Editorial: Animation Studios Need To Stop Relying on Existing IP

[wonderfly]

The News Team's "The Overlord" has a new editorial up on the front page of AnimeSuperhero.com:

"Editorial: Animation Studios Need To Stop Relying on Existing IP"​

"An article from Variety released in August stated that Disney is having trouble appealing to Gen Z males. This article states that old profitable franchises like Marvel and Star Wars no longer appeal to Gen Z men, and Disney has started to look to new areas to find IP that appeals to this demographic.

It seems like animation studios, not just Disney, but Warner Bros, Paramount, etc, are suffering from the same problem. For a long time, most of the output of these animation studios has been the same franchises over and over again. How many cartoon series have been produced about the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Spider-Man in the last 15 years? At one point in 2017 and 2018, you had a new TMNT and Spider-Man cartoon series start up almost right after the old cartoon series ended. It felt like the market was oversaturated with IP-based cartoon series.

How many times can animation studios recycle the same premises before they become tired? How many times can Peter Parker get bitten by a mutated spider and learn about great power and great responsibility before it becomes boring? How many times can turtles get mutated by ooze and learn martial arts before it becomes dull? At least Superman, Batman and the X-Men took a long break between their latest animated adventures and their previous ones, but those are not new franchises. Other 80s toy franchises like Transformers have gotten several animated adaptations over the years, and even Masters of the Universe has had several animated adaptations recently. There is only so long that animation studios can rely on Marvel or DC comics and 80s toy franchises before it become stale."

Read the full article here.

 

[Otakuninja2006]

This is something that I completely agree with. Maybe try adapting other IP or...just make me ones.

 

[PicardMan]

During this current adult action cartoon boom, the two best titles to come out of it have probably been Primal and Blue Eye Samurai, two original IPs. Most of Netflix's adult action cartoons have been video game adaptations, but most of them lately (Tomb Raider, Devil May Cry, Splinter Cell) have been pretty divisive. I would prefer it if adult action cartoons could do something else rather than video games or superheroes. I know that action cartoons have traditionally been mainly video game, superhero, or toy adaptations, but I think I think people are ready for something different from action cartoons.

As for adult comedies, it's still mostly the same long runners like Simpsons, South Park, King of the Hill, Family Guy, and American Dad, but Smiling Friends has been there. That's been pretty much the only notable new adult comedy cartoon IP from this decade.

For adult animation, which has been more stagnant with its overuse of old IPs, action or comedy? Both don't seem to be in the best shape right now.

 

[Kitschensyngk]

It's a side effect of Hollywood's never-ending output of remakes, reboots, and franchises.

Major studios would rather go for safe bets and quick cash grabs instead of treating their artists right. Meanwhile smaller studios, despite relying on Patreon, Kickstarter, and merch sales for support, have never been afraid to take risks. Is it any wonder Dana Terrace now smears her former bosses from the indie circuit?

I think in the future we may see more of the same deals that put Helluva Boss on Prime Video and Amazing Digital Circus on Netflix, where studios give their shows more exposure while retaining creative control.

Meanwhile, I'm seeing a similar problem with the anime business these days. If a show piques my interest or pops up on Toonami, I'll probably watch it, but it seems nowadays when I hear about something new it's likely either a moe series, a high school harem comedy, or an isekai fantasy.

 

[ToonDude03]

It’s mostly the 6-11 demographic that has an IP problem. Especially CN.

 

[harry580]

yeah, because kids would rather be watching YouTube and ai slop and play roblox (despite the whole schlep situation)

 

[PicardMan]

When it comes to kids comedy cartoons, we've got the Phineas and Ferb revival too. Nickelodeon did that Fairly Oddparents: A New Wish for streaming. Relying on established IPs is not exclusive to Cartoon Network, but they are probably the worst at it.

We also are having the phenomenon of the adult versions of kids cartoons like Fionna and Cake and X-Men 97. Regular Show is also supposed to get one too. With the exception of Velma, this genre has been doing well and the novelty behind it has kept fans interest.

 

[harry580]

what about 6-11 animated films?. I can get ice age boiling point and zootopia 2 (and I know hexxed is coming out) but come on, if you want hollywood better, market it better

 

[Kirben]

I couldn't agree more, we need more fresh series, with new ideas. If you aren't into comedies, it is a struggle to find new content.
I really enjoyed Amphibia, and Owl House from Disney, but the later suffered too much due to the shorted last season. I was really surprised by Wolfboy and the Everything Factory too, which is aimed at younger age group.
The problem as always is companies don't want to take any chances anymore, I'm currently enjoying Iyanu, but it suffers from limited animation. The last good local series (Prisoner Zero) had same problem (limited animation), and got cancelled far too quickly too, despite having so much potential for more.
The problem I find with more adult animation, is what they feel needs to be added (blood, violence, sex appeal, swearing) to make it more adult, which is often a complete turn off for me.
Anime isn't much better, the overload of isekai, which feels like wish fulfillment, and other aspects (fan service, high school, moe) which are a turn off. There is barely any anime even for younger children, that isn't a blatant commercial for merchandise now.

 

[PicardMan]

The new action cartoon franchises we have seen Jentry Chau and Invincible Fight Girl, are probably one season wonders as we have gone months without a season 2 announcement. Seems like they are probably dead.

Iyanu was kinda a low budget disappointment even though it has a panther that shoots lasers out of its mouth, which sound awesome on paper. It's stiff animation looks worse than action cartoons from 20 years ago. Story and characters are decent, but nothing to write home about. It's a new IP on Cartoon Network and the first action cartoon on Cartoon Network in years, but there was so little hype behind it.

It just seems like with the exception of Iyanu, Primal, and Blue Eye Samurai, new action cartoon IPs are getting canned and cancelled. It seems like only IP based stuff like Invincible and X-Men 97 gets renewals. Superhero fatigue is real and it feels like Invincible is losing a lot of steam with casual audiences. Things aren't looking so hot for action cartoons when it seemed like the adult action cartoon boom of the early 2020s was the most exciting thing ever when it started as the hype seems to have cooled off a lot.

I guess the positives for action cartoons are the fact that we get 8-10 new episodes of Primal and Blue Eye Samurai every 3 years, but the quantity issue has really hurt action cartoons. 8-10 episodes every three years is a lot less than 13 episodes a year like the action cartoons of yore. The overreliance on stale IPs like Spider-Man and Transformers is one thing hurting action cartoons, but the fact that "prestige" action cartoons follow the 8-10 episodes every three years is arguably just as big a factor hurting American action cartoons. There's simply not that much in terms of new American action cartoon episodes coming out. Anyway, it seems like American action cartoons are kind of in a rough spot right now.

 

[John Pannozzi]

it feels like Invincible is losing a lot of steam with casual audiences.

How so?

 

[PicardMan]

How so?

I know it's shiny newness has worn out, but it's still decently popular, popular enough to make it to season 4. It seems like Amazon's marketing has slowed down for the show compared to the early seasons. Superhero cartoons do seem to at least get more buzz than the toy cartoons like Transformers.