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what was the first anime

The short answer:
There is no single, universally agreed “first anime,” but the earliest known Japanese animations date to around 1917, and the first famous TV anime was Astro Boy in 1963.

What people mean by “the first anime”

When people ask “what was the first anime?” , they usually mean one of three different “firsts”:

  • The first Japanese animated film ever made
  • The first anime feature film
  • The first anime TV series

Because early film history in Japan is poorly preserved (many reels are lost), historians work from the earliest verified examples rather than an absolute first.

Early beginnings: 1910s experiments

Anime history usually starts in the 1910s, when Japanese artists began experimenting with the same new animation techniques being explored in the West.

  • The earliest verifiable Japanese animated film dates from around 1917.
  • Early pioneers included Ōten Shimokawa, Jun’ichi Kōuchi, and Seitarō Kitayama , often called the “fathers of anime.”
  • These works were short, simple films shown in theaters, often influenced by Western cartoons and traditional Japanese art.

Because so much film stock from this era was destroyed (war, fires, decay), we cannot point to a single surviving reel and say with certainty, “this is the very first anime ever made.”

First anime feature film

During World War II, the Japanese government funded animated propaganda.

  • “Momotarō: Umi no Shinpei” (Momotaro: Sacred Sailors, 1945) is widely cited as the first feature‑length anime film.
  • It was produced as a naval propaganda movie, telling the story of the folk hero Momotarō leading animal soldiers.

So if your definition of “first anime” means first feature film , many historians would point to Momotaro: Sacred Sailors (1945).

First anime on TV

Television changes the story again, and this is where casual fans often start to recognize titles.

Several “firsts” are mentioned:

  • First anime film broadcast on TV:
    • “Three Tales” (1960) is credited as the first anime film shown on Japanese television.
  • First anime TV series (short format):
    • “Instant History” (1961–1964) is cited as the first anime TV series , though its episodes were very short educational segments.
  • First major, iconic TV anime series:
    • “Astro Boy” (Tetsuwan Atomu, 1963) is the first massively influential TV anime series , and it effectively launched the modern TV anime industry.
* Created by **Osamu Tezuka** , often called the “God of Manga,” it adapted his manga of the same name and established the visual and production style that defined anime for decades.

Because Astro Boy was so groundbreaking and popular, many fans casually answer that it was “the first anime,” though technically earlier TV animations existed.

Why the answer is debated (and what forums say)

If you browse fan discussions and forums, you’ll see different answers depending on how people define “anime”:

  • Some say “Astro Boy” because it’s the first big, serialized TV anime that set the template for the industry.
  • Others point to “Momotaro: Sacred Sailors” (1945) as the first feature‑length anime.
  • Historians go back further and emphasize the 1910s shorts as the true beginning of anime as a medium.

A typical forum quote looks like:

People keep saying Astro Boy, but that’s really the first big TV anime.
The actual earliest anime films go back to the 1910s, and the first feature is Momotaro: Sacred Sailors.

This mix of fan culture and archival history is why you’ll see multiple “firsts” floating around in discussions.

Mini timeline (HTML table)

Here’s a compact view of key “firsts” that often come up when people search what was the first anime :

[9][2][4] [4] [4] [5] [5] [1][9][5]
Year Work Type of “First” Notes
c. 1917 Early short films (by Shimokawa, Kōuchi, Kitayama) Earliest verified Japanese animated films Considered the birth of anime as a medium; many reels are lost or fragmentary.
1943 Momotarō no Umiwashi Early wartime animated feature Propaganda film and precursor to later feature‑length anime.
1945 Momotaro: Umi no Shinpei (Momotaro: Sacred Sailors) First anime feature film Often cited as the first full‑length anime movie, produced as wartime propaganda.
1960 Three Tales First anime film on TV Recognized as the first anime film broadcast on Japanese television.
1961–1964 Instant History First anime TV series Short educational segments; technically the first televised anime series.
1963 Astro Boy (Tetsuwan Atomu) First major TV anime series Explosive hit that defined TV anime style and production, launching the modern anime industry.

So, what should you answer?

If you need a quick, practical answer to “what was the first anime?” you can say:

  • Historically:
    • “The earliest known Japanese animations date back to around 1917.”
  • For feature films:
    • “The first feature‑length anime is usually considered Momotaro: Sacred Sailors (1945).”
  • For TV and pop culture:
    • “The first hugely influential TV anime series was Astro Boy (1963).”

TL;DR:
There is no single, absolute “first anime,” but the medium begins with short films around 1917, the first feature anime is usually Momotaro: Sacred Sailors (1945) , and the first iconic TV anime is Astro Boy (1963).

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.