Aniplex

Aniplex is a Japanese media production company which is currently owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment. The company was first established in 1995 under the name Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) Visual Works, Inc., it then changed its name to Sony Music Entertainment (SME) Visual Works, Inc. before settling on Aniplex in 2003.

Aniplex is well known for creating some of the most popular and critically acclaimed anime of recent years and has been involved in the planning, production, and distribution of such hugely successful franchises as Fullmetal Alchemist, Blood: The Last Vampire, Persona 4: The Animation, Angel Beats!, Rurouni Kenshin, Durarara!!, Baccano!, the Monogatari series, Kill la Kill, Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day, Fate/Zero, Black Butler, and Charlotte among many others.

Aniplex also launched the Sugi music label which released the work of Dragon Quest composer Koichi Sugiyama in 2004 but later sold it to King Records in 2009. They also set up an American affiliate company, Aniplex of America, in 2005 and started their very own animation production studio, A-1 Pictures, the same year.