Let's have a western animation thread

[Ack]

Kim Possible is great.

I vaguely remember watching a few episodes years ago (and liking what I saw).
More recently I played one of the GBA and one of the DS games, which are actually pretty good 2D (gameplay) platformers with grappling hook action.

I decided to watch the whole series (inc. the two movies) and I'm really glad I did. I just finished watching it today and it is high quality from start to finish (not that there aren't some weaker episodes here and there).

I won't say it left a bigger mark on me than something like The Cities of Gold or Saint Seiya (two other classics which I always like to recommend, even though this is the Western Animation thread), or the rather unknown but beautiful David the Gnome (a Spanish production that I doubt many here in the forum will even know about - what a tremendous finale that series has, for a kid's show).
Kim Possible is very light-hearted but it really delivers in terms of quality and I'm pretty sure I will very fondly remember the characters.

In my opinion it is a classic series and adults that like animation probably are doing themselves a favour by checking it out.

Actually David the Gnome was shown regularly in the United States from 1987 until 1996 on Nickelodeon and Nick Jr., followed by a run until 1998 on TLC, and then on Discovery Kids until 2010.

And that ending is horribly depressing.

[BoringSupreez]

Well this thread's been dead for a while.

Lately I've been watching Steven Universe. It starts out seeming kind of like Adventure Time, like in a generic way, but it picks up after the first few episodes. There's some cool little references ala Regular Show, such as an N64 and a Sanic (yes, Sanic) figurine.

It's also the first cartoon series I can recall watching that was created by a woman (that I know of).

[Ivo]

(...) the rather unknown but beautiful David the Gnome (a Spanish production that I doubt many here in the forum will even know about - what a tremendous finale that series has, for a kid's show).

Actually David the Gnome was shown regularly in the United States from 1987 until 1996 on Nickelodeon and Nick Jr., followed by a run until 1998 on TLC, and then on Discovery Kids until 2010.

And that ending is horribly depressing.

The ending is quite sad but very beautiful in my opinion.
Spoilered below, but you can find it in youtube if you want, be aware you may cry. Although someone that didn't follow the other episodes and isn't as much "attached" to the characters it is probably less likely to be so affected by it, perhaps.

Gnomes live long lives and know when they are about to die. When they die they actually become trees instead. So David's pet fox, Swift, which acts like a "mount" (David rides it like a horse or similar) takes David, David's wife and a gnome friend to their chosen spot to die. David tells Swift to go away which is already pretty sad. Swift starts going but turns back and sees the gnomes turn into trees. David and wife are holding hands, say goodbye and become twinned trees. Their friend turns into another tree near them. Swift goes away really depressed - but not long after runs into a female fox which is the mount of another, younger gnome and is happy again.

[Nemoide]

Well this thread's been dead for a while.

Lately I've been watching Steven Universe. It starts out seeming kind of like Adventure Time, like in a generic way, but it picks up after the first few episodes. There's some cool little references ala Regular Show, such as an N64 and a Sanic (yes, Sanic) figurine.

It's also the first cartoon series I can recall watching that was created by a woman (that I know of).

Yessss, I'm glad I'm no longer the only Steven Universe fan here. I'm a fanatic for the show. I completely love its sensibilities, characters, themes, relationships, etc.
There's a lot of depth in there, the creator has said that she intended to make something for fans to read into. There's also a lot of earnest emotional expression while still having a lot of silly/doofy elements. That's a combo that appeals to me!

[Forlorn Drifter]

I'm on board with Steven Universe, although I haven't properly kept up. The emotional elements in it are done extremely well, without feeling hamfisted or anything like that.

[BoringSupreez]

I'm on board with Steven Universe, although I haven't properly kept up. The emotional elements in it are done extremely well, without feeling hamfisted or anything like that.

I remember when I was a kid and would watch Fairly OddParents, I always hated when they'd try to do emotional stuff. They'd make everything hammy, then ruin what little mood they'd built with some out-of-place corny joke. Steven Universe definitely does this stuff a lot better.

[Raging Justice]

I'm finally watching Castlevania: Nocturne and season 2 of Invincible. I finished season 1 of Blue Eye Samurai, which is an amazing show. I made another thread about it but...this forum is pretty much a walking corpse as evidenced by this thread. Actually, this seems to be true of a lot of places online (even reddit). It's like everyone has migrated to social media and discord I guess, two things I have little interest in using. You guys watching any other cool animated shows? I want to know about any cool shows that I'm missing. I love animation but there seems to be so little of it worth talking about these days

I'm wondering if we're ever gonna get that Darkwing Duck reboot

[o.pwuaioc]

I'm finally watching Castlevania: Nocturne and season 2 of Invincible. I finished season 1 of Blue Eye Samurai, which is an amazing show. I made another thread about it but...this forum is pretty much a walking corpse as evidenced by this thread. Actually, this seems to be true of a lot of places online (even reddit). It's like everyone has migrated to social media and discord I guess, two things I have little interest in using. You guys watching any other cool animated shows? I want to know about any cool shows that I'm missing. I love animation but there seems to be so little of it worth talking about these days

I'm wondering if we're ever gonna get that Darkwing Duck reboot

Western animated shows have been mentioned in other threads, so it's not so much that the topic is dead, but that this thread was just forgotten. I mean, you could have posted your Blue Eyed Samurai review here instead. Or Ziggy's Futurama thread last year. Etc.

Reddit is all bots and idiots, but it's been that way for years.

Anyway, I started watching and really hated Castlevania Nocturne. It feels all so unoriginal, like D-grade writers trying to "tropify" Castlevania. Invincible season 2 was also a let down. I didn't love season 1 to begin with, but I stuck with it, and I don't feel any of the pay-off. Just way too unsatisfying to watch.

I find TV in general to be boorish, ham-fisted, and flaccid these days, so it's not a surprise that cartoons follow suit.

[Ack]

Wasn't Invincible's season 2 somehow tied to North Korean animators?

[o.pwuaioc]

Wasn't Invincible's season 2 somehow tied to North Korean animators?

Huh, seems you're right.