America Is Not United For Animation
Recently, fans of the Wallace and Gromit film franchise were given wonderful news as the City of Preston, Lancashire honored creator Nick Park with a bronze statue of the iconic character, Feathers McGraw. The statue was celebrated alongside an opening for a new cinema and leisure complex, as well as honoring Park and his legacy with the franchise as Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (2024) was nominated for Best Animated Feature at the 97th Academy Awards. This is not the first time that Park was honored for his characters, as a Wallace and Gromit bench and statue was also built in Preston in 2021 in honor of his Oscar-winning film, The Wrong Trousers (1993).
Animation is a form of art, but it has also faced mockery from critics for appearing “child-like.” But, that’s the thing, animation is fluid, with numerous examples of animated TV and film that act as a realm of escapism, but can also highlight mature themes such as death, war, and mental health. So for Wallace and Gromit, a predominantly clay animation franchise, to earn numerous statues throughout England, it serves as another step forward to the long road ahead for animation appreciation. Newbury, England is also the home of the Paddington Bear Statue, having been built last October to showcase the animated film version of the iconic book character. The statue is one of 23 that were spread throughout Newbury in honor of creator Michael Bond and the recent installment of the film franchise Paddington in Peru (2024). Back in March, the bench was damaged and even stolen by two men, resulting in the public being upset at the thieves for destroying “a lovely addition to Newbury.” Ultimately the two were arrested and the police are ensuring that the statue will return to its original quality.
England is clearly dedicated to honoring animation and its creators, but it is nothing compared to Latvia’s love for the animated film Flow (2024). Having been released last year, Flow quickly gained the hearts of Latvian viewers as it became the most viewed film of all time for the country. Compared to the typical U.S. blockbusters that dominate the box office, Flow is an independent film made with a free-to-download art program, Blender, and is known for its lack of dialogue for the animal characters. The movie was an instant hit among many animation fanatics and the film soon claimed two Oscar nominations for Best Animated Feature and Best International Feature Film, with the movie winning Best Animated. In response to their first ever Oscar win, Latvia held a ceremony for director Gints Zilbalodis upon his return, and installed a temporary statue ofthe film’s iconic cat character. Currently, the Rīga sign at the foot of the Freedom Monument — a memorial for those who were lost during Latvia’s struggle for independence — now has a 3-D sculpture of Cat and will stay there until April 1, when it will be moved to Town Hall Square.
But what happens when animation from a specific country impacts another? That’s where the famous anime Dragon Ball Z comes into focus. Dragon Ball Z is a well-beloved Japanese manga and animated series created by the late Akira Toriyama and premiered back in 1986, spreading popularity worldwide. However, it’s never been as popular as it has been in Latin America, where the iconic character Goku is seen as a symbol of hope. According to ScreenRant, the lead character of the anime is seen as a person of strength and courage while still maintaining family values, all of which are integral parts of Latin American culture and traditions. Alongside the appreciation for family relationships, Latin American countries also found relatability in the story and character arcs, including Goku rebelling against an oppressive government in the Red Ribbon arc.
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After Toriyama’s passing last March, many were devastated because of the love they had for the creator and his craft, including Latin America. The devastation eventually caused a rumor to spread due to YouTuber Justin Whang joking how “The Mexican Cartel have agreed to a temporary ceasefire in honor of Akira Toriyama.” Although it was never proven true, the impact Dragon Ball Z brought to Latin American countries is still felt and appreciated to this day.
When compared to their international neighbors, the U.S. treats the craft of animation like filth. (Yes, we have statues of iconic cartoon characters like the Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse statues in Disneyland, but that’s truly one of the few examples we can find.) While other countries dedicate statues to well-known animated series and characters, the U.S. has had a lackluster record of commemorating anything to animation. One instance of this is a meet-and-greet event for beloved Australian animated series Bluey was held in Las Vegas. According to Fox5Vegas, the event was promised to be an opportunity for young fans to meet Bluey and Bingo alongside face painting and desserts. However, over 3,000 people were instead greeted with amateur costumes and a lackluster experience than they were promised.
You would think that taking the advantage of a popularized show would be the right move to make, but that’s never the case with the U.S. because they simply don’t care. There have been multiple instances where animation is labeled as being just for children, including the 94th Academy Awards.
While presenting the award for Best Animated Feature, the presenters boasted about the nominated animated films being a distraction for children and something for only families to enjoy. And It’s not just filmography where animation is underestimated. Even nostalgic cartoons from our childhood like Looney Tunes, Courage the Cowardly Dog or Powerpuff Girls will never be as appreciated or remembered in the U.S. because they’re believed to be a thing of the past. That’s why we’ll never see a statue of Bugs Bunny despite the character’s name being well known in popular culture, because “he’s only intended to be enjoyed by children.”
Animation can change one person’s life for the better, where we still can remember characters who make us smile and laugh even into our adult years. And with new cartoons such as Bluey hitting well with popular culture, it’ll only be time before they are solidified into the group of classic and memorable cartoons.
But, when we witness other parts of the world building statues of characters we love dearly, it begs the question: why can’t we do the same? When are we going to give these animated characters their dues?
Photo courtesy of CBR
