Title
|
Country
|
Director
|
Studio
|
Technique
|
Format |
Notes |
Release |
Duration
|
21 Emon: Uchū e Irasshai! 21エモン 宇宙へいらっしゃい! (21 Emon: Welcome to Space!) |
Japan |
Tsutomu Shibayama |
Toho Shin-Ei Animation |
Traditional |
Theatrical |
|
August 1, 1981 |
92 minutes
|
3000 Leagues in Search of Mother 엄마 찾아 삼천리 (Eomma chaja sammalli) |
South Korea |
Jeong Su-yong Gang Han-yeong |
Sunwoo Production Co., Ltd. Sidus |
Traditional |
Theatrical |
Fourth and final installment of the Dreamland Cartoon Theater series; Unauthorized reanimated remake of 3000 Leagues in Search of Mother (1980). |
January 5, 1981 |
78 minutes
|
Adieu Galaxy Express 999 さよなら銀河鉄道999 -アンドロメダ終着駅- (Sayonara Ginga Tetsudo 999: Andromeda Shuchakueki) |
Japan |
Rintaro |
Toei Animation |
Traditional |
Theatrical |
|
August 1, 1981 |
130 minutes
|
American Pop |
United States |
Ralph Bakshi |
Columbia Pictures Bakshi Productions, Inc. |
Traditional |
Theatrical |
|
February 13, 1981 |
96 minutes
|
Anime-ban Toukaidou Yotsuya Kaidan アニメ版 東海道 四谷怪談 |
Japan |
Ryuji Sawada Yasuo Otsuka |
|
Traditional |
Television film |
|
August 16, 1981 |
46 minutes
|
Around the World with Dot a. k. a. Dot & Santa Claus |
Australia |
Yoram Gross |
Yoram Gross Studios |
Traditional/Live action |
Theatrical |
|
June 23, 1981 |
80 minutes
|
Blizkata Dalechina Близката Далечина (The Nearby Distance) |
Bulgaria |
Slav Bakalov |
Boyana Film |
Traditional |
|
First animated Bulgarian feature. |
July 9, 1981 |
65 minutes
|
Bokura Mangaka: Tokiwa-sou Monogatari ぼくらマンガ家 トキワ荘物語 (Our Manga Artists: The Story of Tokiwa-so) |
Japan |
Atsutoshi Umezawa Kazumi Fukushima Shinichi Suzuki |
Toei Animation Fuji TV |
Traditional |
Television film |
Fifteenth animated special produced for Fuji TV's "Nissei Family Special" program. |
October 3, 1981 |
72 minutes
|
Bremen 4: Angels in Hell ブレーメン4 地獄の中の天使たち (Bremen 4: Jigoku no Naka no Tenshi-tachi) |
Japan |
Hiroshi Sasagawa Osamu Tezuka |
Tezuka Productions Nippon TV |
Traditional |
Television film |
Fourth animated special produced for Nippon TV's 24 Hour TV "Love Saves the Earth" telethon. |
August 23, 1981 |
90 minutes
|
The Call of the Wild: Howl, Buck 荒野の叫び声 吠えろバック (Kōya no Sakebigoe: Hoero Bakku) |
Japan |
Kozo Morishita |
Toei Animation |
Traditional |
Television film |
Tenth animated special produced for Fuji TV's "Nissei Family Special" program. |
January 3, 1981 |
85 minutes
|
Captain キャプテン (Kyaputen) |
Japan |
Satoshi Dezaki |
Eiken |
Traditional |
Theatrical |
|
July 18, 1981 |
95 minutes
|
Chie the Brat じゃリン子チエ (Jarinko Chie) |
Japan |
Isao Takahata |
Tokyo Movie Shinsha |
Traditional |
Theatrical |
|
April 11, 1981 |
110 minutes
|
Chiisana Love Letter: Mariko to Nemunoki no Kodomo-tachi 小さなラブレター まり子とねむの木の子供たち (A Little Love Letter: Mariko and the Children of the Silk Tree) |
Japan |
Yuzo Ishida |
TV Asahi NOW Planning |
Traditional |
Television film |
Fictionalisation of the life story of Mariko Miyagi (March 21, 1927 – March 21, 2020), a Japanese singer, actress and advocate who founded a school for disabled children, the Kusunoki Gakuen. |
December 22, 1981 |
1 hour, 24 minutes
|
The Donbee Story ムツゴロウの動物日記 どんべえ物語 (Mutsugorō no Dōbutsu Nikki Donbē Monogatari) |
Japan |
Bonjin Nagaki |
Eiken Nippon TV |
Traditional |
Television special |
Fictionalisation based on the life of Masanori Hata (born April 17, 1935) and one of the animals his family kept, a brown bear named Donbee. |
April 26, 1981 |
84 minutes
|
Doraemon: The Record of Nobita, Spaceblazer ドラえもん のび太の宇宙開拓史 (Doraemon Nobita no Uchū Kaitakushi) |
Japan |
Hideo Nishimaki |
Toho Shin-Ei Animation |
Traditional |
Theatrical |
|
March 14, 1981 |
90 minutes
|
Enchanted Journey グリックの冒険 (Gurikku no Bōken) |
Japan |
Hideo Nishimaki |
Studio Korumi |
Traditional |
Theatrical |
|
July 21, 1981 |
85 minutes
|
The Fantastic Adventures of Unico ユニコ (Yuniko) |
Japan |
Toshio Hirata |
Sanrio Madhouse |
Traditional |
Theatrical |
|
March 14, 1981 |
90 minutes
|
The Fox and the Hound |
United States |
Ted Berman Richard Rich Art Stevens |
Walt Disney Productions |
Traditional |
Theatrical |
|
July 10, 1981 |
83 minutes
|
Frankenstein 恐怖伝説 怪奇!フランケンシュタイン (Kyōfu Densetsu: Kaiki! Furankenshutain) |
Japan |
Yugo Serikawa Toyoo Ashida |
Toei Animation TV Asahi |
Traditional |
Television film |
|
July 27, 1981 |
98 minutes
|
Furiten-kun フリテンくん |
Japan |
Takashi Sugiyama |
Toho Knack Productions Oh! Production |
Traditional |
Theatrical |
|
April 11, 1981 |
78 minutes
|
Gongnyong Baengmannyeon Ttori 공룡 100만년 똘이 (Dinosaur One Million Years Ddoli) |
South Korea |
Kim Cheong-gi |
Namyang Planning |
Traditional |
Theatrical |
|
August 7, 1981 |
75 minutes
|
Grendel Grendel Grendel |
Australia |
Alexander Stitt |
Victorian Film |
Traditional |
Theatrical |
|
July 9, 1981 |
88 minutes
|
Gugugui taeyang seongung isunsin 구국의 태양 성웅 이순신 (Sun-Shin Yi, the Sun of Salvation) |
South Korea |
Kim Seong-chil |
Hana Film Namyang Planning |
Traditional |
Theatrical |
|
July 22, 1981 |
71 minutes
|
Heavy Metal |
Canada |
Gerald Potterton |
Columbia Pictures Guardian Trust Company Canadian Film Development Corporation Famous Players Potterton Productions Atkinson Film-Arts |
Traditional |
Theatrical |
|
August 7, 1981 |
90 minutes
|
Helen Keller Monogatari: Ai to Hikari no Tenshi ヘレン·ケラー物語 愛と光の天使 (The Story of Helen Keller: The Angel of Love and Light) |
Japan |
Fumio Ikeno |
TV Asahi NOW Planning |
Traditional |
Television film |
|
May 5, 1981 |
81 minutes
|
Kabo-Encho no Dobutsuen Nikki カバ園長の動物園日記 (The Kaba Garden Director's Zoo Diary) |
Japan |
Masayuki Akehi |
Toei Animation Fuji TV |
Traditional |
Television film |
Fourteenth animated special produced for Fuji TV's "Nissei Family Special" program. |
August 23, 1981 |
67 minutes
|
Kaibutsu-kun: Kaibutsu Land e no Shoutai 怪物くん 怪物ランドへの招待 (Kaibutsu-kun: Invitation to Kaibutsu Land) |
Japan |
Hiroshi Fukutomi |
Toho Shin-Ei Animation |
Traditional |
Theatrical |
|
March 14, 1981 |
75 minutes
|
Kaitei Daisensō: Ai no 20,000 Miles 海底大戦争 愛の20,000マイル (The Great Navy War: 20,000 Miles of Love) |
Japan |
Ippei Kuri |
Tatsunoko Production Nippon TV |
Traditional |
Television film |
|
January 3, 1981 |
75 minutes
|
The Little Fox Vuk |
Hungary |
Attila Dargay |
Pannónia Filmstúdió |
Traditional |
Theatrical |
|
December 10, 1981 |
76 minutes
|
The Looney Looney Looney Bugs Bunny Movie |
United States |
Friz Freleng |
Warner Bros. Animation |
Traditional |
Theatrical |
Film compiled from theatrical animated shorts; third of six Looney Tunes compilation feature films |
November 20, 1981 |
79 minutes
|
Lupin tai Holmes ルパン対ホームズ (Lupin vs. Holmes) |
Japan |
Masayuki Akehi |
Toei Animation Fuji TV |
Traditional |
Television film |
Twelfth animated special produced for Fuji TV's "Nissei Family Special" program. |
May 5, 1981 |
68 minutes
|
Manga Hana no Kakarichō まんが花の係長 (The Happy Section Chief) |
Japan |
Noboru Ishiguro Minoru Okazaki |
Shochiku Tokyo Movie Shinsha |
Traditional |
Theatrical |
|
November 28, 1981 |
60 minutes
|
Manzai Taikouki マンザイ太閤記 |
Japan |
Ryuji Sawada Hideo Takayashiki |
Shochiku Tokyo Movie Shinsha |
Traditional |
Theatrical |
|
November 28, 1981 |
100 minutes
|
Maria, Mirabela a. k. a. The Magical Forest Мария, Мирабела (Mariya, Mirabela) |
Romania Soviet Union |
Ion Popescu-Gopo Natalia Bodyul |
Moldova-Film Soyuzmultfilm Casa de Filme 5 |
Traditional/Live action |
Theatrical |
[1] |
December 21, 1981 |
68 minutes
|
Minoïe |
France |
Jean Jabely Philippe Landrot |
Dovidis Antenne-2 Les Productions du Tigre Marubeni |
Traditional |
Theatrical |
|
December 20, 1981 |
80 minutes
|
The Great Muppet Caper |
United States |
Jim Henson |
Henson Associates |
Puppetry |
Theatrical |
|
26 June 1981 |
97 minutes
|
Mobile Suit Gundam I 機動戦士ガンダムI (Kidō Senshi Gandamu I) |
Japan |
Yoshiyuki Tomino |
Nippon Sunrise |
Traditional |
Theatrical |
Film compiled from TV series episodes |
March 14, 1981 |
139 minutes
|
Mobile Suit Gundam II: Soldiers of Sorrow 機動戦士ガンダムII 哀・戦士編 (Kidô Senshi Gandamu II: Ai Senshihen) |
Japan |
Yoshiyuki Tomino |
Nippon Sunrise |
Traditional |
Theatrical |
Film compiled from TV series episodes |
July 11, 1981 |
133 minutes
|
Mister Giants Glory Number 3 ミスター・ジャイアンツ 栄光の背番号3 (Mister Giants Eikō no Sebangō 3) |
Japan |
Tameo Kohanawa Hiromichi Horikawa (chief director) |
Nippon TV Toho Eizo Co. Tsuchida Production |
Traditional |
Television special |
Fictionalisation of the life of Shigeo Nagashima (born February 20, 1986), a Japanese former professional baseball player and manager. |
March 1, 1981 |
71 minutes
|
The Mystery of the Third Planet a. k. a. The Secret of the Third Planet Тайна третьей планеты (Tayna tretyey planety) |
Soviet Union |
Roman Kachanov |
Soyuzmultfilm |
Traditional |
Theatrical |
|
January 1, 1981 |
50 minutes
|
Natsu e no Tobira 夏への扉 (The Door into Summer) |
Japan |
Mamoru Masaki Toshio Hirata |
Toei Animation Madhouse |
Traditional |
Theatrical |
|
March 20, 1981 |
59 minutes
|
Old Master Q 七彩卡通老夫子 (Qi cai ka tong Lao Fu Zi) |
Hong Kong |
Xie Jintu Cai Zhizhong Hu Shuru |
Hong Kong Film Company Far East Cartoon Company |
Traditional |
Theatrical |
First Hong Kong animated feature. |
July 16, 1981 |
80 minutes
|
Peter-No-Tail Pelle Svanslös |
Sweden |
Stig Lasseby Jan Gissberg |
Sandrews Svenska Filminstitutet Teamfilm AS Treklövern |
Traditional |
Theatrical |
|
December 25, 1981 |
81 minutes
|
Rennyo and His Mother 蓮如とその母 (Rennyo to Sono Haha) |
Japan |
Kihachirō Kawamoto |
"Rennyo and His Mother" Movie Production Promotion Committee |
Stop motion/Puppet |
Theatrical |
|
October 7, 1981 |
93 minutes
|
Renshenguo 人参果 (Ginseng Fruit) |
China |
Yan Dingxian |
Shanghai Fine Arts Film Studio |
Traditional |
Theatrical |
|
|
45 minutes
|
Robot King 로보트킹 |
South Korea |
Bae Yeong-lang |
Sun Production |
Traditional |
Theatrical |
|
August 9, 1981 |
67 minutes
|
Run Melos! 走れメロス (Hashire Melos!) |
Japan |
Tomoharu Katsumata |
Toei Animation |
Traditional |
Television film |
Eleventh animated special produced for Fuji TV's "Nissei Family Special" program. |
February 7, 1981 |
68 minutes
|
The Sea Prince and the Fire Child a. k. a. The Legend of Syrius シリウスの伝説 (Shiriusu no Densetsu) |
Japan |
Masami Hata |
Nippon Herald Films Sanrio |
Traditional |
Theatrical |
|
July 18, 1981 |
108 minutes
|
Shunmao Monogatari Taotao シュンマオ物語 タオタオ (The Story of Taotao the Panda) |
Japan |
Yoji Yamada |
Shochiku Shun Mao Production Committee Tianjin City Craft and Art Design Institute |
Traditional |
Theatrical |
|
December 26, 1981 |
90 minutes
|
Son of the White Mare Fehérlófia |
Hungary |
Marcell Jankovics[2] |
Pannónia Filmstúdió |
Traditional |
Theatrical |
|
October 22, 1981 |
90 minutes
|
Sonyeon 007 Jihajeguk 소년 007 지하제국 (Boy 007 Underground Empire) |
South Korea |
Jeong Su-yong Kim Cheol-jong |
Geumyong Film Studio |
Traditional |
Theatrical |
|
July 18, 1981 |
75 minutes
|
Space Warrior Baldios 宇宙戦士 バルディオス (Uchū Senshi Barudiosu) |
Japan |
Kazuyuki Hirokawa |
Production Reed |
Traditional |
Theatrical |
|
December 29, 1981 |
117 minutes
|
Sugata Sanshiro 姿三四郎 |
Japan |
Yasumi Mikamoto |
Tokyo Movie Shinsha |
Traditional |
Television film |
Thirteenth animated special produced for Fuji TV's "Nissei Family Special" program. |
June 8, 1981 |
72 minutes
|
Swan Lake 世界名作童話 白鳥の湖 (Sekai Meisaku Dōwa: Hakuchō no Mizuumi) |
Japan Soviet Union |
Kimio Yabuki |
Toei Animation Soyuzmultfilm |
Traditional |
Theatrical |
Fourth film in the anthology film series Sekai Meisaku Dōwa (lit. "World Masterpiece Fairy Tales"); Co-production with Soyuzmultfilm. |
March 14, 1981 |
75 minutes
|
Tomorrow's Joe 2 あしたのジョー (Ashita no Jō 2) |
Japan |
Osamu Dezaki |
Nippon Herald Films Tokyo Movie Shinsha |
Traditional |
Theatrical |
Film compiled from TV series episodes |
July 4, 1981 |
152 minutes
|
Toshishun 杜子春 (Toshiharu) |
Japan |
Takeichi Saito |
TBS DAX International Inc. |
Traditional |
Television special |
Based on the 1920 short story of the same title by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa. |
April 12, 1981 |
73 minutes
|
Yuki ゆき |
Japan |
Tadashi Imai |
Nikkatsu Children's Movie Mushi Production |
Traditional |
Theatrical |
|
August 9, 1981 |
89 minutes
|