First Anime Ever Made

First Anime Ever Made dates back to 1917, a crucial year in Japanese animation history. As Japan modernized in the early 20th century, anime began to emerge. Unfortunately, many early films were lost in the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake, but some have been digitally restored. So, what was the very first anime ever made? Let’s find out!

📽️ First Anime Ever Made – The Beginning of Japanese Animation

Namakura Gatana ( The Blunt Sword ), 1917

The earliest known anime short film, Namakura Gatana (The Dull Sword), was created in 1917. For many years, it was believed to be lost—until a copy was discovered in 2008.

This film is one of three early works credited as precursors to Japanese animation films, but it is the only one still in existence.

In 2008, Natsuki Matsumoto, a visual culture historian, helped digitally restore the film using a nitrate positive copy. Initially, it was assumed that his version was an exact replica of the original. However, in 2014, a newer nitrate copy was found, revealing that the first half of the film matched the original nitrate, while the second half came from Matsumoto’s version.

The film is often compared to other early Japanese animations, such as Monkey and the Crabs by Yasuji Murata.

So yes, Namakura Gatana (The Dull Sword) is officially recognized as the first anime ever made! 🎞️

Now, let’s check out a list of some of the oldest and most tasteful animes there areIn this short list, we selected for you some of the oldest animes there are, so you can have a front-row seat on observing the Evolution of anime.  

For a nostalgic trip back to classic anime, check out The Best 90s Anime! 🎞️🔥

Kemurigusa Monogatari ( A Story of Tobacco ) Year: 1926

Director: Noburo Ofuji is the

Only the first half of Kemurigusa Monogatari has survived, making the remaining version of the film shorter than the original by three minutes. A little girl sporting a typical Japanese haircut is shown in the movie listening to a small guy explain the history of tobacco. The anime character is allegedly based on Ichii, the younger sister of director Noburo Ofuji. A character in Ofuji’s subsequent film Chiyogami Eiga is similar to the animated girl and Ofuji’s sister. Although the anime’s official production year is 1926, several people think the movie could have started in 1924.  

Sarukanigassen ( Monkey and the Crabs published ) Year: 1927

Directore: Yasuji Murata

Yasuji Murata’s debut animated feature was Sarukanigassen. Sengai Igawa’s 1937 picture book Monkey and the Crabs, published by Dainippon Yubenkai Kodansha, may have taken inspiration from Murata’s character shapes. The Japanese folktale The Quarrel of the Monkey and the Crab is portrayed in Murata’s animation. According to the tale, a cunning monkey murdered a crab and was subsequently slain in retaliation by the crab’s young ones. The current movie, which lasts only five minutes, is a condensed version of the longer one that omits the sequence in which the monkey fools the crab into giving up its rice ball in exchange for the monkey’s persimmon seeds.  

Kyoikusenga Ubasuteyama year: 1925

Sanae Yamamoto is the director.

Kyoikusenga Ubasauteyama is one of Sanae Yamamoto’s earliest successful works, taking more than a year and a half to complete.

The 18-minute film tells the story of a nobleman from Shinano Province who despises the elderly. As a ruler, he enforces a cruel law—banishing citizens at age 60 to an isolated island. However, a young man challenges his beliefs, convincing him to stop the exile and treat the elderly with respect.

Upon its release, around 100 copies of the film were sold. The Japanese Ministry of Education’s Social Education Division even purchased some of them. Impressed by his work, the Ministry later hired Yamamoto temporarily, allowing him to create several educational films during his time there.

Senga Tsubo ( The Pot ) Year founded: 1925

Director: Sanae Yamamoto

Sanae Yamamoto’s first film for the Ministry of Education was Senga Tsubo, which they ordered after he started working there. The narrative of “The Fisherman and the Genie” from The Arabian Nights and the parable of the fox and lion from Machiavelli’s The Prince is combined in this movie. The Pot is a 17-minute silent, black-and-white movie. Character interactions in the tale are shown using speech bubbles and hand-cut letters.  

Urashima Tar Year: 1918

Director: Seitaro Kitayama

Two movies, Urashima Tar and Nakamura Gatana were found at an antique store in Osaka, Japan, in 2008. (listed above). It is a brief silent film and one of the earliest instances of anime ever created. The movie is based on a Japanese folktale about a fisherman riding a turtle to an underwater planet.  

The Hare and the Tortoise (Kyoikuotogimanga Usagi to Kame) Year: 1924

Director: Sanae Yamamoto

The Hare and the Tortoise is a six-minute short animated film based on the famous tale of the same name. Released in 1924, it is one of the earliest animated adaptations of the classic Hare and Tortoise story.

The animation features a simple line-art style with unusual settings that feel distinct from the traditional landscapes seen in Japanese folk tales. This unique artistic choice gives the film a timeless and international feel.

Created by Sanae Yamamoto, the film was produced under the guidance of Seitaro Kitayama, a pioneering animator who also made Urashima Tarō.

Thanks for reading! We hope you explore more of the classic animes we mentioned—especially The Blunt Sword, which is considered the First Anime Ever Made.

If you love action-packed adventures, don’t miss The Best Shounen Manga for must-read classics and new hits! 📖🔥