2002 in animation
2002 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 19: The first episode of Teamo Supremo airs.January 21:- * The first episode of Cyberchase airs.
- * Daria ends with Is It College Yet?, which served as the series finale.
February
- February 14: Family Guy concludes its third season on Fox with the episode "Family Guy Viewer Mail #1", which was seen by over 4 million viewers that night. This was meant to be the final episode to air on Fox as the network originally planned to cancel the show, but they ended up deciding to revive the show in 2005 after discovering the show's DVD sales & high ratings on Adult Swim.
- February 19: Balto II: Wolf Quest, the direct-to-video sequel to Balto, was released after being delayed for two years.Late February: Cartoon Network releases a tribute to animator Chuck Jones during commercial breaks, as Jones died on February 22.
March
March 1: Season 2 of The Fairly OddParents begins on Nickelodeon with the premiere of the episodes "Boys in the Band/Hex Games". The season's premiere was seen by just over 3.1 million viewers that night.March 2: The first episode of Mr. Bean: The Animated Series airs, an animated TV series based on Rowan Atkinson's Mr. Bean.March 6: Season 6 of South Park begins on Comedy Central with the premiere of the episode "Jared Has Aides". It was seen by over 3 million viewers that night.March 15: Blue Sky Studios releases Ice Age, directed by Chris Wedge, which becomes a surprise hit.March 16: Larryboy: The Cartoon Adventures is released on direct-to-video. March 22: The first episode of ChalkZone airs.March 24: 74th Academy Awards:- * The first Academy Award for Best Animated Feature is awarded. The winner is Shrek, produced by DreamWorks Animation.
- * For the Birds, directed by Ralph Eggleston and produced by Pixar, wins the Academy Award for Best Animated Short.
- * "If I Didn't Have You" from Monsters, Inc. by Randy Newman wins the Academy Award for Best Original Song.March 31: The Simpsons episode "Blame It on Lisa" premieres, wherein the family travels to Brazil, which leads to controversy in Brazil.
April
April 1: Noggin was divided into two different blocks: a 12-hour extension of the channel's preschool block, and The N was launched, targeted at pre-teens and teenagers.May
May 1: Nicktoons was launched.May 3: The first episode of Max & Ruby airs in Canada. In the United States, the series premiered on October 21, 2002.May 4: The first episode of Angelina Ballerina airs.May 12: King of the Hill concludes its sixth season on Fox with the two-part finale "Returning Japanese ". It was seen by just over 4.9 million viewers that night.May 16: 2002 Cannes Film Festival: Michael Moore's documentary Bowling for Columbine premieres, which also has an animated segment A Brief History of the United States of America. The scene is animated by Flicker Lab, but often mistaken for being made by the South Park crew, particularly since Matt Stone is interviewed in the film, moments before the segment takes place.May 22: The Simpsons concludes its 13th season on Fox with the episode "Poppa's Got a Brand New Badge". It was seen by over 8.1 million viewers that night.June
June 7: Disney Channel broadcasts the first three episodes of Kim Possible. June 17: The SpongeBob SquarePants episode "Gary Takes a Bath" premieres on Nicktoons. June 21: The Walt Disney Company releases Lilo & Stitch. This movie was commercially acclaimed and became an unexpected phenomenon.June 28: Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon release Hey Arnold!: The Movie it received poor reception during the release.July
July 2: George Michael's animated music video Shoot the Dog is released, satirizing various celebrities, among them president George W. Bush and UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, with animation by 2DTV.July 3: The Powerpuff Girls Movie is first released, but it was a box office bomb, causing Cartoon Network to never make a theatrical film again.- July 13: Pokémon Heroes premieres.July 20:
- * Hiroyuki Morita's The Cat Returns premieres.
- * The first episode of The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius airs.
August
August 17: The first episode of ¡Mucha Lucha! airs.August 24: The first episode of Henry's World airs.September
September 2: The first episode of Make Way for Noddy airs.September 14: The first episode of Fillmore!, produced by the Walt Disney Company, airs.October
October 18: Grim & Evil concludes its first season on Cartoon Network with the episodes "Little Rock of Horrors/The Pie Who Loved Me/Dream a Little Dream". Its segments, The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy and Evil Con Carne ended up airing as their own shows for the premiere of its second season.November
November 2: The first episode of Clone High airs.November 3:- * Season 14 of The Simpsons begins on Fox with the latest Treeehouse of Horror installment "Treehouse of Horror XIII". It was seen by over 16.6 million viewers that night.
- * Season 7 of King of the Hill begins on Fox with the episode "Get Your Freak Off". It was seen by over 13 million viewers that night.November 8:
- * Season 3 of The Fairly OddParents begins on Nickelodeon with the premiere of the episodes "Ruled Out/That's Life!". The season's premiere was seen by just over 3.1 million viewers that night.
- * The film Muhammad: The Last Prophet is first released by Richard Rich in Turkey.November 22: The first episode of Lauras Stern airs.November 27:
- * The Walt Disney Company releases Treasure Planet. This marks the suspension of PG-rated cartoons by Disney until Teacher's Pet in January 2004 as a result of releasing majority of PG-rated cartoons from the past months of this year as Disney insisted of "bringing back" the G-rated cartoons to the big screen next year, starting with Jungle Book 2.
- * The film Eight Crazy Nights is released, which stars an animated version of Adam Sandler and takes place at Chanukah. It was lambasted by critics for its excessive lewd humor and becomes a box office bomb.
December
December 1: The Simpsons episode "Helter Shelter" premieres on Fox, this was the final episode of the show to be produced entirely in cel animation, the show officially switches over to digital ink and paint afterwards.December 6: The first episode of Codename: Kids Next Door airs on Cartoon Network.December 11: South Park concludes its sixth season on Comedy Central with the Christmas special "Red Sleigh Down", which was seen by nearly 2 million viewers that night. At the end of the episode, Kenny surprisingly returns to the show after being dead for exactly a year.December 17: Beauty and the Beast and Why Man Creates are added to the National Film Registry.December 20: The Wild Thornberrys Movie premieres, receiving generally positive reviews.December 26: The Japanese animation studio Feel is founded.Awards
- Academy Award for Best Animated Feature: Shrek
- Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film: For the Birds
- Animation Kobe Feature Film Award: The Cat Returns
- Annecy International Animated Film Festival Cristal du long métrage: My Beautiful Girl, Mari
- Annie Award for Best Animated Feature: Spirited Away
- Goya Award for Best Animated Film: Dragon Hill, la colina del dragón
- Japan Media Arts Festival Animation Award: Crayon Shin-chan: The Storm Called: The Battle of the Warring States
- Mainichi Film Awards - Animation Grand Award: ''Crayon Shin-chan: The Storm Called: The Battle of the Warring States''
Films released
- January 18 - My Beautiful Girl, Mari
- January 21 - Is It College Yet?
- February 9 - Turn A Gundam I: Earth Light
- February 10 - Turn A Gundam II: Moonlight Butterfly
- February 15 - Return to Never Land
- February 19 - Balto II: Wolf Quest
- February 21 - Song of the Miraculous Hind
- February 26 - Cinderella II: Dreams Come True
- March 2 - One Piece: Chopper's Kingdom on the Island of Strange Animals
- March 9 - Doraemon: Nobita in the Robot Kingdom
- March 10 - A Tree of Palme
- March 12 - Tom and Jerry: The Magic Ring
- March 15 - Ice Age
- March 19 - The Hunchback of Notre Dame II
- March 21 - Tytus, Romek and A'Tomek Versus the Thieves of Dreams
- March 30 - WXIII: Patlabor
- April 3 - Tristan & Isolde
- April 20:
- * Crayon Shin-chan: The Storm Called: The Battle of the Warring States
- * Detective Conan: The Phantom of Baker Street
- April 27 - Báječná show
- May 15 - Initial D: Battle Stage
- May 24 - Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron
- June 21 - Lilo & Stitch
- June 27 - Ogu and Mampato in Rapa Nui
- June 28 - Hey Arnold!: The Movie
- July 3 - The Powerpuff Girls Movie
- July 6 - 6 Angels
- July 13 - Pokémon Heroes
- July 20 - The Cat Returns
- July 23 - Tarzan & Jane
- July 26 - Alibaba
- August 6 - The Adventures of Tom Thumb & Thumbelina
- August 12 - Rolie Polie Olie: The Great Defender of Fun
- August 16 - The Princess and the Pea
- August 17 - Beyblade: Fierce Battle
- September 3 - Mickey's House of Villains
- September 20 - Eden
- September 25 - Corto Maltese: La cour secrète des Arcanes
- September 27 - Karlsson on the Roof
- October 1 - Barbie as Rapunzel
- October 3 - Mercano, the Martian
- October 4:
- * Johan Padan and the Discovery of the Americas
- * Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie
- October 6 - Inspector Gadget's Last Case
- October 9 - Kwentong kayumanggi
- October 13 - Sabrina: Friends Forever
- October 19 - Tamala 2010: A Punk Cat in Space
- October 20 - Time Kid
- October 27 - Dennis the Menace: Cruise Control
- October 28 - VeggieTales: The Star of Christmas
- November - S.O.S. Planet
- November 3 - The Archies in JugMan
- November 8 - Muhammad: The Last Prophet
- November 10 - Dinosaur Island
- November 12 - Winnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year
- November 17 - My Fair Madeline
- November 20 - Blue Gender: The Warrior
- November 24 - Groove Squad
- November 27:
- * Eight Crazy Nights
- * Treasure Planet
- November 28 - Fimfárum
- December - Time Gate
- December 1 - Treasure Island
- December 5:
- * Anjé: The Legend of the Pyrenees
- * The Little Polar Bear: Lars and the Little Tiger
- December 10 - The Land Before Time IX: Journey to Big Water
- December 14 - Hamtaro: The Captive Princess
- December 15 - Globehunters: An Around the World in 80 Days Adventure
- December 18 - The Boy Who Wanted to Be a Bear
- December 20:
- * Dragon Hill
- * The Wild Thornberrys Movie
- December 21 - InuYasha the Movie: The Castle Beyond the Looking Glass
- December 22 - The Amazing Zorro
- December 29 - 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea
- Specific date unknown:
- * Birdvillage: Second Nest
- * ''Holy Fox''
Television series debuts
| Date | Title | Channel | Year | - |
| January 9 | Butt-Ugly Martians | Nickelodeon | 2002–2003 | - |
| January 19 | Teamo Supremo | ABC, Toon Disney | 2002–2004 | - |
| January 21 | Cyberchase | PBS Kids | 2002–present | - |
| February 23 | Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory | Adult Swim | 2002 | - |
| February 23 | Pilot Candidate | Adult Swim | 2002 | - |
| February 23 | Yu Yu Hakusho | Adult Swim | 2002–2006 | - |
| March 2 | Mr. Bean: The Animated Series | ITV1, CITV | 2002–present | - |
| March 22 | ChalkZone | Nickelodeon | 2002–2008 | - |
| April 1 | Play with Me Sesame | Noggin | 2002–2007 | - |
| April 7 | Super Duper Sumos | Nickelodeon | 2002–2003 | - |
| May 4 | Angelina Ballerina | PBS Kids | 2002–2006 | - |
| May 16 | Eye Drops | TechTV | 2002 | - |
| May 25 | Phantom Investigators | Kids' WB | 2002 | - |
| June 3 | Hamtaro | Cartoon Network | 2002–2004 | - |
| June 7 | Kim Possible | Disney Channel | 2002–2007 | - |
| July 19 | Whatever Happened to... Robot Jones? | Cartoon Network | 2002–2003 | - |
| July 20 | The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius | Nickelodeon | 2002–2006 | - |
| August 16 | He-Man and the Masters of the Universe | Cartoon Network | 2002–2004 | - |
| August 17 | ¡Mucha Lucha! | Cartoon Network | 2002–2005 | - |
| August 23 | Transformers: Armada | Cartoon Network | 2002–2003 | - |
| August 31 | Inuyasha | Adult Swim | 2002–2013 | - |
| September 2 | Liberty's Kids | PBS Kids | 2002–2003 | - |
| September 7 | Toad Patrol | Toon Disney | 2002 | - |
| September 14 | What's New, Scooby-Doo? | Kids' WB | 2002–2005 | - |
| September 14 | Ozzy & Drix | Kids' WB | 2002–2003 | - |
| September 14 | Pokémon: Master Quest | Kids' WB | 2002–2003 | - |
| September 14 | Fillmore! | ABC | 2002–2004 | - |
| September 14 | Fighting Foodons | FoxBox | 2002–2003 | - |
| September 14 | Kirby: Right Back at Ya! | FoxBox | 2002–2006 | - |
| September 14 | Stargate Infinity | FoxBox | 2002–2003 | - |
| September 14 | Ultraman Tiga | FoxBox | 2002–2003 | - |
| September 14 | Ultimate Muscle | FoxBox | 2002–2004 | - |
| October 21 | Max & Ruby | Nick Jr. | 2002–2020 | - |
| November 2 | Clone High | MTV | 2002–2003 | - |
| November 7 | 3-South | MTV | 2002–2003 | - |
| November 4 | Girlstuff/Boystuff | YTV | 2002–2003 | - |
| December 6 | Codename: Kids Next Door | Cartoon Network | 2002–2008 | - |
| December 9 | Wick Wick Plant | TF1 | 2002-2003 |
Births
February
February 4: Graham Verchere, Canadian actor.March
March 4: Jacob Hopkins, American actor.April
April 8: Skai Jackson, American actress.April 17: Justin Felbinger, American voice actor.April 26: Kristen Li, American actress.April 29: Grace Kaufman, American actress and daughter of David Kaufman.May
May 6: Emily Alyn Lind, American actress.May 8: Ethan Wacker, American actor.June
June 3: Eva Bella, American actress.June 17: Merit Leighton, American actress.July
July 24: Benjamin Flores Jr., American actor and rapper.August
August 1: Oona Laurence, American actress.September
September 8: Gaten Matarazzo, American actor.September 22: Humberto Vélez Jr., Mexican voice actor and son of Humberto Vélez.September 27: Jenna Ortega, American actress.October
October 26: Julian Dennison, New Zealand actor.December
December 23: Finn Wolfhard, Canadian actor and musician.Deaths
January
January 7: Avery Schreiber, American actor and comedian, dies at age 66.January 12: Ernest Pintoff, American animator and film director, dies at age 70.January 16: Ron Taylor, American actor, singer and writer, dies from a heart attack at age 49.January 17: Queenie Leonard, English actress, dies at age 96.January 20: Joe Mazzuca, American television producer, dies at age 66.January 21: Peggy Lee, American singer and voice actress, dies at age 81.January 28: Astrid Lindgren, Swedish children's book author and writer, dies at age 94.February
February 13: Waylon Jennings, American singer, songwriter and musician, dies from complications of diabetes at age 64.February 22: Chuck Jones, American animator, director and painter, dies from heart failure at age 89.February 26: Lawrence Tierney, American actor, dies from pneumonia at age 82.March
March 12: Vitaly Peskov, Russian caricaturist, illustrator, animator and film director, dies at age 57.March 17: Rosetta LeNoire, American voice actress, dies at age 90.March 27: Dudley Moore, English actor, comedian, musician and composer, dies at age 66.March 31: Marvin Goldhar, Canadian actor, dies at age 68.May
May 5: George Sidney, American film director and producer, dies at age 85.May 7: Bob Onorato, American animator, character designer and storyboard artist, dies at age 48.May 11: Bill Peet, American children's book illustrator, writer and animator, dies at age 87.May 19: Earl Hammond, American actor, dies at age 80.May 20: Stephen Jay Gould, American paleontologist, evolutionary biologist and science historian, dies from metastatic cancer at age 60.May 24: Joseph Bau, Polish-Israeli artist, philosopher, comedian, poet and animator, dies at age 81.June
June 13: Vincent Fago, American comic book artist and animator, dies at age 83.June 24: Bernard Longpré, Canadian animator and animated director, dies at age 65.June 27: John Entwistle, English musician and member of the Who, dies from a drug-induced heart attack at age 57.July
July 8: Ward Kimball, American animator and one of Disney's Nine Old Men, dies at age 88.July 9: Rod Steiger, American actor, dies from pneumonia and kidney failure at age 77.July 24: Maurice Denham, English actor, dies at age 92.July 26:- * Buddy Baker, American composer, dies at age 84.
- * Kenny Gardner, American singer and actor, dies at age 89.
August
August 5:- * Josh Ryan Evans, American actor, dies from a congenital heart condition at age 20.
- * Chick Hearn, American sportscaster, dies from a head injury from a fall at age 85.
September
September 11: Johnny Unitas, American football quarterback, dies from a heart attack at age 69.October
October 13: Keene Curtis, American actor, dies at age 79.October 21: George Hall, Canadian actor, dies from a stroke at age 85.October 25: Richard Harris, Irish actor and singer, dies from hodgkin's disease at age 72.October 29: Glenn McQueen, Canadian animator, dies from complications of melanoma cancer at age 41.November
November 3: Jonathan Harris, American actor, dies at age 87.November 7: Hilary Bader, American television writer, dies at age 50.November 8: Irv Wyner, American background artist and animator, dies at age 98.November 17: Marvin Mirisch, American film producer and brother of Walter Mirisch, dies from a heart attack at age 84.November 18: James Coburn, American actor, dies at age 74.November 20: Nina Elias-Bamberger, American television producer, dies from a respiratory infection caused by an ovarian tumor at age 48.November 26: Marco Biassoni, Italian comic artist, illustrator and animator, dies at age 71 or 72.December
December 2: Bill "Tex" Henson, American animator, dies in a traffic accident at age 78.December 3: Mike Svayko, American animator, storyboard artist, background artist, prop designer, technical director, sheet timer and director, dies at age 48.Specific date unknown
- Jane Conger Belson Shimané, American film director and animator, dies at age 74 or 75.
- John T. Miller, American animator and storyboard artist, dies at an unknown age.