Short answers, pulled from the story.
The first known animated film produced in Japan, Katsudō Shashin, dates back to approximately 1911. This fifty-frame short remained undiscovered until 2005 when it was found in the archives of a private collection.
Momotarō: Umi no Shinpei, released in 1943, became the first anime feature film. This film served as a tool for military recruitment and morale boosting while depicting the Japanese people as sly and quick-witted victors over enemy forces.
Osamu Tezuka established Mushi Production in 1961 to make television series economically viable through limited animation. His 1963 series Astro Boy became the first anime to be broadcast widely to Western audiences.
Spirited Away won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2003. This international recognition cemented anime's place in the global cultural consciousness.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, the Movie: Mugen Train became the highest-grossing Japanese film of all time. This record-breaking box office success occurred during the 2020s amid the COVID-19 pandemic.