There is no doubt that animation has been a part of many of our childhoods. Waking up every weekend to watch cartoons while having breakfast arguably holds a very nostalgic feeling. Cartoons like ‘Tom & Jerry,’ ‘The Scooby Doo Show,’ and ‘Looney Tunes’ all contributed to making our childhoods less boring. However, as we grow up, why are we usually discouraged from watching cartoons or animations? Why are they considered ‘childish’? 

The idea of what makes any television show, movie, or video game considered to be just ‘kids’ stuff’ has been a topic of debate for a while. Yet, often, the argument is that animation as a medium is only for children. Unfortunately, the misunderstanding of the demographic can lead to criticisms of the show/movie itself, when in reality it is due to our own misconceptions in not analysing the media before jumping to conclusions.

In recent times, animated series aimed at more adult audiences have become popular. FOX put the concept of the ‘adult cartoon’ on the map with ‘The Simpsons’ in the early ’90s. Nowadays there appears to be a rise in popularity of adult cartoons, with streaming services producing shows such as ‘Family Guy’. 

However, animation is still viewed as something that is primarily for toddlers and pre-teens. Animated movies have valuable lessons that are often missed because the target audience is too young to comprehend. On the other hand, they are also often overlooked by adults due to not being advertised properly, so their contents are not taken seriously.

Animation is primarily a medium – a canvas on which to convey a story. For example, if a well-known artist who is famous for his oil portraits decides to attempt a portrait in crayons or pastels, does his artwork suddenly become juvenile? Is his talent or skill questioned because he decided to switch mediums?

While Western animation tries to stick to comedies, animé covers a wide variety of genres. Shows such as ‘Death Note’ or ‘Demon Slayer’ bring a much darker and more mature side to the animation genre. Animé explores subjects like mental illness, grief, and loss. 

For example, ‘A Silent Voice,’ a truly cinematic movie, accurately portrays mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety, allowing the audience to understand such emotions while connecting to the characters in meaningful ways and even allowing them to understand people who grapple with such struggles in real life. Further, many animés do not shy away from violence or gore. Therefore, in no way can these animations be deemed childish or described as being aimed solely for a younger audience.

The recent trend has been to adapt animated movies and shows as live action works. The purported reason for this is so that they appeal to a wider audience. However, animation could reach a wider audience if properly promoted or viewed without society’s initial judgements. 

For example, following the recent adaptation of ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ into a live action TV series, fans argue that it failed to convey the true essence of the original animated show. The animation was not only beautifully designed, but tackled many issues such as war, dictatorship, grief, loss, and more. Not only did these nuanced themes fail to appear in the live action show, many of the animated show’s quintessential moments were also watered down. 

Animation allows for characters to express exaggerated and dramatic emotions. Moreover, when it comes to fantasy, most magic and magical elements are at home in the world of animation. Sometimes such aspects get lost in translation while adapting them into live action.

While marketing attempts to make the films more edgy in order to cater to adults, this tends to make the product more immature as a result. This further convinces audiences that animation will always be only for children. 

Besides, animation as a medium allows for so much creativity: talking animals, flying humans – if you can draw it, it can become real. 

In the end, everyone is allowed to watch what th]ey like. If you’ve ever decided against watching something simply because it is animated, maybe give it a chance. Who knows, you might find your new favourite movie or show!

As Walt Disney, one of the best-known animators of all time, said: “You’re dead if you only aim for kids. Adults are only kids grown up, anyway.”