The History of Anime & Manga

		The Father of Anime & Manga Assignment How has Japanese animation evolved since World War II?  Who were the people who contributed to its change and how was it influenced by the war? Background on Art and Animation (Manga and Anime) The Invasion: Many people in the U.S.  probably heard of cartoons like Sailor Moon, Dragonball Z, Voltron, Gundam Wing, Speed Racer, Digimon, and the ever so popular Pokemon; Famous cartoons that have bizarre character designs: female characters with beautiful round eyes, hair that is incredibly big, and gorgeous figure and physique.  Male characters would usually have enormously huge muscles (as seen in Dragonball Z and GT), powerful bodies and maybe, on occasion, have gigantic robots as seen in cartoons like Robotech and Gundam Wing. Where did all these cartoons come from?  To find the answer one must look no further than in Japan, the birthplace of Japanese animation, the main source for all of this madness. Japanese animation, also known as anime (pronounced "ani-may"), is a popular form of animation in Japan which is quickly spreading in the U.S.  The major difference between anime and American cartoons is that unlike American cartoons, which are only watched by children, anime is popular among the Japanese adults and is watched by millions.  The audience is not merely directed to children but to teens and adults as well.  The same applies to Japanese comics known as manga. In order to understand anime and its invasion into the US, a look into its history would be most appropriate.  The best place to start is around World War II, since that was the time when the anime and manga (Japanese comics) industry evolved significantly.  During World War II the entire Japanese nation was mobilized.  The people were forced to conform to the government's demands or pay the ultimate price.  According to Frederik Schodt's book, Manga Manga: The World of Japanese Comics, those who failed to cooperate were punished by "preventive detention, bans on writing, and social ostracism, while those who recanted were rewarded with rehabilitation programs and support from the community...artists who had spent most of their lives criticizing the government did an about-face and offered wholehearted support to the militarists"  (Schodt, 55).   Around 1940, many organizations for artists and cartoonists were formed.  Among them were the New Cartoonists Association of Japan (Shin Nippon Mangaka Kyokai) and the New Cartoonists Faction Group (Shin Mangaha Shudan).  During that time, the government used the few remaining cartoonists, who were not banned from working or who were not in the army, to influence the people through their artwork by creating comic strips filled with propaganda to use against the nation's enemies.   Animation in the US: In another part of the world, an influential artist who went by the name of Walt Disney was struggling as a cartoonist.  Long before Mickey Mouse, he started out with Alice's Wonderland and Oswald the Lucky Rabbit in the 1920s.  Then on November 16, 1928, Mickey Mouse was born and became an instant hit in the US.  Disney decided to work on other projects and started on an animated feature film called Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.  The film, released in 1937, was a spectacular hit.  Things went smoothly for the Disney Studio until World War II came along.  Nevertheless, Disney continued to work and released Pinocchio and Fantasia in 1940.  Although the two were technical masterpieces, the studio was losing a great deal of money since they were losing the foreign market due to the war.  Disney then released Dumbo,on a very limited budget, in 1941 and Bambi in 1942.  As a result of releasing many expensive and costly films during the war, Disney began to diminish in influence. During the war, Walt Disney Studios released two more films Saludos Amigos and The Three Caballeros in South America.  Throughout the war, Disney concentrated on making propaganda and training films for the military.  After the war, Disney Studios struggled to make it back to top as they released several "package" films containing groups of short cartoons packaged together.  Among these films were Make Mine Music and Melody Time.  By 1950, Disney Studios regained success with the live action film, Treasure Island, and the animated feature, Cinderella. With all the success, Walt Disney felt there was still something he had not yet accomplished.  It was not until he found his intriguing attraction to amusement parks that pushed him to build his own theme park, one that children, parent, and people of all ages could enjoy.  Thus after many years of planning, construction, and development, Disneyland was built in 1955.  It became a monumental park that brought visitors from around the world. Though Disneyland kept Disney rather busy, he, along with his studio and team, continued releasing quality entertainment.  Disney released 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, The Shaggy Dog, the popular TV series Zorro, and Mary Poppins.  Unfortunately, the 1960s brought the end of an era: in December 15, 1966 Walt Disney died.  However, the Walt Disney Studios managed to survive under the plans that Walt left behind and under the guidance of his brother Roy Disney.  Disney remained under Roy's leadership with further releases of The Jungle Book in 1967, The Love Bug in 1969, and The Aristocrats in 1970.  By 1971 Roy Disney died and for the next decade, the company was led by a team who was originally trained by the Disney brothers.  The team included Card Walker, Donn Tatum, and Ron Miller. The Master Brings Life to Animation: Back in Japan, after World War II, a young aspiring artist named Osamu Tezuka became a cartoonist and released his first work Shintakarajima (known in English as "New Treasure Island").  As a child, Tezuka was a fanatical fan of Walt Disney's early animations.  Many were impressed by Tezuka's original style.  However, it was not until Tezuka released his ultimate work Tetsuwan Atomu (Astro Boy) that he achieved success; he was pronounced "the Father of Manga and Anime". When Tezuka made a name for himself in the industry, he managed to establish his own production company in 1962.  He formed Mushi Productions, where he released his best work, Astro Boy.  With Astro Boy, Many recognized Tezuka's original style and approach that was new to the entire industry.  The style of his illustrations and characters came from French and German cinema.  His characters exploded with life and emotion, and his stories would unfold themselves on hundreds of pages.  By 1963, Astro Boy crossed international borders and was premiered on NBC stations all over the US and was still successful with American audiences. After the success of Astro Boy, Tezuka released another work, Jungle Taitei (Kimba the White Lion).  There was much controversy in the past about this anime after Disney released a similar version with the movie The Lion King with Simba as the main character.  Although Disney denies this, many believe that Disney stole the anime and recreated it with their own version.  (To learn more about the conflict between Disney and Tezuka visit Tezuka's "Jungle King" and Disney's "Lion King").            Astro Boy and Kimba the White Lion are both © Tezuka Productions Yet with all the success Tezuka receives, he often confesses that comics are his "wife" and animation is his "mistress." (Schodt 160).  In 1973, two years after Roy Disney died, Mushi Productions went bankrupt.  However, Tezuka still creates comics and animation with a new company.  Some of his works include Buddha, Hi no Tori (Phoenix), and one of his more recent works, Black Jack, which is about an outlaw doctor.  Besides comics and animation, Tezuka is a liscenced physician with a medical degree from Osaka University's College of Medicine.  That would probably explain why many of his works "are characterized by their humanism and respect for life... [and] often have a scientific or medical bent." (Schodt 160)   Later on, other artists came to take some of the spotlight such as Akira Toriyama, Rumiko Takashi, Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, and many others.  Miyazaki, who works for Studio Ghibli (or www.onlineghibli.com/), is one of the most famous and most respected anime artists of today.  Some of Miyazaki's works are Kiki's Delivery Service, Heidi, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, and his recent masterpiece Princess Mononoke. Hayao Miyazaki (Courtesy of Nausicaa.net) My Background on Anime and Manga: As for me, I have been an avid otaku (fan) of anime for a very long time.  I am more of an anime fan than a manga fan since I own and view more anime.   I started out with anime ever since I started watching cartoons when I was little.   I was exposed to anime back in Saudi Arabia because till this day, mostly all of the cartoons they show for children are originally anime except they are translated in Arabic.  I moved here in the U.S. around 1990, when I was about 7 or years old, and for the next few years started watching nothing but American animation.  I always thought to myself that the cartoons here were very different from the cartoons back in Saudi Arabia (I never really knew it was anime at the time.).   Though I hardly found any Japanese animation in the states I continued to watch my Arabic translated anime since we owned a Sony VCR brought from Saudi Arabia.  On occasion when my father would travel, I would give him a list of anime that I wanted and he would get it for me.  Of course, many of these tapes were under different titles than the original anime from Japan.  Among the Arabic anime I have seen are Mazinger, Grandizer, Metal Man (Al-Rajul Al-Hadidy), Sandibell, Sally (The Little Princess), Lady, Captain Majid, Captain Thabit, Ninja, Al-Darba Al-sa Iqa, Al-Ramyatul Multahiba, and many more.  For many of you otakus out there, you may not recognize these titles.  Unfortunately, I do not know the original Japanese title they were under.  However, those of you familiar with Arabic anime may recognize some of these titles.  Anyhow, that was my source of anime but it still was not enough for me.  I knew there had to be anime here is the states, I just did not know where to look. It was not until I found Sailor Moon which aired on in the US around 1995.  I recognized the style of animation and I was sure that it was not American animation.  That was when I learned that all the cartoons I have loved were originally from Japan and were called "anime."  I took up drawing and sketching as a hobby which, and I tried to draw characters from various anime I've seen. Around 1998, I came across Cartoon Network, and I started seeing more anime.  I watched more Sailor Moon, as well as Robotech, Voltron, Ronin Wariors, and many others.  Then I did some research on the internet and learned more about anime, the different types of anime, and some terms used in the Japanese pop culture.  Along with that, I also learned about manga and realized that many anime start out as Japanese comics before they become animated features. Till this day, I still continually learn more about anime and manga.  Some recent anime I have watched or have been watching are Ranma 1/2, Dragon Ball Z, Gunadam Wing, Lain, Princess Mononoke, Tenchi Muyo, Slayers, Weiß Kreuz, and the latest would probably be Ruruoni Kenshin.  I also continue to draw, developing my own style and forming my own characters, hoping that someday I will create my own anime and manga.  As Osamu Tezuka was a fan of Walt Disney, I will always be a fan of Osamu Tezuka and Hayao Miyazaki. Marwah Zagzoug (aka Shinigami) Timeline 1914 -  Cartoonists were among the first Japanese artists to experiment with animated motion pictures. 1918 - Momotaro by Kitayama Seitaro became Japan's first world wide success.  However, the manga industry was still growing slowly and had a long way to go. 1932 - Before the WWII, Seitaro released the anime, Chikara To Onna No Yononoka. 1941- The Japanese government used cartoonist to make comic strips with propaganda to use against their enemies. 1947 - After World War II, Osamu Tezuka became a cartoonist and released his first work Shintakarajima (known in English as New Treasure Island). 1951 - Osamu Tezuka created the milestone manga, Tetsuwan Atom or Astro Boy, as it was known in the US.  As a result, years later he became a pioneer in anime, and was the man responsible for the success of anime and manga worldwide. 1956 - The production company, Toei Animation, was founded by Hiroshi Okawa and released its first feature, The Tale of the White Serpent. 1958 - Tezuka furthers his talents entering the anime world. 1961 - Tezuka founded the Osamu Tezuka Production Animation Department, which eventually became Mushi Productions. 1962 - Manga Calendar was the very first anime to be aired on television. 1963 - Tezuka's Astro Boy premiered on NBC stations. 1970's- Various "mecha" anime (anime with giant robots) took over.  Among them were G-Force, Battle of the Planets, Great Mazinger, and Star Blazers. 1979 - Mobile Suit Gundam, the originial version of the current anime Gundam Wing premiered and was a huge success which turned into a nation wide obsession.  As a result, the series was released into three theatrical films. 1986 - The artist, Akira Toriyama, released the series Dragon Ball, which became one of Japan's most popular anime shows.  Later, the series went on  forming Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball GT. Dragon Ball Z  ©TOEI ANIMATION and FUNimation Productions. 1988 - The world receives a blast with the graphically violent and gruesome anime, Akira, which was an international hit. 1995 - The girls anime, Sailor Moon, was aired in the US. 1997- Cartoon Network launched Toonami, a segment that showed non-American cartoons which later on proved themselves to be more than worthy of watching in the US. 1999 - Pokemon was released in the US and it hit the country by storm!  Sometime during the same year, Miyazaki released the movie, Princess Mononoke with help from Disney. Princess Mononoke © Studio Ghibli and Miramax Films 2000 - Gundam Wing, the anime descended from Mobile Suit Gundam, was released.  Along with it came Tenchi Muyo, Card Captors, Blue Submarine 6, and the short lived Vision of Escaflowne. 2001 - Outlaw Star, the most current anime to be aired in the US, is showing on Cartoon Netwrok's Toonami. WWW Sites There are countless sites about anime, some general and some specific.  To learn more about anime history many anime fans, known as otakus like myself, suggest that one should read Michael O'Connell's A Brief History of Anime.  This is a very popular and very useful site.  Another informative site one would want to visit is Anime on TV History.   Understanding Anime is also another useful site to learn about the various forms of Japanese Animation.  This site has information about the art, character designs, mechanical designs, and more.  One more site to include is the History of Manga.  Unfortunately, the only problem with this site is that the pictures and images are broken.  Besides that it has some good information on manga, Japanese comics which are usually how most anime start out as.  The 33-year History Of Television Anime: From 1962 to 1995 shows an excellent list of all anime that has been shown in the U.S.  Source : http://novaonline.nvcc.edu/eli/evans/his135/events/anime62/anime62.html

Top 10 Popular Anime Series

Anime has been around for quite some time now. It is, simply put, Japanese animated TV series (and movies). Due to the large variety and quantity of anime, it isn’t possible to make an uncontroversial “best anime” list. Therefore, this is merely a “most popular” list, with the top ten most watched and most well-known anime. 

10. Dragon Ball

First aired in 1984, Dragon Ball is the oldest series on this list. It enjoyed high popularity during its time, and would later receive two sequels. The revised edition aired today is not as well-known, as newer anime conquer the scene.
Simply put, Dragon Ball and its follow-up series follow the quest of young Gohan to find the seven magic dragon balls, and later to save the world from various foes using super natural powers. During the progress of the series, characters achieve a way to continue to aid their friends after death, even returning to Earth for brief periods of time.
All in all, Dragon Ball is an action packed anime that has somewhat lengthy cycles of fighting. It is especially recommendable for younger viewers, and those who like old style anime.

9. Black Butler

A recent anime, Black Butler enjoys moderate popularity, which quite frankly it deserves. After the original run was completed in 2009, a second season of the supernatural black comedy was announced.
The story follows the demon Sebastian Michaelis who, through Faustian contract, serves Ciel Phantomhive, a twelve-year-old earl in Victorian England in return for the latter’s soul when he dies. While Sebastian appears the perfect butler who follows his orders completely and utterly, he also has a somewhat sadistic nature, an example being him locking an unwanted guest in a lit oven, or piercing kidnapper’s skulls with normal forks. Due to its dark comedic nature, this anime is definitely worth seeing.

8. Naruto

Admittedly, some people may have given this anime a higher rank on the list. The anime is still shown on TV around the world, and its sequel Naruto: Shippuden is equally successful. However, Naruto is aimed at younger ages than most of the other anime on this list (making it somewhat boring for older anime fans), and many of the characters are very stereotypical to shönen manga.
As for the plot, Naruto follows the young ninja Naruto Uzumaki and his friends in their development and journeys as Naruto attempts to become the most recognized ninja in his village. The action/fighting scenes are nicely balanced with comedy scenes, which gives it more balance than Dragon Ball.

7. Hellsing

Quite frankly, Hellsing is just plain cool. Based on a still-running manga, Hellsing features one arc and several OVAs. Though differing from the manga somewhat in terms of plot, most of the characters are the same.
Hellsing is another supernatural anime. It follows the work of the Hellsing organization, a secretive British organization that destroys vampires with the help of the ancient vampire Alucard. The series shows great action and some suspense. Don’t let the vampire thing turn you off – Hellsing is nothing like a certain teenage romance fad. Let’s just say it’s no match for an invincible double gun carrying vampire with a knack for destroying all those who oppose his superiors.

6. Elfen Lied

Elfen Lied is German and literally means “the song of the elves,” giving this anime a peaceful and beautiful sound. However, the first seven minutes of this anime are probably the most brutal in anime history. All in all, this anime is high in brutality and nudity, which is one of the reasons it’s so widely known.
The other reason is, of course, the plot. In the world of Elfen Lied there exists a humanoid species called the Diclonius. They differ from humans in that they have two horns on their heads and varying numbers of invisible arms, called vectors, on their backs. The story focuses on morality, revenge, and identity, among other themes.
The somewhat complex storyline focuses on Lucy, a Diclonius, who escapes from a research facility and is take in by the cousins Khota and Yuka, who protect Lucy and her second personality “Nyu” (like I said, it’s complicated). To get a better idea of this gripping series, I highly recommend you watch it.

5. Rurouni Kenshin

This anime is perhaps best known for the OVA “Trust and Betrayal,” which serves as a prequel. Set during the early Meiji period in Japan, Rurouni Kenshin follows Himura Kenshin, a former assassin who now wanders the country and helps those in need in an attempt to atone for the sins he committed as an assassin. The series is of the more dramatic type, showing the consequences of war and the difficulties of those affected by it. There is also comedy, however, keeping the anime from becoming too somber. This deep anime is definitely worth watching.

4.Bleach

This still ongoing series differs greatly from number five on this list. It portrays the values of friendship and loyalty alongside action and comedy, with unique characters and amazing character development.
The story focuses on the high school student Ichigo Kurosaki, who is given the powers of a soul reaper to save his family. It is now his job to protect humans and souls alike from hollows. Soon after, however, the reaper who gave him her powers is sentenced to be executed, and Ichigo decides to save her along with his friends. Thus a conspiracy within Soul Society, the land of the dead, is revealed and becomes the main plot line in the series. Sadly, various filler arcs disrupt this plot, making it less enjoyable.

3. Full Metal Alchemist

Full Metal Alchemist and its sequel are set in industrialization era Europe, in a parallel world where Alchemy is the highest science. It focuses on morality, friendship and brotherhood, philosophy, and equal trade. The anime features light action, suspense and comedy.
After an attempt to revive their dead mother goes terribly wrong, the young alchemists Edward and Alphonse Elric set off on a quest to re-acquire their lost bodies (Edward has lost an arm and leg, Alphonse his entire body). Along the way they are faced with often morally related difficulties. This sometimes very sad anime will keep you gripped.

2. One Piece

One of the longest ongoing anime series, One Piece is a definite must for this list. Sadly most of the early episodes were heavily censored during the making of an English dub by 4kids, though this should not cloud one’s opinion of the original anime.
One Piece follows the quest of seventeen year old Monkey D. Luffy, a boy with supernatural powers gained from eating a magical fruit, who along with his rather ragtag crew, travels the Grand Line in search of One Piece, the ultimate treasure. The plot is beautifully set in an amazing fantasy world, with individual characters and great story arcs.

1. Death Note

I’ll admit, I wasn’t sure if I should switch this anime with number two on this list or not. The reason being that they are so very different. Death Note is an amazing suspense Anime, set in modern day Japan. It focuses on the questions of good and bad, of moral and justice. The characters hold a high intellect, and many plot twists make the storyline unpredictable. Three live-action movies were made based on the anime (one of them being a prequel), though they are not nearly as recommendable as the anime.
The story follows high school student Yagami Light, who finds a mysterious notebook, called Death Note, that allows him to kill whoever’s name is written in it. Light uses this notebook to kill prisoners, but the police soon catch wind. The world’s greatest detective, L, and so a suspense packed cat-and-mouse game ensues as each tries to keep one step ahead of the other.


Source : http://listverse.com/2012/05/29/top-10-popular-anime-series/

Sejarah Singkat Anime Dan Manga (Jepang)

Sejarah
Manga adalah istilah yang digunakan untuk menyebut komik Jepang. Kata “manga” digunakan pertama kali oleh seorang seniman bernama Hokusai dan berasal dari dua huruf Cina yang artinya kira-kira gambar manusia untuk menceritakan sesuatu.

Pada akhir abad 18, manga mulai muncul untuk pertama kalinya. Buku komik yang pertama muncul adalah kibyoushi yang berisikan cerita dengan gambar beserta narasi dan dialog di sebelah/mengelilinginya. Tema yang diangkat pun bermacam-macam. Pada akhir abad 19, Jepang secara cepat menyerap budaya, pengetahuan dan teknologi Barat, sehingga kibyoushi tergeser keberadaannya.

Dalam sejarah manga, mungkin yang perlu dicatat adalah peranan Osamu Tezuka yang dikenal sebagai “God of Manga”. Tetsuwan Atom adalah manga karya Osamu Tezuka yang terkenal dan mendunia baik sebagai manga maupun anime.

Manga

Anime adalah istilah yang digunakan untuk menyebutkan film animasi/kartun Jepang. Kata tersebut berasal dari kata animation yang dalam pelafalan bahasa Jepang menjadi animeshon. Kata tersebut kemudian disingkat menjadi anime. Meskipun pada dasarnya anime tidak dimaksudkan khusus untuk animasi Jepang, tetapi kebanyakan orang menggunakan kata tersebut untuk membedakan antara film animasi buatan Jepang dan non-Jepang.

Sejarah karya animasi di Jepang diawali dengan dilakukannya First Experiments in Animation oleh Shimokawa Bokoten, Koichi Junichi, dan Kitayama Seitaro pada tahun 1913. Kemudian diikuti film pendek (hanya berdurasi sekitar 5 menit) karya Oten Shimokawa yang berjudul Imokawa Mukuzo Genkanban no Maki tahun 1917. Pada saat itu Oten membutuhkan waktu 6 bulan hanya untuk mengerjakan animasi sepanjang 5 menit tersebut dan masih berupa “film bisu”. Karya Oten itu kemudian disusul dengan anime berjudul Saru Kani Kassen dan Momotaro hasil karya Seitaro Kitayama pada tahun 1918, yang dibuat untuk pihak movie company Nihon Katsudo Shashin (Nikatsu). Pada tahun 1918 Seitaro kembali membuat anime dengan judul Taro no Banpei. Tetapi semua catatan tentang anime tersebut dikatakan hilang akibat gempa bumi di Tokyo pada tahun 1923.

Selain Oten dan Seitaro, ada juga beberapa animator lain seperti, Junichi Kouichi (Hanahekonai Meitou no Maki, 1917), Sanae Yamamoto (Obasuteyama, 1924), Noburo Ofuji (Saiyuki, 1926 dan Urashima Taro, 1928), Yasushi Murata (Dobutsu Olympic Taikai, 1928). Pada saat itu, muncul pula anime pertama yang mempunyai sekuel yaitu Sarugashima (1930) dan kelanjutannya yaitu Kaizoku-bune (1931).

Pada tahun 1927, Amerika Serikat telah berhasil membuat animasi dengan menggunakan suara (pada saat itu hanya menggunakan background music). Jepang kemudian mengikuti langkah itu dan anime pertama dengan menggunakan suara musik adalah Kujira (1927) karya Noburo Ofuji. Sedangkan anime pertama yang “berbicara” adalah karya Ofuji yang berjudul Kuro Nyago(1930) dan berdurasi 90 detik. Salah satu anime yang tercatat sebelum meletus Perang Dunia II dan merupakan anime pertama dengan menggunakan optic track (seperti yang digunakan pada masa sekarang) adalah Chikara To Onna No Yononaka (1932) karya Kenzo Masaoka.


 

 Dalam tahun 1943 Masaoka bersama dengan seorang muridnya, Senoo Kosei, mereka membuat kurang lebih lima episode anime berjudul Momotaro no Umiwashi (Momotaro, the Sea Eagle). Anime yang ditayangkan ini merupakan anime Jepang pertama dengan durasi lebih dari 30 menit (short animated feature film). Mendekati akhir dari Perang Pasifik, yaitu pada bulan April 1945, Senoo telah membuat dan menampilkan kurang lebih sembilan episode anime yang merupakan karya besarnya, Momotaro: Umi no Shinpei (Momotaro: Devine Soldier of the Sea). Anime ini merupakan anime Jepang pertama yang berdurasi panjang, yaitu sekitar 72 menit (animated feature film). Keduanya adalah anime propaganda yang mengadaptasi dari cerita legenda terkenal Jepang, Momotaro, dan merupakan salah satu dari anime terpopuler pada masa tersebut.

Noburo Ofuji juga pernah mencoba membuat anime yang berwarna. Pada saat itu ia membuat anime Ogon no Hana (1930) dengan hanya 2 warna, tetapi tidak pernah dirilis. Anime pertama yang dirilis dengan warna baru muncul lama setelah itu yaitu Boku no Yakyu (1948) karya Megumi Asano.

Setelah Perang Dunia II, industri anime dan manga bangkit kembali berkat Osamu Tezuka. Orang yang dijuluki “God of Manga” ini pada saat itu baru berusia sekitar 20 tahun dan karyanya adalah Shintakarajima yang muncul pada tahun 1947. Hanya dalam beberapa tahun saja, Tezuka kemudian menjadi sangat terkenal.

Ketika habis masa kontraknya dengan Toei pada tahun 1962, Tezuka kemudian mendirikan Osamu Tezuka Production Animation Departement, yang kemudian disebut dengan Mushi Productions dengan produksi pertamanya film pendek berjudul Aru Machi Kado no Monogatari (1962). Produk Mushi Production yang terkenal adalah Tetsuwan Atom. Namun Tetsuwan Atom bukanlah animasi televisi buatan lokal pertama yang ditayangkan. Tahun 1960 adalah pertama kalinya ditayangkan anime TV di Jepang, yaitu Mittsu no Hanashi (Tree Tales) – The Third Blood yang merupakan anime TV Special. Dilanjutkan dengan penayangan serial anime TV produksi Otogi-Pro berjudul Instant Story pada tanggal 1 Mei 1961 di stasiun televisi Fuji (Fuji Terebi). Walaupun hanya berdurasi 3 menit serial ini cukup mendapat popularitas serta bertahan hingga tahun 1962. Penayangan anime tersebut merupakan merupakan tanda bagi kelahiran anime TV Series produksi Jepang yang pertama. Meski demikian, Tetsuwan Atom adalah anime pertama yang ditayangkan secara reguler. Acara ini sangat terkenal bahkan sampai ke beberapa negara di luar Jepang (di Amerika Tetsuwan Atom dikenal sebagai Astro Boy).

sumber : http://www.kaskus.us/showthread.php?t=5596558
http://hansteru.wordpress.com/2007/11/24/sejarah-singkat-anime-dan-manga/