effect as of April 1, 2018. Bandai Visual remains only as a label of the new company. Subsidiaries Bandai Visual USA / Bandai Entertainment Bandai Visual USA was established in 2005 in Cypress, California to license anime properties from various Japanese companies for North American distribution; most of those licenses coming from Bandai and its sister company Sunrise. The company also licensed manga series for release with English translation, and published American-made graphic novels. Bandai Visual USA's releases were of high quality and were aimed at collectors. Their titles were released under the Honnêamise label (named after their Bandai Visual's first production, Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise). Bandai Visual USA's anime products were distributed in North America initially by Image Entertainment and later, Geneon Entertainment USA and in Europe by Beez Entertainment. On May 23, 2008, Bandai Namco Holdings announced that Bandai Visual USA would be merged into the newly formed Bandai Entertainment which was consummated on July 1, 2008. The company confirmed on January 2, 2012, that they would stop offering new DVD, Blu-ray disc and manga releases by February, but would continue to produce their current library of content. Bandai Entertainment was restructured to focus on licensing anime to other companies. On August 30, 2012, Bandai America announced that it will shut down Bandai Entertainment and discontinue distributing their home video and print catalog on March 1, 2013. They made their final shipment to retailers on November 30, 2012. Many former Bandai Entertainment titles have been re-licensed by other companies, including Funimation, Crunchyroll, Aniplex of America, Discotek Media, Media Blasters, Nozomi Entertainment, Viz Media, Maiden Japan and Sentai Filmworks. Most of the notable titles that Bandai Entertainment held included K-On!, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya and Lucky Star. Beez Entertainment Beez Entertainment was the European branch of Bandai Entertainment that also distributed anime and music and were also owned by Bandai Namco Holdings. The name is an acronym for Bandai Entertainment European Zone. Following the discontinuation of Bandai Entertainment, Beez has also stopped releasing anime in the European market. Their anime releases were licensed in North America by Bandai Entertainment and Bandai Visual USA. Honnêamise Honnêamise was Bandai Visual USA's boutique label that distributed deluxe editions of anime and artsier products. The label's namesake comes from Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise. The label was shut down on July 1, 2008, when Bandai Visual USA