TAIKO Studios

TAIKO Studios is an independent international animation studio founded in 2017 by animator and filmmaker Shaofu Zhang. Working across the Los Angeles area and Wuhan, China, it produces character-driven animation for original films, commercial campaigns and production partners. Its work spans stylized CGI and hybrid 2D/3D animation, with a cross-cultural approach that combines Western character animation styling with Chinese cultural sensibilities and art techniques.

The studio was established with a production model connecting creative leadership in California with animation and technical talent in Wuhan. Its capabilities cover development, storyboarding, animatics, visual development, character design, modeling, rigging and full animation production. Alongside its own storytelling projects, TAIKO provides co-production and animation vendor services for other producers.

Original stories and commissioned work

TAIKO's debut project, One Small Step (2018), is an eight-minute animated short about Luna, a young Chinese-American girl who dreams of becoming an astronaut, and the support she receives from her shoe-repairer father. The film established the studio's public profile and demonstrated its emphasis on character performance, family relationships and storytelling across cultures.

Its commissioned productions include Fú, an animated short for Airbnb China's Lunar New Year campaign; Pangu, a mythological short for Tencent Video; and Gold Rush, created for the tenth anniversary of LEGO Ninjago: Reimagined. These projects place the studio's character animation work across advertising, entertainment and franchise marketing.

TAIKO also contributed character animation vendor services to Wish Dragon (2021), a feature from Sony Pictures Animation and Base FX. That contribution sits alongside its original shorts and commercial productions, reflecting a business that combines internally developed stories with commissioned animation work.

Beyond completed productions, the studio develops original animated feature properties, including Jade Sky, Fable and Behind the Canvas. Its broader production offering serves feature films, animated shorts, television and streaming, commercial advertising, and gaming-related franchise campaigns.