| Animated feature films |
|---|
 |
| By decade |
A list of animated feature films first released in 1981.
| 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 Mizūmi) |
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 |