Katsudō Shashin

The frames were stencilled in red and black using a device for making magic lantern slides, and the filmstrip was fastened in a loop for continuous play.

[1] It depicts a young boy in a sailor suit who writes the kanji characters "活動写真" (katsudō shashin, "moving picture" or "Activity photo") from right to left, then turns to the viewer, removes his hat, and bows.

Works by Ōten Shimokawa, Seitarō Kitayama, and Jun'ichi Kōuchi in 1917 were the first Japanese animated films to reach theatre screens.

[12] In December 2004, a secondhand dealer in Kyoto contacted Natsuki Matsumoto,[f][3] an expert in iconography at the Osaka University of Arts.

[9] At the time, movie theatres were rare in Japan;[5] evidence suggests Katsudō Shashin was mass-produced to be sold to wealthy owners of home projectors.

[17] The creator of the filmstrip remains unknown;[13] to Matsumoto, the relatively poor quality and low-tech printing technique indicate it was likely from a smaller company.