List of

I’ve been meaning to remake my masterpost on animation documentaries for a while. (Especially since amazon no longer allows us to edit our older listmanias.) I love watching stuff like this, so I figure others would as well! I direct linked as many titles as I could to streams, free or otherwise. Feel free to add to this! (Also, quick prelude since you’re gonna hear it a lot: Any time a Disney documentary says *Snow White* was the first ever animated feature film *is a dirty filthy lie*.)

**Animation Industry**

* *Anime: Drawing a Revolution* (2007)
* *Between Frames: The Art of Brazilian Animation* (2013; website)
* *The CalArts Story* (1964)
* [NHK *Close-up Gendai* No.3620 逆襲なるか　日本アニメ　～海外輸出・新戦略の行方～ (”The Counterattack of Japanese Anime ~Overseas Export - New Strategy~”)] (2015; website)
* [NHK *Close-up Gendai* No.3171 アニメを旅する若者たち　“聖地巡礼”の舞台裏 (”Young People Traveling for Anime ‘Pilgrimage to the Sacred Place’”)] (2012; website)
* [NHK *Close-up Gendai Plus* ２兆円↑アニメ産業　加速する“ブラック労働” (”2 Trillion Yen ↑ Accelerating Animation Industry ‘Black Labor’”)] (2017; website; NHK on how shitty overworked animator wages are.)
* *Computer Dreams* (1988; this is more a showcase of early cgi than a documentary, but it’s interesting to see anyway.)
* *Creature Designers - The Frankenstein Complex* (2016; DVD)
* *Drawn for Glory: Animation’s Triumph at the Oscars* (2008;DVD)
* *Forging the Frame: The Roots of Animation, 1900-1920* (2007;DVD)
* *Forging the Frame: The Roots of Animation, 1921-1930*
* *Hollywood’s Greatest Trick* (2016; website; about the terrible VFX business model.)
* *I Know That Voice* (2013; DVD, website)
* *Imagine* Series 2 Episode 5, “From Pencils to Pixels” (2003; BBC One)
* *Magia Russica* (2004; website; on Soviet Russian animation)
* *New-generation animators* (2016; website)
* *Weightless Life - Dialogue With Disney* (2006; on Russian animation)

**Studios**

* *A Grand Night In: The Story of Aardman* (2015)
* Fleischer Studios -
	+ *The Evolution of Animation: The History of the Fleischer Studios* (2007; DVD)
	+ *First Flight: The Fleischer Superman Series* (2009; DVD)
	+ *Max Fleischer and the New York Style* (2007)
	+ *Out of the Inkwell: The Fleischer Story* (2008)
* *Hanna-Barbera’s 50th: A Yabba Dabba Doo Celebration* (1989)
* *Life After Pi* (2014; website; about the collapse of VFX studio Rhythm & Hues.)
* *Industrial Light & Magic: Creating the impossible* (2010)
* *The Magic of Filmation*
* Pixar -
	+ *Pixar: 25 Magic Moments* (2011; by BBC Three)
	+ *The Pixar Story* (2007, DVD; website)
* Walt Disney Studios
	+ *Dream On Silly Dreamer* (2005; DVD)
	+ *From Fantasia to Fantasyland* (1978)
	+ *The Illusion of Life* (1981)
	+ Walt Disney Treasures - Behind the Scenes at the Walt Disney Studio (DVD; A collection of old behind-the-scenes docs and telecasts.)
	+ Walt Disney Treasures - Your Host, Walt Disney (DVD; collection of *Walt Disney Presents*/*The Wonderful World of Color*)
	+ *Waking Sleeping Beauty* (2009; DVD; website)
* Warner Bros. -
	+ [*Camera Three* The Boys Termite Terrace] (1975; DVD)
	+ *Irreverent Imagination: The Golden Age of the Looney Tunes* (2003; DVD)
	+ *Unsung Maestros: A Directors Tribute* (2007; DVD)

**Anime Studios**

* *Behind The Scenes! Kyoto Animation Making of Kanon*
* *Ghibli: The Miyazaki Temple* (2005)
* *Inside Toei Animation* (2008)
* *Kingdom of Dreams & Madness* (2013; DVD; on Studio Ghibli.)
* *The Story Behind Banjo* (2009; DVD; on creating Don Bluth Productions.)

**Animators/Artists/Voice Actors**
Included a few comic artists who’s works are also widely known through animation.

* Al Hirschfeld - *The Line King: The Al Hirschfeld Story* (1996;DVD; website)
* Ami Ankilewitz - *39 Pounds of Love* (2005; DVD)
* Art Babbit - *Animating Art* (1988)
* Art Chokey - *Gumby Dharma* (2006)
* Bill Pylmpton - *Adventures in Plymptoons!* (2011; DVD)
* Blinky Bill - *Blinky and Me* (2011; DVD; website)
* Bob Clampett - *The Man from Wackyland: The Art of Bob Clampett* (2004; DVD)
* Bob Godfrey - *The Craftsmen - Bob Godfrey* (1971)
* Bruce Bickford - *Monster Road* (2004; DVD; website)
* Charles Schulz -
	+ *A Boy Named Charlie Brown* (1963; DVD)
	+ [*Biography* Charles Schulz: A Charlie Brown Life]
	+ *Good Grief, Charlie Brown: A Tribute to Charles Schulz*(2000)
	+ [*American Masters* Good Ol’ Charles Schulz] (2007; website)
* Chuck Jones -
	+ *Chuck Amuck: The Movie* (1991; DVD)
	+ *Chuck Jones: Extremes and In-Betweens - A Life in Animation* (2000; DVD)
	+ *Chuck Jones: Memories of Childhood* (2009)
	+ *Heart and Soul: The Timeless Art of Chuck Jones* (2007;DVD)
* Eyvind Earle - *My Life Eyvind Earle* (DVD; autobiographical doc.)
* Floyd Norman - *Floyd Norman: An Animated Life* (2016; website)
* Frank Tashlin - *Tish Tash: The Animated World of Frank Tashlin*(2005; DVD)
* Frank Thomas & Ollie Johnston - *Frank and Ollie* (1995; DVD)
* Frank Thomas -  *Growing Up with Nine Old Men* (2013; DVD)
* Friz Freleng -
	+ *Freleng: Frame by Frame* (1994; DVD)
	+ *Friz on Film* (2006; DVD)
* Fujiko Fujio - [NHK *The Professionals*] Episode 214, *“*プロフェッショナル ザ・レジェンド 僕は、のび太そのものだった” (”The Legend I Was Nobita Itself”) (2013)
* Genndy Tartakovsky - *Genndy’s Scrapbook: The Story of Genndy Tartakovsky* (2005; DVD)
* George Pal - *Fantasy Film Worlds of George Pal* (1985; DVD)
* Gerry & Sylvia Anderson - *Filmed in Supermarionation* (2014; DVD; website)
* Hayao Miyazaki -
	+ *Journey of the Heart* (1998)
	+ [NHK *Documentary* Owaranai Hito: Miyazaki Hayao (“Never-Ending Man: Hayao Miyazaki”*)*] (EN) (2016; website)
	+ [NHK *The Professionals* Special, “「風立ちぬ」1000日の記録” (“Windless” A Record of 1000 Days)] (2013)
	+ [NHK *The Professionals*] Special, “引退宣言 知られざる物語” (Retirement Announcement Unknown Story)(2013)
* John Lasseter - *A Day In The Life of John Lasseter* (2011)
* LeSean Thomas - *Seoul Sessions* (2012)
* Lotte Reiniger -
	+ *John Isaacs The Art of Lotte Reiniger* (1970)
	+ *Lotte Reiniger: Homage to the Inventor of the Silhouette Film* (1999)
* Lou Scheimer - *Animation Maverick: The Lou Scheimer Story*(2008)
* Mary Blair - *The Art of Mary Blair* (2005)
* Mel Blanc - *Mel Blanc: The Man of a Thousand Voices* (2008; DVD)
* Naoki Urasawa - [NHK *The Professionals*] Episode 38, “心のままに、荒野を行け” (Go To the Wilderness With Your Heart) (2007)
* Norman McLean - *McLaren’s Negatives* (2006)
* Osamu Tezuka -
	+ *The Art of Osamu Tezuka: God of Manga* (2009; DVD)
	+ *Osamu Tezuka Documentary: The Godfather Of Manga*
* Pablo Ferro - *Pablo* (2012; DVD)
* Peter Ellenshaw - *Ellenshaw Under Glass*
* Quirino Cristiani - *The Mystery of the First Animated Movies*(2007; website)
* Ralph Bakshi -
	+ *Forging Through the Darkness* (2001; DVD)
	+ *Wizards: Ralph Bakshi - The Wizard of Animation*(2004)
* Ray Harryhausen -
	+ *The Harryhausen Chronicles* (1998; DVD)
	+ *Ray Harryhausen: Special Effects Titan* (2011; DVD)
* Richard Williams -
	+ *Richard WIlliams & The Thief Who Never Gave Up*(1982)
	+ *I Drew Roger Rabbit* (1988)
	+ *Persistence of Vision* (2012; DVD; website)
* Robert McKimson - *Drawn to Life: The Art of Robert McKimson*(2007; DVD)
* Ryan Larkin - *Ryan* (2004; DVD)
* Scott T. Petersen - *Scott Petersen: Drawn To Animate* (2013)
* Takehiko Inoue - [NHK *The Professionals*] Episode 126, “ 闘いの螺旋、いまだ終わらず” (The Battle Spiral, It Has Not Ended Yet) (2009)
* Takashi Yanase -
	+ [NHK *Close-up Gendai* No.3423 アンパンマンに託した夢　～人間・やなせたかし～ (”The Dream I Entrusted to Anpanman ~Human Takashi Yanase~)] (2013; website)
	+ [NHK 知るを楽しむ 人生の歩き方” - 「正義の味方はカッコ悪い！」やなせたかし (”How to Walk Life” - “The Ally of Justice is Uncool!” Takashi Yanase)]
* Tex Avery -
	+ *Tex Avery, the King of Cartoons* (1988)
	+ *King Size Comedy: Tex Avery and the Looney Toons Revolution* (2012)
* Toshio Suzuki - [NHK *The Professionals* Episode 10, 自分は信じない 人を信じる (”I Trust People Who Do Not Trust Me”)] (2006)
* Ub Iwerks - *The Hand Behind The Mouse: The Ub Iwerks Story*(1999; DVD)
* Tyrus Wong - *Tyrus Wong, Brushstrokes in Hollywood* (website)
* Walt Disney -
	+ [*American Experience* Walt Disney] (2015; DVD; website; take with a pinch of salt and maybe check out this post.)
	+ *Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow: The Futurism of Walt Disney* (2016)
	+ *Secret Lives Walt Disney* (1995; It’s suuper fucked up, but it’s interesting to compare other docs on Walt.)
	+ *Walt & El Grupo* (2008; DVD; website)
	+ *Walt - The Man Behind the Myth* (2011; DVD)
	+ *Walt Disney* (2016; by BBC Two)
* Winsor McCay - *Remembering Winsor McCay* (1974; DVD)
* Yoji Kuri - *Here We Go with Yoji Kuri!* (2008)

***Disney Family Album* (1984-1986)**
Doc series on various Disney animators, actors, etc.

* No. 1 Clarence “Ducky” Nash
* No. 2 Ward Kimball
* No. 3 Sherman Brothers
* No. 4 Jim Macdonald
* No. 5 Milt Kahl
* No. 6 Ken Anderson
* No. 7 Disneyland Designers
* No. 8 Eric Larson
* No. 9 Peter and Harrison Ellenshaw
* No. 10 Woolie Reitherman
* No. 11 Frank Thomas
* No. 12 Voice Actors
* No. 13 WED Imagineers
* No. 14 Golden Horseshoe Revue
* No. 15 Ollie Johnston
* No. 16 Annette Funicello
* No. 17 Marc Davis
* No. 18 The Milottes and the Beebes
* No. 19 Fess Parker/Buddy Ebsen
* No. 20 The Storymen

***JUMP Ryu! (ジャンプ流！)* (2016; website)**
A DVD/magazine series that interviews Shonen Jump mangakas and shows their drawing process.

* Vol. 1 Akira Toriyama (DVD; *Dragon Ball*)
* Vol. 2 Masashi Kishimoto (DVD; *Naruto*)
* Vol. 3. Eiichiro Oda (DVD; *One Piece*)
* Vol. 4 Tite Kubo (DVD; *Bleach*)
* Vol. 5 Tadatoshi Fujimaki (DVD; *Kuroko no Basuke*)
* Vol. 6 Yusei Matsui (DVD; *Assassination Classroom*)
* Vol. 7 Kōhei Horikoshi (DVD; *My Hero Academia*)
* Vol. 8 Kazuki Takahashi (DVD; *Yu-Gi-Oh!*)
* Vol. 9 Haruichi Furudate (DVD; *Haikyu!!*)
* Vol. 10 Shun Saeki (DVD; *Shokugeki no Soma*)
* Vol. 11 Kentaro Yabuki (DVD; *Black Cat, To Love-Ru*)
* Vol. 12 Nobuhiro Watsuki (*Rurouni Kenshin*)
* Vol. 13 Naoshi Komi (DVD; *Nisekoi*)
* Vol. 14 Masanori Morita (DVD; *Rokudenashi Blues*)
* Vol. 15 Yusuke Murata (DVD; aka ONE artist of *One-Punch Man*)
* Vol. 16 Shimabukuro Years (*Toriko*)
* Vol. 17 Masakazu Katsura (DVD; *Video Girl Ai*)
* Vol. 18 Osamu Akimoto (*Kochikame*)
* Vol. 19 Takeshi Obata (DVD; *Death Note*)
* Vol. 20 Kyosuke Usuta (DVD; *Pyu to Fuku! Jaguar*)
* Vol. 21 Yoshihiro Togashi (*Hunter X Hunter*)
* Vol. 22 Hiroyuki Asada (DVD; *Tegami Bachi*)
* Vol. 23 Sorachi Hideaki (*Gintama*)
* Vol. 24 Kazue Kato (*Ao no Exorcist*)
* Vol. 25 Hirohiko Araki (*Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure*)

**Musicians**

* Raymond Scott - *Deconstructing Dad* (2010; DVD; website)
* Robert & Richard Sherman - *The Boys: The Sherman Brothers’ Story* (2009; DVD; website)
* Saori Yuki - [NHK Close-up Gendai No.3162 世界を魅了する日本の歌謡曲　～由紀さおり　ヒットの秘密～ (”Popular Japanese Songs That Fascinate the World ~Saori Yuki’s Hit Secret~”)] (2012; website)
* Treg Brown - *Crash! Bang! Boom!: The Wild Sounds of Treg Brown* (2004; DVD)