Saban Entertainment

Saban Entertainment, Inc.
Industry Animation, Production
Successor BVS Entertainment
Saban Brands (Certain properties reacquired from Disney)
Founded 1983
Defunct 2002
Headquarters Los Angeles, California, United States
Area served
 Worldwide
Key people
 Haim Saban
Shuki Levy
Products Television programs
Theatrical films
Parent Independent (1983–1996)
Fox Kids Worldwide / Fox Family Worldwide
(1996–2001)
The Walt Disney Company (2002)

Saban Entertainment (along with Saban International, which operated outside the US) was a worldwide-served independent American-Israeli television production company formed in 1983 by music and television producers Haim Saban[1] and Shuki Levy as "Saban Productions", a U.S. subsidiary of "Saban International Paris" (now SIP Animation).

This company was known for importing, dubbing, and adapting several Japanese series such as, Maple Town (...Stories), Noozles (Fushigi na Koala Blinky and Printy), Funky Fables (Video Anime Ehonkan Sekai Meisaku Dowa), Samurai Pizza Cats (Kyatto Ninden Teyande), Dragon Ball Z and the first three Digimon series to North America and international markets for syndication, including both animation and live action shows. Saban is also notable for their various toku adapts of several shows from Toei Company, which include Power Rangers (based on the Super Sentai series), Big Bad Beetleborgs (based on Juukou B-Fighter), VR Troopers (featuring elements of Metal Hero series, like Space Sheriff Shaider, Jikuu Senshi Spielban and Choujinki Metalder), and Masked Rider (an original interpretation using scenes from the Japanese Kamen Rider Black RX).

Saban was involved in the co-production of French/American animated shows created by Jean Chalopin for DIC Entertainment. Some of these early 1980s co-productions were Camp Candy, Ulysses 31, Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors, and The Mysterious Cities of Gold (the third of which was a Japanese co-production).

Saban has also provided music for various TV programs, such as The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! and Inspector Gadget.

History

Early years

Saban Entertainment was formed in 1983 as "Saban Productions". The first Saban logo depicted a Saturn-Like planet with the word "Saban" going across the planet's ring. The planet had five lines under the word "Productions". Several years later, the company created "Saban International" (now Disney Media Distribution), for international distribution of its shows (note: though used interchangeably with "Saban International Paris", they were technically two different entities). In 1988 the company renamed itself "Saban Entertainment".

Partnership with DIC and Marvel

In 1986, Saban Productions bought the foreign rights to the DIC Entertainment library of children's programming, and then sold the rights to Jean Chalopin.[2] DIC then sued Saban for damages and in 1991, DIC and Saban reached a settlement.[3]

New World Animation (The Incredible Hulk), Saban (X-Men), and Marvel Films Animation (Spider-Man) each produced a Marvel series for television.[4]

In August 1996, Saban secured rights from Marvel Entertainment Group for Captain America, Daredevil and Silver Surfer and additional characters to be developed into four series and 52 episodes over seven years.[5]

In 1996, Fox Children's Productions merged with Saban Entertainment to form Fox Kids Worldwide bring the Marvel Productions and Marvel Films Animations library.[6][7][8]

Marvel was developing a Captain America animated series with Saban Entertainment for Fox Kids to premier in fall 1998.[9] However, due to Marvel's bankruptcy the series was canceled before the premiere.[10][11] Ironically, both Marvel and Saban would become parts of the The Walt Disney Company; Saban (renamed BVS Entertainment) in 2002 and Marvel by the end of 2009.

BVS Entertainment

On July 23, 2001, it was announced that the group would be sold to The Walt Disney Company as part of the sale of Fox Family Worldwide (now ABC Family Worldwide) by Haim Saban and News Corporation,[12] and on October 24, 2001, the sale was completed[1][13] and the group was renamed BVS Entertainment. The last official program and fully produced and distributed by Saban Entertainment was Power Rangers Time Force. However, Power Rangers Wild Force was the last series created by Saban and the latest in which will have a collaboration (Saban created the series and produced only pre-production, following the acquisition of Fox Family Worldwide, the show belongs to copyright of Disney and was distributed by BVS, although the show was produced by MMPR Productions, the producer of the Power Rangers during the Saban era).[14][15]

Saban International Paris

Saban International Paris, later SIP Animation, was a television production company based in France that operated from 1977 to 2008.

Saban International Paris was found in France by Haim Saban and Jacqueline Tordjman in 1977 as a television production company. In 1983, SIP moved into the animation field. Saban departed the company in 2001 with the purchase of Fox Family Worldwide, which was followed by The Walt Disney Company taking a stake in the company and a name change to SIP Animation on October 1, 2002.[16][17][18] SIP co-produced a few animated series with Jetix Europe during the 2000s.[19][20] SIP Animation was closed in 2008.[21]

Sensation Animation

Sensation Animation was a renamed portion of Saban Entertainment[22] to continue dubbing Digimon episodes from 2002 to 2003.[23]

List of television series and films

Animation TV series

Saban's animated TV series

Some or most series had all but featured the "Saban's" corporate bug in their title.

Other Foreign Animated TV series

Saban Entertainment dubbed the following Foreign Animated TV Series in English.

Japanese Anime

Saban Entertainment dubbed the following Anime TV Series in English:

Live-Action TV series

Saban Entertainment produced and distributed Live Action TV series:

Live-Action Films

Animation films

Media releases

Digimon

Power Rangers

Others

Saban's library

Although most of Saban's library is currently owned by The Walt Disney Company, there are a few exceptions: The Power Rangers franchise, which was purchased by Haim Saban from Disney for $43 million on May 12, 2010[29] and the Digimon franchise, which Saban re-acquired in September 2012.[30][31][32]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Haim Saban". Saban. Retrieved 2009-02-19.
  2. ↑ "Haim Saban, producer, in Hollywood, Washington, Israel". The New Yorker. May 10, 2010. p. 3. Retrieved November 4, 2010.
  3. ↑ "Haim Saban, producer, in Hollywood, Washington, Israel". The New Yorker. May 10, 2010. p. 4. Retrieved November 4, 2010.
  4. ↑ Goldman, Michael. "Stan Lee: Comic Guru". Animation World Magazine. Animation World Network. Retrieved May 5, 2011.
  5. ↑ "August Issue News Section:Marvel Super Heroics To Continue On Fox Kids Network.". Animation World Magazine. August 1996. Retrieved July 19, 2011.
  6. ↑ "Fox Family Worldwide Inc". Saban. Retrieved 2009-02-19.
  7. ↑ "Haim Saban, producer, in Hollywood, Washington, Israel". The New Yorker. May 10, 2010. p. 5. Retrieved November 4, 2010.
  8. ↑ Hillier, Barry (November 1, 1996). "Fox Kids Worldwide is born". Kidscreen. Retrieved November 21, 2010.
  9. ↑ "TV News: Fox Kids, Family Channel To Get [Very] Animated.". Animation World Magazine. February 1998. Retrieved May 17, 2011.
  10. ↑ "The Captain America Cartoon That Never Was". The Daily Backstabber. ComicBookMovie.com. Retrieved May 17, 2011.
  11. ↑ "Captain America "Skullhenge"". Animation. Steve Engelhart. Retrieved May 17, 2011.
  12. ↑ "News Corp. and Haim Saban Reach Agreement to Sell Fox Family Worldwide to Disney for $5.3 Billion". saban. July 23, 2001. Retrieved 2009-02-19.
  13. ↑ "Haim Saban, producer, in Hollywood, Washington, Israel". The New Yorker. May 10, 2010. p. 6. Retrieved November 4, 2010.
  14. ↑ "Saban Entertainment at Internet Movie Database". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved October 14, 2013.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Power Rangers Wild Force Company Credits (Internet Movie Database)". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved October 14, 2013.
  16. ↑ "SIP Animation Appoint Sylvie Barro As Head of Development". 4rfv.co.uk. January 17, 2007. Retrieved March 15, 2013.
  17. ↑ Godfrey, Leigh (September 25, 2002). "Saban Becomes SIP Before Journey To Mipcom". Animation World Network. Retrieved March 15, 2013.
  18. ↑ Waller, Ed (October 1, 2002). "SIP Animation adapts Italian comic books". C21 Media. Retrieved March 15, 2013.
  19. ↑ DeMott, Rick (April 12, 2005). "W.I.T.C.H. Licensed on Free TV To 13 Countries Across Europe". AWN News. Retrieved March 15, 2013.
  20. ↑ Baisley, Sarah (May 10, 2007). "Jetix Europe, SIP Animation & TF1 to Co-Produce Combo Ninos". AWN News. Retrieved March 15, 2013.
  21. ↑ Zahed, Ramin (December 2, 2011). "French TV Animator Bruno Bianchi Passes Away". Animation Magazine. Retrieved March 15, 2013.
  22. ↑ "Criteria for DISNEY ANIMATED MOVIES". thecompletistgeek.com. Retrieved March 13, 2013.
  23. ↑ Sensation Animation at the Internet Movie Database
  24. ↑ "Digimon: Digital Monsters on Madman". www.madman.com. Retrieved October 8, 2013.
  25. ↑ "Digimon: Digital Monsters (Season 2) on Madman". www.madman.com. Retrieved October 8, 2013.
  26. ↑ "Power Rangers on German Amazon". German Amazon. Retrieved October 8, 2013.
  27. ↑ https://www.shoutfactory.com/kids/kids-action-adventure/power-rangers-seasons-13-17
  28. ↑ http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1351039/lionsgate-and-saban-brands-partner-for-power-rangers-live-action-feature-film
  29. ↑ Bond, Paul (August 10, 2010). "Disney's Q3 boosted by TV operations profit; Power Rangers sale added $43 million to coffers". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 11, 2010.
  30. ↑ Crowe, Deborah (September 25, 2012). "Saban Brands Acquires Digimon Anime Brand". Los Angeles Business Journal. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
  31. ↑ "Saban Brands Acquires Digimon Anime Franchise". AnimeNewsNetwork. September 25, 2012. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
  32. ↑ Sarah (September 25, 2012). "Saban Brands Acquires Digimon Brand". BSCKids. Retrieved September 26, 2012.

External links