Dharshini Karthikeyan - Week 7- The Popularity of American Cartoon Characters
American cartoon characters are known throughout the world because of their immense popularity. Characters such as Mickey Mouse, Homer Simpson, Peter Griffin, and Disney Princesses are globally known, with over 13% of American adults reporting that they have watched “Cinderella” more than twice. While cartoon characters from other countries, such as Hello Kitty, are globally well known, America is still able to have produced the most popular cartoon characters. What is the reason for this?
A lot of American cartoon characters follow the same pattern. For example, popular American shows such as Family Guy and The Simpsons both follow the same stereotypical American cartoon pattern: A lazy, dim-witted father, a forgiving mother, and children who either love or loathe their family— with the occasional inclusion of a family dog. Another popular show, Phineas & Ferb also follows this pattern, which makes you wonder why the most popular American cartoons all have extremely similar characteristics. If all American characters are so similar, then what makes them unique enough to rise to fame the way these characters did?
It turns out that characters don’t have to be unique in order to become popular. People tend to relate to characters that they’ve seen before— whether they’ve seen the character in their own lives or on the screen. I’m sure many of you have had the experience of finishing a show and then striving to find another show just like it. Another reason for the popularity of American cartoons is the candid dialogue that many popular cartoons use. For example, both “The Simpsons” and “Family Guy” include controversial dialogue from topics ranging from politics to family life, which is what makes the shows so amusing. Humans identify more with relatable, commonly found characters compared to incredibly unique characters, which is what makes American cartoons so popular.
Article: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5574189/
Hi Dharshini! I agree with your reasoning that many American characters rise to popularity because of their relatability. Exploring subtle and controversial topics create a very human and entertaining watch. I think that another aspect to consider regarding the popularity of American characters is the American culture’s emphasis on entertainment. Even when there are more populous countries, the interests of the numerous American audience plays the most significant role in a show’s success. Along with the quality of a character’s writing, its design also heavily affects the popularity. How a cartoon character looks determines the audience’s first impression, which is often the most important considering how limited the attention span is in the rise of the internet. Cartoon characters that are easily recognizable and iconic can be powerfully merchandised, which is crucial in an industry where profits come before quality. One of the biggest examples is Hello Kitty, which does not have the same relatability as mentioned before. Yet, the design is simple and is advertised on transportation, malls, billboards, and as toys. Another factor to consider regarding the popularity of American characters is the size of the entertainment industry. With so many shows in production, the ones that come out on top are sure to be intensely popular.
ReplyDeleteHi Dharshini! Living in America, I never really considered how popular American cartoon characters are in other parts of the world. Honestly, I had always thought that those characters were only well-known here, since I doubted that the majority of people in other countries would watch American shows. One factor that you did not discuss in your analysis of cartoon characters’ popularity is the effect of internet trends on the audiences that those characters reach. I have never watched Family Guy, for example, but I am still familiar with every member of the Griffin family because of the excerpts I have seen online. On another note, the structure of this blog post made it easier to uncover the broad archetypes that many cartoons align with. As you said, cartoon characters need to be relatable to be popular, so a character having many personality traits that the audience is already familiar with is a great way to keep the audience engaged—this definitely works on me, because my favorite character in a given TV show is almost always the person whose actions align most with what I feel I would do in the same situation.
ReplyDeleteHey Dharshini, I do agree that many of the cartoons we grew up watching in America all have similar plots and character tropes. While it does get generic, I feel that that is what people enjoy and see American cartoons as. Some may see them as basic but at the same time they all have some unique aspects that make them enjoyable to some. This can even be seen with some global movies where many of them all have the same type of plot, just expressed differently. I feel that people do not necessarily care if they all have the same plot, they only care how that plot is changed up to make each show/movie unique. If we Family Guy and American Dad, they both have really similar plots but the way they portray each character's expressions. People do not always like watching something that is different from what they are used to. If a long series is built one way, people tend to favor other shows that are in a similar vein to it. Overall I do agree with your point that even with similar tropes and plots, the way a show represents itself is key to how it is seen by the audience.
ReplyDeleteHi Dharshini! The structure of your blog article, with the use of rhetorical questions followed by an answer, made your ideas so coherent and easy to follow! The parallels you have drawn between family portrayals in cartoons are really intriguing. While I am familiar with both The Family Guy and The Simpsons and have seen a few episodes of each, I have never really made the connection until reading until reading your blog. Your mention of the experience of completing a show and then seeking another “just like it,” resonated with me. I couldn’t help but smile because, for some reason, I had always thought that was just a me-thing— immediately navigating to the search bar after completing a show and typing “Movies like…” Your post highlighted that this is, rather, a shared experience, emphasizing the sense of relatability fostered by such common character portrayals. Additionally, I think in many ways, the familiarity you discussed, ultimately, becomes a a source of comfort, deepening the audience's connection with the content, and further drawing viewers in.
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