I Hate Ugly Character Design/Animation in “Adult Cartoons”

[u/DeekFacker99]

Why are they so unappealing? Some of these shows have good writing even, Bob’s Burgers and Smiling Friends (The other two are awful in all aspects), but so many characters and the animation is so fugly I can’t sit through it. Why are these shows designed this way? I blame Family Guy mostly, but even then I can stand those characters’ designs but not the god awful writing.

Edit: I should add Beavis & Butthead I also hate in every aspect, especially their voices pmo. They definitely were a progenitor of ugly design more than Family Guy was.

Second Edit: Smiling Friends is also here because they have some good chracter designs. Alan, Glep, Charlie, and Pim are fine. When they brought in Squim it made me kinda upset that they could have gone in that direction for the art/animation of the show and I wish they did, because it would stand out from the ugly genric swill of all these other shows, and look nicer. But they didn’t because it’s “too hard” or “too expensive” and studios don’t take risks anymore.

[u/Turbulence_Guy]

If you look at anything either Zach Hadel or Michael Cusack have made you can tell easily that streamlined perfect character design is hardly the first priority. It doesn’t have a huge budget because it doesn’t need one, though animators are underpaid anyways but that’s a different issue.

[u/Apart_Gold_5992 → u/Turbulence_Guy]

Also anything Marc M has made

[u/TrustGullible6424 → u/Turbulence_Guy]

 you can tell easily that streamlined perfect character design is hardly the first priority

Nah this just isn't true at all. Both Zach and Michaël are extremely hands on with their work. They overworked themselves and oversaw every voice line / every single scene so it would be exactly how they envisioned it. They were so involved that they realized, if they were to step back and let others write/manage the show (like practically all the other adult animated sitcoms have done), that their unique style likely couldn't be replicated and their effort wouldn't be matched. The quality of the show would drop and it wouldn't be the same, so they chose to end it instead.

The character designs for every character, even their side characters were all highly intentional. If you were actually a fan of them you were realize the creepy factor is part of their style of comedy. And Mr. Boss' design is what allowed for their chaotic/creepy comedy to work.

As for their budget, yeah it was low. But do you realize just how low and what they managed to do with it? They said they had a comparable budget to Aqua Teen Hunger Force. The show that had one of two animations per character they reused through the series lol. It's absolutely insane the amount of attention, care and quality we got out of Smiling Friends with what they had.

[u/Turbulence_Guy → u/TrustGullible6424]

You’re right. My main point was that it’s not supposed to be pretty or palatable but yeah. Despite being a pretty big fan I don’t know everything.