Read Animation: World Classic Animation

Author: Xu Jing, Wang Yang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-08-01
Features:
When we were young, we all loved listening to stories. How many times did we drift into dreamland while our grandmother slowly narrated ancient legends? Now, with the emergence of animated films, these stories, filtered through time, have become even more vivid and colorful. Back then, we thought our days were endless, and the future was vast and uncertain. We always wondered when we would grow up, be able to speak of love and sorrow, experience joy and sorrow, and live life like an animated film—full of twists and turns, moments of hope, and thrilling climaxes.
Years later, we realize that more and more people and things have changed, and we are no longer the innocent, youthful selves we once were. Animated films have become a petal that has fallen in our hearts—though incomplete, it carries a lingering fragrance. Every time we see it, we can’t help but sigh. Perhaps that’s why, when we meet each other, we always feel a deep connection. We reminisce about our shared past, mourn the good times that have passed, and hold onto those animated films. We almost wish we could carry a sack and block the flow of time, preventing it from drifting into an unknown future.
When we were very, very young, we read the fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen. One of them, called The Flowers of Little Ida, tells of flowers in pots that come alive at night, holding dance parties and showcasing their beauty. From then on, we seemed to understand that all things have a spirit, and Toy Story is the same. Belgian comics are always filled with a kind of gentle humor and strongly reject extreme forms of violence. This is evident in The Smurfs and another globally beloved comic, Tintin’s Adventures, both of which possess a down-to-earth wisdom.
This book records all the stories we know, such as The Smurfs, Cinderella, Astro Boy, Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck, Tom and Jerry, Doraemon, Lion King, Snow White, Spirited Away, Shrek, and The King and the Bird. We condense images into words, bring the stories behind the scenes onto paper, collect quotes from the masters who created these classics, and compile the iconic lines of the protagonists.
We hope this Reading Animation can become a time tunnel, taking you back to the greetings of years past and allowing you to relive the memories of bygone days. This should be a nostalgic book for those who share similar growth experiences, for those who have loved and still love animation, for all friends, and as a for ourselves. It is not a reference note or a film essay—it is simply an album, a memorandum, guiding us to explore endless reflections along the thread of animation.