Yasuo Matsuo, the founder of the former U.S.-based licensing agency Cloverway, has just unveiled IP Bay—a fresh global production studio dedicated to bringing Japanese literature to life on screen. The company has planted flags in Hyogo, Tokyo, New York, and Los Angeles, and is making its first splash at the Cannes Film Market (running from May 12 to May 20). They’ve also launched an official website to go along with the announcement.
IP Bay acts as a bridge between Japanese intellectual property and global studios. They’re handling everything from representing rights holders and connecting Japanese properties with the right creative teams, to setting up co-development deals across borders, helping foreign producers break into the Japanese market, building solid production partnerships, and even producing adaptations themselves. Their Japan team works hand-in-hand with local publishers and authors, while the Hollywood side focuses on putting together packages, securing financing, and forming production alliances. As a bonus for their U.S. partners, IP Bay is opening up access to Japan’s 50% production cash rebate.
Matsuo takes the chairman role at IP Bay, while his son Jun Matsuo steps up as CEO—overseeing publisher relationships, title selection, legal matters, and tying the studio into Japan’s major publishing houses. Frankie Seratch, a New York-based film producer, is the co-founder leading U.S. operations from both New York and Los Angeles. Shinji Sakamoto, IP Bay’s Japan Operations Advisor and a registered member of the Cool Japan Initiative, brings deep connections to the Osaka Film Commission and prefectural government to the table.
Matsuo’s legacy in anime distribution is solid: he founded Cloverway, which brought classics like Sailor Moon, Dragon Ball Z, Saint Seiya, and Slam Dunk to Latin America. The company also produced the English dubs for Sailor Moon S and Sailor Moon Super S in the U.S. Beyond that, Matsuo served as Toei Animation’s official representative in the Americas and partnered with giants like Toei Animation, Shueisha, Shogakukan, Nippon Animation, and Tezuka Productions.
