When will Americans start making honest to goodness mech cartoons?

[I.R Joey]

Just playing Virtual On, and I was thinking about the possibility of someone in the states making something like Gundam or Eva? Why can't we do it? Or is Mecha so engraned in Japanesse culture that others making it would be blasphemy to Otakus?

[Calhoun07]

Seriously, why would Americans need to? The Japanese market is FLOODED with these cartoons. I am willing to place money on that we only see about 20% of their mech shows. They have a corner on the market. Invariably, even if we had something new to offer the genre, it would pale in comparison with many die hard fans to the Japanese originals.

My question is...when will American animators begin to adapt comic book arcs into cartoons? I know this was discussed on another WF board, but the Japanese are all the time adapting magna into anime. And if we adapted comic book arcs into cartoons, preserving the art style of the comic book in the cartoon, I think American cartoons would graduate to the next level of maturity and also offer something different than what Japan can give us, because they will never adapt American comics into cartoons. Not without giving them huge eyes and small mouths, anyway.

[Mr. Obsession]

Actually Mainframe (partnered with Sony) has created a show based on the Heavy Gear property called...

...Heavy Gear.

They've gotten 20 something ep's done already. Now if only they could find the show a home.

[Leaping Larry Jojo]

The original FOX X-Men cartoon adapted many comic book storylines. Especially during the Byrne/Claremont run. The dialogue, unfortunately, was also largely preserved, and Claremont's speeches come off poorly in TV form.

When it comes down to it, though, it's all about marketing and numbers. Comic writers have a little bit more leeway to develop a story (unless the book is super-popular; then it's largely controlled by editors), and many of the comic storylines would not satisfy networks and sponsors. Notice that the cartoons never do any of the "death" storylines. Imagine how powerful it would be to see Gwen Stacy dying on the Spider-Man cartoon. Comics also take more time in crafting longer story arcs, and networks BELIEVE that viewers have no patience for more involved plotting.

It's really what we've been whining about on these boards for the past decade or so.

[Leaping Larry Jojo]

Originally posted by calhoun07
I think American cartoons would graduate to the next level of maturity and also offer something different than what Japan can give us, because they will never adapt American comics into cartoons. Not without giving them huge eyes and small mouths, anyway.

That's a stereotype, but it is unfortunately true in most cases. However, there are shows which feature designs that are more 'realistic.' Take Votoms, Cowboy Bebop, or Berserk. Berserk was a TV series featuring a Robert E. Howard inspired hero, and the character designs were very John Buscema-ish. Not every anime TV show has the 'cute' look; just a lot of them. About 80% of the anime shows released every season have a slightly 'cute' look. The remaining 20% usually stand out from the rest.

[Crazy8s]

was the closest example to mech that I've seen done in the west. Of course, the suits weren't of the giant variety, but they made more sense as battle armor. And Sony's Heavy Gear should be great if it ever makes it to the screen. Sony can produce quality when left alone.

Honestly, I get pretty tired of men in giant robot suits punching each other out or stabbing at each other with giant swords. The entire mecha thing escapes me as a viable battle gear. More 'wow, cool' than realistic.

[Calhoun07]

Originally posted by Leap Larry Jojo
Take Votoms, Cowboy Bebop, or Berserk. Berserk was a TV series featuring a Robert E. Howard inspired hero, and the character designs were very John Buscema-ish. Not every anime TV show has the 'cute' look; just a lot of them.

Thanks for the tips! I am big fan of Cowboy Bebop, and always appreciate hearing about something new and different!

[Calhoun07]

Originally posted by Leap Larry Jojo
The original FOX X-Men cartoon adapted many comic book storylines. Especially during the Byrne/Claremont run. The dialogue, unfortunately, was also largely preserved, and Claremont's speeches come off poorly in TV form.

When it comes down to it, though, it's all about marketing and numbers. Comic writers have a little bit more leeway to develop a story (unless the book is super-popular; then it's largely controlled by editors), and many of the comic storylines would not satisfy networks and sponsors. Notice that the cartoons never do any of the "death" storylines. Imagine how powerful it would be to see Gwen Stacy dying on the Spider-Man cartoon. Comics also take more time in crafting longer story arcs, and networks BELIEVE that viewers have no patience for more involved plotting.

It's really what we've been whining about on these boards for the past decade or so.

Oh, yeah, and we will probably whine about it for another decade! But I just cannot help thinking how awesome it would be to see original animated series adapting books like Preacher and 100 Bullets and Sin City and Alan Moore's Miracleman (the animated adaption of issue 15 would be well worth the price of the entire series) and I could go on and name MANY others. I know we got Batman, Superman, X Men, Spider Man (and I know all of them don't adapt comic book stories) and I know the type of mature animation I am talking about would NEVER go over on network TV (tho HBO could show some of these series) but that's what they make DVD for. How many Japanese series come out on DVD that never make it to TV?

I know this might all be a distant dream, but if animation is going to mature in this country, I see that as a logicial step in that maturing.

[don Jaime]

You mean like The Iron Giant, the brilliant film of two years past? It tanked due to bad marketing. Had it succeeded, you might see more big robots, but, unfortunately....

It's not entirely too late. I'd buy a gross or two of the DVD and start handing them out to friends.

[Mr. Obsession]

Originally posted by Leap Larry Jojo
...Votoms, Cowboy Bebop, or Berserk.

I love Cowboy Bebop (Who else is looking forward to the move?) and liked Berserk. But I've never heard of Votoms. Anyone care to provide a spoiler-free overview?

[Leaping Larry Jojo]

Originally posted by Mr. Obsession


I love Cowboy Bebop (Who else is looking forward to the move?) and liked Berserk. But I've never heard of Votoms. Anyone care to provide a spoiler-free overview?

VOTOMs is an old (1982) mecha show with not-very-pretty designs and creaky animation. It's a turn-off for many people to see "unpretty" character designs, but it was so gritty, the minimalist look actually worked for it.

[Leaping Larry Jojo]

Originally posted by Crazy8s
was the closest example to mech that I've seen done in the west. Of course, the suits weren't of the giant variety, but they made more sense as battle armor. And Sony's Heavy Gear should be great if it ever makes it to the screen. Sony can produce quality when left alone.

Honestly, I get pretty tired of men in giant robot suits punching each other out or stabbing at each other with giant swords. The entire mecha thing escapes me as a viable battle gear. More 'wow, cool' than realistic.

Like Exosquad, which was directly influenced by Mobile Suit Gundam. (The original, not the newer ones).

[Bubba]

Keep an eye out for "Cubix". It will be produced in the U.S. with export to Japan in mind. It looked like a mecha-toon in the early production preview I saw last year.

[Mr. Obsession]

Originally posted by Bubba
Keep an eye out for "Cubix". It will be produced in the U.S. with export to Japan in mind. It looked like a mecha-toon in the early production preview I saw last year.

Actually I don't know what to make of Cubix. But I'm willing to bet that most of us here won't be keeping an eye out for it

Originally everything I heard about Cubix made it out to sound like kidsWB's attempt at making it's own Pokemon. But then I saw this at Toon Zone:

In Bubbletown, there's a robot for everyone. And it's your robot, not your zip code or make of car, that determines your status here.

When Andy, a 13 year-old robot-whiz, moves to town, he hooks up with a cyborg-loving gang that hangs out at The Bottie's Pit, the local robot shop. Intrigued by an "unfixable" junk robot called Cubix, Andy resurrects it through sheer perseverance and discovers an awesome mechanical friend that can transform itself into numerous devices. Cubix is incredibly strong, and incredibly loyal to Andy and his buds. When the evil Dr. K, Bubbletown's mad scientist, starts stealing robots in search of a mysterious power source called Solex, Cubix and the kids prove to be the only force that can oppose him... and new heroes are born.

An effervescent, innovative series with a fantastic CGI look as bright and fun as its characters, Cubix has a spirit and heart as powerful as the super-robot it's named after. It's a futuristic story of action, adventure and an uncommon friendship. Cubix is produced by From 4Kids Productions, Inc., the same team that brought Pokémon to Kids' WB!, and will air Saturday mornings this fall.

Now I don't know what to make of it. It almost seems like a mix of Pokemon, Zeta, the Mega Man Cartoon from awhile back, a lack of creativity, and a dash of Max Steel tossed in.

[Bubba]

Now I don't know what to make of it. It almost seems like a mix of Pokemon, Zeta, the Mega Man Cartoon from awhile back, a lack of creativity, and a dash of Max Steel tossed in.

A Kids WB news release description of a show can turn anything into a sugar coated piece of garbage. It's too early to judge how Cubix will turn out, but there's a lot of talent working on the show. Two Asian companies, CINEPIX and Daiwon, are co-creators of the show along with 4 Kids Entertainment here in the U.S. Kids WB has nothing to do with production of Cubix and that's a good thing. However, 4 Kids is a rookie at creating their own original properties and that makes me doubtful.

All I can say with any confidence is that from what I saw the soundtrack was good and the CGI animation was amazing.