Ok, I'll admit it. I watch a lot of cartoons. Frankly, your chances of having your intelligence insulted when watching TV is significantly lower when you're watching cartoons. Look at it this way, the US shows that get imported to the UK are usually the best ones. So, you can imagine the quantity of utter garbage that fills US network timeslots.

I found it hilarious to learn that when "The Tick" (animated series) was done in a live-action version for Fox, they actually dumbed down the program. I guess primetime viewers are a little denser than children. (sounds right to me)

But, the real reason for this post is this: Have you guys seen Samurai Jack? I know the show took off in the States and now that the Cartoon Network has it on nearly ever night, I figured somebody must be watching it. Frankly, it's refreshing to see a show (cartoon or not) that puts some work into each episode. The show goes from being seriously dark and violent to being hilarious, and manages to pull it off. There's also some great work put into the whole product, making it possible for some episodes to have almost no dialogue.

It's from the maker(s) of Dexter's Laboratory, so it's no real surprise that it's so good.

Anyway, what do you think? And if you haven't seen it, then give it a shot. You could do a lot worse.

[BadAss]

I'm still waiting for Ulysses31 to be made into a HollyWood movie. This series rocked. Other than that Macross Plus from manger is a must.

[pointon]

As a superhero fan I have to put in a good word for 'Batman of The Future'/'Batman Beyond'.

Not every cartoon is for kids you know Dad!

[Garrett]

Originally posted by pointon


Not every cartoon is for kids you know Dad!

I agree with you, the programs should be judged on the story content not the format. How many people would berate comics such as Batman, X-Men, Blade etc. yet go and enjoy them at the pictures.

Ruby quartz shades.

Speaking of the Batman series, IMO the first Batman animated movie blew away any of the live-action films.

Samurai Jack looks pretty kiddy, but it's pretty edgy for a Cartoon Network show. Apparently, when they were designing it, they said "how can we have a cartoon about a samurai chopping people up with a katana?" Their answer: put him in the future, and have him fight robots. Problem solved.

[Jase]

I like the Dragon Ball series myself, considering the fights in it, I wouldnt have thought they were aimed at kids.

Dont know if they could turn it into a live action film though, not without serious CGI.

I think the Startship Troopers cartoon series "Roughnecks" was very good. I'm considering buying then on DVD - there's now 4 discs available.

Dragonball Z (and in fact all of the Dragonball series) ain't actually aimed at kids (or at least not Western ones) - a fact reflected in the number of cuts to violence and sexual content in the version being screened on the Cartoon Network on both sides of the Atlantic.

[Jase]

They show the Dragon Ball series over here as kids programmes in the morning & at lunchtime.

Whether that was the original intention, I dont know? But there certainly dont seem to be any cuts to it as they are quite graphic, blasting off limbs, disintegrating people left, right & centre.

We dont have the sort of censorship/watershed that the UK has, just comparing the news for an example, with the bombings in the middle east, we are shown the human remains/bits/blood which doesnt seem to appear on other news programmes.

Again tv programmes have sex & violence during the day with no apparent cuts either.

Different mentalities for different countries I suppose. They tend to show it as it is over here.