Chou no Sainan

You might think that "anime" started with the first serialized TV shows in the 1960s, but Japan had been making animation long before this, in the form of short films. This article aims to give a tour through the history and evolution of early Japanese animation that led to the serialized shows of the 1960s that eventually led to where we are today. At present, there are over 200 early Japanese animations that have survived and are easily viewable. Here, 44 stand-out works in the chronological evolution of early animation are highlighted for you to check out. All animations listed here can be found online, with English subtitles when needed!

All shorts found on the Japanese Classics Collection box set, curated by Digital Meme, a Japanese company dedicated to obscure East Asian media.

Entries date between 1928 and 1950, making these some of the oldest available anime.

Not listed:
Doubutsu Sumo Taikai (Animal Sumo) https://myanimelist.net/anime/5812/Doubutsu_Sumo_Taikai?q=animal%20sumo&cat=anime
Ohisama to Kaeru (The Sun and the Frogs) https://myanimelist.net/anime/6828/Ohi-sama_to_Kaeru?q=the%20sun%20and%20the%20frogs&cat=anime
Ahiru no Otegara (The Duckling Saves the Day)

These three were only omitted because there wasn't enough room on the list, and it didn't feel worth it to make a part 2. In Ahiru no Otegara's case, this anime is not in the MAL database.