1981 in animation
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The year 1981 in animation involved some events.
Films released
- February 13 – American Pop (United States)
- April 1 – Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, a Sailor from York (Czechoslovakia)
- July 10 – The Fox and the Hound (United States)
- November 20 – The Looney Looney Looney Bugs Bunny Movie (United States)
Television series
Debuts
- April 3 – Willo the Wisp on BBC1 (United Kingdom, 1981)
- September 12:
- The Kid Super Power Hour with Shazam! on NBC (United States, 1981–1982)
- Space Stars on NBC and Nickelodeon (United States, 1981–1982)
- Spider-Man in syndication (United States, 1981–1982)
- Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends on NBC (United States, 1981–1983)
- The Smurfs on NBC (United States, 1981–1989)
- October 10 – Ulysses 31 in syndication (France, Japan, 1981–1982)
Births
Deaths
- June 19 – Lotte Reiniger, German-born silhouette animator (b. 1899)