| gins of Japanese animation, often referred to as | | | | profits flowed back to the larger foreign studios, the |
| anime, began in the early 20th century, with the first | | | | difficulties were then compounded, as quality became |
| known anime dating from 1917. Original pioneers of this | | | | an issue. |
| highly popular art form include Seitaro Kitayama, | | | | Foreign studios began to include both sound and colour. |
| Shimokawa Oten and Jun'ichi Kouchi, who developed | | | | They also employed new techniques including the use |
| techniques being employed by filmmakers in the United | | | | of multi-plane cameras and cell animation. By contrast, |
| States, Germany and France. | | | | Japanese animators were unable to use cell animation |
| Seitaro Kitayama produced both chalkboard and | | | | because celluloid was cost prohibitive. |
| paper animation, founding the "Kitayama Eiga | | | | However, the difficulties faced by the domestic studios |
| Seisakujo", his own animation studio. However, unlike | | | | became a very powerful creative force. Animators |
| Shimokawa Oten and Jun'ichi Kouchi, a large | | | | such as Noburo Ofuji and Yasuji Murata produced |
| corporation did not back Kitayama. The animation | | | | some masterpieces of cut out animation. |
| studio that he founded sadly closed due to the lack of | | | | In an attempt to bring anime up to the standard of the |
| financial success. | | | | foreign studios, artists such as Mitsuyo Seo and Kenzo |
| Shimokawa Oten was hired to produce animation by | | | | Masaoka eventually introduced cell animation and |
| Tenkatsu. Originally working for the magazine Tokyo | | | | sound. In 1933, Masaoka released "Chikara To Onna |
| Puck as a cartoonist and political caricaturist, Oten only | | | | No Yono Naka", the first anime with speech, followed |
| produced five movies due to ill health, before returning | | | | by "The Dance of the Chagamas", produced entirely |
| to his previous career. Of the work that he produced, | | | | using cell animation. In 1941, Seo used the multi-plane |
| "Imokawa Mukuzo Genkanban no Maki" is the most | | | | camera for the first time, during the production of |
| notable, dating from 1917. | | | | "Ari-chan". |
| Jun'ichi Kouchi was also a caricaturist, as well as a | | | | These innovations, however, were hard to support |
| painter of watercolours. In 1916 Kobayashi Shokai | | | | commercially, forcing animators to search for |
| engaged his services as an animator, producing some | | | | sponsorship from both the government and private |
| fifteen movies. Of all the Japanese animators of the | | | | companies. Animators, therefore, often concentrated |
| 1910's, Jun'ichi Kouchi is considered the most advanced | | | | on producing educational and public relations films. This |
| and technically proficient. | | | | eventually lead to the production of propaganda |
| Other important early animators include Sanae | | | | animations for the Japanese military. |
| Yamamoto, Hakuzan Kimura, Noburo Ofuji and Yasuji | | | | The industry received a further boost, as the |
| Murata. All were students of Seitaro Kitayama and | | | | government enforced cultural nationalism during the |
| until the 1923 great Kanto earthquake, worked at the | | | | 1930's. By the time of the film law of 1939, which |
| Kitayama Eiga Seisakujo studio. Most of the studio | | | | promoted educational films and documentaries, live |
| was destroyed by the earthquake, leading to the | | | | action studios began to produce animation. The |
| young animators beginning their own studios. | | | | industry had found a niche in industrial, political and |
| Pre-war Japanese animation studios faced major | | | | educational use. |
| difficulties, with competition from Disney and other | | | | At the outbreak of the Second World War, the military |
| foreign studios flooding the domestic market. These | | | | commissioned more animated films. With the help and |
| imports had already turned a profit turned a profit | | | | support of the Navy, Mitsuyo Seo animated |
| abroad, so by the time they were screened in Japan, | | | | "Momotaro's Sea Eagles", produced by Geijutsu |
| they could be reduced in price undercutting the local | | | | Eigasha. "Momotaro's Divine Sea Warriors" followed |
| studios. | | | | this up again with the help of the Navy, in 1945. |
| Japanese animators were, therefore, forced to work | | | | Animated by Seo and produced by Shokiku, it is |
| to very small budgets. This meant that studios were | | | | considered to be the first full length Japanese Anime. |
| very small, with only a handful of employees. As | | | | |