Streamline Pictures
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Streamline Pictures was an American distribution company that was best known for its distribution of English dubbed Japanese animation.
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[edit] History
[edit] Founding
Founded in 1988, it was the first North American company that was founded primarily for the intention of distributing translated anime uncut and faithful to the original content. The founders of Streamline were Carl Macek, who had worked for Harmony Gold USA during the mid 1980s, most notably on the series Robotech, and Jerry Beck, an animation historian and film distribution veteran who had worked at MGM/UA, Orion and Expanded Entertainment. At one point or another, Steve Kramer, Ardwight Chamberlin, Tom Wyner, and Mike Reynolds all of whom served as series staff writers (and voice actors) on Robotech, worked as independent writers and voice actors for Streamline.
[edit] High profile products distrubted by Streamline
The first high profile product distributed by Streamline was its December 1989 release of the 1988 film Akira. Streamline is also known for its 1989 theatrical distribution of the film Laputa: The Castle in the Sky directed by Hayao Miyazaki, and its 1992 video dubbing of The Castle of Cagliostro. Streamline also dubbed My Neighbor Totoro, and Kiki's Delivery Service, in 1988 for Tokuma Shoten, although these were only used as in-flight films by Japan Air Lines at the time. As a fan of Miyazaki's films, Macek did not think Castle in the Sky (of which Streamline was the distributor) had received the quality of dubbing that a Miyazaki film deserved. He thought that it could have been done better, so the Japanese releaser Tokuma Shoten gave him the opportunity to prove his words. For his first project, he asked to dub My Neighbor Totoro, one of his favorite Miyazaki works. The Streamline dub of My Neighbor Totoro was released theatrically in the U.S. by Troma Films in 1993; but its dub of Kiki's Delivery Service appeared only on the 1990s Japanese laser disc release of that title. (Since then, however, Castle in the Sky and My Neighbor Totoro have both been redubbed by Disney.)
Tokuma Shoten was pleased with the quality of the initial work, and it immediately hired Streamline Pictures to produce the English language version of Kiki's Delivery Service. Soon after its release, the film was bought by Japan Airlines who showed it during their flights between Japan and the U.S. (The film has since been redubbed by Disney.) It also licensed and dubbed other popular anime series and movies such as Fist of the North Star, Wicked City, Lensman, Vampire Hunter D and The Professional: Golgo 13.
[edit] Home video market
Streamline, in being the first company dedicated to making anime accessible to the English speaking world, was notable for releasing a wide variety of anime that fit in a wide variety of genres, many of which do not fit completely in any genre such as Twilight of the Cockroaches. During the 1990s VHS era, before the common availability of hybrid DVDs, anime distributors released anime via subtitled or dubbed tapes with the subtitled editions being noticeably more expensive than the dubs which were expected to sell better. Streamline is also notable in being the only such company to eschew this practice and release only dubs of its anime. The only exceptions were the later Akira subtitled release and their Robotech Collection, which included episodes of the original Macross, Southern Cross, and Mospeada episodes on the same tape along with their Robotech counterparts.
[edit] Criticism
Because of Carl Macek's notoriety with a certain branch of fandom, Streamline became one of the early catalysts of the sub vs dub debate. Macek's philosophy towards anime dubbing, as stated in several interviews, most notably published Protoculture Addicts and Animag, has become largely synonymous with the negative connotation concerning "Americanized dubs".
[edit] Later years
Streamline Pictures stopped producing new anime releases in 1996, folding into Orion Pictures Corporation, which, in turn, had been folded into Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer two years earlier, in 1997. Streamline Pictures went out of business in 2002.
Today, the Streamline film and television library is owned by MGM.
[edit] Notable dubs by Streamline
- My Neighbor Totoro (1988) (later distributed by Troma Films)
- Akira (1989) (later distributed by Orion Pictures)
- Laputa: The Castle in the Sky (1989)
- Twilight of the Cockroaches (1989)
- Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)
- Lensman (1990) (later distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
- Zillion (1990)
- Robot Carnival (1991)
- Fist of the North Star (1991) (later distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
- Zillion: Burning Night (1991)
- Neo Tokyo (1992) (later distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
- Planet Busters (1992)
- Nadia (1992) (re-released in 1995 as The Secret of Blue Water)
- The Castle of Cagliostro (1992) (dubbed version)
- The Professional: Golgo 13 (1992) (later distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
- 3x3 Eyes (1992) (later distributed by Orion Pictures)
- Vampire Hunter D (1992) (later distributed by CBS Theatrical Films and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
- The Speed Racer Show (1993) (along with Live Entertainment)
- The Dirty Pair's Affair on Nolandia (1993) (later distributed by United Artists)
- Doomed Megalopolis (1993)
- Wicked City (1993)
- Windaria (1993)
- Dirty Pair: Flight 005 Conspiracy (1994) (later distributed by United Artists)
- Dirty Pair: The Movie - Project Eden (1994) (later distributed by United Artists)
- Silent Möbius (1994) (later distributed by Miramax Films)
- Crying Freeman (1994)
- 8 Man After (1994)
- Lily C.A.T. (1994)
- Lupin III: Tales of the Wolf (1994)
- Babel II (1995)
- Barefoot Gen (1995)
- Casshan - Robot Hunter (1995)
- Crimson Wolf (1995)
- Lupin III: The Mystery of Mamo (1995) (theatrically distributed by Carolco Pictures)
- Megazone 23 (1995) (later distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures)
- Great Conquest: The Romance of Three Kingdoms (1995) (later distributed by Orion Pictures)
- 3x3 Eyes 2 (1997) (later distributed by Orion Pictures)
[edit] Streamline VHS catalog
[edit] Exclusively distributed by MGM/UA Home Video after August 1994
- 1. Lensman (1990)
- 2. Akira (1990)
- 3. Zillion Volume 1 (1990)
- 4. Zillion Volume 2 (1990)
- 5. Zillion Volume 3 (1990)
- 6. Zillion Volume 4 (1990)
- 7. Zillion Volume 5 (1991)
- 13. Zillion: Burning Night (1991)
- 17. Planet Busters (1992)
- 19. Nadia Volume 1 (1992)
- 20. Robotech II: The Sentinels (1992)
- 21. Nadia Volume 2 (1992)
- 23. Vampire Hunter D (1992)
- 24. Nadia Volume 3 (1992)
- 26. Fist of the North Star (1992)
- 27. Twilight of the Cockroaches (September 1, 1992)
- 28. The Castle of Cagliostro (September 1, 1992)
- 37. Robotech Volume 1 (November 1, 1993)
- 38. Robotech Masters Volume 1 (November 1, 1993)
- 39. Robotech: The New Generation Volume 1 (November 1, 1993)
- 40. The Dirty Pair's Affair on Nolandia (November 1, 1993)
- 44. Robotech Volume 2 (November 1, 1993)
- 45. Robotech Masters Volume 2 (November 1, 1993)
- 46. Robotech: The New Generation Volume 2 (November 1, 1993)
- 47. Akira: Special Subtitled Edition (November 1, 1993)
- 50. Albatross: Wings of Death (November 1, 1993)
- 51. Aloha Lupin (November 1, 1993)
- 52. Robotech Volume 3 (November 1, 1993)
- 53. Robotech Masters Volume 3 (November 1, 1993)
- 54. Robotech: The New Generation Volume 3 (November 1, 1993)
- 55. Robotech Volume 4 (November 1, 1993)
- 56. Robotech Masters Volume 4 (November 1, 1993)
- 57. Robotech: The New Generation Volume 4 (November 23, 1993)
- 60. Doomed Megalopolis Volume 1 (November 1, 1993)
- 61. Robotech Volume 5 (November 23, 1993)
- 62. Robotech Masters Volume 5 (November 23, 1993)
- 63. Robotech: The New Generation Volume 5 (November 23, 1993)
- 65. Doomed Megalopolis Volume 2 (November 23, 1993)
- 66. Crying Freeman Volume 1 (November 23, 1993)
- 67. Robotech Volume 6 (November 23, 1993)
- 68. Robotech Masters Volume 6 (November 23, 1993)
- 69. Robotech: The New Generation Volume 6 (November 23, 1993)
- 71. Doomed Megalopolis Volume 3 (February 21, 1994)
- 73. Crying Freeman Volume 2 (February 21, 1994)
- 74. Doomed Megalopolis Volume 4 (February 21, 1994)
- 75. Robotech Volume 7 (February 21, 1994)
- 76. Robotech Masters Volume 7 (February 21, 1994)
- 77. Robotech: The New Generation (February 21, 1994)
- 80. Crying Freeman Volume 3 (February 21, 1994)
- 82. Robotech Volume 8 (February 21, 1994)
- 83. Dirty Pair: Flight 005 Conspiracy (February 21, 1994)
- 92. Wicked City (February 21, 1994)
[edit] Exclusively distributed by Orion Home Video after August 1994
- 20. Robotech II: The Sentinels (February 21, 1994)
- 26. Fist of the North Star (February 21, 1994)
- 30. 3x3 Eyes Volume 1 (1992)
- 32. 3x3 Eyes Volume 2 (1992)
- 40. The Dirty Pair's Affair on Nolandia (February 21, 1994)
- 49. 3x3 Eyes Volume 3 (November 1, 1993)
- 50. Lupin III's Greatest Capers (May 30, 1995)
- 59. 3x3 Eyes Volume 4 (November 1, 1993)
- 60. Doomed Megalopolis Volume 1 (May 30, 1995)
- 64. Akira (February 21, 1994)
- 65. Doomed Megalopolis Volume 2 (May 30, 1995)
- 66. Crying Freeman Volume 1 (November 21, 1994)
- 70. The Professional: Golgo 13 (February 21, 1994)
- 71. Doomed Megalopolis Volume 3 (May 30, 1995)
- 74. Doomed Megalopolis Volume 4 (May 30, 1995)
- 77. Crying Freeman Volume 2 (May 30, 1995)
- 80. Crying Freeman Volume 3 (May 30, 1995)
- 81. Dirty Pair: The Movie - Project Eden (February 21, 1994)
- 83. Dirty Pair: Flight 005 Conspiracy (November 21, 1994)
- 87. Lily C.A.T. (February 21, 1994)
- 92. Wicked City (April 21, 1995)
- 94. Lupin III: The Mystery of Mamo (April 21, 1995)
- 117. 8 Man After: The Perfect Collection (1995)
- 119. The Secret of Blue Water: The Adventure Begins (1995)
- 133. Babel II: The Perfect Collection (1996)
- 138. Casshan - Robot Hunter Volume 1 (1996)
- 142. Barefoot Gen (1996)
