AMC Networks Acquires Distributor Sentai

It was announced recently that Sentai Holdings, the distributor of primarily anime products in the west, has been acquired by AMC Networks. The company responsible for shows such as The Walking Dead and a wealth of networks and streaming services, did not disclose financial terms of the deal, but did share that it would include HIDIVE, the anime streaming service, and Cool Japan Fund, a public-private investment fund in Japan.

“With strong industry relationships and access to key content creators in Japan, Sentai distributes and curates one of the anime industry’s most diverse libraries of top trending and classic titles, with its content available on Crunchyroll, Hulu and Amazon Prime, among others. Sentai’s HIDIVE streaming service represents a strong new addition to AMC Networks’ portfolio of fast-growing targeted offerings.”

~AMC Networks

The founder of Sentai, John Ledford, as well as executives Griffin Vance and Paul Clinkscales, will remain in senior roles. Ledford said,

“We are thrilled by AMC Networks’ acquisition and are excited to be a part of their growth strategy. This acquisition will not change Sentai’s mission to deliver the most exciting anime content to audiences around the world — it will expand it greatly and will give our content businesses more distribution, more partnerships, more scale and more reach.”

This move will hopefully serve to expand the reach of the various properties previously licensed by Sentai, and by extension, the value of anime in the west.