<p><strike>According to user Zalis on <a href="http://myanimelist.net/forum/?topicid=622815" rel="nofollow noreferrer">the MyAnimeList forums</a>, one of the first instances of widescreen anime was <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betterman_(TV_series)" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Betterman</a> <strong>(1999)</strong>. However, because it isn't one of the better known shows, it often gets overlooked and </strike><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vandread" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Vandread</a> <strong>(2000)</strong> is often accredited with the first.</p>
<p>The cinema is often the first place for the widescreen transition of visual media, and early animated (and non-animated) films were sometimes shown in widescsreen at the cinema, and later reshaped for broadcast/dvd. The earliest example I could find for this was Magic Boy (<strong>1960~</strong>) This was  2.40:1 rather than 16:9 though. You can see the difference between the aspect ratios below:</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/L7a7O.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/L7a7O.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p>I don't think there are any specific <em>points in time</em> that we can point to where there was a definite switch - just as the transition to digital happened, but the full transition seems to have been almost completed in 2006-2008, when 4:3 anime was rare and the larger series like One Piece, Naruto, etc. had all switched over.</p>
<p>References:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book:Anime_and_Manga_(Shortened)" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Anime &amp; Manga - Wikipress.</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.animenation.net/blog/2001/10/15/ask-john-is-tv-anime-widescreen/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">AnimeNation - Ask John</a></li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-02-09T14:27:46.113Z
I think the information from Zalis is incorrect. From everything I've seen of this show, it looks like the DVD release is 16:9 (actually 1.85:1), but the top and bottom were cropped off in a way that a lot of important information is lost. Not sure how this aired in 1999, but I don't think it was originally widescreen just based on how each scene was shot.
Sawtaytoes
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-02-09T14:49:42.290Z
I got confirmation Betterman was 4:3 from the description on this old Best Buy product page for the DVD: https://www.bestbuy.com/site/betterman-vol-2-metamorphosis-dvd/4700489.p?skuId=4700489

I'd question Vandread being the same way. Some release was 16:9 cropped, and people just assumed it was widescreen.
Sawtaytoes
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-02-09T17:53:52.137Z
Thanks @Sawtaytoes. I've updated the post.
Toshinou Kyouko
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-02-15T14:20:46.023Z
Sorry to have to update this again. I asked some eBay sellers whom had similar looking DVD cases to that Best Buy listing, and those were all anamorphic widescreen (not 4:3). Looking through the Blu-ray release's Amazon Japan reviews, the horrible Google Translations seem to say something about it being cropped from the DVD release. I don't have enough information to know other than that Best Buy listing and the possibility of true 4:3 DVDs.
Sawtaytoes
CC BY-SA 4.0
2015-09-20T10:53:59.427Z
2024-02-09T17:53:26.477Z
2024-02-09T17:53:26.477Z
Toshinou Kyouko
<p>Modern television anime is produced at an aspect ratio of 16:9 - widescreen/HD. But in the past, television anime was more often produced at an aspect ratio of 4:3 - standard definition.</p>

<p>When did the transition from 4:3 to 16:9 for television anime happen?</p>

<p>Now, it's not too difficult to find isolated examples to get a sense for when the switchover was in progress. For example, <em>Ouran High School Host Club</em>, from spring 2006, was produced at 4:3, while <em>Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid</em>, from summer 2005, was produced at 16:9. Clearly, the transition was under way by 2005, but not complete by 2006. And I'm fairly confident that by 2011, all television anime were in 16:9 (<em>Ninja Slayer</em> notwithstanding). </p>

<p>But what I'm looking for is a more holistic view of how this transition happened. Who were the major players? Can we identify a clear starting date for the transition? And so forth. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-12-28T21:42:31.170Z
Keep in mind that during the transition you'd get a 4:3 version for TV while the DVD release would be in 16:9. Or you could get either version on DVD.
Ocean
<anime-production><anime-history>
When did the transition from standard definition (4:3) to widescreen (16:9) for television anime happen?
# When did the transition from standard definition (4:3) to widescreen (16:9) for television anime happen?
Posted by: username_0 on 2015-09-19
Modern television anime is produced at an aspect ratio of 16:9 - widescreen/HD. But in the past, television anime was more often produced at an aspect ratio of 4:3 - standard definition.

When did the transition from 4:3 to 16:9 for television anime happen?

Now, it's not too difficult to find isolated examples to get a sense for when the switchover was in progress. For example, *Ouran High School Host Club*, from spring 2006, was produced at 4:3, while *Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid*, from summer 2005, was produced at 16:9. Clearly, the transition was under way by 2005, but not complete by 2006. And I'm fairly confident that by 2011, all television anime were in 16:9 (*Ninja Slayer* notwithstanding).

But what I'm looking for is a more holistic view of how this transition happened. Who were the major players? Can we identify a clear starting date for the transition? And so forth.
**Tags:** anime-production anime-history
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Keep in mind that during the transition you'd get a 4:3 version for TV while the DVD release would be in 16:9. Or you could get either version on DVD.  
---
## 1 answers
### Answer by username_2 on 2015-09-20. Score: 7
According to user Zalis on [the MyAnimeList forums](http://myanimelist.net/forum/?topicid=622815), one of the first instances of widescreen anime was [Betterman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betterman_(TV_series)) **(1999)**. However, because it isn't one of the better known shows, it often gets overlooked and [Vandread](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vandread) **(2000)** is often accredited with the first.

The cinema is often the first place for the widescreen transition of visual media, and early animated (and non-animated) films were sometimes shown in widescsreen at the cinema, and later reshaped for broadcast/dvd. The earliest example I could find for this was Magic Boy (**1960~**) This was 2.40:1 rather than 16:9 though. You can see the difference between the aspect ratios below:

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/L7a7O.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/L7a7O.png)

I don't think there are any specific *points in time* that we can point to where there was a definite switch - just as the transition to digital happened, but the full transition seems to have been almost completed in 2006-2008, when 4:3 anime was rare and the larger series like One Piece, Naruto, etc. had all switched over.

References:

* [Anime & Manga - Wikipress.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book:Anime_and_Manga_(Shortened))
* [AnimeNation - Ask John](http://www.animenation.net/blog/2001/10/15/ask-john-is-tv-anime-widescreen/)
> **Comments:**
> **username_3** (2024-02-09): I think the information from Zalis is incorrect. From everything I've seen of this show, it looks like the DVD release is 16:9 (actually 1.85:1), but the top and bottom were cropped off in a way that a lot of important information is lost. Not sure how this aired in 1999, but I don't think it was originally widescreen just based on how each scene was shot.  
> **username_3** (2024-02-09): I got confirmation Betterman was 4:3 from the description on this old Best Buy product page for the DVD: https://www.bestbuy.com/site/betterman-vol-2-metamorphosis-dvd/4700489.p?skuId=4700489

I'd question Vandread being the same way. Some release was 16:9 cropped, and people just assumed it was widescreen.  
> **username_2** (2024-02-09): Thanks @Sawtaytoes. I've updated the post.  
> **username_3** (2024-02-15): Sorry to have to update this again. I asked some eBay sellers whom had similar looking DVD cases to that Best Buy listing, and those were all anamorphic widescreen (not 4:3). Looking through the Blu-ray release's Amazon Japan reviews, the horrible Google Translations seem to say something about it being cropped from the DVD release. I don't have enough information to know other than that Best Buy listing and the possibility of true 4:3 DVDs.  
---
