|
Lines and Color - 18 Apr 2000
I'm not sure what it is about them, but I really like anime cartoons. I mean,
I'm a cartoon fan in general, but I love this stuff. If your not familiar with
them, these cartoons were produced in Japan (mostly in the eighties) and are
being dubbed into English for our enjoyment. The category also includes American
cartoons, done in the same style, but I have yet to like one of those. The most
popular of these animes right now is DragonballZ. I'm sure you've heard of it.
It's all over TV now. They think that they are going to sell this stuff to kids.
I believe that they will be sorely disappointed by the sales. The reason: the
Japanese don't believe that all cartoons are for kids.
It kind of irritates me that in America cartoons have received this odd
reputation for being a medium solely designed for kids. Here's the thing: The
reason people started making cartoons is because the special effects are so much
easier when it's just a drawing. You can do anything that you want in a cartoon,
there are no limits. The earliest cartoons in America, were showcases of this
ability. If you watch an old Betty Boop, or Foxy cartoon, you'll see that it's a
non-stop collaboration of animals dressed like people doing impossible things
with their bodies, and all of the items (cars, mailboxes, houses, whatever) have
faces and can talk. These cartoonists were cramming about as much silliness as
possible into a seven minute space. This was novel for awhile, but soon only
children were able to appreciate the almost non-existent plot lines, and over
used jokes and sight-gags.
The next evolution of cartoons came with the color. Things got less zany, and
the humor became more based on the situation that the characters were in, rather
than what they were able to do with their bodies. I guess you could say that it
became less of a freak show. Although, the main characters were all still
animals in the Warner Bros. cartoons. This stage in cartoons came in sync with
the Disney feature cartoons which portrayed real people, doing possible things.
Still, the plots were lacking.
The reason that the cartoons never really developed in America, is because they
already had this stigma of being only for kids. Adults don't watch cartoons,
because they are silly, and lacking in plot. If adults don't watch cartoons,
then why make cartoons for adults. It's a simple marketing decision.
I've talked to many adults (It's just one of my hobbies). Sometimes they will
ask for movie suggestions (just polite conversation). If I recommend an animated
movie of any kind, I'm very likely to get this response: "Animated? Cartoons are
for kids." A lot of people feel this way, and it's not just older people. Some
of my peers (that would be anywhere between 18 and 22 years old) feel the same
way, and the sad part is that they never give it a chance. They just assume that
because it's animated, it going to be for children.
Example: Saturday night I rented "DBZ: Tree of Might" for myself and four of my
friends to watch. This is a good anime movie, that I knew that they would enjoy.
Predictably, half of the group refused to watch it, on the grounds that it was a
cartoon. They knew nothing about it, and dismissed it out-right, I was very
disappointed in them.
All that I'm trying to say with this is that you people (yes, you!) need to at
least give the animated shows the same chance that you give to other shows, and
I don't mean watch one anime and make your decision about them based on that,
they're not all the same like they used to be. Each show and movie is as
individual as the shows and movies that rely on cameras and computers. Some are
for children, some are for every one, and some are definitely for adults. Some
are action oriented, some are romance oriented, some are dramatic, some are
silly, and some are just plain stupid. But don't write them off because of the
few stupid ones, or because you think that they are for children. You already
know not to judge a book by it's cover. It's time that we all learn not to judge
a show or a movie by its medium alone... You could really be missing out on
something good.
By the way, my personal favorite show on television right now is Gundam Wing.
It's on Cartoon Network at 5:30p, if you want to check it out. As always, feel
free to tell me what you think.
| |
|
