Since the appearance of the first animated films with the praxinoscope of Émile Reynaud and his optical theater, cartoons became one of the most used techniques for telling stories and, very soon, they became associated with children. The ease with which cartoons could explain complex situations from a specific point of view and their possibilities as an attractive and convincing tool made it soon become one of the most widespread propaganda weapons in history, perfect for “ instruct ”(indoctrinate) the new generations. Anything, no matter how bloody, seems harmless when disguised with that adorable and innocent aesthetic so typical of Disney-like cartoons.
But, as with almost any cultural creation, content appropriate for all ages eventually emerges . We must not go to the classic series like ‘ Felix the cat ‘ or ‘ Betty Boop ‘ that today we would consider inappropriate in certain situations , nor to that hidden and heartbreaking reality that the Mickey Mouse studio hides in plain sight in its films. We do not even refer to animations that feature sexual references and jokes, nudity or scenes of violence that are considered out of place in children’s content . For years, a new style of animated series has emerged, designed precisely for those children of the 80s and 90s who have already grown up . Deep and complex cartoons that are not afraid to laugh in the face of society: drawings by and for adults .
Many might think that this subgenre is reduced to series like ‘ South Park ‘ or ‘ Family Guy ‘, which use black humor without mincing words and arguments related to sex or alcohol to parody a society that has assumed this type of behavior. Sure enough, they fit into this category perfectly and have a huge fan base around the world who adore their provocative, hooligan and politically incorrect humor. But the greatest exponent of this type of series is, both for its importance in the history of television and for its duration, that yellow middle-class family: ‘ The Simpsons ‘.
The series created by Matt Groening has more than 600 episodes behind it, making it the longest running prime-time series in the United States. Throughout so many years we have been able to see how he left behind the sitcom style with childish humor like ‘ Things from home ‘ and was granting more and more space to social criticism and satire of the American present . Few have escaped the fine humor of Homer and his family and his particular point of view has become a reference of how the United States is for the rest of the world, since there is no better criticism than self-criticism . And although, as is normal with so many seasons, the series has lost some of its shine, we owe a lot to Springfield and the Simpsons.
Of course, if there is a series that has surprised and conquered the public in recent years, it has been ‘ Bojack Horseman ‘. Although the plot is theoretically simple, the series has a psychological complexity that goes beyond any other that can be found. If the other series laugh at society in general, ‘ Bojack Horseman ‘ goes a step further and laughs at the viewers themselves, crushing their illusions and becoming a reflection of the traumas that anyone may have to face in their life. It is a tough, extremely funny and intelligent series that treats the viewer as a mature person capable of receiving a right hook and who is not afraid to take risks.
There are many examples of series aimed at an adult audience looking for something more than entertaining or disconnecting for a while. Cartoons are a tool that grants infinite possibilities, you just have to find the right title for each person and moment .
