Brand & Business: Get to Know the Filipino Animation Studio that Worked on Iconic Cartoon from Then Until Now

MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Founded by husband and wife Wayne and Stella Dearing, Top Draw Animation Studio has grown from a project in their living room, to a full-blown animation studio in the heart of Ortigas. Now with 500 animators under its belt, Top Draw has animated a number of cartoon shows, most of which people are familiar with — either they remember it from their childhood, or they’ve encountered it enough that the show in question has wiggled into their consciousness. With clients like Disney, Cartoon Network, Netflix, and Warner Bros., one can be sure that the cartoons they’ve animated are at par with global standards.

The cartoons they’ve worked on are diverse, to say the least, but some of the more famous shows they have worked on are the following: 

My Little Pony (Seasons 1-7, The Movie, and Equestria Girls)

Considered as one of Top Draw’s most famous output, My Little Pony has captivated children and adults alike. Based on the line of toys with the same name, the show follows unicorn pony Twilight Sparkle on her quest for friendship. 

The Tom and Jerry Show (Seasons 2-3)

The classic Tom and Jerry cartoon gets a revamp in The Tom and Jerry Show. Like the original cartoon it was based off on, the story still follows the story of the cat and mouse — with Tom still trying to catch Jerry. 

Little Astro Boy (Season 1)

A spin-off of the original Astro Boy, Little Astro Boy follows a young robot boy named Astro as he goes on adventures with his friends. Aimed at children, the show imparted positive messages for its young viewers. 

Monster High (Seasons 15-16)

Just like My Little Pony, Monster High was adapted into an animation show from its original toy line. The web series follows a group of quirky monster friends, whose individual characters are inspired by monsters in pop culture, as they solve mysteries and go on adventures. 

George of the Jungle (Season 1)

A reboot of an animated series with the same title, the show follows George and his best friend the Ape as they go on stupid antics in the jungle. Top Draw had the chance to work on this first as they animated its first season. 

These five animated shows are just a speck in the long list of projects they’ve worked on in the past 20 years. The Dearings have admitted to taking in 10-12 projects at a time, which just goes to show how prolific they really are. 

For a company that employs over 500 animators, it’s almost surprising to learn that each and every one of them are Filipinos. Stella even joked that the only white guy in the studio is Wayne —a testament to the company being proudly Filipino. Top Draw does not pull talent from all over the world, because they nurture new talents within their walls instead. 

The animation studio has a training program called Top Draw Academy, where they take in aspiring animators and train them for free. After they graduate, they then move on to work at Top Draw. 

Aside from bringing in new talent, Top Draw is proud to say that they have employees that have been with them since day one. For a company that has been in business since 1999, and the fact that there has been a transition from traditional animation to computer animation, just goes to show that Top Draw Animation is here to stay. 

Now, the Top Draw is a full-service production studio with expertise in multiple digital platforms. The company is now 20 years old, and has animated numerous cartoons that you may or may not have heard of.