AMC Networks announced that it has acquired Sentai Holdings, LLC, what includes Sentai Filmworks and the streaming service HIDIVE. The acquisition includes all the interests of the members of Cool Japan Fund, Inc, a Japanese public-private investment fund.
Matt Blank, Acting CEO of AMC Networks, has declared: “This acquisition builds on AMC Networks’ already strong intellectual property and franchises, and furthers our streaming strategy aimed at serving passionate audiences with depth of content, curation and community. With the addition of Sentai, we see an even greater opportunity to build AMC Networks’ position as a global leader in targeted streaming, while continuing to grow a long-term, sustainable and profitable streaming business that will be transformative for our company.».
The founder of Sentai Filmworks, John Ledford, has declared: “We are delighted with the acquisition by AMC Networks and excited to be part of their growth strategy. This acquisition will not change Sentai’s mission of bringing the most exciting anime content to audiences around the world, but will vastly expand it and give our content businesses more distribution, more partnerships, more scale and more reach. Could not be more satisfied».
Sentai Filmworks is a global supplier of anime and official items. The company’s brands include the streaming service HIDIVE, SentaiFilmworks.com, el canal Video-on-Demand Anime Network Y Sentai Studios. Sentai Filmworks has licensed numerous animes, such as Made in Abyss, Akame ga KILL!, Shokugeki no Souma (Food Wars!), Y Kiseijuu: Sei no Kakuritsu (Parasyte).
The acquisition has mostly left English-speaking fans confused (HIDIVE distributes content subtitled into Spanish, but to a much lesser extent than its original catalog in English), and in comment forums you can read comments such as the following:
- «Well this came out of nowhere and is a likely sign that Sentai is still struggling to compete with FUNimation and Crunchyroll for the newer titles, both of which are now owned by Sony Pictures.».
- «I don’t think they will make the same mistake once more. I’m sure if Ledford has any business sense he would make sure that doesn’t happen once more with this sale. I’m not as pessimistic regarding the anime industry as everyone else. I don’t like that Sony-Mation-Roll has the monopoly right now and I want Sentai and Discotek to have access to more titles. And I hope that happens».
- «Well, blow me away, it seems that the anime competition for licenses abroad will be between Sony, Netflix, Disney and AMC. And now I wonder if Warner, Universal, Viacom and Apple will be next …»
Fountain: ANN
