Animation is a long and storied medium of art with a fanbase that grows ever larger. From the legendary “Chowder” and the “Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack”, to the newer yet already beloved “Owl House” and “Amphibia”, animation has touched the hearts of many. So why do they get so little respect? Unfortunately, executives see animation as one thing only, cartoons made for kids.

Of course this isn’t remotely true as it’s doubtful any parents would let their kids watch “Invincible” or “The Boys: Gen V” with their graphic visuals and grim plot lines. Yet, there’s a prevailing notion not just amongst these executives, but even amongst fans of TV that cartoons are purely for children.

While this may have been the case in the beginning, things change. Cartoons may have started with things like “Mickey Mouse”, “Felix the Cat”, and “Looney Tunes”, but it has evolved into a medium of all sorts of genres. Of course there’s also the opposite belief that a lot of kids cartoons are “really gritty and not actually made for kids.”

No, “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” isn’t a grim dark show made for adults, it’s a kids cartoon that has themes for its target audience and the adults that watch it. Shows like “Owl House” and “Amphibia” aren’t secretly adult shows, they’re just deeper than what’s expected of kids cartoons.

Funnily enough that is one of the main reasons why the claim that cartoons are for kids only isn’t true. Cartoons can be sweet and colorful on the surface, but still tackle deep and thought provoking concepts that both kids and adults can talk about. Many cartoons have themes about serious issues like political corruption, genocide, and loss of loved ones. If these aren’t adult themes, then nothing is.

It’s also crucial that people don’t see all cartoons as super gritty grim dark shows just because they mention death once. The root of this issue lies in the assumption of how kids can handle concepts like death and heartbreak. Children aren’t as fragile as people assume. Kids as young as two years old are already thinking about these things.

Of course they should be properly supervised as children can be insatiably curious, but to shield them from the world completely, also prevents them from learning. Back to the main point at hand, animation shouldn’t be held back due to fear of traumatizing children. It’s especially irritating as shows like “Family Guy” have been running for years, so why be afraid now?

Obviously an all or nothing mindset helps no one in this case, but moving in one direction while claiming to move in the other is just maddening. If parents want to protect their children, they should take the time to inform them that not all cartoons are, in fact, for kids. As for executives, there’s not much that can be said to change their minds, but actions are louder than words. 

If cartoons are to continue thriving, people need to make it clear that animation is more than preschool counting shows. In the aftermath of the HBO Max content purge, the survival of animation has never been more important.