Over the past two decades, South African animation companies have steadily built a global reputation for producing work that meets international quality standards.
Today, the country is home to a diverse range of animation, visual effects, and motion design studios. While some focus on character-driven feature films and series, others produce commercial, educational, or branded animated content.
Many of the animation studios in South Africa operate globally, collaborating with production partners and clients from the US, UK, Europe, and the rest of Africa.
Keep reading to discover 15 of the top animation studios in Cape Town and Johannesburg, from established industry leaders to emerging studios shaping the future of South African animation.
Triggerfish Animation Studios (Cape Town)
Founded in 1996, Triggerfish Animation Studios is one of Africa’s most established and internationally recognised animation studios.
Headquartered in Cape Town with a presence in Ireland, Triggerfish has produced numerous award-winning films and series, collaborating with top global partners such as Disney, Netflix, BBC, Lucasfilm, and Magic Light Pictures. The studio’s work has earned international acclaim and accolades, including Emmy, BAFTA, and Annie awards.
Triggerfish is best known for titles like Khumba, Adventures in Zambezia, and Seal Team, as well as the Oscar-nominated Revolting Rhymes.
More recently, the studio co-produced Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire, a Disney+ sci-fi anthology that brought together African creators to tell bold, futuristic stories rooted in African culture. Other recent collaborations include Kiya and the Kimoja Heroes (Disney) and Supa Team 4 (Netflix).
Beyond its production work, Triggerfish plays a key role in developing Africa’s animation ecosystem. The Triggerfish Foundation runs mentorship and upskilling initiatives in partnership with Disney, Netflix, and the Goethe-Institut, while the Triggerfish Academy provides free online training from animation professionals.
Through these efforts, the studio actively helps foster a pipeline of new talent and contributes to the growth of the industry across the continent.
Check out Triggerfish’s 2024 showreel.
Sunrise Animation Studio (Cape Town)
Sunrise Productions is a full-service animation studio based in Cape Town, originally founded in Zimbabwe in 1998 by Phil and Jacqui Cunningham.
The studio is best known for its award-winning family entertainment, including the globally successful Jungle Beat franchise, which has been broadcast in over 180 countries and has more than 11 million YouTube subscribers.
Sunrise was also behind Africa’s first full-length animated feature, The Legend of the Sky Kingdom, created in a unique ‘junkmation’ style featuring characters made from upcycled materials.
Now working exclusively in 3D CG and live action, Sunrise continues to push creative boundaries with projects like Jungle Beat: The Movie and its sequel Jungle Beat 2: The Past, as well as the upcoming biblical epic David.
The studio also runs a commercial division and is a global leader in sports mascot animation, partnering with brands like Juventus FC, South African Rugby, and the Welsh Rugby Union.
Check out Sunrise Animation Studio’s showreel.
Mind’s Eye Creative (Johannesburg)
Mind’s Eye Creative is an award-winning independent 2D animation studio based in Johannesburg. Mind’s Eye is a full-service studio specialising in long-form visual storytelling across a variety of formats, including feature films, series, and short films.
Recent work includes Twende, an original 2D animated series for Showmax, co-produced with Braintrust, a UK-based production company. Mind’s Eye has also worked on a wide range of projects for local and international clients, including Lucan (Isaura), Prime (If You Give a Mouse a Cookie), Nickelodeon (Moosebox), and Cartoon Network (Imagination Studios).
Luma Animation Studio (Johannesburg)
Luma Animation Studio is a Johannesburg-based animation studio known for its award-winning work in animation, visual effects (VFX), and interactive experiences. Founded by Paul Meyer and Gerhard Painter, the studio has earned international recognition for its technical quality and creative character work.
While Luma originally made its name in TV commercials, it has since expanded into film, television, and original animated series. Recent highlights include the feature film Headspace (winner of Best Animation at the North East International Film Festival), as well as principal VFX work on M-Net’s Shaka Ilembe TV series, and Kings of Jo’Burg Season 2 for Netflix.
The studio's passion for storytelling and dedication to growing the local industry continue to shape its evolving body of work.
Check out Luma’s 2025 creature reel.
The Hidden Hand Studios (Johannesburg)
The Hidden Hand Studios is a South African animation company based in Johannesburg. Known for its creative storytelling and striking visual style, the studio’s narratives tend to explore unusual—and often darker—themes.
Hidden Hand Studios’ services span the full production pipeline, from visual development and storyboarding to 2D and 3D animation, stop motion, motion graphics, and post-production.
One of the studio’s most notable credits is its contribution to Primal, the Emmy-winning animated series by Genndy Tartakovsky. Hidden Hand provided colour, patterns, lighting, and shadow work under the Parisian production house, Studio La Cachette.
The studio is also behind Blood of a Fellow, an original sci-fi story set in an African dystopia, and Naledi, a heartfelt animated short film based on a true story by Lola Aikins.
Check out Hidden Hand Studios on Instagram.
Cabblow Studios (Johannesburg)
Cabblow Studios is an award-winning animation studio based in Johannesburg. Launched in 2017, the studio specialises in 2D animation, illustration, and educational content such as medical animation.
Cabblow Studios is behind Zen Zone, a 10-episode musical series produced for Multichoice, and Rorisang & The Gurlz, a K-pop-inspired Afropop animated series based on a webtoon with a growing following.
The studio regularly presents at major animation festivals like Annecy and Cape Town International Animation Festival (CTIAF) and hosts discussions on African animation’s global impact. Cabblow is also home to the podcast The Business of Animation, which supports young animators navigating the industry.
Check out Cabblow Studios on Instagram.
Studio Bo (Cape Town)
Formerly known as Studio Bolland, Studio Bo is a creative animation and motion design studio based in Cape Town.
Specialising in high-impact brand content, Studio Bo’s services span explainer videos, TV ads, interactive Rive animations, medical visuals, and e-learning content.
Studio Bo’s vibrant, modern aesthetic helps brands stand out and connect with audiences, and its motion design work breathes life into ideas to create distinctive visual experiences that leave a lasting impression.
Alongside commercial work, Studio Bo also dabbles in indie games development. In 2023, the studio set itself the ambitious challenge to create 12 game prototypes in 12 months, experimenting with storytelling, game mechanics, and interactive design. The challenge was a success, and most of the resulting games are available on Studio Bo’s itch.io page.
Check out Studio Bo on Instagram or YouTube.
Oliver Karstel (Johannesburg and Cape Town)
Oliver Karstel is a creative agency and commercial animation studio with offices in Johannesburg, Cape Town, and the UK. With over 12 years of experience, the studio primarily produces video content for industrial, commercial, and corporate clients.
The studio’s animation capabilities cover a wide range of formats, including 3D animation, 2D animation, motion graphics, infographic animation, whiteboard animation, and 3D accident reconstructions.
In addition to animation, Oliver Karsten offers services in graphic design, photography, aerial footage, web development, and eLearning content creation. The studio’s work includes health and safety videos, marketing and training videos, and documentaries.
Check out Oliver Karstel’s 2024 showreel.
Studio Djembe (Cape Town)
Studio Djembe is a Cape Town-based animation and digital content studio founded by Connor Rhoda. Its services include character animation, animated explainers, live-action filming, editing, graphic design, and branded content for platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.
Initially rooted in animation and motion graphics, the studio has expanded its expertise into content creation, video production, and social media strategy.
Studio Djembe is especially focused on making high-quality digital content more accessible to smaller businesses and offers affordable solutions for both local and international clients.
The studio is best known for its original IP, Roho: The Age of Masks, which follows a teen protagonist who inherits a mystical mask. Beyond Roho, Studio Djembe has contributed to other animation projects like Black Caesar’s, Zizi and Hannibal, and Iinkwenkwezi.
Check out Studio Djembe’s 2023 showreel.
Bugbox Animation (Cape Town and Johannesburg)
Bugbox Animation is a character-focused studio with offices in both Cape Town and Johannesburg. Established in 2003, the studio specialises in both 2D and 3D animation and is known for high-quality work in commercials, brand characters, and longer-format content. The team includes animators, illustrators, sound engineers, and social media creatives.
Bugbox adapts to a wide range of animation styles and formats depending on client needs, often combining techniques like 2D, 3D, and stop-motion animation to create engaging visuals for TV, print, and digital media.
The studio also offers services such as storyboarding, concept development, animation supervision, and motion graphics, with experience contributing to pitches for major platforms like Netflix and Disney.
In addition to client work, Bugbox runs the Bugbox Incubator, a mentorship initiative designed to support emerging talent in animation, illustration, and design.
Check out Bugbox Animation’s showreel.
Rendermatic (Cape Town)
Rendermatic is a Cape Town-based CGI animation studio that specialises in high-quality, product-focused 3D content.
With a streamlined workflow and a creative approach, Rendermatic has built a strong reputation since its inception in 2012. The team combines years of experience across multiple disciplines, including 3D animation, motion graphics design, and 3D product renders for e-commerce.
Rendermatic’s work often forms part of broader commercial campaigns produced in collaboration with advertising and marketing agencies. The studio’s ability to reliably deliver visually dynamic and technically polished CGI has led it to work with a multitude of both local and international brands.
Check out Rendermatic’s 2022 showreel.
3rdfloor (Cape Town and Oslo)
3rdfloor is a boutique creative studio with offices in Cape Town and Oslo, known for its concept-driven animation and video content. The studio offers end-to-end production services with a focus on character animation, motion graphics, and video-based storytelling featuring striking visuals, quick cuts, and smooth transitions.
Since launching in 2009, 3rdfloor has produced a wide range of work for clients around the globe, including product and explainer videos and brand films. 3rdfloor’s clients include agencies, companies, and NGOs across Africa, Europe, and North America.
Check out 3rdfloor’s work on Instagram or dribbble.
Lucan Studio (Cape Town)
Lucan Studio is a full-service animation and production company based in Cape Town, with a flexible remote setup and a growing international presence.
The studio offers a comprehensive range of animation services across pre-production, production, and post-production for film, content, and games. Its work spans 2D and 3D animation, character design, sound design, and compositing.
Lucan is probably best known for its co-production of Moremi, one of ten short films in Disney+’s Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire sci-fi anthology, in partnership with Triggerfish Animation Studios. The project, which used a blend of 2D and 3D animation styles, showcased the studio’s abilities on a global stage.
As the African animation industry gains global traction, Lucan aims to be a key contributor, bringing local stories to life through creative and technical excellence.
Check out Lucan Animation’s 2024 showreel.
Chocolate Tribe (Johannesburg and Cape Town)
Chocolate Tribe is a high-end visual effects (VFX) and animation studio with offices in both Johannesburg and Cape Town. Founded in 2014, Chocolate Tribe’s main focus is on film, TV series, commercials, and interactive experiences.
With a team drawing on decades of international experience, Chocolate Tribe offers services in animation, VFX, and content development, supported by a strong in-house production pipeline and tool development process.
The studio has delivered award-winning work for major production companies, agencies and VFX houses, both locally and internationally. Chocolate Tribe’s clients have included Netflix, BBC, DMC films, Voltage Pictures, The Mill, Disney, Automatik, Axis, Passion Pictures, Glassworks, Ogilvy, TBWA, and McSaatchi.
In addition to client projects, the studio also organises AVIJOZI, a free annual industry event focused on animation, film, VFX, and gaming. Launched in 2021, the two-day festival hosts masterclasses, screenings, talks, and demos, attracting over 5,000 attendees.
Check out Chocolate Tribe’s latest reels.
Polycat Animation (Cape Town)
Cape Town-based animation and visual effects studio Polycat Animation specialises in fully 3D feature films, short-form video content, and adverts.
Polycat is probably best known as the creator of the popular Noodle and Bun YouTube channel and merchandise line. The whimsical series follows the non-verbal adventures of a wobbly cat named Noodle, a frightened pug named Bean, and a mouse named Bun.
What started out as a “fun little project between two friends” went massively viral on a global scale, and the show now employs an entire team of artists. Noodle and Bun’s YouTube account has over 3.2 million subscribers and has received more than 1.5 billion views.
In addition to producing Noodle and Bun, Polycat offers end-to-end commercial animation services, including storyboarding, character design, creation, and animation, as well as final rendering, exporting, and grading.
Check out Polycat’s 2024 showreel.
The Future Is Animated, and It’s Being Made in SA
South Africa’s animation sector is truly coming into its own, with local studios winning awards for everything from feature films and TV series to indie games and ad campaigns.
What makes the local industry particularly exciting is the range of talent and storytelling approaches, and the blending of African perspectives with world-class technical craft.
The studios listed above are just a snapshot of a growing and evolving industry, but we hope you’ve been inspired by the range and calibre of work produced by these homegrown animation studios.
What’s more, many of the studios featured here have strong ties to The Animation School—whether through alumni, collaborations, or internship pipelines. As the continent’s top institution for animation education, The Animation School plays a vital role in shaping the next generation of animators, storytellers, and creative technologists.
If you’re considering a career in animation, you may be interested in our Diploma in Digital Animation or one of our short courses on animation and VFX.
