Adult cartoons.

[CastletonSnob]

Why are most adult cartoons comedies? Why aren't there more adult cartoons that are like The Sopranos or The Wire?

[Skorpionss]

Because most adults don't take cartoons seriously so there won't be much profit in making those cartoons.

[Uko]

Because most americans are so stupid they go hur dur its a cartoon it for kids. For whatever reason we cant handle anything that might seem to affect adulthood so people have an irrational hate of video games for the same reason. So it has to be something you ironicaly watch like a comedy.

[scelero]

There are. Just not western cartoons as much. But go across the oceans and you'll find some very serious adult theme cartoons..

[Rydanis]

There's a disconnect between exaggerated cartoon features and and a serious tone, I suppose. And probably not a general desire for what you're talking about. I'd be willing to bet that most people who like The Sopranos and The Wire wouldn't be drawn in by a cartoon style for a similarly serious tone, unless the art style was also appropriately serious. If the art is aiming to be realistic and there is no fantastical element to the cartoon, what's the point of it being a cartoon?

[mickybrighteyes]

Because most adults don't take cartoons seriously so there won't be much profit in making those cartoons.

qft.

Though a caveat is that there ARE a lot of more mature "cartoons" out there, but western audiences tend to get hung up on the difference between various "anime" genre and "cartoons".


But yeah, western cartoon's don't have much options for more serious storytelling largely due to an/a actual/perceived lack of interest in the medium.

[Mysterymask]

They do and have existed.....

pretty good example besides Simpsons and the like are Spawn from 95, Castlevania on Netflix, the DC animated universe (still today too the straight to Blue Ray ones are DEFINTELY not for kids), Symbiotic Titan (RIP that show), and well..Anime in general

[CrawlFromThePit]

Why are most adult cartoons comedies? Why aren't there more adult cartoons that are like The Sopranos or The Wire?

Because to create this sort of ambiance correctly it requires a level of visual far superior to regular cartoons, which of course is more costly, and all that to create something that has very high risk of returning less profit (or straight up flop) because of several things like stigma (thinking all cartoons are for kids) and shits like that.

There are some adult cartoons from Japan (and maybe other parts of the world I'm not aware of), but they have a different culture, they don't see cartoons the way westerners do, so it's more profitable and less risky to make that kind of product.

[Rucati]

I mean this is like the vast majority of the super popular anime, isn't it? Attack on Titan, Steins Gate, March Comes in like a Lion, and A Silent Voice, are all top 10 anime of all time (according to MAL lol) and they all deal with very adult themes and are packed with drama.

The west just doesn't make very good cartoons period because they're all aimed at kids. Even a show like South Park has a core audience under 20 years old, and the majority of older fans first started watching it when they were kids. Perhaps the west doesn't think cartoons are profitable if they can't be used to market toys, not too sure, seems like the most logical reason to me though.

[CrawlFromThePit]

They do and have existed.....

pretty good example besides Simpsons and the like are Spawn from 95, Castlevania on Netflix, the DC animated universe (still today too the straight to Blue Ray ones are DEFINTELY not for kids), Symbiotic Titan (RIP that show), and well..Anime in general

To be fair, none of what you mentioned is anywhere near The Sopranos or The Wire. I think what OP is talking about is stuff that is more "real", like adults who want to watch something 100% relatable, based in real life, not some fiction about a dude with a cape destroying people and thinking "gore is for mature". Don't get me wrong, I love Spawn and the other things you mentioned, but it's a completely different genre than what the OP is asking.

[Rydanis]

Yeah there are plenty of adult cartoons, but not at all what OP is talking about. I just don't see the audience for The Sopranos but animated, regardless of people enjoying adult cartoons. The format lends itself to action and fantasy, not talking and scheming based in the real world.

[Itori]

Its called anime, go watch school days, nana, or ghost in the shell.

[Katchii]

There's a disconnect between exaggerated cartoon features and and a serious tone, I suppose. And probably not a general desire for what you're talking about. I'd be willing to bet that most people who like The Sopranos and The Wire wouldn't be drawn in by a cartoon style for a similarly serious tone, unless the art style was also appropriately serious. If the art is aiming to be realistic and there is no fantastical element to the cartoon, what's the point of it being a cartoon?

So you don't have nearly as high production costs to create the show, or at least, don't have to deal with all the logistics that come with managing a show that uses real people and locations.

That said, I honestly have no idea what the OP is talking about. Japan has been churning out more serious adult themed "cartoons" for decades.

[Dextroden]

Issues that plagued animation for decades.

1. Returns on investment made animation REALLY unpopular from the financial side

2. People still thinking animation is for kids

[Aphrel]

Because a country of prude christians run the world. And they are of the opinion that cartoons and games must only be enjoyed by children.
If you widen your horizons to the other side of the globe however, you will find plenty of adult cartoons.

[prwraith]

Tripping the rift ?

Also american / EU adults are some of the most closeminded fucks on the planet.

[Calfredd]

Issues that plagued animation for decades.

1. Returns on investment made animation REALLY unpopular from the financial side

2. People still thinking animation is for kids

I'd argue number 1 is at least partially caused by number 2.

[AcidicSyn]

They do and have existed.....

pretty good example besides Simpsons and the like are Spawn from 95, Castlevania on Netflix, the DC animated universe (still today too the straight to Blue Ray ones are DEFINTELY not for kids), Symbiotic Titan (RIP that show), and well..Anime in general

I cannot recommend Castlevania on Netflix enough, it's fantastic and I just heard season 3 was being teased.

[Miyagie]

Primal was cool.

[Mysterymask]

To be fair, none of what you mentioned is anywhere near The Sopranos or The Wire. I think what OP is talking about is stuff that is more "real", like adults who want to watch something 100% relatable, based in real life, not some fiction about a dude with a cape destroying people and thinking "gore is for mature". Don't get me wrong, I love Spawn and the other things you mentioned, but it's a completely different genre than what the OP is asking.

Well honestly Gotham by Gaslight is a bit close...yeah its Batman....but shows more to the detectiving than the action....

Honestly most of the Batman stuff nowadays and even the earlier ones like Mask of the Phantasm are damned good examples