Cartoons these days...

[Dan558]

Is it just me or have cartoons these days been downgraded in many areas? One thing that is appearent is that they have turned from "zaney" to stupidity. It seems to be a key element in "comedy" of cartoons (see Spongebob). There has always been an element of stupidity to cartoons (see Homer Simpson) but there was useually at least some, if not more of, a story and/or "meaning" to balence them out. Thats another thing cartoons were better at stories/sketches in old ones IMO that gave both hilarity to kids and subtle jokes that parents watching them could get.

Another thing is that cartoons seem to take very little pride in animation nowadays. It has gone so far that most people don't even give it a second thought! It's just passed off as "art" or a good/unique "style". If cartoons were made by a single person then I agree that looks shouldn't matter but when cartoons have a hired team to "draw" something that my 4 year old nephew could draw (see Home movies) then WTF???

Now This trend isn't JUST what cartoons have become I still like a few that have the above "problems" (Southpark with its "animation" for example). Also this trend may not or doesn't really apply to animes (I wouldn't know for sure).

Now am I just blinded by nostalgia or do I have something here? anyways if people need their memories jogged for some of the better cartoons that used to be around check out:
YouTube - 30 minutes of 90's cartoon Openings

EDIT: ok I may have been to hasty or may not have made clear that not ALL cartoons follow this route. It just seem that there are MORE cartoons nowadays that rely on stupidity and don't care about animation...

2nd Edit: Just some proof that not all 2000 cartoons are going this sucky way are some of these cartoons that I either like or don't look bad:
Duck Dogers
He-man
TMNT (but its going to go for a less detailed look)
SonicX
X-men Evolution
The Batman
GI Joe

Some that may prove my theory are the following:
Chowder (wtf is that)
Aqua Teen Hunger Force
Home Movies (as I have mentioned)
and all the Nikoloneon cartoons that just have random shapes and color splotches for backgrounds
I also wouldn't fight anyone who says Southpark falls into this category

[Zardoch]

Dude, 95% of all modern cartoons are complete shit or rip-offs/imports from other countries. There is absolutely nothing to watch, minus a VERY, VERY few cartoons (e.g Samurai Jack) that might have SOME value, but I completely agree that things have just gotten worse. This definitely includes anime because I honestly have a hard time finding good and NEW anime that doesn't suck, have ridiculous characters, or is just another rip-off of another anime I've seen before. Honestly, for both American cartoons and anime, the 90's and early 2000's were some great years, sort of before it became trendy, emo, and stupid. That to me is when cartoons, at least American ones, died. Anime has lived on, though it's slowly become degraded over the years.

Now, there is one thing I do see in anime and that it's evolution in art as nowadays, some animes can rival some disney/dreamwork animation movie with incredible artistics that hasn't been seen SINCE the 90's. Even One Piece has taken on a greater style from higher-production art that I'm fond of. Yet it's ironic because at the same time, American cartoons have become lazy and terrible in the art department to a point where any **** can draw that shit.

Besides the art, BOTH types of cartoons have mostly turned into shit when it comes to good stories. I mean hell, the original TMNT cartoons were pretty damn cheesy, but over the years they actually matured little by little into something any kid could love. The new TMNT cartoons are basically rehashed and re-stylized into the modern fashions, adding nothing new to the legacy. It's like that everywhere with assholes producing cartoons/anime without any skill behind them like thosee parody movies (Disaster movie, Superhero movie). No longer can we find something that has the emotion we feel for the characters over a long period of episodes, except if we dig REALLY deep.

Looking for a good cartoon/anime is like going through the 5$ DVD stacks at walmart. Everything is shit, but you search vigorously for something good in hopes you won't be disappointed.

Quote that mother ****er.

[Victoria]

Just so we're clear, Sonic X is actually anime...
And as far as anime is concerned, I don't think it's really degrading at all. If anyone at all keeps up with the season releases and enjoys more than just a single genre or two, there are a lot of unknown treasures lurking about.

But yeah, American cartoons suck. >_>;
Though, Home Movies has been around since the early 2000 or even '99. It's quite old. I think that's the whole gimmick for the show.

[Dan558]

Oh yeah about Sonic X, I forgot that it was an anime. I used to watch it a little bit and I forgot that the humans are anime drawn, it's just been awhile and all could remember are the animal creatures...
Anyways I'm glad I'm not the only one who has noticed this. And I'm also glad I left anime out of it because I have no real knowledge of all of them and the first 2 posts have differing opinions...

Quote that mother ****er.

what was that for? Is it part of your signature or something?

[Pete]

To be clear, since it is animated, it's a cartoon. Just as anime shown on tv is Japanese cartoons. You don't call European cartoons anything different. The only difference is that Japanophiles get their panties in a knot when you call anime otherwise. Though, according to dictionary.com, anime is "a style of cartoon or animation made in Japan that focuses on futuristic themes and robotlike characters." And "manga" is just Japanese for comic books. So it's all the same shit.

In all honesty, cartoons are going down the shitter. Then again we're all getting older and the target audiences for the most part are staying the same. Spongebob must be the shit to 4 year olds, but as a 21 year old, it doesn't cut it. To be fair though, old episodes of Doug and Rocko's Modern Life are still great, and relevant to me. The same goes with the Simpsons. With the latter two shows, the slapstick aspect yields to the social commentary and historical jokes that you learn in time, and as you learn more about how the world was back then. It's actually great. The old Ninja Turtles cartoons are great in this aspect too; hell, I have them on dvd.

I feel that the quality of the animation shouldn't matter, so long as the content is there. South Park's animation is getting better with technology, but that show is also hilarious because of the relevance and irreverence. Come on, they had a Terry Schiavo episode out on the night they pulled the plug. Sure is was tasteless, and was in the works for a while, but they still had it right when they needed it to come out. Stuff like that is great, plus it promotes a social commentary and gets you thinking, while laughing.

I will agree though, that I'm not a fan of American Dad copying off of Family Guy, copying off of The Simpsons. It's hard enough for one of them to be completely original and fresh. And in all fairness, Nickelodeon has more or less reverted into completely kid friendly totally PC crap, which kids eat up. I'm all for my slightly to overtly racist old school Bugs Bunny cartoons though.

[Victoria]

To be clear, yes, anime = japanese animation. I wasn't saying Sonic X wasn't a cartoon. I was just saying it wasn't an American cartoon.

And obviously dictionary.com's definition of anime is wrong. They just define one certain genre of anime. Mecha/Sci-Fi to be exact. There's more genres out there. Horror, Comedy, Slice of Life, Shounen, Shoujo... etc.

[V_Translanka]

One of the great things about Home Movies is that so much of it is UNSCRIPTED~!! Which is probably what adds to the need to have a fairly limited animation development since things are changed so quickly. And anyways, like ATHF & Space Ghost, these weren't really about animation, but about the stories & telling the jokes.

But anyways, yeah, some of it must be nostalgia because oldschool cartoons weren't really great in the animation department either (the one that I can think of to the contrary that was really good was Ren & Stimpy). If you want some straight-laced good animation, your best bet is to stick with anime because over there the profession is actually well-regarded & loved by all, pretty much. Striving industry=Good product...who knew? The best you'll get in animation in the states would be CGI stuff, which is mostly limited to movies (thank god).

[Crazy Chocobo]

I agree about cartoons now, they are awful. I remember watching Cartoon Network years ago as a kid and it was fantastic with all the classics. Now it's just all shit and I can't stand watching it what so ever. I'm glad I'm not a kid now because I would be so disappointed. I used to love the classics like the Flintstones, Scooby Doo and Hanna & Barbera stuff like that. It's sad to see it go right downhill over the years.

[Meier Link]

I used to love the classics like the Flintstones, Scooby Doo and Hanna & Barbera stuff like that.

Cartoon Network still plays alot of those cartoons. Also Boomerange plays the hell out of them.

I really couldn't name very many newer cartoons that I even find enjoyable now adays, in the past there where so many greats, like thunder cats/ G-force/ Transformers and many others that I will not list. I hate that cartoons have digressed back past astroboy in his black and white days.

But on the opposite hand crappy animation has been around for years, look at ren and stempy for instance and Bevis and Butthead and the funniest thing about both of those where they where based around gross things and piss and fart jokes. ::hears the "its log" theme.

But in the long run I would have to agree there really is no sence of story behind alot of the cartoons now adays there is no true moral to the story that is there. And I really do not see any benifical elements to what kids are watching today.

But once again I will contridict myself in saying the Pixar films are wonderful fun for everyone. I really don't think that I have seen one that I did not like, and do not get into that pixar films are not cartoons because yes they are, digital animation is still animation which in turn equals cartoon.

Man I feel like I am rambleing so yea I will stop after saying....

Bring back Johnny Quest! He thinks we're sell outs.

[Nocturne]

I agree completely. Anime is not included since I believe it to be much more of an art form and they can have really compelling thought out stories that make you think about personal beliefs and other things.

american cartoons are just as the first poster said. They arent goofy or zaney. They are just stupid. I honestly havent seen so much irritating, meaningless babble in my life until I saw some of the cartoons that are on today. It sickened me.

Cartoon network isnt helping it with adult swim, with trash like tom goes to mayor and frisky dingo, it just makes the problems worse. They arent funny, just utterly retarded.

[Taco-Calamitous]

Bring back Johnny Quest! He thinks we're sell outs.

And furthermore, Jen doesn't like me anymore. But I don't really care if she likes me or not.

I think that cartoons are dealing less and less with imagination and more and more with real life teenagers and kids. It seems to be a growing trend. Maybe they have some kind of fantastical adventures sometimes, but the imagination seems to be lacking as of late. I also see cartoons trying very hard to be clever and/or hip, and more often than not, failing. At least that seems to be the way of things with American cartoons, for the most part. Cartoon Network is also airing certain shows in an hour to several hour long blocks, which sucks. They also like to show Scooby Doo and Tom and Jerry a lot, which are old, but I don't care for none the less, and they also are beginning to have a lot of live action programming for some reason or another.

Adult Swim is simply showing their "comedy" line up for the most part, as opposed to their "action" line up. The problem I have with that is the poor quality of much of their "comedy" line up, including shows like 12 oz. Mouse, which looks like it was hastily drawn in MS Paint. Not to mention the voice acting seems to consist of "Some guy muttering into a microphone" (as described by my friend.) Not to shat on AS completely; I love the Venture Bros. and Home Movies. Metalocalypse and Robot Chicken can be fun, too, and Aqua Teen Hunger Force... that one was basically the original "fifteen minutes of 'what the hell?' for five seconds of hilarity" show, so it gets points for that from me.

I agree with what was said about American Dad; that one is totally a "one joke pony." The only episodes that have ever entertained me from that one have been when Patrick Stewart's character was present. He makes that show; the rest of those characters are one-dimensional, uninteresting, and unfunny. Most the Family Guy characters are one-dimensional too, but at least they're friggen' funny.

I should mention that I kinda like this show. Maybe because the animal cast reminds me of 90's cartoons, and the animation is pretty sweet. It's not an american made cartoon, however... Anyhoo...

Wuv, Yer Mom

[SapphirePR]

New cartoons aren't about the animation either. Have you seen Chowder, that Flapjack cartoon, Skunk Fu, and other crap on Cartoon Network? The animation looks cheap, lazy, and far too bright. I honestly am shocked that kids can even bear some of this crap.

[zodiark12]

Some of the cartoons they have out now are ok for the kids like Fairly odd parents and Jimmy neutron. Americans can create anime to Heavy metal and heavy metal 2000 are just two that can be made. Every country has their own version of anime not just Japan

[SapphirePR]

I think Home Movies is a pretty good show which used to air often on Adult Swim. It was lazily animated but it doesn't bother me because the show itself was well written(especially compared to all that crap aimed at stoners)

I think the cartoons w/ the best animation were Looney Tunes in the 50's. Very sad to compare today's animation to that.

[Benjisan]

I think the cartoons w/ the best animation were Looney Tunes in the 50's. Very sad to compare today's animation to that.

I couldn't agree more in terms of American cartoons. Shows like Looney Tunes, Tom and Jerry and Popeye were all good cartoons that were hilarious to watch and all contained hidden messages and meanings in them as well (for example kids eat spinach and they will be able to beat up the bullies)


Half the cartoons these days that stream from America really are nothing but cheap knockoffs of older cartoons or are written by evidently lazy people who do not put the time or effort in to make a halfway decent show for people to enjoy (excluding Fairly OddParents and Spongebob - they have subtle meanings which are highly enjoyable and amusing)

[Elyon Seraphim]

Cartoons where much better in the old age -.- it has been worser as time elasped for years to years...

[Zargabaath]

The cartoons geared towards children are sucky nowadays. I grew up watching cartoons in the 90's which I believe was the best time for cartoons, so many great ones. Now for cartoons geared toward a more mature audience, Family Guy (not new but not old), American Dad (I found to be getting much better), AQTH, Venture Bros. (FTW), Super Prison (funny in a sick way), Frisky Dingo (funny), Harvey Birdman:Attorney at Law (no new episodes but relatively new). Animation is not as detailed and good especially towards younger-geared cartoons.