Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Was Made in Japan!

A beloved Christmas tradition in the United States is watching the 1964 stop-motion TV special, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Although it feels thoroughly American, the studio that brought Rudolph to life was actually based in Japan.

What is Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer?

The 1964 Rudolph film is exceedingly simple in its premise. Rudolph, the eponymous reindeer born with a nose that glowed bright red, had a sad life. Rudolph was picked on and bullied all his life for being different. All he wanted was to help lead Santa’s sleigh at Christmas. After a series of wild adventures and meeting many colorful characters, he finally gets his chance on a foggy Christmas Eve.

Interestingly enough, the 1974 film starring everyone’s favorite reindeer wasn’t his first animated adventure. In 1948, Max Fleischer directed a traditional animated special based on Rudolph that told a similar tale. In this story, Rudolph lives with his mother in a forest far from Santa. When Santa crashes into his forest during that infamously foggy Christmas Eve, he discovers Rudolph’s bright nose. It hits the main beats, but lacks many subplots found in the stop-motion special.

If that sounds familiar, it’s because the movie essentially follows the plot of the song. It’s nothing groundbreaking, but it’s cute and fun in all the right ways. But what really makes the movie stand out is its animation. Rather than using traditional hand-drawn animation, Rudolph and his pals are brought to life by meticulously detailed stop-motion puppets. They are delightful to look at, and their designs are now tied to the Christmas season. Like Santa Claus Is Coming to Town and How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer has become a holiday classic.

The Company Behind It

The company that produced the film was Rankin/Bass, which is based in the United States. The movie features English-speaking actors and tells a story based on a Western holiday. It would be easy to think a Western studio made it. In fact, the film was created by the Japanese studio MOM Productions. While this name might be familiar to many viewers, several of their works certainly are.

MOM Productions has a massive list of films they animated, with some of their most famous being 1970’s Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town, 1971’s Here Comes Peter Cottontail, and 1979’s Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July. Yup, MOM Productions was responsible for some of the most beloved holiday films of all time.

It can be challenging to find exact details covering the whole history of the company and how it became responsible for animating the film; however, there are several reliable facts. Tadahito Mochinaga was the animation director of the film, not Kizo Nagashima, despite being credited as such. Mochinaga and assistant animation director Hiroshi Tabata both took a 10-hour train from Tokyo to Nara to study its famous deer. Ichiro Komuro was the creator of Rudolph’s actual puppet, who utilized a variety of materials to craft him.

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Why is this cool?

As classic and deeply ingrained in American culture as Rudolph is, it’s a bit surprising that many people may not know who worked on the film. Examining credits and seeing only “MOM Production” listed doesn’t provide much insight into the production crew. Many talented artists and animators put in great effort and time to make the film. Yet their work has gone mostly unnoticed for 60 years. They deserve recognition for creating such a remarkable movie.

While Christmas and the Christmas season may not be everyone’s bag (there are many different cultures around the world, after all), it’s still exciting to appreciate the level of artistry that went into creating the film. Real artists used real materials to create one of the most famous Christmas movies of all time. Even if the film is just watched as a fun and silly romp starring reindeer, it’s mighty impressive how much love and attention was put into it.

Why should you care that MOM Productions made Rudolph?

Everyone has their share of favorite Christmas memories. Baking cookies, gift shopping, and various other holiday activities help make Christmas one of the best times of the year for countless people. For many, many people across multiple generations, there is a shared experience of getting into warm jammies after dinner, getting something sweet to eat, and snuggling down to watch Rudolph on TV. 

When you’re young, and that glow of excitement is still shining bright, something as simple as a stop-motion feature can be one of the best moments of your life. So here’s a hearty thank you to MOM Productions for helping create so many unforgettable memories around the world. Thank you for bringing so much happiness and joy to many children, both big and small, over the years.

There are a few movies that become such cultural cornerstones, but Rudolph is definitely one of them. Have you seen Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer before? What do you think of it? Please let us know in the comments below! We’d love to hear your thoughts on it!

Cited Sources

• Smithsonian Magazine. “The Magical Animation of ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’”.
• History.com. “7 Surprising Facts About Classic Holiday TV Specials“.
• Geekwire. “The geeky tech behind Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer“.