A certain number continues to appear in animated films and is such a beautiful tribute

For people who grew up in the 90s, Pixar’s animated films are souvenirs of childhood nostalgia. Sitting in front of the TV with a bowl of chips and watching movies like Toy Story, Ratatouille and Bugs Life was free time. Immersed in the animated scenes, we often found ourselves noticing objects that spoke, meadows filled with thick grasses, or super women flying through the air. But there’s something often overlooked that lurks in almost every Pixar film, camouflaged in a way that people don’t notice it despite being in plain sight (okay, not Pixar fans). This feature is the mysterious code “A113”.

Since Pixar and Disney began collaborating in 1986, the duo has produced films and animations that have captivated everyone from young to old. With different types of characters that are human, anthropomorphic, cartoonish and mechanical, the films present a dreamlike world filled with modern animations and insightful lessons. But on top of all that, there’s this weird code word that appears in almost every Pixar movie.

Pronounced “A One-Thirteen,” the code has appeared in one form or another in every Pixar film. From Andy’s mom’s license plate in “Story” to the truck’s license plate in “Finding Dory,” the code is a famous character that makes its appearance everywhere, even in non-Pixar movies. These include, “Avengers”, “Hunger Games: Catching Fire”, “Rise of the Planet of the Apes”, “The Simpsons” and “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol”. This strange code word lurks all around us.

Considered one of the most famous Pixar movie easter eggs, the mysterious four-letter code even has a Wikipedia page dedicated to it. The secret lies in the background of the careers of the artists who create these spectacular animations. This code word is a way for them to pay homage to the place where most of them started their artistic careers.

“A1-13 was the animation class at the California Institute of the Arts in the Character Animation Program,” John Lasseter, chief creative officer at Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios, revealed to NBC New York. “Cal Arts is one of the best animation schools… and a lot of students… as they created films – short films and feature films, they kind of hid A113 in the films.”

Brad Bird, the director of films such as “The Incredibles” and “Ratatouille”, was the first to use the A113 as an Easter egg. He carved it into a license plate appearing in “Family Dog,” an animated film from the 1987 TV series “Amazing Stories.”

Here are ten Pixar movies where the code word “A113” has appeared.

1. Toy Story

The license plate number on Mrs. Davis’ minivan.

2. The life of a bug

A113 can be seen in a cereal box as Flik enters the town of Bug.

3. Finding Nemo

In-camera code used by a diving character.

4. The unbelievable

A room number in Syndrome’s lair.

5. Cars

The code appears on the Mater’s license plate number.

6. Ratatouille

Git, the lab rat, has a tag on his left ear that reads “A113.”

7. Elementary

A113 appears in a small panel on the wall in this 2023 movie.

8. The good dinosaur

In this film, the code word appears in the form of pegs on the wooden fence that surrounds Arlo’s family farm area.

9. Finding Dory

The license plate number on the truck containing the quarantined fish reads: “CAL A113”.

10. Coco

In “Coco”, Pixar’s famous Easter egg “A113” can be seen on the office door in “Land of the Dead”.