Namakura Gatana Let’s face it—anime wouldn’t be where it is today if it weren’t for its history, consisting of older, fairly unknown animes. Namakura Gatana, a short made in 1917, is one of the most relevant examples.
Naruto, One Piece, and Bleach Fans like calling them “The Big 3” because of their overwhelming popularity.
Dragon Ball isn’t in there only because it’s considerably older. Despite that, some fans prefer including it as well and calling the group “The Big Four of Shonen Anime.”
Spirited Away was the first anime to be nominated for an Oscar. Even2022 anime factstalk about the genre classics. Take for example Spirited Away, the2001 Studio Ghibli feature film. The movie was a massive success—not only did it receive critical acclaim, it was also nominated for numerous awards.
The history of anime in Japan goes back further than one might think. It’s further than the iconic Astro Boy of 1960s, and even earlier than when it was common for televisions to be in peoples home, and even before World War II. Anime’s roots can be found going all the way back to the early 1900s.
