The Action/Adventure Cartoon
What is typical of the action/adventure genre? These cartoons often appeal more to boys.
The action/adventure story may stem from comic books or Japanese anime. Exciting action
is all-important no matter the age or gender. This genre might be more violent with hand-
to-hand fighting. Does it have to be violent? It depends on the series, but I don’t believe
that action/adventure must always be violent as long as the action is continuous and
exciting.
There’s usually some comedy. For the younger audience (ages six to ten) more gags may
be mixed with the action. There might be more teen angst with witty dialogue in the stories
for older viewers.
Character is second to action in both age groups. This is the genre of the superhero.
Villains are typically more cardboard. Heroes and heroines may be less fully developed.
However a few well-written action series have proved to be extremely popular, confirming
that there’s a place for more fully developed characters in the action genre as well as any
other so long as the action continues nonstop.
Action stories may be more serious in tone. The worlds can be complex. They often
contain elements of mythology or science fiction. Internationally, action/adventure has
often been harder to sell than comedy, but this genre seems to be growing in popularity
worldwide.
Some structure elements stand out in the action field. This is where you’re likely to find
that fast-action, teaser opening. This is the place for the ticking clock, where we learn that
something terrible is going to happen at a certain time if the hero doesn’t save the day. These
are the stories for twists and turns of the plot and multiple surprises. The hero must con-
stantly have obstacles thrown in his way. This is the genre for the most exciting, action-
packed climax.
Gag-Oriented Cartoons
The more gag-oriented cartoons are usually shorter cartoons. The plot is much less impor-
tant than the pursuit of belly laughs. Many comedy writers feel that plot gets in the way of
laughs and deliberately keep the stories simple, with not much more plot than funny char-
acters trying to get out of funny situations. Internationally, children’s comedy has been softer
than the children’s comedy in the United States.
Baby Animation
Although there has been some programming shown in the United States that is specifically
targeted at babies, ages birth to three, there has traditionally been no specific market for
this age group on U.S. TV. However, Israel set up the Baby Channel, targeted at this
demographic. Programming is locally produced and acquired from countries like the United
States, the United Kingdom, and Italy. Series introduce babies to basic concepts like animals,
toys, bath time, and sleep. Programming is designed to enrich babies and develop learning
and language skills. Success means more of a market for this age group.
288 Animation Writing and Development