.Wednesday, November 7, 2007 ' 2:30 PM Y
BOO!!
We call it cartoons… But it’s no longer for children?
Cartoons = children as audience?
Genres and target audiences are often explicitly and inextricably linked, genres are often defined (especially industrially) by an assumed audience segment. Often, by labeling a genre as cartoons, we naturally associate it with children, and thus tend to assume that it is appropriate viewing for children.
But is that really the case in today’s context?
Just by looking at the characters from "Happy Tree Friends", we are often misled. But when we finally catch an episode, we experience for ourselves that appearances can be deceiving…
"Happy Tree Friends" is rarely ever happy and far from family-friendly. In a sense, it seems that cartoons have taken a turn toward catering to mature audiences.
Ramin Zahed, editor of Animation magazine, said "Happy Tree Friends" may be only the latest in a continuum of content once thought offensive, like "The Simpsons" or "South Park," but now accepted as mainstream. Cartoons already airing on cable networks like SpikeTV are more outrageous than "Happy Tree Friends," he said.
Considering the fact that such controversial cartoons are actually well received and almost becoming a trend, what is it telling? That controversy is the way to go?
Also, the question that I’m wondering now is, why cartoons? Why of all genres, are cartoons chosen to depict controversial content?
Is there a certain masking effect that is embedded within cartoons?
Do we find it easier to consume controversial content through cartoons because we tend to assume them to be harmless, and thus much anxiety is exempted from the genre?
Labels: cultural anxieties, Faustina, Genres, personal opinion
1 Comments:
I guess the reason why we find the use of cartoons more appropriate for raising controversial issues is that we tend to relate cartoons to 'fiction', taking shield from cartoons' main purpose which is to entertain, while others like human-acted shows would invite stronger backlash as the message they deliver would tend to be more clear and direct, similar to watching documentaries? I really think it is for their convenience to try to avoid trouble from the controversy, and perhaps to lighten the mood.
