MediaOCD has announced the acquisition of AnimEigo, the oldest existing anime distributor in English-speaking territories. The agreement will see AnimEigo’s mass-market video distribution business transferring to MediaOCD “over the coming months” as it joins MediaOCD’s Whole Grain Pictures home video label.
If you grew up with anime VHS tapes, chances are pretty good that you owned at least a few AnimEigo releases, and now their legacy is set to continue under new management. The AnimEigo brand will remain intact under MediaOCD, and current and future limited-edition crowdfunded projects will be released under the brand. AnimEigo Blu-rays and DVDs will also continue to be available through MVD Entertainment Group and regular retail channels.
AnimEigo is operated by Robert Woodhead and Natsumi Ueki, a husband-and-wife team who have recently re-released classics like Megazone 23, Bubblegum Crisis and Metal Skin Panic MADOX-01. The company’s latest crowdfunding effort is MACROSS II, which was successfully funded to the tune of $404,396 with the help of nearly 4,000 backers. Woodhead and Ueki will continue to manage this and other upcoming Kickstarter projects, overseeing production and fulfillment while providing support for previous crowdfunded AnimEigo releases.
Here’s what MediaOCD CEO Justin Sevakis had to say about the acquisition:
“I am beyond excited to continue the legacy of AnimEigo … I grew up withAnimEigo VHS tapes, and preserving both the brand and its philosophy is of utmost importance to me. The entire MediaOCD team is dedicated to bringing the AnimEigo touch to a whole new generation of anime fans.”
Robert Woodhead—who plans to “slowly ease into retirement” along with Ueki—added:
“We believe Justin is the right person to continue the AnimEigo tradition of quality and fan support … We look forward to helping him with this transition over the next few years. We can’t wait to see what new paths his fresh perspective will lead him to explore.”
Navkiran Dhaliwal is a seasoned content writer with 10+ years of experience. When she's not writing, she can be found cooking up a storm or spending time with her dog, Rain.
