Some of My Favorites: Nine Western Animated Movie Specials!

Does anyone remember those hour-long movie specials for cartoons, back in the day?

Yeah, you know them. The over-hyped specials that would be advertised at every opportunity, the ones that Cartoon Network, Disney Channel, and of course, Nickelodeon were notorious for. But did we, as viewers, really expect anything amazing from the newest Spongebob hour-long special, or the newest Fairly Oddparents movie?

No, of course not. But that being said, there were several gems among them–special stories that really took advantage of the extra time, to create something that really stood out from the rest of the series.

I’ve been feeling a little bit nostalgic as of late, so here’s a quick top ten for you–my favorite movie specials of Western Animation! To qualify as what counted, the series had to be generally advertised as a special event. Even if there were technically separate episodes, or if it was just a singular movie, it doesn’t matter–so long as they were aired together at some point, telling a single narrative–season finales, TV movies, whatever!

And yes. Nine. I couldn’t think of a tenth, sue me.

Continue reading “Some of My Favorites: Nine Western Animated Movie Specials!” →

September 14, 2017 3

My Top Ten Story Arcs in Western Animation

Western Animated shows, on the whole, are fundamentally different from anime in a number of ways.

The tropes they employee, their general reputation, the style they use–it all combines to create a more lighthearted, comedic atmosphere in comparison to the Japanese medium many know and love. This has led to a format where most Western cartoons tell their stories sporadically. With lots of independent, unrelated stories in between, compared to anime, which continue a single plot without interruption.

However, there are times when these shows choose to focus on a single story, over the course of multiple episodes. These are the episodes that get plot-heavy really quick–the ones that oftentimes are responsible, for creating the most high-stakes, memorable situations of a show. And today, I’ll be talking about my top ten favorite story arcs!

I tried to stick to two criteria for this list. First, only one story arc per series, and second, the arc has to last at least five episodes, or at least be addressed over the course of a series. This was to rule out those hour-long specials, which are so common in Western cartoons. That said, let’s get to it!

Continue reading “My Top Ten Story Arcs in Western Animation” →

August 10, 2017 11

Reading Between Reviews: Miraculous Ladybug

Heyo. First post on this blog, let’s go!

So, there’s a French 3D animation that, in recent months, has been taking the world by storm, creating a fandom over the course of just a few nights: a fandom that has only continued to grow. From its beginnings as a 2D anime-esque short, to the 26 episode western animation that it is today, Miraculous Ladybug has received quite a number of favorable reviews. And, having watched it recently myself, I’d like to put in my two cents on the show!

For the sake of organization, I’ll be dividing this review into five sections, which I’ll do my best to keep relatively concise. These will be story, characters, style/art, thematic elements, and personal enjoyment. Also- for those who haven’t watched, I’m keeping this relatively plot-free. With that out of the way, let’s get into it!

Continue reading “Reading Between Reviews: Miraculous Ladybug” →

June 15, 2016 1