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Early in his career, J.F. Oya distributed some of the most popular anime programs of the late 1980s to early '90's, including Urusei Yatsura, Maison Ikkoku, Ranma 1/2, Legend of the Galactic Heroes (all of which were the biggest anime hits at the time in Japan) among many others.
In the late 1980's, he became the point-man for the Japanese studio projects with Marvel Entertainment and Toei Animation, starting with the handling of Marvel Comics and George Lucas' version of Howard the Duck merchandise when the live-action film was produced by Lucas. In spite of being considered a "bomb" in the U.S., Howard the Duck became a huge hit, both critically and at the box office, in Japan.
Oya introduced the sci-fi/cyberpunk manga, Akira to Marvel, which became Japanese manga's earliest and biggest hit title in America, along with the anime version, which is considered by anime fans the world over as a genuine classic.
Oya also developed several international film and animation projects most notably with the former Marvel Entertainment president, Lee Gunther (the producer of the Transformers and G.I. Joe) and DIC Entertainment. His collaboration with Lee Gunther became The Adventures of T-Rex, a 52-episode animated series which was distributed in syndication in North America and widely distributed in Europe along with a successful merchandising campaign.
Oya created CD Japan, an online retailer that specialized in selling Japanese anime, manga, and J-pop merchandise overseas. Through CD Japan, Oya sold more anime and manga merchandise than anyone else ever did directly from Japan. CD Japan's annual gross revenue from anime, manga, and movie-related merchandise was approx. $ 58 million dollars in 2004, when Oya was managing it.
Oya also worked in the music business in Japan for the Kitty Group, handling/managing famous singers and Japanese A-list actors such as Youki Kudoh, Masatoshi Nagase, Masayoshi Takanaka, RC Succession, Anzen Chitai, Koji Tamaki, Hiroko Yakushimaru, Mari Ishihara, and many others. Oya was the translator / manager for Carlos Santana while at Kitty Group, when Santana did business in Japan. Oya did similar work for music legends Sly & Robbie. Kitty produced several feature films, managed by Oya, including Iron Maze which starred Bridget Fonda, Jeff Fahey, J.T. Walsh, and Hiroaki Murakami.
Oya executive produced twenty-three (23) full length anime feature films with his business partner William Winckler, along with multiple anime and live action pilots and series. Most of this work was for Toei Animation.
He lives in Tokyo, Japan, but has traveled the world, and in his youth, lived in South America, Europe, the U.K., and in Japan. He speaks perfect English, Japanese, Spanish and other languages. He is co-owner of Winckler-Oya Inc., a film, TV and anime production/distribution company, as well as president of Japollywood Artists, a talent management company for American and British talent in Tokyo, Japan.
