Adult animation

Animation aimed at adults

"Adult cartoon" and "Mature animation" redirect here. For other uses, see Cartoon pornography.

An episode of Camp Camp, an adult-oriented animated cartoon published by Rooster Teeth

Adult animation[a] is an animation genre used for films and television series that is catered specifically to general interests and is mainly targeted and marketed towards adolescents and young adults, as opposed to children or all-ages audiences. Ralph Bakshi and Eiichi Yamamoto are the pioneering originators of animation as a medium in the 1970s.

## Characteristics and themes

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Animated films, television series, and web series in this medium could be considered adult for any number of reasons, which include the incorporation of dark humor, violence, shock value, toilet humour, vulgar language, nudity, sexual content (either explicit or suggestive), profanity, political themes, or other thematic elements inappropriate for children and/or younger viewers. Works may explore philosophical, political, or social issues.[1]

Some animated productions are noted for their complex and/or experimental storytelling and animation techniques, the latter with many distinct styles have defined such unique artistry.[1]

## Definitions

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Adult animation is typically defined as animation that is aimed at an adult audience.[2][3][4][5] It is also described as something that "formative youths should stay far, far away from"[6] or has adult humor[7][8] and comes in various styles,[9][10][11][12] but especially sitcoms and comedies.[13] Some have stated that it refers to animations with "adult themes and situations", which uses "explicit language" and make jokes that adults, and often teens, are "more likely to understand" than others.[14] On television, such animations often run in the evening, but they are not generally pornographic or obscene.[15][16] AdWeek called adult animation "animated projects aimed at grown-ups, not kids."[17] They also focus on issues that adults handle,[18] and have cheeky, and occasionally crass, humor "that has no limits—bouncing between funny and offensive," while evoking a "balance of reality and fantasy". They may also contain violence or sexual themes.[19][20]

## Legacy

[edit]

Wax statues of the main protagonists in The Simpsons, one of the most famous and recognizable animated series for general audiences, mostly young adults

Thanks to Bakshi's Fritz the Cat, the film influenced among animators and filmmakers since in the 1970s, catering artistic and narrative structures in animation for general audiences.[21]

Although its varieties received substantial attention with acclaim and cult following, it is proven controversial among parents and targeted detractors, citing its use of subject matter and sensitive topics, such as violence, race, gender, and sexuality. Despite still show a bias towards adult animation, compared to early pioneers, these controversies led to debates about freedom of expression and the responsibility of parents to supervise the content their children are exposed to.

However, the result is a new audience that is ready for narratively-sophisticated adult animated works and a new crop of creators exploring the adult animation space. This development allows creators to continue challenging the perceived limitations of animation.[22]

## See also

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* Arthouse animation
* Independent animation
* Cartoon violence
* Black comedy
* Adult animation by country
* Animation in the United States in the television era
* History of animation
* List of years in animation
* Modern animation in the United States
* List of adult animated television series
* List of adult animated web series
* List of adult animated feature films
* List of highest-grossing adult animated films
* Firsts in animation

## Notes

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1. ^ Also known as mature animation, mature cartoon or adult cartoon, and infrequently as adult-oriented animation or mature-oriented animation and adult-oriented cartoon or mature-oriented cartoon.

## References

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1. ^ a b Martinez, Sam (5 March 2024). "Adult animation: An ever-changing industry". The Butler - Collegian. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
2. ^ Motamayor, Rafael (10 March 2020). "11 Adult Animation Shows We Can't Wait to See in 2020". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on 3 October 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
3. ^ Vargas, Alani (1 October 2018). "7 Animated TV Shows On Netflix That Adults Will Absolutely Love". Bustle. Archived from the original on 10 November 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
4. ^ Jaworski, Michelle; Riese, Monica; Weber, Sarah (10 January 2019). "The 17 best cartoons for adults". The Daily Dot. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
5. ^ Collider Staff (21 April 2020). "The 25 Best Cartoons for Adults Streaming Right Now". Collider. Archived from the original on 4 October 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
6. ^ Fowler, Matt (25 March 2019). "The 25 Best Adult Cartoon TV Series". IGN. Archived from the original on 13 November 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
7. ^ Krell, Jason (8 April 2014). "Why Saying Animation Is Only For Kids Is Bullshit". Gizmodo. Archived from the original on 31 May 2019. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
8. ^ Laux, Cameron (27 November 2019). "Is Japanese Anime Going Mainstream?". BBC. Archived from the original on 20 May 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
9. ^ Baron, Reuben (23 December 2019). "Adult Animation Is Better Than Ever - So Why Does It Draw Ridicule?". CBR. Archived from the original on 23 December 2019. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
10. ^ Barrett, Duncan (2 November 2020). "Animation nation: how Covid fuelled the rise of adult cartoons". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 20 November 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
11. ^ Sarto, Dan (19 March 2020). "What Future Lies in Store for Non-Comedy Adult Animation?". Animation World Network. Archived from the original on 10 November 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
12. ^ Silliman, Brian (2 November 2019). "SYFY drawing in more animation with a midnight-ish block of adult genre fun". SYFY. Archived from the original on 26 October 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
13. ^ Sanderson, Katherine (30 June 2020). "The Future of Adult Animation (With and Without Comedy)". Animation Ave. Archived from the original on 29 November 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
14. ^ Mokry, Natalie (15 July 2017). "A Brief History of Cartoons for Adults". Film School Rejects. Archived from the original on 14 August 2019. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
15. ^ Kunkel III, Earl Monroe (2009). Why ARE people laughing at rape? American adult animation and Adult Swim: Aqua Teen Hunger Force as contemporary humour (Masters). Lehigh University. pp. 5–6, 9. ProQuest 304916287. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
16. ^ Mak, Phillip (10 July 2020). "Why is everybody talking about adult animation?". Toon Boom Animation. Archived from the original on 30 August 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
17. ^ Sutton, Kelsey (12 April 2020). "How Adult Animation Became the Hottest Genre for Streaming Services". AdWeek. Archived from the original on 26 April 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
18. ^ "Advertising Embraces Adult Animation's Existential Turn". LBB Online. 12 March 2020. Archived from the original on 29 November 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
19. ^ Habib, Ayesha (20 May 2020). "Why Adult Animation Shows Like Netflix's Midnight Gospel Are the Perfect Form of Escapism Right Now". Nuvo Magazine. Archived from the original on 10 August 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
20. ^ Heckleton, Jeff (27 October 2017). "The Double-Edged Stigma Faced By Western Animation". The Artifice. Archived from the original on 12 November 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
21. ^ Krol, Chris (26 January 2024). "The Rise Of Adult Animation: A Mature Take On Cartoons". Toons Magazine. Archived from the original on 26 January 2024. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
22. ^ "Let's Get Animated: Reaching the Adult Animation Audience". Disney Advertising Insights. Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution. 21 March 2023. Archived from the original on 2 March 2024. Retrieved 18 March 2024.

## External links

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* Media related to Adult animation at Wikimedia Commons
* The Brief History of Adult Animation on The A.V. Club
* Life drawing: why is adult animation bigger than ever? - article at The Guardian

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