Animation is not child's play anymore and we have Netflix to thank for it
The animation industry is one of the biggest contributors to mainstream entertainment currently. Be it in the form of R-rated comedies, coming-of-age stories of young adults experiencing puberty or even in the form of deep, existential dialogues. The advent of streaming services has played a huge part in the animation industry looking at adults as a huge chunk of their consumers rather than just children.
For many years, animation programs have been equated to cartoons and therefore, as children’s programs. It is streaming services and their financial backing that has allowed animation to evolve from physical comedy and mindless schticks to appease children to a medium that can be used to convey difficult and complex topics.
Even a decade ago, it would be impossible for a show like BoJack Horseman’ or ‘Big Mouth’ to be made, let alone be beloved as it is now. Even animations that appealed to adults in the recent past, such as ‘The Simpsons’ and ‘Family Guy,’ had elements of juvenility, which was meant to attract adolescents.