Banksy’s ‘Simpsons,’ Pamela Adlon’s ‘King of the Hill’ Lead Heritage’s Art of Anime & Everything Cool Auction Oct. 17-21

Vol. VII in the auction series also spotlights Studio Ghibli’s 40th anniversary, the genius of Chuck Jones and much more DOWNLOAD DIGITAL PRESS KIT DALLAS, Texas (Oct. 9, 2025) — This month, Heritage Auctions offers its seventh installment of its Art of Anime & Everything Cool series in a sweeping auction that encompasses the history of animation art — from the genius of Chuck Jones to Banksy’s collaboration with The Simpsons, from 40 years of Studio Ghibli to Tim Burton, Charles M. Schulz and Hanna-Barbera. Fan favorite Pamela Adlon offers her personal collection of King of the Hill animation cels to raise money for her fellow artists. The auction offers more than 2,500 lots over five days, Oct. 17-21, and promises to be the animation blockbuster that only Heritage can present. “This auction is truly a celebration of animation in all its forms, and is one of the most ambitious and comprehensive animation auctions ever assembled,” says Jim Lentz, Heritage’s Vice President of Animation and Anime Art. “The scope and variety here reflect nearly a century of creativity, innovation and storytelling that shaped not just an art form, but global culture itself. It’s a vivid tribute to the artists and studios that forever changed how we see and imagine the world.” Banksy meets The Simpsons In 2010, the mysterious British street artist Banksy left his unmistakable mark on The Simpsons with a darkly subversive twist on the show’s iconic opening sequence. His version, created for the episode “MoneyBART,” which aired October 10, 2010, instantly made headlines for its biting satire of the entertainment industry. Heritage presents this remarkable piece of that moment in pop culture history: an original Banksy drawing commemorating his contribution to The Simpsons, gifted to longtime producer Bonita Pietila. Signed by the artist, the work is among the rarest and most significant Simpsons items ever to appear at auction — a crossover treasure for both animation and urban art collectors. The auction also features more than 175 lots of Simpsons production art, including early cels from The Tracey Ullman Show, rare couch gags such as the legendary “Brady Bunch Opening,” fan-favorite “Treehouse of Horror” scenes, and even a key moment from the unforgettable reveal of Season 7’s cliffhanger, “Who Shot Mr. Burns? Part II.” For Simpsons fans, this is the ultimate collection. God Dang it, Bobby! Pamela Adlon, aka Bobby Hill, offers her personal collection Fans of the iconic animated series King of the Hill have the rare opportunity to bid on art from the beloved Mike Judge series and help members of the entertainment industry at the same time. Pamela Adlon, acclaimed actor and producer, as well as the voice of Bobby Hill, has generously donated her personal collection of original King of the Hill animation art and ephemera to be auctioned, with all proceeds benefiting her fellow artists who are struggling in an evolving entertainment economy. The auction will feature more than 90 lots including signed production cels, drawings, scripts, toys and rare memorabilia collected by Adlon over the course of the 13 seasons of the original series. This auction will highlight both the King of the Hill episodes we know and love and Adlon’s commitment to giving back. For fans of the series, the quality of art in this sale will rival that of any propane or propane accessories… I tell ya what. Here comes the Catbus: The 40th anniversary of the incomparable Studio Ghibli For 40 years Studio Ghibli has embodied the spirit of wonder, establishing itself as one of the most influential studios in animation history. Founded by Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, Toshio Suzuki and Yasuyori Tokuma, Ghibli has created timeless masterpieces. This section of the auction celebrates the films that built Ghibli’s legacy, with 80 remarkable pieces directly tied to the studio. Among the highlights is a rare production cel from Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, featuring the heroine armed and wearing her Shoki mask in the Toxic Jungle. Another standout is a hand-painted cel from My Neighbor Totoro showing Satsuki riding the beloved Catbus in the film’s joyful climax. Also included is Princess Mononoke, Miyazaki’s final film to use traditional production cels, represented by a striking image of San in her iconic mask. The collection continues with limited-edition cels from Spirited Away and Kiki’s Delivery Service. Power Up! With Heritage's biggest offering of anime and more And not just Ghibli: The auction features more than 1,000 lots of iconic and groundbreaking anime art. This sale spans the full spectrum of the genre, from Osamu Tezuka’s pioneering Astro Boy (1963) to modern favorites like Naruto and My Hero Academia. Heavy hitters that defined anime’s global rise are here in force, including the cyberpunk cult classic Akira, Super Dimension Fortress Macross and its English adaptation Robotech, Vampire Hunter D, Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon, Neon Genesis Evangelion and Pokémon. Fan favorites abound, with highlights from Cowboy Bebop, Trigun, InuYasha and Golden Boy, alongside the enchanting worlds of Cardcaptor Sakura, Magic Knight Rayearth and Cutie Honey Flash. Action and adventure continue with JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Berserk and YuYu Hakusho, while rare production materials from digitally produced series such as Fullmetal Alchemist and Naruto Shippuden make standout appearances. In concert with this trove of anime, the auction offers additional gems including original work from Æon Flux creator Peter Chung’s personal archives; materials from the 1990s cult favorite SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron drawn from director Davis Doi’s own collection; artwork from Disney’s TRON — newly revived with the upcoming TRON: Ares — and director René Laloux’s visionary animated sci-fi masterpiece Fantastic Planet. This extraordinary selection features one-of-a-kind hand-painted production cels, animation drawings, original backgrounds and rare manga art. It’s a monumental celebration of anime’s artistry and evolution as well as its influence on other creators. Chuck Jones still reigns as “King” Few names in American animation command more admiration than Charles Martin “Chuck” Jones (1912–2002). Heritage considers him among the greatest artists and storytellers ever to work in the medium — a visionary who defined the golden age of animation. This auction presents the largest collection of Chuck Jones art ever offered, with more than 200 lots, including more than 30 pieces from Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, alongside rare fine art, hand-signed works, long-sold-out limited editions and a few delightful surprises from the Oscar-winning legend. Highlights include an original oil painting, Acrobats, featuring Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck; production cels of Bugs as a Marine from Super-Rabbit and as the “King” from Rabbit Hood, and a Rabbit Seasoning layout drawing signed by Jones. Also featured: a layout of Elmer Fudd as Siegfried from What’s Opera, Doc?, ranked Number One in Jerry Beck’s The 50 Greatest Cartoons. The sale also includes the largest offering of Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner art ever assembled, plus cels of Pepé Le Pew and Marvin the Martian. Collectors will also find a watercolor of Bugs Bunny and Gossamer, signed limited-edition cels from What’s Opera, Doc? and standout Grinch artwork including cels, layout drawings and a 1998 signed illustration. A true rarity is a 26-inch bronze statue of Chuck Jones by sculptor Paul Moore, inscribed by Jones. Only seven were ever completed, and this piece is believed to be the last. “Everything Cool” section expands to celebrate animation’s wildest worlds The “Everything Cool” section of the auction widens the lens to celebrate some of the most inventive moments in animation history. This extraordinary offering features original art, cels, drawings, Key Master backgrounds and screen-used props from pop-culture powerhouses including Space Ghost, Spider-Man, Super Friends, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Batman: The Animated Series, The Iron Giant, Heavy Metal, Cool World, Charlie Brown and Peanuts, The Lord of the Rings, Betty Boop and many more. Highlights include artwork by animation legends Tim Burton and John Alvin, as well as autographs from Hanna-Barbera founders Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera. Collectors will discover vintage TV Guide cover art, rare Hanna-Barbera title cards, Rocky and Bullwinkle artwork, and early storyboards from The Flagstones — the prototype for The Flintstones. Additional finds include fine art tiles by Allyson Vought, sold-out limited editions, studio gag art, one-sheets and even an artist’s drafting table from Streamline Pictures. Screen-used props from Tim Burton’s Coraline, Corpse Bride, The Nightmare Before Christmas and ParaNorman, along with production maquettes, concept art and cast-and-crew gifts, complete this remarkable collection. “This is one of the most comprehensive and exciting non-Disney animation auctions ever assembled,” says Lentz. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for fans and collectors to acquire historic artifacts spanning every major studio.” Images and information about all lots in Heritage’s October 17 - 21 The Art of Anime and Everything Cool - Volume VII Signature® Auction can be found here. Heritage Auctions is the largest fine art and collectibles auction house founded in the United States, and the world's largest collectibles auctioneer. Heritage maintains offices in New York, Dallas, Beverly Hills, Chicago, Palm Beach, London, Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Hong Kong and Tokyo. Heritage also enjoys the highest Online traffic and dollar volume of any auction house on earth (source: SimilarWeb and Hiscox Report). The Internet's most popular auction-house website, HA.com, has more than 2 million registered bidder-members and searchable free archives of 7,000,000 past auction records with prices realized, descriptions and enlargeable photos. Reproduction rights routinely granted to media for photo credit. For breaking stories, follow us: HA.com/Facebook and HA.com/Twitter . Link to this release or view prior press releases . Hi-Res images available: Christina Rees, Director of Public Relations and Communications 214-409-1341; CRees@HA.com