Western Animation - Discuss American, Canadian, and European cartoons here (or just bitch about wokeshit, I guess)

[starborn427614]

The issue is that what they are aiming for is not sustainable and that they could easily gain an audience, they just lack effort.

Nickelodeon is the best example to explain my point. Nick had everything going for them but got super complacent and downright vile in their business. The need to keep SpongeBob on top prevented them from having any new talent pad out the lineup. They cannot even claim the talent was not there. They had good series like Catscratch, El Tigre and Making Fiends yet deliberately sabotaged them. Now the channel has gone on 7 years since its last hit original IP The Loud House, and before that it was roughly 11 years without anything since Avatar. It was their choice to handicap themselves, and now they have to rely on nostalgia for 90s and early 00s IPs to keep them floating. Look at any modern Nick game, and the newest members are from 2016, it is beyond pathetic for a channel that was and still is the most popular kids network.

Cartoon Network is not much better. With the Warner merger, the channel sat dormant for about half a decade while worthwhile shows like Justice League Action got shafted. They let Adult Swim consume an ever increasing amount of the channel and let TTG be the only thing on for 10 years. CN did nothing to grow an audience unlike the success they had from 2010-2015. Even with the internet, they were still coasting high, but threw it all away for what I presume to be streaming?

Oh I agree with you, I'm just more commenting on the idea that just because a show didn't ultimately become popular with its intended audience doesn't necessarily mean it's failed as a piece of media. As for your actual point, it's funny you bring up Avatar because that's about to get a HUGE push in the form of what is essentially a cinematic universe. Never mind the live action show coming to Netflix. They're going all in on an established property without thinking about the issue of overloading people. Even fans have their limits with things they enjoy.

 

[Basic Blond Boy]

They're going all in on an established property without thinking about the issue of overloading people. Even fans have their limits with things they enjoy.

Let’s not forgot that the last effort with this IP was Korra, which was not received well and did so poorly that Nick aired episodes on their website. Sure, it has a resurgence and fans now, but the previous effort should be accounted for. I don’t even think the Sponge’s spin-offs are doing all that well, nor the new Rugrats.

 

[Georgio Cocklord]

You can thank the Animation Age Ghetto for why modern cartoonists and writers have this mindset that "ANIMATION IS NOT JUST FOR KIDS" only to make cartoons that aren't for kids yet are marketed as such.

And then they cry and seethe that they keep getting labeled as groomers. Really makes you think.

The Anime revolution and its consequences.

Theres actually nothing wrong with putting adult content in animation meant for kids, war, death, disease, genocide, abuse, sin and the like. Disney did that before the anime family guy shit happened, Claude frollo literally burned down a house full of people for not complying with the gypsy hunters. The problem is that it's adult only content being put in kids animation forming a weird mutated homunculus made by a retarded pozzed baby smashing together anime and family guy.

Funny anecdote, the hubby and I dressed up and walked around the neighborhood on Halloween. I wasn't dressed as much, just had on my Team Rocket red R shirt and a matching skirt and boots with mesh gloves, and that was it. Yet some little girl dressed as a princess or ballerina got so excited seeing my "costume" that she hugged me shrieking "I luv your coshtume!"

Wholesome. That's one good thing I'm trying to do for the most part, curating and archiving all the shows I watched as a kid so I can watch them with my children when the time comes. I can only imagine a time when piracy becomes a big enough force and companies are forced to backpedal on all the astroturfed nonsense.

It's a similar phenomenon in the adult media space too, people take shit like RoboCop and metal gear which is made by intelligent people for idiots and use them to justify Netflix diarrhea which is made by idiots for idiots both of whom think they're intelligent people.

 

[anustart76]

That's one good thing I'm trying to do for the most part, curating and archiving all the shows I watched as a kid so I can watch them with my children when the time comes. I can only imagine a time when piracy becomes a big enough force and companies are forced to backpedal on all the astroturfed nonsense.

Me too, brother. I have all rips of all the good old stuff unmolested sitting on a server so I can share it with my kids, or even just enjoy it myself every so often.

 

[SecretMagicalGirl]

Let’s not forgot that the last effort with this IP was Korra, which was not received well and did so poorly that Nick aired episodes on their website. Sure, it has a resurgence and fans now, but the previous effort should be accounted for. I don’t even think the Sponge’s spin-offs are doing all that well, nor the new Rugrats.

Funny you mention that, but while I still consider Avatar The Last Airbender of the greatest masterpieces not just for kids, but in animation as a whole period.But, everything they have done after it has been so terrible it as killed my interest on the franchise,

It started with the God awful M. Night Shyamalan movie and the upcoming Woke Netflix adaptation has not helped.

But It was Korra which killed my interest. Not only was it patient zero in the woke pandering to try to save an unpopular show, but it had an insufferable protagonist. It was even like The last Jedi in a way as it made its better predecessor worse.

Which is a shame as the franchise had the potential to be a heavy hitters like Star wars

It was truly a miracle the original worked as well as it did, all things considered.

 

[Colon capital V]

Some more potential Kung Fu Panda 4 info in regards to the plot:

 

[A Grey Cat]

New episode of ghost and molly mcgee drops today and well...


While I've said the shipping/romance in western animation has gotten way out of hand, often to the point where it overtakes the overall writing and characters. It is a breath of fresh air to a see a straight couple in a western cartoon again let alone a Disney one.

 

[TVB]

Modern writers don't even look to or care for these creators. The western inspiration for modern cartoons isn't the DCAU or Samurai Jack, it is a combination of Invader Zim, Avatar and Adventure Time. Past those it is always anime (Pokemon, Sailor Moon, DBZ, Naruto) or Harry Potter, maybe Sonic.

And for adult animation these days, it's either an action show also heavily inspired by anime or a sitcom that has the same art style or humor as that of Simpsons, Family Guy, Futurama or American Dad.

Don't forget Horvitz voiced the title character of Invader Zim. I'm surprised no one has mentioned that show in a while.

Grey Cat already mentioned him. But what he didn't mention was Horvitz also voiced Raz in Psychonauts.

LOL at a glance that looked like Korra to me. Is it a similar problem?

At this rate, yes.

 

[Grumpy Pickle Rick]

While I loved those shows, they have become a common reason for manchildren to watch children entertainment. It doesn't help that modern adults are more infantile than actual 10 year olds since they can't stomach shit like police, violence and suicide.

That is absolutely true.

I met a manchild a couple years back who was a bit obsessed with the old Batman show. He was also pretty sensitive about his stupid fanfics.

The manchildren watching get off to imagining they are the victims of such abuse, when statistically, they are at the upper echelons of society.

I will never understand why some people get off on imagining abuse. As someone who’s been a victim of actual abuse it’s not fun. Plus, I find a bit insulting.

Mature themes mean are things like taking hard choices, getting disillusioned with your childhood expectations and coming to term with having no right answers. Having depression or a shit childhood is not mature, especially for the former that's basically an imagined issue.

I agree.

A lot of modern writers don’t understand that. All they care about are their little fantasies (revenge, power, etc).

 

[TVB]

A lot of modern writers don’t understand that. All they care about are their little fantasies (revenge, power, etc).

Modern writers 2010s onward is pretty much "good guy wins at the end" and also add in equally as fanfiction-tier dialogue

 

[Grumpy Pickle Rick]

Modern writers 2010s onward is pretty much "good guy wins at the end" and also add in equally as fanfiction-tier dialogue

Exactly!

These adults today are like little kids pretending to be superheroes and Disney Princesses. Which is insulting to little kids.

 

[Kari Kamiya]

Some more potential Kung Fu Panda 4 info in regards to the plot:
View attachment 5467013

And the Fearless Five isn't mentioned at all.

...Huh. Now uh, how does this tie into China's involvement with the series? They pretty much shoved their noses into it since the third one (maybe by the end of two's production), so how CCP-influenced is this, you reckon?

 

[wtfNeedSignUp]

I will never understand why some people get off on imagining abuse. As someone who’s been a victim of actual abuse it’s not fun. Plus, I find a bit insulting.

Modern western social power structure hinges on being a victim, the more of a victim you are the more important you are and more immune to criticism. Of course as the people trying to get into high social power tend to be the least victims, they instead use labels as a means of quantifying victimhood to a disgusting effect. You being an actual victim irl will still count to those people less than something like being black (even if only one parent is black or the person's family is obscenely rich).

Tying into it, being a victim means whatever you want to do to others that you see as oppressive is morally justified.

 

[TVB]

Exactly!

These adults today are like little kids pretending to be superheroes and Disney Princesses. Which is insulting to little kids.

It talks down to children rather than actually talking to them. Adults working in the industry are literal manchildren with Peter Pan syndrome and have the same mentality of other manchildren such as the likes of Chris Chan or Moviebob.

 

[MrJokerRager]

Tubi is running old Scooby Doo cartoons with celebrity cameos from the 1970s.

Also I noticed there was a scene with "God Bless This House" as well lol.

https://tubitv.com/tv-shows/200009709

Brings me down to memory lane.

 

[The Last Stand]

I saw a repost of this image.



Notice how sections 4-5 have the same art style. I can hardly tell these shows apart from each other.

 

[starborn427614]

Some more potential Kung Fu Panda 4 info in regards to the plot:
View attachment 5467013

Seems pretty basic, even by KFP standards. Hope it turns out better than how milquetoast 3 was.

I saw a repost of this image.

View attachment 5467858

Notice how sections 4-5 have the same art style. I can hardly tell these shows apart from each other.

Four still has a few unique styles, but five is...yeah...

 

[Grumpy Pickle Rick]

Adults working in the industry are literal manchildren with Peter Pan syndrome and have the same mentality of other manchildren such as the likes of Chris Chan or Moviebob.

Yeah, and that worries me. I mean, we’ve seen how Bob and Chris turned out.

 

[Slideshow Bill]

I rewatched Inside Job and I understand why it didn't do as well, aside from Netflix fuckery. Everything it does, early American Dad did better. I really enjoy Reagan and I think other shows need more female characters like that but American Dad already did the blend of scifi glowie shit and family drama/daddy issues and better too. Hell, Myc is just Roger but written worse. Inside Job advertises itself as a dark comedy and "haha it's about a secret government agency that's behind all conspiracies haha but only the funny, safe, socially acceptable ones and not the real ones that make people uncomfortable or the ones that would upset the people that finance our show and control the media haha" It's the epitome of safe edgy. American Dad doesn't pretend that the CIA isn't fully of morally reprehensible people but Cogito Inc. is ambiguously morally grey. Only some people are evil, not the entire institution. Most characters are good, but emotionally troubled because sociopathic, power hungry feds have feelings too! And it's not like you can't have a show from the villain's perspective, but Inside Job can't commit to that.

 

[ShiftyBoi]

Seems pretty basic, even by KFP standards. Hope it turns out better than how milquetoast 3 was.

The villain in 3 made me cringe, waste of J K Simmons. Same with the liar reveal bullshit, it's a hated trope for a reason. Still some great looking moments, and Po's goose dad is always a stand out in those movies.

I saw a repost of this image.

View attachment 5467858

Notice how sections 4-5 have the same art style. I can hardly tell these shows apart from each other.

This might sound retarded but I am genuinely hoping for another resurgence like we had with 2010-2015 cartoon network, one where a show or shows is universally liked by almost all demographics. I remember being a kid and seeing people at comic con dressed as characters from adventure time and thinking it was so cool. That's rose tinted glasses obviously but everything is so cynical now. I miss when it felt like there was a bright future. Now a new image for a show is posted and everyone is already comparing it to 5 other shows and predicting which of the characters will have a redemption arc and which will have the most porn.