Animation Without Apology

Cartoons aren't just for kids, sometimes they can be edgier, rawer, deeper, and more honest than any other kind of media. They might even predict our future.

Photo by manas rb on Unsplash

I was reading a piece recently that I really enjoyed and one particular part of it really got me thinking. I told the author if she didn’t delve deeper, I would. She commented that she looked forward to reading my piece. So, here we go!

MissLissaWrites ❤’s piece about conspiracy theories and media control is a short yet fascinating read. One section dealt with how The Simpsons has actually predicted certain events and then she dropped this hammer:

“Or maybe a cartoon’s been the bluntest truth on TV all along.” MissLissaWrites ❤

So, here’s the thing about animation. Some people are obsessed with it. Some people don’t watch it at all. I’m in the middle. I have kids, so I’ve watched my fair share of animation. I love Pixar and Disney. But, I wouldn’t say I gravitate toward it. I certainly never thought I would write about it.

But, I love the idea stated above - that animation can be more blunt, more truthful, and more daring because it’s grounded in something fake. Animation is, by definition, art. So, because it doesn’t look real it can go places more realistic media can’t.

A movie that comes to mind is Cocoa. I remember seeing it in the theater. For 2 hours I was in awe of this movie. I was transfixed by the vivid images, enjoyed the music, and was so incredibly moved by the overall message that by the end I was swept into an intense emotional wave. I wept in my seat all throughout the credits. I was not ready for how this movie affected me. Ultimately it’s a movie so deep it can only be told in animation.

So, what about some other ‘toons that went unexpected, daring, truthful places? Animation isn’t just for kids, sometimes animation is the only way to tell certain stories and the only way to go to a particular place.

The Simpsons

Something I love about The Simpsons - it’s an homage to the family sitcom trope. And yet, they strangely feel more real. The families from Growing Pains and Leave it to Beaver are too wholesome. The families from Modern Family and Everybody Loves Raymond are too elite. The families from Roseanne and Married with Children are too edgy. The Simpsons feel real. Homer spends too much time at the bar, but loves his family more than anything. Bart is a troublemaker, but that kind you know will end up ok. And they are the definition of middle class - they worry about money, but don’t let it define their lives.

Another interesting thing - the show started 1989 when I was a touch older than the oldest child, but I am older than Homer and Marge now and the show is still on the air. So, this show managed to create a family that lives and adjusts through 40 years of changes. The characters maintain their integrity, and the family dynamics are the same. But, the culture around them changes, the writers change, and whole TV landscape changes. This show evolves with time, but leaves core characters true to themselves. That’s pretty cool when you think about it.

Here’s another quote from the article I was inspired by:

“The Simpsons has been running since 1989 and somehow keeps nailing bizarre predictions: Trump as president, smartwatches, FIFA corruption, even a virus from Asia. A lot of these things show up years, sometimes decades, before they happen.

Sure, the writers are sharp. Loads of them went to Harvard. They dig around, talk to experts, follow trends. Maybe that’s all it is. Smart people making educated guesses.” MissLissaWrites ❤

Daria

This little show popped up on MTV when I was in college. It’s actually a spin-off of Beavis & Butthead, but it’s surprisingly deep. Daria is about a girl in high school. Her family, her sister, her best friend, and the characters she shares her classes with who she knows, but doesn’t really connect to. Daria is smart. She’s an old soul, she’s wise beyond her years, and stuck in this phase of life that simply isn’t where she’s meant to flourish. She gets good grades, but she’s not into playing into the high school girl BS and she makes that well known. As a result she’s a bit of an outcast, but her friendship with Jane makes her more human and helps her enjoy high school more.

Everyone always talked about how 90210 broke ground by being so “realistic”. But, while 90210 did bravely deal with topics other teens shows didn’t (teen sex, drugs, date rape) it was ultimately about the cool kids (who also lived in one of the most expensive zip codes in the US). Daria was about the rest of us. I wasn’t as jaded as Daria (I related more to Jane actually), but I got her. And to me, this show portrays my high school experience better than any movie or television show I have ever seen.

South Park

Another popular show from my college years that is not only still around, but still relevant. South Park was provocative from the get go. A very early episode implies a teacher sired with a pig. Another one from 2001 has one kid tricking another kid into eating his own parents (yes, you read that right). Somehow, this show started on the edge and then moved the border.

This year South Park has gone hard against the current administration. Storylines involving Trump having an affair with Vance, Trump getting Satin pregnant, Kristi Noem’s face falling off. This show has made fun of democrats in the past as well, but the vulgarity and vitriol of how it is attacking Trump and his minions is downright awe inspiring. Sure SNL & and The Daily Show are happy to go at Trump too, but they operate with much more restrictions than that placed on this weird, raw Comedy Central staple.

Wall-E

Wall-E is a robot who falls in love with another robot. Wall-E is obviously AI but is also the most human character in this movie. And this movie has lots of humans in it. But, the humans are floating around in little compartments while they drink soda and watch their screens all day. Tell me this doesn’t sound the future of the human race.

Wall-E, an AI robot, follows his heart the second he encounters Eve. This longing lays the path for the rest of the film. There is this lovely moment toward the end where two of these chubby, floating people happen to touch hands. Then they look at each other like something big has just happened. Real human connection that only occurred because of the actions of our sensitive Wall-E. Computers and screens might currently be causing human disconnect, but is it possible AI could also lead to our salvation in the future?

The Amazing Digital Circus

This is another show with sharp, fascinating commentary on AI. It’s about a group of humans who are stuck in a virtual reality world. Our main character is new and finding her way in her new “reality” as Pomni, a character who looks like a deranged court jester. Without getting too into the weeds, this show is ultimately about the blurry line between human intelligence and AI experience. This animated show that started off on YouTube and caters to high schoolers just might be the deepest dive into AI commentary yet.

AI is taking off like a rocket right now. People are using it as a tool - that’s fine. Students are using it to write their papers - that’s not fine. AI is posting all over Reddit and I’m sure it’s all over Substack as well. People are using AI for conversations, therapy, and even relationships. Isn’t it just a matter of time before we start interacting with AI in a way where we’re not sure what to call it anymore?

What We Can Learn From Wile E. Coyote

There’s this classic cartoon gag pretty much everyone has seen. Picture it, Wile E. Coyote is running so fast his legs are nothing but a gray cloud. He runs so quickly that he runs off the cliff’s edge and into the air. He continues to run for a bit, but inevitably he looks down. And this is when he drops, not a second before.

People who create entertainment with real actors, real people somehow always see the cliff. Plenty of movies, tv-shows, music, podcasts, go right up to the edge. An edge that feels dangerous and makes people uncomfortable. But, they still don’t temp going further.

But great animation is like Wile E. Cayote. Sometimes they run past the cliff. Sometimes not seeing where the edge is creates magical, memorable, amazing moments. And maybe some artists who participate in this media are even better than Wile, maybe some of them never look down.