Editing Bandai Visual (section)

=== Origins and expansion (1983–1996) ===
On August 23, 1983, Japanese toy manufacturer [[Bandai]] established AE Planning Co., Ltd. (Account Executive Planning), an animation and film distributor, in [[Kōjimachi]], [[Chiyoda, Tokyo|Chiyoda]].<ref name="History">{{cite web |title=Corporate History |url=https://www.bandaivisual.co.jp/ir/history/ |website=www.bandaivisual.co.jp |publisher=Bandai Visual |access-date=January 8, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170924160257/https://www.bandaivisual.co.jp/ir/history/ |archive-date=September 24, 2017 |language=ja |date=September 2017}}</ref><ref name="Grant">{{cite book |last1=Grant |first1=Tina |title=International Directory of Company Histories |date=2003 |publisher=[[St. James Press]] |page=44 |edition=Volume 55 |url=https://archive.org/details/internationaldir0000unse_c8r0/page/n695/mode/2up |access-date=October 23, 2020}}</ref> Bandai created AE Planning following the success of Emotion, its film distribution division, in 1982, and was part of Bandai's corporate reorganization and alteration of its business strategies.<ref name="Nikkei BP">{{cite book |author1=Nikkei BP Technical Research Department |title=第三章 ビジネスの仕組みが変わる 一.版権ビジネスの体制を見直す ●作品発表の場として根付くOVA」『アニメ・ビジネスが変わる―アニメとキャラクター・ビジネスの真実 |trans-title=Chapter 3 — Business Structure Changes 1. Reviewing the Copyright Business System ● OVA Rooted as a Place to Present Works ”“ Animation Business Changes-The Truth About Anime and Character Business |date=June 17, 1999 |publisher=[[The Nikkei|Nikkei BP]] |isbn=4-8222-2550-X |pages=88–89 |language=ja}}</ref> AE Planning primarily distributed [[original video animations]] (OVAs) from other companies, most notably [[Pierrot (company)|Pierrot]]'s ''[[Dallos]]'' (1983).<ref name="Nikkei BP"/> Beginning in October 1984, it licensed and distributed [[laserdisc]] films in Japan.<ref name="History"/> After Bandai agreed to a business alliance with [[The Walt Disney Company]] in 1987, AE Planning became a distributor of Disney animated films across the country.<ref name="Grant"/>

In March 1989, AE Planning renamed itself Bandai Visual Sales and opened a second office in [[Shōwa-ku|Shōwa-ku, Nagoya]].<ref name="History"/> Alongside its publishing and distribution of [[VHS]] releases for television series such as ''[[Ultraman]]'' and ''[[Mobile Suit Gundam]]'', Visual Sales operated the Emotion Theater movie theater in Bandai's B-Club Shop in [[Takadanobaba]] until its closure in 1997. Bandai Visual Sales was renamed again to Bandai Visual Co., Ltd. in August 1991.<ref name="History"/> In the same year, it absorbed Bandai's Media Division as a means to unify the latter company's home video distribution businesses. The acquisition also gave Bandai Visual ownership of the Emotion label, which was used for its music, anime re-releases, and other products.<ref name="Grant"/><ref name="Nikkei BP"/> As the company continued generating profits, it began expanding its operations into other entertainment industries. In 1996, Bandai Visual began publishing video games under the Emotion Digital Software brand, releasing titles such as ''[[Return to Zork]]'', ''[[MechWarrior 2: 31st Century Combat|MechWarrior 2: Arcade Combat Edition]]'' and ''[[List of Macross video games|Choujikuu Yousai Macross: Ai Oboete Imasu ka]]''.<ref>{{cite news |title=リターン・トゥ・ゾーク — RETURN TO ZORK |agency=Sega Saturn Magazine Japan |issue=13 |publisher=[[SoftBank Group]] |date=December 8, 1995 |page=4 |language=ja}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Sega Saturn Soft Review - 超時空要塞マクロス 愛・おぼえていますか |trans-title=Sega Saturn Soft Review — Choujikuu Yousai Macross: Ai Oboete Imasu ka |agency=Sega Saturn Magazine Japan |publisher=[[SoftBank Group]] |date=June 20, 1997 |page=147 |language=ja}}</ref>