CBR's "Top Ten Cartoons That Aged Terribly/Or Are Timeless"

[ZariusTwo]

Back in the ’80s, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles took the world by storm. Based on a decidedly not “kid friendly” comic book, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles debuted in 1987 and offered a family friendly take on the mutated heroes. It ran until 1996, and along with a mega popular toy line, it seemed like every kid loved the heroes in a half shell.

So, how does the cartoon hold up? Not well. The humor is very immature, and the turtles often times come across as annoying. Shredder is surrounded by villains that are either dumb or annoying (sometimes both). The show was clearly made just to sell toys, and doesn’t hold a candle to the many superior cartoons and movies that have been made since.

https://www.cbr.com/terrible-and-timeless-cartoons/

...The same article lists Transformers G1 as "timeless", but cite the same reasons they deride the first TMNT show for (simplistic stories, made to sell toys, but it's FUN)

[CyberCubed]

and the turtles often times come across as annoying.

What. I don't how the Turtles can be considered annoying.

[FredWolfLeonardo]

I thought the article was heretical enough to criticize the Original Tmnt Cartoon.

Then, I saw Superman the Animated Series on there and knew I had enough :lol:

[neatoman]

So, how does the cartoon hold up? Not well. The humor is very immature, and the turtles often times come across as annoying. Shredder is surrounded by villains that are either dumb or annoying (sometimes both). The show was clearly made just to sell toys, and doesn’t hold a candle to the many superior cartoons and movies that have been made since.

And this is true, so what's the problem?

[CyberCubed]

I think because its missing the point. The original TMNT cartoon was never trying to be a serious cartoon. It was a parody/satire of action cartoons from the start. The show made fun of itself all the time, we're not supposed to wonder why the villains are incompetent.

[ZariusTwo]

And this is true, so what's the problem?

The problem is you've grown up

[FredWolfLeonardo]

I think because its missing the point. The original TMNT cartoon was never trying to be a serious cartoon. It was a parody/satire of action cartoons from the start. The show made fun of itself all the time, we're not supposed to wonder why the villains are incompetent.

bbbuttttt iiiittttss aaallllll pppoiiintlesssss!

The problem is you've grown up

I don't think being an adult is a barrier to enjoying the Original Cartoon.

[neatoman]

I think because its missing the point. The original TMNT cartoon was never trying to be a serious cartoon. It was a parody/satire of action cartoons from the start. The show made fun of itself all the time, we're not supposed to wonder why the villains are incompetent.

But if he thought it was annoying and immature, does the intention really matter?

I don't think being an adult is a barrier to enjoying the Original Cartoon.

It mostly is. I guess alcohol, marijuana, sleep deprivation and nostalgia might break it down a bit. I doubt most adults with little to no experience with it would like it while sober.

[ZariusTwo]

It mostly is. I guess alcohol, marijuana, sleep deprivation and nostalgia might break it down a bit. I doubt most adults with little to no experience with it would like it while sober.

There can be ways to enjoy it as an adult, either if you have kids yourselves and want to give them a starter before moving up to the edgier material, or, like me, watching classic episodes and "rewriting them" as fanfic adaptations.

[FredWolfLeonardo]

I never watched the Original Cartoon as a kid and got into it later on and still loved it.

Even the worst episodes have something I enjoy, whether it be the performances of the voice actors, the soundtrack, the self aware humour or just a sense of charm/heart in general.

[Candy Kappa]

G1 Transformers is timeless? Oh okay :lol:

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

What. I don't how the Turtles can be considered annoying.

Very, very easily. Extremely annoying.

[triplexxx]

In any case, this and everything else like it is always a matter of opinion, never fact.

[Shark_Blade]

They have stupid opinion though. Like the people who claim AIDS is harmless.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

They have stupid opinion though. Like the people who claim AIDS is harmless.

I love that you're comparing people's poor opinion of a made-for-toys cartoon to people negating the impact of a horrific disease.

Stay classy, Shark Blade.

[CyberCubed]

Never found the Turtles annoying, 2k3 Mike had some really annoying moments though as the series progressed. None of the OT Turtles had moments like that.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Never found the Turtles annoying, 2k3 Mike had some really annoying moments though as the series progressed. None of the OT Turtles had moments like that.

I strongly disagree.

[MikeandRaph87]

As an adult I see the humor is nearly perfect for my sense of humor. I love puns and sarcasm and that is the basis of the humor in the the 1987 cartoon. I believe my taste in humor was formed thanks to this cartoon peppered with Full House. The 2012 cartoon had darker moments (like Splinter's murder and death of three villains) yet its goofy humor was not my thing. Butt canons on Kraang robots among other things? Its gross humor or stupid funny. Neither humor amuses me as it does not follow the humor type that the 1987 cartoon had and shaped my preferences.

Very, very easily. Extremely annoying.

Michelangelo is annoying outside of the 1987 cartoon on the small screen.

[Papenbrook]

So, how does the cartoon hold up? Not well.The humor is very immature, and the turtles often times come across as annoying. Shredder is surrounded by villains that are either dumb or annoying (sometimes both). The show was clearly made just to sell toys, and doesn’t hold a candle to the many superior cartoons and movies that have been made since.


http://i1.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/490/096/882.gif

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

I think because its missing the point. The original TMNT cartoon was never trying to be a serious cartoon. It was a parody/satire of action cartoons from the start. The show made fun of itself all the time, we're not supposed to wonder why the villains are incompetent.

The turtles have always been a lot of parody on older hero or superhero comics.

[MikeandRaph87]

The villains were not allowed to be fully competent. How else could a series go on for so long if that was not the case? Excuses for the Technodrome to be inoperable or stuck were in common need even after Shredder Triumphant. If not tweaked in effectiveness it would have taken a finality within a few episodes instead of an exile where they likely could return. Especially with Shredder, the Foot Soldiers, a horde of mutants beyond just Bebop and Rocksteady and combined with Krang and the rock soldiers, the Technodrome and the vast array of weaponry. Earth would be conquered in a quicker time than any other TMNT incarnation.

[Sumac]

What. I don't how the Turtles can be considered annoying.
I wonder what people behind this "thinkpiece" would have thought of Mike from 2k12?

Never ever Turtles from 87 felt as annoying to me. Guess, I have better tolerance for silly humor, than some of local jaded veterans.

Also, the fact that those people consider Transformers G1 timeless, when it's guilty of the same stuff as Turtles, is hilarious. I was trying to watch G1 decade ago and was able to slog only through the first few episodes.

There can be ways to enjoy it as an adult, either if you have kids yourselves and want to give them a starter before moving up to the edgier material, or, like me, watching classic episodes and "rewriting them" as fanfic adaptations.
Or just appreciating silly cartoon for what it is.
But since you are all grown up and serious this is absolutely forbidden!! :lol:

Stay classy, Shark Blade.
Harmless comparison has triggered you? :lol:

As an adult I see the humor is nearly perfect for my sense of humor. I love puns and sarcasm and that is the basis of the humor in the the 1987 cartoon. I believe my taste in humor was formed thanks to this cartoon peppered with Full House. The 2012 cartoon had darker moments (like Splinter's murder and death of three villains) yet its goofy humor was not my thing. Butt canons on Kraang robots among other things? Its gross humor or stupid funny. Neither humor amuses me as it does not follow the humor type that the 1987 cartoon had and shaped my preferences.
My ninja! ;)

[sdp]

It's just a random guy's crappy opinion on a big website but it doesn't validate it and the only reason he has that job you can see by looking at all the other articles he's written, it's all clickbait. The list is rather safe with a few of his personal favorites tainting the whole list's credibility.


I found transformers awful, what makes TMNT more re-watchable than G1 is that it never took itself too seriously and was always self-aware while G1 has the same faults but tried to play it straight.

I also find the humor of the OT fare superior to the other TMNT shows including TNM/2k3/Nick. The OT humor is either self-aware, straight up bizarre and the dumb jokes are so dumb they're just funny even if not the way they're supposed to. While the other shows go for either gross out humor or "i'm acting silly so it's funny", so yeah usually Mikey acting sillier than any of the OT turtles ever did in any one episode.

[Lisardo]

Never ever Turtles from TMNT'87 felt as annoying to me. Guess, I have better tolerance for silly humor, than some of local jaded veterans.


I think because its missing the point. The original TMNT cartoon was never trying to be a serious cartoon. It was a parody/satire of action cartoons from the start. The show made fun of itself all the time, we're not supposed to wonder why the villains are incompetent.

Thank you! I totally agree with you on that one! Sure TMNT'87 is cheesy at times, but in my opinion it's not as cheesy as the original '80s Transformers or He-Man! The dialog in TMNT'87 was bit goofy at times, but like the 'Adam West' Batman, it's more of a joke or parody. In other words, it's not to be taken too seriously. I guess it really boils down to, "to each their own" kinda thing, because to be perfectly honest, I can EASILY get thru multiple episodes of TMNT'87; not so much for the '80s TF's or He-Man!

[Xav]

He's right though, compared to the 2k3 or 2k12 series the show has very little action or continuity, and most episodes after the first season aren't very good.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Even if I like such lists, and most people would agree with animated Batman, don't take the lists too serious. At the end, it's the writer's taste.

[Sumac]

He's right though, compared to the 2k3 or 2k12 series the show has very little action or continuity, and most episodes after the first season aren't very good.
I think the big problem is that its compared not to other TMNT series, but to other cartoons of the 80-s, which were made in the same mold as TMNT.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

I think the big problem is that its compared not to other TMNT series.

Are there any such Internet lists, where various TMNT series are compared to each other?

I found one with TMNT videogames here:

https://www.cbr.com/15-tmnt-video-games-ranked-from-worst-to-best/

[Sumac]

Are there any such Internet lists, where various TMNT series are compared to each other?

I found one with TMNT tvideogames here:

https://www.cbr.com/15-tmnt-video-games-ranked-from-worst-to-best/
That's not exactly what I've meant. :o

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

I can EASILY get thru multiple episodes of TMNT'87; not so much for the '80s TF's or He-Man!

Even if the action scenes aren't the best, TMNT has the best humour-dynamic with characters interacting (Manhattan sewers, Channel 6 and Technodrome).

[Wesley]

I think because its missing the point. The original TMNT cartoon was never trying to be a serious cartoon. It was a parody/satire of action cartoons from the start. The show made fun of itself all the time, we're not supposed to wonder why the villains are incompetent.

Agreed. Some of the episodes are actually more fun for me to watch as an adult, as a lot of humour such as Raphael’s sarcastic remarks and the banter between Shredder and Krang went over my head as a kid. Parts of the cartoon haven’t aged well, but it still holds up better than most 80s/90s kids shows, imo.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Agreed. Some of the episodes are actually more fun for me to watch as an adult, as a lot of humour such as Raphael’s sarcastic remarks and the banter between Shredder and Krang went over my head as a kid. Parts of the cartoon haven’t aged well, but it still holds up better than most 80s/90s kids shows, imo.

I always liked Krang and Shredder arguing as a child, even if I didn't know it was based on an old married couple.

[MikeandRaph87]

The only thing that bothers me is the cot out climaxes from 3 different season 3 episodes. There was the antique collector alien ship coming out of nowhere to solve the plot and not making much sense in Ninja Sword to Nowhere. Then there was the Cur-Lee Maneuver which was a three stooge prank that stuns an opponent not a move exclusive to a clan leader in Blast From The Past. Finally, there was the magical moth balls from Michelangelo's Birthday. All three let me down with cop out climaxes.

Aside from that the plot of Raphael Knocks 'Em Dead was out there though I appreciate the red headed twin of Baxter, Barney Stockman! Funny, Funny, They Shrunk Michelangelo and Donatello's Badd Time are just bad episodes.

It was not meant to be and even though I thought it odd I did not see the creepy factor, but as an adult Don Turteli's tickling bare feet for information with a feather gimmick is foot fetish really creepy.

Aside from Dregg, Carter, and Zack's presences that sums up my discontent with the series. Even the best of TMNT has its clunkers or things that a fan can object to no matter how much they love it or how good the product truly is.

[FredWolfLeonardo]

The only thing that bothers me is the cot out climaxes from 3 different season 3 episodes. There was the antique collector alien ship coming out of nowhere to solve the plot and not making much sense in Ninja Sword to Nowhere. Then there was the Cur-Lee Maneuver which was a three stooge prank that stuns an opponent not a move exclusive to a clan leader in Blast From The Past. Finally, there was the magical moth balls from Michelangelo's Birthday. All three let me down with cop out climaxes.

Funnily enough, those are some of my favourite climaxes in the whole series. Felt very self aware as if the characters were winking to the audience.

[Ninjinister]

...The same article lists Transformers G1 as "timeless"

...the f**k?

I tried watching a few episodes a few years ago and just couldn't do it. The voice acting is poor (Cullen actually improved with age/time/experience, for one), the animation is well... standard for the 80s, and all else I have to say is CARBOMBYA.

Actually I think the TMNT is the only 80s cartoon I can still stomach and that may be partially due to bias. 80s cartoons did not age well at all.

[PApagreg]

...the f**k?

I tried watching a few episodes a few years ago and just couldn't do it. The voice acting is poor (Cullen actually improved with age/time/experience, for one), the animation is well... standard for the 80s, and all else I have to say is CARBOMBYA.

Actually I think the TMNT is the only 80s cartoon I can still stomach and that may be partially due to bias. 80s cartoons did not age well at all.

I personally enjoy Jem as a over the top and chessy cartoon.

[Ninjinister]

I personally enjoy Jem as a over the top and chessy cartoon.

Well I can't speak for that. I don't think I've seen a full episode.

[PApagreg]

Well I can't speak for that. I don't think I've seen a full episode.

You should watch one episode, its full of over the top 80s cheese where a rival band instead of talking crap to Jem's band or at worst sabotage their equipment outright tries to kill them.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

I've watched some GI Joe later (never as a child), and like it. Cobra are so badass for a terrorist group, brainwashing their enemies, forcing them to fight Roman gladiator-styled games, and torturing them!

The science fiction elements in GI Joe make the Baader-Meinhof Group and Islamic State appear like infants in a sandbox.

[pferreira]

And this is true, so what's the problem?http://i.imgur.com/lieZMd2.gif

There can be ways to enjoy it as an adult, either if you have kids yourselves and want to give them a starter before moving up to the edgier material, or, like me, watching classic episodes and "rewriting them" as fanfic adaptations.Thank you. Just because it was targeting a young audience at the time doesn't mean it still isn't a good cartoon series today.

I give them credit for putting RGB as timeless but almost everything in that list is total nonsense. Transformers was a worse offender than TMNT of trying to sell toys. Hasbro literally gave the writers notes as to which Transformers to include in each episode which made the episodes not only formulaic (energon cubes again?) but totally cynical. Sure Transformers may be one of the most famous cartoons of the 80s but in terms of actual quality it's one of the worst. For all those people like neatoman that complain the FW series was a toy commercial it was nowhere near as bad as Transformers. The FW series at least had variety in it's plots and while it had a toyline you could make the same argument for pretty much 90% of every cartoon series made in the last four decades. At the very least the 80s cartoon was B tier in terms of quality.

[FredWolfLeonardo]

Thank you. Just because it was targeting a young audience at the time doesn't mean it still isn't a good cartoon series today.

I give them credit for putting RGB as timeless but almost everything in that list is total nonsense. Transformers was a worse offender than TMNT of trying to sell toys. Hasbro literally gave the writers notes as to which Transformers to include in each episode which made the episodes not only formulaic (energon cubes again?) but totally cynical. Sure Transformers may be one of the most famous cartoons of the 80s but in terms of actual quality it's one of the worst. For all those people like neatoman that complain the FW series was a toy commercial it was nowhere near as bad the Transformers. The FW series at least had variety in it's plots and while it had a toyline you could make the same argument for pretty much 90% of every cartoon series made in the last four decades. At the very least the 80s cartoon was B tier in terms of quality.

I personally have no interest in toys at all but I still manage to enjoy many shows that were made for selling toys and aimed at a younger audience like Tmnt, He-Man, and My Little Pony.

Some people say I take the shows too seriously, but to me the opposite seems true. Like if you're being overly critical of a show for wanting to make a profit, aren't you the one taking it seriously instead of me for having fun with the show and wondering about the continuity of FW tmnt?

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

for having fun with the show and wondering about the continuity of FW tmnt?

During the early-2000's, when TMNT was still a childhood memory for people in their early-20's, this was a great place, people would still discuss topics and be happy for what had been produced (Mirage-Image, MWS, Archie, three films and Next Mutations). There were no crossovers, and one of the most fascinating characters were Krang (his origin in Dimension X, his home-planet and species, how he first came to Earth).

[pferreira]

Some people say I take the shows too seriously, but to me the opposite seems true. Like if you're being overly critical of a show for wanting to make a profit, aren't you the one taking it seriously instead of me for having fun with the show and wondering about the continuity of FW tmnt?I have nothing against a cartoon trying to make money off toys but Transformers was such a cynical exercise in money making. I can't understand how anyone can have a go at the 80s TMNT cartoon series when stuff like Transformers, GI Joe and MASK were far more exploitative (although the later was actually a well written cartoon so that's at least something).

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

I have nothing against a cartoon trying to make money off toys but Transformers was such a cynical exercise in money making. I can't understand how anyone can have a go at the 80s TMNT cartoon series when stuff like Transformers, GI Joe and MASK were far more exploitative (although the later was actually a well written cartoon so that's at least something).

Probably because TMNT sold everything from action figures to pizzas.

[neatoman]

Probably because TMNT sold everything from action figures to pizzas.

Yeah, marketing cashcow. It's foolish to claim it was any less exploitative than Transformers or GI Joe.

[sdp]

...the f**k?

I tried watching a few episodes a few years ago and just couldn't do it. The voice acting is poor (Cullen actually improved with age/time/experience, for one), the animation is well... standard for the 80s, and all else I have to say is CARBOMBYA.

Actually I think the TMNT is the only 80s cartoon I can still stomach and that may be partially due to bias. 80s cartoons did not age well at all.

As a kid I could instantly recognize shows from the 80s and hated that "old" crap, if it wasn't new 90s stuff I knew the plot would suck and nothing ever happened.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

As a kid I could instantly recognize shows from the 80s and hated that "old" crap, if it wasn't new 90s stuff I knew the plot would suck and nothing ever happened.

Was that post-animated Batman?

[sdp]

Basically but I was lenient on those transitional 89-91 shows that were moving on from the 90s yet still reeked a bit from 80s style.

Funny how each decade has cartoons that define it in style just like music. As we grow older we forgive the flaws and tend to like cuz of nostalgia the decade specific things.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Basically but I was lenient on those transitional 89-91 shows that were moving on from the 90s yet still reeked a bit from 80s style.

Funny how each decade has cartoons that define it in style just like music. As we grow older we forgive the flaws and tend to like cuz of nostalgia the decade specific things.

Did you know TMNT debuted in 1987 back then?

[sdp]

I consider TMNT one of those decade transitional shows, it's a mix of the 80s and 90s style, but it's nothing like the average 80s show while basically jump starting the 90s style. Most of those very late 80s shows that continued into the 90s are like this.

I mean 90s shows might seem cheesy now but they evolved cartoons a lot from what was expected in the 80s and that's what lead to the cartoons we got in the early 00's.

I didn't watch much of the OT as a kid, only a few episodes here and there since it wasn't on the air as much If you notice TMNT fans on the internet who grew up with the OT is divided in age groups, you have the late 20s early 30s crowd and the late 30s early 40s crowd. Both 80s and 90s kids grew up with the turtles, only ones got into it as little kids and others as older kids. Not many franchises have such a big impact on such a wide range of kids ages only one I can think of is Pokemon. Normally cartoons have a smaller ranger of kids who get into it as it would just be too "kiddy" or "serious" for the other ranger.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Doesn't the homour in the MWS serie makes it a lot more 1990's than 1980's?

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Definitely. It changed tone a lot after the first season, and by season three it had gone more comedy than action, partly due to "soccer moms", But that change in focus also helped change the direction toward a more "hip and clever" tone that later defined 90's toons.

[CyberCubed]

Definitely. It changed tone a lot after the first season, and by season three it had gone more comedy than action, partly due to "soccer moms", But that change in focus also helped change the direction toward a more "hip and clever" tone that later defined 90's toons.

Season 3 still had more action with a little comedy. It wasn't until early/mid Season 4 they went more slapstick. Shredder also loses his competence completely in Season 4.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Season 3 still had more action with a little comedy. It wasn't until early/mid Season 4 they went more slapstick. Shredder also loses his competence completely in Season 4.

I think we can all say the series began to jump the shark during season 3.

Season 3 begins with "Beneath These Streets", which is actually dark and Shredder almost seemed to kill Splinter.

Then comes "Turtles on Trial", which is cool, with a real badass Krang in that robot-weapon at the end.

Third is "Attack of the 50 Foot Irma". Here comes a lot what would define seasons 3-7.

Finally comes the "Big Trilogy", but those great moving Technodrome-episodes wouldn't come often.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

I think we can all say the series began to jump the shark during season 3.

Season 3 begins with "Beneath These Streets", which is actually dark and Shredder almost seemed to kill Splinter.

Then comes "Turtles on Trial", which is cool, with a real badass Krang in that robot-weapon at the end.

Third is "Attack of the 50 Foot Irma". Here comes a lot what would define seasons 3-7.

Finally comes the "Big Trilogy", but those great moving Technodrome-episodes wouldn't come often.


Exactly. Three also had episodes like The Gangs All Here and Michelangelos Birthday, both of which began with the more serious premise from earlier seasons, and brcame increasingly comedic as they progressed.

[sdp]

Until it changed once more for a more serious theme in tone with the 90s superhero shows for the last 3 seasons.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Until it changed once more for a more serious theme in tone with the 90s superhero shows for the last 3 seasons.

Except those mutations, I like seasons 8-10.

[FredWolfLeonardo]

Season 3 still had more action with a little comedy. It wasn't until early/mid Season 4 they went more slapstick. Shredder also loses his competence completely in Season 4.

Have we been watching the same show? I remember season 3 being mostly comedic/slapstick and Shredder was always incompetent even early on despite being fairly threatening.

[CyberCubed]

The difference is Season 3 mixed some action with humor, and while there were some silly episodes, it didn't feel completely slapstick till around Season 4 bar some of the better episodes.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Hence why I said it STARTED with season three. By four we were into full-on comedy mode. But it started earlier, with episodes like the ones mentioned above. Keep up, man! :trazz:

And yeah, the last three seasons were changed to compete more with shows like X-Men, Spider-Man, Gargoyles, and the like.

[sdp]

Many of those 90s cartoons are incredibly dark in theme, you just don't notice it because the rest of the episode plot or characters are written in such a way that it's just cheesy or take away from the grim situation many of the characters are in. Seriously if not because of the dialog many shows have some pretty dark settings.

[CyberCubed]

All 90's cartoons had to work around the censors. It's amazing we did get shows like B:TAS and Gargoyles in a time when cartoons were considered "just for kids" and the censors were especially hard back then.

It's funny how much things changed as we got into the 2000's. Granted nowadays we have alot of comedy, but for a while we got some really great action cartoons all in a row from about the late 90's through 2012 or so.

[sdp]

Censorship is such a weird thing, yes, you see how cartoons can get away with so much more than they did from the 80s to the 90s and 90s to the 00's but in other ways there's also so much stuff that cartoons just can't get away with anymore. Sometimes when I watch new stuff I think of all the things they get away with but at the same time when I re-watch stuff I think "wow, that wouldn't reach it to air anymore".

[MsMarvelDuckie]

I think the censorship started loosening up around that time(mid 90's), since cartoons were no longer considered as much of a "threat" to kids as the emerging mainstream pooularity of media like video games.

[CyberCubed]

It's kind of ironic when you see sexual innuendo in blatant kids shows. I mean I know they put that stuff in there because they know adults are watching, but why bother when it'll fly over kids heads?

Almost any female character in any cartoon I've watched winds up being sexualized at least once in the shows run. It's like all writers view their female characters as sex objects.

[PApagreg]

It's kind of ironic when you see sexual innuendo in blatant kids shows. I mean I know they put that stuff in there because they know adults are watching, but why bother when it'll fly over kids heads?
You just answered your own question also I guess they think its funny to write dirty jokes in kids cartoons.

Almost any female character in any cartoon I've watched winds up being sexualized at least once in the shows run. It's like all writers view their female characters as sex objects.
It mostly because animators are perverts also to be fair there are a lot of instances where the males are sexualized too. I personally don't mind the cheesecake

[neatoman]

It's kind of ironic when you see sexual innuendo in blatant kids shows. I mean I know they put that stuff in there because they know adults are watching, but why bother when it'll fly over kids heads?

From what I understand, the writers just like to amuse themselves.


Almost any female character in any cartoon I've watched winds up being sexualized at least once in the shows run. It's like all writers view their female characters as sex objects.

That... Doesn't seem right. Any concrete examples outside of adult shows and anime?

[Sumac]

It's kind of ironic when you see sexual innuendo in blatant kids shows. I mean I know they put that stuff in there because they know adults are watching, but why bother when it'll fly over kids heads?
Because, it's fun to do something that they are not supposed to do?

Almost any female character in any cartoon I've watched winds up being sexualized at least once in the shows run. It's like all writers view their female characters as sex objects.
Are a good old liberal drivel.
Pretending to be lefty is not yours, 'cubed.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

but why bother when it'll fly over kids heads?

They may understand more when getting older.

[CyberCubed]

That... Doesn't seem right. Any concrete examples outside of adult shows and anime?

It happens all the time in regular action cartoons, DC or Marvel cartoons. Justice League Unlimited, Teen Titans, Avengers: EMH, etc. Even Nick's TMNT gave us April ass shots in the camera and she's only 16 in that series.

[sdp]

Not everything is an "ass shot", they're just normal movements of the body, so yeah if she's crouching or whatever she'll have an "ass shot". It doesn't mean they were explicitly animating that for fapping purposes.

Yeah, you can google and find all these screen caps and videos of compilations of them but that's done by perverts who try to find the slightest thing to match their fetish and compile it. That doesn't mean anything only that a few losers have too much time to compile set images and people who are "outraged" use that as an example that "oh that show is perverted" or whatever when it's not.

It's the same strategies that religious people used to try to ban music and video games in the 90s. And yeah just because some shows do do it intentionally doesn't mean anything.

[CyberCubed]

It's still blatant enough for people to notice it. Happens in kids animes like Pokemon too, all the pokegirls are heavily sexualized in various episodes with suggestive shots, outfits, dresses, bikini's, etc. The animators even admitted they like doing that and on twitter they retweet suggestive fanart from fans.

[neatoman]

It happens all the time in regular action cartoons, DC or Marvel cartoons. Justice League Unlimited, Teen Titans, Avengers: EMH, etc. Even Nick's TMNT gave us April ass shots in the camera and she's only 16 in that series.

Are you talking about these moments?
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/de/0a/76/de0a7604d203616afeba2ad4947fd962.jpg
https://media.giphy.com/media/yCBqxbpAGTnuU/giphy.gif
Kind of... I guess? Doesn't seem that sexualised to me.

Not sure what made you think of JLU though.

[FredWolfLeonardo]

The animators even admitted they like doing that and on twitter they retweet suggestive fanart from fans.

Did they ever retweet a Day Inside May? :lol:

[CyberCubed]

Happens to every female in Pokemon. It is an anime after all.

Are you talking about these moments?
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/de/0a/76/de0a7604d203616afeba2ad4947fd962.jpg
https://media.giphy.com/media/yCBqxbpAGTnuU/giphy.gif
Kind of... I guess? Doesn't seem that sexualised to me.

Not sure what made you think of JLU though.

Yes, this and other stuff with Starfire too, there's a scene where her boobs bounce when she gets jealous of Robin going on a date with that blonde girl named Kitty on the boat.

JLU had a whole bunch of sexual innuendo with Hawkgirl especially when she was sleeping around after she broke up with John, we see Vixen wearing skimp outfits, the whole lesbian stuff with Harley and Ivy.

Bruce Timm especially is known for heavily sexualizing his characters, it's gotten even worse in his recent movies where Batgirl has sex with Batman in the rooftop in "The Killing Joke" or the Harley ass in the camera, and attempted rape scene of Nightwing.

Go scour the likes of twitter and tumblr and type in keywords and you'll see people took screencaps and posted whole rants on this stuff.

[sdp]

No real adult is getting excited by these things, sure you can find freaks on the internet but I mean it's the internet you can find people who like almost anything.

Little kids don't notice, I sure didn't and didn't care, "sexualization" is very much a cultural thing that is learned and to a kid seeing a girl in a bikini was no different than seeing her in a one piece, that was definitely the case for me. I didn't notice any of the skin revealing costumes that say a Power Rangers series showed either.

Now as I grew older around 10 that's when I started to notice these things and I liked them. I wanted to see more shows like these since my body was changing and now I found certain things appealing, I remember liking anime characters around that age as well.

When I saw the original Dragon Ball as a kid uncensored I didn't find any of the early bulma stuff as something sexual, they were gags and I found it funny that Yamcha grabbed her boobs thinking they were Dragon Balls or that he accidentally saw Bulma naked. Now adults who never watched Dragon Ball look at it like "HOW DID THEY LET THIS AIR IN A KIDS CARTOON".

https://i0.wp.com/www.ptsdbunkergearforyourbrain.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/think-of-the-children1.jpg?resize=300%2C203

[PApagreg]

No real adult is getting excited by these things, sure you can find freaks on the internet but I mean it's the internet you can find people who like almost anything.
You honestly be surprised, there is a good reason why a lot of hentai artist are getting good money for their drawings.

[ssjup81]

He's right though, compared to the 2k3 or 2k12 series the show has very little action or continuity, and most episodes after the first season aren't very good.That's because it was the 80s and the show was originally syndicated. Of course it was episodic, like practically everything from that time and prior. It was set up that way so that any viewer can watch an episode and not be lost. It's not like now where you can hop on Hulu and Netflix and marathon shows. Back then when you missed an ep, you MISSED it...unless you recorded it. Who knew when the episode would air again. This is a poor point to use as a negative towards the series.Exactly. Three also had episodes like The Gangs All Here and Michelangelos Birthday, both of which began with the more serious premise from earlier seasons, and brcame increasingly comedic as they progressed.This was about the time CBS started airing it, right? It had to be toned down a bit since it was airing on a network station on Saturday morning, I'm assuming. That's when the show became sillier, imo.It happens all the time in regular action cartoons, DC or Marvel cartoons. Justice League Unlimited, Teen Titans, Avengers: EMH, etc. Even Nick's TMNT gave us April ass shots in the camera and she's only 16 in that series.I honestly didn't notice the thing with April until YOU brought it up all that time ago.

[ssjup81]

All 90's cartoons had to work around the censors. It's amazing we did get shows like B:TAS and Gargoyles in a time when cartoons were considered "just for kids" and the censors were especially hard back then.Well, with Batman TAS, that was on Fox...they seemed more lax in general.

[Sumac]

It happens all the time in regular action cartoons, DC or Marvel cartoons. Justice League Unlimited, Teen Titans, Avengers: EMH, etc. Even Nick's TMNT gave us April ass shots in the camera and she's only 16 in that series.
No examples, just "feelings".
You've got the part of being "progressive" just right, 'cubed. :roll:

Go scour the likes of twitter and tumblr and type in keywords and you'll see people took screencaps and posted whole rants on this stuff.
I think we all have a better things to do than scouring Internet for ramblings of trolls and people with mental problems.

In general, your argumentation is no different than that of zealots who wanted to ban TMNT for propaganda of "occult values" back in the 90s. And if simple boob jiggle is considered "horribly offensive" to you, than you need to talk to psychologist.

Also, what's wrong with Lesbian stuff about Harley and Ivy? If you are progressive you should celebrate inclusion of same-sex relationships in the story.
And wasn't you big fan of Lesbians at some point?

upd:
Modern animated Timm movies are made for adults in general, and unless you think that adults should not know anything about sex, than your rambling makes even less sense (if it is possible).

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Well, with Batman TAS, that was on Fox...they seemed more lax in general.

That series changed a lot. But still, we need to get out of "animated films and series are just for children".

[pferreira]

Season 3 still had more action with a little comedy. It wasn't until early/mid Season 4 they went more slapstick. Shredder also loses his competence completely in Season 4.Season 3 had a mixture of slapstick and serious as did Season 4. After that it was mostly CBS friendly until Season 7. On the whole the third seasons however still had an action edge to do missing from Season 4 onwards.

Yeah, marketing cashcow. It's foolish to claim it was any less exploitative than Transformers or GI Joe.Someone has not watched those cartoons and never read my original post... :roll: