If you thought you’d put cartoons behind you as a kid, most of the major streaming platforms probably have a thing or two to say about it.
One animated series after another is quietly and deliberately becoming the next big thing, whether it’s Netflix’s Castlevania and Arcana series or Prime’s Vox Machina Saga.
From a distance, “BoJack Horseman” looks like a weird indie cartoon.
However, for six seasons, its critical and audience reviews have remained above 90%. How about a horse that walks on two legs and carries on a conversation?
High-quality, well-written animated shows are proving to be a boon to streaming platforms. This is especially true considering that 60% of adults aged 18 to 49 watch these videos.
good. With the proliferation of video game adaptations, some of which have been transformed into animated narratives, your kids have every reason to celebrate.
Adult animation is no longer fringe entertainment
When it comes to adult animation, most people think of Arcane, maybe BoJack Horseman, King of the Hill, and The Simpsons.
These are all great examples of popular animated TV shows, especially The Simpsons , which feels as though it’s been on the air since the Eisenhower administration.
However, Vox Machinas and similar shows are growing in popularity. Mystery, HR, Castlevania, Love, Death and Robots, South Park, Big Mouth, Inside Job, Star Wars: Lower Decks and Bob’s Burger” are all animated and wonderful shows.
The second season of Arcana will air in November, and if it follows the pattern of the first season being a hit, it will push the ratings in the right direction. Castlevania is another Netflix animated series based on a video game, which makes for an interesting mix.
As we move from the age of superheroes to the age of video game adaptations, Arcane and Castlevania are examples of highly successful animated adaptations.
Arcane is based on Riot Game’s popular MOBA (League of Legends), while Castlevania is a Nintendo mainstay dating back to the original consoles.
The Legend of Vox Machina isn’t a console spin-off, but it does come from a real-life D&D streaming session.
If nothing else, studios don’t have to worry about attracting adults with animated adaptations of popular video games rather than live-action movies.
Video games to adult animation
Looking at the numbers, this seems like a no-brainer. A 4-year survey by Statista showed that 60% of adults are addicted to cartoons to varying degrees, and 76% play video games on at least one platform.
What better combination could a studio ask for? For the few that currently exist, it certainly performs well. There is also an inherent benefit to this adaptation.
No one has to worry about who will play this or that role. No matter who takes Kratos’s place in Amazon’s upcoming God of War series, there’s going to be complaints — maybe a lot of them.
The animated version knocks it off the table while retaining everything that makes the game such an interesting story.
The comic book adaptation also does well. You can’t say DC or Marvel started out on consoles and PC, but they both have their own hits.
While many video game adaptations are set to become live-action, there’s a good argument to be made that some will do well in the adult animation category.
For example, Red Dead Redemption is a must-have for live-action, but Hades, Baldur’s Gate, and Mario Bros. are perfect candidates for animated adaptations.
That’s not to say they couldn’t be made into live-action movies, but it’s that demons, vampires, and plumbers are much more relatable as cartoons. The games are so popular that it’s hard to imagine adult animated adaptations failing immediately.
What appeals to adults about animated television?
Fun and innovative. Of course, psychologically at least, there’s more to it than that.
The entertainment industry often makes the terrible mistake of thinking that massive CGI effects will boost box office returns.
Never like this. People love stories, especially complex and valuable stories. The Okanagans and BoJack Horsemen of the world didn’t peak because they looked cool.
Let’s be honest, the animation for BoJack Horseman is a five-year-old hanging upside down from a tree trying to paint on a cardboard box with his finger. It doesn’t have to look great; it just needs to “be” great.
Adult animated shows have all the tools for success that live-action animated shows have.
Embracing the Field of Dreams cliché, “If you build it, they will come,” even though that’s not an actual line from the movie.
The old Mandela effect is playing tricks on us again.
But this quote is appropriate here because it is absolutely true. Imagine the proportion of the world’s population that enjoys playing the PC version of League of Legends or its mobile version, Wild Rift.
This number may seem large, but from a micro perspective it is a small proportion.
Many people who love Arcane have never heard of League of Legends. It’s a testament to the show’s compelling story. The animation looks great too, but that’s always more important than a good story.
Adult animation is in short supply
Adult animation, especially on Max, Hulu and Netflix, is in short supply, according to Parrot Analytics.
Don’t think that this kind of thing won’t go unnoticed in the entertainment industry.
There are currently 100 adult animated series in production. A 50% increase from last year (2020). Moreover, 40% of them are non-comedy dramas. Literally, I showed 40 series and jumped from 3 to 40 in one year.
-John Evershed, CEO, High Concentrate
The above quote was published in 2021.
That was over three years ago, and the pipeline is only getting bigger.
Children’s animation is a global commodity, but adult animation is quickly catching up, with more and more coming.
Evershed wrote a white paper on adult animation, and his conclusion is simple: Adult animation is the fastest-growing animation category, and there is almost no ceiling.
As a result of Evershed and similar discoveries, studios like Max, Fox, Hulu, and Netflix are all taking adult animation more seriously. Evershid wasn’t the only one who saw the writing on the wall.
If you love animation, no matter which genre you prefer, this is a great time to live!
What are your thoughts on adult animation?
Do you want to watch a specific category or show on the small or big screen?
Drop us a line and let us know!
