Exactly one cartoon came out in 1955. Exactly three frames of it still exist. Thankfully, a lot of politics happened in Japan in that year.

A family of Kappa, and no food.

When a European lies down on the job.

Despite the title, that is a frame of Japanese animation.

Cats getting married? It'll be people next...

Yes, they're standing outside a film studio.

Mummy Cat holds her daughter, who isn't keen on her new foster sibling.

Two children sit amidst rubble. A girl reaches out to a boy.

Specifically, how did Masaoka manage to get this cartoon out?

Some Americans, on a ship, in 1945.

A review of SEO Mitsuyo's "Momotaro: Sacred Sailors", the final Japanese animation made before the end of World War II.

Nothing funny this time.

A sepia cartoon image. In front of a pair of torpedo tub seals, two figures in Japanese navy uniform throw their gloved hands in the air in celebration.

A little ladybird, looking lovely. From "The Spider And The Tulip", 1943.

An anthropomorphic dog wearing a war headband. From "Momotaro's Sea Eagles", 1943.

A middle-aged British man reviews old Japanese animation.

A pig and a mouse teach their friends. From "Co-operative Air Defence", 1942.

An offensively English gentleman spy. From "Supai Gekimetsu", 1942.

Washing clothes was unbearable before machines. From "Doubutsu Tonarigumi", 1941.

Alt: A cartoon head that resembles Homer Simpson is at the centre of flashing pink and peach triangles. Above him, and in a speech bubble to his left, is Japanese text. It's meant to read: "MR SPARKLE! Power Clean!", but the writers mis-spelled it.

Ari-chan, in a very fetching hat. From "Ari-chan The Ant", Geijutsu Eigasha, 1941.

So, there were three dominant Japanese film studios at the start of 1917. There were exactly zero frames of animation. Who would be the first creators, and what would be the First Anime, to emerge?

YouTube video by Modern Chinese Cultural Studies

A lady waits for her lover, and her doom. From "Madame Butterfly's Dream", ARAI Wagoro, 1940.

Ushiwaka “fights” a forest lord. From “Benkei Vs. Ushiwaka” (Nihon Doga, July 1939)

Mabo strides out. From “Mabo As Tokichiro Kinoshita”.