Key anime supplier Pioneer Entertainment is changing its name to 'Geneon Entertainment' on October 1.  Pioneer Entertainment's previous parent company, consumer electronics giant Pioneer Corporation, sold its content divisions (including Pioneer Entertainment) to the giant Japanese advertising firm Dentsu in a deal that becomes final on Wednesday.  According to Variety Dentsu paid between $40 and $60 million for Pioneer Entertainment and Pioneer LDC.  Pioneer Entertainment's new name, Geneon, is made up of the syllables 'gen' from 'generate' and 'eon' indicating an extended time period.

According to Variety, Pioneer Entertainment, which releases the popular Lupin III, Armitage, and Tenchi Muyo anime franchises in the U.S., has 36% of the American anime market.  However the recent decision by Bandai to distribute its own titles rather than go through Pioneer (and Viz's earlier defection) will definitely make a dent in Pioneer's North American market share (see 'Bandai Takes On Distribution').