Blink and you'll miss it.
Even the biggest Pixar fan has likely overlooked the mysterious code “A113” which makes a brief appearance in nearly every feature film from the famed animation studio.
You'll find 'A113' on the license plate of Andy's mom's car in “Toy Story,” as the courtroom number in “Up,” on a box in “A Bug's Life” and on the diver's camera in “Finding Nemo.”
It also appears in a couple of Disney movies including “Lilo and Stitch” and “The Princess and the Frog.”
But the mystery behind “A113” is now out in the open.
Reddit users pointed out earlier this week that “A113” refers to a first-year graphic design classroom at the California Institute of Arts where many animators at Disney and Pixar were introduced to the craft.
Some of those students include John Lasseter, one of the founders of Pixar Animation Studios, “The Incredibles” and “Ratatouille” director Brad Bird and Oscar-winning filmmaker Andrew Stanton.
According to the “A113” Wiki page, Bird was the first to use the Easter egg on a license plate in a 1987 episode of the television series “Amazing Stories.”
The number has also made an appearance on the small screen in “American Dad” and “The Simpsons.”
“A113” is not the only Pixar tradition.
American voice actor John Ratzenberger, who's been referred to as “Pixar's good luck charm,” has played a role in every Pixar feature.
Also, Pizza Planet, a fictional pizza restaurant that first appears in “Toy Story,” has since been referred to in every Pixar feature film except “The Incredibles.”
