2D or 3D cartoons

I'm neutral I don't think 3D is bad I think half assed 3D is bad. The Kung Foo Panda TV show actually looked really good for Tv 3D. i have no idea about the story because I didn't watch it but I caught bits and peices and it looked good. Not as good as the movies but not half assed. Some parts of Sailor moon Crystal looked good other parts not so much. I don't think its the medium thats the issue. I will say I do love 2D animation and hope its never abandoned it has so manny benifits and is much more fitting for someshows than 3D would be.

 

With the right execution, either one can work in my taste, but 2D usually has the upper hand. One thing I look for in cartoons is realistic human proportions. Heads, eyes, hands, and feet that aren't super huge compared to everything else. It's easier to pull that off in 2D than 3D. For instance:

Cartoony humans 2 Dexters Lab and maaaaaany other cartoons
Realistic humans 2 Avatar, Scooby Doo, many Japanese animes
Cartoony humans 3 Jimmy Neutron, the vast majority of other 3D cartoons
Realistic humans 3 Uhh... Hmm... how about Reboot? That was last made in 2001. I can't think of anything more current.

Moderately realistic 3D cartoons are hard to come by, and I don't think it's a stylistic choice, but a limitation of the medium. Even Reboot, which had moderately realstic (or hyperrealistic by 1994 standards) had super-cartoony non-human characters. It's like CGI can either be Avatar (blue aliens) realistic or Jimmy Neutron non-believable, but nowhere between, while 2D can do absolutely anything in that spectrum.

Here's what I'm going to end my opine with: Did any of you see the Final Fantasy Spirits Within movie? If not, don't bother, you're not missing anything worth 90 minutes of your life. Anyhow, it had CGI that attempted to be realistic, but you can still tell it's not quite right. Skin is plasticy, fabrics move strangely, hair is stiff, (all things that are acceptable in 2D). Like it's all trying to convince you it's real, but isn't succeeding. If we look at (Nickelodeon) Avatar, these humans look real other than some slightly large eyes. Sure it's filled with magic and broken physics, but it doesn't try to hide its non-realism from you. The black outlines and occasional larger heads/eyes for comedic effect are there, it plainly admits it's not real and it still works.

 

For cartoons, I care for nothing but 2D animation, unless the 3D animation is used all the time and is of the caliber like Transformers Prime. I really dislike cartoons that utilize both 2D and 3D animation, with the 3D animation being quite poor. My opinions transition to cartoon movies, too. Unless the CGI is done by Pixar or another reputible animation house, you won't find me watching a fully 3D aniamted feature film. I'll stick to 2D.

 

I have to say I prefer 2D animation, even though both are good. 2D is more colorful and tends to be more cute with more expressive movements and funny face expressions. I can't imagine some cartoons like Gravity Falls and Steven Universe being 3D.

3D can be good because it looks more like the 'real' world [because of the depth and everything instead of just being flat drawings]. Some shows like the Lego cartoons [e.g. Ninjago] are better as 3D because it makes the characters look like they are actual Lego toys. I do hope 2D animation never completely becomes obsolete; after all, some shows still use stop-motion animation.

 

While I believe that 3D animation has its positives and many 3D cartoons are great, the majority of 3D transitioned animated cartoons have poisoned their predecessors, especially children's shows including Bananas in Pyjamas, Thomas the Tank Engine (who once used stop animation) and worst of all, Bob the Builder. Although these shows are for children, they were a massive part of my childhood and seeing the characters change made me wonder how the children of today's generation will appreciate the things of the wonderful past. Many of these programs for young children are 3D animated, with graphics that look although they've been rushed and handled without care. Some very few others look great on 3D, such as Dinosaur Train. If nobody understands what I mean, here:

Spoiler: The New Bob The Builder

As for cartoons that are for older children, many of them seem to be based of the modern language and way of life, often including a silly plotline and many jokes that interrupt the plotline. Disney Pixar, and Disney itself is probably one of the only 3D animations that I will appreciate and love, even though 2D animations can never lose.