Although animated films had been part of cinema for decades, the Academy didn't create a dedicated 'Best Animated Feature' category until 2001 (awarded in 2002). The inaugural winner was DreamWorks' 'Shrek,' which beat out Pixar’s 'Monsters, Inc.' and 'Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius.' Before this, animated films could only win Special Achievement Awards (like 'Toy Story') or compete in the Best Picture category (like 'Beauty and the Beast'). The creation of this category was a response to the massive commercial and critical success of CG animation in the late 90s. Since its inception, Pixar has dominated the category, winning 11 times as of 2024. Interestingly, only one hand-drawn, non-English film has ever won: Hayao Miyazaki's 'Spirited Away' in 2003.