Lost Disney film showing Mickey Mouse predecessor discovered in Japan after 70 years

Anime history researcher Yasushi Watanabe, now 84, bought the "Oswald The Lucky Rabbit" reel for the equivalent of £3.45.

Culture 23:24 16.11.2018

A cartoon film bought by a teenager in Japan 70 years ago has been revealed as a rare lost work produced by Walt Disney.

Yasushi Watanabe, now 84, had no idea he was purchasing animation history when he picked up the reel for just 500 yen (£3.45 today) at a toy wholesaler in Osaka.

It features "Oswald The Lucky Rabbit", a long-eared character created by Disney in the 1920s that led to his most famous work: Mickey Mouse.

The discovery was first reported by Japan's Asahi Shimbun daily; Mr. Watanabe, an anime history researcher, contacted reporters there after reading a book about the history of Oswald.

Seven of the 26 short films featuring Oswald were missing, the book said - and Watanabe remembered his childhood reel.

 

"As I've been a Disney fan for many years, I'm happy I was able to play a role (in the discovery)," Mr. Watanabe told the paper.

Labelled "Mickey Manga Spide" in Japanese - Mickey Cartoon Speedy in English - the film features a dog policeman on a motorbike chasing Oswald and his girlfriend in a car.

The newspaper contacted the author of the book and the Walt Disney Archives, and confirmed the reel is indeed one of the missing films, originally titled "Neck 'n' Neck."

"We're absolutely delighted to learn that a copy of the lost film exists," Becky Cline, director of the archives, told the paper.

Mr. Watanabe's childhood purchase is now being kept at the Kobe Planet Film Archive, and another film showing 50 seconds of the same cartoon has also been unearthed at the Toy Film Museum in Kyoto, the newspaper said.

Despite creating the character - complete with oversized ears and a button nose - Disney lost the rights to another company. This led to the creation of the character that would later become known as Mickey Mouse.

And Mr Watanabe's is not the first lost Oswald film to be unearthed.

In 2014, Norway's National Library announced it had discovered a cartoon titled "Empty Socks," the first Christmas film made by Disney. It was discovered during an inventory at the library's facility near the Arctic Circle.

A year later, another short film featuring Oswald was uncovered in the UK and screened for the first time in 87 years.

 

IEPF issued a statement regarding Azerbaijani children at the UN Human Rights Council

News line

Iran Orders Millions of Afghans to Leave by July 6 or Risk Arrest
12:45 09.07.2025
Tomorrow in Abu Dhabi: Aliyev and Pashinyan Hold Crucial Peace Process Talks
12:30 09.07.2025
Heavy rainfall hits SW China, 5 missing in Sichuan
12:15 09.07.2025
U.S. Detaining Individuals from Three Continents at Guantanamo Immigration Facilities
12:00 09.07.2025
Israel eliminates Hamas commander in Lebanon — IDF
11:45 09.07.2025
South Korea sends 6 rescued North Koreans back across sea border
11:30 09.07.2025
US condemns Houthi attacks on cargo ships in Red Sea
11:15 09.07.2025
Trump says he considers agreeing to more sanctions on Russia
11:00 09.07.2025
Today is a Day of Diplomacy in Azerbaijan
10:45 09.07.2025
Mexico probes former president for allegedly taking millions in bribes from Israeli businessmen
10:30 09.07.2025
Trump, Israel’s Netanyahu meet for a second time about a ceasefire in Gaza
10:15 09.07.2025
Death toll surpasses 100, at least 160 missing in Texas
10:00 09.07.2025
Mediators move closer to securing Israel-Hamas ceasefire in Gaza
09:45 09.07.2025
FBI launches probes into former FBI, CIA directors
09:30 09.07.2025
Trump's envoy says US 'hopeful' 60-day Gaza ceasefire agreed upon 'by end of this week'
09:15 09.07.2025
Azerbaijan hosts official reception at Gulustan Palace on occasion of professional holiday of diplomats
09:00 09.07.2025
Organisation of Turkic States, TURKPA congratulate Azerbaijani diplomats on professional holiday
08:45 09.07.2025
Rubio: US waiting for signing of Azerbaijan-Armenia peace treaty
08:30 09.07.2025
Russia charges former deputy defense minister with fraud, illegal arms trafficking
20:45 08.07.2025
Far-right Israeli ministers call to block Gaza aid, enforce starvation, halt ceasefire talks
20:30 08.07.2025
Ukraine appeals to OPCW to investigate possible use of chemical weapons by Russia
20:00 08.07.2025
Minister: Slovenia considers Azerbaijan key partner in green transition
19:45 08.07.2025
Ukrainian forces push back and hold ground in Russian regions, army chief says
19:30 08.07.2025
Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan open new border crossing point
19:15 08.07.2025
Azerbaijan, Slovenia discuss green energy collaboration
19:00 08.07.2025
Baku hosts conference on role of National Leader Heydar Aliyev in media development
18:45 08.07.2025
Another Training Session Held at IEPF Headquarters – Representation at the UN in Focus
18:15 08.07.2025
'We will de-risk our economies, but we do not want to decouple,' EU Commission president says on relations with China
18:15 08.07.2025
France’s Macron makes state visit to UK with migration and Ukraine on agenda
18:00 08.07.2025
Armenian Investigative Committee conducts searches at 51 addresses simultaneously
17:45 08.07.2025
4 killed, over 20 injured in Cairo data center fire
17:30 08.07.2025
Unknown individuals attack MPs in Armenian parliament
17:15 08.07.2025
Raids on illegal migrants in hostels, prayer houses in Moscow
17:00 08.07.2025
Hakan Fidan doesn’t rule out meeting of Russian, Ukrainian and US presidents in Türkiye
16:45 08.07.2025
Investigators raid head office of Electric Networks of Armenia
16:30 08.07.2025
Family of 4 killed after small plane crashes in North Carolina
16:15 08.07.2025
ASCO discusses port, logistics centers development with Chinese company
16:00 08.07.2025
Newcastle agree £55m fee for Forest winger Elanga
15:45 08.07.2025
Pashinyan says he will personally lead 'liberation' of Armenian church
15:30 08.07.2025
Russian emergencies minister thanks Azerbaijan for organizing evacuation of Russian citizens from Iran
15:15 08.07.2025
Hamısı