Guilty as charged. That is right, I am an adult that enjoy cartoons. 23 and I still find myself occasionally watching an episode of Family Guy or even The Penguins of Madagascar.
Crazy? You probably know some adults that also enjoy cartoons, whether they be targeted to adults, Japanimation, 90’s, 80’s, or even some that are targeted to children.
I realize that when people find out I enjoy cartoons, they think I am crazy or want to know why on earth would I want to watch something targeted to someone half of my age. Well, here are the reasons why 24 is not the only show I enjoy on my television during the year.
I Do Not Care Perspective
Generously stated, this is one of the most important things to learn in life. You can not please everyone, so focus on pleasing yourself as long as it does not harm anyone. I like cartoons, so I am going to watch them regardless of what others think. If someone is offended by something that has no effect on them whatsoever, they have some insecurity issues they need to address, and it is a person you probably would be better of abandoning. If you like them, then watch them.
Duration
Cartoons are short, sweet, and get to the point. The thing I hate about so many movies is it feels as if you are watching a two hour film where the first ninety minutes are just filler material. I prefer not to blow two hours on a movie I am probably not going to enjoy. Cartoons are approximately eleven or twenty-two minutes and you get the point rather quickly. Even if you loathe it, you have wasted, five minutes?
Visuals
Today, some of the CGI animations used are relatively pleasing to look at. Animations like The Backyardigans and My Friend Rabbit are examples of shows that focus on cute visuals. Some cartoons have rather grotesque animations that appeal to different audiences, such as Chowder or The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack. Some fans may enjoy a particular cartoon because of the sexual appeal they feel toward certain cartoon characters. Before you think I am insane, let me clarify that I do not fall in the last two categories I have mentioned under visuals.
Characterization
I consider this the most important aspect on whether I am willing to watch numerous episodes of a cartoon series.
People can fall in love with a character itself. Cartoons are zany, unrealistic, and often unpredictable. Sometimes, you see a character that reminds you of yourself when you were younger, how you wanted to be, or how you are now. Even if a plot to a show is not the most original, it can still be accepted if the characters are entertaining and what the target audience wants.
If you are like me, you may also get intrigued by a cartoon series just because of the species itself. If your show has a penguin in it, you automatically start at a five on a ten-point scale for preference. I love penguins, so make your show about penguins and you can guarantee yourself one potential viewer.
Violence
I have two ideologies on the basis of violence in cartoons.
The first one is cartoons that sustain no violence. These cartoons are usually simplistic, cute, and can get a chuckle out of you. If I watched violence all day like some people, I would go insane. These could include children’s cartoons like Babar or comedies like Phineas and Ferb.
The second one is cartoons that sustain violence. These shows are similar to shows on Adult Swim or even Looney Tunes. These shows may use violence, but they use it in an unrealistic and zany way. The violence can come across as funny to some, and annoying to people who are more serious. Some people may get annoyed by this, but you should understand that the violence of guns and knives on national broadcast shows can be overkill also. It gets redundant after awhile.
Memories
For some people, they like to recall their childhood. Childhood can be a good time to many, and seeing cartoons from the past or even the present make them feel like a kid again. These people are usually more than eager to have children just to have the opportunity to have an excuse to watch cartoons again.
Seriousness
Some people are just too serious. Watching something that is looks like it belongs to a younger audience would not be the cool thing. It is too nonchalant for them. For us easy goers, we do not care about that.
You now have a better understanding of lunatics like me who like cartoons. As Porky would say, “That’s all folks!”
REFERENCES
Viktorya Hale, “Top 5 Sexiest Cartoon Characters.” Associated Content.
