Depends on cartoon really. When I see something like that fairy thing on nick, to me it's unwatchable.
Adventure Time I liked for like 2 seasons maybe? Later, when they tried to add continuity, the continuity started to collapse on itself and erased most things that happened before it. And when they tried to be "deep" with the plot, I called it quit - it tried to be so deep it stopped being original. I mean, how many TV shows and movies did the shtick "my girlfriend's parents won't like me if they'll know who I am! I know, I'll pretent to me someone else" and after the repeat of every dead joke that there is it ends with "hurr durr, we'd liketh you from beginz". And there is more crap like that. Also I love how animators can't decide how to draw anything and Finn changes shape all the time.
Same I can say about Steven Universe (animation is just godawful, though) - maybe 2 episodes were ok and watchable without being boring to tears or a total rip-off, but when they tried to do something different, mostly it looks like it's time waster, like that episode when he goes to date with the chick to the movies and takes lion as a transport - they go through the portal, there's filler, they go back to the movies (which wasn't far away, actually - main character is just a lazy ahole) and nothing gets accomplished, nothing happens. Also, main character is total idiot and selfish ahole (and he tries to fix the wrong he did in the episode halfway through). So what should I like? It being racist and stereotypical? Or that piece of crap animation?
Also, maybe it was in the 90s too (I can't remember that many of them that did that), but nowadays when there is a cartoon with christmas theme, it looks like the message/moral in the end is "gifts is all that counts/christmas is all about presents".
And I noticed unhealthy trend with nowadays cartoons that most of the time, main characters must be a total selfish aholes. Teen Titans GO!, Adventure Time, Uncle Grandpa, Steven Universe, you name it.
I'd say yes, but not in all cases.
There were some really awful cartoons in every era, but the 90's had many that were more respectful towards themselves. They didn't cross their self-imposed borders just to make a joke, or rely on popular cultural references for the most part.
Nowadays, many cartoons are either plain stupid, or take themselves far too seriously, or are completely tasteless with their presentation in general. Or they try to be some pointless moral vanguard nobody needs.
No mention of Beast Wars? It's certainly better than G1. What about the Earthworm Jim cartoon? The best cartoons are the ones that are able to be enjoyed by people of all ages, but it seems like the number of those cartoons has declined
If by "Modern", you mean "Post 90's", then hell no. In action/drama Batman Beyond is better than Batman TAS, Spectacular Spider-man blew away the 90's series, Young Justice and Teen Titans broke new ground. You also have other great shows like the 3 Star Wars series, Jackie Chan Adventures, Avatar, and Powerpuff Girls.
In comedy, it's a bit murkier. Nickolodeon had a lot of really strong showings in the 90's. If you ask me, Disney had never done well in animated cartoons until Phineas and Ferb. Kim Possible was cheesy as all hell, and everything else was forgettable. But Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, Spongebob, and Fairly Odd Parents are all shows I'd consider post 90's, so it's not completely black and white.
Now, if by "Modern" you mean "In the past year", then yes, yes they are (reference totally intended). The lower cost of CG animation and broader audience cartoons appeal to (and studio's being unaware of that), combined with Disney's complete incompetence in the cartoon business has pretty much killed Action/Drama cartoons. Nearly every acclaimed superhero cartoon since 2008 has been cancelled and replaced by a flashy show for kids that is designed to sell toys. Star Wars: Rebels is likely to nosedive once Greg Weisman leaves the show. Right now, pretty much the only drama/action cartoons that aren't so bad only a child could enjoy it are Legend of Korra and Star Wars: Rebels. I don't follow comedic animation much anymore (actually, i just don't generally watch comedic shows in general).
Coming from someone who was born in the late 80s, I think the cartoons of today (00s & 10s) is better than the cartoons of the 90s. Don't get my wrong some of my favorite cartoons started in the 90s (some of which continues on to this day) but something about the way how technology, art style, and debatable to other "creativity" evolve over the years, it seems to hold my interest more. I guess one of the reasons is that the characters evolve in some way and have backstory(s) rather than continue episodes like the past one never existed like. Not every single cartoon is like this but a good amount by comparison.
It's some times hard to come to these type of conclusions when nostalgia is in play.
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/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
You've got to be kidding me
He-man, She-ra, MASK, GIJOE, TMNT, Transformers, Ghostbusters, GEM and the holograms, smurfs, carebears, adventures of the gummi bears, Garfield, Captain N(My personal favorite. it was RAD) super Mario bros super show/LOZ(2nd favorite cartoon series of all time), muppet babies, thundercats, the list goes on and on.
plus the *SITCOMS and commercials were VASTLY superior in the 80's and early to mid 90's, there's no contest. todays are absolute garbage.
the 2000's are a lifeless, dull, dreary and bland decade...I remember the late 80's and early 90's very fondly. Cartoons, commercials, fashion, the movies, just creativity and imagination in general were on a whole different level.
We also got Dragon ball flippin' Z baby. technically a late 80's,early 90's cartoon that was later dubbed by funimation in the late 90's, but yeah.
This.
I would also add Ulysses 31 and Dogtanion to that list of 80's gems
Heck yes. There is a reason why show's like Rugrats, & Goof Troop lasted as long as they did not to mention having several movies to follow both tv show's there good & actually have a storyline. These newer cartoon's don't have storylines there's a reason why these newer show's are only lasting a a year or two because there is no storyline. My 3 favorite show's in the 1990's with out a doubt:
Rugrat's
Goof Troop
BeetleJuice
Other show's that I really liked:
Cow & Chicken
Powerpuff Girls
Clarissa Explains it all
Are You Afraid Of The Dark?
The Amanda Show
Taz-Mania
Ed, Edd, N Eddy
SpongeBob
The Muppet Babies
Baby Looney Tunes
FlintStones
Happy Gaming! (^_^)
Translation: Da 90z is da best era eva, and anything before or after sucks. And I'm going to call Baby Looney Tunes, Muppet Babies, and the Flinstones 90s shows, because I refuse to believe that good shows exist other than the 90s.
/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
You've got to be kidding me
He-man, She-ra, MASK, GIJOE, TMNT, Transformers, Ghostbusters, GEM and the holograms, smurfs, carebears, adventures of the gummi bears, Garfield, Captain N(My personal favorite. it was RAD) super Mario bros super show/LOZ(2nd favorite cartoon series of all time), muppet babies, thundercats, the list goes on and on.
plus the *SITCOMS and commercials were VASTLY superior in the 80's and early to mid 90's, there's no contest. todays are absolute garbage.
the 2000's are a lifeless, dull, dreary and bland decade...I remember the late 80's and early 90's very fondly. Cartoons, commercials, fashion, the movies, just creativity and imagination in general were on a whole different level.
We also got Dragon ball flippin' Z baby. technically a late 80's,early 90's cartoon that was later dubbed by funimation in the late 90's, but yeah.
Agreed WaLzgi don't know what he's talking about.
Rimmer: "Look, I think we've all got something to bring to this conversation, but I think that from now on the thing you should bring is silence."
Homer: "Oh people can come up with statistics to prove anything Kent. Forfty percent of all people know that."
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.
This is quite interesting. I don't watch many cartoons, I have noticed quite a few ones that seem good from what I watched, at least for what they are. I'd contend that animation quality is down for most western cartoons, but Otherwise my only beef with modern cartoons is that I don't like the format so much anymore. That doesn't mean they're bad - older cartoons had the same sort of episodic format I just can't get into anymore. I do wish there was more variety in that regard, though.
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Topic: Are 90s cartoons really better than today's cartoons?
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