1996 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 January 7: The Simpsons episode "Team Homer" is first broadcast. January 14: The Simpsons episode "Two Bad Neighbors" is first broadcast where Homer Simpson and George H. W. Bush collide, as well as the debut of Disco Stu. January 19: The first episode of Detective Conan, aka Case Closed, is broadcast. January 28: The Powerpuff Girls short "Crime 101" premieres as part of the What a Cartoon! series on Cartoon Network, which marks the debut of The Amoeba Boys."Powderpuff Girls in Crime 101". United States Copyright Office. Archived from the original on November 3, 2015. Retrieved November 20, 2013. This was the last Powerpuff Girls short to premiere on What a Cartoon! as it would spin-off into a full series 2 years later.
February February 4: The Simpsons episode "Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield" is first broadcast, guest starring Tom Kite and having the debut of Brandine Spuckler. February 11: The Simpsons episode "Bart the Fink" is first broadcast, guest starring Bob Newhart. February 18: The Courage the Cowardly Dog pilot short "The Chicken from Outer Space" premieres as part of the What a Cartoon! series on Cartoon Network; Courage, Muriel Bagge, Eustace Bagge The Simpsons episode "Lisa the Iconoclast" is first broadcast, guest starring Donald Sutherland. February 25: The Simpsons episode "Homer the Smithers" is first broadcast.
March March 9: The final season of Sailor Moon, Sailor Moon Sailor Stars, airs on TV Asahi. March 17: The Simpsons episode "The Day the Violence Died" is first broadcast, guest starring Kirk Douglas, Suzanne Somers and Jack Sheldon. March 24: The Simpsons episode "A Fish Called Selma" is first broadcast, guest starring Jeff Goldblum. March 25: 68th Academy Awards: Nick Park's Wallace and Gromit short film A Close Shave wins the Academy Award for Best Animated Short. Colors of the Wind from Pocahontas by Stephen Schwartz and Alan Menken wins the Academy Award for Best Original Song, while the soundtrack from that same film wins the Academy Award for Best Original Score. Chuck Jones receives an Academy Honorary Award for his entire career. March 29: All Dogs Go to Heaven 2, the sequel to Don Bluth’s All Dogs Go to Heaven, premieres. This sequel is set in a different timeline for tragic reasons. March 31: The Simpsons episode "Bart on the Road" is first broadcast.
April April 2: The first episode of Dennis and Gnasher is broadcast. April 12: Henry Selick releases James and the Giant Peach, based on Roald Dahl's 1961 eponymous novel. April 14: The Simpsons episode "22 Short Films About Springfield" premieres on Fox, featuring the famous Steamed Hams scene with Principal Skinner & Superintendent Chalmers. April 28: The Simpsons 150th episode "Raging Abe Simpson and His Grumbling Grandson in 'The Curse of the Flying Hellfish'" premieres on Fox. The first episode of Dexter's Laboratory airs. It became a popular series during the decade.
May May 5: The Simpsons episode "Much Apu About Nothing" premieres on Fox. May 18: The Dexter's Laboratory episode "Dial M for Monkey: Barbequor" airs. It was removed shortly after the broadcast allegedly due to the presence of a gay stereotype. It was later revealed that Cartoon Network got sued by Marvel Comics for copyright infringement owing to the use of the Silver Surfer parody. May 19: The Simpsons concludes its seventh season on Fox with the following episodes: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. . "Homerpalooza", which guest stars The Smashing Pumpkins, Cypress Hill, Sonic Youth and Peter Frampton. "Summer of 4 Ft. 2" which guest stars Christina Ricci. It is the first time that two new episodes are broadcast on the same day.
June June 21: The Walt Disney Company releases The Hunchback of Notre Dame, directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise. The film gained much notoriety by parents and Christian groups for its dark tone in a family oriented film during the release. The reviews were positive in spite of its infamy and becomes a cult following afterwards.
July July: The Japanese animation studio Brain's Base is founded. July 10: The pilot of Hey Arnold premiered on theatres before Harriet the Spy. July 19: The final episode of Tales from the Crypt, "The Third Pig" on HBO, is the series' only animated episode. It is animated by Nelvana and Wang Film Productions.
August August 13: The first episode of Stickin' Around airs. August 23: Chuck Jones' theatrical Looney Tunes short Superior Duck premieres in theaters alongside Carpool. Produced by Warner Bros. Animation & Chuck Jones Enterprises. The cartoon stars the following characters: Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Marvin the Martian, Foghorn Leghorn, Tweety, Wile E. Coyote & the Road Runner, the Tasmanian Devil and Superman.
September September 3: The first episode of Quack Pack airs. September 6: The first episode of Superman: The Animated Series airs. September 8: The first episode of Blue's Clues airs. September 10: The first episode of Billy the Cat airs. September 28: In The Dana Carvey Show a recurring animated segment is introduced, The Ambiguously Gay Duo, which will eventually become a part of Saturday Night Live.
October October 7: The first episodes of Arthur airs. It became one of the longest animated children's programs of all time and became generally acclaimed. The first episodes of Hey Arnold! airs. October 19: The final Ren & Stimpy Show episodes "Sammy and Me/The Last Temptation" premiere on MTV after being banned from Nickelodeon the previous year.Komorowski, Thad (2017). Sick Little Monkeys: The Unauthorized Ren & Stimpy Story. Albany, Georgia: BearManor Media. . October 22: Discovery Kids launches, the network which is a spin-off of Discovery Channel that primarily offered adventure, nature, and science-themed programs aimed towards a children's audience. October 27: Season 8 of The Simpsons begins on Fox with the premiere of the latest Treehouse of Horror installment "Treehouse of Horror VII".
November November 2: The final episode of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is broadcast. November 3: The Simpsons episode "You Only Move Twice" is first broadcast, guest starring Albert Brooks. November 10: The Simpsons episode "The Homer They Fall" is first broadcast, guest starring Michael Buffer and Paul Winfield. November 15: Space Jam, a crossover between basketball icon Michael Jordan and the Looney Tunes characters, is released in theaters. November 17: The Simpsons episode "Burns, Baby Burns" is first broadcast, guest starring Rodney Dangerfield. November 24: Rocko's Modern Life airs its final episodes on Nickelodeon. The Simpsons episode "Bart After Dark" is first broadcast.
December December 1: The Simpsons episode "A Milhouse Divided" is first broadcast, where Milhouse's parents divorce. December 4: After a year-long hiatus, Rugrats returns to Nickelodeon for its fourth season with the premiere of the holiday special "A Rugrats Chanukah". December 5: Frank Film is added to the National Film Registry. December 10: The first episode of Once Upon a Time... The Explorers airs. December 15: The Simpsons episode "Lisa's Date with Density" is first broadcast. December 20: The animated feature film Beavis and Butt-head Do America is released. It becomes a cult film. December 29: The Simpsons episode "Hurricane Neddy" is first broadcast, guest starring Jon Lovitz.
Films released
January 5 - City Hunter: The Secret Service (Japan) January 20 - Space Armageddon (South Korea) February 28 - The Secret of the Hunchback (United States) March 2: Doraemon: Nobita and the Galaxy Super-express (Japan) Dragon Ball: The Path to Power (Japan) March 19 - Gulliver's Travels (United States) March 23 - Pipi: Unforgettable Fireflies (Japan) March 29 - All Dogs Go to Heaven 2 (United States) April 1 - Cassiopéia (Brazil) April 2 - VeggieTales: Dave and the Giant Pickle (United States) April 12 - James and the Giant Peach (United States and United Kingdom) April 16 - The Hunchback of Notre Dame (United States) April 19 - Crayon Shin-chan: Adventure in Henderland (Japan) April 20: Dragon Quest Saga: Emblem of Roto (Japan) Lupin III: Dead or Alive (Japan) Tenchi the Movie: Tenchi Muyo in Love (Japan) April 30 - The Hunchback of Notre Dame (United States and Japan) May 1 - Sanctuary (Japan) June 1 - Miki Mol and the Terrible Cloak (Poland) June 21 - The Hunchback of Notre Dame (United States) June 23 - The Princess Castle (United States) June 27 - (Germany) June 29 - The Nintama Rantarō Movie (Japan) July 6 - Jigoku Sensei Nūbē (Japan) July 13 - Soreike! Anpanman Soratobu Ehon to Garasu no Kutsu (Japan) July 19 - Yawara! Special – I've Always Been About You... (Japan) July 24 - Little Dinosaur Dooly (South Korea) July 26: Alì Babà (Italy) Odyssey Into the Mind's Eye (United States) August 2 - Lupin III: The Secret of Twilight Gemini (Japan) August 3: Slayers Return (Japan) X (Japan) August 13 - Aladdin and the King of Thieves (United States) August 21 - Advancer Tina (Japan) August 20 - Maya's Life (Japan) August 29 - Pepolino and the Treasure of the Mermaid (Germany, Hungary and Canada) August 30 - The Ballad of the Viking King, Holger the Dane (Denmark) September 6 - Shinran Shōnin to Ōsha-jō no Higeki (Japan) September 17 - Tom Thumb Meets Thumbelina (United States) September 25 - Ultraman: Super Fighter Legend – Comet Warrior God Tsuifon Appears (Japan) October 1: The Nome Prince and the Magic Belt (United States) Toto, Lost in New York (United States) Virtual Oz (United States) October 22 - VeggieTales: The Toy That Saved Christmas (United States) November - The Triumph of Time (Greece) November 15 - Space Jam (United States) November 30 - Black Jack: The Movie (Japan) December 5 - How the Toys Saved Christmas (Italy) December 7 - The Story of Santa Claus (United States) December 10 - The Land Before Time IV: Journey Through the Mists (United States) December 14: The File of Young Kindaichi (Japan) Spring and Chaos (Japan) December 15 - Christmas in Cartoontown (United States) December 20: Beavis and Butt-Head Do America (United States) Hugo: The Movie Star (Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland) December 24: The Adventures of Toad (United Kingdom) Santa Claus and the Magic Drum (Finland and Hungary) Specific date unknown: The 3 Little Pigs: The Movie (Canada) Against the Eagle and the Lion (Cuba and Spain) Beauty and the Beast (Australia) Christmas in Oz (United States) Cinderella (Australia) The Five Suns: A Sacred History of Mexico (United States) Hansel and Gretel (Australia) The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Australia) Kings and Cabbage (Russia) The Snow Queen's Revenge (United Kingdom) Who Stole Santa? (United States)
Television series debuts