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American animation is anyanimation created in theUnited States or by American animators. It has been used as a visual art form for expression, entertainment, news, etc. for over 100 years. The first documented American animation was in 1906 whenVitagraph releasedHumorous Phases of Funny Faces and has expanded as technology has progressed. Everything from 2-D animation, to modern CGI (Computer-generated imagery) has been represented in American media throughout the years.

Thesilent age of American animation dates back to at least 1906 whenVitagraph releasedHumorous Phases of Funny Faces. Although early animations were rudimentary, they rapidly became more sophisticated with such classics asGertie the Dinosaur in 1914,Felix the Cat,Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, andKoko the Clown.

Originally a novelty, some early animatedsilents depictedmagic acts or were strongly influenced by thecomic strip. Later, they were distributed along withnewsreels. Early animation films, like their live-action silent cousins, would come with amusical score to be played by anorganist or even an orchestra in larger theatres. Silent cartoons became almost entirely obsolete after 1928, whensound synchronized cartoons were introduced with the debut ofWalt Disney'sMickey Mouse inSteamboat Willie, thus ushering in thegolden age of American animation.

Thegolden age ofAmerican animation was a period that began with the popularization ofsound synchronizedcartoons in 1928, and gradually ended in the early 1960s when theatrical animated cartoon film shorts started to lose popularity to the newer medium of television. Animated media from after the golden age,especially on television, were produced on cheaper budgets and with morelimited techniques between in the late 1950s and in the mid-1980s.

World War II changed the possibilities for animation. Prior to the war, animation was mostly seen as a form of family entertainment. Theattack on Pearl Harbor was a turning point in its utility. On December 8, 1941, theUnited States Army began working withWalt Disney at his studio, stationing military personnel there for the duration of the war. The Army and Disney set about making various types of films for several different audiences. Most films meant for the public included some type ofpropaganda, while films for the troops included training and education about a given topic.

Films intended for the public were often meant to build morale. They allowed Americans to release their anger and frustration through ridicule and crude humor. Many films simply reflected the war culture and were pure entertainment. Others carried strong messages meant to arouse public involvement or set a public mood.

Thetelevision era of American animation was a period in the history ofAmerican animation that gradually started in the late 1950s with the decline of theatrical animated shorts and popularization oftelevision animation, reached its peak during the 1970s, and ended around the mid-1980s. This era was characterized by low budgets,limited animation, an emphasis on television over the theater, and the general perception of cartoons being primarily for children.

The early-to-mid 20th century saw the success ofDisney’s theatrical animated movies, along withWarner Bros.’Looney Tunes andMGM’sTom and Jerry cartoons. However, the state of animation began changing with the mid-century proliferation of television. By the 1970s and 1980s, studios had generally stopped producing the big-budget theatrical short animated cartoons that thrived in thegolden age, but new television animation studios would thrive based on the economy and volume of their output. Many popular and famous animated cartoon characters emerged from this period, includingHanna-Barbera'sScooby-Doo,Josie and the Pussycats,Captain Caveman, andHong Kong Phooey,Filmation'sHe-Man,DiC Entertainment'sInspector Gadget, andMarvel Productions' andSunbow Productions'The Transformers. The period came to an end in the late 1980s as many entertainment companiesrevived their animation franchises and returned to making high-budget, successful works.

Due to the perceived cheap production values, poor animation, and mixed critical and commercial reception, this period is sometimes referred to as thebronze age ordark age of American animation by critics and animation historians. Despite this, the era is fondly remembered by members ofGeneration X who grew up withSaturday-morning cartoons in the 1970s and 1980s.

Modern animation in the United States from the late 1980s to the early 2000s is frequently referred to as therenaissance age of American animation. During this period, many large American entertainment companies would reform and reinvigorate theiranimation departments following thedark age, and the United States had an influence on global and worldwide animation.

Many companies originating in thegolden age of American animation experienced newfound critical and commercial success. During theDisney Renaissance,The Walt Disney Company went back to producing critically and commercially successful animated films based on well-known stories, just as principal co-founderWalt Disney had done during his lifetime. Disney also began producing successful animated television shows, a then-first for the company, which led to the creation and launch ofDisney Channel.Warner Bros. produced highly successful animated cartoon television series inspired by their classicLooney Tunes cartoons, while also launching theDC Animated Universe.Hanna-Barbera ceased production on low budget television series and, through its acquisition byTed Turner, launchedCartoon Network.Nickelodeon, a network owned bythe first andsecond incarnations of Viacom Inc. until 2019,ViacomCBS until 2022, andParamount Global thereafter, rose to fame by creating theNicktoons brand in 1991 which led to various acclaimed programs under the label in the 1990s and 2000s.

In addition, new animation studios rose to prominence during this period. Most notably,Pixar debuted with the extremely successfulToy Story, the first feature film to entirely usecomputer-generated imagery (CGI).DreamWorks Animation, freshly spun-out from DreamWorks (later namedDreamWorks Pictures) debuted late in the era, but would become a major competitor and alternative to Disney in the subsequent decade. During this era, the technology used to produce animation would experience revolutionary shifts. Beginning in the mid-1990s,traditional animation usinghand-drawn cels declined in favor of more advanced up-and-coming methods, likedigital ink and paint (a modern form of traditional animation) and3D computer animation. These changes in animation technology led to themillennium age of American animation, which started in the early 2000s and has continued into present day.

• Adult animation in the United States

• Media related toAnimations of the United States at Wikimedia Commons

• American animation
• History of animation in the United States
• History of animation
• Animation by country

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