Katsudō Shashin

Katsudō Shashin is a Japanese animated filmstrip that is the oldest known work of animation from Japan. Evidence suggests it was made before 1912, so it may predate the earliest displays of Western animated films in Japan. Three-second filmstrip depicts a boy who writes the kanji characters, removes his hat, and bows.

About Katsudō Shashin in brief

Summary Katsudō ShashinKatsudō Shashin is a Japanese animated filmstrip that is the oldest known work of animation from Japan. Evidence suggests it was made before 1912, so it may predate the earliest displays of Western animated films in Japan. It was discovered in a collection of films and projectors in Kyoto in 2005. The three-second filmstrip depicts a boy who writes the kanji characters, removes his hat, and bows. The frames were stencilled in red and black using a device for making magic lantern slides, and the filmstrip was fastened in a loop for continuous play.

Unlike in traditional animation, the frames were not produced by photographing the images, but rather were impressed onto film using a stencil. The discovery was covered in Japanese media, but it is controversial that the film should be called animation in the contemporary sense of the word. It is thought to have been mass-produced to be sold to wealthy owners of home projectors.