TeamTO launches teamTOKO Animation: A new Anime-inspired production division
- Mar 3
- 2 min read
The award-winning European studio has unveiled a dedicated unit for original anime-influenced series and feature films, alongside a refreshed global brand identity following its transition under RIVA Studios.
Wednesday, March 4, 2026
After more than two decades at the forefront of the European animation industry, TeamTO today announced a major strategic expansion with the launch of TeamTOKO Animation. This dedicated division will focus on original animated series and feature films rooted in anime-inspired storytelling, as well as select high-end service projects. The launch coincides with a refreshed brand identity, signaling a new chapter of creative evolution and global ambition for the studio.
A Creator-Led Unit for Cross-Cultural Storytelling
TeamTOKO operates as an integrated yet distinct creative unit within TeamTO, emphasizing collaboration between European and Japanese talent. While the studio’s established slate of premium 3D CGI projects will continue in parallel, TeamTOKO will specialize in 2D and 3D projects that leverage the visual and narrative language of anime.
Tara Sibel, Co-Founder of RIVA Studios, highlighted the personal significance of this move: 'Anime was our gateway into animation. It’s where our love for the medium truly began. It revealed to us the emotional depth and boundless imagination that animation can hold. As TeamTO enters this next chapter, embracing that influence feels both natural and deeply personal. With TeamTOKO, we are honoring TeamTO’s legacy while opening the door to bold new storytelling — carrying it forward with renewed imagination, ambition, and heart'.
The studio began signaling this shift during the 2025 Annecy International Animation Film Festival with the announcement of Shadow Soccer (26 x 22’), a shōnen series directed by French filmmaker Slimane Aniss. The momentum has continued into 2026 with the selection of the original animated feature Akira’s Flying Wheelchair (90’) for Cartoon Movie in Bordeaux, a project developed through a partnership of French, Italian, and Japanese talent.
Olivier Plazas, Art Director at TeamTO, noted the technical and artistic goals of the new era: “TeamTOKO marks the beginning of a new era for the studio, rooted in our lifelong love of anime as both a visual language and a storytelling tradition. By embedding this expertise at the heart of the studio, we can push stylization, composition, and emotion in bolder, more cinematic ways, while maintaining the level of craftsmanship that defines TeamTO'.
In tandem with the new division, TeamTO introduced a visual rebranding centered on the tobiuo (flying fish). The "TO" in TeamTO refers to this Japanese symbol of movement and creative freedom, representing the studio's ability to bridge cultures and storytelling traditions. TeamTOKO debuts with its own complementary logo, further emphasizing its focus on cross-cultural exchange and artistic authorship.
