MTR Back-to-School Short | T Chai 3D Character Animation - Late Studio | Hong Kong Animation Studio

Is your school bag packed?T Chai checks every item with you.

Late Studio created a 2026 back-to-school social media short for MTR, using 3D character animation to let MTR mascot T Chai help viewers pack their school bags: a new backpack, a nice water bottle, a pencil case and lip balm are checked off one by one, before the video reveals that Student Octopus applications are now accepted online. Late Studio handled storyboard, 3D character animation, compositing and editing, delivering a vertical short of about 22 seconds.

ClientMTRYear2026Project TypeVertical social media short, 3D character animationLate Studio ScopeStoryboard, 3D character animation, compositing and editingDelivery Format1080×1920 vertical video

Starting from a Back-to-School Checklist | Packing with T Chai

What this short really needed to say was that Student Octopus applications are now accepted online. It is useful information, but said directly, it is easy for viewers to scroll past.

The team placed it in a moment every student knows: packing the school bag before term starts. T Chai calls out each item, each one answered with “Got it!”, and the Student Octopus becomes the last item on the list.

One Scene for Each Item | From Bedroom to Station

Every item on the list is paired with a fitting place. The new backpack appears in a bedroom at home, the water bottle beside a drinking water station in an MTR station, and the pencil case and lip balm in the station concourse.

The focus always stays on T Chai and the item in his hand. Backgrounds did not need to be rebuilt for every frame; some scenes could be reused, keeping production time focused on the character.

Water bottle: beside the station's drinking water station

One Action for Each Item | T Chai's 3D Character Performance

Repeating “Got it!” would quickly become monotonous. So each item comes with a different action: T Chai jumps when he gets the new backpack, punches the air as he lifts the water bottle, spins around before the pencil case appears, and sways shyly from side to side while putting on lip balm.

These actions give the same “Got it!” a different emotion each time, and make T Chai's personality clearer: lively, a little goofy, and sometimes shy.

The Last Item on the List | Student Octopus Online Application

When the list reaches the Student Octopus, T Chai no longer answers “Got it!”. Instead, he holds the card up to the camera. The change in rhythm naturally draws viewers' attention to this item.

T Chai then takes out his phone, and speech bubbles introduce “new applications” and “renewal of student status”, along with the message that online applications are now accepted. Finally, the screen shows the Student Octopus card, prompting viewers to apply now with MTR Mobile.

Online applications accepted for both new applications and renewal of student status

The Hardest Moment | Transitions Between Actions

In about 22 seconds, the short moves between a bedroom, a drinking water station, the station concourse and the ticket gates, while linking a series of different actions. If the transitions felt abrupt, the short would become a set of separate pictures rather than one continuous performance.

The team first confirmed the composition and action of every frame with still frames, then moved into animation, avoiding rework from adjusting animation too early.

The transitions are driven by T Chai himself: he stays in the centre of the frame, his actions flow continuously, and the background changes between moves. Viewers' eyes follow T Chai, so they hardly notice the scene has changed.

Back to the Start | I'm with You This School Year

The short opens with “Getting ready for school?” and ends with “I'm with you this school year!” Once the checklist is done, T Chai leaves behind not only an application reminder, but also a promise of company.

The vertical short reached passengers on social media before the 2026 school year began.