TeamTO Launches TeamTOKO Animation Anime-Inspired Production Division
- Mar 3
- 2 min read
Post-acquisition moves from the European studio include new creator-led division dedicated original series and feature films along with a refreshed brand identity.
Wednesday, March 4, 2026 by Dan Sarto
After more than two decades as a leading force in European animation, TeamTO has announced the launch of TeamTOKO Animation, a dedicated anime-inspired production division focused on original animated series and feature films alongside select high-end service work. The studio also unveiled a refreshed brand identity.
Together, the initiatives mark a new phase for the studio following a year of post-acquisition stabilization under RIVA Studios and signal TeamTO’s broader global ambitions.
TeamTOKO is a creator-led production division dedicated to original 2D and 3D projects rooted in anime-inspired storytelling, developed through collaboration between European and Japanese talent. The division operates as an integrated but distinct creative unit within TeamTO, expanding the studio’s creative scope while its established slate of premium 3D CGI projects continues in parallel.
“Anime was our gateway into animation,” said Tara Sibel, co-founder of RIVA Studios. “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,” Sibel continued.
TeamTO first hinted at the direction at 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. That momentum continued with the selection of the original animated feature film Akira’s Flying Wheelchair (90’) at the 2026 edition of Cartoon Movie in Bordeaux, developed in collaboration with French, Italian and Japanese talent.
“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,” said Olivier Plazas, TeamTO art director. “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.”
Alongside the launch of TeamTOKO, TeamTO introduced a refreshed visual identity anchored by the tobiuo, the Japanese word for flying fish and the inspiration behind the “TO” in TeamTO. The flying fish symbolizes movement, transition and creative freedom, reflecting the studio’s aim to move between cultures and storytelling traditions while maintaining its European identity.
TeamTOKO debuts with its own complementary logo and visual identity intended to reflect a focused creative direction built around cross-cultural collaboration and creator-led storytelling.
With more than 20 years of industry activity, TeamTO is known for its creator-driven animated IP including Angelo Rules, Jade Armor, and What’s Up Eesha. Following its acquisition in 2024 by RIVA Studios, co-founded by Marco Balsamo and Tara Sibel, the company is expanding into 2D animation, anime-inspired projects, adult formats and new production areas.
The studio has also entered the technology licensing space with its proprietary Citrus Software suite, including the animation tools Tangerine, Yuzu and Mikan.
