1994 in animation is an overview of notable events, including notable awards, list of films released, television show debuts and endings, and notable deaths.
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Events
January January 3: The first episode of Once Upon a Time... The Discoverers, produced by Albert Barillé, airs. January 4: The first episode of Budgie the Little Helicopter airs. January 18: The Peanuts TV special You're in the Super Bowl, Charlie Brown premieres on NBC. This was the last Peanuts special to air on television until the premiere of A Charlie Brown Valentine 8 years later. This is also the only Peanuts special to receive limited marketing on VHS as several trademarks are owned by NFL. January 26: The first episode of The Critic airs. It will gain a cult following.
February February 6: The first episode of Aladdin is broadcast. March March 5: The first episode of Duckman airs. The show will gain a cult following. March 9: The first episode of The Busy World of Richard Scarry airs. March 21: 66th Academy Awards: The Wallace and Gromit short film The Wrong Trousers by Nick Park wins the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. March 27: The stand-alone Tiny Toon Adventures TV special "Tiny Toon Spring Break" premieres on Fox.Mendoza, N.F. (March 27, 1994). "SHOWS FOR YOUNGSTERS AND THEIR PARENTS TOO : Spielberg's 'Tiny Toons' break for prime time and the rites of spring". The Los Angeles Times. USA. Retrieved May 10, 2011. Yakko, Wakko, Dot, Pinky, & the Brain from Animaniacs all make cameos in this special. March 30: Don Bluth and Gary Goldman's Thumbelina premieres. One of the five lesser Bluth films as this led to a bankruptcy against Sullivan Bluth Studios in Ireland. Warner Bros. gave up distribution of this film to 20th Century Fox in 2002.
April April 15: The first episode of Space Ghost Coast to Coast airs, Cartoon Network's first adult oriented program. April 28: The 100th episode of The Simpsons, "Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song", first airs.
May May 19: The Simpsons concludes its fifth season on Fox with the episode "Secrets of a Successful Marriage".Groening, Matt (October 28, 2010). Richmond, Ray; Gimple, Scott M.; McCann, Jessie L.; Seghers, Christine; Bates, James W. (eds.). Simpsons World: The Ultimate Episode Guide: Seasons 1–20 (1st ed.). HarperCollins. . May 20: The Return of Jafar is released, being the first direct-to-video film by the Walt Disney Company.
June June 13: The first episode of Dr. Zitbag's Transylvania Pet Shop airs. June 15: The Lion King, produced by the Walt Disney Company, is first released.
July July 11: PBS repackaged their existing children's educational programming as a new block called "PTV Park". July 16: Isao Takahata's Pom Poko premieres.
September September 4: Season 6 of The Simpsons begins on Fox with the premiere of the episode "Bart of Darkness". September 10: The first episodes of ReBoot and The Magic School Bus premiere on YTV (ReBoot) & PBS (Magic School Bus). Jan Švankmajer's Faust premieres. September 17: The 7th & final season of Garfield and Friends begins on CBS with the premiere of the following episodes: "The Legend of Johnny Ragweedseed/Grape Expectations (Part 1)/Catch As Cats Can't" "A Matter of Conscience/Grape Expectations (Part 2)/Top Ten" September 22: The first episode of The Britt Allcroft Company's Magic Adventures of Mumfie airs. September 24: The first episodes of Fantastic Four and Iron Man air. September 29: Asterix Conquers America, the sixth Astérix film, premieres.
October October 7: Don Bluth's A Troll in Central Park premieres. October 12: DreamWorks Animation is founded along with DreamWorks Pictures. October 21: Cartoon Network Studios is founded. October 24: The first episode of Gargoyles airs. October 29: The first episode of Aaahh!! Real Monsters airs. October 30: The Simpsons' "Treehouse of Horror V" premieres on Fox. October 31: The first episode of The Itsy Bitsy Spider airs.
November November 3: The German animated feature Felidae is first released. It will gain cult status later. November 6: The compilation film In Search of Dr. Seuss premieres on TNT. November 15: Pinocchio and the 1933 Betty Boop cartoon Snow-White are added to the National Film Registry. November 18: The film The Swan Princess premieres. November 19: The first episode of Spider-Man airs. Phil Hartman hosts a featurette for How the Grinch Stole Christmas!: Special Edition on TNT during the Seuss-a-bration marathon. November 21: The Flintstones’ TV movie A Flintstones Christmas Carol premieres, which reverts to the status quo of the characters before their depiction in The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show. November 23: The mix between live-action and animation, The Pagemaster, starring Macaulay Culkin premieres. It was a box office bomb during its original theatrical release as 20th Century Fox suspends theatrical animated films until 1997 when its sister company Fox Animation Studios releases the film Anastasia.
December December 4: The film Sailor Moon S: The Movie premieres. December 10: The final episode of Garfield and Friends airs on CBS. December 13: The Land Before Time II: The Great Valley Adventure, the direct-to-video sequel of The Land Before Time, was released. It was the first Bluth-less sequel released as a direct-to-video as more would continue up to 14 films. December 21: Chuck Jones' Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner cartoon Chariots of Fur premieres in theaters alongside Richie Rich, produced by Warner Bros. Animation. This was Jones' final short starring Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner before the animator's death nearly 8 years later.
Specific date unknown The first episode of Katie and Orbie airs. Janie Geiser's The Red Book is first released.
Films released
January 1 - Goldilocks and the Three Bears (Australia) January 22 - Kattobase! Dreamers —Carp Tanjō Monogatari― (Japan) February 21 - Urotsukidōji III: Return of the Overfiend Director's Edition (Japan) March 12: Doraemon: Nobita's Three Visionary Swordsmen (Japan) Dragon Ball Z: Broly – Second Coming (Japan) March 19 - Happy, the Littlest Bunny (United States and Japan) March 21 - Plastic Little (Japan) March 30 - Thumbelina (United States and Ireland) April 3 - Yogi the Easter Bear (United States) April 9: Sangokushi (dai 3-bu): Harukanaru Taichi (Japan) Yu Yu Hakusho the Movie: Poltergeist Report (Japan) April 15 - Cinderella (United States and Japan) April 23 - Crayon Shin-chan: The Secret Treasure of Buri Buri Kingdom (Japan) April 30 - The Magic Flute (United States) May 20 - The Return of Jafar (United States) May 24 - Dengeki Oshioki Musume Gōtaman: Gōtaman Tanjō-hen (Japan) June 11 - J League o 100-bai Tanoshiku Miru Hōhō!! (Japan) June 15 - The Lion King (United States) June 19 - Dot in Space (Australia) June 21 - The Jungle King (United States) July 9: Dragon Ball Z: Bio-Broly (Japan) Slam Dunk: Conquer the Nation, Hanamichi Sakuragi! (Japan) July 16: Fatal Fury: The Motion Picture (Japan) The Life of Guskou Budori (Japan) Pom Poko (Japan) Soreike! Anpanman Ririkaru Majikaru Mahō no Gakkō (Japan) July 20 - Leo the Lion: King of the Jungle (United States and Japan) July 23 - Super Kid (South Korea) July 29 - Lupin III: Dragon of Doom (Japan) August 6 - Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie (Japan) August 19 - Once Upon a Time (Norway) August 20 - Ghost Sweeper Mikami: The Great Paradise Battle!! (Japan) August 21: Baki the Grappler (Japan) Captain Tsubasa: The Most Powerful Opponent! Holland Youth (Japan) August 25 - Cosmic Fantasy: Galaxy Cougar's Trap (Japan) September 3 - Scooby-Doo in Arabian Nights (United States) September 8 - Samurai Shodown: The Motion Picture (Japan) September 29 - Asterix Conquers America (Germany and France) October 4: The Night Before Christmas (United States) Taxandria (Belgium) October 7 - A Troll in Central Park (United States) October 8 - Darkside Blues (Japan) October 19: Pocahontas (United States and Japan) The Story of Christmas (United States and France) October 24 - Dengeki Oshioki Musume Gōtaman R: Ai to Kanashimi no Final Battle (Japan) October 25 - The Gate to the Mind's Eye (United States) November 3 - Felidae (Germany) November 5: Blue Seagull (South Korea) A Christmas Carol (United States and Japan) The Secret Garden (Japan) November 18 - The Swan Princess (United States) November 21 - A Flintstones Christmas Carol (United States) November 23 - The Pagemaster (United States) December 4 - Sailor Moon S: The Movie (Japan) December 13 - The Land Before Time II: The Great Valley Adventure (United States) December 23 - The Hero of Two Worlds (Italy) Specific date unknown: The Land Surveyor (Russia) The Return of the North Wind (Spain)
Television series debuts
Date Title Channel Year January 26 The Critic ABC, Fox 1994–2001 February 5 Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego? Fox Kids 1994–1999 February 6 Aladdin Disney Channel 1994–1995 March 5 Conan and the Young Warriors CBS 1994 Duckman USA Network 1994–1997 March 9 The Busy World of Richard Scarry Showtime, Nick Jr. March 16 Albert the Fifth Musketeer Children's BBC 1994 April 15 Space Ghost Coast to Coast Cartoon Network 1994–1999 July 2 Mutant League Syndication 1994–1996 August 15 The Brothers Grunt MTV 1994–1995 September 1 The Head MTV 1994–1996 September 10 Bump in the Night ABC 1994–1995 ReBoot ABC, Syndication 1994–1999 The Magic School Bus PBS Kids 1994–1997 Beethoven CBS 1994 The Tick (1994) Fox Kids 1994–1996 BattleTech: The Animated Series Fox 1994 September 11 Mega Man (1994) Syndication 1994–1996 Street Sharks 1994–1997 September 17 The Baby Huey Show 1994–1995 September 18 Highlander: The Animated Series USA Network 1994–1996 Phantom 2040 Syndication September 24 Free Willy ABC 1994–1995 Hurry Hurry, Tom and Jerry TBS 1994–1996 Iron Man Syndication Fantastic Four (1994) September 28 Dino Babies BBC One October 1 Wild C.A.T.s CBS 1994–1995 October 4 Creepy Crawlers Syndication 1994–1996 October 7 The Itsy Bitsy Spider USA Network October 24 Gargoyles Syndication, ABC 1994–1997 October 29 Aaahh!!! Real Monsters Nickelodeon November 19 Spider-Man (1994) Fox Kids 1994–1998 December 18 Life with Louie Fox, Fox Kids 1994–1998
Television series endings Date Title Channel Year Notes January 2 Doug Nickelodeon 1991–1994 Cancelled, until revived by ABC in 1996. January 23 Madeline The Family Channel 1993–1994 Cancelled, until revived by ABC in 1995. January 28 Cadillacs and Dinosaurs CBS Cancelled February 23 Bonkers CBS, The Disney Channel, Syndication May 22 Rugrats Nickelodeon 1991–1994, 1996–2004 Cancelled, until revived in 1996. August 27 Conan and the Young Warriors CBS 1994 Cancelled October 22 Cro ABC 1993–1994 November 3 Exosquad Syndication November 26 Dog City Fox Kids 1992–1994 The Little Mermaid CBS December 2 Mighty Max Syndication 1993–1994 December 3 Sonic the Hedgehog ABC Beethoven CBS 1994 December 4 Double Dragon Syndication 1993–1994 Problem Child USA Network December 10 Garfield and Friends CBS 1988–1994 BattleTech: The Animated Series Fox 1994
Television season premieres DateTitleSeasonChannelMarch 14Beavis and Butt-Head4MTVSeptember 4The Simpsons6FoxSeptember 10Animaniacs2Fox Kids (Fox)September 24Rocko's Modern Life2NickelodeonOctober 1The Ren & Stimpy Show4NickelodeonOctober 31Beavis and Butt-Head5MTV
Television season finales DateTitleSeasonChannelJanuary 2Doug4NickelodeonRocko's Modern Life1March 5Beavis and Butt-Head3MTVMay 19The Simpsons5FoxMay 23Animaniacs1Fox Kids (Fox)July 15Beavis and Butt-Head4MTVJuly 30The Ren & Stimpy Show3NickelodeonNovember 12Animaniacs2Fox Kids (Fox)
Births
January January 21: Booboo Stewart, American actor (voice of Jay in Descendants: Wicked World, Jack O'Lantern in the Spider-Man episode "Bring on the Bad Guys", Kevin in the Big City Greens episode "Big Resolution"). January 28: Maluma, Colombian singer (voice of Mariano in Encanto).