Category: Uncategorized

Miraculous Ladybug: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir (2015-present) As anime crossed the Pacific into North America, it uncovered the opportunity for viewers to engage in a global community that embraces local cultural differences (Mckevitt 2010); “the case of anime thus serves as one tangible illustration of the impact of cultural globalization on the United States in the last quarter of the twentieth century” (McKevitt, 2010, p. 895). Miraculous Ladybug: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir represents an interesting case of hybridization within the global-televised-animation sector. The series is produced through a partnership between French and Korean animation and production companies. Additionally, it has been licensed to air in the United States by Nickelodeon and in other countries, most prominently by Disney (Xandrellium, 2015). Miraculous Ladybug follows two middle school…

Sym-Bionic Titan (2010-2011) As a result of not being categorized as “children’s television”, many anime contain ample violence and bloodshed—to the point where certain titles hold a “mature” rating (Chambers, 2012; McKevitt, 2010). Because these features were unconventional in traditional cartoons during the American “anime boom” in the late 90s, violent scenes of imported content were edited out in order to deem them more child-friendly (Daliot-Bul, 2014, p. 76). However, as the integration of anime onto American television increased, open-mindedness over animation’s capability to capture older audiences followed. As a result, adult-oriented animation such as Family Guy and Futurama materialized and have experienced excellent viewership ratings to justify the production of multiple seasons (Chambers, 2012). Sym-Bionic Titan, similar to Avatar: The Last Airbender, takes plenty of inspiration from Japanese anime;…

Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005-2008) Anime has provided audiences with a glimpse of Japanese life by exposing them to its culture and insights regarding family life, religion, spirituality, and morality (McKevitt, 2010); but rather the presentation of culture solely existing in behavioral cues and beliefs, it is also inherent in anime’s style of art and storytelling. The anime-inspired cartoon, Avatar: The Last Airbender, falls under this spectrum in both its characters and unique premise: An adventurous quest set in an expansive world that draws on an oriental setting, and mythology and storytelling where humans, animals and mystic powers mingle. This show follows the adventures of teenage Aang and his friends who must defeat evil with their special powers, enabling them to bend and manipulate nature’s elements [earth, fire, water, and air] (Daliot-Bul,…