Cartoons are not just for kids and haven’t been for decades. That shouldn’t need belaboring in this day and age. With shows like “Rick and Morty” and “Bojack Horseman,” it’s safe to say the debate is over. Anyone who still thinks cartoons are for children are either willful idiots or just cantankerous trolls.
I’m lucky in many respects because I grew up at a time when cartoons were mostly for kids. Then, in my teen years, they started maturing before my eyes. From “The Simpsons” to “Bevis and Butthead” to “King of the Hill” to “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” I watched as this rich and colorful medium matured.
A big part of that maturity came from how these shows depicted romance. Being a long-time romance fan, I noticed this more than most. For years, romance in cartoons was restricted to Bugs Bunny occasionally kissing Elmer Fudd. There was little in terms of refined relationships, like the ones we see in movies, TV, or books. That has since changed.
Shows like “Futurama” and “The Dragon Prince” have really raised the bar for how romance can unfold in a cartoon. Some animated romances are genuinely beautiful. They have the same dynamics as their non-animated counterparts. It’s a big reason why the “Futurama” finale brought many fans to tears. It was just that beautiful.
Granted, good cartoon romances are still few and far between, but that only makes the ones that work more endearing. As the medium continues to evolve, I hope we get more romances like that. There will always be a place for Looney Toons style slap-stick, but cartoons need not be defined by that. They can be romantic for all the right reasons.
To celebrate all things animated and romantic, here are some Sexy Sunday Thoughts. Enjoy!
“Being sexy while refusing to give oral sex is like being a drag racer who refuses to exceed the speed limit.”
“Like it or not, perverse thoughts are a pre-cursor to our very existence.”
“Is a push-up bra really that different from a cod piece?”
“Teenagers today will never appreciate the amount of work, tact, and cunning it took to both find and hide a porn stash before the internet.”
“There should be no shame in being seduced by someone who is exceptionally good at it.”
“A man cannot condemn homosexuality without indirectly insulting his own genitals.”
“Boring sex can only ever be a luxury in the grand scheme of things.”
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