Iconic Anime Art Sells For $2.1M

DALLAS – The world’s first auction dedicated to the art of anime set multiple world records as bidders drove sales of animation cels from the genre’s most iconic and award-winning films to more than $2.1 million, June 25-27 at Heritage Auctions.

The Art of Anime and Everything Cool Auction attracted a record 2,853 bidders from around the world. Record-breaking prices were set for collectible cels from films such as My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke, Kiki’s Delivery Service and AKIRA. The sale boasted sell-through rates of 100 percent by value and 99.8 percent by lots sold.

“The hits and big moments in this sale came from all over,” Heritage Auctions Animation Art Director Jim Lentz said. “Record breaking prices were seen for lots from Astro Boy, Dragon Ball, Ghost in the Shell, Pokémon, Vampire Hunter D, Neon Genesis Evangelion, and all the films from Studio Ghibli and Miyazaki.

Mike Glad’s Anime Museum Collection traveled from museum to museum globally.

Courtesy of Scott McCue via The Intelligent Collector/Heritage Auctions

Outside of Japan and in English, “anime” is colloquial for Japanese animation. This cornerstone of the inaugural auction was the famed Glad Anime Museum Collection, created by Mike Glad, the photographer and Oscar-nominated film producer who amassed original art by some of anime’s greatest creators.

A perfect cel setup with key master background from My Neighbor Totoro (1988), depicting characters Mei and Satsuki drew 69 bids before it went for $84,000 – nearly 17 times its pre-auction estimate. The hand-painted original production cel setup can be seen at the 48:13 mark of the beloved Studio Ghibli classic. This stunning piece is rendered masterfully and attributed to the acclaimed art director Kazuo Oga, who was challenged by director Hayao Miyazaki to raise his standards for the film.

My Neighbor Totoro, 1988, depicting characters Mei and Satsuki.

Image courtesy Heritage Auctions

Also racing far beyond its pre-auction expectations was a production cel setup from AKIRA, featuring a pulse-pounding scene featuring the character Kaneda (Tokyo Movie Shinsha, 1988), which brought a winning bid of $78,000 against a pre-auction estimate of $5,000. This extremely rare key master setup from the sequence depicting Kaneda on his iconic red motorcycle, can be seen at the 1:52:48 mark of the film and on page 25 of the German Film Institute’s gallery exhibition book Ga-Netchu! The Manga Anime Syndrome. Attributed to art director Toshiharu Mizutani, these vivid and rich futuristic urban backgrounds are a defining feature of the film.

A rare production cel depicting Kaneda on his iconic red motorcycle.

Image courtesy Heritage Auctions

Bringing the same $78,000 result was AKIRA Kaneda Production Cel Sequence of 4 with Key Master Pan Background (Tokyo Movie Shinsha, 1988), a hand-painted original production cel sequence presented on its jaw-dropping Key Master pan background from the masterpiece AKIRA. This incredibly rare sequence, a crown jewel in any anime collection, can be seen on page 52 of the German Film Institute’s gallery exhibition book Ga-Netchu! The Manga Anime Syndrome.

My Neighbor Totoro, Mei, Satsuki and Catbus Production Cel Key Master Setup (Studio Ghibli, 1988) prompted 45 bids before it reached $72,000 – nearly 29 times its pre-auction estimate. This cel captures the unforgettable moment from the climactic scenes of the film, in which Satsuki finds her missing sister, Mei, with the help of the Catbus from Hayao Miyazaki’s My Neighbor Totoro.

My Neighbor Totoro production cel.

Image courtesy Heritage Auctions

An AKIRA Kaneda Production Cel Setup with Master Background (Tokyo Movie Shinsha, 1988) drew a winning bid of $63,000 against an estimate of $5,000. The cels are presented on a detailed Master background showcasing an elaborate and futuristic cyberpunk urban sprawl prevalent throughout the film. The background is rendered in gouache on two layers, and the vivid and atmospheric settings and backgrounds of the film are attributed to Toshiharu Mizutani.

Other anime highlights include:

· My Neighbor Totoro Mei, Chibi-Totoro and Chu Totoro Production Cel with Production Background (Studio Ghibli, 1988) $48,000

· Akira Kaneda Production Cel (Tokyo Movie Shinsha, 1988) $48,000

· Akira Kaneda and Kei Production Cel Setup with Key Master Background (Tokyo Movie Shinsha, 1988) $31,2000

· Kiki’s Delivery Service Kiki Production Cel Setup with Key Master Background (Studio Ghibli, 1989) $30,000

The “Everything Cool” section also had record breaking prices from TRON, Peanuts comic strip original art and animated superheroes, The Simpson’s and so many more. In fact, the entire sale’s top lot was a Charles Schulz Peanuts daily comic strip original art dated 10/9/51 (United Feature Syndicate, 1951). The strip more than doubled its pre-auction estimate when it sold for $102,000. The installment features the early versions of the characters, evidenced by Charlie Brown’s smaller feet and massive head, as well as Snoopy’s smaller, more puppy-like appearance. Early Peanuts artwork is coveted by collectors, and this strip came a year and a week after the Oct. 2, 1950 Peanuts premiere.