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Maturing Animation on Cartoon

Network
by Jacqueline Ristola • November 27, 2015 • 4 Comments
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In writing about Cartoon Network and its successful television blocks [adult swim]* 20 Years of Pixar Features
and Toonami, I find three intertwining ideas that help elucidates the network’s 30 Years of Blue Sky Studios
distinctive style and success in its adult animation, and will briefly explore them here. Acting and Performance
Adaptation
“Just for Kids” Adult Animation
Advertising and Promotion
Cartoon Network is unusual in that its demographic spread is rather large for a cable AI
channel, spanning an audience from kids, teens and adults. Whereas many other Alternative/Forgotten Histories
channels have specific content they focus on (ex: Animal Planet, the “History” Animating Industry
Animating Superheroes
channel), Cartoon Network’s focus is on the specific art form of animation, a
Animation & the Comic Book
direction that has expanded its audience reach from just one demographic due to
Animation and animals
the elimination of the “just for kids” mentality in regards to animation. Animation and Invisibility
Animation and Paratextuality
The continuous breakdown of the stereotype that animation is “just for kids” has had
Animation and Robots
profound impact on the pop culture landscape, particularly American television. Animation and seriality
Landmark series such as Batman: The Animated Series (1992-95) and The Animation and Stardom
Simpsons (1989-ongoing) illustrate the profundity possible in animation and its Animation Archives

flexibility for adult material. The disintegration of the “just for kids” mentality has Animation Auteurs
Animation Franchises and the
certainly widened Cartoon Network’s demographic reach, as its programming blocks
Studio System
Toonami and [adult swim] reflect this change, targeting young adults with animation
animationstudies 2.0
its programming. Asian Animation
Book Review
Animated Vulgarities Cats in animation
Children's Animation
While the “just for kids” assumption is dissolving, much of [adult swim]’s
Collaboration and animation
programming revels the stereotype’s longevity, as its original programming mined Conference report
that preconceived notion for comedic value. In creating animated programming with Documentary
vulgar, gross, or otherwise “mature” content, these shows draw upon the perceived DreamWorks Animation

dissonance between adult content and its transmission through a “children’s Early Animation
Education in/and Animation
medium”. The result is a long history of shows mining this dissonance, and plenty of
European Animation
one note jokes running ad infinitum. Luckily, creators have evolved from this
Exhibition review
repetitive cycle as Cartoon Network’s original content has flourished in recent years. Experimental Animation
The Venture Bros. (2003-ongoing) is a wonderful example of this evolution. While Fantasy/Animation
the pilot consisted of simplistic, yet comedically inverted archetypes, the series grew Festival report

its characters beyond the simple “adult jokes in a kids medium” shtick, becoming a Festivals, Awards and Animation
Gender and Animation
critically acclaimed series along the way.
Genesis of New Animated Works
Genre and Animation
Health Issues and Animation
Independent animation
Interdisciplinary Opportunity of
Animation
Into the Frozen Universe
Jim Henson's Animated Universes
Metaphor and metamorphosis in
animation
Miscellaneous
mixed theme
Movement
New Theoretical Approaches
Norman McLaren Centenary:
McLaren and Movement
Philosophy
Politics in and of Animation
Queer/ing Animation
The titular Ed, Edd, and Eddy in a scene that perfectly illustrates creators Danny Antonucci’
Representation
subversive wit.
Research in Progress
SAS 2020
Lifelong Devotees She-Ra and the Princesses of
Power
Much of [adult swim]’s success stems from Cartoon Network’s efforts in cultivating Sound and Music
an audience of animation fans, or at the very least, viewers who recognize Stop Motion
animation’s flexibility as a storytelling art form. Mature and subversive programs Streaming Animation
technological developments in
such as Samurai Jack (2001-04) and Ed, Edd, and Eddy (1999-2009), respectively,
animation (post digital)
demonstrate the expansive possibilities afforded in animation, and thus make avid
technological developments in
watchers of the channel much less likely to brush off [adult swim]’s offerings as animation (pre digital)
adults. The Persistence of Snow White
and the Seven Dwarfs
This audience cultivation can also be seen in Cartoon Network’s history of Uncategorized
broadcasting anime, creating a fan base devoted to its memorable programming Useful Animation
block, Toonami. Relaunched in 2012 after its cancellation in 2008, Tooonami’s Video essay

ratings have been solid, usually drawing in 1 million viewers each week. The Violence in Animation
Watching Animation
network is reaping the reward for cultivating an anime fan base as well as tapping
Women in Animation
into the network’s nostalgia cache, with Toonami’s most popular icon (TOM 3)
hosting the block.
Header shows still from "On Our Way" by
There is much more to be said about the changing state of animation in the
Ruth Hayes, with Artists permission".
American cultural landscape, and these points are mere entry ways into these large
trends. As shows like Adventure Time and Steven Universe push the boundaries of
animation, Cartoon Network’s influence seems to only be growing in the years to
come.

Cartoon Network - 10th Anniversary Promo (1992-2002)

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Jacqueline Ristola is a M.A. student in Cinema and Media Studies at York University.
Her current research project encompasses many of her passions, investigating the
aesthetic influences between Japanese and American animators.

*In writing this piece, I retain the programming block’s distinctive typography.

Tags: Adult animation adult swim cartoon network Toonami

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4 responses to “Maturing Animation on Cartoon Network”

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– Pierre
says:
November 29, 2015 at 10:41 am

Thanks for that insight into adult animation. Couple of side comments: would
you make a difference between “maturing animation” and matured animation?
And: as you keep mentioning “The disintegration of the “just for kids”
mentality”, maybe you should question the reasons (social, demographic,
cultural, hence economic …) for such phenomenon (maybe the business of
animation has captured one generation who is now aging; or other
explanations to expore????)
Have fun.

Reply

– Jacqueline Ristola
says:
December 4, 2015 at 5:19 pm

Thanks for your comments Pierre,

For your first question, when I use the word “maturing”, I am thinking both
eh development of certain shows, and animation and its reception as a
whole. Cartoon Network makes for a good locus to examine this.

Saying something has “matured” could imply the end of growth, that an
artist or a studio has reached their apex of talent, an insight bets
employed when an artist’s career is finished. So I don’t know about using
the word “matured”, but I like the use of “maturing” to indicate the growth
process in regards to the production and reception of animation, both
inside and outside animation studios.

As for your second question, you raise an excellent point. One factor I see
influencing the breakdown of this mentality is the growing popularity of
anime in America. This is illustrated with the popularity of Toonami, of
course, but also in the change towards simulcasting anime from
companies such as Crunchyroll and FUNimation.

There’s a lot more that can be said about Toonami, but there’s only so
much room in a blog post (and comment section).

Reply

– Where have I been? Curating pieces at Animation Studies 2.0 | Critical Hit!!

says:
November 23, 2016 at 1:25 am

[…] feeds (Like, Share, and Subscribe, y’all). I recommend checking the blog
out, particular my piece from last year that I am particularly proud of. Take
care, and I’ll see you […]

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– yuvraj singh
says:
January 29, 2020 at 9:19 am

3d animation

Reply

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