Asmik Ace History

1980s

1981

CORPORATE

Herald Ace, Inc. was established

1983

CONTENTS

Ace Pictures: Participated in production of “Antarctica “, which recorded the largest box office in Japan at that time.

1984

CONTENTS

Ace Pictures:Produced “MacArthur’s Children” starring Masako Natsume, which won the Best Film Award at the 27th Blue Ribbon Award.

1985

CORPORATE

Asmik, Corp. was jointly established by a group of companies including Sumitomo Corporation.

CONTENTS

Ace Pictures:Produced “Ran” directed by Akira Kurosawa, which won the 58th Academy Award for Best Costume Design.

1989

CONTENTS

Ace Pictures:Distributed Italian film “Cinema Paradiso,” which stayed in the theaters for 40 weeks, made one of the longest run in Japanese film industry history.

1990s

1995

CORPORATE

Joined KADOKAWA SHOTEN as a subsidiary, and the company name was changed to Ace Pictures, Inc.

1996

CONTENTS

Asmik:Distributed foreign films “The Usual Suspects” and “Dead Man Walking,” which won two awards and one award respectively at the 68th Academy Awards.

Ace Pictures:participated in production of “Swallowtail”, which was a big hit and a long run in the theaters.

1997

CONTENTS

Asmik:Distributed foreign film “Fargo” which won 2 categories at the 69th Academy Awards.

Asmik:Distributed foreign film “Trainspotting” made a long 33-week run in the theaters.

1998

CORPORATE

Asmik, INC. and Ace Pictures, Inc. merged. Asmik Ace Entertainment, Inc. was established.

1999

CONTENTS

Distributed foreign film “Life Is Beautiful” which won 3 categories at 71th Academy Awards.

2000s

2000

CONTENTS

Produced “After the Rain” which won 8 categories including the Best Film Award at the 24th Japan Academy Film Prize.

Distributed foreign film “Dancer in the Dark” which won Palme d’Or and the Best Actress award at the 53th Cannes International Film Festival.

2004

CONTENTS

Distributed foreign film “The Return” which won the Golden Lion and The Luigi De Laurentiis Awards at the 60th Venice International Film Festival.

2009

CONTENTS

Distrubuting foreign film “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” which won the 81th Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and the 66th Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.

2010s

2012

CORPORATE

Aqcuired by Jupiter Telecommunications Co., Ltd. and the company name was changed to Asmik Ace, Inc. Integrated the video ondemand business division (including acquisition and programming of content for VOD platforms “J:COM ondemand” and “KDDI videopass”) as well as content acquisition function for our pay TV channels from Jupiter Entertainment, Co., Ltd.

2013

CORPORATE

Launched IP-based VOD service called “milplus.”

2014

CONTENTS

Produced film “The Great Passage” which won the Best Film Award, the Best Directing Award, the Best Screenplay Award, the Best Actor Award, the Best Sound Mixing Award, the Best Film Editing Award and won six Excellence Awards at the 37th Japan Academy Film Prize. Produced and invested film “Still the Water” which was officially selected for competition at the 67th Cannes Film Festival.

2015

CONTENTS

Produced and invested film “Pale Moon” which won the Best Actress Award and eleven Excellent Awards at the 38th Japan Academy Film Prize.

2016

CONTENTS

Produced and invested film “Japan’s Longest Day” which won the Best Actress Award and nine Excellent Awards at the 39th Japan Academy Film Prize.

2017

CONTENTS

Produced film “The 100th Love with You,” which was released in Mainland China, and became the first Japanese live action film in 2017 with a Chinese theatrical release. Also the remake rights were licensed for the China.

2018

CORPORATE

Formed a business partnership with HERO’S INC.
Jupiter Telecommunications Co., Ltd. and Asmik Ace, Inc. formed a business partnership with the Dynamo Group and entered the Chinese market.

CONTENTS

“One Cut of the Dead” co-distributed by Asmik Ace
became a social phenomenon and won nine awards including Best Film Editing at the 42nd Japan Academy Film Prize.

2019

CORPORATE

Co-developed “StoryMe,” an interactive novel app.

CONTENTS

Asmik Ace’s “Sumikkogurashi:
Good to be in the corner” became an unprecedented box-office hit with its story that “even brings tears to grownups.”

2020s

2021

CONTENTS

Asmik Ace’s “Baragaki:
Unbroken Samurai” won Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction at the 45th Japan Academy Film Prize.

Masato Hara (producer and the first president of Asmik Ace) won the Chairman’s Special Prize at the 45th Japan Academy Film Prize.

Asmik Ace’s TV anime “My Next Life as a Villainess:
All Routes Lead to Doom!” won Best Main Character in the 2021 Crunchyroll Anime Awards.

Asmik Ace’s “Sumikkogurashi:
The Little Wizard in the Blue Moonlight,” the second installment of the series, became a box-office hit like its predecessor, drawing over 1 million viewers.

2022

CONTENTS

Asmik Ace’s “INU-OH”
was an official selection in the Orizzonti section of the 78th Venice International Film Festival. It was also nominated for Best Animated Feature Film at the 80th Golden Globe Awards and for Best Indie Feature and Best Writing – Feature at the 50th Annie Awards.

Asmik Ace’s “xxxHOLiC”
won Newcomer of the Year and Popularity Award/Actor Category at the 46th Japan Academy Film Prize.

Asmik Ace’s “MISSING”
won Best Director at the 47th Hochi Film Awards, Best Supporting Actress at the 77th Mainichi Film Awards, and four other major domestic film prizes.