Give me an example of an adult-oriented, mature western animated film or TV show

[MurderousToaster]

I'm trying to write an essay on how animated films and TV shows can be as mature as live action ones. The issue I am finding is that it's somewhat difficult to find adult-oriented, mature western animated shows and films (due to the whole "all animation is for children" thing in the west).

[HEADING=1]By mature, I do not mean it includes "mature humour". As a rule of thumb, most comedy will not count due to this.[/HEADING]

And, if at all possible, try to avoid anything too avant-garde. Just to clarify, again, western animation. I'm fine when it comes to other parts of the world. And adult is the other buzzword - I'd like something that's totally geared towards a mature audience. Yeah, Toy Story 3 was emotional, but I don't want something that's a kids' movie that can also appeal to adults.

EDIT: Needed to change that to a larger size since nobody seemed to be reading it.

EDIT 2: Made it really, really big now.

All of those caveats boil down to, to me, uninteresting. Why do animation if it's not allowed to be funny or weird? Why would an adult want to watch something that isn't trippy, isn't sci-fi, isn't funny yet is a cartoon? Do you think The King's Speech or A Few Good Men would have made better animated films than live action movies?

I had some examples, but your restraints removed them. So I'll just say Cowboy Beb-oh. Never mind. Waking Life-no, can't use that, either. A Scanner Dark-dammit!

I will explain. I am trying to write an essay. The part I am writing of the essay is about Western animation. I am trying to prove that a fully animated, adult-oriented feature can be as mature as a live action one. Does that make it easier to understand why I put the restraints on there? I'm here for help with a part of an essay, not out of personal interest to find a particular show.

I don't want it to be too avant-garde because this is an English teacher we are dealing with. I don't want it to be humorous because, well, I'm trying to prove that they can be mature, not that they can make dick jokes. I don't want it to be outside of the West because I'm doing that later in the essay and have plenty of ones for that.


(Also, I never mentioned it not being Sci-Fi or not having comedy elements in it. What I meant was that I don't want South Park or Family Guy or Beavis and Butthead or any of the animated 100%-comedies they put on Adult Swim, because that's not the point I'm trying to make.)

 

[Wintermoot]

Persepolis is a good example.
The Animatrix is another one.
I dunno if Waltz with Bashir is western.

the animatrix is mostly Japanese studio,s just like Halo origins.
the only one I have is The Boondocks and Japanese stuff (it,s a cultural thing.)
PS
what about Futurama especially Season 3~4

 

[Pumpkin_Eater]

The Boondocks. The episode dealing with religion was one of the most objective, well done stories I've seen on the topic.

 

[funguy2121]

I'm trying to write an essay on how animated films and TV shows can be as mature as live action ones. The issue I am finding is that it's somewhat difficult to find adult-oriented, mature western animated shows and films (due to the whole "all animation is for children" thing in the west).

[HEADING=1]By mature, I do not mean it includes "mature humour". As a rule of thumb, most comedy will not count due to this.[/HEADING]

And, if at all possible, try to avoid anything too avant-garde. Just to clarify, again, western animation. I'm fine when it comes to other parts of the world. And adult is the other buzzword - I'd like something that's totally geared towards a mature audience. Yeah, Toy Story 3 was emotional, but I don't want something that's a kids' movie that can also appeal to adults.

EDIT: Needed to change that to a larger size since nobody seemed to be reading it.

EDIT 2: Made it really, really big now.

All of those caveats boil down to, to me, uninteresting. Why do animation if it's not allowed to be funny or weird? Why would an adult want to watch something that isn't trippy, isn't sci-fi, isn't funny yet is a cartoon? Do you think The King's Speech or A Few Good Men would have made better animated films than live action movies?

I had some examples, but your restraints removed them. So I'll just say Cowboy Beb-oh. Never mind. Waking Life-no, can't use that, either. A Scanner Dark-dammit!

I will explain. I am trying to write an essay. The part I am writing of the essay is about Western animation. I am trying to prove that a fully animated, adult-oriented feature can be as mature as a live action one. Does that make it easier to understand why I put the restraints on there? I'm here for help with a part of an essay, not out of personal interest to find a particular show.

I don't want it to be too avant-garde because this is an English teacher we are dealing with. I don't want it to be humorous because, well, I'm trying to prove that they can be mature, not that they can make dick jokes. I don't want it to be outside of the West because I'm doing that later in the essay and have plenty of ones for that.


(Also, I never mentioned it not being Sci-Fi or not having comedy elements in it. What I meant was that I don't want South Park or Family Guy or Beavis and Butthead or any of the animated 100%-comedies they put on Adult Swim, because that's not the point I'm trying to make.)

Your response and your OP both suggest that the difference between your idea of comedy/humor may be the problem. Your edits drive the point home. It would appear that you don't take comedy very seriously (or perhaps your teacher doesn't, or maybe both), and that you think dick jokes are emblematic of all comedy. I don't suppose you're a regular viewer of The (American version of The) Office, wherein they take dick jokes and reappropriate them into something both satirical and innocent. It's transcendent. It's beautiful. It's art. You don't believe comedy is mature? I don't believe repeatedly editing the OP to make certain sections bigger, louder and bolder (it's called 'screaming' for a reason) is very mature. Comedy tends to not stay in mature areas for very long, but your views are incredibly, disablingly (it IS a word, dammit!) reductive if you think that humor is incapable of maturity.

You DID say you didn't want sci-fi, and as a huge sci-fi nerd, I don't know how to tell you this, friend, but Aliens was weird. Battlestar Galactica is weird. Aeon Flux, both the acid-trip cartoon and the terrible film it inspired, is fukkin' weird. I don't think you'll prove your point to an English teacher who's too stuffy for King of the Hill (perfect example, by the way) by showing her the animated equivalent of 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Also, since I assume our dark masters want us to pass along whatever captcha tells us, iselsrwa ofSo*

 

[trooper6]

Persepolis
Sita Sings the Blues
Heavy Metal
Scanner Darkly
Waltz with Bashir
Waking Life
Fritz the Cat
Watership Down
Animal Farm
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Heavy Traffic

Many of the above films are rated R...so children aren't even allowed to see them. Fritz the Cat was rated X.

Oh and you can just peruse the list of the films nominated for the Oscar for Best Animated Film Short...they tend to be more adult oriented than the animated feature films:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_Award_for_Best_Animated_Short_Film

And you'd want to check out the independent animated films...those too tend to be adult oriented

 

[shadow_Fox81]

um sorta liked this, its australian and mature.

its called $9.99


also geoffory rush was very good in it

 

[trooper6]

I don't want it to be too avant-garde because this is an English teacher we are dealing with. I don't want it to be humorous because, well, I'm trying to prove that they can be mature, not that they can make dick jokes. I don't want it to be outside of the West because I'm doing that later in the essay and have plenty of ones for that.

1. Because you are dealing with an English teacher, you should definitely go with something avant-garde or art house. I mean, there is a reason why when people want to make a point about comic books being able to attain the status of art they go with Maus. You want something that deals with heavy topics. You want Heavy Traffic, Waltz with Bashir, Scanner Darkly, Sita Sings the Blues, Persepolis. You want things that scholars find interesting, that have interesting cultural or historical meaning.

2. Mature Humor doesn't have much to do with dick jokes.

 

[chaosyoshimage]

I agree with most of the stuff in this thread, but I'm surprised to see The Venture Bros. missing, that's what I immediately thought of. I know, I know, it's a comedy, but beneath the jokes is a decent drama about failure.

 

[Foxbat Flyer]

Aqua Teen Hunger Force... Thats all I got for now...

 

[Darknacht]

Almost anything from Bakshi.

 

[I Have No Idea]

Deadwood!

...Oh, you mean "western" as in American.

Louie is pretty funny.

 

[Mogget128723]

The things that first come to mind are 9 and Titan: A.E., both of which are pretty mature.

 

[TheyMadeMeDoIt]

Morel Orel.

Season 3 in particular is about as mature as any "real" show on television. The level of character development and problems that stem from a society so repressed really make you feel for the titular character. He tries as hard as he can to be "good", but every role model he has is so very flawed. Plus there are rarely dick jokes, which, if I understood the OP, would regulate it to strictly immature.

 

[vesago]

any non-anime on adult swim

 

[TheBookkeeper]

Morel Orel.

Season 3 in particular is about as mature as any "real" show on television. The level of character development and problems that stem from a society so repressed really make you feel for the titular character. He tries as hard as he can to be "good", but every role model he has is so very flawed. Plus there are rarely dick jokes, which, if I understood the OP, would regulate it to strictly immature.

Surely this isn't the most mature of programs though.

Having said that, considering my profile picture; my opinion shouldn't really count in this thread.

 

[Furbyz]

It was already stated but The Boondocks. Yes, it is a comedy series, but it also deals with many real race issues. In fact, I believe it won an NAACP image award. And while its protagonist is a child it most certainly is not a children's show.

Edit: Ok, I just checked and it was nominated for an NAACP Image award and has won a Peabody. Pretty impressive.

 

[Vindestructable]

Ghost in the Shell

GitS is a western animation? Wow, they managed to incorporate the Japanese jingoism quite subtly. :/

Ok so its not western but it meets all other criteria ..................

damn you know what I can't think of a western one cuz halo legends doesn't count either