2008 in animation is an overview of notable events, including notable awards, list of films released, television show debuts and endings, and notable deaths.
Events
January
February
- February 1: Disney Channel holds a month-long event called "Phineas and Ferb-ruary" to celebrate the official premiere of its newest series Phineas and Ferb, starting with the episode "Flop Starz".
- February 4:
- The first episode of The Mr. Men Show airs.
- The Phineas and Ferb episode "Raging Bully" premieres on Disney Channel, which marks the debut of Baljeet Tjinder, Phineas & Ferb's friend who would end up becoming a major supporting character later on in the show.
- February 5: The Phineas and Ferb episode "Candace Loses Her Head" premieres on Disney Channel, which marks the debut of Lawrence Fletcher, Ferb's biological father and Phineas & Candace's stepfather.
- February 8: The Phineas and Ferb episode "The Magnificent Few" premieres on Disney Channel, which marks the debut of Dr. Doofenshmirtz's teenage daughter Vanessa Doofenshmirtz, who eventually became a favorite amongst fans of the show.
- February 11: Nina Paley's Sita Sings the Blues premieres at the Berlin International Film Festival.
- February 18: Nickelodeon celebrates the revival of The Fairly OddParents with the Season 6 premiere movie "Fairly OddBaby", which introduces Cosmo & Wanda's son Poof to the show. It is the first new episode since 2006.
- February 24: 80th Academy Awards:
- Ratatouille, directed by Brad Bird and produced by Pixar and the Walt Disney Company, wins the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
- Peter & the Wolf by Suzie Templeton and Hugh Welchman wins the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film.
- February 26: Bratz airs its final episode.
March
April
May
June
July
- July 19:
- Ponyo, directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli, premieres in Japan.
- s series finale "Sozin's Comet" premieres on Nickelodeon.
- July 23: Cookie Jar's purchase and merger with DIC Entertainment is completed. DIC is later folded into Cookie Jar's operations.
- July 24: Chowder concludes its first season on Cartoon Network with the premiere of the half-hour special finale "The Apprentice Games".
August
September
October
- October 2: Season 2 of Chowder begins on Cartoon Network with the premiere of the episode "The Arborians".
- October 11: "Clash of the Pharoahs", the series finale of Tutenstein is released.
- October 12: The standalone Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy special "" premiered on Cartoon Network.
- This special was initially planned by Maxwell Atoms to be the backdoor pilot for a new spin-off series, but it was canned after Atoms was fired from Cartoon Network Inc. due to them believing that he ruined their brand.
November
December
Awards
Films released
- January 1 - Little Dodo (Germany)
- January 11 - ' (United States)
- January 15 - ' (United States)
- January 30 - Fly Me to the Moon (Belgium)
- January 31 - ' (Sweden)
- February 5:
- Turok: Son of Stone (United States)
- The World Is Hot Enough (Canada)
- February 11 - Sita Sings the Blues (United States)
- February 26:
- Barbie Mariposa (United States)
- Bratz Kidz Fairy Tales (United States)
- ' (United States)
- March - The Toe Tactic (United States)
- March 1 - ' (Japan)
- March 4:
- Davie & Golimyr (United States)
- ' (United States)
- March 8 - ' (Japan)
- March 11 - ' (United States)
- March 14 - Horton Hears a Who! (United States)
- March 25 - Tripping the Rift: The Movie (Canada)
- March 26 - Dragon Hunters (France, Germany, and Luxembourg)
- March 27 - 31 minutos, la pelÃÂcula (Chile, Brazil, and Spain)
- April 3 - Nak (Thailand)
- April 17:
- A Fox's Tale (Hungary)
- ' (South Korea)
- April 18 - Moomin and Midsummer Madness (Finland)
- April 19 - ' (Japan)
- April 26 - Idiots and Angels (United States)
- May 1 - Impy's Wonderland (Germany)
- May 15 - From Inside (United States)
- May 16 - Animal Crisis (Spain)
- May 23 - Ghatothkach: Master of Magic (India)
- June 2 - Até ao Tecto do Mundo (Portugal)
- June 5 - Waltz with Bashir (Israel, Germany, and France)
- June 6 - Kung Fu Panda (United States)
- June 12 - Life is Cool (South Korea)
- June 13 - Dashavatar (India)
- June 18 - Urduja (Philippines)
- June 24 - ' (United States)
- June 27 - WALL-E (United States)
- July 8 - ' (United States and Japan)
- July 12:
- Ghost in the Shell 2.0 (Japan)
- Los Campeones de la Lucha Libre (United States)
- July 15 - VeggieTales: Tomato Sawyer and Huckleberry Larry's Big River Rescue (United States)
- July 18 - Space Chimps (United States, United Kingdom and Canada)
- July 19:
- ' (Japan)
- Ponyo (Japan)
- August 2:
- ' (Japan)
- The Sky Crawlers (Japan)
- August 5:
- Dead Fury (United States)
- Garfield's Fun Fest (United States and South Korea)
- August 15 - ' (United States)
- August 21 - John's Arm: Armageddon (United States)
- August 26 - ' (United States)
- August 30 - Kungfu Master aka Wong Fei Hong vs Kungfu Panda (China)
- September 2 - ' (United States)
- September 4:
- $9.99 (Australia)
- Edison and Leo (Canada)
- September 6 - Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann: Gurren Chapter (Japan)
- September 7 - Barbie and the Diamond Castle (United States)
- September 9 - ' (United States)
- September 12 - Spirit of the Forest (Spain)
- September 15 - Storm Rider Clash of the Evils (China)
- September 19:
- Igor (United States)
- Mamma Moo and the Crow (Sweden)
- September 22 - ' (United States)
- September 23 - Scooby-Doo! and the Goblin King (United States)
- September 24 - Open Season 2 (United States)
- September 26:
- Flying Heroes (Spain)
- Journey to Saturn (Denmark)
- October 4 - ' (Japan)
- October 10 - Sunshine Barry & The Disco Worms (Denmark and Germany)
- October 11 - Genius Party Beyond (Japan)
- October 16:
- Goat Story â The Old Prague Legends (Czech Republic)
- Moonbeam Bear and His Friends (Germany)
- October 17 - ' (United States and Japan)
- October 23 - Roadside Romeo (India)
- October 28:
- ' (United States)
- Tinker Bell (United States)
- October 30:
- Immigrants (United States and Hungary)
- Sing to the Dawn (Singapore)
- October 31 - Kurt Turns Evil (Norway)
- November 1 - The Flight Before Christmas (Finland, Denmark, Germany, and Ireland)
- November 4:
- Barbie in a Christmas Carol (United States)
- ' (United States)
- November 5 - Bratz Babyz Save Christmas (United States)
- November 7:
- ' (United States)
- Mocland - The Legend of the Aloma (Spain)
- November 8 - Yes! Precure 5 GoGo! Happy Birthday in the Land of Sweets (Japan)
- November 15 - Pattenrai!! ~ Minami no Shima no Mizu Monogatari (Japan)
- November 18 - The Little Panda Fighter (Brazil)
- November 21 - Bolt (United States)
- November 29 - ' (Russia)
- December 10:
- ' (United States)
- Mia and the Migoo (France)
- December 12 - Delgo (United States)
- December 13:
- ' (Japan)
- A Miser Brothers' Christmas (United States)
- December 14 - The Tale of Soldier Fedot, The Daring Fellow (Russia)
- December 16 - Unstable Fables: Goldilocks and the 3 Bears (United States)
- December 19 - The Tale of Despereaux (United States and United Kingdom)
- December 25:
- ' (Philippines)
- The Missing Lynx (Spain)
- ' (Philippines)
- December 26 - Spike (France)
- Specific date unknown:
- The Enchanted Mountain (Italy)
- Little Princess School (Brazil)
- Tiny Robots (Brazil)
- Winner and the Gold Child (Italy)
- El Zorro Ladrón (Spain)
Television series debuts
Television series endings
Television season premieres
Television season finales
Births
March
July
August
November
December
Deaths
January
February
- February 2: Gus Arriola, Mexican-American comics artist and animator (Screen Gems, MGM), dies at age 90.
- February 6:
- John Alvin, American cinematic artist and painter (The Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros. Feature Animation, Don Bluth Entertainment, Amblimation, Fox Animation Studios, The Plague Dogs, The Nutcracker Prince, ', Felidae, The Fearless Four, ', Pokémon The Movie 2000, The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie), dies at age 59.
- Phyllis Barnhart, American animator (Walt Disney Company, Filmation, Hanna-Barbera, Bandolier Films, Chuck Jones Productions, Murakami-Wolf-Swenson, DePatie-Freleng, Don Bluth Productions) dies at age 85.
- February 10: Steve Gerber, American writer (Thundarr the Barbarian, Dungeons & Dragons, ', The Transformers, '), dies at age 60.
- February 13: Kon Ichikawa, Japanese film director and animator (J.O. Studio), dies at age 92.
March
- March 3: TaichirÃ
 Hirokawa, Japanese actor, dies at age 68.
- March 4: Gary Gygax, American game designer and author (co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons, voiced himself in the Futurama episode "Anthology of Interest I"), dies from abdominal aortic aneurysm at age 69.
- March 8: Franco Paludetti, Italian animator and comic artist (worked for Gamma Films), dies at age 83.
- March 11: Dave Stevens, American illustrator and comics artist (Hanna-Barbera), dies at age 52.
- March 12: Iosif Boyarsky, Russian animator and animated film director (worked for Soyuzmultfilm), dies at age 90.
- March 18: Justin Wright, American animator (Pixar), dies from a heart attack at age 27.
- March 21: Raymond Leblanc, Belgian comics publisher, film producer (founder of Belvision) and film director (Tintin and the Lake of Sharks), dies at age 92.
April
- April 5: Charlton Heston, American actor (narrated ', Noel, Hercules, voice of Judah Ben-Hur in Ben-Hur), dies at age 84.
- April 11: Andy Knight, Canadian animator and film and television director (Ned's Newt, Get Ed), dies at age 46.
- April 14: Ollie Johnston, American animator (Walt Disney Animation Studios), dies at age 95.
May
- May 3: Ted Key, American animator/screenwriter (Peabody's Improbable History in Rocky & Bullwinkle) and comics artist, dies at age 95.
- May 11: Dick Sutcliffe, American animator (co-creator of Davey and Goliath), dies at age 90.
- May 13: Len Maxwell, American actor (voice of Karate in Batfink, the judge in Hugo the Hippo, Nick Diamond in Celebrity Deathmatch), dies at 77.
- May 16: David Mitton, English television and film director and producer, model maker and special effects technician (Thomas and Friends), dies at age 69.
- May 29: Harvey Korman, American actor and comedian (voice of the Great Gazoo in The Flintstones, Don Reynolds in Hey Arnold!, Arismap in the Hercules episode "Hercules and the Griffin", Efrem von Snickerdoodle in the ' episode "Cupid Pup", O. Ratz in the What a Cartoon! episode "Rat in a Hot Tin Can", Gularis in the Buzz Lightyear of Star Command episode "Panic on Bathyos"), dies at age 81.
June
- June 8: Vladimiro Missaglia, Italian comics artist and animator, dies at age 75.
- June 12: Leah Ryan, American television writer (Arthur), dies at age 44.
- June 22:
- Dody Goodman, American actress (voice of Miss Miller in Alvin and the Chipmunks), dies at age 93.
- George Carlin, American actor, comedian, author and social critic (voice of Rufus in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures, the Narrator in Thomas & Friends, Zugor in Tarzan II, Fillmore in Cars, Wizard in Happily N'Ever After, Munchie in The Simpsons episode "D'oh-in' in the Wind"), dies from heart failure at age 71.
July
- July 3: Larry Harmon, American clown (played himself in ', voice of Stan Laurel in Laurel and Hardy), dies at age 83.
- July 22:
- Greg Burson, American actor (voice of Mr. DNA in Jurassic Park, voice replacement for all characters performed by Mel Blanc and Daws Butler), dies from complications of diabetes at age 59.
- Estelle Getty, American actress and comedian (voice of Mrs. Hennypecker in The Sissy Duckling, Aunt Jane in the Duckman episode "Westward, No!"), dies from lewy body dementia at age 84.
- Dylan Beach, American former child actor (voice of Charlie Brown in It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown), dies from pulmonary hypertension at age 43.
- July 25:
- Bruce Adler, American actor and singer (singing voice of the Peddler in Aladdin and Aladdin and the King of Thieves), dies at age 63.
- Randy Pausch, American educator known for his VR contributions as a Disney Imagineer, dies from cancer at 47.
August
- August 5: Gary Mooney, Canadian-American animator (Walt Disney Company, Hubley Studios, Gene Deitch, Jay Ward Productions, animated sequence in Jurassic Park), dies from cancer at age 78.
- August 7: Bernie Brillstein, American film producer and talent agent (The Real Ghostbusters, ', ALF Tales, Space Cats), dies from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at age 77.
- August 9: Bernie Mac, American actor and comedian (voice of Fruit Juice in Lil' Pimp, Gadgetmobile in Inspector Gadget's Biggest Caper Ever, Zuba in ', Mack in the King of the Hill episode "Racist Dawg"), dies from pneumonia at age 50.
- August 10:
- Terence Rigby, English actor (voice of Silver in Watership Down), dies at age 71.
- Isaac Hayes, American singer and actor (voice of Chef in South Park), dies at age 65.
- August 15: Carlos Meglia, Argentine animator and comics artist (Hanna-Barbera), dies at age 50.
- August 16: Jack Dunham, American animator and television producer (Walt Disney Animation Studios, Walter Lantz Productions), dies at age 97.
September
- September 1: Don LaFontaine, American voice actor (voice of the Narrator in Santa vs. the Snowman 3D, the Announcer in Fillmore!, FOX Announcer and Narrator in the Family Guy episodes "Screwed the Pooch" and "Brian Sings and Swings", Movie Trailer Announcer in the American Dad! episode "Tearjerker", Movie VO Voice in the Phineas and Ferb episode "The Chronicles of Meap"), dies from complications from a pneumothorax at age 68.
- September 2: Bill Melendez, American animator (Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros. Cartoons, UPA), film director (Peanuts) and actor (voice of Snoopy and Woodstock), dies at age 91.
- September 26:
- Paul Newman, American actor, film director, race car driver and entrepreneur (voice of Doc Hudson in Cars and Cars 3, himself in The Simpsons episode "The Blunder Years"), dies from lung cancer at age 83.
- Walter Bien, American film producer (Tom and Jerry, Rod Rocket), dies at age 85.
October
December
- December 8: Oliver Postgate, English animator, puppeteer and TV writer (narrator and additional voices in Ivor the Engine and Noggin the Nog, co-creator of Bagpuss), co-founder of Smallfilms, dies at age 83.
- December 11: Madeleine Blaustein, American voice actress and comic book writer (voice of Meowth in - of Pokémon, Dr. K and Mayor of Bubble Town in Cubix: Robots for Everyone, Solomon Muto and Zygor in Yu-Gi-Oh!, Oslo, Burnt Meatballs, Chef, Audience and King Hungry the Ate in Fighting Foodons, Chef Kawasaki, Waddle Doo, Professor Curio, Tuggle, Gengu, Melman and Biblio in ', Wally Tusket, Comrade Turbinski and Lord Flash in ', Principal, Police Officer and Chief of Police in Sonic X, Migeira in Samurai Deeper Kyo, Dr. Kureha in the 4Kids dub of One Piece, Overkill in ', Topher, Sartorius Kumar and Professor in Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, Helga in season 1 of Dinosaur King, Shoe the Shoebill in Impy's Island and Impy's Wonderland, Grizzlepuss in The Little Panda Fighter, Rassimov in '), dies at age 48.
- December 18: Majel Barrett, American actress (voice of Christine Chapel and Lt. M'Ress in ', Anna Watson in Spider-Man), dies at age 76.
- December 25: Eartha Kitt, American singer, actress, comedian, dancer and activist (voice of Yzma in The Emperor's New Groove franchise, Queen Vexus in My Life as a Teenage Robot, Fortune Teller in the American Dad! episode "Dope and Faith", Cool Cat in the Wonder Pets! episode "Save the Cool Cat and the Hip Hippo!", Mrs. Franklin in The Magic School Bus episode "Going Batty", Lioness #1 in The Wild Thornberrys episode "Flood Warning", the Snow Queen in ' episode "The Snow Queen", herself in The Simpsons episode "Once Upon a Time in Springfield"), dies from colon cancer at age 81.
See also
References
External links