Inspired by the iconic Nemo comic strips from Winsor McCay, the first Little Nemo animated movie was brought to life in 1911 by McCay, a pioneer in the field of animation. Initially, Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata were on board for this venture. However, they chose to separate due to "creative differences." It is also rumored that Ray Bradbury withdrew from the project in its early stages. Little Nemo - Adventures in Slumberland is the initial Japanese anime to have a national (widespread) release in the United States.