Events in 1978 in animation.
Events
February
February 23: The Peanuts TV special What a Nightmare, Charlie Brown! premieres on CBS.
March March 1: Karel Zeman's Krabat – The Sorcerer's Apprentice premieres. March 11: Masami Hata's Chirin no Suzu (Ringing Bell) premieres, the first animated feature produced by Sanrio to be aimed more at young adults, and featuring a remarkable tone shift in the second half of the film. March 27: Jannik Hastrup's Danish animated feature The Thralls is first released in theaters.
April April 2: The first episode of Starzinger premieres. April 3: 50th Academy Awards: The Sand Castle by Co Hoedeman wins the Academy Award for Best Animated Short. April 4: The first episode of Hayao Miyazaki's Future Boy Conan airs.
May May 12: Hisayuki Toriumi's Science Ninja Team Gatchaman: The Movie premieres. May 16–30: Jean-François Laguionie's Rowing Across the Atlantic premieres during the 1978 Cannes Film Festival. It will later win a Short Film Palme d'Or.
June June 3: The first episode of Haikara-San: Here Comes Miss Modern airs. June 16: The film Grease premieres which has an animated opening sequence created by John David Wilson. June 23: Lionel Jeffries' The Water Babies which combines animation and live-action, is first released.
July July 6: The first episode of Wattoo Wattoo Super Bird airs. July 14: Leiji Matsumoto's Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato is first released.
September The first episode of Quaq Quao airs. September 30: The first episode of Il était une fois... l'Homme (Once Upon a Time... Man), the first series in the Once Upon a Time... franchise by Albert Barillé, airs.
October October 19: Martin Rosen's animated feature film, Watership Down, an adaptation of Richard Adams' novel Watership Down, premieres. October 22: Nelvana releases its first animated Halloween special, The Devil and Daniel Mouse. October 24: René Goscinny and Morris' second animated feature film based on the Lucky Luke series, La Ballade des Dalton, premieres in France.
November November 2: Takashi Masunaga's anthology film Metamorphoses premieres, a retelling of Metamorphoses by Roman poet Ovid set to music by Joan Baez and Mick Jagger. November 6: Eunice Macaulay and John Weldon's Livraison Spéciale (Special Delivery) is first released. November 13: To celebrate the character's 50th anniversary, Mickey Mouse receives a star at the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He is the first animated character and general fictional character to receive this honor. November 15: Ralph Bakshi releases his animated film adaptation of the Ring trilogy by J. R. R. Tolkien: The Lord of the Rings.
December December 16: Soji Yoshikawa's The Mystery of Mamo is first released, the first animated film in the Lupin III franchise. Don Bluth's The Small One is first released, produced by Walt Disney Productions.
Specific date unknown Ishu Patel's animated short Afterlife premieres. Robert Awad, André Leduc and Tim Reid's L'Affaire Bronswik (The Bronswik Affair) premieres, an animated mockumentary. Yefim Gamburg's Ograblenie po... (Robbery Style...) premieres. Janet Perlman and Derek Lamb's Why Me? premieres.
Films released
January 5 - Gold Wing 123 (South Korea) January 23 - Kongjui & Patchui (South Korea) March 10 - The Ballad of the Daltons (France) March 11 - Ringing Bell (Japan) March 18 - Thumbelina (Japan) March 27 - The Thralls (Denmark) April - Proszę słonia (Poland) May 3 - Metamorphoses (Japan and United States) May 12 - Science Ninja Team Gatchaman: The Movie (Japan) May 15 - Wilhelm Busch – Die Trickfilm-Parade: Max und Moritz und andere Streiche (Germany) June 23 - The Water Babies (United Kingdom) June 30 - Mickey Mouse Jubilee Show (United States) July 14 - Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato: Warriors of Love (Japan) July 23 - 77 Group's Secret (South Korea) July 26 - Robot Taekwon V vs. Golden Wings Showdown (South Korea) July 31 - Run, Wonder Princess! (South Korea) August 19 - The Phoenix (Japan) August 27 - One Million-Year Trip: Bander Book (Japan) September 23 - King Fang (Japan) October 19 - Watership Down (United Kingdom and United States) October 28 - Black Beauty (United States) November 2 - Twelve Days of Christmas (United States) November 4 - Los Supersabios (Mexico) November 15 - The Lord of the Rings (United States) November 25 - Not Everything that Flies is a Bird (Germany and Yugoslavia) December 7 - Dallyeora Majingga X (South Korea) December 16 - Lupin III: The Mystery of Mamo (Japan) December 23 - The Stingiest Man in Town (United States and Japan) December 26 - The Talking Parcel (United Kingdom) December 31 - Captain Future: The Great Race in the Solar System (Japan) Specific date unknown: Fantasia's Attic (Spain) Ferda the Ant. How Ferda Lived in the World and Stories about his Friend Little Back (Czechoslovakia and Soviet Union) The Magic Flute (Italy and Australia) Xigua pao (China)
Television series
January 1 - Perrine Monogatari debuts on Fuji TV and Sat.1. March 6 - Majokko Tickle debuts on TV Asahi. March 14 - Space Pirate Captain Harlock debuts on TV Asahi. April 1 - Tosho Daimos debuts on TV Asahi. April 2 - Starzinger debuts on Fuji TV. April 4 - Future Boy Conan debuts on NHK General TV. April 10 - Highschool Baseball Ninja debuts on Fuji TV. June 3: Haikara-san ga Tōru debuts on TV Asahi. Invincible Steel Man Daitarn 3 debuts on Nagoya TV. July 4 - The Adventures of The Little Prince debuts on TV Asahi. July 6 - Wattoo Wattoo Super Bird debuts on A2. September - Quaq Quao debuts in syndication. September 9: Buford and the Galloping Ghost debuts on NBC. Challenge of the Super Friends and Fangface debut on ABC. Crazylegs Crane, Dinky Dog, Manta and Moray, Superstretch and Microwoman, Tarzan and the Super 7, The All-New Popeye Hour, The Freedom Force, and Web Woman debut on CBS. Fabulous Funnies, Galaxy Goof-Ups, The Godzilla Power Hour, Jana of the Jungle, The Buford Files, The Galloping Ghost, The New Fantastic Four, and Yogi's Space Race debut on NBC. September 12 - Battle of the Planets debuts in syndication. September 14 - Galaxy Express 999 debuts on Fuji TV. September 30 - Once Upon a Time... Man debuts on FR3. October 1 - Gatchaman II debuts on Fuji TV. October 8 - Treasure Island debuts on NTV. October 14 - Space Battleship Yamato 2 debuts on Yomiuri TV. November 7 - Captain Future debuts on NHK General TV.
Births
January January 1: Jose Garibaldi, American animator (Good Vibes, Electric City, The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants, The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part), illustrator and character designer (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). January 8: Scott Whyte, American actor (voice of Uncle Andrew and Porcupunk in Power Players, Sparrow in the Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir episode "Miraculous World: New York – United Heroez", Dryden Vos in Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord). January 9: AJ McLean, American musician and member of the Backstreet Boys (voice of Kuchimba in The Lion Guard episode "The Underground Adventure", himself in the Arthur episode "Arthur, It's Only Rock and Roll" and the Static Shock episode "Duped"). January 24: Kristen Schaal, American actress and comedian (voice of Mabel Pines in Gravity Falls, Louise Belcher in Bob's Burgers, Victoria Best in WordGirl, Trixie in Toy Story 3 and Toy Story 4, Sarah Lynn in BoJack Horseman, Barb in Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2, Shannon in Despicable Me 2, Bella the Belhop in the Amphibia episode The Plantars Check In, Jake Jr. in Adventure Time, herself in the Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? episode "The Horrible Haunted Hospital of Dr. Phineas Phrag!"). January 25: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian politician and former actor (dub voice of Paddington Bear in Paddington and Paddington 2). January 28: Stephen Farrelly, Irish pro wrestler (voiced himself in Scooby-Doo! and WWE: Curse of the Speed Demon and The Jetsons & WWE: Robo-WrestleMania!). Mark Hildreth, Canadian actor (voice of Milton Dyer in Ninjago, Vert Wheeler in Hot Wheels Battle Force 5, Quicksilver in Wolverine and the X-Men, Pan in Class of the Titans, Thundermutt in Krypto the Superdog, Angel in X-Men: Evolution, Heero Yuy in Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, Sir Gallop and Sir Zeke in King Arthur and the Knights of Justice, Deathlok in the Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. episode "Deathlok").
February February 2: Eden Espinosa, American actress (voice of Cassandra in Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure, Queen of Hearts in Alice's Wonderland Bakery). Rich Sommer, American actor (voice of Del Hanlon in Regular Show, Daniel Turner in Elena of Avalor, Keith Nash in Close Enough). February 3: Eliza Jane Schneider, American actress, singer, playwright, and dialect coach (portrayed Liza in Beakman's World, voice of various characters in Popzilla, Sweet Older Lady in Foodfight!, Chido's Mom in Sanjay and Craig, Lola in the Johnny Bravo episode "Berry the Butler", Charisse in the King of the Hill episode "I'm with Cupid", Jenny in The Zeta Project episode "The Wrong Morph", Moofy in the Invader Zim episode "The Girl Who Cried Gnome", Martha in the Squirrel Boy episode "Diss and Make Up", Ewok Nerd in The Cleveland Show episode "Hot Cocoa Bang Bang", Baroness von Gunther and Georgette Taylor in the Batman: The Brave and the Bold episode "Scorn of the Star Sapphire!", continued voice of Liane Cartman, Wendy Testaburger, Sheila Broflovski, Shelly Marsh, Sharon Marsh, Mrs. Crabtree, Principal Victoria, and other various characters in South Park). February 7: Matt Warburton, American television writer and producer (The Simpsons). February 10: Stéphane Nutini, French network and computer technician (Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir, Iron Man: Armored Adventures) (d. 2024) February 20: Jay Hernandez, American actor (voice of Bonnie's Dad in Toy Story 4 and Toy Story 5, himself in the BoJack Horseman episode "A Horse Walks Into a Bar"). February 21: Nicole Parker, American actress (voice of Penelope Pitstop in Wacky Races, Siobhan in Bunnicula). February 26: Paul Beard, American animator (animator for the last three seasons of Blue's Clues, and Blue's Room and Wonder Pets!) (d. 2005), February 28: Geoffrey Arend, American actor (voice of Riddler in Batman: Hush, Sean Connery and Christopher Walken in Celebrity Deathmatch, Tony Perotti in the American Dad! episode "Garbage Stan").
March March 1: Donovan Patton, American actor and television host (portrayed Joe in Blue's Clues and Blue's Clues & You!, voice of Daniel in Maya & Miguel, Bot in Team Umizoomi, Mr. Reese in Clarence, Chef Zesty in Creative Galaxy, Catrat in Gabby's Dollhouse, Hector Hare in The Tom and Jerry Show episode "The Tortoise Don't Play Fair", Luster Dock in the Sunny Day episode "Blair's Appointment", additional voices in Monsters University and We Bare Bears). Jensen Ackles, American actor (voice of Batman in the Tomorrowverse, Jason Todd in Batman: Under the Red Hood). March 17: Patrick Seitz, American actor (voice of Dio Brando in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Enji Todoroki / Endeavor in My Hero Academia, Kunikida Doppo in Bungo Stray Dogs, Kenpachi Zaraki and Isshin Kurosaki in Bleach, Laxus Dreyar in Fairy Tail, Agil in Sword Art Online, Kunzite in the Viz Media dub of Sailor Moon, Thor in Marvel Future Avengers, Etrigan the Demon in Justice League Action, Mumm-Ra and Tygra in ThunderCats Roar). March 23: Nicholle Tom, American actress (voice of Supergirl in the DC Animated Universe, Ryce Newton in Beethoven). March 25: Tomohisa Shimoyama, Japanese director (Super Shiro) and animator (Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos, The Night Is Short, Walk On Girl).
April