Instant History/Otogi Manga Calendar (partially found anime series; 1961-1964)

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A still from an episode, possibly focusing on the prehistoric times.

Status: Partially Found

Instant History (おとぎマンガカレンダー) is a Japanese anime series produced by Otogi Production that aired from 1961 to 1964 on Fuji Television, then later on TBS. The series focused on characters learning about historical events that happened on that particular day. It often featured photographs and film footage taken from the Mainichi Shimbun newspaper.

It was the first anime series ever broadcast on Japanese television predating Astro Boy by two years. The series was split into two seasons. The first season, Instant History, aired on Fuji Television from May 1, 1961, to February 24, 1962, for 312 episodes. The second season, "Otogi Manga Calendar", aired on TBS from June 25, 1962, to July 4, 1964, for 312 episodes.

Availability

The series never received a home media release, and footage is consequently very rare. It is highly unlikely that any episodes were recorded, as the technology for that at the time was limited, expensive, and bulky. In fact, it is possible that the master tapes themselves were destroyed or taped over.

On April 22nd, 2020, Twitter user コノシート＠新刊冬予定 uploaded a video to the website that featured footage of Instant History (presumably as part of a larger documentary on the history of anime as a whole). This video is, to date, the only footage of the program to resurface.

Gallery

Footage of the anime in the documentary.