The most important japanese animation films

[Aaron Gerow]

>I am trying to compile a list of the most important films to
>come out of the japanese anime/animation industry, and i hope to programme
>some of these titles

>From what you say here, it seems like you should be taking a historical 
perspective, but the films you list are only relatively recent.  This 
replicates too much the recent take on Japanese animation that ignores 
the long history before 1970.

In the spirit of history, I would recommend the following:

Kumo to churippu (1943)
Not a feature, but Masaoka Kenzo's brilliant contribution to world 
animation history.  A masterpiece.

Momotaro--Umi no shinpei (1944)
An amazing film, in terms of both animation and ideology.

Osama no shippo (1948)
Seo Mitsuo's last great work.

Hakujaden (1958)
You have to do Toei Animation--without it, there would be no Japanese 
animation industry!  This is their first full-length animated feature, 
and the first one in color.

Hyotan suzume (1959)
Yokoyama Ryuichi and Otogi Puro's first feature film.  The alternative to 
Toei's industrial mode.

Shonen Sarutobi Sasuke (1959)
Toei again and the first cinemascope animated feature.

Saiyuki (1960)
Toei. Notable in particular for bringing Tezuka Osamu into animation 
(where he wanted to be in the first place).

Arabian Night: Sinbad no boken (1962)
Lots of Toei when you get into the 60s.  What you pick is a matter of 
taste, but the level tends to go down as you go along, with some 
exceptions.

Wanwan Chushingura (1963)
Toei with Tezuka again.

Taiyo no oji: Horusu no daiboken (1968)
Toei. The attempt to de-TVize sixties animation. My vote for the most 
important Japanese animated film of all time.  Without it, and I don't 
think you have Takahata, Miyazaki, and much of what happened afterwards.

Nagakutsu o haita neko (1969)
A children's classic.

Sen'ya ichiya monogatari (1969)
Very 1960s and kind of hard to watch these days, but Mushi Puro's 
landmark attempt at artistic, adult animation.  Former Tokyo Governor 
Aoshima Yukio does the lead character's voice!  (Guest voices by what 
seems like half the cultural intellectuals of the time: Endo Shusaku, 
Yoshiyuki Junnosuke, Tsutsui Yasutaka, Oya Soichi, Komatsu Sakyo, 
Tachikawa Danshi, etc.)

Uchusenkan Yamato (1977)
Arguably the main impetus behind the post-1970s surge in animation.

Ginga tetsudo 999 (1979)
A major hit at the box office.

Kido senshi Gandamu (1981)
The source behind all those endless sequels.


A lot of the Toei features were released abroad, but I have no idea 
whether or not they are still available (in dubbed versions, or possibly 
on video).  Does anyone know?  You should definitely contact Toei about 
these.  Shochiku deals with the first two films and Tezuka Puro might 
help with the Mushi Puro titles.

Good luck.




Aaron Gerow
Associate Professor
International Student Center
Yokohama National University
79-1 Tokiwadai
Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama 240-8501
JAPAN
E-mail: gerow at ynu.ac.jp
Phone: 81-45-339-3170
Fax: 81-45-339-3171