Luxo Jr.

Luxo Jr. is the 1986 John Lasseter short that turned a desk lamp into an expressive character. The little lamp later became Pixar's mascot in the studio logo.

Yes, Luxo Jr. became the first computer-animated film nominated for an Academy Award. Its nomination was for Best Animated Short Film after its 1986 release.

The short follows a small lamp playing with a ball while a larger lamp watches like a parent. In just a couple of minutes, Pixar showed that computer animation could carry personality, timing, and emotion.

Luxo Jr. is a short technical and character test from 1986, while Toy Story is Pixar's 1995 feature-length breakthrough. Both share the same central idea: everyday objects can act like living characters.