Why TV Doesn't Want Anime and Action Cartoons Anymore

TMC1982

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Does the climate of today's television simply hinders this? For example or to give you a better idea, back when commercials weren't as prevalent, kids shows could get away with being half an hour long episodes. But when cable became a bigger source for ad revenue, shortened episodes became a bigger boon. So instead of half hour blocks, you now have quarter hour blocks.
 

TheMisterManGuy

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I think the problem with Action Cartoons is that they seem to suffer from Comic Book syndrome, where they all have to be realistic looking and super visually complex, when sometimes, simplicity is better. I like Justice League and Avatar, but I also like Danny Phantom and Kim Possible. Sometimes, a simpler, cheaper to animate style is better than having to be super complex and expensive all the time.
 

AdrenalineRush1996

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Well, actually anime is still shown on Adult Swim's Toonami block, Funimation, Crunchyroll and other streaming services plus the only network that still airs mainly action cartoons is well Disney XD and some of the recent ones have aired on Netflix like Voltron: Legendary Defender and Trollhunters.

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jaylop97

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The answer could be that most action shows tend to be ongoing arc shows, which makes them harder to air on TV knowing order is very vital for the airing of episodes.
 

AdrenalineRush1996

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The answer could be that most action shows tend to be ongoing arc shows, which makes them harder to air on TV knowing order is very vital for the airing of episodes.
That's why shows like Voltron: Legendary Defender have aired on Netflix instead due to them being arc heavy.

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Gear3dGryph0n

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Pan's right on pretty much everything here. The only vital thing he doesn't touch on a whole lot is that original action cartoons are more expensive to produce than comedies. The art styles are more complex, more has to be invested in expensive effects animation to create a convincing enough reality of movement, and often multiple locations have to be used, while in comedy shows you can get away with a lot of standing around and talking in the same few places over and over again. Combine that with the fact that most of the subject matter of action cartoons has become a bonanza for summer blockbusters and the medium/genre is pretty much playing second fiddle now with franchise shows selling movies and movie characters as well as toys and other merch. Original properties hardly stand a chance on traditional TV.

This would be a great format for streaming TV considering the phenomenon of binge watching and the dominance of serialized dramas on the live action side; Crunchyroll already has tons of anime and Netflix has Voltron. However Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu continue to invest far more in preschool shows and the occasional movie franchise show because those have a higher return on investment. Maybe one day a maverick indie producer will sell a good action cartoon concept or an adaptation of a lesser-known work to a streamer at a low cost. It's possible, but what Pan said is true. It's only starting out and we'll have to wait and see.
 

Golden Geek

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I'm just happy we have Toonami. If it weren't for the revival effort being successful back in 2012, TV could be even barer of anime and action cartoons than it currently is. (Let's face it...Adult Swim Action was on its way out.)
 

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