Asian Pacific Heritage Month

This May, the Creators Society’s Diversity Committee would like to commemorate the achievements of Asian American animators and innovators throughout history.

Since 1938, we’ve had great pioneers like Tyrus Wong, a Disney legend who has created beautiful concept art for films like Bambi (1942). Other Disney artist’s includes Michiko Kataoka and Gyo Fujikawa contributed to paintings and illustrations for films likeFantasia (1940). Disney animators and writers, Bennie Nobori, Bob Kuwahara, Chris Ishii, Tom Okamoto, Masao Kawaguchi, and James Tanaka, have branched out to other studios such as MGM and Famous Studio. An artist you might know is Iwao Takamoto, who was the character designer of Hanna Barbara’s Scooby Doo (1969). We also can’t forget those who are still active today including Ruben Aquino, the supervising animator of Ursula (The Little Mermaid), Maurice (Beauty and the Beast), Simba (The Lion King), Li Shang (Mulan) and more; Janet Yang, the executive producer of Netflix Over the Moon; and also the Oceanic Story Trust, South Pacific research team who helped guide the storytelling of Disney’s Moana (2016).

We hope you get the chance to learn more about these artists and recognize their accomplishments as well others. No matter who you are or where you’re from, we all share the same passion and dreams. So let’s celebrate.