COVER Corporation, the parent company of VTuber agency hololive, has filed a federal lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California alleging copyright infringement against an individual named Masaki Yamashita and unnamed “Doe” defendants. The complaint was filed on February 5, 2026.
According to the complaint, defendant Masaki Yamashita posted dozens of videos on their YouTube channel that allegedly reproduced or created derivative works of COVER’s copyrighted “avatar characters” without authorization.
COVER claims it discovered approximately 68 allegedly infringing videos in early January 2026 that explicitly referenced and reproduced its copyrighted characters.
Moreover, the company stated that it submitted multiple copyright takedown notices to YouTube, which resulted in the removal of some content. However, the defendant reportedly submitted counter-notices denying infringement, and in some cases, the content was reinstated by YouTube. The company says this prompted it to pursue legal action.
The filing also asserts a single claim for direct copyright infringement under the U.S. Copyright Act, arguing that the defendant’s actions were unauthorized and willful. It states the court has subject-matter jurisdiction under federal copyright law and asserts personal jurisdiction over the defendant based on their consent and contacts with the district.
In light of this, COVER’s complaint is seeking several forms of relief, including:
- • A permanent injunction to stop further infringement
- • An order to remove or destroy infringing materials
- • Actual and statutory damages, including increased damages for willful infringement
- • Court costs, attorneys’ fees, and pre- and post-judgment interest
As of February 10, a summons had been issued to Yamashita by the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, stating that Yamashita must serve an answer to COVER Corp within 21 days after service of said summons or 60 days if a United States officer or in a United States agency.
Source: United States District Court Northern District of California website
