Animated TV shows have flourished in the last decade, from Cartoon Network to Netflix. While they target younger audiences, some have gained large adult followings due to their overarching messages. Following this, more TV shows in this animated style but targeted at more mature audiences have emerged. Successful examples of these are Netflix’s “Arcane” and “Inside Job”, Amazon Prime Video’s recent “Hazbin Hotel”, and “The Legend of Vox Machina”, both of which were picked up from smaller projects.
Critics have largely mocked “adult animation,” or animated TV shows targeted at adults, for their “ugly art styles.” Critics have condemned these shows for relying on sex jokes for humor and lacking character development beyond them. These shows aired late on Cartoon Network, have transitioned to streaming, with many now on Hulu and some on Netflix.
More mature children’s animation, such as reboots of 70s and 80s shows like “Voltron” and “She-Ra” on Netflix, have drawn large adult crowds in the last decade. This is due to their more in-depth characters and beautiful animation. As interest grows, services have created adult-targeted animated shows, aiming to maintain engaging depth and a beautiful art style. Have they succeeded, or are they still under heavy fire? We’ll look at reviews of a few recent examples.
Arcane
The League of Legends TV show drew mass online attention at the time of its release. This hype continues as fans anticipate the second season to be released in November 2024. The show’s unique art style and excellent voice acting attracted viewers who stayed for the morally gray characters and complex political intrigue.
The show was not without critique. Some viewers challenged its representation of a “crazy” main character and questioned if it was aligning with harmful stereotypes. This largely went along with calling the main character Jinx a “new Harley Quinn”. Others had issues with the pacing, saying too much happened too fast. Many viewers criticized the show’s singular sex scene, arguing that it was unnecessary and could have been implied.
Overall, the show got a lot of good publicity, though. The popularity of “Arcane” led to a larger push online for unique art styles in animation and more animated shows targeted for adults, as well, or at least leaning into more mature themes.
Inside Job
Netflix’s office comedy based around conspiracy theories was not as immediately successful as “Arcane”. Much more of the humor was based around sex jokes, but it had further depth beyond that.
Protagonist Reagan Ridley struggles with burnout, isolation, and trauma from her manipulative alcoholic father, who still influences her adult life. Ridley’s coworker, Brett, copes as a people-pleaser as an adult who supposedly peaked in high school and college. The writing excellently explores adults managing past traumas and current problems, blending this with a lighthearted plot and comedy.
However, Netflix canceled “Inside Job” on November 22, ending it after its second season. This sparked online outrage over the show’s depth despite its comedy, leading to much debate about adult animation and cartoons. Many viewers noted that networks allowed “ugly” shows without depth to air for 8+ seasons while canceling new ideas.
Hazbin Hotel
Amazon Prime’s most recent new animated show gained immediate attention upon release. A pilot for the show was released on YouTube in 2019 and gained popularity before being picked by Amazon. The show received heavy criticism at the time for its excessive foul language, which is a common criticism with its partner show, “Helluva Boss“, which is still released on YouTube. Many viewers call the constant cursing immature, and say that it interferes with any seriousness of the show.
“Hazbin Hotel” has toned down a bit from “Helluva Boss”, but still has heavy uses of language. Many more viewers loved the musical show, however, with many songs going viral on TikTok and Instagram Reels following its release. The star-studded cast also brought many viewers in, who stayed for the comedic yet heartfelt characters and interesting ongoing plot. Some viewers have complained about the songs or language interfering with the depth of the plot and characters. Others have praised the music for allowing a new way of seeing characters’ problems, such as the character Angel Dust’s issues with addiction.
The show has received praise for its unique art style, excellent voice acting, catchy songs, and interesting underlying plot. Many viewers also found the characters’ ongoing progression and depth moving, particularly in the universe of the afterlife where supposedly “nothing matters”. Critics also complained about the pacing, saying the character’s progress felt rushed. “Hazbin Hotel” will return for a second season, so viewers will soon see what happens next!
The Legend of Vox Machina
The fantasy action animated series gained immediate popularity upon its release. The show is based off of Critical Role, a Dungeons and Dragons live stream, particularly its first campaign of the same title. The project was initially funded through Kickstarter before Amazon picked it up.
The show brought attention to Dungeons and Dragons as a community online, as well as further attention to Critical Role’s livestream and additional related content. Many new viewers did not know it was based on an improvised game, and that the voice actors had created their characters themselves.
A common critique of the show was its heavy gore, as well as a few sex scenes in the first season. The second season toned this down, which aligned with the main cast’s progression to become more serious as their challenges grew.
The show was largely successful for its beautiful, smooth animation, as well as its star-studded voice-acting cast. The show earned praise for its charming yet complex characters, which also drew attention to the original livestream. Similar to many other popular adult animation shows, the adult main characters deal with their past traumas and insecurities, while learning to fully trust the others in their adventuring party as well.
Pushed back due to remaining COVID-19 delays and the Hollywood strike of summer 2023, there has not been a release date for the third season. In the meantime, viewers wait eagerly for Vox Machina’s journey to continue.
So, what is in store for adult animation in the future? Many popular shows await a new season, and seeing their success with Gen Z and millennials, it is likely that there will be new shows coming soon. Common praise for these shows is the representation of adults coping with trauma and improvement, which these audiences relate to as they go into adulthood. With this in mind, it is likely that this genre will grow and improve, possibly moving past its common critiques.
