It was first used as a license plate number in the “Family Dog” episode of Amazing Stories. Over time, other TV shows, Disney movies, and every Pixar movie so far has included the alphanumeric sequence A113…
Toy Story
License plate on Andy’s mom’s car…
Why A113?
It’s the room number for a classroom at the California Institute of the Arts. And that classroom is a first-year graphic design studio used by character animation students. As these young animators have graduated and become gainfully employed animators, they’ve littered their TV shows and movies with a subtle reference to where their careers began.
Here are just a few of the many uses of A113 that you may have never noticed…
A Bug’s Life
Side of the cereal box…
Finding Nemo
Model number on the front of the scuba diver’s camera…
The Incredibles
Prison level where Mr. Incredible is held (Level A1 in Cell 13)…
Cars
Front of Trev Diesel the freight train…
License plate of Mater the tow truck…
Ratatouille
Git the lab rat’s ear tag…
WALL-E
Code for the Abandon Earth protocol…
Up
Courtroom number…
Cars 2
Tail of Siddeley the twin-engine spy jet…
First part of the image file name for the leader of the lemon cars…
License plate of Mater the tow truck…
Brave
Roman numerals (ACXIII) above the door to the witch’s cottage…
Monster’s University
Room number for the lecture hall where Mike and Sulley have their first class…
Lilo & Stitch
License plate number on all vehicles in the movie…
The Iron Giant
License plate number on the car that’s been partially eaten by the Giant…
The Princess and the Frog
Back of the trolley…
The Brave Little Toaster
The number of the apartment where “The Master” lives…
American Dad
License plate of Stan’s neighbor…
The Simpsons
Bart’s mugshot number…
Krusty the Clown’s prison uniform number…
The Avengers
Top left corner of the news feed…
California Institute of the Arts classroom number
And finally, where it all started…
(via VN)