Western Animation

Can and should Invincible redefine Western animation?

It's no secret that in recent years, especially since the lockdown, there has been a surge in public interest in animation, with the focal point being Asian fiction, commonly known as anime.

Anime terminology and references have become part of Western pop culture, youth slang, and beyond, gradually earning a place in official English vocabulary. Recently, we even saw a reference to Chainsaw Man in an issue of Deadpool.

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In such a context, the West finds itself relatively numb. The bulk of its production is dominated by animation geared towards preschool/early childhood on one hand, and adult comedy on the other (a genre it undoubtedly excels in). When the target age increases, even though we have excellent titles (like Avatar, for example), we can see the strong influence of anime.

Although the commendable material from comics is not just adequate but increasingly abundant—and not limited to Marvel/DC—it remains underutilized for audiovisual adaptation.

Gradually, however, there seems to be increasing movement thanks to competition, and slowly, money is being invested in animated productions that are receiving rave reviews (e.g., Arcane). For me, however, the undisputed protagonist and what should indelibly influence the direction of Western animation is Invincible, precisely because, beyond its content and superb execution, it follows the comic-to-animated adaptation pattern.

On this basis, which comic would you like to see turned into a series in the future? Whether a major title, a minor one, from a giant company or not, superhero or not.

Personally, I would love to see Transmetropolitan from Vertigo/DC adapted. Especially after the success of the animated Cyberpunk project, the gritty atmosphere of the former, with sleek graphics and a matching soundtrack, would be simply phenomenal.

Enough with the Western live-action monopoly. They are fun and have proven potential, but as has become apparent, they also have limitations. Instead of watching movies with yellow-red hues and gimmicks, and actors working in a dull green screen environment, it would be better to turn to the boundless possibilities of animation.