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1931: NIKKATSU AND YAMAMOTO
In 1929, Nikkatsu Studios set up a new animation department at their studio in Uzumasa, to the north-east of Kyoto. They would soon hire “the father of anime”.
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1931: IWASAKI & A NEW PILLAR
By 1931 in Japan, animation was a viable industry again, even if that was largely down to government funding. So some new directors were joining the fray, although not all of them lasted.
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1929-30: THE LEFT AND THE LOST
What did you do in Japan when your ideals were miles to the left of the government? Make good cartoons and get arrested, apparently.
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1929-30: MURATA II AND OFUJI
MURATA Yasuji continues to set a blazing pace in 1930, while OFUJI Noburo goes for quality and mostly succeeds.
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1929-30: THE MINISTRY AND MURATA
MURATA Yasuji and Yokohama Cinema Shokai’s edutainment film series, the “Athena Library Series”, was clearly a success by 1929. Which is why this is only half his films.
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1927-1928: YAMAMOTO AND KIMURA
YAMAMOTO Sanae produces the earliest surviving animated tale of a key Japanese folk hero, and KIMURA Hakusan turns his hand to propaganda.
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1927-28: HISTORY NOTES AND OFUJI
OFUJI Noburo’s career was continuing to build momentum and garner respect, although unfortunately only one of his films from these two years survive.
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1927-28: THE MOUSE AND MURATA
MURATA Yasuji was promoted to producer, and asked to helm the “Athena Library Series”, an assortment of animated fairytales, fables and folklore cartoons.
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1924-1926: KŌUCHI & OFUJI
Only one of the three pillars of the original 1917 Japanese animation boom was still in the industry by 1924. But his apprentice would change Japanese animation permanently.
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1924-1926: YAMAMOTO SANAE
As a young adult, Yamamoto’s family wanted him to return to their kimono-selling business. Instead, he kept running away to art school.