Streamline Pictures – Part 18

While writing my columns on the history of Streamline Pictures, I came across several old files. Here is some long-forgotten and never-published information from the 1990s.

First is an old chronological list from about 1999 of all the anime-specialty companies in the U.S. and Great Britain, with their initial releases. Not just the major anime releasers, but the minor companies that only released one or two videos, as well. I don’t think that this information is available anywhere else in one place. I have tried to update it to the present, but the information after 1998 may not be complete.

U.S.: The Major Companies

Streamline Pictures: (theatrical) Laputa: The Castle in the Sky, 24 March 1989; (video) Akira Production Report, 25 February 1990
The Right Stuf: (video) Astro Boy #1, 1 June 1989
U. S. Renditions: (video) Dangaio #1, 25 February 1990; Gunbuster #1, 25 February 1990
AnimEigo: (video) MADOX-01, 1 April 1990
Central Park Media (U. S. Manga Corps): (video) Dominion Tank Police #1, 7 November 1991
A. D. Vision: (video) Devil Hunter Yohko, 15 December 1992
Viz Communications (Viz Video): (video) Mermaid’s Scar, 2 November 1993; Ranma 1/2 TV Series #1, 2 November 1993
Pioneer Entertainment: (laser disc) Tenchi Muyo! #1, 8 December 1993
Manga Entertainment: U.S.: (video) Appleseed, 28 February 1995; Macross Plus #1, 28 February 1995 [Britain: see Island World Communications]
Software Sculptors: (video) Metal Fighter Miku #1, 5 September 1995; Zenki the Demon Prince #1, 5 September 1995
Media Blasters (Kitty Media): (video) Rei-Lan Orchid Emblem, 6 May 1997
Urban Vision Entertainment: (video) BioHunter, 29 July 1997; Gatchaman #1, 29 July 1997
Bandai Entertainment (AnimeVillage.com): (video) The CLAMP School #1, 15 September 1998; Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket #1 & #2, 15 September 1998; Gundam 0083: Stardust Memories #1, 15 September 1998; Gundam MS Movie #1 – #3, 15 September 1998; The Vision of Escaflowne #1, 15 September 1998
Tokyopop: (video) Saint Tail #1, August 28, 2001
FUNimation Productions: (video) Yu Yu Hakusho #1 – February 23, 2002
(Note: Earlier FUNimation productions (Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z) were released on children’s video by Vidmark/Trimark under the KidMark label. Yu Yu Hakusho #1 was the first anime video under the FUNimation label.)

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U.S.: The Minor Companies

Voyager Entertainment: (video) Star Blazers #1 – #39, 1 June 1993
Star Anime Enterprises: (video) Homeroom Affairs #1, 26 October 1994
CQC Pictures: (video) Kizuna #1 #2, 1 December 1996
Synch-Point: (video) I’m Gonna Be An Angel #1 – July 10, 2001
(Note: Synch-Point released only Broccoli Co., Ltd. anime.)
Super Techno Arts: (video) JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure #1 – June 10, 2003
(Note: Super Techno Arts released only A.P.P.P. anime.)
AN Entertainment: (video) Risky Safety #1 – July 8, 2003

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U. K.: The Major and Minor Companies

Island World Communications: (video) Akira, 1 September 1991
(as Manga Video) Fist of the North Star (feature), 30 March 1992
[changed name to Manga Entertainment, July 1993]
Western Connection: (video) The Sensualist, November 1992
Kiseki Films: (video) Macross II, eps. 1 & 2, 4 November 1993; Macross II, eps. 3 & 4, 4 November 1993
Crusader Video: (video) Cat Girl: Nuku-Nuku, 21 March 1994
Animania: (video) Guy: Awakening of the Devil/Second Target, 27 June 1994
AUK Video: (video) KO Century Beast Warriors, 25 July 1994

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Planned Streamline Releases (that never were)

This is a condensation from several lists of the Video Comics that Streamline had published, and the next several scheduled for production before Orion vetoed them. For the record, Streamline released 107 Video Comics. Here is what would have been next:

Colonel Bleep vol. 3 was scheduled, but we couldn’t find enough intact old masters.
Macross, Southern Cross, and Mospeada Perfect Collections. Macross to vol. 18 and the shorter Southern Cross and Mospeada to vol. 12 each.

Crying Freeman vol. 6
Megazone 23, Part 2: Tell Me the Secret
Dragon Slayers vols. 1 & 2
Casshan, Robot Hunter: Perfect Collection
The Secret of Blue Water vols. 3 to 8
Babel II: The Movie
3 X 3 Eyes, Part 2: Perfect Collection
High-Speed Jecy vols 1 to 4
Princess Knight vols 1 & 2.

These were the 1967-68 52-episode Mushi Pro productions that had been “Americanized” by Joe Oriolo and Burt Hecht in the 1970s but never shown in the U. S. (maybe in Minneapolis?), except for three episodes edited together into the Choppy and the Princess feature. (The whole dubbed series was shown on TV and released on video in Australia.) Streamline got the rights and the English-dubbed masters that were in storage in the Netherlands, but they were in very poor condition. We were investigating whether they were still salvageable when Orion’s vetoes made the question academic.

Streamline would have undoubtedly planned further releases such as Megazone 23, Part 3, more High-Speed Jecy videos (there were 12 OVAs in Japan), the Space Cobra TV episodes, and maybe Goku: Midnight Eye. Streamline was in a bidding war for the American rights to Goku: Midnight Eye, I think with Urban Vision, when Orion made it impossible for us to buy the rights, and the other company got it by default.

And that’s it for the history of Streamline Pictures!

Next week: Something completely different.