| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | multimedia entertainment |
| Genre | Anime, Japanese films |
| Predecessor | A.D. Vision |
| Founded | Houston, Texas, U.S. (2009) |
| Headquarters | Houston, Texas, United States |
| Area served | United States, Canada |
| Website | section23films.com |
Section23 Films is an American home video distribution company specializing in anime and Japanese films. The company is one of five successors to ADV Films, as well as the distributor of titles from Sentai Filmworks and Switchblade Films.[1] ADV had announced that it had sold its assets to a group of companies, including Section23, on September 1, 2009.[2] The company is based in Houston, Texas. Digital distribution (such as on iTunes) is handled by Warner Bros. Entertainment.
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Section23 Films is a distribution company devoted to marketing and releasing titles into the North American market. The company distributes titles for Sentai Filmworks, Switchblade Pictures, and AEsir Holdings.[3] The name is a reference to the 23 districts within Tokyo, Japan.
Sentai Filmworks is an anime licensing company. It was formed in 2008 and had partnered with ADV Films to distribute their anime onto the market including shows that was previously released and licensed by Geneon USA.[4] As of September 2009, distribution is now handled by Section23 and it is now the successor to ADV Films. Their first title was a re-release of Mahoromatic. [5]
Switchblade Pictures is a licensing company that mostly licenses live-action Japanese films (mostly, uncut horror and Pink cinema). Along with Sentai Filmworks, Switchblade was formed in 2008 and ADV Films provided distribution.[6] As of September 2009, distribution is now handled by Section23. Their first release was Cruel Restaurant.[7]
A new sub-label of Switchblade Pictures opened in 2010 called Maiden Japan.[8] They are a licensing company that licenses mature anime, similar to Switchblade's Pink cinema catalog. As with Switchblade, they are distributed by Section23 Films. Their first release was Papillon Rose.
AEsir Holdings is an anime licensing company. They hold the rights to several titles which formerly belonged to ADV Films, before their shutdown. Released titles include Princess Tutu, Petite Princess Yucie, and Lady Death.[9] [10]
Section23 Films, Sentai Filmworks, and AEsir Holdings do not directly release their properties in non-US (English-speaking) markets unlike their predecessor, A.D. Vision, instead sublicensing to other companies such as Manga Entertainment in the United Kingdom and Siren Visual (initially and the majority), then Madman Entertainment (starting with the release of Xam'd: Lost Memories and future releases of Highschool of the Dead and Hyakka Ryōran Samurai Girls) in Australia and New Zealand.