From Goldorak to Totoro: A Journey Through the Golden Age of Animation
True material translations of animated works, these drawings and cels represent both a fond childhood memory and an opportunity to own a fragment of the very origins of animation, transcending generations.
This sale will delight both nostalgic collectors and enthusiasts of 1980s and 1990s animation, highlighting the work of major animation studios, from Toei Animation (Albator, Saint Seiya, One Piece) to OLM Studios (Pokémon), as well as the celebrated Studio Ghibli (Kiki’s Delivery Service, My Neighbour Totoro, Castle in the Sky, Princess Mononoke).
Among the notable lots, a cel depicting Goten on its original background, from Dragon Ball Z after Akira Toriyama (lot 168, estimated at €300–€500), illustrates the enduring popularity of the series. More ambitious, a double-layer cel from Pokémon (lot 352, estimated at €2,000–€3,000) brings together Ash, Misty, Brock and Pikachu in an iconic composition. Studio Ghibli is also well represented, with a rare double-layer cel from My Neighbour Totoro (lot 221, estimated at €4,000–€8,000), depicting Satsuki aboard the Catbus, as well as a cel from Princess Mononoke (1997, lot 226, estimated at €2,000–€4,000), showing Ashitaka at the moment when the Forest Spirit heals his wound. Together, these works testify to the aesthetic richness and emotional depth of Japanese animation.
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Cels, or “celluloids”, are transparent sheets of cellulose acetate on which animators drew and painted characters and backgrounds by hand, layering them to create movement in animated films. Now replaced by digital tools, these unique elements have become true works of art and valuable witnesses to the history of animation.
