Why You Shouldn't Skip Star Wars Animated Series
Video Overview & Insights
Animated Star Wars projects don't get the same level of attention as live action. I can understand why, because I used to be the kind of person who thought they weren't worth my time. But here is what the animated stories can offer that live action often does not.
I'm a huge sucker for anime and all animated stuff, but Star Wars animated series really was the beginning of the end for Star Wars. It devalued the brand via oversaturation. The content seemed to aim at an infantile audience, plus the animation quality was generally low, that goes for every single installation. The action is pure dogshit, the scripts, the pacing the dialogues completely sub standard. Also the nerv lightsabers got contributed further to the infantilisation of Star Wars. Light saber threat levels are on par with a common can opener nowadays.
The animated series always were a cash grab. You are far better of with the comics and the novels. Damn, I hate how the animated series lowered the expectations.
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The only good star wars animation is Tartakovsky's masterpiece. The rest is for the children.
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im surprised you liked rebels, too me that was a very cliche and childish show that was basically everything you said about a "star wars cartoon" in the beginning...Clone wars animated series is arguably the way stars wars should have been ESPESCIALLY the prequels, since there are A TON of side stories and missions that are crucial for character development that the movies simply cant smash in to a 2 1/2 to 3 hr. film. This is why Andor, aside from the actors being goated, was such a good series because it showed what the backstory and epilouge of how terrible the empire really was...These series need to continue
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You come at this from a cinematographic/what's possible on screen angle, I'm going to try a very different one.
Star Wars is all about telling the same 10-15 morals in ways that hit completely different.
Balance between emotional attachment and duty: Lost Stars, TCW – Hostage Crisis, Obitine, the Clovis arc (S6), Dark Disciple. THR – Into the Dark, Rising Storm, Fallen Star. Star Wars Rebels.
How to be married (and not): Every episode with Clovis in TCW, also mentioned briefly in Dark Disciple, every Kanera thing ever.
The morality of fighting for peace: TCW S1 Defenders of Peace, Twilight Company novel.
Mourning and forgiveness: Alphabet Squadron books, Bloodline, Relics of the Old Republic, Stealth Strike.
A Jedi Master's guide to being a single parent: Master and Apprentice, Path of Deceit, Out of the Shadows.
The actual mechanics of the rise of fascism: The prequels, TCW episodes S3E10, S3E11. The Clovis arc. The Mandalore stuff.
The actual mechanics of an oppressive government and how to resist it: Andor, Star Wars Rebels, Leia Princess of Alderaan
Capitalism is bad: this episode of The Bad Batch, TCW S3E3, E5-6.
And these are just some examples. I haven't even gotten into Book of Boba Fett or The Mandalorian yet.
People (adults) write off Star Wars that's aimed at younger audiences because "boohoo I'm not a child so I'm never gonna try it." Which is a shame because a lot of these morals are very simple ones, and the episode plots are very simple, digestible ways for children to grasp something like forgiveness, which for a young child first getting control of their emotions, the lesson might not take for the first time. But it's a shame for adults to miss these too because sometimes that's one anyone needs - for something complex and loaded to be explained simply.
That's why like every level of education uses diagrams and infographics – whether you're explaining magnets to seven year olds or electromagnetic forces to 17 year olds. That's why roadsigns are simple pictograms. Because that's basically what cartoons do, but somehow in a way that makes adults feel taken seriously.
Cartoons are good dude. Children's shows are good. WATCH THEM.
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I'm firmly in the camp of Animation Superiority. It gives creators more control with fewer hurdles as you said. Imagine that final big shootout in BoBF with Din and Fett had it been in Animation. Without the limitations of sets, rigs, and cost of setting up multiple shots it could have been far more dynamic and exciting. Instead of them being sat in the middle of a shooting gallery they could have been flying around taking down enemies and saying on the move. Animation can allow for a more diverse and unlimited storytelling experience beyond just choreography.
Alien characters are another huge reason for animation being a better medium. Like was said, you can have alien characters hanging around like it's nothing, which allows them to be fully-fledged character as any human one. I don't think aliens have to/should be relegated to just being "camp." Zeb in Rebels has some really great character moments throughout the show and so fo many other alien characters. Having these characters played by exceptional actors used to being just voices takes out the vanity for the production aswell. You don't have to worry about actors wanting their faces unobstructed and having real characters who don't look real.
All in all, animation is a much better form for storytelling within Star Wars and doesn't just have to be more "kid friendly." Adult animation is going through a renaissance these days, and I don't see a reason why Star Wars could jump in on that. I'm not saying make an Invincible in SW but something more on the line of RotS or even Andor. People see the value
in animation for telling stories of all kinds these days. Star Wars would benefit greatly having a tonally varied animation library.
Thanks for coming to my Ted talk.
Ps I'm not great at expressing my thoughts so this is a bit all over the place lol.
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I ADORE animated Star Wars
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I didn't watch clone wars because of cartoon idea...but Holy cow when I finally did...broadened the entire universe. Then I have digested all of it.
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Tales of the Jedi really hit. I was mind blown
More User Perspectives
The Clone Wars was a lot of my generation's introduction to Star Wars. That show along with Adventure Time and Regular Show made Cartoon Network the goated channel when I was a kid.
@jmckenzie962Sad people somehow still do this in 2023
@ThatGenericPyroReminds me of when I went to Disneyland and I had to explain to my friends who that “weird pirate guy” was.
Their insolence will not be forgotten 😡
People complaining all the time is my no. 1 reason why I just watch and enjoy instead of reading what others have to say, star wars "fans" can be ridiculous sometimes. not saying I like all the new star wars content, but for example i didn't care about Andor in the beginning at all, and now it's some of my favorite shows in all of the Galaxy far far away. I legit cried when watching the last episode of season 1
@OGbluetooth_It's never about age. I find the OT boring but I was around 7 and that was years after rotj. Then I fell in love with tpm, but hated the sequels so never really cared about SW anymore. And then the ST was meh to even spark my interest. But then in my mid 30's, I decided to watch CW to see what I've been missing and man, I loved everything SW now seeing how it all connects. It's literally the essential part of the entire saga, episodes 1 to 9 and even more. I applaud fans who only liked certain trilogies, but I think without all of them, along with the animations, there's nothing much to like about for me. Every single release is crucial to the entire story and the franchise. For me at least. No one will ever regret watching CW. Although, Resistance was hard to watch but if they somehow tie it into live action then it's redeemed.
@BrickzieI totally agree with you on this. I entirely credit the Clone Wars with reigniting my passion and love for Star Wars, and TCW, simple said, is what made me love Star Wars.
@beejumm_I actually think I like the animated stuff MORE than any of the movies, for the exact point you made about being able to do so much more with animation, given that they are not constrained by real world physics or monetary constraints in production. I freaking LOVE the animated stuff, and I only watched TCW and Rebels (and The Bad Batch) after I turned 36 years old
@defresh3339I started watching clone wars for the lore.... I ended up falling in love with all the clones.. o.o
@olivegrove-gl3twSomething about live action acknowledging animated stuffs is just so wholesome
@madtitan0825I was 8 when clone wars came out and I laughed at it hahah
@christiansawyer9798I was the same way and have really come to enjoy all of the animated series. It really adds so much to the universe.
@MrRichicagoYep, this.
@sbarrufFolks who skip Marvel and Star Wars animation, that's part of the main continuity, are our mortal enemies. We don't make the rules. <3
@HeroesReforgedI watched TCW for the first time last year and am kicking myself why I waited so long. Yes it did take me two attempts to get into it, but I’m so glad that I stuck with it second time around. After a while you forget they are animated and get sucked into some amazing story arcs and the season 7 finale is just heartbreaking. I have since watched all of Rebels and TBB, which are both great shows.
@pinkttamburiniI remember watching the clone wars as a kid until season 3. But when I saw Mother Talzin using a freaking voodoo doll to torture Dooku, while his droid army fought against a horde of zombies and a handful of witch ninjas, I felt too disconnected. There are amazing bits to these shows but sometimes they are just overdoing stuff so much, that I just can't see how it fits the world. Most of the arcs are hit or miss, and I can't call a show objectively good, if I would delete the 40% of them of my mind
@somecommenter4256yo. i was pretty old already too (as i am now), when the clone wars movie trailer came out. i was pretty hyped how good it looked, back then. huge inspiration for me to go the animated style route. it's got no limits what you can portrait, really. i skipped the whole dub they broadcast on tv here, tho. i watched the oa version years later on streaming websites, when my internet speed allowed it. now i got the whole animated collection in full quality. and i'm adding to it, ofc. :D
@glitcheredAnimated Star Wars is my favorite. I would be fine if that’s all they did from now on. I’m more invested in the animated shows (minus Rebels – for many reasons, I couldn’t get into that one) than the live action. And I’m a 27 year old woman. It’s not for kids. The plots and storylines go way over my 12 year old niece’s head. I’ve always said that animated Star Wars is best for teens and up, not actual children, though it is technically appropriate for them to see. However, the violence is a bit much for kids younger than 12 to see in my opinion. Animated Star Wars is dark, grounded, realistic, emotional, meaningful, well-written, well-acted, and has the best cinematography and animation I’ve ever seen. Clone Wars, Tales of the Jedi, and The Bad Batch are my favorite and always blow me away. Truly masterpieces in storytelling!
And, yes, I was also very hesitant to watch the animated shows until last summer. I started out with clips of Clone Wars on YouTube and then just binged the entire show over a couple of months. It quickly became my favorite piece of Star Wars content.
The thing is too is that these animated shows fleshed out so many aspects of the films (the prequels are at the top of the list) that George couldn't do at the time.
@Ty-yy7zrAs far as I'm concerned, Rebels is the best piece of Star Wars storytelling that has ever been produced. It started strong and it just...kept getting better. And better. Aaaaand better. The character arcs that develop and resolve over four seasons are astounding. The stories and characters really matter. It works as a standalone story, though its contribution to Star Wars as a whole is immeasurable.
@jediguy3706There are people that really think the animated shows are the height of Star Wars?
@kinoko5566It would be cool to have an animated show that wasn't made for kids though. Every animated show was made for small kids so it has to shy away from darker stuff or to have the darker stuff portrayed in a kiddy way. Also I'm really tired of Ahsoka.
@kinoko5566I was 18 when TCW started, and though the animation style took a little getting used to, I was absolutely on board after "Rookies".
@jacobbrowning3804I also started out with Rebels and loved it. Clone Wars is good too but its more if a slow burn and can be hit or miss. Still worth watching but I think Rebels is a better place to start for those who want to give animation a try. I just started the final season of Clone Wars yesterday and can’t wait to get started on The Bad Batch soon!
@jpwhite1977I was 10 when I saw the clone wars movie in theatres. First movie I ever saw on the big screen. Love starwars, but sometimes aliens don't do well in live action. Ahsoka is awesome in any animation, and Dawson's performance is great, but it looks wierd and it lacks that certain something. Possibly the fluidity of movement animation has compared to the real thing.
@RayHardman7567No Disney made animated Star Wars show has ever even come close to the heights of clone wars. Rebels sucks because it can’t decide weather or not to be an animated series for kids, or a true sequel to clone wars. That show can’t keep a straight tone for more then 5 minutes. The time of the empire ruling the galaxy is literally called “the dark times” and rebels treats like a kiddy adventure. The Nad Batch isn’t that interesting to me because we have so many stories about a character learning to care for a child. The mandalorian, obi wan kenobi, and bad batch are all about characters learning to care for a child and just want Star Wars to do something new. Clone wars>>>>>>>all other animated Star Wars series
@tonyflamingo1657Star wars bad batch is great
@richardpauly1635The clone wars style started off kinda goofy but it grew on me and looks much better than it used to. I will say however rebels was kinda meh. They didn't spend as much as other cartoons as you can see with how all non main characters you cant see their faces (they said so they didn't have to animate them all), the characters look flat and almost 2D at times and it was honestly too kid friendly. Im trying to rewatch it now but even after growing up with it, its still holds up the same low budget show. If they put even half as much effort into it as the last few seasons of the clone wars, it could have been so much better
@HIFLY01Rebels is still bad. All good tho champ
@GTEmeraldRepublicCouldn’t agree more. I was really sniffy about the animated stuff when it was first released and it took covid lockdowns and a tonne of free time getting suddenly forced upon me to finally watch them and now I’m so glad I did. I’m now of the opinion that some of the finest moments in Star Wars come from the animated stuff
@davidmccartney6398I remember deciding to try animated Star Wars and I chose TCW movie. I was very annoyed and I was slightly confused, but i watched the whole thing. I then tried the series. I got hooked by Episode 3 and my husband and I loved it. Then we we got into rebels and were very excited when Clone Wars was given a proper ending. We counted down days for the next episode. I have watched every movie side story limited series series and every animated Star Wars even the Lego Freemakers. I really enjoy everything and I don’t think I would have appreciated the work and time it takes on the franchise if I didn’t watch the animated series 😊
@redglassesartistEverybody skips Resistance but it really isn't that bad. It's kind of small-scale and low-stakes but there are some good characters and worldbuilding in it
@jaygannon1095Your problem is you are too young and too old. 😉
@QuixoteXMe watching this video even though I've consumed every ounce of star wars animation since 2008: 👀
@AwfullyAVGYea my friend skipped them well she skipped all of the shows except Mando
@Simply.Everything.SkywalkerIf u discredit animation because u think its childish ur just dumb. Not only is there all the great star wars stuff, but also adult animation like Rick and Morty, and phenomenonal animes, all of which are generally more creative and sometimes have way better stories than live action. Animes like Demon Slayer have almost moved me to tears, while I cant say the same for live action
@Frost4RealI was the same way about Clone Wars at first! But, like you, I sat down and watched Rebels and after a few eps., I was hooked! Went back and watched CW after finishing Rebels and now I'm following along with BB and loving it!
@TheOneAndOnlyFroBoyI was 35 when i started watching the clone wars series and it immediately hooked me. I never cared about Star Wars before I watched TCW. Its still the gold standard for Star Wars storytelling for me
@chelmrtzI always thought animation was for kids too. Eventually I ran out of things to watch on Netflix and watched the entire Clone Wars collection they had. Changed my view forever! I love animation now.
@alikaandrade3435Can't emphasize this enough! They're all story-wise robust, and visually stunning too!
@dannyteoharov8298I'm still pretty sure that Taika Waititi's movie idea is intended to be animated, based on the Bakshi-esque logo for it.
@GuanoLad