Although there are cartoons like Steven Universe and Adventure Time that implicitly show homosexual relationships, or have an "out" where the characters have no gender, why do children's cartoon networks still have a stigma towards letting cartoons directly address the LGBTQ community?
I think the big question is are we ready to show the LGBTQ community to children? There is still a lot of homophobia and not enough education about the community in many areas. I think networks are trying to slowly integrate LGBTQ characters so that children aren't thrown something they don't understand. – LaRose9 years ago
I would love to see the LBGTQ community represented in a Disney cartoon. I think the critical mass standard has been reached. I agree! – elwilson9 years ago
Many networks are still uneasy about showing openly queer characters. I'm always surprised that the biggest strides that seem to have been made have been made in cartoons aimed at children. On the one hand, it makes sense given children are more accepting and open-minded than many adults. On the other hand, there's always the "are we ready to show the LGBTQ community to children" question that LaRose brings up. I think networks are still in favour of not rocking the boat too much, which is too bad. – Amanda9 years ago
I think you would need to likely address the shortcoming that do come in AD and SU as well – Darcy Griffin9 years ago
I think part of it is that, due to homophobia, queerness is still considered by some to be inherently more sexual than heterosexuality, and therefore less appropriate for children. Including LGBTQ characters in children's shows could help dispel that myth, but unfortunately the myth itself is a barrier to such representation. – ElijahBassett9 years ago
Part of many networks' reasoning for not including LGBTQ+ characters is the fact that their shows air in many countries, many of which don't allow that sort of content to be broadcast(ie russia, china, etc) – ealohr8 years ago
What does Finn's relationship and need for his father suggest in "Adventure Time"?
I think the answer is that is his need to connect with the human side of him, he kinda forgets sometimes that being the last human is a big thing and unanswered questions about what happened to humans. – tingittens5 years ago
An analysis on how the animated Batman (developed by Bruce Timm, Alan Burnett and Paul Dini; portrayed by Kevin Conroy) succeeds at being the most…"Batman-iest"…? What traits make him the most acclaimed and beloved version of the caped crusaders? The psychology, design and his accomplishments would all be investigated, analyzed and compared to discover how this interpretation of the character really stacks up.
I would state who thinks the animated series is the best interpretation of Batman. Is this just a common opinion or is it ranked somewhere? – LaRose9 years ago
There is definitely an argument to be made that Batman TAS is the best interpretation of Batman, and the series has been very influential within the wider Batman universe. That said, it should not be taken for granted: if the author wants to argue this point, he needs to back it up with clear arguments and not just take it for granted. Some may say that the Dark Knight movies are just as good or better, so while this is a legitimate point to argue, the article needs to show why it is so. – Bojan9 years ago
Here's a possible reason: Batman TAS is the first and, so far, only iteration of the character to seamlessly balance both competing tones of the character and his world - it takes the fantasy stylings of Burton's 'Batman' and 'Batman Returns', and adds a much more real-world, grounded feel. On the other hand, it doesn't go so far as Nolan's films to leave behind its comic-book/fantasy origins. It is as Batman should be - cartoonishly gritty, or indeed grittily cartoonish. Another example of this is the 'Arkham' series of video games. – J.P. Shiel9 years ago
I think plenty of people would be interested in this article, either because they believe your claim is true (like me) and want to see a thoughtful look as to why it is true, or because they think it is false and want to see if you can prove your point. Part of what makes it so successful, I think, as J.P says, is how the show does manage to be a gritty cartoon. It's dark and brooding, but it has a good sense of humor. Batman never uses guns, and the bad guys always land in water when they fall. It's child-friendly, but sophisticated enough with its themes and story lines to keep adult audiences engaged. Plus, it has a stellar cast of vocal talent (Mark Hamill is the gold standard of Jokers, and Kevin Conroy is the true voice of Batman as far as I'm concerned). – abigrayce9 years ago
"Ma" is a Japanese term used to describe the space in intervals. Compare and contrast Miyazaki's use of "Ma" in his animated films with more contemporary, mainstream works to illustrate the how its use adds and/or detracts from a film's narrative.
Animated TV shows over the last decade or so have been following a certain trend. It would seem, that if an animated show is popular (let's consider for example, Adventure Time–having spawned numerous types of merchandise, comics, and video games), despite having some sort of intended (I use the term loosely here) audience of younger viewers (exampled by what network may pick up a show, like Nickelodeon or Cartoon Network), it grows a larger audience in older viewers as well, the "unintended" audience. What could cause this? Is there a notable trend in TV shows this happens with, like Steven Universe, Star Butterfly vs. the Forces of Evil, and so on? (Important to note the differentiation between shows such as these and those that have an older audience in mind, like Futurama and Bojack Horseman).
I like this topic but you should also include reference to things like lore, backstory, depth, etc. Adventure Time and Steven Universe have had an impact on older audiences most likely due to a developed lore system along with darker subtext that older viewers can enjoy on a more intellectual level. It is just something important that differentiates these works from shows like, I don't know, SpongeBob SquarePants or Fairly Oddparents. – Connor9 years ago
Timmy Turner possesses a huge amount of power through his Fairy Godparents. Although limited at times due to Da Rules, Timmy still has the ability to make significant changes in his life and in the world around him with a single wish. It is made clear that each wish has a consequence to which Timmy is made to face and cope with. In dire situations, Timmy risks the loss of his Fairies ("Abra-Catastrophe) and he turns down the chance at a better life as a result of his parents finding out the truth about his evil babysitter, Vicky ("Channel Chasers"). It is only after Timmy realizes the repercussions of magic that he makes these decisions that determine him keeping or losing his Fairies, and in turn determining the outcome of his life with his family and friends who are not aware of magical beings.
Discuss and analyze the power that Timmy Turner possesses through Cosmo and Wanda. What kind of knowledge does he gain through his interactions with his Fairies and other magical beings? How does this shape Timmy's identity throughout the series?
Tell me about tremendous power. The fairies said dragons are impervious to magic but bringing a dead guy back to life in the exact same episode... No problem. :D Good idea. – SpectreWriter9 years ago
I like this! There are a lot of insane episodes where he chooses not to do something that could solve whatever issue they've gotten into, but instead goes with a minor, meaningless wish. It's very interesting. – Kendall9 years ago
In the Cartoon Network production Steven Universe, creator Rebecca Sugar deliberately focuses on the child protagonist Steven as through what Steven learns (or does not take notice of), the audience can gather the hints of the backstory, motives, and origins of the gems.
I believe that this exact topic is already being written about, and is currently a pending post? https://the-artifice.com/?p=81501&preview=true – Connor Gregorich-Trevor9 years ago
Examine the medium of the animated short film and the effect on audience – from major animation pioneers such as Disney and Pixar to independent animators working on YouTube, shorts have been around for a while, and hold a surprising amount of power. Humour, visual flair, emotional depth – the range that can be explored in five minutes of animation is something truly fascinating.
The best ones to speak of are the recent successes like Paper Man. The Volcano short from Inside Out deserves mention too. – SpectreWriter9 years ago
The CGBros is a Youtube channel that likes to showcase shorts made by students or independent animators. This can also be a great source for examples. – YsabelGo9 years ago
The person who wants to write this could check out that Disney animation short film on Netflix that showcases a lot of the popular ones. – Jaye Freeland9 years ago
