Speed Racer: The Next Generation

[Ra]

Originally Posted by TheCure

Animation is still a big part of it. It can have the best stories in the world, but if the animation sucked, it wouldn't be worth watching. It's on TV for a reason. If it just wanted to tell good stories, it would be a book.

Quoted for truth.

Animation is what makes cartoons...well, cartoons. Cartoons are made of three parts: design, story, and animation. For Speed Racer: The Next Generation, we have not so good designs, and the animation is something to be desired. At this point the story just doesn't matter. If it doesn't look good, people won't want to watch it.

Compare this to Avatar and you'll see what I mean.



No idea why I'm thinking of Avatar, but it's a prime example of an excellent cartoon in those three areas. It has great designs (within believable proportions, which is what I think this Speed Racer is lacking), interesting stories for both adults and children, and the animation is some of the most beautiful I have ever seen. Now look at Speed Racer.



Only after searching for this has my distaste for the show set. The animation is very amaturish, jerky, and many actions have been reused over and over, while the designs are just something that seems to have jumped out of one of my old sketch books when I used to draw Yugi-oh eyes.

Personally, I think that this thing would probably only work as a book. A comic is pushing it a bit, but that could work as well. But animation? It just seems too rough and unrefined for that.

... /animation rant

[Drtooth]

But then of course, you ould have the best animation in the world, but if you get a crappy storyline behind it, it can suck worse.

BTW, this would actually be the 4rth Speed Racer incarnation.... there was a series in Japan in 1997: a new Mach Go Go Go...

[Jon]

Originally Posted by Drtooth

BTW, this would actually be the 4rth Speed Racer incarnation.... there was a series in Japan in 1997: a new Mach Go Go Go...

Or maybe coming on 5th (possibly 6th, depending how you go by things).

That I know of -- have the Classic, New Adventures, Speed Racer X, the recent Webisodes stuff, and now Next Generation.
The video you posted isn't available anymore, so not sure if that's the original version of Speed Racer X or not (so that's why I put the note of "possibly 6").

[Ninjinister]

But the fact remains that my point was not even completely read. Yes, the animation isn't exactly the best. But I'm willing to bet every one of you watches at least one cartoon that has worse animation.

And I'm not even rebutting Avatar. I just hate that show so much, I'd end up pissing off people with a tirade.

[Jon]

Originally Posted by The S

And I'm not even rebutting Avatar. I just hate that show so much, I'd end up pissing off people with a tirade.

Oh yeah, most likely would (get POed folks, etc.). As Avatar is a great show. I'll leave it at that, though (and not get into any of that tirade stuff).

[Cure]

Originally Posted by The S

But I'm willing to bet every one of you watches at least one cartoon that has worse animation.

That's just outlandish. You're basically accusing everyone of hypocrisy. I can't even think of a show that has worse animation.

[Raph's Girl]

Originally Posted by TheCure

That's just outlandish. You're basically accusing everyone of hypocrisy. I can't even thing of a show that has worse animation.

Transformers Animated.....

[Ninjinister]

Originally Posted by Raph's Girl

Transformers Animated.....

I'm going to have to agree with this. Optimus Prime with a Leno chin is abysmal.

You're basically accusing everyone of hypocrisy.

Yes I am.

[Jon]

Originally Posted by Raph's Girl

Transformers Animated.....

Oh har-har...

Transformers Animated has good animation. A bit better than SR:NG.

[Barkworm]

I don't even like Transformers Animated but its animation is dimensions above this. Even if you don't like the style, technically both shows aren't comparable at all.

[DrSpengler]

Originally Posted by The S

I'm going to have to agree with this. Optimus Prime with a Leno chin is abysmal.

There's a difference between "animation" and "character design". I really wish people wouldn't confuse the two.

The animation in Transformers Animated, provided by Mook and the Answer Studio, is really quite good. Very fluid with excellent comic timing and dynamic action sequences.

The character design ("Leno chins") is a matter of personal taste.

[Ninjinister]

Originally Posted by DrSpengler

There's a difference between "animation" and "character design". I really wish people wouldn't confuse the two.

The animation in Transformers Animated, provided by Mook and the Answer Studio, is really quite good. Very fluid with excellent comic timing and dynamic action sequences.

The character design ("Leno chins") is a matter of personal taste.

W'ever. It still makes my eyes bleed trying to watch it.

[Brodie]

Originally Posted by Raph's Girl

Transformers Animated.....

Judging from that statement, you must have ghostwritten this book:

[Ra]

Originally Posted by Barkworm

I don't even like Transformers Animated but its animation is dimensions above this. Even if you don't like the style, technically both shows aren't comparable at all.

Agreed. These two shows are just on different levels. Speed Racer looks like some kid got high and thought it would be great to revamp Speed Racer with Flash MX. Seriously, in that video I put up before, I could point out at least three sections that could have easily been motion tweened in Flash. Not to mention how jerky all the movements are. The team on Transformers has given the show fluid action scenes at least.

Originally Posted by Drtooth

But then of course, you ould have the best animation in the world, but if you get a crappy storyline behind it, it can suck worse.

BTW, this would actually be the 4rth Speed Racer incarnation.... there was a series in Japan in 1997: a new Mach Go Go Go...

Heh, yeah. That's probably the worst kind of cartoon you can find. Although you have to admit, some of the stuff is just plain hilerious. Example: a friend of mine found an anime on YouTube that was billiantly animated...but it was about a rock star in space who thought he could bring about universal peace with the power of rock and roll.

[Drtooth]

Originally Posted by Jon

That I know of -- have the Classic, New Adventures, Speed Racer X, the recent Webisodes stuff, and now Next Generation.
The video you posted isn't available anymore, so not sure if that's the original version of Speed Racer X or not (so that's why I put the note of "possibly 6").

Dammit! They must've just pulled it down.

Try This one: http://youtube.com/watch?v=f5S1HpkXYP4

That's just outlandish. You're basically accusing everyone of hypocrisy. I can't even thing of a show that has worse animation.

Listen... I'm telling you this as a fan of classic 1960's animation... Rocky and Bullwinkle and Roger Ramjet hod some of the worst animation you could ever see. Bullwinkle's Mexican studio animation wasn't even perfected until Total TV came out with Underdog. The first episodes were so bad, in fact, they had to reshoot entire scenes. One episode, they said, "The Hell with it" and just used their supposedly more expensive Hollywood for one segment.

As for Roger Ramjet, the characters barely moved. Other than their mouths, that is. It was a US animated production, I'm told.

But these shows are so wonderfully written, and wonderfully acted that the animation is merely an after thought. Hell, even South park started out with minimal animation before they went digital.

Now compare that to Disney's Treasure Planet. All the beautiful animation in the world couldn't save it.

Though, the whole point is to get great animation and great story in one place together. Unfortunately, you don't see too much of that anyway. Heck, I stopped giving a crap about how cartoons looked when they all moved to Korea and did digital crap that looked unremarkable. Though, Toon City is pretty damn good. Especially their animation for Curious George the animated series. best limited TV animation I've seen in a while.