Are you using your old zip code or your grandfather’s favorite brand of whiskey as a password? You’re not alone; we all have secret codes. Some are odd, some got ingrained in our minds from old shows and video games, and some are just too simple — like, who uses 1234 as their PIN? Your code might be unique to you, but if you use it everywhere, others might start to figure it out or at least ask you what it means.
About ten years ago, unless you were a Pixar fan, you probably had no idea what A113 meant. However, this secret code appeared in almost every Pixar film, as well as many other Disney movies. Supreme Court courtroom number in Up? A113. Model of the scuba diver’s camera in Finding Nemo? A113. The number on the tag that is attached to one of the rats in Ratatouille? A113. License plates of cars in Toy Story, Cars, WALL E? All A-113! This same mysterious sequence appeared in many scenes in The Simpsons, Family Guy, American Dad, and even Marvel’s Avengers (the movie, not the game, thankfully)! So, what does this set of numbers mean? When keen-eyed people on the Internet uncovered this puzzle, they couldn’t rest until the truth was revealed.
It turns out that “A113” is a classroom number at the renowned California Institute of the Arts, where the first generation of animators studied graphic design and character animation in the early 1980s. Then, graduates of this department began working for the most renowned animation companies, such as Disney and Pixar. Clearly, this is their humble way of honoring their alma mater. So, next time you watch a Pixar movie with someone, you may want to pay close attention to the details and impress your friends. Who wouldn’t want to be the walking Leo DiCaprio meme, right?
Either way, let’s look at some of the older and newer A113 Easter eggs!
1. Finding Nemo.
2. Finding Dory.
3. Incredibles 2.
4. Cars.
5. Ratatouille.
6. WALL-E.
7. Toy Story.
8. Up.
9. Monsters, Inc.
10. Coco.
11. Luca.
12. Turning Red.
13. The Simpsons.
14. The Avengers.
15. Lilo & Stitch.
