I am pleased and proud to announce the publication this month of Animation and the Ancient World, a collection of sixteen essays edited by myself and C.W. Marshall and published by Oxford University Press. This volume surveys how the myths, histories, and philosophies of ancient Greece and Rome have been remixed and revitalized in all sorts of wonderful ways by modern-day animators. At first glance, it may seem surprising that there is a whole volume to fill on this topic. We are all familiar with Disney’s Hercules (Ron Clements & John Musker, 1997), and some of us who are anime fans are likely aware of the mythological themes that underlie Sailor Moon (Naoko Takeuchi, 1992-) or the adventures of the time-traveling Roman bath architect in Thermae Romae (Mari Yamazaki, 2024-) but beyond that how much is there to discuss? As it turns out there is an abundance of animated material from all over the globe that takes its direct inspiration from classical antiquity, or draws on themes, images, and narratives that were originally developed by ancient authors and artists.
Read More