The Existential Horror of Kid's Cartoons

[@operaanimelover369]

Courage the Cowardly Dog, Samurai Jack, Avatar the Last Airbender, As Told by Ginger, Hey Arnold, Justice League, and X-Men the Animated Series are animated shows that I still cherish to this day, have challenged my perception of family-centered animated shows, and affirmed my stance that the "just for kids" argument fails significantly. What these aforementioned shows achieved was sharp writing, naturally dynamic characters, and the entirety of never pandering to an audience.

[@octopusgardener5495]

My dad was just as excited as us kids when Courage came on because he genuinely enjoyed watching it

[@Picolettto]

I'll add the 90s Batman animated series to that. One of the best portrayals of the character and his villains.

[@KnallisSillan]

yo as told by ginger!!

[@DSnake655]

Hate that "Just for kids" bs.

[@campy245]

don’t forget about flapjack that show was creepy too lol

[@squidgiemctentacles5265]

Children's shows had more subtle, creeping terror than most modern horror movies can't lie

[@Gadget-Walkmen]

Mostly because you don’t see it coming from those kinds of shows!

[@FallenKnight2244]

They would need to rely more on subtlety and nuances instead of overly excessive scares

[@tsriftsal3581]

Nothing is darker than Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer. A huge monster stalking and salivating at the thought of catching the outcasts forced off a cliff leading to his humiliation and captivating. Tortured by ripping the teeth out of its skull after surviving a near fatal attempted murder is paraded in front of those that shunned the trio. It's the epitome of evil. At least the Grinch and Scrooge had a change of heart unlike those that only acted the way they were taught without question, leading to redemption and growth. The inhumane treatment of The Bumble simply looking for a meal.

[@Flufferz626]

I was explaining Star Wars Clone Wars to a friend who thought it was just for kids. Uh...no. Another Star Wars fan who was a Desert Storm veteran in our group spoke up about Bad Batch and how it is one of the most accurate medias he has seen that portray a soldier having to adjust to a post-war society, especially after realizing they were used in a proxy war. Animation =/= for children. Also sometimes kids have to face harsh truths (Littlefoot losing his mom, Simba losing his dad etc) to cope with reality. We want to protect our kids so much, but there is only so much we can do. Protection goes hand-in-hand with preparation.

[@alex4833]

Spot on. I completely agree. I am not surprised to hear that The Bad Batch is accurate in portraying soldiers adjusting to a post-war society. Jennifer Corbett, its head writer is a Navy veteran.

[@MajorHickE]

The Umbara and Geonosis arcs are some of the most fucked up things I've seen on TV. I am still shocked that anyone agreed to onscreen FLAMETHROWERS or a straight up prisoner execution in a Y7 show.

[@tsriftsal3581]

... and there are the Austrian stories. All non "humans" on the planet are subject at every moment of being ripped apart and eaten. "Civilization" presents as isolation from this reality but it's a lie. You were brought into existence to provide for those few that teach you there is no other choice but to labor for them for the majority of your existence.

[@TerryThomasT]

This reminded me of a TV show I watched when I was a child, about 20 years ago. It was about a scientist and some kids who, much like in the Matrix, can physically plug in to, and then digitally enter, some version of the internet. In that digital world, they solve crimes or some such hijinks. But as part of the process of moving between the real world and the digital one, they have to pass through a portal, which feels like falling through a spinning kaleidoscope. In one episode, they're desperately trying to get back to the real world before the Big Bad Guy can, and they just about manage to enter the portal. But Big Bad gets to their physical location first and unplugs their connection. And kids and their dad end up trapped in spinning kaleidoscopic limbo, falling indefinitely, infinitely, with no one to save them. And then the season ended. It was the most existentially terrifying situation to 10-year old me, and I remember sitting numb in terror, imagining myself falling FOREVER. I'd blocked it out till now. I don't even remember the name of the show. But damn, did it leave an impact.

[@ctsilva45]

was it VR Troopers?

[@Gwestytears]

That sounds familiar

[@BingFox]

New Adventures of Johnny Quest?

[@EmrysMerlin8807]

The Real Adventures of Johnny Quest. Among other things, had one of the most hype openings of the 90s cartoon era.

[@BingFox]

@@EmrysMerlin8807 Real adventures, I knew I was off by a word.

[@isaacwilliams7133]

As one of my favorite (other) KZbinrs said about Puss in Boots “this is a kids movie about how one day you will day and there is nothing you can do about it.”

[@coryholliday926]

"though the show came out nearly 25 years ago"... Made my back hurt

[@benjaminbrand3714]

Great work! A good example this made me think of from recent is the anime "Made in Abyss." A cuter looking show you would be hard pressed to find but it evolves into one of the most horrifying things I have ever seen 😳

[@chrisosborn6401]

Bondrewd loves his children. Nothing sinister here.

[@savagebooks7482]

Thanks!

[@ashmarten2884]

If there weren’t some ‘awkward’ things in that show, I’d 100% be my favorite.

[@jonathanortiz3253]

I’m so glad I was able to grow up during that time and kept watching cartoons into my young adult years. Those 90-00 cartoons have definitely shapes how I view the world and the courage I have to still find the joy in the scary times. Great video essay as always!

[@tsriftsal3581]

Bugs Bunny Nips the Nips. Couldn't get any darker than that time. Pearl Harbor attacked. Small mustached seeking a final solution. Bugs doing Mammy and being as racist as possible. Ohhh, he gets a pass because he wore dresses. Hmmm

[@TheArtofKAS]

We wouldn't be dealing with any existentialisms if we all just returned the slab😂😫🤝🏾

[@chrisosborn6401]

I should gain something out of this. What's yer offer?

[@TheArtofKAS]

@@chrisosborn6401 It's simple! you return the slab and you don't suffer the consequences of [redacted]

[@TheFreakDownStreet]

Adventure time was such a trip watching it as it aired. Seeing the dark undertones eventually come to the surface without loosing the whimsy really hit me growing up.

[@IncandescentWriter]

My first episode was Marceline and Ice King making a song together. I missed out on a lot because I thought nothing of the show. Always loved stories that intertwine with itself like that. Almost like a puzzle, but you have to wait for it all come together and I think that kind of storytelling is beautiful, no matter how grim or lighthearted it may seem. I still have yet to watch the full series, but it is something I want to do.

[@Orbinie]

Another awesome kids show with a really adult theme is the owl house. The first season is rather light hearted with some horror aspects but with the second season the theme shifts to become even darker and more story focused. And I think the popularity of the show show's how good it is not only for a kids audience. Also I would love to see a video from you to the owl house^^

[@isengrim99]

I like how you contextualise Puss In Boots 2 this way, it makes sense and it totally deserves to be mentioned with the most awesome Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon and Disney Channel shows I grew up with in the late 90's/early 00's

[@DahVoozel]

Potatoes and molasses, what's the Beast? Please don't ask us. Existential dread and a bump on the head, almost very likely that we were possibly dead. Oh, potatoes, and molasses.

[@hbluemole6941]

Your comment is pure gold

[@Bene_Singularis]

I'm glad that you mentionned Ferngully. I miss that era when cartoons had such important messages and deep overall tones to them. It made us grow up more mentally and emotionally sound. Today's shows are so superficial. Their worth is so not like back then.

[@matthewstarkie4254]

This video is literally about how today's cartoons have deep tones and important messages. Some might be less literal than representing deforestation with the destruction of a rainforest, but a lot of modern cartoons are steeped in meaning.

[@Bene_Singularis]

@@matthewstarkie4254 There's a world of difference between the quality level of storytelling of 20-30 years ago vs today. People should learn from their predecessors on that matter. That knowledge seems to not quite be lost, but it's a matter of "too much effort, not enough money for it" too often. Today, it's very surface-level. Before it often was so deep. I'll always prefer quality over quantity. I'm glad that some companies are begining to learn from their mistakes on that point. In a world of cheap stuff, real art stands out so much.

[@The_Open_Book]

I used to complain that I didn't get channels with all those shows on them as a kid. But knowing how much Spongebob has shaped my sense of dry/dark humour now as an adult.. I'm scared what kind of existential mess I'd have been if I were exposed to these too 😅 Thanks for talking so thoroughly about the value of animation! The medium deserves the recognition.

[@Ju-pk7bh]

You express this so well: "...the goal should not be to pretend that hardships and horrors don't exist, the goal isn't to be absurd so nothing matters, or seek friendship behind every enemy..."This may be the genre that I need right now!

[@VoiceOfTheEmperor]

Honestly, seeing Watership Down at 12 I am fairly certain gave me PTSD.

[@brianedwards7142]

Watership Down. The book is even darker.

[@misfits9294]

So Alex Hirsch worked on Flapjack, right? That I feel explains a lot.

[@SmallOneEyedKing]

What I love about courage is the cowardly dig. Is his desperation and tenacity to always save his owners no matter how scary and terrifying his enemies might be. And that is true courage facing your fears no matter how deep they overcome.

[@Azaul]

Not sure how familiar you are with G.I. JOE, but for a half hour toy commercial, it often dipped into existentialism and trauma. One famous example is No Place Like Springfield, where the villains gaslight Shipwreck (usually a comic relief character) into think he has amnesia, going so far as to give him a fake wife and daughter. Cobra uses an imperfect cloning technology, so Shipwreck’s friends start melting in front of him all while he thinks he’s lost his mind. The conclusion has him run into a burning building to save his family even though he’s already learned Cobra’s plot. There are a lot of surprisingly poignant moments. Likewise, Nightmare Assault is an episode about sniper Low-Light dealing with childhood trauma and his father’s abuse. Cobra creates a machine that gives the Joes nightmares, and because Low-Light’s life is a living nightmare, he teaches them how to face their fears. There’s a scene where he relives his father shaming him for being afraid of the dark. He's screaming stuff like "I'm no wimp anymore" and "what do you think of your cowardly son now dad?" while he fights against snakes in a nightmare, and it’s really raw and emotional. And this only happened once in a while. You could sit down to watch G.I. JOE expecting light military fantasy action and get blindsided by an existential nightmare.

[@spectrumchaser4343]

TBH, I was expecting The Brave Little Toaster to come up at some point. That movie is nightmare fuel.

[@danielhale1]

I love Invader Zim, Bee and Puppycat, Rocko's Modern Life, etc. There's something to their depth and discordance that spoke to me and entertained me in ways the simpler stuff couldn't. On a different note, I really like how filled out the character of Dr. Doofinschmurtz is. :D He's divorced but with an amicable relationship with his ex. He's a self-described villain who's trying to take over the worl-- I mean tri-state area, but often his primary concern is being a part of his daughter's life and bringing her happiness. He has deep pain from his increasingly absurd past, and half the time treats Perry's visits as therapy sessions. Absolutely brilliant character that covered more in a kids show than I expected!

[@kaitlyn__L]

This is validating, I’ve long thought kids’ animation often went more psychological and existential than almost anything aimed at adults. That said, it was a bit weird hearing Csupo said as “kuh-supo” rather than “chupo” 😅 like I totally get why that was your first instinct, but yeah

[@lordbalthosadinferni4384]

I'm quite surprised you haven't seen/finished Steven Universe. Would love to hear your take on the series, and I'm sure others would as well. Great video as always! If we're all gonna die anyway, we may as well dance

[@just_a_guy247]

I swear his voice keeps getting deeper

[@Ignoreduser]

It’s crazy that you’re talking about “extraterrestrial horror of kids cartoons” and don’t mention “The Brave Little Toaster” (honorable mentions: “We’re Back,””James and the Giant Peach,””Rockadoole” and “The Secrets of Nimh”). “Worthless” alone is the existential anthem. It had “self deletion,””finding purpose,””struggling with faith,”” mutilation (pseudo body horror)” and “the inevitably of death and the regrets that comes with it.”

[@dfolz1101]

Knowing courage is 25 years old is horrific in and of itself.

[@piedhart]

That closing line was beautiful and profound!

[@caitens9041]

I really really enjoyed this video. Nearly all of the cartoons you mentioned, I watched growing up. It made me realize how impactful my early life of watching tv was, and in positive ways. These cartoons helped shaped me as a person. That's really special and I'm so glad I had the opportunity to grow up during that time period where cartoons were arguably at their peak. At least for me. Nostalgia abound.

[@iceluvndiva21]

RWBY definitely has the extensial horror in so many ways

[@j.a.svoboda9805]

It goes to show that every medium, genre, and trope has its strengths. It just takes a skilled writer who understands the medium to make those strengths shine.

[@zinv08]

This would have been a great Halloween episode. But it still works on its own.

[@chrisosborn6401]

Existential dread doesn't wait for Halloween to make an unannounced visit.

[@leigh-anjohnson]

Why did seeing that clip of Courage being shaved make me feel afraid 😨?

[@KyleRayner12]

Courage came out 25 years ago?! I remember it with a level of clarity that I assumed meant it was first airing when I watched it in the early to mid-2000s.

[@IncandescentWriter]

omg Right?! Same!

[@zacharyclark3693]

SpongeBob captures the existential horror of working in food/retail jobs. Change my mind.

[@RIlianP]

Children centered media can be more subtly depressing, not just cartoon but live action series as well. Some things you just get better as an adult though.

[@Shatterverse]

Dude, have you ever looked into the history of most fables and fairy tales? They're nightmare fuel designed to largely scare kids into behaving.

[@gioiacolli3407]

it's funny, because on one hand i consider old cartoons as a safe heaven without death or tragedy, on the other there are some rooms in my mind occupied by the horrors of (other) old cartoons

[@sparo_art]

My dad and uncle would watch so much of these cartoon with us ! That goes to show that although cartoon are "for kids" you don't need to make them with only your vision of a kid in mind :D

[@drelldezee]

The Amazing World of Gumball plays around with a lot of that existential horror stuff too

[@KnallisSillan]

Oh this was a fantastic one this time. Your videos are always so good but this one made me cry a little.

[@BulkBrogan.]

Something l remember the most from my childhood was the Demon shredder arc from 2003 teenage mutant ninja turtles A demon from ancient Japan creating an army of undead, yokai, and demons to take over the world And the only way to defeat him was for the turtles to transform into their dragon spirits and team up against him It was fucking metal especially for a little kid

[@ashmarten2884]

My childhood was shaped by books about small animals committing warcrimes and eugenics. May or may not have shaped my current favorite media piece being a game about small slimy critters attempting to break their cycle of eternal suffering.

[@MrHazz111]

Man that Courage episode scared the shit out of me as a kid.

[@dylanroyboy]

Thank you, this is why I love animation. And not just because you put my entire childhood into one video. Because of the links and threads you can connect animation with and how much inspiration can come out of it.

[@nathancarter8239]

It looks like you had an audio/video glitch from 7:58 to around 8:20 de-synced the audio from the visual for like a half-second.

[@savagebooks7482]

Thanks!

[@mc_zittrer8793]

So, for your daily PSA of existential dread, here's a fun bit of trivia: Even with all the telescopic advancements and other tools NASA uses to keep track of the skies, we still frequently have very near misses with celestial objects, many of which go completely unnoticed until they pass us by, due to them using the light of the sun as a sort of blind spot as they approach us. I even wrote a horror story with this in mind.

[@birgitteandersen5886]

I absolutely love existential horror!!!! It's my favorite because life is hard, but there are reasons to keep going.

[@NotTheDude]

Holly Jolly Secrets revealing that Ice King was really just some poor guy who was driven insane by the crown was a defining moment in my childhood. I remember gathering around the TV with my friends and losing our minds.

[@urahara64360]

I think there is an element that is being neglected which is the even earlier dark movies of the 80s from Don Bluth.

[@spaceeskimosasteroid3577]

You wanna talk about an existential kids film. All dogs go to heaven has the main character die at the beginning, trick his way out of heaven and then come to terms with the fact when he dies again he can only go to hell (obviously they do end up letting him back into heaven because he dies selflessly but he’s fully ready for what’s waiting for him)

[@tknklr]

Great vid! We could go even further back for more stuff in this vein. Within the past four years I've begun (procrastinating) writing a story focusing on a character inspired by old Fliescher cartoons like Betty Boop and Popeye, specifically Betty Boop cartoons. They are full of Nightmare Fuel stuff that. I accidentally stumbled across an old short when I was a kid back in the early 2000's while browsing comcast on demand. There's more infamous ones, but in the first episode I saw, Betty gets stuck on a fitness machine which is running at full power. She spends most of the episode screaming for help until another character comes to her aid. By the time she's freed, she's as thin as a noodle. The scary part that messed me up is when all the furniture and objects in the world spontaneous came to life and began laughing at Betty new noodle-thin body. I gained repsect for Betty Boop that day (even though I avoided watching it for a long time after that)

[@damen9578]

I remember that Star Wars the Clone Wars was canceled because it became too mature for children. Still one of my favorite shows.

[@juanrodriguez9971]

I dont think there was ever a single kid who lauger at Ren removing that part of his mouth or at Squidward suffeeing the lost of his toenail

[@dylanmcaden285]

I know I’m late to the party here but I’m still waiting for your “Over the Garden Wall” video.

[@ayeg-dp5to]

courage is my favorite cartoon nowadays cause i think about it on a daily basis

[@ChaoticUrges]

COURAGE!!!

[@oskarcreegan2566]

Amazing as always ! You might want to give a little volume mixing to the music, it's sometimes a little too loud/distracting to clearly hear what you're saying.

[@christiancornier9357]

I see you in the lion's shirt savage

[@brianedwards7142]

While I was watching I was imagining with dread if Disney bought the rights to the works of Richard Wagner and made an animated Flying Dutchman. Disney: where Intellectual Property goes to die of shame.

[@TofuBug24]

That Slap HAS to be THE most satisfying slap EVER

[@VictorIV0310]

Balam Industries

[@charliee284]

Sponge Bob had some traumatic.... images

[@LordIronfist]

This has... Maybe always been the case? I mean, grim meaning what it does may have been simply coincidence but the collection coming from the brothers Grimm was basically the same thing (although they were more so that way to convey basic common sense things for avoiding danger) In that if you read the original versions...they are full of existential horrors

[@KimberlyPinkney]

I thought Disney's Black Cauldron and Last Unicorn were freaking dark!

[@savagebooks7482]

The last unicorn is definitely pretty dark lol

[@JDBlumenstein]

Solid video and great conclusion! You have such thoughtful material. I always leave your videos feeling impressed and introspective.

[@savagebooks7482]

Thanks! appreciate it

[@richardconnor2871]

Yesss! I was sitting here waiting for Adventure Time to be the next thing on the list, hahaha. Cartoons these days are so much better than when I was growing up... With a few notable exceptions (Batman the Animated Series still holds its own)

[@AndaraBledin]

A more recent show that you didn't mention is CentaurWorld.

[@JdeeGeekyGao]

I felt a bit too old for the demo of this vid as my traumatizing kids cartoons were those 80's one, IYKYK... toaster.

[@LaneMaxfield]

That was just beautiful, man. Normally you give good advice but this was more like a full-on guided meditation! 😂😂😂

[@IncandescentWriter]

I can't say which show started it, but Courage was truly one I found the most interesting. I was in complete awe for each episode and never scared me. Now that there's a reason behind why, it's so telling now on why I loved these shows and film growing up. You explained all of this perfectly. Think it definitely had intentions to make sure there are lessons to be made in this genre, so that people may recognize the struggles of life and process, or come to terms with, on how to move forward through/pass those struggles. Of course, there can be many other factors to discuss continually about this topic, it's not just one thing after all. As much as I loved our 90s and early 2000s shows, but this genre has been growing and adapting throughout the years. It may be our nostalgia that we sing praise for these films and shows for being what they are in comparison to now. However, this entire analysis isn't something I don't disagree with. It is all spot on. If we really want to look back on every animated media, it is a long list if we were to go over and discuss further into length on how media then evolved into the 90s, early 2000s, and now. Hell, we can even go back to the original fairytales and fables, how they too fit into this discussion. It is interesting how stories like these grow and evolve, and goes on to tell what hasn't been told before or expands on previous topics.

[@bpblitz]

If I had a nickel for every video examining Death from PNB2 coming out in the last month I'd have two nickels. Which isn't a lot, but.

[@reidchikezie1161]

Damn, Courage was so fun and scary to watch back then!!

[@prestely]

Very interesting video! It got me thinking about the people who are actually behind the cartoons and who kids cartoons are actually made for. I believe gen X were the ones making the cartoons i would watch as a kid in the 90s....but now? Are millenials - my generation making the cartoons we're seeing today and thus passing on our anxiety about the World to younger generations? Or are old gen X still in charge, especially in Big animations studios and with parenthood playing a role in shaping the World they want to pass on ? It seems to me that kids animation or teenage oriented art, unlike regular art made by adults for adults fails to question the artists and spends too much Time worrying about the receiver's end. Thanks again for your video, you sure got me thinking a lot about this! And thanks for reminding how much i used to love Cow and Chicken.

[@Vieyram]

I want to add An American Tail and An American Tail 2: Fievel Goes West

[@merrillsunderland8662]

I really need you to binge watch Steven Universe (show and movies), and also She-Ra and the Princesses of Power. Similar to ATLA, much of the main conflict doesn’t originate from the antagonists. Rather it’s the protagonists disagreeing on how to achieve a goal, or even what those goals should be. Also, the emergence of queer representation has been a revelation. I’m a full grown adult and an 80s kid. I’m delighted by queer relationships being placed front and center rather than quiet subtext.

[@Verebazs]

8:15 Tragedy of Man entered the chat...

[@liammiller5244]

3:50, damn man why you gotta call me out like that.

[@savagebooks7482]

just had to

[@golgarisoul]

Is the audio desynced for anyone else?

[@umbradread8703]

Bro this is the first time I see your face. It's silly how handsome you are. Good for you, man ❤ Keep up the good shit

[@bazhumke4040]

okay you might have convinced me to watch adventure time lol

[@IncandescentWriter]

As someone who has only watched a handful of episodes, absolutely go for it. I still need to go watch it all myself. 😅

[@mothhann]

Comment for the algorithm and also say love the shirt - Go Lions!

[@KimberlyPinkney]

Definitely hated the absurdest cartoons, I was raised on 80s cartoons, where the wackiest were Bugs Bunny or some Hanna Barberra cartoons.

[@hamptertime]

The existential horrors persist, but so do I. 😎

[@13revengex]

Like for Detroit Lions! Flint town represent

[@mayanightstar]

sorry I cant focus on anything you're saying cuz your eyes are so beautiful wtf, did you always have a face cam for your video essays and I just never paid attention until now?

[@cynicalsenpai]

love this topic!! Are you from Detroit too??

[@savagebooks7482]

My family is

[@pantheramichigania]

Go Lions

[@zachkeenankacey4945]

Yep

[@sassylittleprophet]

I saw Disney's Hunchback for the first time as a young adult, and it hits me particularly hard because I had a pastor almost twice my age shame me from the pulpit for being "too immodest" and "tempting" others who were "weak in the faith" (he meant himself, no one else had a problem with what I wore). He did this for 9 months. I was 21-22, he was 40-41. And he would say this with my parents, my siblings, his wife and kids, and my husband in the audience, and he'd always be looking directly at me. I always asked myself, "Why is no one saying anything about this? Why isn't anyone addressing the fact that this married pastor is publicly lusting after me from the pulpit?" No, Frollo, objectifying/sexualizing someone *is* your fault.

[@ATLZombie]

The real horror is wearing a Detroit Lions shirt. - Miserable Falcons fan.

[@mannythegrandfather2291]

One Piece is also an excellent example of this

[@yerboyrazr3074]

What’s the background music being used?

[@Shatterverse]

Most of the shows you rattled off were well after my jaded Gen-X time.

[@DarthMatusHolocron]

Yo you need to watch Steven Universe. Its right up your alley

[@KatherinaBathory]

I hated ren and stimpy and cow and chicken... But I loved ahhhhh real Monster!

[@gregorycrump9010]

Go Lions!!

[@ashleyanne2056]

Don't front-load your content with calls to action.

[@levimcgillis6339]

Returnnn the slaaab

[@NeoShameMan]

Fnaf and the digital circus 😅 modern equivalent