[8] AE Planning primarily distributed original video animations (OVAs) from other companies, most notably Pierrot's Dallos (1983).

[7] In March 1989, AE Planning renamed itself Bandai Visual Sales and opened a second office in Shōwa-ku, Nagoya.

[6] Alongside its publishing and distribution of VHS releases for television series such as Ultraman and Mobile Suit Gundam, Visual Sales operated the Emotion Theater movie theater in Bandai's B-Club Shop in Takadanobaba until its closure in 1997.

[6] In the same year, it absorbed Bandai's Media Division as a means to unify the latter company's home video distribution businesses.

The acquisition also gave Bandai Visual ownership of the Emotion label, which was used for its music, anime re-releases, and other products.

In 1996, Bandai Visual began publishing video games under the Emotion Digital Software brand, releasing titles such as Return to Zork, MechWarrior 2: Arcade Combat Edition and Choujikuu Yousai Macross: Ai Oboete Imasu ka.

Though Bandai Visual did not have any direct control over Bandai Entertainment, the latter company often licensed many of Visual's anime series for publishing and distribution in North America, such as Cowboy Bebop, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, and multiple Gundam sequels.

[13] Bandai Visual was listed on JASDAQ market in November 2001; by that time, the company was worth over ¥2.1 billion (US$20 million).

The company also licensed manga series for release with English translation, and published American-made graphic novels.

[26] 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.

Most of the notable titles that Bandai Entertainment held included K-On!, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya and Lucky Star.

Honnêamise was Bandai Visual USA's boutique label that distributed deluxe editions of anime and artsier products.