A poster for the animated film Pokémon: Path to the Peak. [Photo/WeChat account of Optics Valley of China]

Recently, the animated film Pokémon: Path to the Peak, directed by Zhang Shaofu and produced by Taikong Animation (Wuhan) Co, has been nominated for the 51st Annual Annie Awards.

The company is headquartered in the East Lake High-tech Development Zone (also known as Optics Valley of China, or OVC).

There are a total of three animated series nominated for the Best TV/Media Limited Series category at this year's Annie Awards. The winners will be announced and awarded on Feb 17.

The Annie Awards, organized by the Los Angeles branch of the International Animated Film Association (ASIFA-Hollywood), are dedicated to recognizing lifetime achievements in directing, production, writing, and voice acting, among other fields. The awards have been held for 51 years, starting from 1972.

Zhang Shaofu is the founder of Taikong Animation. [Photo/WeChat account of Optics Valley of China]

Established in 2017, Taikong Animation has expanded and now has a branch in Los Angeles. The company's founder, Zhang Shaofu, previously worked as an animator at Disney and Sony Pictures for over 10 years, and is also a visiting professor at Wuhan University.

The company has been involved in the production of several Oscar-winning films, such as Zootopia and Frozen.

All works created by Taikong Animation have received awards at major international film festivals and animation festivals. In 2022, its creation Bidoof Big Stand won The Telly Award. To receive this award, winners have to be selected by the CEOs of the top 200+ animation companies worldwide.