Which decade was better for animation, the 90's or the 2000's?

[CyberCubed]

We're now in 2009, which means this decade is almost over, (hard to believe, it feels like the year 2000 was only a little while ago), so we're at the end of another era.

Which decade was better for animation? The 90's (1990-1999), or the 2000's, (2000-2009)

Do you think this decade was worse overall in terms of quality offerings from the 90's?

 

[Antiyonder]

The 90s for me. Now I'm not going to go on an exaggerated tirade stating that everything in the 90s was gold, while everything this decade was garbage.

2000-2009 has had it's share of decent animation, plus we're getting some good cartoon again.

But last decade, there was more diversity. The number of "kids in school" wasn't so rediculously high. It also helps that execs didn't have such cold feet and were more willing to take risks.

Now as far as Nickelodeon, Nicktoons and Cartoon Network are concerned, it seems like there's a little more willingness to be more diverse than the middle of the decade was.

 

[HG Revolution]

Basic TV: early '90s
Cable TV: late '90s-early '00s
Movies: '00s

 

[peterg14]

It's all a matter of what decade you really watched cartoons.

The 90s had its share of stinkers as well as gems, sames for the 2000s, the only difference is that your old enough (hopefully) to tell the difference and not let nostalgia blind you.

I would say the 90s, since it seems more cartoons were trying to be "original", that just try to be the next Spongebob and fail miserably.

 

[AlgeaX]

But last decade, there was more diversity. The number of "kids in school" wasn't so rediculously high. It also helps that execs didn't have such cold feet and were more willing to take risks.

True that, there was a cartoon for damn near everything, from Mortal Kombat to Attack of The Killer Tomatoes.

 

[ABrown]

This is too tough for me to say. I loved shows in both decades:

1990's:
The original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was still on the air. The Simpsons was at the top of its game. I enjoyed Batman:The Animated Series/The New Batman Adventures. Superman:The Animated Series was great also. I loved Beast Wars/Machines.

Batman Beyond was great in both decades.

2000's:
Family Guy has easily been one of the greatest cartoons of the 2000's decade. I think that South Park has probably been better this decade than in the 90's. Justice League/Justice League Unlimited is one of my favorite cartoons of all time. The 2000's versions of He-Man and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were definitely both better tv shows than their predecessors.

 

[Dr.Pepper]

I say they boths have their duds and gems. I have a hard time deciding

 

[soundmonkey44]

This is the easiest question ever asked..90's HANDS Down! I mean the 90's gave us Gargoyles, Ducktales, the DCAU and a bunch of Marvel comics toons as well, Not to mention TF: Beastwars, Rugrats, Hey arnold, Angry beavers, AHH! Real Monsters, Sonic the Hedgehog, SWAT cats, Animaniacs, Reboot, Pinky & the Brain, Freakazoid, Dexter,PPG, Johhny Bravo, EdeddNeddy, Tiny Toons, King of the hill....Need I go on.

All this Decade has givin us is.....ahhh.......well....not that much aside from Family guy, some more good DCAU toons,Invader Zim, Samuri jack, Megus,TMNT2k3, TFA & clonewars.

its no contest the 90's was the silver age of U.S. animation, & heck this decade is the we tried till 04 decade then got lazy!

 

[Dr.Pepper]

I mean the 90's gave us ...Ducktales

Ducktales is from the '80's.

 

[soundmonkey44]

Ducktales is from the '80's.

well you know what i mean! plus the 90's we still had TMNT & G.I.joe reruns! as well as Looney tunes on CN. OH & the simpsons was still good.

overall the 90's had a wider Varity of Modern & classic animation, as this decade ha proggressed weve seen less & less variety on TV in general, just a buch of "CLONE" shows. I mean Heck I'm I have DisneyXD & Boomerang so I have the ability to watch old toons ever now & then!

Now ANIME wise i'd say both our about even both the 90's & Y2k have had exccelent anime, but thats because there just Naturally artistic over there I quess!

 

[CyberCubed]

Yeah, here's how you can determine how much the quality has dipped:

The 90's gave us Batman: The Animated Series.

The 00's gave us The Batman.

Need I say more?

 

[Marvin Tikvah]

I enjoyed The Batman, and it's totally not fair to judge two decades worth of animation by comparing two shows based on the same franchise.

I've enjoyed shows from both eras, and while the 90's had more diversity, I believe this decade has a higher percentage of quality thanks to the shows that previously bombed.

Although that didn't stop an influx of clone shows, but what're you gonna do about it?

 

[Old Guy]

I've been here a year and I think this is like the 10th time this thread has been done. But, anyway, the `90s. It had more variety.

 

[FlooterFlatter]

Hmmm, hard to say.

1990s had its ups and down. It began the "creator-driven" animation revolution, with the beginning of Nicktoons. And of course Cartoon Network stepped into the game with "What a Cartoon" and a number of spinoffs.

There seemed to be more adult-oriented cartoons in 2000, with Family Guy (okay, technically it began in 1999, but most of the episodes aired in this decade anyway), American Dad, and the entire Adult Swim block.

So in short, both decades had a crop of crappy shows and a crop of good shows.

I'm curious to see what the next decade will bring.

 

[Antiyonder]

Before I respond to this post, what makes this decade problematic is that the early portion seemed to show promise. We still had ambitious animators, network types didn't fall into the mindset that reruns were a product of the devil, Family Guy was substancial and Adult Swim shows weren't reliant on extreme adult content.

Yeah, here's how you can determine how much the quality has dipped:

The 90's gave us Batman: The Animated Series.

The 00's gave us The Batman.

Actually, 00's gave us Justice League, Justice League Unlimited, Avatar The Last Airbender, W.I.T.C.H., Wolverine & The X-Men and The Spectacular Spider-Man.

Need I say more?

If you want to risk further embarassment, then by all means go ahead.

 

[DarthGonzo]

Actually, 00's gave us Justice League, Justice League Unlimited, Avatar The Last Airbender, W.I.T.C.H., Wolverine & The X-Men and The Spectacular Spider-Man.

This is why there's no right answer to this question.

I personally don't like any of those shows. If given the choice I'd rather watch the first 8 seasons of the Simpsons, Tiny Toons, Animaniacs, Ren and Stimpy, Beavis and Butt-head, Darkwing Duck, Bonkers, Freakazoid and Dexter's Lab...all shows made in the 1990s.

 

[chdr]

People say that the 90s are better simply because they choose not to remember anything aside from the best cartoons from that era. Once 2019 comes around, people will be talking about the 00s in high regard, "back when Family Guy was good and we had awesome shows like Avatar and Chowder", weeding out stinkers from that era.

 

[King]

I have to say the 90's:
-Anime was beginning to be known! (Thank you Pokemon )
-I got into Batman/Superman: TAS
-The Simpson was the king
-Beavis & Butt-head and South Park were showing a new way in animation/entertainment.
-ETC (I got to much to say for the 90's.)

 

[Bloody Marquis]

This is why there's no right answer to this question.

I personally don't like any of those shows. If given the choice I'd rather watch the first 8 seasons of the Simpsons, Tiny Toons, Animaniacs, Ren and Stimpy, Beavis and Butt-head, Darkwing Duck, Bonkers, Freakazoid and Dexter's Lab...all shows made in the 1990s.

Indeed, there definitely is no right answer. Every time period has their high and low points. It's just more of a "Your Mileage May Vary" kind of decision.

And personally, I like the shows both you and Antiyonder listed. And with that, I'm neutral on which decade is better.

 

[Antiyonder]

People say that the 90s are better simply because they choose not to remember anything aside from the best cartoons from that era.

There's no denying that the 90s had it's problems, but that doesn't change the fact that they had more diversity and willing to try new things. But I'm not saying that 00 is hopeless either. If anything 2006-2007 was probably the time that hurt the decade. The majority of decent cartoons from those years were either reruns or shows that start from the 2003-2005 time frame.

Once 2019 comes around, people will be talking about the 00s in high regard, "back when Family Guy was good and we had awesome shows like Avatar and Chowder", weeding out stinkers from that era.

Except that some of us here have made some compliments towards the cartoons from this decade, so your argument in this thread is faulty. Otherwise, would I have any favorites from the decade?

I personally don't like any of those shows. If given the choice I'd rather watch the first 8 seasons of the Simpsons, Tiny Toons, Animaniacs, Ren and Stimpy, Beavis and Butt-head, Darkwing Duck, Bonkers, Freakazoid and Dexter's Lab...all shows made in the 1990s.

Actually, I'm not saying that the shows I've listed are in anyway better than the comedy shows on your list. I'm merely pointing out to CC that the action cartoons in this decade have the same tone as Batman The Animated Series.