Thunder Cats & The Cuckholding of Cartoons.

[Akessel92]

https://youtu.be/2qi41rHz4ps

https://youtu.be/zlTTz_INxMg

https://youtu.be/VouMgb-bbLc

The 1980s -1990s saw the genesis of narrative driven cartoon franchises from the transformers, he-man, TMNT, and of course what is of topic here the Thundercats. Now thundercats was series of humanoid cat aliens led by Lion-O that fled their home world and end up on third earth where they fight for survival and against the main antagonist, Mum-Ra. In a documentary of the thundercats’ production, you would see the time, effort and collaboration made on this series when it came to art and story. Such work often inspired great narrative driven television programs like the unique series of Gargoyles, or of Avatar: the last airbender along with cartoons that had a large following outside television like Batman: The Animated series, 1990s Spider-Man and even sonic the hedgehog’s satam series. These shows treated their child audiences with a great deal of respect and not in a condescending manner. A lot of narrative driven cartoons, and some of the more episodic type of wacky cartoons ran alongside each other on network Television at a balance. The original Thundercats lasted from 1985-1989 and would be on reruns within the 90s and 2000s. Then in 2011 thundercats was reborn for a new generation of audiences. Though it had a more anime-esque design like Avatar: The last Airbender, it did its best to maintain its kinship to the original. But unlike the original it wouldn’t last as long.

Throughout 2011-2012 and years prior, Cartoon Network and other studios would invest in more colorful, wackier, and episodic cartoons and less in narrative driven. Shows like Adventure Time, amazing world of Gumball, Steven universe, and many others (like TTGo) along with DC and LEGO cartoon blocks of cartoons especially a generic derivative called Legends of chima. With all these cartoons vying for a spot on tv. The new Thundercats was thrown to a dead end slot and what’s worse it didn’t make enough money in merchandise. By 2012, the series was canned. 

Now the reboot for thundercats set for 2019 rather than being like the two shows before it now follow the same trend. That being the marshmallow androgynous body designs of Steven Universe, the wacky color pallets of Adventure time and of course the self parodying and condescending humor of Teen Titans Go to add insult to injury. 

This seems to be a disappointing trend. 

[TheRedStranger]

A good Parody must be loving, a form of catharsis to help address the problems within a cultural artifact like Thundercats in a positive way for its memetic development. Humor is the magical social mechanism we humans use to find pleasure in the mending of broken cultural bones so to speak. We might lampshade some of the cheese of our beloved childhood cartoons, but parody peels away the curtains and reveals the flaws for potential reconstruction in an enjoyable way. It’s the anatesia for a social surgery, both a vitamin and opioid for artistic growth and growing pains. This show however, has already revealed itself to be a negative deconstruction, a clumsy butchering. In just the goofish depiction of Lions, one can see the brewing of a passive-aggressive satire and postmodern subversion, cynical yet sugar-coated, and all together insubstantial. The show takes instead what was good in Thundercats and twists it to be mindless. Much like the new “Soylo” film by Disney, it acts as a postmodern mouthpiece.The once beautiful and competent Cheetara looks like a boy cosplaying as a stereotypical androgynous lesbian rather a strong person who happens to be also proudly female. Liono looks and acts like a stupid incompetent man-child, castrated of any masculine character and competence,  much unlike the original male role model. I personally believe cultural appropriation is not a thing. People should not be told what to do with a cultural artifact, as it violates the first amendment, a fundamental human right. If you want to wear an “offensive” Pow-wow costume for Halloween go ahead. You want to make a atheistic satire of my religion, go ahead. I believe even this should have the right to exist. However, when you tell a person that this is what Thundercats is now because some greasy androgynous man-bun millennial scribbles it to be so with WB’s consent, and would demonetize, perhaps even DMCA, any other culturally contiguous recreation of Thundercats made by fans of the original show, then you are engaging in a form of cultural abortion, a censorship of what can be for the good general society down to “minorities” such as subcultures like hardcore original Thundecats fans. I would have no problems with this talentless, garish crap stinking up some channel I never watch anymore if it were but one of a several species of story that developed from the original source. Yet, seeing as this is now THE “Thundercats,” and WB would gleefully hamstring anyone else’s attempt to create something in contrast, then I must excercise my consumer sovereignty over WB and CN by not watching it, and enjoy other works that I find edifying. Ultimately and ideally, there should be freedom for those who already hate this show to continue what they love on their own and not have it butchered before inception like many fan-works as this “official” material is allowed to pollute the memetic ecosystem that is our culture. Sadly, copyright law as it is gives huge companies the power to malform culture without consent of those persons who strongly indentify with that culture. People might use strong terms like “rape my childhood” and they might be very off-color, however, there is truth to that term: we did not ask for this, we want what want for shows like Thundercats instead as consumers, and they a forced upon on us with intent to control subcultures without consent of their fans. Copyright when combined with agenda-driven postmodern cuckery, is not cultural apporiation, it’s the opposite and an actual reality, cultural monopolization, cultural dictation. 

[Mike Arcade]

So, been quiet about Thundercats Mewling here because really what is there to say at this point? I mean with shows like Adventure Time, Gumball, and Steven Universe a lot of people blame said shows and others like it due to how simple they look, along with TTG. However I must deter that is not the case, as Regular Show DID have a simple and similar art style yet once it ended besides On Demand Services it hardly EVER appears on air, and if so never on Cartoon Network anymore.

I don't think these simple art styles of recent shows in this half if the decade is the problem, but rather cheaper costs of such styles in animation compared to previous series from the past. In fact even then perhaps "simple" isn't the right term... it's more like a stock style of set designs with so few variety. You'd think these new blood of animators would know better and try to make something better than what we've been given now but arguably ever sense TTG all amount of effort for this generation of catoonist has gone down hill, much like the stock Anime Style of those like A1 Pictures of the past decade.

You know US animation is in trouble when I compared it to the worst parts and animators of Anime that things have gone way far off the cliff.

I don't blame shows like Adventure Time, Regular Show, or Gumball as the latter two are rather enjoyable for what they are (Regular Show being the best out of the three), but with every other tired reboot and Steven Universe coming out I can't help but be glad I don't have Cable anymore. With AT and Gumball out the door sooner than you think the future of CN does not look bright, and I have a strong feeling that with a theatrical film under it's belt TTG will be gone eventually.

I just want Cartoons in the States to have details again, that doesn't pander to genders or pesudo-social made up phrases, to have depth. Because such so-called "gems" now are nothing but fake diamonds that'll break within the weight of time.

[MoKat]

45 minutes ago, Mike Arcade said:

I just want Cartoons in the States to have details again, that doesn't pander to genders or pesudo-social made up phrases, to have depth. Because such so-called "gems" now are nothing but fake diamonds that'll break within the weight of time.

Agreed. Most animated shows these days have a disturbing lack of depth, or even likeable characters for that matter - even Looney Tunes had likeable characters

The decline of the quality of the shows on Cartoon Network led me to drop the channel when cable rates went up last year. "disappointing trend" indeed; I will NOT be watching this bastardization of a series I loved - not even on You Tube :p.

BTW, I also believe "cultural appropriation" is not a thing & would like to smack some sense into the people who think it is.

[WarTraveller]

Teen Titans GO, Sonic Boom, and now this...with this move, Cartoon Network solidifies itself as an uncaring machine. A cold, heartless hive mind of a company that takes old memories and twists them into mangled nightmares. Why? Not for parody, not for Deconstruction, but so they can sell more toys, waste more plastic, make more money. It's shocking what kids TV has become these days, and that even isn't getting into the show itself. It is U G L Y. Its being written by some Penders-esque berk with a man bun. It's stealing art style fragments from Steven Universe because of course it is. I expect the action figures to be announced next Thursday. 

Honestly, though. ONLY Cartoon Network would look at the universal hatred aimed at Teen Titans GO and think..."we should do it again!" presumably before trying to hump the stacks of cash they made from toy sales. You see, this is why I despise any show that used to be mature but then barks that it'll be made for The Kids. It's the issue that Modern Sonic has run into; it's an invitation to laziness. Cynical natures. Tons of cheap, fragile, lead-soaked toys. The excuse of The Kids, with the "justification" that they'll watch anything, is what leads to show like Boom and Roar. The weakest, cheapest, ugliest, most condescending and insulting s**t that talks down to their target audience and rots their brains with a glorified half hour advertisement. No pathos, no character, no plot worth following. It's just memes and fart jokes. That's what these suits are raising our children on. It's disgusting. 

[Akessel92]

And so one dumpster fire saga Ends. 

[MoKat]

Good riddance!

Clownfish reported about that too.

[Language warning! Mass s-bombs dropped by both Geeky & Kneon.]