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The history of anime brings to mind the question of what was the first anime. This question has been asked by many a curious anime lover and more than a few people interested in the archival of media. Since the world and entertainment industry has made it ever harder to view older media in newer formats, the question of what the first anime was a potent topic to broach.
A good example of archival being used for anime is that one of the first Japanese animated films that survived to the modern day was called The Dull Sword, released on June 30, 1917.
Disclaimer: Spoiler warnings are included for many of these anime. Opinions included are reflective of the filmmakers, the time period in which these were filmed in, and the author of the article.
What was the first anime? A look at 10 anime that originated the medium and industry
1) The Dull Sword (June 30, 1917)
The Dull Sword/Namakura Gatana is considered one of the first anime films, produced by Junichi Kōuchi and released on June 30, 1917. Although a few other films were discovered to have preceded it including Dekobō shingachō – Meian no shippai, Bumpy new picture book – Failure of a Great Plan in February 1917 and The Story of the Concierge Mukuzo Imokawa in April of 1917 by director Ōten Shimokawa, the latter are considered lost.
The concept of lost media refers to the fact that the media has been lost in some way, oftentimes with the original copy being destroyed. A copy of The Dull Sword was rediscovered by an antique shop employee in Osaka, Japan, in March 2008. The film is a 4-minute silent short that tells a story about a rōnin purchasing a dull-edged sword, and his very comedic attempts at practicing its effectiveness on a random passerby and repeated failures.
2) Chikara to Onna no Yo no Naka/The World of Power and Women (April 13, 1933)
During the pre-World War II era, a number of animators came and went that tried to produce an animated film or cartoon that would rival the likes of Disney. This effort led to the first anime of any type to feature voiceovers, a short film by the name of Chikara to Onna no Yo no Naka/The World of Power and Women directed by Kenzo Masaoka.
The film was a black-and-white film about a father of four getting into an affair with a typist, and his wife confronting him about it. While no known prints exist, making it a lost film, the film was considered a success when it released in April 1933. It helped that the technology of cel animation and multiplace cameras also helped produce other such anime films as The Dance of the Chagamas in 1934 and Ari-Chan in 1941.
3) Momotaro: Sacred Sailors (April 12, 1945)
The first Japanese feature-length animated film was a World War II propaganda film called Momotaro: Sacred Sailors, directed by Mitsuyo Seo. It was ordered by the then-Japanese Naval Ministry as a propaganda film. The film was a children's film, featuring talking animals like a bear cub, monkey, pheasant, and puppy all enlisting in the Japanese army. The film, however, was intended to instill hope for peace in children, according to Seo.
This first anime film was presumed lost during the American occupation, however, a copy of the film was later found in the Shochiku corporation's Ofuna warehouse in 1983 and it was re-released in 1984. The film's legacy was that it inspired the series Kimba the White Lion years later, and was generally considered ineffective for propaganda purposes at the time.
4) The White Snake Enchantress (October 22, 1958)
The first color anime feature film and Toei Animation's first theatrical feature film is The White Snake Enchantress. This first anime film began the use of color in anime in Japan and depicted the tale of a snake princess and a human falling in love as an adaptation of the Song Dynasty Chinese folktale Legend of the White Snake.
Historically, this marked the first attempt to follow in Disney's footsteps. It was likewise the second to be released in the United States following the premiere of Magic Boy/Shonen Sarutobi Sasuke on June 22, 1961. The two anime films paved the way for other anime to follow suit, including Astro Boy.
5) Tetsujin 28-go/Gigantor (October 20, 1963 – May 25, 1966)
If any Gundam or other mecha fans wonder where it all began, look no further than the anime adaptation of Tetsujin 28-go: Gigantor. Being one of the first in the mecha genre, the series is credited with featuring the first humanoid giant robot controlled via remote control operation.
The series follows the exploits of 12-year-old Jimmy Sparks as he controls the titular massive mech against villains that threaten the world with giant monsters. The series has inspired many films from Akira to Pacific Rim. Other series like Gundam owe their existence to this earlier stage of Mecha animation and manga.
6) Astro Boy (January 1, 1963-December 31, 1966)
If there's anyone who questions what is the first anime to get excessively popular and embody the anime aesthetic, they should know about Astro Boy. Astro Boy originated as a manga in 1952 created by Osamu Tezuka, who is revered in Japan as "the God of Manga". The original Astro Boy lasted for four seasons, with the final episode being broadcast on New Year's Eve 1966. It spawned many sequels and spinoffs.
The anime stars the titular Astro Boy, who's modeled after a late Doctor's son. The robotic boy was rejected by his father and sold to a cruel circus owner. Following being rescued, Astro sought to help others find peace as he did. Astro Boy was highly influential as a number of anime about space and robots followed in its footsteps like Cyborg 009, and likewise was one of the first to be an overseas hit.
7) Princess Knight (April 2, 1967- April 7, 1968)
If Astro Boy answers the question of what was the first anime to get popular in the field of robotics and shonen manga, then Princess Knight was among the first anime to catapult shojo anime into the mainstream. It would begin the tradition of androgynous-like heroines and is considered to be one of the first anime that was narrative-focused, portraying a female superhero in the shojo genre.
The anime depicts the story of Sapphire, an androgynous princess alongside her guardian angel named Tink, as she fights off threats to her throne while disguising herself as a male prince. Various other anime, such as Revolutionary Girl Utena, Sailor Moon, and The Rose of Versailles have owed the existence of female superheroes and the feminist themes of defying gender roles and androgynous protagonists to it.
8) Attack no 1 (December 7, 1969 - November 28, 1971)
Attack No. 1 was the first anime to highlight female sports, volleyball specifically. Alongside Princess Knight, Attack No. 1 helped push the shojo genre into the mainstream. The sports focus, particularly on girls, helped it stand out at a time when anime was primarily dominated by shonen and sci-fi anime. Countless other series like Aim for the Ace! followed its lead.
The story follows a high school girl named Kozue Ayuhara as she tries out for Fujimi Academy's volleyball team. This show was profound for both being a popular sports anime in Japan and also inspiring plenty of girls to take up volleyball much like Haikyuu!! or Slam Dunk did for boys and volleyball/basketball.
9) Sazae-San (1969 to present)
Many anime have been known to run for a very long time: Detective Conan, Naruto, One Piece, and Dragon Ball all come to mind. If the question of what was the first anime to earn a Guinness World Record for the longest-running series is asked, however, the answer would be Sazae-San.
Sazae-San started as a slapstick comedy but then turned into a family drama. It depicts the adventures of Sazae, a woman who goes through life trying to live her own life, with adventure, marriage, and even some women's liberation being sprinkled in. The anime is viewed as a nostalgic view into Japanese society, a view into simpler times before modern technology took over. It's considered a national treasure for this.
10) Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro (December 15, 1979)
On the off chance that any readers don't know of either Lupin III or Miyazaki's directorial debut, let this be an introduction. Lupin III revolves around the misadventures of Arsene Lupin III, a gentleman thief alongside his associates who dodge the law while trying to strike it rich.
The film sees Lupin and his associates forced to team up with longtime nemesis Inspector Zenigata to unseat a corrupt Count running a counterfeiting operation out of the country of Cagliostro. The film is Hayao Miyazaki's directorial debut, being the first anime film he directed. It also helped lay the foundations for Studio Ghibli with its success, prompting Miyazaki to collaborate on other anime films like Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and eventually Castle in the Sky.
Thus ends the list pondering the question of what the first anime ever was, with 10 examples of firsts throughout the industry. While some of these have tragically been lost to time, it's worth remembering that these laid the foundation for many of the anime fans love today.
These first animes all came from places of hard work, dedication, and the love of animation as a medium. If anyone has any other "first anime" they'd like to highlight, readers are encouraged to leave some in the comments.
