Marvelous Entertainment


Marvelous Entertainment Inc. was a multinational corporation that produced animation, music, video games and television series. MMV is known for its involvement in the Story of Seasons series.

Local operations

Locally, MMV is involved in a number of forms of entertainment, including the production of anime and music done by two MMV subsidiaries Artland and Delfi Sound. Artland is an animation studio that has produced a number of popular anime series, including the award-winning Mushishi and the hit shōnen Katekyō Hitman Reborn!. Delfi Sound is a recording studio that has been involved in the production of a number of albums, radio dramas, and soundtracks since its establishment in 2005. MMV has also produced a number of live television series, movies, and musical theatre productions, like the highly popular Prince of Tennis musical, Tenimyu.

Merge with AQ Interactive

In 2011, AQ Interactive merged with Marvelous Entertainment. The combined company became Marvelous AQL Inc., and AQ was absorbed into the Marvelous business operations.

Subsidiaries

Artland, Inc.

It is an animation studio established on September 14, 1978. On April 3, 2006, it became a subsidiary of Marvelous Entertainment Inc.

Animation Studio Artland

Animation Studio Artland is an animation studio established via dividing Artland, Inc. On 15 November 2010, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced the separating Artland, Inc.'s animation production into Animation Studio Artland, Inc. as a fully owned subsidiary of Marvelous Entertainment Inc., effective on December 1, 2010.

Marvelous Online

Marvelous Online is an online store for Marvelous Entertainment Inc. products.
On May 2, 2009, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced the establishment of Marvelous Online.

Former subsidiaries

Runtime, Inc.

Runtime, Inc. was a software development, video game production, CG production company, established on July 18, 2001. On March 17, 2006, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced Runtime, Inc. would become a subsidiary of Marvelous Entertainment Inc., effective on April 3, 2006. On January 28, 2008, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced Runtime, Inc. would be merged into its parent company, Marvelous Entertainment Inc., effective on April 1, 2008.

Marvelous Music Publishing, Inc.

Marvelous Music Publishing, Inc. was a wholly owned subsidiary of Marvelous Entertainment Inc., established from its parent's former copyright and publishing businesses. On July 1, 2001, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced the establishment of Marvelous Music Publishing, Inc. On January 23, 2007, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced Marvelous Music Publishing, Inc. would be merged into its parent company, Marvelous Entertainment Inc., effective on April 1, 2007.

Marvelous Liveware Inc.

Marvelous Liveware Inc. was a mobile phone Internet contents development subsidiary of Marvelous Entertainment Inc. On April 27, 2004, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced the establishment of the subsidiary Marvelous Liveware Inc., effective on June 1, 2004. On March 31, 2005, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced the sales of Marvelous Liveware to Interspire, inc.

Marvelous Interactive Inc.

Marvelous Interactive Inc. was a developer and publisher of video games, established on August 3, 1970 as Pack-In-Video and later renamed Victor Interactive Software after Victor Entertainment merged with Pack-In-Video on October 1, 1996. On March 24, 2003, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced had acquired 55% stake of Victor Interactive Software, and would rename Victor Interactive Software to Marvelous Interactive Inc., effective on March 31, 2003. In the press release, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. listed the then upcoming Marvelous Interactive Inc. was established on October 1, 1996.
On September 10, 2003, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced Marvelous Interactive Inc. would become a wholly owned subsidiary of Marvelous Entertainment Inc. When Marvelous Entertainment Inc. completed its acquisition of Victor Interactive Software on March 31, 2003, it was renamed Marvelous Interactive. With this acquisition MMV obtained all the rights to the popular Story of Seasons series and other Victor Interactive Software series.
On March 20, 2007, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced Marvelous Interactive Inc. would be merged into its parent company, Marvelous Entertainment Inc., effective on June 30, 2007.

Mad

Mad was an amusement facility operator.
On March 20, 2007, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced a restructuring plan that would transfer amusement business to Atlus, by moving it to Mad as a wholly owned subsidiary of Marvelous Entertainment Inc., which would be established on June 1, 2007; the remaining businesses would be operated under Marvelous Entertainment Inc. The transfer also included sale of The Third Planet amusement operations, effective on July 1, 2007.
At Atlus, the company announced merging Mad into Atlus effective on September 1, 2007, with merger registered on September 3, 2007.

Delfi Sound Inc.

Delfi Sound Inc. It is a recording studio, album production, and music label company. The company was established on April 1, 2005 as Marvelous Studio Inc.
On March 22, 2005, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced the establishment of the subsidiary Marvelous Studio Inc., effective on April 1, 2005.
On January 22, 2010, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced transferring 100% of its Delfi Sound Inc. shares to Amuse Capital Inc., effective on January 29, 2010.

Rising Star Games Limited

It is a video game publisher and distributor within Europe and all other PAL territories.
On December 24, 2004, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced the establishment of a London-based joint venture company called Rising Star Games Limited with Bergsala AB. Marvelous Entertainment Inc. would own 51% shares of the company, while Bergsala AB own the remaining 49%. The company would begin operation in 2004–12.
MMV decided to gain a foothold on the European market first because most Japanese publishers have not really focused on it. About a year later, Rising Star Games and Atari teamed up to start releasing games for the Nintendo DS and PSP and has since experienced great success in Europe. As of March 31, 2008, Harvest Moon DS managed to sell over 300,000 copies and ship over 500,000 copies across the continent. Rising Star Games has also released over 30 games in Europe, including No More Heroes and a ported version of for the Wii.
On January 22, 2010, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced transferring all of its remaining 51% of Rising Star Games Limited stakes to Intergrow Inc., effective on January 29, 2010.

Marvelous Entertainment USA, Inc. (MMV USA)

On May 9, 2008, MMV announced that it will be partnering up with Xseed Games to co-publish games in North America. In a follow up interview with Yasuhiro Wada, he revealed localizing MMV titles will be pivotal, but there are plans to publish titles from other companies as well.
On May 16, 2005, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced it had acquired the shares of an American company AQ Interactive,Inc. and it would be renamed as Marvelous Entertainment USA,INC. as 100% subsidiary of Marvelous Entertainment Inc., effective on 2005-05-16. However, in a 2007 Gamasutra interview with Yasuhiro Wada, he claimed that MMV would open a U.S. Marvelous office after two years, in search for a company who already has the contacts and who is very strong with all the retailers and with the distribution channel.
On May 9, 2008, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. and Xseed Games announced they had entered a co-publishing partnership. The North American video game sales would begin in November 2008. MMV has titles in development for all platforms, but there is a focus on Wii and DS and upcoming announcements will reflect that accordingly. MMV USA is being headed solely by Takeshi Inoue, plans are to expand over the next three to five years to ten people.
On May 31, 2011, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced transferring 100% of its Marvelous Entertainment USA, Inc. shares to Rising Star Games Limited, effective on June 30, 2011.