kamishibai

Kamishibai (lit. "Paper theatre") is a form of Japanese entertainment medium that became popular during the early 20th century, though it suffered a decline after the widespread introduction of movies and television after World War II.

Essentially a primitive form of motion pictures, kamishibai involves the narrator who told the story through describing the scene depicted on a paper sheet contained inside the box, switched the sheet as the story progressed, and often voiced the characters all by themselves.