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The history of anime can be traced back to the start of the 20th century, with the earliest verifiable films dating from 1917. [1] Before the advent of film, Japan already had a rich tradition of entertainment with colourful painted figures moving across the projection screen in utsushi-e (写し絵), a particular Japanese type of magic lantern show popular in the 19th century.
Sep 4, 2021 · By Timothy Blake Donohoo. Published Sep 4, 2021. Anime is currently at its most popular across the globe, with the medium being more mainstream than ever in the West. Many look back at the 1990s as the era in which the medium first got big outside of Japan, with shows like Sailor Moon, Dragon Ball Z and Pokemon bringing in a generation of ...
- Staff Writer
- The Fathers of Anime: Where It All Began in The 1910s
- Voiceovers and Cel Animation: Revolutionary Technologies in The 1930s
- War Propaganda: Anime and Politics in The 1930s-40s
- Birth of Toei Animation: New Franchises and Rocketing Success in The 1940s-50s
- Television Airing: Anime Invades Screens in The 1960s
- Rise of More Animation Studios: Anime Becomes Japanese Culture in The 1970s
- The Golden Era of Anime: Anime Becomes A Phenomenon in The 1980s
- Experimental Themes and The Internet: The Fall and Rise of Anime in The 1990s
- The Future of Anime – 10 Trends Now and Beyond
Tracing back the roots of anime requires us to mention the first group of animators who birthed the earliest production of this industry. Ōten Shimokawa, Jun’ichi Kōuchi, and Seitaro Kitayama are considered the fathers of anime who worked together to produce an estimated 20 short animated films around 1917. Anime during this era is nothing like wha...
The first-ever anime that showcased avoiceover featurecame out in April 1933. Chikara to Onna no Yo no Naka (Within the World of Power and Women) became the first anime film to use the ‘talkie’ technology from the U.S. 1935 was a revolutionary moment for anime as it saw its first full, cel-animated (not to be confused with cel shading) shortin the ...
As cel animation’s use progressed, so did the need for bigger funding. Animation studios during the late 1930s struggled to sustain the production of short animated films, much more full-length anime, with their current financial resource. This is where government propaganda came in handy. The government started promoting its agenda throughpaid pro...
Anime history won’t be complete without mentioning Toei animation. It’s the oldest animation studio in Japan, founded in 1948. More importantly, it gave birth to some household anime franchises that saw huge, global success, like Dragon Ball, Sailor Moon, and One Piece. Before producing these prominent series, however, Toei started by producing Jap...
1960 saw thefirst signs of anime’s potential to appeal to domestic TV viewers. Channels like NHKstarted airing three-minute-long animated anthologies. It then progressed to a regular airtime show with anime like Otogi Manga Calendar in 1961. Still, the duration of these shows was limited to three-minute tops, different from what you’d expect from t...
The 1970s saw the birth of some prominent studios, now home to all-time hit anime series. They include Tezuka Productions, Madhouse, and Sunrise. This is also the era where anime started to hone its unique identity through mecha genres, science fiction, and literary-based adaptations. Popular series like Lupin III, Mobile Suit Gundam, Space Battles...
By the 1980s, anime had officially become mainstream in Japan. Series like Dragon Ball, Macross, and the Gundam franchise soared in popularity. New genres like sports anime also started making noise at the release of Captain Tsubasa in 1983. This series showcased common themes we now see in modern-day sports anime, like cool characters with equally...
The anime industry during the 1990s was struggling. The economy was crashing, and the budget needed to catch up to the required production cost. Still, there were studios and ongoing anime series that flourished despite the economic downturn. Studio Ghibli and Toei Animation led the pack with successful releases like Kiki’s Delivery Service and Sai...
It’s tricky to declare what anime will look like in the next few decades, primarily due to its encompassing effects across other industries. However, emerging market trends help define the trajectory many domestic animation studios may adopt in the coming years. These trends don’t only affect anime’s distribution methods but also predict global vie...
The film comes after the success of Demon Slayer, which became the highest-grossing anime film worldwide, making $90m (£68m) outside Japan in 2021 despite being released during the pandemic. Gege ...
Oct 15, 2023 · Anime was even created with otaku in mind, leading to the creation of even more specific anime genres. For example, the creation of Dragonball Z, which sparked the martial arts, the superhero genre, and went on to become one of the most popular anime worldwide.
Dec 20, 2013 · In recent years, Japanese animation has become popular around the world. Industry veteran Yamaguchi Yasuo, who has been involved in anime production for half a century, traces the history of ...
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Mar 8, 2020 · Origins (1900-1920) The history of anime in Japan goes back further than one might think. It’s further than the iconic Astro Boy of 1960s, and even earlier than when it was common for televisions to be in peoples home, and even before World War II. Anime’s roots can be found going all the way back to the early 1900s.