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Topic: Are 90s cartoons really better than today's cartoons?

Posts 1 to 20 of 93

TheMisterManGuy

You hear 90s kids shout it all the time, "Cartoonz today suk, 90s waz bettar!!!". And while we have had some terrible shows come out these days, does anybody really even buy that nonsense? People seem to forget that the 90s had just as much mediocre, terrible, or just plain forgettable cartoon programming as today. The thing is, we have gotten older and have become more aware of the animation industry output than we did as kids. Not to mention a lot of shows you may have watched as a kid, may not hold up as well as you'd expect when you watch them today. Remember Mike, Lu, and Og? Yeah.....

And I really don't see how you could call this decade terrible for cartoons. This is the decade that brought us Adventure Time, Regular Show, Gravity Falls, Steven Universe, Dan Vs., Korra, Archer, Wander Over Yander, and of course, Friendship is Magic. Some of the most well-written and creative cartoons on TV today. Don't judge this decade just based off the crap Nickelodeon shovels out, and don't base the 90s off shows you actually remembered as a kid. Every decade has gems, every decade has crap. Quality has no time limit.

TheMisterManGuy

kkslider5552000

I don't know how good modern kids shows are for the most part but I think the thing is that people remember the peak of Cartoon Network without realizing the decline Disney Channel (and maybe in some way Nick?) happened around the same time.

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Joeynator3000

Eh, depends on the cartoon really...I haven't watched any TV in a LOOOONG time, though...the last modern cartoon I watched and really enjoyed was Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends. (...mainly because of Bloo, lol)

Edited on by Joeynator3000

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3DSFlo

[quote= Every decade has gems, every decade has crap. Quality has no time limit.

[/quote]

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SheldonRandoms

90's cartoon discussion? Oh boy, better rev up the America Online!
Untitled

But Yee, it's just a cycle if you have not noticed. Kids who watched cartoon's in the 80's, 70's, 60's, 50's, etc. (who are now adults, btw) Will say that their's are better, cause that's what they watched. "Adventure Time? Blargh! back in my day, we had Popeye, he was much better, since he ate his spinach and also kicked butt!" Does that mean Adventure Time is for nincompoop toasters? No, cause that's his/her opinion. However, if they maybe perhaps watched Adventure Time, then maybe they'll be like "Adventure Time? Swelltastic!". So basically, watch cartoons and have layers of onions, So that way, you'll truly know, but it won't be a fact, it'll be your onion of layers!

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LzWinky

The 90s brought plenty of great shows, mostly Disney and Nickelodeon. However, it brought quite a few bad eggs too. I liked shows including Ducktales, Darkwing Duck, Goof Troop, Rocko's Modern Life, Cow and Chicken, Animaniacs, etc. etc. etc. But a few not-so-good shows include Bonkers, Talespin (sorry Disney fans), and Rocket Power.

Now, as for today's cartoons, I have watched a few and have a few things to say:

-Friendship is Magic: I really don't understand the appeal of this show, mostly because it's about pretty pink princess ponies. The writing and production values are pretty good...but it's still ponies. I have no interest in this show at all.
-Regular Show: Watched 5 minutes, became annoyed, stopped caring.
-Adventure TIme: I can't seem to stay interested. It has plenty of good moments, but not really enough to keep me hooked.
-Avatar/Korra: They're good, amazing, well-written and epic. What more needs to be said?
-Gravity Falls: Never saw it and don't really have any interest
-Steven Universe: I like the premise, but the main character killed it for me.

I guess this bunch is appealing to a newer generation than the 90s shows, so I may not have as much interest in them. Now are the 90s generally better? Yes for me. That doesn't necessarily mean that all new shows are bad...especially since the Avatar/Korra series are awesome

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Jacob717

Umm, Duck Tales is an 80s cartoon.

Jacob717

Jacob717

I feel that cartoons nowadays don't have much room to be creative like the cartoons from the 90s and 00s. Cartoon Network is only intrested in selling toys to 6 year old boys, Nickelodeon is only interested in making shows for stupid people, which is why Korra got the boot, because it's too intelligent for the audience Niick is aiming at. And Disney Channel is only interested in teen sitcoms considering they just purged Gravity Falls, Phineas & Ferb, and Wander Over Yonder.

So far, Disney XD is the only safe place for creativity in cartoons nowadays.

Jacob717

RR529

I was part of an inbetween generation. Born in the early 90's, the cartoons I really remember are a mixture of late 90's & early 00's.

Good shows I remember:

  • Gargoyles
  • Dexter's Lab
  • Animaniacs
  • Pinky & the Brain
  • Teen Titans
  • Batman: the Animated Series
  • Superman: the Animated Series
  • Justice League
  • Disney's House of Mouse
  • Samurai Jack
  • ReBoot
  • Fairly Odd Parents
  • X-Men: Evolution

Also, during this time we were undergoing an anime wave (spearheaded by the popularity of Pokémon & Dragon Ball Z), which I think I was extremely lucky to experience. Nothing beats coming home from school (or getting up Saturday morning) to watch:

  • Dragon Ball Z
  • Pokémon
  • Yu-Gi-Oh!
  • Tenchi Muyo!
  • Rurouni Kenshin
  • G Gundam
  • Gundam Wing
  • Ronin Warriors

I can't really compare these to today's cartoons though, since I haven't really watched them. As I became a teenager, I just sort of stopped watching TV cartoons for whatever reason (other than Family Guy, Futurama, South Park, etc., though as I get even older I'm sort of getting bored of the MacFarlane stuff), though my interest in anime has remained strong (and even grown).

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LzWinky

Dipper723 wrote:

Umm, Duck Tales is an 80s cartoon.

1987-1990. STILL COUNTS

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LzWinky

Dipper723 wrote:

I feel that cartoons nowadays don't have much room to be creative like the cartoons from the 90s and 00s. Cartoon Network is only intrested in selling toys to 6 year old boys, Nickelodeon is only interested in making shows for stupid people, which is why Korra got the boot, because it's too intelligent for the audience Niick is aiming at. And Disney Channel is only interested in teen sitcoms considering they just purged Gravity Falls, Phineas & Ferb, and Wander Over Yonder.

So far, Disney XD is the only safe place for creativity in cartoons nowadays.

Actually Korra came back.

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TheMisterManGuy

Dipper723 wrote:

I feel that cartoons nowadays don't have much room to be creative like the cartoons from the 90s and 00s. Cartoon Network is only intrested in selling toys to 6 year old boys, Nickelodeon is only interested in making shows for stupid people, which is why Korra got the boot, because it's too intelligent for the audience Niick is aiming at. And Disney Channel is only interested in teen sitcoms considering they just purged Gravity Falls, Phineas & Ferb, and Wander Over Yonder.

So far, Disney XD is the only safe place for creativity in cartoons nowadays.

Really? Cartoon Network is actually pushing the boundaries of TV animation right now. Have you forgotten about Adventure Time, Regular Show, Gumball, Steven Universe, Clarence, and Over the Garden Wall? Now yes, they've had a bit of toy commercial syndrome, but its been only applied to their action shows, which was why they kept getting cancelled. Fortunately, with a new CEO, that may change.

TheMisterManGuy

TheMisterManGuy

I will say one thing though, which decade being the best really comes down to a matter of personal opinion. For me, while the 90s was the most influential, I always found it a bit overrated. I actually like the 00s (specifically the early 00s) more than the 90s.

TheMisterManGuy

Jacob717

WaLzgi wrote:

Actually Korra came back.

Are you talking about Nicktoons Network? That doesn't really count, because it's a digital channel, that very few people have, and it doesn't broadcast in HD, which means the episodes look bad when played on there.

TheMisterManGuy wrote:

Really? Cartoon Network is actually pushing the boundaries of TV animation right now. Have you forgotten about Adventure Time, Regular Show, Gumball, Steven Universe, Clarence, and Over the Garden Wall? Now yes, they've had a bit of toy commercial syndrome, but its been only applied to their action shows, which was why they kept getting cancelled. Fortunately, with a new CEO, that may change.

I'm not saying Cartoon Network makes bad shows, I'm saying that merchandising, and the 6-11 boy demographic dictates rather a shows is cancelled or not. Shows like Adventure Time and Regular Show sell well in merchandising and they're watched by boys 6 - 11, so they're safe from cancellation. However shows like Sym-Bionic Titan, Young Justice, and anything DC really that don't sell well merchandising wise, and are not watched by the demographic CN wants, they get cancelled.

You can make creative shows on CN, but only if the toys sell well, and the demographic CN wants is watching it.

Edited on by Jacob717

Jacob717

the_shpydar

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LzWinky

the_shpydar wrote:

/me sits in his rocking chair, laughing at the children, knowing that 80s cartoons were vastly superior to anything being discussed here.

You are in some serious denial if you think 80s cartoons were ever good

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Jacob717

the_shpydar wrote:

/me sits in his rocking chair, laughing at the children, knowing that 80s cartoons were vastly superior to anything being discussed here.

Well, 80s cartoons are better than most TV cartoons from the 50s, 60s, and 70s, I'll give you that

Edited on by Jacob717

Jacob717

JusticeColde

In comparison to then and just now, it's more or less equal.
Like Dipper723 said, there is less room for creativity. In this day and age the higher-ups have even more control of these shows and even smallest issue could get a show cancelled just like that. But some of the shows now are thriving in this environment because they find ways to do at least some of what they want, it also helps that writing is good and even great in some cases.

Cartoon Network's shows (Regular Show, Clarence, Adventure Time,) Disney's cartoons (Gravity Falls, Wander Over Yonder, Phineas and Ferb) and some of Nickelodeon's less than appreciated shows -cough- Korra -cough- come to mind as they don't treat the audience like their stupid and just go for whatever it is their going for. Playing upon strenghs and not attempting to follow leaders in any sense.
Though, on some other fronts it has been hard to compare the quality. "Adult" toons have been on a decline in quality and anime is dragged down by many duds and copycats, not to say that there aren't a lot of gems to be found in those genres.

There are many cartoons that are great in many ways and we might be looking at an animation renaissance of sorts, which is great. That's why I fully believe that the cartoons of then and now are pretty much on equal footing.

Edited on by JusticeColde

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TheMisterManGuy

Dipper723 wrote:

WaLzgi wrote:

Actually Korra came back.

Are you talking about Nicktoons Network? That doesn't really count, because it's a digital channel, that very few people have, and it doesn't broadcast in HD, which means the episodes look bad when played on there.

TheMisterManGuy wrote:

Really? Cartoon Network is actually pushing the boundaries of TV animation right now. Have you forgotten about Adventure Time, Regular Show, Gumball, Steven Universe, Clarence, and Over the Garden Wall? Now yes, they've had a bit of toy commercial syndrome, but its been only applied to their action shows, which was why they kept getting cancelled. Fortunately, with a new CEO, that may change.

I'm not saying Cartoon Network makes bad shows, I'm saying that merchandising, and the 6-11 boy demographic dictates rather a shows is cancelled or not. Shows like Adventure Time and Regular Show sell well in merchandising and they're watched by boys 6 - 11, so they're safe from cancellation. However shows like Sym-Bionic Titan, Young Justice, and anything DC really that don't sell well merchandising wise, and are not watched by the demographic CN wants, they get cancelled.

You can make creative shows on CN, but only if the toys sell well, and the demographic CN wants is watching it.

You do realize Cartoon Network actually skews broader than 6-11 right? Their official target audience as they stated a little while back, is kids 2-14. So 2-5 year olds count for CN viewership as do the 12-14 year olds. Also merchandise can mean anything, not just toys. T-shirts are merchandise, as are plushes, clothing, cards, dog tags, video games, and comics. So I doubt CN was looking for just toy sales with some of those shows.

TheMisterManGuy

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