properties included 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 NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan. That merger resulted in many former Geneon titles that Funimation had licensed being delayed.
In 2009, Anime News Network did a podcast with former Geneon USA executive Chad Kime, who discussed Geneon America's decline. He said the reasons include anime series that failed (Heat Guy J cost as much as Fullmetal Alchemist but sold a fraction as much), budgeting for titles they did not own, and licensing new titles because their previous titles didn't make money.
Anime once licensed by Pioneer/Geneon include:
- 3×3 Eyes* (formerly licensed by Streamline Pictures and Orion Pictures)
- The Adventures of Mini-Goddess*
- Ah! My Goddess: The Movie*
- Airmaster* (distributing for Toei USA)
- Ai Yori Aoshi (now licensed by Funimation)
- AKIRA (later licensed by Bandai; now by Funimation)
- Amazing Nurse Nanako*
- Ani-Mayhem*
- Appleseed (now licensed by Sentai Filmworks)
- Armitage III (now licensed by Funimation)
- Ayakashi: Classic Japanese Horror (now distributed by Discotek Media)
- Bakuten Shoot Beyblade (later licensed by Cinedigm; now licensed by Discotek Media)
- Barefoot Gen (formerly licensed by Streamline Pictures; now distributed by Discotek Media)
- Barefoot Gen 2 (now licensed by Discotek Media)
- Bastard!!*
- Battle Athletes*
- Battle Athletes Victory*
- Black Heaven (now licensed by Discotek Media)
- Black Lagoon (now licensed by Funimation)
- Bottle Fairy*
- Burn Up Scramble*
- Captain Harlock: Endless Odyssey*
- Cardcaptor Sakura (now licensed by NISAmerica; also distributed the ill-fated Nelvana dub)
- Cardcaptor Sakura: The Movie (now licensed by Discotek Media)
- Cardcaptor Sakura 2: The Sealed Card (now licensed by Discotek Media)
- Catnapped!!*
- Chobits (now licensed by Funimation)
- Cowboy Bebop (distributed a Limited Edition Amazon Exclusive DVD)
- Cybuster (now licensed by Discotek Media)
- The Daichis Earths Defense Family *
- Daphne in the Brilliant Blue (now licensed by Sentai Filmworks)
- DearS (now licensed by Discotek Media)
- Deltora Quest (now licensed by Cinedigm)
- Demon Lord Dante (now licensed by Discotek Media)
- Destiny of the Shrine Maiden (now licensed by Sentai Filmworks; the Geneon release was under the series' original Japanese title, Kannazuki No Miko)
- Disgaea (was later licensed by Funimation, but they only have streaming rights now)
- A Dog of Flanders*
- Doki Doki School Hours*
- Dokkoida?! (now licensed by Sentai Filmworks)
- Dragon Ball Z (original release of first 67 episodes and three movies; distributing for Funimation)
- Dragon Hunters*
- Dual! Parallel Trouble Adventure *
- El-Hazard: The Magnificent World (The Wanderers / Alternative World TV series and OVA are licensed by Nozomi Entertainment)
- Elemental Gelade (later distributed by Funimation, now licensed by Discotek Media)
- Ergo Proxy (now licensed by Funimation)
- éX-Driver* (movie only, the OVA was licensed by Media Blasters note )
- Fafner in the Azure: Dead Aggressor (now licensed by Funimation)
- The Familiar of Zero (first season only, which they couldn't release as Geneon shut down in 2007; later distributed by Funimation in 2008, now licensed by Sentai Filmworks, along with the rest of the series)
- Fate/stay night (2006 series only; later distributed by Funimation, now licensed by Sentai Filmworks)
- Fighting Spirit*
- Fushigi Yuugi (Home video rights are now owned by Media Blasters; streaming rights are owned by Discotek Media)
- Gad Guard (now licensed by Funimation)
- Gankutsuou (now licensed by Funimation)
- Gate Keepers*
- Ghost Talkers Daydream*
- Girls Bravo (now licensed by Funimation)
- Green Legend Ran (now licensed by Sentai Filmworks)
- Gregory Horror Show*
- Gungrave (now licensed by Funimation)
- GUN×SWORD (now licensed by Funimation)
- Haibane Renmei (now licensed by Funimation)
- The Hakkenden*
- Hanaukyō Maid Team (only the 2004 La Verite version, which is now licensed by Sentai Filmworks)
- Hand Maid May*
- Heat Guy J (now licensed by Funimation)
- Hellsing (now licensed by Funimation)
- Hellsing Ultimate (Volumes 1-4 only; now licensed by Funimation along with the rest of the series)
- Hello Kitty: Stump Village*
- Higurashi: When They Cry (first season only; later distributed by Funimation, now licensed by Sentai Filmworks along with the rest of the series)
- Human Crossing (now distributed by Maiden Japan)
- Hyper Doll*
- I My Me! Strawberry Eggs*
- Ikki Tousen (first season only; now licensed by Funimation along with seasons 3-4)
- Interlude* (distributing for Toei USA)
- Inuyasha (early DVDs; distributing for Viz Media, who now have the license outright)
- Jubei-chan (second series, Jubei-chan II; original series released by Bandai Entertainment, and was reissued by Media Blasters)
- Kamichu!* (later distributed by Funimation, until their license expired and their home media releases became out of print)
- Karin* (later distributed by Funimation, until their license expired and their home media releases became out of print)
- Kimba the White Lion* (1989 series)
- Kishin Corps*
- Koi Kaze*
- Kyo Kara Maoh! (first season only, later distributed by Funimation until their license expired; now licensed by Discotek Media)
- L/R: Licensed by Royalty*
- Last Exile (original series only; now licensed by Funimation)
- The Law of Ueki (later distributed by Funimation, now licensed by Discotek Media)
- A Little Snow Fairy Sugar (now licensed by Sentai Filmworks)
- Lupin III (Red Jacket) (now licensed by Discotek Media)
- The Secret of Mamo (formerly licensed by Streamline Pictures, now licensed by Discotek Media)
- Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha* (except StrikerS; later distributed by Funimation, but now their releases are out of print)
- Magical Project S*
- Mahoromatic (now licensed by Sentai Filmworks)
- Mao-chan*
- Master Keaton*
- Melody of Oblivion* (no in-print disc release, but can be streamed legally on Crunchyroll)
- Mermaid Saga* (2003 "Mermaid's Forest" TV series only)
- Moldiver*
- Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit (later licensed by Media Blasters, and now by Viz Media)
- Nazca*
- New Getter Robo*
- Niea_7 (now licensed by Discotek Media)
- Night Warriors: Darkstalker's Revenge (distributing for Viz Video, now licensed by Discotek Media)
- Panda! Go Panda! (now licensed by Discotek Media)
- Paradise Kiss* (later distributed by Funimation)
- Paranoia Agent (now licensed by Funimation)
- Patlabor Movie 3: WXIII (now licensed by Maiden Japan)
- Phantom Quest Corp.*
- Please Save My Earth (distributing for Viz Media)
- Pokémon: The Series (early DVDs; distributing for Viz Media)
- Popotan (now licensed by Sentai Filmworks)
- Le Portrait de Petite Cossette (now licensed by Sentai Filmworks)
- Pretty Sammy*
- Ranma ½ (early DVDs; distributing for Viz Media, who now hold the license completely)
- Requiem from the Darkness (now licensed by Discotek Media)
- R.O.D the TV (now licensed by Aniplex USA)
- Rozen Maiden (later distributed by Funimation, currently licensed by Sentai Filmworks)
- Rumiko Takahashi Anthology (now licensed by Discotek Media)
- Sailor Moon (seasons 3-4 and movies; now licensed by Viz Media, who also have the license to the first two seasons, the fifth season (Sailor Stars), and the specials, which are all being re-dubbed from scratch)
- Saiyuki Reload and Gunlock*
- Sakura Wars: The Movie (now licensed by Funimation)
- Samurai Champloo (now licensed by Funimation)
- Serial Experiments Lain (now licensed by Funimation)
- Shakugan no Shana (first season only; now licensed by Funimation along with the rest of the series)
- Sherlock Hound (now licensed by Discotek Media)
- Slam Dunk (distributing for Toei USA, now licensed by Cinedigm)
- Shōnen Onmyōji* (later distributed by Funimation, until their license expired and their home media releases became out of print)
- Sol Bianca The Legacy*
- Someday's Dreamers (now licensed by Sentai Filmworks, along with the sequel series)
- The SoulTaker (now licensed by Discotek Media)
- Speed Racer: The Movie* (previously distributed by Streamline Pictures; combined episodes 7 and 8 into a movie; original versions of the episodes are currently distributed by Funimation)
- Star Ocean EX (now licensed by Discotek Media)
- Starship Operators *
- Stellvia of the Universe (now licensed by Discotek Media)
- Saiunkoku Monogatari* (first season only; later distributed by Funimation, until their license expired and their home media releases became out of print)
- Strawberry Marshmallow (now licensed by Sentai Filmworks)
- Submarine 707 R*
- Tales of Phantasia* (later distributed by Funimation)
- Tenchi Muyo! (now licensed by Funimation, sans the Mihoshi Special)
- Tenjho Tenge (now licensed by Discotek Media)
- Tetsujin 28 (2004 series; now licensed by Discotek Media)
- Texhnolyze (now licensed by Funimation)
- Tokyo Underground (now licensed by Discotek Media)
- Trigun (now licensed by Funimation)
- Tsukihime (now licensed by Sentai Filmworks)
- Ultra Maniac (later picked up by Viz Media for streaming; eventually re-released on DVD by Discotek Media)
- Vandread (now licensed by Funimation)
- Video Girl Ai (distributing for Viz Media)
- Viewtiful Joe*
- X1999 (now licensed by Funimation)
- Zipang*
- Zoids: Chaotic Century* (later reissued by Viz Media until their license expired)
Tropes associated with Geneon Entertainment:
- Ironic Name: Geneon is a portmanteau of the English words generate and eon meant to signify innovation and longevity. The North American branch only lasted for 4 more years before they stopped distributing titles.
- Keep Circulating the Tapes: Applies to the titles they formerly licensed that have not yet been rescued by other distributors. Heck, even some titles that were rescued, like Makai Senki Disgaea, aren't completely safe.
- Meaningful Name: Back when they were known as Pioneer, they were one of the first companies to regularly distribute anime in North America.
- No Dub for You: Mostly averted with their anime catalog as the majority of their titles were dubbed even when the company was in financial trouble (though some shows got really cheap dubs). However, their live action catalog plays this trope straight.
- Vanilla Edition:
- Geneon was notorious for this before they went out of business. As a last ditch effort to just save what dwindling money was left, a lot of Geneon title DVD releases such as: DearS, Ai Yori Aoshi and Karin were nothing more than the episodes, and maybe a textless opening and ending. Older series released back when they were still doing fine at least had some trailers, but still nothing much beyond that in terms of extras.
- Averted with some of their Lupin III releases, by way of physical extras. Their release of The Mystery of Mamo included a keychain and a translation of the entire theatrical program booklet. And some of the later volumes of the TV series were released as combo packs with a small Choro-Q toy included.