An animated sci-fi comedy series titled "Operation Maomao" is being showcased at the Taiwan Creative Content Fest (TCCF) in Taipei. The project, created by Jonathan Yu of Shaogao, follows Agent 19 of the Meowtocracy, an alien cat sent to Earth to seize the planet's catnip supply.
The planned 26-episode series will consist of seven-minute installments. The story follows Agent 19, who was shipped from a home world facing catnip shortages. Despite being equipped with top-tier training, a body built for battle, and a boss who checks in every Tuesday, his mission is derailed when a human finds him on the street. The human names him Maomao and provides him with a steady diet of canned tuna and catnip. Two years into the mission, the invasion is only 5% complete, leaving a livid boss to question if Agent 19 is still the one intended to do the conquering.
Jonathan Yu stated that the idea originated from his wife’s cat, 19. Yu noted that because he had never lived with a cat before, the animal's behaviors—such as staring at walls, knocking items off tables, and sprinting at 3 a.m.—felt foreign. Yu said, "I started to wonder, what if there’s a reason for all of it? What if he’s planning something? What if he’s planning to take over the world? That’s how 19 became Agent 19."
Yu, who was born in Taiwan and moved to Canada at age 10, launched the animation brand Shaogao in 2017 to explore questions of identity and belonging. He described "Operation Maomao" as a comedy on the surface, but noted that underneath, it is an immigration story. Yu said, "Maomao arrives with one set of instructions from home, slowly falls in love with his new life, and has to figure out who he is when he belongs to both worlds."
The show is currently in development. While Season 1 is outlined, characters and settings have been designed, and a trailer is finished. The producers are leveraging Shaogao’s 1.8 million followers and existing merchandise to build a fan base. Additionally, Yu and his team are developing "The Shaogao Show," which shares the same fictional world; Yu suggested that close viewers of "Operation Maomao" may find clues to a larger story.
