Events in 1999 in animation.
Events
January
January 4: The first episode of the CN series, Ed, Edd n Eddy first airs. January 21: Anime producer Yoshinobu Nishizaki is sentenced to two years and eight months in prison for a drug possession case of two years ago. January 22: In Sweden the first episode of De tre vännerna och Jerry (The Three Friends and Jerry) premieres. January 25: The first episode of Zoboomafoo airs. January 29: The Japanese animation studio TNK is founded. January 31: The first episode of Family Guy airs.
February
February 1: Anime producer Yoshinobu Nishizaki is arrested after a handgun, 131 bullets and 20 grams of stimulant drugs were seized from his house in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo. Nishizaki, voluntarily submitted two automatic rifles, 1,800 bullets, and 30 howitzer shells kept in a station wagon in his garage, police said. Police say that Nishizaki had hidden an Austrian handgun loaded with three bullets under a zaisu chair in a study. Nishizaki told them that he had bought the handgun in Hong Kong 10 years earlier. February 2: Nickelodeon and the Children’s Television Workshop (now known as Sesame Workshop) launches Noggin, a commercial-free brand aimed at children aged 6–12.
March
March 26: 71st Academy Awards: Bunny by Chris Wedge wins the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. When You Believe by Stephen Schwartz from The Prince of Egypt wins the Academy Award for Best Original Song. March 28: The first episode of Futurama airs. It marks the debut of characters Philip J. Fry, Professor Farnsworth, Leela and Bender. The first episode also guest stars television personality Dick Clark and actor Leonard Nimoy.
April
Specific date unknown: The first Animation Masters Summit is organized in India.
May
May 1: The first episode of SpongeBob SquarePants airs. It is the second longest running Nicktoon series and became a global phenomenon. May 19: 20th Television Animation is founded. May 22: Aleksandr Petrov's The Old Man and the Sea premiers. Specific date unknown: Gene Fowler founds animation studio Fatkat, which will last until May 2009.
June
June 12: The Walt Disney Company releases Tarzan. June 30: A film adaptation of South Park, named South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut premieres.
July
July 28: André Franquin's heirs and copyright holders win the trial against the Walt Disney Animation Studios over their animated TV series version of Franquin's comics character Marsupilami, citing breaches of its license contract: Disney had failed to produce thirteen half-hour episodes (instead producing six to eight minute shorts) or use its "best efforts" to secure a commitment from a network to air the show, and it launched its marketing campaign during a time when the show was not being broadcast. Marsu also accused Disney of fraudulent concealment; the judge noted that Disney had decided to not devote sufficient resources to the Marsupilami project, and had concealed this fact from Marsu. Disney pays back the damage and hands the rights to the series back to Franquin's company Marsu Productions.
August
August 6: The Iron Giant premieres, but doesn't do well at the box office. It will only become a cult classic later. August 30: Sonic Underground airs. Unlike the proclaimed two series that aired in 1993, this incarnation of Sonic the Hedgehog became a disappointment to the fans of the video game series, ending it after 40 episodes.
September
September 6: The first episode of Dragon Tales airs and PBS Kids launches. September 24: John Kricfalusi's Boo Boo Runs Wild, a parody of Yogi Bear, first airs.
October
October 4: The infamous Arthur episode "Arthur's Big Hit" premieres.
November
November 12: The first episode of Courage the Cowardly Dog airs. November 13: Toy Story 2 premiered in theaters. November 16: Duck Amuck is added to the National Film Registry.
December
December 17: The Walt Disney Company releases Fantasia 2000, a sequel to the 1940 film Fantasia. December 24: The first episode of Happy Tree Friends airs only on the Internet. But episodes 1 to 14 of Season 1 would have its TV debut on MTV channel (late 2001, a month after concluding the first Internet Season) and on film festivals (in early 2002, by adding episode 15) over two years later.
Specific date unknown
Atomic Cartoons is founded. Augenblick Studios is founded. Cartoon Saloon is founded. JibJab is founded. Mark Baker releases Jolly Roger.