Thursday, May 28, 2009

Cartoon Network Goes Live Action

Cartoon Network is promoting it's summer lineup and I don't like what I see.  Four new live action reality shows have been announced and none of them have anything to do with the animation industry!  

Show number one, The Outsiders, is basically a teen version of Ghost Hunters or Paranormal State.  Show number two, Survive This, is obviously a teen rendition of Survivor.  Show number three, Brain Rush, is a trivia show that looks like Cash Cab but with teens and rollercoasters. Last but not least show number four, Destroy Build Destroy, is a Discovery Channel-esque show where teams of teens build and destroy stuff. 

Hmm there seems to be a trend here.  Obviously Cartoon Network is trying to expand it's teen audience.  I guess Adult Swin just isn't cutting it.  If that's the case why couldn't they have put more focus on getting the rights to air popular new anime or developing high quality cartoons like Total Drama Action and 6teen?  

If they really had to go the reality/game show route why couldn't they have done one for animators where the winner gets a job at a real studio or maybe a contract to produce their cartoon as a Cartoon Network Original?  How about behind the scenes programming of how cartoons are made these days? Interview big names in the industry from animators to voice actors and send some cameras overseas to where all the tweens are produced.  Where's the all cartoon trivia game show?   There are so many great options for this avenue.

I guess what bothers me most about all of this has been bothering me since Adult Swim started airing shows with poor quality production.  With a name like Cartoon Network they should strive to be the best in the field of art and animation.  Focus on reputation and quality.  Ratings are important, but so is the legacy of animation.  

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Kawaii Not

My friends and I discovered Kawaii Not last weekend on a trip to Barnes & Noble.  "The comic for cute gone bad" by Meghan Murphy is a four panel webcomic that features inanimate objects with cute faces that say and do things that just don't seem right.

 

What a great concept!  Check out more comics at kawaiinot.com.