Focus Animation
Raw Outrage: The Films of Phil Mulloy
1st Edition
By Chris Robinson
November 03, 2025
Phil Mulloy is the punk bluesman of animation. His films are raw, minimalist, and ferociously satirical—short bursts of crude brilliance that confront the hypocrisies of religion, nationalism, masculinity, and class with uncompromising rage. If Disney represents the heart of animation, then Mulloy ...
Chinese Animated Film and Ideology: Tradition, Innovation, and Interculturality
1st Edition
By Olga Bobrowska
July 30, 2025
This book presents a contextualized overview of the history of Chinese animated film, pointing out the most influential self-definitions of Chinese culture employed in animation art of Mao Zedong’s rule (1949–1976) but largely focusing on the representation strategies created in the times of ...
Cheer and Loathing: Scattered Ramblings on Indie Animation
1st Edition
By Chris Robinson
March 12, 2025
One of the most acclaimed writers in animation returns with this informal sequel to his previous books on indie animation, Unsung Heroes of Animation, Animators Unearthed, and Mad Eyed Misfits. In this collection, award-winning writer, Chris Robinson, looks at a wide range of films, topics (sex, ...
Dreaming a way (of) Life: The Films of Lewis Klahr
1st Edition
By Chris Robinson
February 25, 2025
Since his debut in the 1980s, Lewis Klahr has built a mesmerizing and influential body of work, establishing himself as one of the foremost collage animators—or, as he prefers, a “re-animator.” His films explore themes of identity (Altair), childhood (The Pharaoh’s Belt), sexuality (Pony Glass, ...
Fëdor Khitruk: A Look at Soviet Animation through the Work of One Master
1st Edition
By Laura Pontieri
January 30, 2025
This book is a first and long-awaited study of the directorial work of the animation master Fëdor Khitruk (1917–2012), an artist who formed in the tradition of classical cel animation only to break the conventions once he turned into a director; a liaison between artists and authorities; a ...
Earmarked for Collision: A Highly Biased Tour of Collage Animation
1st Edition
By Chris Robinson
December 19, 2024
Collage art and film date back to the early 20th century (the earliest collages have roots in 12th-century Japan). It was rooted in the age of consumerism where artists addressed an array of political and social issues by creating a carefully crafted collision of pre-existing images and sounds to ...
Chinese Animated Film and Ideology, 1940s-1970s: Fighting Puppets
1st Edition
By Olga Bobrowska
October 09, 2024
This book examines animated propaganda produced in mainland China from the 1940s to the 1970s. The analyses of four puppet films demonstrate how animation and Maoist doctrine became tightly but dynamically entangled. The book firstly contextualizes the production conditions and ideological contents...
Life in Death: My Animated Films 1976-2020
1st Edition
By Dennis Tupicoff
October 09, 2024
Death—the very word is resonant with emotion, imagery, and meaning. It is the ultimate life-event that all living things will eventually experience; as such, it comes as no surprise that death is often a popular theme of literature, art, games, cinema, music, and even animation. Dennis Tupicoff, ...
Nordic Animation: Balancing the East and the West
1st Edition
By Liisa Vähäkylä
October 09, 2024
This book examines the state of the animation industry within the Nordic countries. It looks at the success of popular brands such as Moomins and The Angry Birds, studios such as Anima Vitae and Qvisten, and individuals from the Nordics who have made their mark on the global animation industry. ...
Michel Ocelot: A World of Animated Images
1st Edition
By Laura Buono
December 01, 2023
This unique book examines the career of Michel Ocelot, from his earliest works to his latest research and productions, including an interview regarding his latest film Le Pharaon, le Sauvage et la Princesse (2022). The book highlights the director’s role in the panorama of contemporary animated ...
Mad Eyed Misfits: Writings on Indie Animation
1st Edition
By Chris Robinson
March 29, 2022
One of the most stylistically original and provocative writers in animation returns with this informal sequel to his previous books on indie animation, Unsung Heroes of Animation and Animators Unearthed. In this collection, award-winning writer Chris Robinson looks at a wide range of films and ...
Wharfie Animator: Harry Reade, The Sydney Waterfront, and the Cuban Revolution
1st Edition
By Max Bannah
December 17, 2020
This book examines the life of the Australian artist Harry Reade (1927–1998) and his largely overlooked contribution to animation. It constitutes a biography of Reade, tracing his life from his birth to his period of involvement with animation between 1956 and 1969. It explores the forces that ...