Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland premiered in American cinemas in 1992. Nevertheless, during an earlier phase of its production, numerous individuals from Studio Ghibli (known for Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro) participated in the project. A test pilot was created in 1984. In 1987, Osamu Dezaki directed a third pilot, following an initial version produced by Sadao Tsukioka in the mid-1970s.