Urban Vision
Encyclopedia
Urban Vision Entertainment Inc., an American based production/distribution company created in Los Angeles
, California
formed in July, 1996 by Mataichiro Yamamoto to help introduce the alternative animation genre known as anime
or Japanimation to mainstream media.
, California
formed in July, 1996 by Mataichiro Yamamoto to help introduce the alternative animation genre known as anime
or Japanimation to mainstream media. The company primarily produces/acquires Japanese animation for direct-to-home video release and distributes to the home video market.
Urban Vision founder Mataichiro Yamamoto helped pioneer the anime genre in the US with the computer-generated theatrical release, The Professional: Golgo 13
, in 1983.
Urban Vision works closely with the world-renowned Studio Madhouse
animation studio in Tokyo, Japan (Wicked City
, Ninja Scroll
, Vampire Hunter D
). The company's initial release, another Madhouse project, was Bio Hunter
, released on home video in July 1997. Additional Urban Vision releases include Tekkaman Blade II
,Stage I: The New Generation, Gatchaman volumes 1, 2 and 3, Twilight of the Dark Master
, Dragon Slayer
, Psycho Diver: Soul Siren and Legend of the Crystals based on Final Fantasy
volumes 1 and 2.
Urban Vision's Live action production/distribution subsidiary AsiaVision
was launched in March, 2006 their first release for this label was Curse, Death & Spirit
, an anthology of three short horror stories directed by Hideo Nakata
(director of Ringu, The Ring 2). As with anime, AsiaVision plans to retain a focus on Asian horror, action, and thriller.
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
formed in July, 1996 by Mataichiro Yamamoto to help introduce the alternative animation genre known as anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
or Japanimation to mainstream media.
History
Urban Vision Entertainment Inc., an American based production/distribution company created in Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
formed in July, 1996 by Mataichiro Yamamoto to help introduce the alternative animation genre known as anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
or Japanimation to mainstream media. The company primarily produces/acquires Japanese animation for direct-to-home video release and distributes to the home video market.
Urban Vision founder Mataichiro Yamamoto helped pioneer the anime genre in the US with the computer-generated theatrical release, The Professional: Golgo 13
Golgo 13
is a manga series written and illustrated by Takao Saito, published in Shogakukan's Big Comic magazine since January 1969. In 1976, the manga won the 21st Shogakukan Manga Award for general manga...
, in 1983.
Urban Vision works closely with the world-renowned Studio Madhouse
Madhouse (company)
is a Japanese animation studio, founded in 1972 by ex–Mushi Pro animators including Masao Maruyama, Osamu Dezaki, Rintaro, and Yoshiaki Kawajiri. It has created and helped to produce many well known shows, starting with TV anime series Ace o Nerae! in 1973, and including western favourites Ninja...
animation studio in Tokyo, Japan (Wicked City
Wicked City (film)
is an animated horror neo-noir directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri, based on Hideyuki Kikuchi's novel of the same name.The story takes place towards the end of the 20th century and explores the idea that the human world secretly coexists with the demon world with a secret police force known as the Black...
, Ninja Scroll
Ninja Scroll
is a 1993 Japanese animated action thriller film set in feudal Japan, written and directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri who was best known for his previous thriller Wicked City . The character designs were done by Yutaka Minowa. The movie is in homage to the Ninpōchō series, ninja novels by Futaro Yamada...
, Vampire Hunter D
Vampire Hunter D
is a series of Japanese novels written by Hideyuki Kikuchi and illustrated by Yoshitaka Amano since 1983.To date, twenty-two novels have been published in the main series, with some novels comprising as many as four volumes...
). The company's initial release, another Madhouse project, was Bio Hunter
Bio Hunter
is a Japanese manga series authored by Fujihiko Hosono. It tells the story about two molecular biologists, Koshigaya and Komada who take on humans with strange viruses that make them less human and more demonic...
, released on home video in July 1997. Additional Urban Vision releases include Tekkaman Blade II
Tekkaman Blade II
is a six-episode original video animation.Ten years have passed since the end of the original Tekkaman Blade, and a new generation of Tekkaman must confront a powerful new enemy while rebuilding their forces....
,Stage I: The New Generation, Gatchaman volumes 1, 2 and 3, Twilight of the Dark Master
Twilight of the Dark Master
is a Japanese anime film based on a manga by Saki Okuse. It was produced by Masao Maruyama, directed by Akiyuki Shinbo, and the screenplay was written by Duane Dell'Amico. The film was distributed and licensed in 1997 by Urban Vision.-Plot:...
, Dragon Slayer
Dragon Slayer
is an early action role-playing game developed and published by Nihon Falcom in 1984 for the NEC PC-88 computer system and ported by Square for the MSX. Designed by Yoshio Kiya, the game gave rise to a series of sequels, nearly all of them created by Falcom, with the exception of Faxanadu by Hudson...
, Psycho Diver: Soul Siren and Legend of the Crystals based on Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy
is a media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, and is developed and owned by Square Enix . The franchise centers on a series of fantasy and science-fantasy role-playing video games , but includes motion pictures, anime, printed media, and other merchandise...
volumes 1 and 2.
Urban Vision's Live action production/distribution subsidiary AsiaVision
Asiavision
Asiavision is a daily exchange of news by satellite among television stations in 20 countries in Asia. Launched in January 1984, it brings together many of Asia's leading broadcasters...
was launched in March, 2006 their first release for this label was Curse, Death & Spirit
Curse, Death & Spirit
Curse, Death & Spirit is three-part anthology of Japanese ghost stories from popular director Hideo Nakata . The DVD version is being licensed and distributed by AsiaVision, the Asian live-action label from Urban Vision Entertainment.- Story :The movie consist of three storylines.The Cursed...
, an anthology of three short horror stories directed by Hideo Nakata
Hideo Nakata
Hideo Nakata is a Japanese filmmaker.-Life and career:Nakata was born in Okayama, Japan. He is most familiar to Western audiences for his work on Japanese horror films such as Ring , Ring 2 and Dark Water...
(director of Ringu, The Ring 2). As with anime, AsiaVision plans to retain a focus on Asian horror, action, and thriller.
Anime
- Bio HunterBio Hunteris a Japanese manga series authored by Fujihiko Hosono. It tells the story about two molecular biologists, Koshigaya and Komada who take on humans with strange viruses that make them less human and more demonic...
- Final Fantasy: Legend of the CrystalsFinal Fantasy: Legend of the Crystalsis an anime OVA based on the Final Fantasy series of console role-playing games. It was released in Japan in 1994 and distributed by Urban Vision in 1998 in North America. Urban Vision does not have the license to this series now, and it has not been relicensed in North America.Legend of the...
- Gatchaman (1994)
- Golgo 13: Queen BeeGolgo 13is a manga series written and illustrated by Takao Saito, published in Shogakukan's Big Comic magazine since January 1969. In 1976, the manga won the 21st Shogakukan Manga Award for general manga...
(from Streamline PicturesStreamline PicturesStreamline Pictures was an American media company that was best known for its distribution of English dubbed Japanese animation. -Founding:Founded in Los Angeles, California, in 1988, Streamline Pictures was one of the first North American companies that was created primarily for the intention of...
) - Hurricane PolymarHurricane Polymar (OVA)is a two-part OVA series that was created by Tatsunoko Productions. It is a remake of the classic 1970s anime TV series known as Hurricane Polymar. The first episode was released in Japan on September 21, 1996, followed by episode 2 on February 21, 1997...
(1998) - Ninja Scroll: The SeriesNinja Scroll: The Seriesis a 2003 Japanese animated television series based on Yoshiaki Kawajiri's Ninja Scroll. The series is directed by Tatsuo Sato and animated by Madhouse Studios.- Plot :...
- Pet Shop of HorrorsPet Shop of Horrorsis a Japanese horror manga created by Matsuri Akino. The series focuses on the eccentric Count D, proprietor of a mysterious pet shop located in the heart of Chinatown, and the numerous patrons who visit his shop....
(now licensed by ADV Films) - The Professional: Golgo 13Golgo 13: The ProfessionalGolgo 13: The Professional is a Japanese animated film adaptation of the Golgo 13 manga series released May 28, 1983 by Tokyo Movie Shinsha...
(from Streamline PicturesStreamline PicturesStreamline Pictures was an American media company that was best known for its distribution of English dubbed Japanese animation. -Founding:Founded in Los Angeles, California, in 1988, Streamline Pictures was one of the first North American companies that was created primarily for the intention of...
) - Psycho Diver: Soul Siren
- Strange DawnStrange Dawnis a 13-episode anime TV series created by Hal Film Maker for Pioneer LDC in 2000. The series follows the adventures of Eri and Yuko after they are transported to a strange world where all the people are very short....
(Lil' Vision) - Tekkaman Blade IITekkaman Blade IIis a six-episode original video animation.Ten years have passed since the end of the original Tekkaman Blade, and a new generation of Tekkaman must confront a powerful new enemy while rebuilding their forces....
- Twilight of the Dark MasterTwilight of the Dark Masteris a Japanese anime film based on a manga by Saki Okuse. It was produced by Masao Maruyama, directed by Akiyuki Shinbo, and the screenplay was written by Duane Dell'Amico. The film was distributed and licensed in 1997 by Urban Vision.-Plot:...
- Goku Midnight EyeGoku Midnight Eyeis a manga series by Buichi Terasawa about a detective named who gains a cybernetic eye implant that can control any computer system. The manga has been published in English by ComicsOne and DrMaster....
- The Cockpit
- Wild 7Wild 7is a Japanese manga series by creator Mikiya Mochizuki that debuted on 1969 on Weekly Shōnen King where it ran until 1979. The creation of the manga had been based on the condition that Japan and other non-communist countries were facing in the 1960s and 70s with the rise of militant student...
- Vampire Hunter DVampire Hunter D (1985 film)Vampire Hunter D - one of the first anime films released outside of Japan, remains a cult classic in the English-speaking world...
(from CBS Theatrical FilmsCBS Theatrical FilmsCBS Theatrical Films was the film production branch of the U.S. television network, CBS, in the 1980s. CBS began its theatrical films operation in 1979, headed by Donald March, and turned the operation into the separate CBS Theatrical Films division in 1980. The company was active from 1979 to...
and Streamline PicturesStreamline PicturesStreamline Pictures was an American media company that was best known for its distribution of English dubbed Japanese animation. -Founding:Founded in Los Angeles, California, in 1988, Streamline Pictures was one of the first North American companies that was created primarily for the intention of...
) - Vampire Hunter D: BloodlustVampire Hunter D: Bloodlustis a 2000 anime film written and directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri. The film is based on Hideyuki Kikuchi's Vampire Hunter D novels, D - Demon Deathchase.The film began production in 1997 and was completed with the intention of being shown in American theaters...
- Wicked CityWicked City (film)is an animated horror neo-noir directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri, based on Hideyuki Kikuchi's novel of the same name.The story takes place towards the end of the 20th century and explores the idea that the human world secretly coexists with the demon world with a secret police force known as the Black...
(from Streamline PicturesStreamline PicturesStreamline Pictures was an American media company that was best known for its distribution of English dubbed Japanese animation. -Founding:Founded in Los Angeles, California, in 1988, Streamline Pictures was one of the first North American companies that was created primarily for the intention of...
)
Live action (AsiaVision)
- AzumiAzumiis a Japanese manga series created by Yū Koyama in 1994. The manga was originally published by Shogakukan and serialized in Big Comic Superior, and was later adapted to two feature films starring Aya Ueto, a video game and a stage play. Azumi received an Excellence Prize at the 1997 Japan Media...
- Azumi 2: Death or LoveAzumi 2: Death or Loveis the sequel to the Japanese film Azumi based on the manga series by Yū Koyama.- Plot :Azumi 2 continues shortly after the end of the previous film with Aya Ueto returning in the title role of a young assassin charged with keeping the nation from falling into a new civil war.Azumi and her only...
- Curse, Death & SpiritCurse, Death & SpiritCurse, Death & Spirit is three-part anthology of Japanese ghost stories from popular director Hideo Nakata . The DVD version is being licensed and distributed by AsiaVision, the Asian live-action label from Urban Vision Entertainment.- Story :The movie consist of three storylines.The Cursed...
- Kill DevilKill DevilKill Devil is a Japanese movie about a group of juvenile delinquents in the year 2025. The juveniles are host to a "murder gene", and are sent to an uninhabited island by the government so that they can be rehabilitated. The government studies the causes of the gene, and implants an experiment on...
- Kokkuri
Miscellaneous
- Slammin' Sammy: The Sammy Sosa Story (American animation; Lil' Vision)