Born in Tokyo, Kitayama’s journey began in the world of Western-style painting and art editing. In 1911, he apprenticed under Tojiro Oshita, eventually founding the . His transition into film was practical: in 1916, he joined Nikkatsu Mukojima Studio , where he proposed using illustrations for intertitles in silent films.
Here’s the monumental year: . While Walt Disney was still a teenager selling newspapers in Kansas City, Kitayama released what historians consider the first professional anime short: "The Dull Sword" (Namakura Gatana) . seitarō kitayama
Born in 1888 in what is now Okayama Prefecture, Kitayama grew up during the Meiji period—a time when Japan was racing to modernize. He initially studied traditional Japanese painting (Nihonga) at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts. Born in Tokyo, Kitayama’s journey began in the
His film Momotarō (1918) is a prime example of his style. It lacks the exaggerated expressions of modern anime, relying instead on the movement of shapes and silhouettes. Yet, within these jerky, silent frames, you can see the seeds of a storytelling medium being born. Here’s the monumental year:
Kitayama’s greatest contribution was not just his art, but his . While other pioneers worked alone or with one assistant, Kitayama established Kitayama Eiga Seisakujo (Kitayama Movie Production) in 1921—Japan’s first true animation studio.
On , the Great Kantō Earthquake struck Tokyo. The devastation was apocalyptic—fires raged, buildings collapsed, and entire neighborhoods turned to ash.