Cartoons: Then and now.

[Relish in Chaos]

I even find a strong sense of nostalgia from the anime-series Sonic X, most especially with its homoerotic and bestial undertones within the SonicXChris relationship! Don't believe me? Watch the final four episodes of season 1, and you'll see what I mean!

I never liked Sonic X, if only because it just seemed too far removed from the Sonic universe, with the humans and stuff. But I always fangasmed whenever there was an episode or scene with Sonic and Knuckles (my two favourite characters, Knuckles being my favourite) fighting.

 

[Navvan]

Honestly I don't think there is much differance the types of shows then and now. If anything I would say that there are actually more quality shows now than there were in my youth. There just is a load of crap on TV as well.

I never liked Ed, Ed, Eddy, SpongeBob, and so forth. Even as a child I wouldn't watch these shows because I just didn't like them. They are by and large just as annoying to me as the likes of Chowder.

"Story based cartoons" that you exclude are largely what I watched as a child, and what I still like to watch today (I was born in 1990 for perspective). There are certainly plenty of them both then and now.

Childhood
X-Men (1992-1997)
Batman The Animated Series (1992-1995)
Pokemon (1997-Present)
Static Shock (2000-2004)

There are plenty of others out there but those are those that come to mind/some of the favorites of my childhood.

Currently we have things like

Avatar: The Legend of Korra
Young Justice
Avengers Earth's Mightiest Heroes

So I guess what I'm trying to say is that there isn't much difference between then and now for me because I never liked any of that other stuff anyway. Yes I liked some other shows (Dexter's Lab, and Courage TCD for example) as well, but they were largely the "Something I'll watch while doing something else and they happen to be on" shows rather than something I'd go out of my way to watch. Likewise the same could be said of Adventure Time now. However by and large the majority of cartoons then and now are utterly dull and on occasion stupid from my perspective. I can imagine 15 years from now people who are 5-10 now having this same conversation. Unless of course we get some really brilliant programing 15 years from now.

 

[irmasterlol]

Yeah, I know. The only reason I occasionally watch it in boredom is due to nostalgia, since it reminds me heavily on Pokemon Yellow, which I loved as a kid (and regret selling).

And I wouldn't blacklist such a vast genre of TV as "cartoons" being "never that good". Not all kids are as stupid as you think, and they don't all like the common denominator stuff you throw at them. Many cartoons are...well, "deep" would be the wrong word. Maybe essence? Fun? Humour?

You're right. I was talking about "cartoons" as "children's television" which also included things like Power Rangers even though it was live-action. Maybe not all of the little hellions are as stupid I was. But the same could be said for the general populace. Transformers 1, 2, and 3 made so much money that I'm sure Micheal Bay is drowning in a veritable smorgasbord of cocaine and Asian callgirls, and they were completely stupid. Same rule can be scaled back for children. Sure some of them won't be content unless they're watching that one space documentary that's narrated by Morgan Freeman (I can't remember the name because Morgan Freeman's voice is distracting), but most will still lose they're mind over anything with a talking animal. Just like most adults will apparently be happy watching vaguely attractive 20-somethings shout and run around while giant robots blow up.

 

[Eddie the head]

I watched cartoons form like the 50-70s so I have no idea. My favorite cartoon is Droopy and he was form 1943 holy shit I didn't know he was that old. Not going to say those where better, they are surprisingly raciest, but I just like them more.

 

[Gizmo1990]

nostalga is a powerful thing

I do think we need more shows like AVATAR the last air bender though

I could not agree more. I love that show. I have tried to watch The Legend of Korra and while it is not bad I just do not like the characters as much as The Last Airbender.

In TLA the battles feel much bigger and when comparing the new characters to the old in regards to Bending power characters such as Toph, Zuko and Katara just seem to be more baddass, and in general better. One of the new characters is basical the 'new' Sokka but he has nothing on him.

OT: It all comes down to nostalga. With the exception of The Last Airbender I do not think any moden cartoon is anywhere near as good as the one's from when I was a kid but this was in the 90's so I had Superman, Batman TOS, Spiderman, Xmen, IronMan, Fantastic Four and Justice League as well as Lonny Tunes re-runs so I think I was spoiled for choice.

Lets see MLP:FiM compete with them!

 

[Dreadman75]

Why the hell would you exclude "story based" cartoons?
That is the one thing that changed everything entirely and made things awesome. We have a shitton more diversity now than "just for kids" you know.

Things like spirited away, death note or fullmetal alchemist simply didn't exist back then and you're prattling on about how "most modern cartoons have dumb or simple minded characters".
That is like forcefully closing your eyes for the sake of your point.

The reason I excluded cartoons with large overarching stories is because they are far more diverse in their content than other cartoons.

This thread was, originally, made with the intent of discussing the similarities between the old and new non-story based cartoons, and whether or not one or the other is better or it's just a matter of nostalgia or some other factors.

IMO adding a serious story to a cartoon immediately sets it apart because the story based structure is often much more complex and diverse, even amongst other cartoons of the same...classification. They're almost a whole different type of animation in and of themselves, if that makes any sense at all...

But make no mistake: Some of my all time favorite cartoons were of the story-based variety. DBZ, G-Gundam, Gundam Wing, Gargoyles, Avatar: TLA. Just to name a few.

 

[Lugbzurg]

ok so dont know were i was going with adventure time,it was late misstakes happen. As for regular show not being made for kid, the Why the hell isnt it on adult with the other crappy show that people think are mature?

Generator Rex, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and Young Justice are not kids' shows, either. They're not on Adult Swim. Heck, now that Toonami's back, they're putting Ghost in the Shell and Cowboy Bebop the normal daytime block. Are you saying those are kids' shows, too?

 

[Dreadman75]

I'm sensing some ignorance of Sturgeon's Law [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sturgeon's_Law] here...
For every Animaniacs, there was an Extreme Ghost Busters or ten... then as now.

"90% of everything is crap." Did I paraphrase that correctly?

The thing of it is, despite that there are people out there who not only like it but LOVE it. This sort of ties into my original question of WHY. The general consensus so far leans mostly in favor of nostalgia with some maintaining that the older shows were better.

I gotta say I didn't expect this thread to generate the responses it has. I half-expected it to die like my others...

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

Heck, now that Toonami's back, they're putting Ghost in the Shell and Cowboy Bebop the normal daytime block. Are you saying those are kids' shows, too?

I wish. Ghost in the Shell comes on at 1:30 or 2:00 AM, Cowboy Bebop comes on at 2:30, and then they repeat three hours later. The new Toonami basically replaced the old Adult Swim anime block.

It does get at something pretty important, though: just because something is animated, doesn't necessarily mean it's aimed at kids. The Japanese get this, but the rest of us have some catching up to do. There was a brief period in the 70's and early 80's when a lot of adult animation was being made in the US, but ever since then the only "adult" animated works have been comedies in the vein of The Simpsons or South Park, or direct to video things aimed at a niche audience (like the DC and Marvel direct to DVD movies.)

 

[Ragsnstitches]

I used to think that shows were deteriorating with each generation but then I watched some of my "classics" on Netflix and... well I wasn't impressed.

That said, Avatar: The Last Airbender, as others have mentioned, is a solid show, and if your looking for potential future classic, I'd say this would be one. Its pretty memorable.

Given the fact I'm now 23 (15~ when I first watched it) and doing animation as a career, that solid praise I'm giving. Its good all round, not the most mind blowing experience ever made by man, but a really good cartoon none the less.

 

[ecoho]

ok so dont know were i was going with adventure time,it was late misstakes happen. As for regular show not being made for kid, the Why the hell isnt it on adult with the other crappy show that people think are mature?

Generator Rex, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and Young Justice are not kids' shows, either. They're not on Adult Swim. Heck, now that Toonami's back, they're putting Ghost in the Shell and Cowboy Bebop the normal daytime block. Are you saying those are kids' shows, too?

the first 3 shows were made for 13-15 range (extend to 17 for young justice and decend to 8 for clone wars)

as for cowboy bebop and ghost in the shell, links or its not real. sorry but its not on my guide and while i will be checking the offical CN/toonami website im pretty sure those are both still on adult swim.

 

[Texas Joker 52]

nostalga is a powerful thing

I do think we need more shows like AVATAR the last air bender though

Wait. Have more American-made cartoons that are clever, story driven, and have well-made character, all put through the filter of good animation? Sign me up.

(Note, said cartoons don't need to be made by America. I would just prefer they were made mostly by anyone other than Japan. They have a kind of stranglehold at the moment on this particular area of cartoons, so lets let other countries have the chance.)

 

[A Raging Emo]

Other than the fact that Looney Tunes got away with way more than would be allowed today, I'm agreeing with you. I was missing the 90s style of cartoons, being just out there and weird. Then I realized we have Chowder, Adventure Time, and Regular Show. there are plenty of call backs to that style that I don't think we can complain too much.

I still miss Angry Beavers though. Damn that show had so many euphamisms that I didn't get when I was a kid.

Damn. My Mum and I would always get up early to watch that when I was younger, because we'd record VHS tapes of it and then watch them before school. Dat nostalgia.

 

[Easton Dark]

Well, Regular Show wasn't made for kids. For that matter, what does Adventure Time teach, then? How to go "your way" and kick innocent people around you in the balls when you're looking for a cyclops' head to rip off? Because, that's the direction that Adventure Time is going in.

Dude, you must have watched the whole episode. You know the message was the exact opposite of that?

now that Toonami's back, they're putting Ghost in the Shell and Cowboy Bebop the normal daytime block. Are you saying those are kids' shows, too?

Toonami is back on Adult Swim only. No misinformation, please.

 

[Godzillarich(aka tf2godz)]

To sum up this post: back in my day, the clouds gave people more shade on the hot summer days.

 

[floppylobster]

The cartoons aren't different - you are. The cartoons are the same, but now you're older and seeing them differently. You still love the ones you loved because they remind you of things you learned and felt back then when things were better and you were more full of energy and happiness. Now you're slowly dying and everything doesn't seem as good or wonderful as it once did. Basically, same thing as everyone else has been saying - nostalgia.

 

[wooty]

I stopped watching "western" cartoons as soon as this went off the airwaves.



The last bastion of great childrens cartoons.

 

[CrazyGirl17]

I think nostalgia has something to do with it. Kid's cartoons used to be smart, funny, with jokes you wouldn't get until you were older. Now, it's all just stupid humor and lousy stories.

Not that all cartoons now are like that, mind you, shows like Phineas and Ferb, Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra, Young Justice, The Amazing Spiderman, and Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes are all really good, so why can't they ditch the crappy cartoons and bring back the good ones? And why does Toonami have to be part of Adult Swim?!

*SIGH* I freakin' hate TV stations...