Animated series
Template:Refimprove Template:Short description Template:For An animated series (or a cartoon seriesTemplate:Sfn) is a set of animated films with a common title, usually related to one another. These episodes typically share the same main heroes, some different secondary characters and a basic theme. Series can either have a finite number of episodes like,<ref name="toonsmag">Template:Cite web</ref> for example, miniseries, a definite end, or be open-ended, without a predetermined number of episodes.Template:Sfn They can be released on television<ref name="FOOTNOTELenburg2009[httpsarchiveorgdetailsencyclopediaofan0000lenbpagen11mode2up XI]" /> or the internet,<ref name="toonsmag" /> in movie theaters<ref name="FOOTNOTELenburg2009[httpsarchiveorgdetailsencyclopediaofan0000lenbpagen11mode2up XI]" /><ref name="bigenc">Template:Cite web</ref> or direct-to-video. Like other creative works, cartoon series can be of a wide variety of genres and have different target audiences: both males and females, both children and adults.<ref name="cbrshonen">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="bigenc" /><ref name="bigencanime">Template:Cite web</ref>
Television
Template:See also Animated television series are aired daily or on certain days of the week during a prescribed time slot, including, for example, saturday-morning cartoons, prime time cartoons, late night anime, and weekday cartoons; series broadcast only on weekends.<ref name="bigenc" />
The duration of an episode also varies. Traditionally, they are produced as half-hour or nearly half-hour cartoons; however, many are animated shorts of 10 — 11 minutes, which can be combined for filling a set time period in "segments" including several such shorts. When advertising is taken into account, the cartoon itself may be only 15 — 20 minutes of the half hour, although Netflix and many other streaming services do not show commercials. There are also series with very short episodes lasting approximately five minutes; they have recently become more common in Japanese animation.
If a local station of a television network broadcasts an animated series as a part of its own programming, the time-slot will vary by region.
All early cartoon television series, the first being Crusader Rabbit (1950 — 1959), are comedy. However, later series include sports<ref name="bigenc" /> (Speed Racer, Captain Tsubasa, Slam Dunk), action (Hajime no Ippo,<ref name="bigenc" /> G.I. Joe), science fiction (Mobile Suit Gundam,<ref name="bigencanime" /> Tenchi Muyo!), drama (Neon Genesis Evangelion), adventure (Dragon Ball), martial arts (Baki the Grappler), and other genres.<ref name="bigenc" />
The first animated sitcom was The Flintstones<ref name="bigenc" /> (1960 — 1966)<ref name="bigencsitcom">Template:Cite web</ref> produced by Hanna-Barbera. It was followed by other sitcoms of this studio: Top Cat (1961 — 1962), Jonny Quest (1964 — 1965), The Jetsons<ref name="bigenc" /> (1962 — 1963, 1985, 1987); and Wait Till Your Father Gets Home (1972 — 1974), an adult-oriented animated series<ref name="bigencsitcom" /> in the style of All in the Family. The Alvin Show from Ross Bagdasarian and Beany and Cecil from Bob Clampett also are sitcoms.<ref name="bigenc" />
Broadcast network
The 1980s and 1990s were a renaissance of children's and adult cartoon television series. Various broadcast networks and media companies began creating television channels and formats designed specifically for airing cartoon series. Companies that already had these types of formats began to revamp their existing models during this time. Most of these animations were American cartoons<ref name="comicdisney">Template:Cite web</ref> and Japanese animes.<ref name="bigencanime" /> Listed below are examples of television networks and channels that include animation at present. Template:Col-begin Template:Col-break American
- Fox
- Discovery Family
- Nickelodeon<ref name="bigenc" />
- Nick Jr. Channel
- TeenNick
- MTV
- Comedy Central
- Disney Channel<ref name="bigenc" />
- Disney XD
- Disney Jr.
- Universal Kids
- PBS Kids
Template:Col-break British
Template:Col-break Japanese
Template:Col-break Canadian
Australian
Examples of animation-focused networks and channels of at present are listed below; but some of them occasionally broadcast live-action shows. Template:Col-begin Template:Col-break American
- Cartoon Network<ref name="bigenc" />
- Boomerang
- Nicktoons
Template:Col-break South Korean
Template:Col-break Canadian
Template:Col-break Japanese
During the 1990s, more mature content than those of traditional cartoon series began to appear more widely, extending beyond a primary audience of children. These cartoon series included The Simpsons, South Park, Family Guy,<ref name="bigencsitcom" /> Futurama,<ref name="bigenc" /> The Ren & Stimpy Show, Rocko's Modern Life, Beavis and Butt-Head, King of the Hill, and Duckman. Canadian computer-animated series ReBoot, which began as a child-friendly show, shifted its target group to ages 12 and up, resulting in a darker and more mature storyline.<ref name="animag">Hetherington, Janet L. "As Mainframe's technology reaches adolescence, there's a 'ReBoot' Renaissance". Animation Magazine #59. Vol. 11, Issue #8, September 1997.</ref>
Film theatrical
Template:See also Animated film theatrical series include all early animated series: Animated Weekly (1913),<ref name="oejcohlarnaud">Template:Cite journal</ref> The Newlyweds (1913),<ref name="oejcohlarnaud" /><ref name="comicmcmanus">Template:Cite web</ref> Travelaughs (1913, 1915 — 1918, 1921 — 1923),Template:Sfn Doc Yak (1913 — 1915),Template:Sfn Colonel Heeza Liar (1913 — 1917, 1922 — 1924),Template:Sfn Template:Ill (1916 — 1922),Template:Sfn Les Aventures des Pieds Nickelés (1917 — 1918),<ref name="oejnickeles">Template:Cite journal</ref> the Tom and Jerry cartoon short films released in movie theaters from 1940 to 1967, and many others.<ref name="bigenc" />
Direct-to-video
Template:See also Direct-to-video animated series include Japanese OVA series, the first of which was the science fiction drama Dallos<ref name="bigencanime" /> (1983 — 1985). Almost all hentai (pornographic) anime series are released as OVAs.
Web series
Template:Not to be confused with Animated web series are designed and produced for websites, streaming and online video platforms. Examples include Happy Tree Friends (1999 — present), Homestar Runner (2000 — present), Eddsworld (2003 — present), Too Cool! Cartoons (2013 — 2014), RWBY (2013 — present), Jaiden Animations (2014 — present), The King's Avatar (2017 — present), and many others.Template:Cn
References
Sources
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