Animation?

[NickLiberty1776]

It seems like lot of people think media like comic books, animated movies/shows, and video games are meant only for children. I think this attitude stifles creativity. I think there should be more comics and animated films/shows that cover mature topics. I think American animation is geared too much toward adult comedy and children's entertainment. Can't we have an animated show or movie cover a serious topic like war or politics? Comic books have already started covering serious subject matter. When will animation grow up? If comics could move past super heroes I don't see any reason why animation should be relegated to adult comedy or children's entertainment. I would love to see an epic animated sci fi show or movie with epic space and laser battles. For me I would want that show or movie to be set in the Mass Effect universe.

 

[Parsimony]

I do agree in general, though I think a lot of anime is geared towards adults (and I don't just mean hentai). Heck, I'm 29 and still enjoy cartoons that would typically be thought of as child-targeted (Spongebob Squarepants, The Fairly OddParents, Gravity Falls...).

 

[Quagmire]

There's a lot of mature-themed anime.

I agree with you though that so far we haven't seen any main-stream, big budget animation aside from, like you said, comedy and kiddie-shows. Could just be a case of there being a niche that no one's taken advantage of yet.

Edit: I guess you could consider Avatar in that category.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I do agree in general, though I think a lot of anime is geared towards adults (and I don't just mean hentai). Heck, I'm 29 and still enjoy cartoons that would typically be thought of as child-targeted (Spongebob Squarepants, The Fairly OddParents, Gravity Falls...).

Anime and manga is probably the best animation for adult animation that isn't comedy. It can be extremely violent, or very thought provoking. And of course comical. The latest one I got into, Hetalia Axis Powers, looks like it was made for kids but the story line and jokes would fly over the heads of most adults as it revolves around history and all the characters are nations that portray that nations stereotypes.
I too like the Fairly Odd Parents. I haven't watched it since my youngest nephew was a few years younger, but it when came on I'm pretty sure I payed more attention to it than he did.

 

[Skwim]

It seems like lot of people think media like comic books, animated movies/shows, and video games are meant only for children. I think this attitude stifles creativity. I think there should be more comics and animated films/shows that cover mature topics. I think American animation is geared too much toward adult comedy and children's entertainment. Can't we have an animated show or movie cover a serious topic like war or politics? Comic books have already started covering serious subject matter. When will animation grow up? If comics could move past super heroes I don't see any reason why animation should be relegated to adult comedy or children's entertainment. I would love to see an epic animated sci fi show or movie with epic space and laser battles. For me I would want that show or movie to be set in the Mass Effect universe.

Curious as to why you prefer characterizations of reality rather than the original. Could it be the same reason that simple representations appeal to the young mind whereas more complex portrayals appeal to a more mature mind?

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Curious as to why you prefer characterizations of reality rather than the original. Could it be the same reason that simple representations appeal to the young mind whereas more complex portrayals appeal to a more mature mind?

For starters, in animation it's much easier to do things that don't really happen in real life. Animation also gives the animator a chance to fulfill her/his vision in a way that live action can't. In the case of Japan, alot of it is economics and that they don't have billions of dollars being pumped into a mega-movie center like we do with Hollywood. And just because it's animated does not necessarily mean it's simple.

 

[Skwim]

For starters, in animation it's much easier to do things that don't really happen in real life. Animation also gives the animator a chance to fulfill her/his vision in a way that live action can't. In the case of Japan, alot of it is economics and that they don't have billions of dollars being pumped into a mega-movie center like we do with Hollywood. And just because it's animated does not necessarily mean it's simple.

I'm not talking about the advantages of animation to the story teller, but the preference of animated characterizations to real life depictions. It's like preferring

OVER

which is why we find children's book versions illustrated cartoonishly

   and adult versions more realisticly

​

 

[bobhikes]

It seems like lot of people think media like comic books, animated movies/shows, and video games are meant only for children. I think this attitude stifles creativity. I think there should be more comics and animated films/shows that cover mature topics. I think American animation is geared too much toward adult comedy and children's entertainment. Can't we have an animated show or movie cover a serious topic like war or politics? Comic books have already started covering serious subject matter. When will animation grow up? If comics could move past super heroes I don't see any reason why animation should be relegated to adult comedy or children's entertainment. I would love to see an epic animated sci fi show or movie with epic space and laser battles. For me I would want that show or movie to be set in the Mass Effect universe.

If you go to a comic shop you'll see a wall of comics for adults not kids anymore. They may have a small section that's just for kids. Some of the comics are even rated M-17. Mature for 17 and over only. Video games have the same rating system and it seems the top games are all over M-17 because I constantly have to tell my kids no. So I not sure where the problem is.

As to movies with CGI, I too would prefer a realistic movie over animation. The CGI can make actors do anything anymore.

 

[Revoltingest]

I'm not talking about the advantages of animation to the story teller, but the preference of animated characterizations to real life depictions. It's like preferring

OVER

​

Animation is a literary tool which has its unique advantages & uses.
It isn't about simple representations being better than realistic ones,
but rather about what can be done with simple ones. So animation
isn't inherently better than replicating reality any more than a
screwdriver is better than a wrench. Ya pick the right one for the job.
​

 

[Father Heathen]

You would really have to be out of touch with society and culture to think that animations and illustrations are exclusively for children.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I'm not talking about the advantages of animation to the story teller, but the preference of animated characterizations to real life depictions. It's like preferring

Animation isn't always simplistic childish depictions. You say it's about prefering simple and childish depictions, when it reality if it wasn't for Japanese animation there wouldn't have been a Matrix, and the tremendous influence that had in Hollywood.
Sometimes it looks more like this:

And why wouldn't the children's version of Moby Dick have a brighter cover that only implies doom rather than showing characters plunging to their doom?

 

[Skwim]

Animation is a literary tool which has its unique advantages & uses.
It isn't about simple representations being better than realistic ones,
but rather about what can be done with simple ones. So animation
isn't inherently better than replicating reality any more than a
screwdriver is better than a wrench. Ya pick the right one for the job.

Animation isn't always simplistic childish depictions. You say it's about prefering simple and childish depictions, when it reality if it wasn't for Japanese animation there wouldn't have been a Matrix, and the tremendous influence that had in Hollywood.

It isn't that animation has no place in communication or doesn't have its strong points, but because NickLiberty1776 seems to feel that the public's attitude toward comic books and animation "stifles creativity," these forms should be given wider exposure. I was merely pointing out that in main the adult public doesn't want such simplified characterizations; that it prefers more realistic representations. And to illustrate this point I gave two contrasting examples. He believes that "there should be more comics and animated films/shows that cover mature topics," and I believe he is mistaken. Most adults don't want cartoonish versions of topics, but more realistic ones.

Mine is a simple disagreement with his assessment of the issue and nothing more.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Mine is a simple disagreement with his assessment of the issue and nothing more.

It didn't seem like it. You asked him:

Curious as to why you prefer characterizations of reality rather than the original. Could it be the same reason that simple representations appeal to the young mind whereas more complex portrayals appeal to a more mature mind?

Even though he stated:

I would love to see an epic animated sci fi show or movie with epic space and laser battles. For me I would want that show or movie to be set in the Mass Effect universe.

And for you, the characterization of reality was this:

OVER

Even though he was asking for more like this: