Manga Entertainment
British anime producer, licensee, publisher, and distributor that helped establish Japanese animation in English-speaking markets.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Manga Entertainment was a British anime company established in London in 1991. Although its name referred to Japanese popular culture generally, its principal business was the licensing, production, marketing, and distribution of Japanese animation rather than manga publishing. The company became one of the most visible early distributors of anime in the United Kingdom and subsequently developed operations or commercial relationships in Ireland, the United States, and Australia. The business began as Island World Communications, a subsidiary connected with Island Records' Island World Group. Chris Blackwell and Andy Frain founded the company, with Laurence Guinness playing an important role in its early development. The company adopted the Manga Entertainment name as it built a catalog of Japanese animated films and television properties for English-speaking audiences. Its releases helped bring titles such as Ghost in the Shell and other prominent anime productions to home-video consumers outside Japan. The company also used the Manga Books imprint for selected print publications, including Crying Freeman, but books remained secondary to its screen-distribution business. Manga Entertainment expanded into North America in 1993 through the purchase of L.A. Hero, creating Manga U.S. The British operation also entered Australia in the same period. Australian releases initially involved Island's parent-company structure, PolyGram Video, and local distributor Siren Entertainment. During the late 1990s, Madman Entertainment assumed Manga's Australian operations and inherited rights to the relevant United Kingdom and United States catalogues. Siren continued as a distributor in Australia for a period before Madman established its own distribution arm. The North American business changed ownership several times. In 2004, IDT Entertainment announced the purchase of Manga U.S. Manga UK and Manga U.S. operated independently from 2005, although they remained connected through common ownership. IDT Entertainment was subsequently acquired by Liberty Media in 2006 and became part of Starz Media. Manga U.S. stopped licensing new products in 2011 after the release of Redline and was absorbed into Starz Media's wider home-entertainment structure. The later Starz corporate separation placed the U.S. assets within Starz Inc., and the subsequent acquisition of Starz by Lionsgate moved the relevant business into Lionsgate's home-entertainment organization. The British branch followed a different path. In 2015, managing director Colin Lomax acquired the United Kingdom business together with Anchor Bay UK. Anchor Bay UK was renamed Platform Entertainment, which retained exclusive rights to the Manga Entertainment brand and catalogue in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Platform was later acquired by Kaleidoscope Film Distribution, which stated that Manga UK would be separated and operated independently. After Platform ceased distributing Manga titles, Spirit Entertainment became the UK release partner. The Manga brand was subsequently connected with Crunchyroll in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The former UK branch became Crunchyroll UK and Ireland and was also known as Crunchyroll Ltd. from 2022. In the United States, the brand was licensed by Lionsgate from Crunchyroll, but the Manga U.S. web presence was later discontinued and some catalogue titles were reissued under the Lionsgate name. The company therefore survives primarily as a historical brand and catalogue identity rather than as a single independent international distributor.
History
Manga Entertainment originated in London in 1991 under the earlier name Island World Communications. The business was founded by Chris Blackwell and Andy Frain in connection with Island Records' Island World Group, with Laurence Guinness identified as an important figure in its early development. Its formation reflected the growing commercial interest in Japanese animation among Western home-video audiences. Although the word “manga” normally describes Japanese comics, Manga Entertainment's main activity was the acquisition, licensing, production, marketing, and distribution of anime. The company did publish selected print works through the Manga Books imprint, including Crying Freeman, but publishing was not its central business. The company established a prominent position in the United Kingdom and Ireland by distributing Japanese animated films and series through home-video channels. Its catalogue included internationally recognized properties such as Ghost in the Shell. Manga's releases contributed to the wider availability and visibility of anime in English-speaking markets during a period when specialist distribution was still developing. The company operated not only as a distributor but also, in some cases, as a producer or licensee associated with English-language releases and localization. In 1993, Manga expanded into North America by purchasing L.A. Hero and establishing Manga U.S. The same year, Manga UK moved into Australia after strong demand for imported releases. The Australian business began releasing titles in January 1994 through arrangements involving PolyGram Video, the Australian division connected with Island's parent company, and the independent distributor Siren Entertainment. In the late 1990s, Madman Entertainment assumed Manga's Australian operations and inherited Australian rights to the relevant Manga U.S. and Manga UK catalogues. Siren continued to distribute releases for a period, until Madman created its own distribution company, The AV Channel, in 2001. The North American operation entered a new ownership phase in 2004, when IDT Entertainment announced its purchase of Manga U.S. From 2005, the United Kingdom and American branches operated independently, although they remained under the same ownership structure. Liberty Media acquired IDT Entertainment in 2006, after which the business became part of Starz Media. Manga U.S. stopped licensing new products in 2011 following the release of Redline and was absorbed into Starz Media. Liberty Media later separated Starz into a standalone public company; the Starz spin-off was completed in January 2013. The British operation was separated from the Starz structure in 2015. Colin Lomax, then the managing director, acquired the UK branch along with Anchor Bay UK. Anchor Bay UK was renamed Platform Entertainment and retained exclusive rights to the Manga Entertainment brand and catalogue in the United Kingdom and Ireland. In 2016, Kaleidoscope Film Distribution announced that it had acquired Platform. Kaleidoscope also indicated that Manga UK would be split off and operated separately. After Platform stopped distributing Manga titles, Spirit Entertainment became a UK release partner. The North American assets followed another corporate route. In 2016, Lionsgate announced the acquisition of Starz, a transaction completed later that year. This placed Manga U.S. within the Lionsgate home-entertainment environment. Lionsgate relaunched Manga U.S.'s digital and social presence in 2017 and licensed the Manga Entertainment name from Crunchyroll. Colin Lomax died between Christmas 2017 and New Year's Day 2018, according to the cited account. The former UK business ultimately became Crunchyroll UK and Ireland and was also known as Crunchyroll Ltd. from 2022. The U.S. website was later discontinued, and some former Manga titles were reissued under the Lionsgate banner. Manga Entertainment is therefore best understood today as a historical anime-distribution brand whose territories and catalogue were progressively absorbed, transferred, or rebranded rather than as one continuing independent company.
- 2022
Former UK operation is known as Crunchyroll Ltd.
[1]The former Manga UK and Ireland branch became Crunchyroll UK and Ireland and was also known as Crunchyroll Ltd.
- 2016
Platform Entertainment is acquired by Kaleidoscope
[1]Kaleidoscope Film Distribution purchased Platform Entertainment and announced that Manga UK would be separated for independent operation.
- 2016
Lionsgate acquires Starz
[1]The completed Starz acquisition placed the Manga U.S. business within Lionsgate's home-entertainment structure.
- 2015
UK business changes ownership
[1]Colin Lomax acquired the UK branch and Anchor Bay UK; Anchor Bay UK was renamed Platform Entertainment.
- 2013
Starz becomes a separate public company
[1]The Starz corporate spin-off from Liberty Media was completed, carrying the associated home-entertainment assets with it.
- 2011
Manga U.S. exits new-product licensing
[1]The American operation stopped licensing new products after Redline and was absorbed into Starz Media.
- 2006
IDT Entertainment becomes part of Starz Media
[1]Liberty Media acquired IDT Entertainment, which was subsequently renamed Starz Media.
- 2004
Manga U.S. is acquired by IDT Entertainment
[1]IDT Entertainment announced its purchase of the American branch.
- 1993
North American expansion
[1]Manga purchased L.A. Hero and formed Manga U.S., beginning a separate North American distribution operation.
- 1993
Australian market entry
[1]Manga UK entered Australia following strong import sales and prepared releases with PolyGram Video and Siren Entertainment.
Products and positioning
An early specialist distributor that made Japanese animation more accessible to English-speaking home-video audiences, with a stronger emphasis on anime licensing and distribution than on manga publishing.
Anime home video
Ghost in the Shell
Ghost in the Shell is among the best-known anime properties associated with the Manga catalogue. Manga released and distributed the title in English-speaking markets, helping make a major Japanese animated science-fiction work available to international home-video audiences. Later releases of some former Manga catalogue titles appeared under the Lionsgate banner.
Anime film · 2011
Redline
Redline was the last new product identified in the cited history before Manga U.S. ceased licensing new products in 2011. Its release marks the end of the American branch's active new-product licensing phase under the Manga U.S. identity.
Manga book
Crying Freeman
Crying Freeman was published under the Manga Books imprint. It illustrates that Manga Entertainment had a limited publishing role alongside its much larger anime licensing and distribution operation.
Anime compilation
Manga Force: The Ultimate Collection
Manga Force: The Ultimate Collection is associated with the company's anime catalogue and represents the compilation-oriented home-video packaging used to present multiple animated works under the Manga Entertainment identity.
Marketing campaigns
- 2017Manga U.S. digital relaunch
United States
Lionsgate Home Entertainment relaunched the Manga U.S. website and its Facebook and Twitter pages, signaling an effort to reactivate the brand in the American market.
Outcome. The cited history later records that the Manga U.S. website was shut down and that some catalogue titles moved to the Lionsgate banner.
Brand decisions
2016
Acquire Platform Entertainment and separate Manga UKM&ABackground
Platform Entertainment held the British Manga brand and catalogue after the 2015 transaction.
Action taken
Kaleidoscope Film Distribution purchased Platform and announced that Manga UK would be split off for separate operation.
Aftermath
After Platform stopped distributing Manga titles, Spirit Entertainment released Manga titles in the UK.
2016
Move Manga U.S. into LionsgateM&ABackground
Manga U.S. was part of Starz following the earlier IDT Entertainment and Liberty Media transactions.
Action taken
Lionsgate acquired Starz, bringing the associated Manga U.S. assets into Lionsgate Home Entertainment.
Aftermath
Lionsgate later licensed the Manga name from Crunchyroll and reissued some former Manga titles under the Lionsgate brand.
2015
Separate the UK business from StarzM&ABackground
The British branch was being separated from the corporate structure that controlled Manga U.S.
Action taken
Colin Lomax acquired the UK branch together with Anchor Bay UK; Anchor Bay UK was renamed Platform Entertainment.
Aftermath
Platform retained exclusive rights to the Manga Entertainment brand and catalogue in the UK and Ireland before later being acquired by Kaleidoscope.
2011
End new-product licensing in the United StatesStrategyBackground
Manga U.S. was operating within Starz Media after the earlier IDT and Liberty Media transactions.
Action taken
The U.S. branch stopped licensing new products after Redline and was absorbed into Starz Media.
Aftermath
The Manga U.S. identity became primarily a catalogue and brand asset rather than an active independent licensing operation.
2004
Sell Manga U.S. to IDT EntertainmentM&ABackground
The North American branch was positioned for integration into a larger entertainment company.
Action taken
IDT Entertainment announced that it would purchase Manga U.S.
Aftermath
The UK and U.S. branches operated independently from 2005 while remaining under common ownership.
1993
Acquire L.A. Hero and establish Manga U.S.M&ABackground
Manga sought a direct foothold in the North American anime market after building its British operation.
Action taken
The company purchased L.A. Hero and formed Manga U.S.
Aftermath
The American business became a distinct regional operation and later passed through IDT Entertainment, Starz, and Lionsgate ownership structures.
Sources1 sources
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