The Marché du Film at the Cannes Film Festival and TIFFCOM, the content market of the Tokyo International Film Festival, are joining forces to launch a brand-new initiative: the Japan IP Market.
Scheduled to run from May 15-17, 2026, alongside the Cannes Marché, this three-day event will connect leading Japanese intellectual property (IP) holders with international producers and buyers for film and television adaptations. The market will be held on the Art Explora catamaran at Cannes‘ Vieux-Port (Old Port), featuring pitch sessions, one-on-one meetings, and seminars.
Why Japan? The Boom in Anime and Manga IP
Japan’s film industry – particularly its anime sector – is experiencing unprecedented growth. According to the annual Anime Industry Report published at TIFFCOM last November, the industry grew by 15 percent and surpassed $25 billion in revenue in 2024. This figure does not even include the recent historic success of Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle.
Japanese IP – spanning manga, anime, novels, video games, and remakes – has become a global goldmine for adaptations. Recent successes include:
| Adaptation | Original IP | Platform | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| One Piece | Manga | Netflix | Live-action hit, renewed for multiple seasons |
| Alice in Borderland | Manga | Netflix | Global top 10 in multiple countries |
| Drive My Car | Novel | Theatrical | Academy Award for Best International Feature |
| Your Name / Suzume | Anime | Theatrical | Over $500 million combined box office |
Who Is Participating?
The Japan IP Market will feature some of the most powerful rights holders in Japanese entertainment. Confirmed participants include:
Major Studios and Publishers
- Amuse Creative Studio – Producers of Oscar-nominated local blockbuster Kokuhu
- Kadokawa Corporation – Behind Suzume, Your Name, and hundreds of manga and light novel titles
- Shochiku – Producers of Drive My Car
- Toei Company – Behind Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle and decades of anime classics
- Nihon Bungeisha – Major publishing house
- Nippon Animation – Producers of beloved series like Heidi and Anne of Green Gables
- Shufu To Seikatsu Sha – Lifestyle and manga publisher
Special Seminar from Netflix’s One Piece Producer
A highlight of the three-day market will be a seminar titled “The Future of Japanese IP in Global Adaptations” presented by Tetsu Fujimura, the executive producer of Netflix’s live-action hit One Piece.
Fujimura’s work on One Piece – a series long considered “unadaptable” – has become a blueprint for successfully translating Japanese manga into live-action Western productions. His insights are expected to draw significant interest from producers and buyers looking to replicate that success.
Japan Is Cannes’ Country of Honor for 2026
Japan’s prominence at this year’s Cannes Film Market extends beyond the new IP initiative. Japan has been named the country of honor for the 2026 Marché du Film, which means:
- A spotlight on Japanese films, producers, and talent throughout the market
- Special programming and networking events
- Enhanced visibility for Japanese IP across all sections of the Marché
Guillaume Esmiol, Director of the Marché du Film, stated:
“Japan is renowned as the birthplace of some of the world’s most powerful IP, from manga and anime to novels, remakes and video games. This new initiative will create further opportunities to foster international collaborations. At the same time, it reinforces the growing importance of the IP market at the Marché du Film, which has been a key strategic focus for several years.”
What to Expect at the Japan IP Market
The three-day event is designed to facilitate business and creative collaboration between Japanese rights holders and international partners.
Event Features
| Activity | Description |
|---|---|
| Pitch Sessions | Japanese IP holders present properties to international producers and buyers |
| One-on-One Meetings | Pre-scheduled meetings between rights holders and potential partners |
| Seminars | Educational sessions on adapting Japanese IP for global audiences |
| Networking | Informal opportunities on the Art Explora catamaran |
The market will run Friday through Sunday (May 15-17) , allowing participants to attend without conflicting with the main film festival’s screening schedule.
Why This Matters for the Global Entertainment Industry
The launch of the Japan IP Market represents a strategic recognition of several key trends:
1. The Global Appetite for Japanese Content
Streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon, and Disney+ have invested heavily in Japanese anime and live-action adaptations. One Piece, Alice in Borderland, and Yu Yu Hakusho have all found massive international audiences.
2. The Limitations of Traditional Licensing
Historically, Western producers have licensed Japanese IP on a case-by-case basis. The Japan IP Market creates a structured, recurring marketplace that can streamline these transactions.
3. The Rise of “Adaptation-Friendly” IP
Not all Japanese IP translates easily to global audiences. The market will help identify properties with broad international appeal – whether manga, light novels, video games, or original anime.
4. Cannes as a Hub for IP Deal-Making
The Marché du Film has been expanding beyond traditional film sales into IP-driven content. By hosting the Japan IP Market, Cannes positions itself as a key meeting point for the global adaptation economy.
TIFFCOM’s Perspective
Yasushi Shiina, CEO of TIFFCOM, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership:
“The Cannes market is the ideal environment to highlight and showcase the extraordinary adaptability and creativity of Japanese content across multiple formats and markets. By bringing together key players from Japan and around the world in Cannes, we aim to create new opportunities for business and international growth.”
TIFFCOM has long served as Asia’s premier content market. By partnering with Cannes, TIFFCOM gains access to a broader international buyer base, while Cannes gains access to Japan’s deep well of IP.
A Landmark Moment for Japanese IP
The launch of the Japan IP Market at Cannes is a landmark moment for the global entertainment industry. It formalizes and accelerates a trend that has been building for years: the international hunger for Japanese stories.
With Japan’s anime industry already generating over $25 billion annually, and with recent hits like Demon Slayer and One Piece proving the global appeal of Japanese IP, the timing could not be better.
For international producers and buyers, the market offers a rare opportunity to access premium Japanese properties directly from rights holders. For Japanese creators and studios, it offers a streamlined path to global adaptation deals.
As Guillaume Esmiol noted, IP has become a key strategic focus for the Marché du Film. The Japan IP Market is the clearest sign yet that Cannes is serious about becoming the world’s leading marketplace for intellectual property – not just finished films.
All eyes will be on the Vieux-Port this May, as the Art Explora catamaran hosts what could be the start of a new era in cross-cultural entertainment collaboration
