ADV Films
|
|
ADV Films was the home video publication arm of A.D. Vision based in Houston, Texas. It is a publisher of anime videos, and other live-action material. ADV Films is the largest producer-distributor of anime outside of Japan.
ADV Films distributes anime in both North America and Europe.
Founded in 1992 by film fans John Ledford and Matt Greenfield, they started out by licensing and releasing the Devil Hunter Yohko series on video, were the first North American anime licensor to use all-digital video mastering and transfer (specifically D2 digital video tape), and soon began acquiring an extensive library, culminating in the licensing of the influential and controversial television series Neon Genesis Evangelion. By 1996, ADV Films had opened its UK division, and diversified into the realm of live-action with series such as Andromeda and Japanese films in the Gamera series.
No one knows for sure what the A.D. in ADV stands for, but it is suspected to mean "ADvanced", mainly because of the title A.D. Police.
| Contents |
Live-action material distributed by ADV Films
- Beastmaster TV series
- Conduct Zero (Pumhaeng Zero) (Korean film)
- Farscape TV series
- Gamera - Attack of Legion, Revenge of Iris
- Gene Roddenberry`s Andromeda
- Gene Roddenberry’s Earth: Final Conflict
- Gun Crazy
- Guns & Talks
- Jail Breakers
- Jungle Juice
- Marrying the Mafia
- Mutant X TV series
- No Blood, No Tears
- Public Enemy
Anime licensed by ADV Films
- 801 TTS Airbats
- Angelic Layer
- Aquarian Age
- Aura Battler Dunbine
- Azumanga Daioh
- Battle Angel
- Blue Seed
- Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040
- Burn Up, Burn Up W, Burn Up Excess
- Chrono Crusade (Chrno Crusade)
- City Hunter
- Colorful
- Dai-Guard
- Debutante Detective Corps
- Devil Hunter Yohko
- Devil Lady
- Divergence Eve
- Dragon Half
- E's Otherwise
- Elfen Lied
- Ellcia
- Excel Saga
- Final Fantasy: Unlimited
- Fire Emblem
- Five Star Stories
- Full Metal Panic!
- Gad Guard
- Gantz
- Generator Gawl
- GetBackers
- Ghost Stories (Gakkou no Kaidan)
- Godannar
- Golden Boy
- Gunsmith Cats
- Hanappe Bazooka
- Happy Lesson
- Kaleido Star
- Kimagure Orange Road: Summers Beginning
- Kino's Journey
- Legend of Crystania
- Legend of the Mystical Ninja
- Louie The Rune Soldier
- Madlax
- Magical Play
- Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi
- Martian Successor Nadesico
- Metal Angel Marie (My Dear Marie)
- Najica Blitz Tactics
- Neon Genesis Evangelion
- New Angel
- New Cutey Honey
- New Fist of the North Star
- Ninja Resurrection
- Noir
- Onto the North (Kita he - Diamond Dust Drops)
- Original Dirty Pair
- Papuwa
- Peacemaker Kurogane
- Petite Princess Yucie
- Prétear
- Princess Minerva
- Princess Nine
- Princess Tutu
- Puni Puni Poemi
- RahXephon
- Rail of the Star
- Robotech
- Saint Seiya (Knights of the Zodiac)
- Saiyuki
- Sakura Wars (OAV series)
- Samurai Gun
- Samurai X: Trust and Betrayal
- Samurai X: Trust and Betrayal Director’s Cut
- Samurai X: The Movie
- Samurai X: Reflection
- Shuten Doji
- Slayers Movies, OVAs
- Sonic the Hedgehog (Sonic OVA)
- Sorcerer Hunters
- Steel Angel Kurumi
- Street Fighter II V
- Suikoden
- Sukeban Deka
- Tekken
- The Super Milk-chan Show
- Those Who Hunt Elves
- Voices of a Distant Star
- Wandaba Style
- Wedding Peach
- You're Under Arrest the Movie, Mini-Specials
- Zone of the Enders
...and hundreds (literally) more.
Original ADV Productions
- Lady Death
- Sin: The Movie
ADV, with the collaboration of Weta Digital, plans to produce a live action feature film based on Neon Genesis Evangelion for release some time between 2006-2010.
Dubbing
When ADV first started back in 1992, they released videos in the original Japanese language with English subtitles. A few years later, they decided to begin dubbing, releasing anime with the Japanese dialogue recorded over with that of English, using their own voice actors. ADV started out using a nearby production studio as their recording facility, which put many restraints on them. For example, to use the studio, ADV's producers had to pay an hourly fee. If a certain actor didn't show up, someone else had to fill the role, which explains why Matt Greenfield appeared as minor and/or secondary characters in many of the early dubs, such as Gunsmith Cats, Bubblegum Crisis: Tokyo 2040 and, most notably, Neon Genesis Evangelion, although some of these roles were taken on by Greenfield because it wasn't worth getting someone else to do a bit part or he wanted to play the role. All roles played by Greenfield were credited with the alias Brian Granveldt (Greenfield didn't want his name appearing numerous times in the credits for various reasons).
After a few years, ADV was able to open up their own production and recording facility in Houston, and also opened a second studio in Austin. The studios were named Industrial Smoke & Mirrors (IS&M) and Monster Island, respectively. Over the years, ADV amassed a huge backlog of titles they didn't deem important enough to dub right away. With Monster Island, any shows not being dubbed by IS&M could be done by them. With the completion of backlog dubbing, Monster Island closed down permanently in early 2005.