List of anime by release date (pre-1939) (original) (raw)

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The short film Namakura Gatana (1917), the oldest extant animated film made for cinemas known to exist.

This is a list of anime by release date which covers Japanese animated productions that were made between 1917–1938. Anime in Japan can be traced back to three key figures whom in the early 20th century started experimenting with paper animation. It is unknown when the first animated film was made for public viewing, but historians have tied the year 1917 as being the key date. Very few of the first animations that were made survive to this day due to the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake. At one point it was even thought that all animated works made before the earthquake were lost until the discovery of two films in 2008. Production of animated works resumed again after the earthquake, and by the early/mid 1930s sound, and cel animation were starting to appear. Later in the decade, Japan went to war with China, resulting in paper needed for the war to be used sparingly. As a result, new manga stories disappeared from the public while the Japanese government stepped in to regulate what was being released through the cinemas to take its place. The mid to late 1930s saw more animated works that were propaganda-themed, as Japanese nationalism was rising in the country.

Japanese animation can be traced back to 1917 as a year of definitive firsts. The three key figures at the time were Ōten Shimokawa, Seitarou Kitayama, and Junichi Kouchi each contributing to making the first short films that would be known as anime. While each one of these people are respected in their own right, the status of "first animated film" remains in dispute as there is conflicting information regarding film premiere dates. According to contemporary sources of the time, an unknown titled film of Tennenshoku Katsudō Shashin premiered in January. Evidence of this comes from Kinema Record, with the July edition making specific claim to the first release occurring in January, but does not specify the title of the work.[1] Shimokawa's film Imokawa Mukozo the Doorman is conventionally and largely claimed to be the first work, but contemporary sources portray it as the "third" film. Speculation about the error is debated, but the two now lost films and their contents have been reported by various sources allowing for a clearer picture of the early history.

The first confirmed film release occurred in the first ten days of February, with Shimokawa's Dekobō shingachō – Meian no shippai (凸坊新画帳・名案の失敗, Bumpy new picture book – Failure of a great plan).[1] The film was produced with chalk on a blackboard, with redrawing for each frame. Shimokawa would switch to paper for later, but the exact date and work to depict the switch is unknown.[1] Kouchi's first film Hanawa Hekonai Meitō no Maki (塙凹内名刀之巻, Hanawa Hekonai – The famous sword) also known as Namakura Gatana (なまくら刀, Dull Katana) and Tameshigiri (試し斬, The sword test) premiered on June 30. This film is currently the earliest surviving work, and was only rediscovered in March 2008.[2] Katsudō Shashin was widely reported as possibly dating to 1907, but is of unconfirmed origin and is not known to have premiered or been produced for commercial interest.

Of the animated films produced in 1918, only one surviving film called "Momotarō" remains. This particular film is notable for being the first animated film to be shown outside Japan.[3] Another survivor after this date is an animated advertisement for soap made c.1921 that was found in 2018.[4] There are no known animated films that were made from 1923 in existence, which could be the result of the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake.

Total destruction of Nihonbashi and Kanda seen from the Roof of Dai-ichi Sogo Building, Kyōbashi

The Great Kantō earthquake which occurred on September 1, 1923 dealt incredible damage in Japan with 105,385 confirmed deaths. The damage from this natural disaster was the greatest sustained prior to World War II.[17][18][19] Prior to the rediscovery of several Japanese animated films it was presumed that all prints produced up to its date had been destroyed. The account and record of these films themselves has been expanded, with Patten's Watching Anime, Reading Manga: 25 Years of Essays and Reviews 2004 book claiming that three films were produced in 1917 when over a dozen works are now known.[1][20] Despite the findings, the earthquake along with World War II have resulted in only 4% of all Japanese films made before 1945 being known to exist today.[21]

After the earthquake, production of new films took place within a year. For the early films, benshi, storytellers were hired who sat next to the screen and narrated the silent movies. They were descendants of kabuki jōruri, kōdan storytellers, theater barkers and other forms of oral storytelling.[22] The first animated "talkie" or sound film titled Chikara to Onna no Yo no Naka ("World of Power and Women") was made in 1933, now a lost film it was a breakthrough for Japanese animation.[23] However, at the time more than 80 percent of movies made in the country were still silents.[24] By the mid 1930s the animation style was changing as well, chiyogami or paper animation was being phased out in favor of cel animation. Previously this latter form had been dismissed as too costly to use.[25] In 1934, the first entirely cel animated short entitled The Dance of the Chagamas was made.[12] Cel animated shorts of the mid 1930s borrowed aspects that were being used at the time by Disney. Towards the end of the decade, political events taking place at home as well as abroad were changing animation styles in Japan towards propaganda, and national pride.

• Note: The kanji 漫画 means "cartoon", this is found before some of the titles in the sources listed below.

• List of anime by release date (1939–1945)
• List of anime by release date (1946–1959)
• List of years in animation
• History of anime
• Cinema of Japan
• Kamishibai

1. ^ This title is sometimes translated into English as "Little One-Inch" or "The Inch-High Samurai".

2. ^ This film is given two different possible dates which range from 1920 to "around 1922".[4][16]

3. ^ a b Possibly a remake of the 1917 lost film of the same name.

4. ^ "The Whale" was recreated by Noburō Ōfuji in 1952 using cutouts of transparent coloured cellophane.[47] It is unclear what happened to the original black and white production.

5. ^ a b One film strip was used for these two short films featuring "Norakuro".

6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Litten, Frederick. "Some remarks on the first Japanese animation films in 1917" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 16, 2022. Retrieved 3 March 2015.

7. ^ "Two Nine-Decade-Old Anime Films Discovered (Updated)". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on March 29, 2008.

8. ^ a b Jean Ann Wright (January 24, 2005). Animation Writing and Development: From Script Development to Pitch. Focal Press. p. 27. ISBN 978-0-2408-0549-8. Retrieved 2016-01-10.

9. ^ a b "日本最古の宣伝用アニメ？ 大阪の化粧品会社が大正時代に作製「カテイ石鹸」フィルム発見 来月２日から公開". Sankei Shimbun (in Japanese). March 26, 2018. Archived from the original on October 1, 2023. Retrieved October 1, 2023.

10. ^ "日本アニメ史:新説、「最古」は下川凹天の別作品". 2013-07-08. Archived from the original on July 12, 2013. Retrieved 2016-01-09.

11. ^ "The Dull Sword [the longest, digitally restored version]". animation.filmarchives.jp. Archived from the original on April 9, 2017. Retrieved May 19, 2017.

12. ^ "夢の自動車" (in Japanese). Japanese Movie Database. Archived from the original on December 25, 2005. Retrieved 2020-11-07.

13. ^ "花咲爺". Nikkatsu. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved 2020-11-07.

14. ^ "一寸法師" (in Japanese). Japanese Movie Database. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved 2020-11-07.

15. ^ "金太郎" (in Japanese). Japanese Movie Database. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved 2020-11-07.

16. ^ "雪達磨". Japanese Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Archived from the original on August 16, 2017. Retrieved November 7, 2017.

17. ^ a b c d e f g h Sharp, Jasper (23 September 2004). "Pioneers of Japanese Animation". Midnight Eye: The Latest and Best in Japanese Cinema. Archived from the original on August 18, 2020. Retrieved November 7, 2020.

18. ^ "蟻と鳩". Japanese Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Archived from the original on August 16, 2017. Retrieved August 16, 2017.

19. ^ "蛙の夢". Japanese Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Archived from the original on August 16, 2017. Retrieved August 16, 2017.

20. ^ a b Watanabe, Yasushi (July 2017). 北山清太郎制作『浦島太郎』の新資料発見について (PDF). NFC Newsletter (in Japanese) (132). National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo: 12. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 5, 2022.

21. ^ "カテイ石鹸" (PDF). Kobe.net (in Japanese). Retrieved October 1, 2023.

22. ^ "The 1923 Tokyo Earthquake". Archived from the original on November 9, 2001. Retrieved 2007-02-22.

23. ^ Thomas A. Stanley and R.T.A. Irving (2001-09-05). "The 1923 Kanto Earthquake". Archived from the original on 2007-03-04. Retrieved 2007-02-22.

24. ^ James, Charles D. (2002-10-08). "The 1923 Tokyo Earthquake and Fire" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 March 2007. Retrieved 2007-02-22.

25. ^ Patten, Fred. Watching Anime, Reading Manga: 25 Years of Essays and Reviews. p. 370.

26. ^ urbanora (March 28, 2008). "Early anime discovered". thebioscope.net. Archived from the original on November 30, 2022. Retrieved 2016-01-10.

27. ^ Dym, Jeffrey A. (2003). Benshi, Japanese Silent Film Narrators, and Their Forgotten Narrative Art of Setsumei: A History of Japanese Silent Film Narration. Edwin Mellen Press. ISBN 978-0-7734-6648-7.

28. ^ Baricordi, Andrea (December 2000). Anime: A Guide to Japanese Animation (1958-1988). Montreal, Quebec, Canada: Protoculture Inc. p. 12. ISBN 2-9805759-0-9.

29. ^ Freiberg, Freda (1987). The Transition to Sound in Japan in 'History on/and/in Film'. Perth: History & Film Association of Australia. p. 76.

30. ^ Sharp, Jasper (2009). "The First Frames of Anime". The Roots of Japanese Anime, official booklet, DVD.

31. ^ "蟹満寺縁起" (in Japanese). The National Film Center Japan. Archived from the original on April 9, 2016. Retrieved July 14, 2017.

32. ^ "赤垣源蔵徳利の別れ". Japanese Movie Database (in Japanese). Retrieved August 15, 2017.

33. ^ "宝珠のささやき". Japanese Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Archived from the original on August 16, 2017. Retrieved August 16, 2017.

34. ^ "人気の焦点に立てる後藤新平". Japanese Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Archived from the original on August 16, 2017. Retrieved August 16, 2017.

35. ^ "兎と亀" (in Japanese). Japanese Movie Database. Retrieved 2016-01-10.

36. ^ a b Jasper Sharp (October 13, 2011). Historical Dictionary of Japanese Cinema. Scarecrow Press. p. 17. ISBN 978-0-8108-5795-7. Retrieved 2016-01-10.

37. ^ "予算政治". Japanese Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Archived from the original on August 16, 2017. Retrieved August 16, 2017.

38. ^ "醒めよ有権者". Japanese Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Archived from the original on August 16, 2017. Retrieved August 16, 2017.

39. ^ "Shiobara Tasuke" (in Japanese). Japanese Movie Database. Retrieved 2016-01-10.

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42. ^ a b c d e "作品一覧 (2)". animation.filmarchives.jp (in Japanese). Archived from the original on November 15, 2022. Retrieved May 19, 2017.

43. ^ a b Jasper Sharp (October 13, 2011). Historical Dictionary of Japanese Cinema. Scarecrow Press. p. 185. ISBN 978-0-8108-5795-7. Retrieved 2016-01-10.

44. ^ a b c d e f g h i Sharp, Jasper (23 September 2004). "Pioneers of Japanese Animation (Part 2)". Midnight Eye: The Latest and Best in Japanese Cinema. Archived from the original on April 26, 2023. Retrieved 2016-01-10.

45. ^ a b "Osaka venue guest events" (in Japanese). anikr.com. Archived from the original on August 26, 2016. Retrieved 2016-01-11.

46. ^ a b c d e f g h "作品一覧 (4)". animation.filmarchives.jp (in Japanese). Archived from the original on November 15, 2022. Retrieved May 19, 2017.

47. ^ "弥次喜多 地獄極楽". Japanese Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Archived from the original on August 24, 2017. Retrieved August 24, 2017.

48. ^ "協同の力". Japanese Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Archived from the original on August 16, 2017. Retrieved August 16, 2017.

49. ^ Giannalberto Bendazzi (November 17, 2015). Animation: A World History: Volume I: Foundations - The Golden Age. CRC Press. p. none. ISBN 978-1-1388-5452-9. Retrieved 2016-01-11.

50. ^ Frenchy Lunning (December 26, 2007). Mechademia 2: Networks of Desire. Minnesota Press. p. 99. ISBN 978-0-8166-5266-2. Retrieved 2016-01-10.

51. ^ Jonathan Clements, Helen McCarthy (March 3, 2015). The Anime Encyclopedia, 3rd Revised Edition: A Century of Japanese Animation. Stone Bridge Press. p. none. ISBN 978-1-6117-2018-1. Retrieved 2015-01-10.

52. ^ Catherine Munroe Hotes (December 4, 2011). "Noburo Ofuji's Whale (くじら, 1952)". nishikataeiga.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2016-01-10.

53. ^ "動物オリムピック大" (in Japanese). Japanese Movie Database. Retrieved 2016-01-10.

54. ^ "御国の為に" (in Japanese). The National Film Center Japan. Archived from the original on April 9, 2016. Retrieved July 14, 2017.

55. ^ "Nihonichi Momotarō". Image Library. Musashino Bijutsu Daigaku. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved 14 July 2013.

56. ^ "星". Japanese Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Archived from the original on August 25, 2017. Retrieved August 24, 2017.

57. ^ "普選漫史特別議会". Japanese Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Archived from the original on August 16, 2017. Retrieved August 16, 2017.

58. ^ "うそつき城". Japanese Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Archived from the original on August 24, 2017. Retrieved August 16, 2017.

59. ^ a b c d e f g h "Japanese Anime Classic Collection [Disc 1]". www.digital-meme.com. Archived from the original on March 10, 2016. Retrieved 2016-01-10.

60. ^ a b c d e f g h "作品一覧 (5)". animation.filmarchives.jp (in Japanese). Archived from the original on November 15, 2022. Retrieved May 19, 2017.

61. ^ "普選漫史協定案の巻". Japanese Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Archived from the original on August 16, 2017. Retrieved August 16, 2017.

62. ^ a b c d e f g "作品一覧 (6)". animation.filmarchives.jp (in Japanese). Archived from the original on November 15, 2022. Retrieved May 19, 2017.

63. ^ "『煙突屋ペロー』（1930）戦争の影が忍び寄る昭和初期に制作されていたアニメ短編。" (in Japanese). webry.info. 2014-05-20. Archived from the original on April 21, 2016. Retrieved 2016-01-10.

64. ^ Jonathan Clements, Helen McCarthy (March 3, 2015). The Anime Encyclopedia, 3rd Revised Edition: A Century of Japanese Animation. Stone Bridge Press. p. none. ISBN 978-1-6117-2018-1. Retrieved 2015-01-11.

65. ^ a b c d e f "The Roots of Japanese Anime - Until the end of WW II". Zakka Films. Archived from the original on May 29, 2023. Retrieved May 29, 2023.

66. ^ "The Village Festival (村祭, 1930)". nishikataeiga.blogspot.com. March 15, 2010. Retrieved March 3, 2015.

67. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Japanese Anime Classic Collection [Disc 2]". www.digital-meme.com. Archived from the original on March 27, 2016. Retrieved 2016-01-10.

68. ^ "Bakahachi to jōshu-sama". Japanese Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Archived from the original on August 11, 2017. Retrieved August 10, 2017.

69. ^ "難船ス物語 第一篇 猿ケ島" (in Japanese). Japanese Movie Database. Retrieved 2016-01-10.

70. ^ "難船ス物語 第二篇 海" (in Japanese). Japanese Movie Database. Retrieved 2016-01-10.

71. ^ a b c d e f g Jonathan Clements (November 28, 2013). Anime: A History. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 44 & 56. ISBN 9781844578849. Retrieved August 16, 2017.

72. ^ "奴隷戦争". Japanese Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Archived from the original on August 16, 2017. Retrieved August 16, 2017.

73. ^ "タヌ吉のお話" (in Japanese). Japanese Media Arts Database. Archived from the original on August 8, 2017. Retrieved August 8, 2017.

74. ^ "ディズニーほか初期アニメ". Toyfilm-museum.jp (in Japanese). Archived from the original on February 3, 2023. Retrieved August 7, 2017.

75. ^ "The National Anthem Kimigayo". animation.filmarchives.jp. Retrieved May 19, 2017.

76. ^ a b "国産動画 - 動物アニメ｜玩具映画フィルム｜おもちゃ映画ミュージアム". おもちゃ映画ミュージアム (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-10-08.

77. ^ "三匹の小熊さん". The National Film Center Japan. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved July 13, 2017.

78. ^ "海の桃太郎". animation.filmarchives.jp (in Japanese). Archived from the original on March 14, 2022. Retrieved May 19, 2017.

79. ^ "Olympic Games on Dankichi Island". nishikataeiga.blogspot.com. April 14, 2014. Retrieved 2016-01-10.

80. ^ "Sports Day". animation.filmarchives.jp (in Japanese). Archived from the original on April 6, 2022. Retrieved May 20, 2017.

81. ^ a b c "作品一覧 (7)". animation.filmarchives.jp (in Japanese). Archived from the original on November 15, 2022. Retrieved May 19, 2017.

82. ^ "沼の大将". The National Film Center Japan (in Japanese). Archived from the original on June 8, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2017.

83. ^ a b "のらくろ二等兵 演習の巻 - のらくろ二等兵 教練の巻". animation.filmarchives.jp (in Japanese). Archived from the original on November 15, 2022. Retrieved May 19, 2017.

84. ^ "お猿の大漁". The National Film Center Japan (in Japanese). Archived from the original on April 9, 2016. Retrieved July 14, 2017.

85. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Japanese Anime Classic Collection [Disc 3]". www.digital-meme.com. Archived from the original on August 10, 2017. Retrieved 2016-01-10.

86. ^ "月の宮の王女様" (in Japanese). Japanese Movie Database. Retrieved 2016-01-10.

87. ^ "ギャングと踊り子". Japanese Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Archived from the original on August 24, 2017. Retrieved August 24, 2017.

88. ^ Jasper Sharp (13 October 2011). Historical Dictionary of Japanese Cinema. Scarecrow Press. p. 278. ISBN 9780810875418. Retrieved July 13, 2017.

89. ^ "DOBUTSU TONARI-GUMI / The Animal Neighborhood Community". anido-e.ocnk.net. Archived from the original on December 2, 2021. Retrieved July 13, 2017.

90. ^ ""Yowamushi Chinsengumi" (a.k.a. Cowardly samurai squad) has been selected for the 28th Tokyo International Film Festival screening!". Tokyo International Film Festival. October 10, 2015. Archived from the original on December 7, 2022. Retrieved August 16, 2017.

91. ^ "のらくろ一等兵" (in Japanese). Japanese Movie Database. Retrieved 2016-01-10.

92. ^ "のらくろ二等兵" (in Japanese). Japanese Movie Database. Retrieved 2016-01-10.

93. ^ a b c d "Japanese Anime Classic Collection [Disc 4]". www.digital-meme.com. Archived from the original on September 26, 2018. Retrieved 2016-01-10.

94. ^ "新説カチカチ山". The National Film Center Japan (in Japanese). Archived from the original on August 17, 2017. Retrieved August 16, 2017.

95. ^ "土星". Japanese Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Archived from the original on August 24, 2017. Retrieved August 16, 2017.

96. ^ "日の丸太郎 武者修行". Japanese Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Archived from the original on August 16, 2017. Retrieved August 15, 2017.

97. ^ "Mabo no Shounen Koukuu Tsuwamono" (in Japanese). Japanese Movie Database. Retrieved 2016-01-10.

98. ^ "だんごの行方". Japanese Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Archived from the original on August 25, 2017. Retrieved August 15, 2017.

99. ^ "NoraKuro's Tiger Hunt" (in Japanese). Japanese Movie Database. Retrieved 2016-01-10.

100. ^ "テク助物語". The National Film Center Japan (in Japanese). Archived from the original on June 9, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2017.

• Japanese animated works of the period, listed in the IMDb
• Japanese animated works from 1924 to 1964, listed in the Kobe Planet Film Archive. (in Japanese)