The history of any medium is always fascinating and anime certainly isn’t any different. Whenever I’ve become passionate about a subject such as anime, manga, video games etc., I always want to take a look at some of the earlier works in order to see how the medium has developed. Therefore, I thought it might be interesting to take a look at early Japanese animation and the impact that it had.
The very first piece of Japanese animation is generally considered to be Katsudo Shashin. Estimated to have been developed around 1907, the short depicts a school boy writing out Katsudo Shashin. The short is a mere 50 frames and, since it’s running at 18 frames per second, lasts for about three seconds. There is some contention as to whether Katsudo Shashin is truly the first piece of Japanese animation but it is certainly the oldest that we’re aware of.
Japan continued to produce more animated shorts but it seems poor preservation along with various other factors has resulted in many of these being lost to time. Nonetheless, a notable short that has managed to survive is Namakura Gatana, also known as Hanawa Hekonai meitō no maki, which was released in 1917 and follows a samurai who wields a dull katana. The short is about four minutes long and represents a dramatic increase in quality from Katsudo Shashin.
In the 1920s, animation output in Japan began to steadily increase. Much of the animation at the time was produced using cutouts due to celluloid being prohibitively expensive although this shifted in the 1930s as Japanese animation began to use celluloid. In 1933, Japan released Chikara to Onna no Yo no Naka which would also be the first Japanese animation to have voice acting. Unfortunately, the film is now considered to be lost but it’s also notable for involving Mitsuyo Seo who would go on to become a particularly important Japanese animator.
During World War II, animation in Japan began to be used for propaganda and this eventually culminated in the production of Momotaro: Sacred Sailors, Japan’s first feature-length animated film and a sequel to Momotaro’s Sea Eagles. This film was directed by Mitsuyo Seo and was released in April of 1945, only a few months before the surrender of Japan, and, while clearly propaganda, displayed a level of technical talent unseen in most other Japanese animation to that point.
Early Japanese animation is fascinating and I truly believe that more anime fans should watch some of these films and see how the medium developed. Let me know your thoughts on this look at early Japanese animation, which films you’re aware of or have seen, your thoughts on them, how you think they’ve impacted modern anime and any additional information you might have on the topic.
Hopefully you have found this article interesting and informative and, if you wish to seek any of the works I mentioned, don’t hesitate to use amazon.co.uk and amazon.com for all of your needs!