Marvelous Entertainment

Marvelous Entertainment Inc. (株式会社 マーベラスエンターテイメント) (MMV) is a multinational corporation that produces animation, music, video games, television series. MMV is most widely known for its involvement in the Harvest Moon series.

The MMV abbreviation, found in the company logo, stands for Marvelous Media Vibration, which originally stood for Marvelous Music Vibration.

Local operations
Locally MMV is involved in a number of forms of entertainment, this includes 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.

Delfi Sound Inc.
It is a recording studio, album production, and music label company. The company was established in 2005-04-01 as Marvelous Studio Inc. (株式会社マーベラススタジオ)

On 2005-03-22, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced the establishment of the subsidiary Marvelous Studio Inc., effective on 2005-04-01.

Artland
It is an animation studio established in 1978-09-14. In 2006-04-03, it became a subsidiary of Marvelous Entertainment Inc.

Rising Star Games Limited
It is a video game publisher and distributor within Europe and all other PAL territories.

On 2004-12-24, 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 49% shares. The company would begin operation on 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 have since experienced great success in Europe. As of March 31, 2008, Harvest Moon DS has 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 Harvest Moon: Magical Melody for the Wii.

Marvelous Entertainment USA, Inc. (MMV USA)
On 2008-05-09, 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 2005-05-16, 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 2 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 2008-05-09, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. and Xseed Games announced they had entered a co-publishing partnership. The North American video game sales would begin in 2008-11.

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 3–5 years to 10 people.

Runtime, Inc.
Runtime, Inc. (有限会社ランタイム) was a software development, video game production, CG production company, established in 2001-07-18.

On 2006-03-17, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced Runtime, Inc. would become a subsidiary of Marvelous Entertainment Inc., effective on 2006-04-03.

On 2008-01-28, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced Runtime, Inc. would be merged into its parent company, Marvelous Entertainment Inc., effective on 2008-04-01.

Marvelous Music Publishing, Inc.
Marvelous Music Publishing, Inc. (株式会社マーベラス音楽出版) was a wholly owned subsidiary of Marvelous Entertainment Inc., established as a spun off from its parent's former copyright and publishing businesses.

On 2001-07-01, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced the establishment of Marvelous Music Publishing, Inc.

On 2007-01-23, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced Marvelous Music Publishing, Inc. would be merged into its parent company, Marvelous Entertainment Inc., effective on 2007-04-01.

Marvelous Liveware Inc.
Marvelous Liveware Inc. (株式会社マーベラスライブウェア) was a mobile phone Internet contents development subsidiary of Marvelous Entertainment Inc.

On 2004-04-27, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced the establishment of the subsidiary Marvelous Liveware Inc., effective on 2004-06-01.

On 2005-03-31, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced the sales of Marvelous Liveware to Interspire, inc.

Marvelous Interactive Inc.
Marvelous Interactive Inc. (株式会社マーベラスインタラクティブ) was a developer and publisher of video games, established in 1970-08-03 as Victor Interactive Software.

On 2003-03-24, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced had acquired 55% stake of Victor Interactive Software, and would rename Victor Interactive Software to Marvelous Interactive Inc., effective on 2003-03-31. In the press release, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. listed the then upcoming Marvelous Interactive Inc. was established on 1996-10-01.

On 2003-09-10, 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 2003-03-31, it was renamed Marvelous Interactive. With this acquisition MMV obtained all the rights to the popular Harvest Moon series and other Victor Interactive Software series.

On 2007-03-20, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced Marvelous Interactive Inc. would be merged into its parent company, Marvelous Entertainment Inc., effective on 2007-06-30.

Mad
On 2007-03-20, Marvelous Entertainment Inc. announced a restructuring plan that would transfer amusement business to Atlus, by moving it to Mad (株式会社マッド) as a wholly owned subsidiary of Marvelous Entertainment Inc., which would be established in 2007-06-01; the remaining businesses would be operated under Marvelous Entertainment Inc. The transfer also included sale of The Third Planet amusement operations, effective on 2007-07-01.

At Atlus, the company announced merging Mad into Atlus effective on 2007-09-01.