Angel (Bandai)

A subsidiary publishing brand of Bandai active in the early 1990s, known for releasing anime and tokusatsu licensed video games.

Founded

1990

Acquired

1997

Tokyo, Japan

Parent

Bandai

Known for

Beat 'em up / Action

Games

1991–1996

Years

Platforms

$131.86

Ø CIB

+112.8%

24M change

About

Angel was a publishing label of Bandai that released several licensed titles for the Famicom, Super Famicom, and Game Boy. The publisher was responsible for early entries in the Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon franchise, including the 1992 Game Boy game and the 1993 Super Famicom side-scrolling action game. They also published tokusatsu-based titles such as Tokkyuu Shirei Solbrain, Choujin Sentai Jetman, and Kyouryuu Sentai Juu Ranger.

In 1991, the label established its market presence with Tokkyuu Shirei Solbrain and Choujin Sentai Jetman, translating popular live-action television series into side-scrolling action experiences. As a specialized publishing arm, the company focused on adapting major media franchises. This strategy expanded in 1992 with the release of Yokoyama Mitsuteru: Sangokushi, a strategy game based on the historical manga, and SD Kidou Senshi Gundam, which brought the popular chibi-styled mecha franchise to handheld players.

That same year, the company published Kyouryuu Sentai Juu Ranger alongside the first Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon title, cementing its role in adapting contemporary children's television. By 1993, the label continued this trajectory with the role-playing spin-off Kouryu Densetsu Villgust Gaiden and the highly popular Super Famicom beat-'em-up Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon. These releases leveraged parent company licensing rights to capture the burgeoning market for anime and manga adaptations, establishing a distinct catalog of character-driven titles before the brand's operations were eventually consolidated.