Animation

[Back]

I grew up with TV as a friend. In my time it was Tom & Jerry, Popeye, Looney Tunes and Woody Woodpecker. Color and Black and Whites.

Some of the first animated movies I saw were Disney. Fantasia, Bambi, Snow White... but then there were things like The Hobbit, Fritz the Cat, and American Pop.

While American animation floundered in the 70's and 80's with stuff like Hong Kong Phooey and Inch High Private-Eye, the Japanese brought us anime.

Akira. Vampire Hunter D. Others I've forgotton. One with a huge battle-cruise ship.

Coming from all that, I've just been amazed at animation today. Within the past few years though, Disney pwnz. Sure, I loved Cowboy Bebop, Sailor Moon, and really really enjoyed Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke... but Disney has put out so many great quality flicks... Atlantis, Treasure Island, Lilo & Stich, and Sinbad. (The inspiration for this post.)

Isn't animation an American cultural contribution? I know comic books are. If so, its great to see American animation finally reach, and possibly surpass, Japanses anime.

[Latrinsorm]

There are few articles of any media that surpass Trigun. The only animated American things I enjoy are comedic shows.

[Numbers]

I've actually found the quality of Disney animation to have declined in the past five years.

I think their good streak (aside from the classics like Pinnochio, Snow White, Cinderella, etc,) were their mid-90's movies... Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and Lion King. That streak ended with Pocahontas. Everything since that has been unmemorable. Lilo & Stitch has probably been their best since then, and the story in that was kind of droll.

By the way, Sinbad was made by Dreamworks, not Disney.

As for anime vs. American animation... meh, they both have their goods and bads. Most anime is crap, frankly, aside from a few really good series and movies which gives the style its good name.

[Trinitis]

Personally, I *love* the newer Pixar and Disney stuff. The more "adult" humor in it has really spiked interest in their shows for me.