Portrayals of cartoon fans in cartoons

[Zorak Masaki]

We have a thread about how cartoon fans are portrayed negatively in live action productions, but the thing is, cartoon themselves also have a habit of doing this. Not just adult cartoons either, I've seen cartoons aimed at younger or at least general audiences that portray older (ie, teenager on up) cartoon fans as either being childish (ie, Johnny Bravo watching a DBZ/Pokemon parody called Clam League 3000) or socially awkward nerds (The Please Please Get A Life Foundation in Animaniacs). Has there ever been a positive portrayal of a teen or adult liking cartoons?

 

[Golden Geek]

Soos from Gravity Falls sort-of falls into the "childish nerd" camp, but I don't think the show thinks it's a negative either.

"What's an anime?" "We have much to discuss."

 

[Shiloh Otter]

I mean, I myself am socially awkward and very childish, so I resemble portrayals like those. I see them as positive portrayals, personally.

 

[Classic Speedy]

Notably, Donatello from the recent TMNT movie was a big anime fan, and his enjoyment for the medium was portrayed in a positive light.

 

[Pooky]

Same with Panda from We Bear Bears

 

[DocForbin]

In the Daria episode "Camp Fear", fans Erin Mills and Michelle Klein-Hass (who some of you might remember was an associate editor for Toon Magazine) are depicted in one scene.

 

[Classic Speedy]

There's this Simpsons classic.

Erm, he said positive portrayals.

 

[Nobodyman]

Erm, he said positive portrayals.

*Hangs head sheepishly*
I withdraw my post.

 

[Pooky]

I've seen cartoons aimed at younger or at least general audiences that portray older (ie, teenager on up) cartoon fans as either being childish (ie, Johnny Bravo watching a DBZ/Pokemon parody called Clam League 3000) or socially awkward nerds (The Please Please Get A Life Foundation in Animaniacs)

Having watched this episode recently, it seems to me to be more about "what's the deal with that Anime the kids are into these days?" than anything else.


The episode as a whole just seems to be an excuse for JB to be a doofus in another random location, like seemingly most Kirk Tingblad episodes (yeah, I'm #TeamVanPartible, but that's not a debate for this thread).

Also, now that I think about, how much media other than documentaries and the like have ever portrayed any kind of fandom in a positive light? Galaxy Quest is the main thing that comes to mind. Maybe Fanboys and arguably kinda/sorta The Big Bang Theory. Lets be honest, being a fan of something can be life enriching in many ways, but it's not very cinematic. It might be slightly hacky territory by this point, but the comic potential of ribbing fandom is more evident than the dramatic potential of celebrating it.

 

[CNNickFan]

Wow, I'm suprised nobody brung up Lenny from PPG before I did.