The Origins of Anime

It might surprise you to know that the roots of Japanese animation stretch back to the early 20th century, a period when Japan was attempting to modernize. The oldest surviving example is Namakura Gatana (Blunt Sword), 1917. Sadly, much of the earliest animated movies were lost following a massive earthquake in Tokyo in 1923.


Oira no yakyu (Our Baseball Match)
Production Year: 1931
Production Company: Yokohama Cinema Shokai

Evil Mickey attacks Japan
Production Year: 1936

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