Firsts in animation

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This list provides an overview of animated productions that can be considered as first-time milestones in the development of animation techniques or in artistic or commercial success.

Early animation techniques

Joseph Plateau's illustration of the phenakistiscope in Correspondance mathématique et physique (1833)

17th to 19th century: before film

Main article: Early history of animation
More information Year, Milestone ...
YearMilestoneNotes
1659 Introduction of the magic lantern by Christiaan Huygens, with moving images
1825 Introduction of the thaumatrope by John Ayrton Paris (initially fusing successive pictorial pictures into a still image, no 2-phase animation until much later)
1833 Introduction of the phenakistiscope The first device used for stroboscopic animation. Invented simultaneously by Joseph Plateau and Simon Stampfer
1866 Introduction of the zoetrope Cylindrical animation devices had already been proposed by Simon Stampfer (1833) and William Horner (1834)
1868 Flip book patented by John Barnes Linnett, under the name of "kineograph"
1877 Introduction of the praxinoscope by Charles-Émile Reynaud
1892 First theatrical animation in long strips Reynaud's Théâtre Optique (patented in 1888) at the Musée Grévin
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Silent era

Main articles: History of animation and Silent film
More information Year, Milestone ...
YearMilestoneNotes
1898 Animation on standard filmstrip Introduced by Gebrüder Bing for toy projectors, lithographed in colour by 1902
1914 Application for cel animation patent By Earl Hurd, granted in 1915[1]
1915 Application for Rotoscope patent By Max Fleischer, granted 1917[2]
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Earliest animations by country

More information Continent, Country ...
Continent Country Work Type of Work Type of Distribution Length Release/Premiere Year End Year Ref.
Europe France France L'Aquarium Movie Theatrical Short 1878 N/a
Un bon bock Medium 1892 N/a
The Tale of the Fox Feature 1937 N/a
Joe the Little Boom Boom Series Television N/a 1960 1963
United Kingdom United Kingdom England England The Clown and His Donkey Movie Theatrical Short 1910 N/a
The Little Island Medium 1958 N/a
Handling Ships Feature 1945 N/a
A Rubovian Legend Series Television N/a 1955 1964
Wales Wales The Little Engine That Could Movie Direct-to-video Medium 1991 N/a
The Princess and the Goblin Movie Theatrical Feature 1991 N/a
SuperTed Series Television N/a 1983 1986
Scotland Scotland Sir Billi Movie Theatrical Feature 2012 N/a
The Family-Ness Series Television N/a 1984 1985
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Lifeboat Luke Series Television N/a 2008
Macropolis Movie Theatrical Short 2012 N/a
Germany Germany Rhythmus 21 Movie Theatrical Short 1921 N/a [3]
Judas & Jesus Medium 2009 N/a
The Adventures of Prince Achmed Feature 1926 N/a
Die Sendung mit der Maus Series Television N/a 1971 Present
Latvia Latvia Lietaina diena Movie Theatrical Short 1969 N/a [4]
The Gold of the Tigers Medium 1995 N/a
Ness un Nesija Feature 1991 N/a
Fantadroms Series Television N/a 1985 1995
Russia Russia The Cameraman's Revenge Movie Theatrical Short 1912 N/a [5]
In a Faraway Kingdom... Medium 1957 N/a
The New Gulliver Feature 1935 N/a
Happy Merry-Go-Round Series Television N/a 1969 2001
Asia Japan Japan Katsudō Shashin Movie Theatrical Short c. 1907 N/a [6]
Momotarō's Sea Eagles Medium 1943 N/a
Momotaro: Sacred Sailors Feature 1945 N/a
The New Adventures of Pinocchio Series Television N/a 1961 1961
The Wizard of Oz Movie Direct-to-Video Feature 1982 N/a
Dallos Series Direct-to-Video N/a 1983 1984, 1985
Philippines Philippines A Boy Playing Yoyo and Girl Jumping Rope Movie Amateur Short 1953 N/a [7]
Libingan Theatrical Medium 2007 N/a
Adarna: The Mythical Bird Feature 1997 N/a
Tadhana Television 1978 N/a
Poptech Series Series Television N/a 1980 1984
Bangladesh Bangladesh The Story of a Village Movie Theatrical Short 1970s N/a [8]
Murgi Keno Mutant Medium 2011 N/a
Khoka Theke Bangabandhu Jatir Pita Feature 2021 N/a
Meena Series Television N/a 1991 2010
Thailand Thailand The Pumpkin of Nyefar Movie Theatrical Short 2004 N/a
hesheit Medium 2005 N/a
The Adventure of Sudsakorn Feature 1979 N/a
PangPond: The Future World Adventure Series Television N/a 2002
Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia World of Twitter Movie Theatrical Short 2014 N/a
But Where Does It Come From Direct-to-video Medium 1996 N/a
Masameer: The Movie Theatrical Feature 2020 N/a
Shadeed and Tammam Series Television N/a 2003 2003
Africa Egypt Egypt Nothing To Do Movie Theatrical Short 1936 N/a
East West? East West Medium 2009 N/a
The Boy and the King Feature 1992 N/a
Bakkar Series Television N/a 1998 2025
Ivory Coast Ivory Coast Kimboo Series Television N/a 1989 1990
South America Argentina Argentina La intervención en la provincia de Buenos Aires Movie Theatrical Short 1916 N/a [9]
Little Red Riding Hood Medium 1965 N/a
El Apóstol Feature 1917 N/a
The Adventures of Hijitus Series Television N/a 1967 1996
Brazil Brazil O Kaiser Movie Theatrical Short 1917 N/a
O Dragãozinho Manso – Jonjoca Medium 1942 N/a
Amazon Symphony Feature 1954 N/a
Monica and Friends Series Television N/a 1976 Present
North America Canada Canada The Wizard of Oz Movie Theatrical Short 1933 N/a
Stop That Tank! Medium 1942 N/a
The Enchanted Village Feature 1955 N/a
Cartoon Party Series Television N/a 1959 1962
United States United States Humorous Phases of Funny Faces Movie Theatrical Short 1906 N/a [10][11]
The Einstein Theory of Relativity Medium 1923 N/a
Creation[12] Feature 1915 N/a
Jim and Judy in Teleland Series Television N/a 1949 1950
The Flight of Dragons Movie Direct-to-video Feature 1982 N/a
The Greatest Adventure: Stories from the Bible Series Direct-to-Video N/a 1985 1992
Oceania Australia Australia Leisure Movie Theatrical Short 1976 N/a
Australian History Medium 1971 N/a
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court Feature 1970 N/a
Arthur! And the Square Knights of the Round Table Series Television N/a 1966 1968
New Zealand New Zealand The Frog, the Dog and the Devil Movie Theatrical Short 1986 N/a
Footrot Flats: The Dog's Tail Tale Feature 1986 N/a
Oscar and Friends Series Television N/a 1995 1996
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Techniques

Animation

More information Type, Form ...
First films/television series to be created using various animation techniques
Type Form Media Title Release Date
Hand-drawn Paper Short film Fantasmagorie 1908
Cel Short film The Sinking of the Lusitania 1918
Feature film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 1937
Television series Crusader Rabbit 1950
Oil-painted Short film Conversation in Space 1961
Feature film Loving Vincent 2017
Digital ink and paint Short film Off His Rockers 1992
Feature film The Rescuers Down Under 1990
Television series Pac-Man 1982
Stop-motion Short film Matches: An Appeal 1899
Clay Short film The Sculptor's Nightmare 1908
Feature film I Go Pogo 1980
Television series The Gumby Show 1955[13]
Puppet Short film The Humpty Dumpty Circus 1908
Feature film The Tale of the Fox 1937[14]
Television series The New Adventures of Pinocchio 1961
Silhouette Short film The Sporting Mice 1909
Feature film The Adventures of Prince Achmed 1926
Cutout Short film Die Schöne Prinzessin von China 1917
Feature film El Apóstol 1917
Television series Captain Pugwash 1957
Rotoscoping Short film The Clown's Pup (Out of the Inkwell) 1919
Feature film Gulliver's Travels 1939
Television series Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle 1976
Digital CGI Short film A Computer Animated Hand 1972
Feature film Toy Story 1995
Television series ReBoot 1994
Flash Feature film Wizards and Giants 2003
Television series ¡Mucha Lucha! 2002
Machinima Short film Diary of a Camper 1996
Feature film The Seal of Nehahra 2000
Web series Red vs. Blue 2003
Motion capture Short film Adam Powers, The Juggler 1981
Feature film Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within 2001
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Format, process and sound

More information Year, Milestone ...
YearMilestoneWorkNotes
1920 Animation produced using a photographic color process The Debut of Thomas Cat Using the Brewster Color process.
1923 Synchronized sound animations N/A Lee De Forest premiered a program of 18 short films using the Phonofilm sound-on-film process at the Rivoli Theater in New York City.[15]
1928 Fully synchronized sound and post-produced soundtrack Steamboat Willie A click track was used to set the same tempo for animation and soundtrack (Mickey Mousing).
1931 Feature-length film with synchronized sound Peludópolis Considered lost.
1932 Animation to use the three-strip Technicolor process Flowers and Trees
1937 Animation to use Disney's multiplane camera The Old Mill, short film. A predecessor of the multiplane technique had already been used for The Adventures of Prince Achmed. Ub Iwerks had developed an early version of the multiplane camera in 1934 for his The Headless Horseman Comicolor Cartoon.[16]
First animated feature film to use three-strip Technicolor Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
1940 Animation to use stereophonic sound Fantasia Recorded in Fantasound with 33 microphones on eight channels, but the reproduction of multi-channel Fantasound in theaters was eventually more limited than intended
1951 Stereoscopic 3D animations Now is the Time & Around is Around Abstract dual-strip stereoscopic short films by Norman McLaren for the Festival of Britain[17]
1952 Animated feature film presented in 3D Bwana Devil
1953 Animation presented in widescreen format Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom Short film; developed and released in CinemaScope.
1955Animated feature in widescreen formatLady and the Tramp
1957 Animated TV series broadcast in color Colonel Bleep
1959 Syncro-Vox in animation Clutch Cargo
1960 First animation to use xerography (replacing hand inking) Goliath II
1961 Animated feature film to use xerography process One Hundred and One Dalmatians
1978 Animated feature presented in VistaVision Lupin the 3rd: The Mystery of Mamo Process adapted for animation as "Anime Vision".[18]
Animated feature to be presented in Dolby soundWatership Down
19833D feature film – stereoscopic techniqueAbra Cadabra
Animated TV series to be recorded in Stereo soundInspector Gadget
1989TV cartoon to be broadcast in Dolby Surround sound.Hanna-Barbera's 50th: A Yabba Dabba Doo Celebration
1995 Animated television series to be broadcast in Dolby SurroundPinky and the Brain
2000Animated feature presented in IMAXFantasia 2000
2007 Animated feature presented in 7.1 surround soundUltimate AvengersBlu-ray release
2008Animated feature designed, created and released exclusively in 3DFly Me to the Moon
2009 Animated feature directly produced in stereoscopic 3D rather than converted in 3DMonsters vs. AliensCompletion using InTru3D
2010Animated feature released theatrically in 7.1 surround soundToy Story 3
2022Animated feature film to aspect ratio opened up in IMAXLightyearIt opened up from 2.39:1 to 1.43:1 for select sequences of the film.[19]
2024 Animated series with IMAX aspect ratioMax & the MidknightsOpened from 2.39:1 to 1.43:1 for select sequences.
First animated feature film in 2:1 aspect ratioMoana 2
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Reception

Accolades

More information Year, Milestone ...
YearMilestoneWorkNotes
1933 First animation to win Best Animated Short Film at the Academy Awards Flowers and Trees
1938 First animated feature to be nominated an Academy Award Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs representing Best Original Score; it also received an Academy Honorary Award for Walt Disney.
1941 First animation to win competitive Academy Awards Pinocchio representing Best Original Song and Original Score
1951 First animated feature to win Golden Bear Cinderella Each award have genre-specific categories in only a year.
1961 First animated TV series nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series The Flintstones As of 2025, no animated series has won.
1989 First animated feature nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy The Little Mermaid It has currently nominated several films until 2006, which lasted The Incredibles in 2004.
1993 First animated feature to win the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Beauty and the Beast It has currently won other two films until 2006, these including The Lion King and Toy Story 2.
First animated feature nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture As of 2025, no animated feature has won.
1994 First animated feature nominated for the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects The Nightmare Before Christmas
1998 First animated feature to win Japan Academy Film Prize for Picture of the Year Princess Mononoke[20]
2002 First Academy Award for Best Animated Feature winner Shrek Monsters, Inc. and Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius were also nominated.
2005 First animated feature to win Academy Award for Best Sound Editing The Incredibles
2009 First animated documentary nominated for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film Waltz with Bashir[21] As of 2025, no animated film has won.
2010 First animated feature nominated for the Metro Manila Film Festival Award for Best Picture RPG Metanoia[22] As of 2025, no animated film has won, although received a second runner-up prize instead.
2015 First animated feature to win Venice Film Festival for Grand Jury Prize Anomalisa[23]
2022 First animated documentary nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature Film Flee[24] It also nominated in the Best International Feature and Best Animated Feature categories, becoming the first film ever to be nominated in all three of those categories.
2024 First animated feature to win Gawad Urian for Best Film Iti Mapukpukaw[25]
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Box office records

More information Year, Milestone ...
YearMilestoneFilmNotes
1992First animated film to gross over $400 millionSnow White and the Seven Dwarfsgross $418 million
1993 First animated feature to earn $500 million worldwide[26] Aladdin gross $504 million
1994 First animated feature to earn $750 million worldwide[27] The Lion King gross $768 million
1995First CGI animated film to gross over $250, $300 millionToy Storygross $362 million
1998First CGI animated film to gross over $363 millionA Bug's Life
1999First CGI animated film to gross over $400 millionToy Story 2gross $485 million
2001first CGI animated film to gross over $500 millionMonsters, Inc.gross $525.4 million
2003first animated film to gross over $800 millionFinding Nemogross $867 million
2004first animated film to gross over $900 millionShrek 2gross $924 million
2010First animated feature to earn $1 billion worldwide[28]Toy Story 3It is currently the highest-grossing G-rated film from 2010 to 2019, only to be surpassed by another sequel, Toy Story 4.
2013First animated feature to earn $1.25 billion worldwideFrozengross $1.29 billion
2019First animated feature to earn $1.5 billion worldwideThe Lion King (2019)Walt Disney Pictures, which produced the film, considered it to be live-action despite the entire film (aside from its opening shot) being computer animated.[29] Other sources deemed it to be animated based on specified criteria.[30] gross $1.66 billion
2020 First non-American animated film to topped the annual global box office Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train It also the first R-rated animated film to earn $200 to 500 million worldwide, surpassing the previous R-rated film Sausage Party (2016) with $140 million worldwide, which makes Demon Slayer: Mugen Train three times larger than the former in a box-office gross for a R-rated animated film, making it a rare feat.[31] It was the only non-American animated film to top the global box office for five years.
2024 First animated feature film to earn $1.675 billion worldwideInside Out 2Currently the highest-grossing Pixar film of all time as well as the second highest-grossing animated film of all time which was surpassed by Ne Zha 2.
First animated feature film to earn over $200 million at its 5-day opening weekendMoana 2It became the highest-grossing animated feature film of its opening weekend by making over $200 million.
2025 First non-Hollywood animated feature film to earn $1 billion worldwide
First animated feature film to earn $2 billion worldwide		Ne Zha 2It earned $2 billion in China and worldwide and is currently the highest-grossing animated feature film of all time.
First R-rated non-American and animated film to gross over $600 million mark Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle It also grossed over $700 million mark, surpassing the non-American live-action Detective Chinatown 3.
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Other milestones

More information Year, Milestone ...
YearMilestoneNotes
1924 First pornographic animation The Virgin with the Hot Pants, opening sequence for a stag film.
1928 Fully pornographic animated film Eveready Harton in Buried Treasure
1932 First hentai animation Suzumibune; first established with the term hentai, a Japanese animation and literature pornography. Considered lost.
1942 First film to use limited animation extensively The Dover Boys at Pimento University
1960 First primetime animated TV series The Flintstones[32]
1961 First animation to combine various types Conversation in Space. combines with collage and paint
1962 First animated TV special released on December or use in Christmas-themed Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol[33][34]
1963 First computer-generated (CGI) moving image Simulation of a Two-Gyro Gravity-Gradient Attitude Control System by Edward E. Zajac at Bell Labs; animated line drawings for scientific purposes.
1964 First animated feature film based on a TV series Hey There, It's Yogi Bear!
First stop-motion television special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
1966 First animated TV special released on October or use in Halloween-themed It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
1969 First X-rated animated feature film A Thousand and One Nights, Japanese anime hit. Pornographic animations had already been made for the phénakisticope and the short film The Virgin with the Hot Pants (c. 1924)
1972 First CGI character A Computer Animated Hand by Edwin Catmull and Fred Parke at University of Utah
1973 First PG-rated animated film Fantastic Planet
First use of CGI in a feature film Westworld; used pixelated image processing to simulate robot vision.
1974 First R-rated animated feature film The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat
1976 First CGI short film Hunger (La Faim)
1978 First animated feature film to premiere on television Tadhana. It was broadcast once on Philippine channels GMA 7, RPN 9, and IBC 13 to commemorate the sixth anniversary of martial law, and was never released commercially in theaters until 2020s.[35][36][37][38]
1981 First motion capture character Adam Powers, The Juggler. The character was motion captured by Ken Rosenthal, a real juggler.[39]
1982 First direct-to-video animated feature film The Wizard of Oz
1983 First direct-to-video animated series Dallos. First original video animation
1985 First PG-13 rated animated film The Plague Dogs. Released in 1982, theatrically without a rating in the United States; home-video releases instead given a PG-13 rating in 1985, one year after the introduction of that rating.[40]
1986 First non-narrative animated feature film Sophie's Place
1992 First feature-length animated film released directly to home video in the United States Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Vacation
1993 First NC-17 rated animated film Urotsukidoji: Legend of the Overfiend
1993 First CGI series VeggieTales
1994 First CGI TV series Insektors
1995 First CGI feature film Toy Story. Faced challenges over CGI feature films meant to be the first, which includes The Works and Cassiopeia.
1997 First animated series produced for the Internet[41] The Goddamn George Liquor Program
First CGI TV special Santa vs. the Snowman
1998 First PG-rated CGI animated film Antz. The first two CGI films (Toy Story and Cassiopeia) and were G-rated.
2004 First cel-shaded 3D animation Appleseed
2005 First animated feature film shot with digital still cameras Corpse Bride. It was shot with Canon EOS-1D Mark II digital SLRs, rather than the 35 mm film cameras used for The Nightmare Before Christmas.
2006 First feature film to use CGI instead of stop-motion. Flushed Away; produced by Aardman Animations, entirely use with CGI for characters and visual effects in heavily contrast with stop-motion animation.[42]
2007 First animated feature film developed by one person Flatland. Filmmaker Ladd Ehlinger Jr. animated in Lightwave 3D and edited the film[43] by himself over the course of two years,[44] starting in 2005.[45]
2009 Stop-motion character animated using rapid prototyping Coraline
2012 Stop-motion film to use color 3-D printing technology for models ParaNorman
2013 First animated TV series solely created by a non-binary person Steven Universe on Cartoon Network.[46] Created by Rebecca Sugar, also the first woman to solely create a series on that network.[47]
2016 First R-rated 3D computer-animated film Sausage Party. While most previous R-rated animated films are 2D traditional, Sausage Party is officially recognized as the first R-rated fully CGI to be rated by MPA in years.[48]
2017 First fully-painted animated feature film Loving Vincent. 75% of it was animated using paint and brush to canvas in present after van Gogh's death, while the other 25% was also animated using paint and brush through rotoscoping, which only appears in flashbacks.[49]
2024 First animated feature film made completely with AI DreadClub: Vampire's Verdict. All visuals, performances, sound, music, and animation are AI-generated. July 2024.[50]
First animated feature film converted from planned TV series. Moana 2; Originally planned as a Disney+ series, converted to film due to the first film's 2023 streaming success.
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See also

References

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