Los Angeles/Japan October 1st, 2017 – Leading Japanese mobile gaming company Akatsuki Inc. has launched a far-reaching Los Angeles based entertainment production company to develop, finance and produce feature films and content across all platforms for the global marketplace.
The self-financed company will initially focus on developing strategic partnerships between Hollywood and Japanese companies to acquire, develop and produce commercially driven intellectual properties. Akatsuki Entertainment USA will also seek to develop content for the company’s core mobile gaming business as well as original Japanese content.
Akatsuki Entertainment USA is helmed by production executive Annmarie Sairrino Bailey who is named as President and Board Member. Akatsuki Entertainment USA’s Moeko Suzuki will work alongside Bailey from the company’s Tokyo office. The Los Angeles office is supported by Kat McPhee who oversees Strategy and Creative Affairs and Nicholas Zabaly as Research Manager.
Industry veteran Sandy Climan, President of Entertainment Media Ventures, has been named a senior advisor to the new company and to parent company Akatsuki Inc.
Listed on the prestigious First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, Akatsuki Inc. is the highly regarded and ambitious mobile games company launched 10 short years ago. With annual revenues topping $100m, Akatsuki partnered and co-developed one of 2017’s most successful mobile games – Dragon Ball Z Dokkan Battle, published by Bandai Namco Entertainment.
Headquartered in Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, Akatsuki Inc’s senior management team is led by CEO Genki Shiota and supported by COO Tetsuro Kouda and CFO Tomoya Ogawa.
Tetsuro Kouda, who will be overseeing Akatsuki Entertainment USA’s operation on behalf of the parent company, remarked “The launch of Akatsuki Entertainment USA is perfectly in line with our company philosophy to always be looking for new and exciting opportunities and to never give up on following your dreams. We have always worked towards expanding our business and improving our corporate values in order to meet the expectations of our investors and partners. It’s at the heart of what makes Akatsuki great as we embrace our Golden Journey. Our goal is to produce original and distinctive films of the highest quality to excite and move audiences not only in United States or Japan but the whole world, so please welcome Akatsuki Entertainment USA.”
Annmarie Sairrino Bailey added, “I feel incredibly honored to be a part of the Akatsuki team. They are an amazing and hard-working company with exceptional core values and I was immediately attracted to their professionalism and their unmistakable business acumen. Akatsuki Entertainment USA is a fantastic opportunity to continue to cultivate and work with top Japanese content creators and partners, identifying and creating meaningful films, games and other IP both here in Hollywood and in Japan, and help Akatsuki’s natural progression in becoming a leader in global entertainment production.”
Bailey most recently held the post of Senior Vice President, Development and Production, for All Nippon Entertainment Works (ANEW). Projects developed at ANEW include Tiger & Bunny (Imagine Entertainment/Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, Erica Huggins) Ghost Train (Depth of Field Entertainment, Chris and Paul Weitz, Andrew Miano, Dan Balgoyen), and Shield of Straw produced with Depth of Field and EuropaCorp (Marc Shmuger, Lisa Ellzey).
Bailey also served as Vice President, Creative Affairs at Entertainment Media Ventures (EMV), a Los Angeles-based company focused on media investment, strategy advisory work, and the development and production of creative properties.
■ABOUT AKATSUKI INC
Incorporated in 2010, Akatsuki Inc. has achieved remarkable growth every year since its inception. In 2015, Akatsuki was ranked 1st among the fast-growing Japanese companies by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu.
Since then, Akatsuki has continued to grow its financial position. In 2016, the company’s revenue grew by 93.9% to a record 11.55 billion yen ($102.7M). In the same period (2016-2017), the company grew operating profits by 121.3% to 4.75 billion yen ($42.4M). In 2017, the company increased its cash flow by 72.5%, giving the company a robust balance sheet and placing it among the best performers in its sector.
Headquartered in Tokyo, Akatsuki also maintains an office in Taiwan to develop mobile phone content and service software. Between the Japan and Taiwan offices, the company has over 200 employees.
Akatsuki’s core business focuses on the production of games for mobile phones and tablets, with a niche in social games, or games that will bring players together in enjoyable experiences.
Additionally, Akatsuki has expanded its service offerings to include the Live Experience business by providing an easy search and reservation platform for experience based entertainment such as outdoor tours or special events in Japan.
For more information, visit Akatsuki Entertainment USA: http://aktsk-ent.com/