To be honest, There really wasn't anything interesting about Animation in 2024 that I can prod on that's defining because of all the drama happening out there.
But I digress because I'm required to choose the winners of animation in 2024 like I did with my 2023 picks from last year.
So sit back, grab either a bag of Lays Potato Chips or a Frappuccino, and enjoy.
Hazbin Hotel
This was a rather surprising early hit back when it premiered on AMAZON PRIME on January 2024.
Based on a 2019 Pilot uploaded on YouTube, the show was then picked up and given it's own musical AMAZON ORIGINAL and to this day still has a positive following.
I mostly find this intriguing due to the use of CEL DROP-SHADOWS used on the digital rigs which I thought couldn't be done due to the complexity of Toon Boom's node system but somehow the BENTOBOX Animators made it possible and I applaud that.
For those who are AMAZON PRIME members, I highly recommend watching this series because it's musical numbers and engaging characters took me by surprise.
Ranma 1/2 Remake
After the success of the 2022 remake of URUSEI YATSURA, Rumiko Takahashi herself decided another classic of hers needed a remake and what better I.P of hers to grant that honor would be none other than RANMA 1/2.
This anime brings the HEISEI ERA Classic series over to the modern REIWA ERA.
The show does it's favors with updating some of the visuals but also trying to be recapture the essence of the Manga instead of the 1989 Anime series.
I know this because I sometimes look at the images of the manga, 1989 Anime, and the 2024 Netflix Anime and surprisingly, MAPPA chose to match the visuals to the manga.
The casting however is a mixed bag in my opinion.
Most of the surviving cast in the original Japanese reprised their roles....
Though a few characters had to be recast due to actor deaths, retirement, etc. but that was sort of expected.
The DUB however was entirely recast due to NETFLIX preferring their own talent pool and their own ADR Studio instead of working with standouts like OCEAN STUDIOS or BANG ZOOM.
While IYUNO did a much slightly job than VSI's dub of Evangelion in 2019,
the recast with a different studio feels like a mixed bag.
I get this was done to get around the death of ROBERT O SMITH in 2010 as well as DAVID KAYE's move to the U.S and MYRIAM SIROIS' retirements from acting, but I much prefer if the original OCEAN Cast was brought back and only recast those who's actors died or retired from the business rather than a complete replacing since YASHAHIME brought back all the surviving INYUASHA actors for their dub, even Kirby Morrow before his sudden death in November 2020.
Regardless of my gripes, one good thing is that I think IYUNO did a good justice when they cast Stephanie Sheh as NABIKI TENDO since I feel it's time Stephanie left the Pigeonhole in terms of Shy Characters and start to perform more snarky characters to diversify her filmography.
Every Dubbing ADR Studio should cast STEPHANIE SHEH as the snarky girl in future projects.
All in all, definitely check this out.
Makes me wish I did my URUSEI YATSURA retrospective in 2022 but I didn't open this BLOG at the time, plus I still had College education to finish so yeah.
The Continued ADVENTURES WITH SUPERMAN
I'm surprised at how successful Adult Swim's SUPERMAN cartoon has become to warrant a Second Season.
Could it be the new stories
or could it be the rising popularity of characters like Clark Kent's cousin Kara Zor-El?
The Wild Robot
This film is sort of an unexpected Sleeper Hit.
I never expected this film to be a rousing Success.
Just like with Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse back in 2018, when I saw the original trailers, I immediately brushed off the film since I felt it was just another film that wouldn't warrant much attention but just like with Spiderverse, the film was an immediate hit.
Oh, and just like Spiderverse, the film is rendered using this newfangled rendering technique that's starting to be pushed by most CGI productions nowadays where the studio is trying to use Watercooler textures for their CG models....
This technique is not new, it's been used before, going back to films like
THE MITCHELLS AND THE MACHINES back in 2021.
My guess is that it's a compromise for studios who felt that Audiences want 2D back in cinemas but executives don't want to get rid of their CG Departments because Investors....
That and they feel the JAPANESE already can give the 2D Animation that audiences crave.
Also, I failed to realize until fairly recently that WILD ROBOT is based on a book so this makes this film an adaptation of Literary material... sort of.
Though the book was published in 2016 which was the year I graduated from High School so me not realizing it was justified.
Inside out 2
After a heavily bungled 2023 due to the Box-Office Bombing of Elemental as well as Disney's disappointment with WISH, the studio decided to scale back on original ideas for a while and bank on Sequels.
As much as I bemoan the fact that the Mouse House is now banking on Sequels
(I still feel the pain of the DIRECT-TO-VIDEO sequels from 1994-2009),
The newer Theatrical Sequels have proven us Late Millennial and Early Gen-Zers wrong about that perception.
Plus, Inside Out 2 was talked about Nonstop due to the memetic ANXIETY getting all the spotlight in the advertising.
Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance most Fowl
This film's release has been 20 years since the 2005 release of
WALLACE & GROMIT: THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT,
17 years since the release of A MATTER OF LOAF AND DEATH,
and most importantly, 22 years since the release of THE WRONG TROUSERS.
While Wallace has since been recast due to the 2017 passing of Peter Sallis, this film marks a remarkable return of the Absent-Minded inventor and his Smart Aleck-Dog.
And I for one applaud this more than DAWN OF THE NUGGET which despite a positive reception, that film bungled up casting due to Executives preferring a younger cast than with the original film.
Fortunately, the return of FEATHERS MCGRAW will do the honors to scare the bejesus out of those executives with ransom notes or the uniting the fandom at large.
Largely because unlike with the Chickens from CHICKEN RUN,
FEATHERS MCGRAW prefers to be silent.
Relax everybody. This is not the last we'll see of Wallace and Gromit.
The stories about Nick Park running out of the specific type of Plasticene in the wake of March 2023 foreclosure of Lewis Newsplat are greatly exaggerated as Nick has stated that after this movie, he plans on switching to a different but similar style of Clay for the foreseeable future.
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3
This film fought tooth and nail to get made and finally, it's chance to shine has been made a reality.
We all thought the film would be severely affected by Jim Carrey's threats to retire from Hollywood as well as the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strikes but it fought tooth and nail to get past that.
While the film is Live-Action, I still include it due to the excellent level of work that the film went with.
Plus, It's got KEANU REEVES as SHADOW THE HEDGEHOG.
Now that's a match made heaven.
The continuation of THE AMAZING DIGITAL CIRCUS
After only having one episode in 2023, GOOSEWORX greenlit a continuing series early in 2024 before getting full funding from NETFLIX, therefore turning the YOUTUBE exclusive into a NETFLIX ORIGINAL though the new episodes are simulcast at the same time.
For those who need a backstory, it follows the adventures of PTSD Stricken Jester POMNI who desperately wants out of the game but eventually concedes with her permanent stay within the Circus so she may have no choice but to accompany her newfound friends in their latest hijinks whether she complains about it or not.
The first from October 2023 centered around her escape but the subsequent following episodes adds some variations.
Whether it's venturing in the Wild West via train, wandering around a haunt house, or working at a fast food restaurant while your fellow friends bicker as well as deal with your manager.
The image above is from FAST FOOD MASQUERADE which debut on December 13, which happened to be on my birthday.
And to save the best for last:
Dragon Ball Daima
Remember the Bemused Chagrin people had about SON GOKU and friends being reduced to childhood age because it reminded them of what happened in the maligned GT from the late 90s?
That was in October 2023 when DAIMA was announced.
About a year later, to coincide with the 40th Anniversary of DRAGON BALL as a whole, the series premiered to acclaim.
No, the dissatisfaction with the animation quality of DRAGON BALL SUPER back in 2015 had nothing to do with the unexpected success of DAIMA.
My guess was DAMIA's Success had something to do with the unfortunate passing of AKIRA TORIYAMA in March 1 2024 as DAIMA is officially the very last thing TORIYAMA worked on personally.
Makes sense to support works that happens to be the Creator's last personal involvement.
We've all been there since the mid-60s.
Not much but should that be blamed on the Hollywood Strike of 2023?
Nope.
The culprit is the continued Assholery of Executives like Zaslav for shitting on finished projects just for tax purposes and refusing to listen to audiences, industry workers, etc.
Yes, We all have the right to be mad at Zaslav for shitting on
COYOTE VS ACME
and
GENNDY TARTAKOVSKI'S FIXED.
......
My rage has subsided.... FLAMINGOS ARE BIRDS......
Anyway,
You might say what about others like Despicable Me 4, Disney's PRIMOS, or the Sequel to MOANA?
To be honest, GRU, his wife, daughters, and faithful minions have sort of outstood their welcome in the animation space.
I'm fine with the third movie serving as the definitive Conclusion to his present-day shenanigans.
And as for PRIMOS,
Well....... I don't know if I should list that here after all the bitching about people made in 2023 over Natasha Kline's initial reveal of her cartoon series.
I get that the show got retooled and people seem to like the new take but.....
sometimes past pains need some mending... So maybe I'll do a proper review of PRIMOS in 2025.
And I highly doubt that PRIMOS will get it's Second Season because of what Natasha admitted about the state of Animation in America according to an interview with the Bancroft Brothers.
As for Moana, that film premiered a little too late.....
And by that, I mean, it still would be a success but I tend to mostly focus on films released before American Thanksgiving so films released late in November and December are exempt from my Winners list.
Plus, I heard MOANA 2 didn't do as good critically as it's 2016 predecessor.
As for WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM.......
That premiered on my Birthday but I had no time to watch it in Cinemas due to prior engagements...
plus, would I talk about films that are released so close to the New Year?
I gave VENGEANCE MOST FOWL and SONIC 3 an exception but still......
If you want your Holiday Movies to be winners, wait until the Academy Awards Ceremony, and pray we don't have another Will Smith Incident like we did in 2022.
Pre-Recorded cherry-picking and snubbing aside, we need to have a better handling of what's going on at the Academy so incidents like with Will Smith don't happen on stage again.
Well, time to say BYE BYE to 2024 and enter 2025 with a fresh breath of air.
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