Otaku-sempai
Well-Known Member
I think that, where we disagree,is that you put much more emphasis on the actual animation than do I. That is only one element of an animated series--albeit an important one!I think everyone can agree that the animation for Jonny Quest was a good deal more limited than that of BTAS--the same applies any made-for-TV cartoons of the 1960s and '70s. One can admire these shows for their concepts and characters, but not for their animation. The tragedy of that period is that lots of good writers and artists (starting with Alex Toth) were employed in TV animation, but the budgets, producers, censors and resources were simply inadequate.
What turned the tide was Disney seriously committing its money and prestige to weekday afternoon cartoons in the late 80s, with shows like Gummy Bears and Duck Tales, and then Warner Brothers followed suit with Tiny Toons and Animaniacs, followed by the crowning achievement of BTAS. These shows had better animation, bigger budgets, more sympathetic producers, and less censorship than any cartoons previously made for TV, so the circumstances were finally right for the action/adventure cartoon to reach greater heights with BTAS.