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Content Warning: This article contains major spoilers for Arcane (2021-2024) seasons one and two.
Within Western media, the topic of animation is never one without controversy. Animation was first introduced in South America with the feature film El Apóstol (1917); however, the film was lost in a fire, leading to Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) being considered the first full-length animated feature film to enter the Western world.1
With Disney’s animation securing the title of ‘Mother of Animated Films,’ the company began advancing the development of animation, setting the standard for animated films in the form of children’s cartoons.2 As a result, for decades, the concept of animation in Western media has been limited to children’s shows, leading to less value being placed on the stories that animation tells. This has begun to change, however, with the creation and completion of Netflix’s Arcane (2021-2024).
Following the story of popular characters from the video game “League of Legends” (2009), Arcane develops a complex storyline through a unique animation style, departing from the style of Disney animation that has dominated recent decades. The style takes on a more detailed and semi-realistic style as opposed to the previous exaggerated style that has dominated Western animations.
While the style of Arcane is not entirely unlike that of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023), with all of them utilizing different art media and unique cinematic styles, Arcane has one key factor that sets it apart: it is an animated show for an older audience. While Disney has maintained the notion of animated media having a younger target audience, Arcane breaks away from that.
Although Disney’s animation style has dominated the industry over the years, Arcane has made waves by introducing a new artistic approach to storytelling, breaking away from the previous standard of animation being solely for children and opening the doors for future animated series.
“Disney’s Legacy:” A History Of Development & Influence
Disney’s popularity has led to them being instrumental in advancing Western animation. As a result, any development within their own animated works has meant a development for the Western animation industry as a whole. The children’s cartoons that they made a name for creating have set a seemingly unreachable standard.
Echoes of Disney can be seen in many popular animations, regardless of any obvious connection to the studio. However, as harmless as their influence may seem, the monopoly Disney has built within animation has led to an underlying issue within the industry — the belief that animation is solely for children.
“From 2D To 3D:” The Evolution Of Animation
As the agreed pioneer of animation, Disney has culminated in the Western animation industry, setting trends and expectations. With the release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), Disney introduced the ever-popular “Disney Princess” style that still echoes in their modern animations. The key element of it is the focus on exaggerated features leading to the cartoon style.
This is seen within the characters of the Dwarfs in the film; each has rounded shapes that emphasize their main features; they have large noses colored differently from the rest of their bodies, as well as four fingers with their hands being drawn in a balloon-like shape as opposed to a more pointed one that would be seen in realism. Snow White’s character also has these exaggerations, but they are toned down because she is not a dwarf — she is human. She has rounded shapes which are seen within her bow, hair, and the sleeves of her dress.
Yet, her facial features are not exaggerated to be comically large but instead are made to be soft and small, reflecting her character and the beauty standards of the 1930s. Her face does not have a lot of detail with the style instead focusing on minimal lines to keep the simplicity of it, showing the limitations of 2D animation; though even with Snow White’s features being simpler than those of the dwarfs, she still is not a realistic-looking character.
This lack of realism has been Disney’s unofficial trademark within the animation genre with it being featured in every movie produced after Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Disney continued producing 2D animated films, maintaining the style of classics like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, even after releasing their first 3D animated film, Toy Story, in 1995.
The creation of Toy Story opened up new possibilities for the world of animation.
“The Rise Of 3D Animation:” A New Era In Storytelling
Although Toy Story was not the first use of 3D animation — with the show Veggie Tales (1993-2015)3 coming out two years prior — its status as a religious-based show and use of simplistic shapes and character designs caused it to have a smaller impact in comparison to Disney’s Toy Story. As a result, Disney continued to revolutionize animation worldwide, introducing a new, more realistic style to the world of animation. However, even with more realism entering into animation, Disney’s cartoon style never disappeared.
Toy Story takes place in a world in which toys have sentience, only they pretend to be lifeless in the presence of people; it follows Woody, a cowboy doll, and his jealousy towards a new toy, Buzz Lightyear.4 As the main characters within Toy Story are all toys, they rightfully keep the exaggerated features common within Disney animation — being perfectly representative of their status as toys. Yet, this exaggerated style did not stop at the toys; the humans in the story were also unrealistic.
Each character, regardless of whether they were human or toy, had beady, unrealistic eyes that seemed to almost pop out of their skulls. Similar to the style of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the human characters of Toy Story also had comically round facial features, emphasizing the cartoon aspect of the animation. Even as 3D animation developed over the years, the exaggeration in shape is something that has continued to stay consistent.
Some of Disney’s most recent movies such as Turning Red (2022), Inside Out 2 (2024), and Soul (2020) exemplify this exaggerated style perfectly and for good reason — the popularity of Disney’s cartoon style is not something that has gone unnoticed, especially by other animation studios.
“The Art of Imitation:” Exploring The Emulation Of Animation
Following Disney’s plunge into the world of 3D animation, many other famous studios were quick to follow suit. In 1998, DreamWorks released Antz (1998) and went on to make iconic films such as Shrek (2001) and the How to Train Your Dragon trilogy (2010-2019). In 2002, Blue Sky Studio created Ice Age (2002), an incredibly loved animated movie series, and continued to make movies within the universe for the next fourteen years.5
In 2006, Sony Pictures Animation released Open Season (2006), their first 3D animated feature film.6 Over the next couple of years, they continued to release 3D animated films with Surfs Up (2007) and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009) coming out within three years of Open Season‘s release.
Like Disney, all of the works of big-name animation studios include an emphasis on shape and form within character designs, emphasizing the cartoon aspect of them. This cute, cartoon style ensures the attention of the younger audiences that these movies target. However, the cartoon style popularized by Disney has not only been used by big-name studios; even within independent animation projects, echoes of Disney can be seen.
In a Heartbeat (2017)
In a Heartbeat (2017) is a short film created at the Ringling College of Art and Design, directed and written by Esteban Bravo and Beth David.7 Following its release in 2017, the short film gained immense popularity due to its heartwarming depiction of young, queer love. The film follows Sherwin, a closeted gay boy, who has a secret crush on a boy named Jonathan as his heart, both literally and physically, tries to chase after his crush. The film is only four minutes long, but it still created such an impact, winning multiple awards after its release, including the Oniros Film Award for “Best Animation” in 2017.8
Story-wise, In a Heartbeat (2017) takes a completely different approach to romance than Disney. Even in 2017, there was still a major lack of queer Disney characters with the first openly gay character being featured in Strange World (2022). Not only that, but the way the romance was presented differed from the many romances under Disney’s belt with the greater element of fear of rejection and disgust being added to the story.
However, while the story structure may be different, In a Heartbeat‘s (2017) animation style is undoubtedly similar to the cartoon style Disney popularized. The exaggerated expressions, emphasis on shape, and even the movements are reminiscent of Disney, showing the sheer impact that Disney’s work in animation has had within the world of Western animation.
“The ‘PG’ Trend:” How Themes In Animation Became Watered Down
The notion that animated media is exclusively for children arises not only from the style popularized by Disney but also from the parental guideline ratings commonly assigned to Western animations. It is undeniable that many popular animated films and shows, especially those within Disney, tackle serious, and sometimes dark, themes.
This is exemplified within movies such as Mulan (1998), Zootopia (2016), and Encanto (2021) which illustrate themes of war, prejudice, and generational trauma. Yet, despite the serious tone underlined within the themes, each movie takes a lighthearted tone in approaching the issues in order to maintain a low parental guideline rating, effectively watering down their impact.
Zootopia (2016)
Zootopia is set in a world of anthropomorphic, talking animals that mirrors the real world. They have the same mannerisms and expectations that would be present within a human setting, only they are animals. This means that they face the same social, political, and economic issues that are in human societies. The central issue highlighted in Zootopia is prejudice based on an animal’s species. The people of Zootopia are socially categorized by their status as “predator” or “prey.”
Depending on whether they are predator or prey, the characters within the movie have different opportunities. This is the dilemma that Judy Hopps — the main character and a rabbit — faces. It was her lifelong dream to be a police officer, but no one ever believed she could do it because she was not a predator animal. As a result, she had to work twice as hard as everyone else to gain recognition.
The movie follows her as she attempts to solve a string of missing persons cases, all of them being predators; it also showcases prejudice within Judy’s character as she has an unconscious bias against foxes due to her own childhood experiences and the ideals passed on by her parents. The movie ends with Judy being appreciated due to her accomplishments as an officer and with her putting her prejudice against foxes behind her.
While Zootopia serves as a cautionary tale against prejudice for children, showing the larger issues it can lead to, the use of cutely animated animals to depict prejudice leads to the bigger nuances being lost. This is common within many animated films.
Mulan (1998) & Encanto (2021): Exploring PG Censorship Ratings
In the eyes of a child, Mulan (1998) is not a movie about war, it is just a movie about a girl trying to help her father. Similarly, Encanto (2021) is not seen as a movie about generational trauma, it is a musical about being the odd one out in the family. While older audiences can recognize these themes, younger ones are more likely to struggle. This is a side effect of the “G” and “PG” ratings necessary to maintain a younger audience.
Censorship within the ratings leads to serious themes not being explored to their full capacity. Animated shows and movies from various studios often follow “G” and “PG” ratings, with films like Open Season, Surf’s Up, and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs all receiving a “PG” rating. As a result of this designation, much of animated media is often not taken seriously and is viewed as a lesser form of storytelling.
The Impact Of Disney’s Influence On Animation
While it is undeniable that the field of animation has produced some of the greatest pieces of media within the Western industry, because of the “childish” style and nature of animation perpetuated by Disney bridging into animated films through kids movies and shows, animated media has not been taken seriously within the Western industry. Since the Oscar’s introduction in 1929, there have only been three instances in which an animated feature was nominated for “Best Picture,” all of which were Disney films, or created by one of their subsidiaries.
The first was Beauty and the Beast (1991) in 1992 followed by Up (2009) in 2009, and, finally, Toy Story 3 (2010) in 2010. Those were the last times an animated film had been nominated for the award, and none of them ended up receiving it with each being won out by a live-action film. It is even believed that in the 74th Academy Awards when Shrek won the first ever “Best Animated Feature” award at the Oscars, the animated category was created solely to avoid giving an animated movie the “Best Picture” award. 9
While Disney has played a major part in helping the Western animation industry to grow, it is undeniable that the expectation of animations being solely for kids due to the cartoon style and the “G” and “PG” ratings have contributed to the lack of recognition animation receives within the industry.
Breaking Free From Disney’s Influence In Animation
While Disney’s style of animation is still popular to this day, in recent years, new styles of animation have risen. Trailing after Disney, many animation studios have stuck to a smooth, 3D cartoon animation style, rarely breaking out of that box. However, following the release of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018), more and more unique styles have been put into the public eye.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse follows the pre-existing comic book character Miles Morales, putting him into a new and unique story consisting of a Spider-Man multiverse, also known as the Spider-Verse. This movie brought forth a revolutionary style of animation to the West that mixes traditional drawing techniques with CGI and 3D animation, aiming to emulate a comic book style of art. The style in which the characters were drawn took a complete 180 from the Disney cartoon style and instead showcased more semi-realism.
The movie included styles found in comic books such as cross-hatching and linework, and it also animated different characters based on the universe they came from. For example, Peni Parker is a Spider-Man variation from the future. Therefore, the animation style used reflected a more anime and futuristic style. This continued in the second movie Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse with there being six different animation styles such as the style of Hobie Brown who was depicted in an almost 2D style in a 3D world.10
The style brought forth by Into the Spider-Verse and continued in Across the Spider-Verse was incredibly well received by the fanbase and critics with the movies both being nominated for “Best Animated Feature Film” in 2019 and 2024, respectively, opening up new doors for the boundaries of animation. Instead of sticking to the same cartoon styles within 2D and 3D animation, studios have begun creating unique animation styles inspired by that of the Spider-Verse movies.
Charting A New Path For Animation
In 2019, Netflix released the Christmas movie Klaus (2019); the movie consisted of 2D animation that used 3D technology in order to maintain a “hand-drawn” look.11 The style in which the characters were drawn did not hold the same semi-realism that Spider-Verse held, but the techniques used within the movies share similarities due to the mix of 2D style with 3D animation.
In 2023, Netflix released yet another animated film mixing together 3D and 2D styles; unlike Klaus, Nimona (2023) was a completely 3D CG film that emulated the style of 2D animation. Archie Donato — the VFX supervisor and animator — claimed that they purposefully wanted the film to be stylized in order to maintain the feel of the world. As a result, the art style still maintains similarities to Disney’s cartoon style, but the animation style completely separates itself from the Disney style of animation.
Like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023), both Klaus and Nimona were nominated for “Best Animated Feature Film,” showcasing the impact and ingenuity of the new animation styles.
However, although Into the Spider-Verse brought forth a completely revolutionary style that has changed the game of Western animation, because the animations being made have a main target of younger audiences, animation still hasn’t gained the recognition it deserves and maintains the title of being “for kids.” With the creation of Arcane, that mindset has begun to shift.
The Artistic Excellence & Impact of Arcane
Arcane is yet another animated medium that has forged its own style of animation, completely breaking free of the Disney style of animation and story-telling. Setting itself apart from previous film releases, Arcane is a show with a rating of “TV-14,” shifting from the exclusive “G” and “PG” ratings that many animations have gotten.
This means that it has been able to tackle themes such as sex, corruption, and social inequality in a more appropriate manner that sets the tone for adult audiences. This simple change in rating paired with a “mature” art style sets the standard for more adult-geared Western animations in the future, taking animation out of the box of being solely for children.
Utilizing the semi-realistic style prompted by Spider-Verse, Arcane uses a combination of 2D and 3D animation with many backgrounds and scenes being hand. Differing from Spider-Verse’s style, Arcane has a darker tone emphasizing the painted, hand-drawn look within the art, emphasizing the world in which the show takes place.12 This once again helps to set the scene for more mature audiences. The faces within the Arcane art style are drawn with a meticulous amount of detail not even seen within Into the Spider-Verse.
The way the shadows frame the face, as well as the texture the painted look provides create a unique look within the show, making them easily recognizable as being from Arcane. The facial expressions step away from the exaggeration within the scene even within the Spider-Verse movies, instead depicting a more realistic view of how people act. At many points within the show, characters such as Vi and Jinx — a pair of sisters — can be seen with the same mannerisms, reflecting their relationship.
This aspect of realism takes the show to a completely new level that isn’t typically seen within animations, even Into the Spider-Verse.
“League Of Legends” & The Rise Of Arcane: A New Era In Animation
This realism shows through when comparing the original “League of Legends” characters to those within Arcane. It is clear that within the source material, realism was not the goal of the design. Characters such as Vi were designed to give more fanservice than show a realistic body. However, Arcane completely reshapes how the characters are viewed.
Vi’s character has a body realistic to her status as a boxer, bringing an entirely new element to the Arcane. This realism is one of the main features that separates Arcane from other animations. The cinematography within Arcane also separates it from many other Western animations as its cinematography is on par with many live-action films, if not even better.
One scene that worked to set the standard of Arcane in comparison to other animations was a fight scene between Jinx and Ekko — two fan favorites within the show. The two were childhood friends, however, after a tragedy they found themselves on opposing sides of a bitter war. They met face-to-face once more on the battlefield. During the fight, music was used as a metronome for movements and each frame depicted their complex relationship by shifting through the past and present.13
The frames would switch between 2D pictures and 3D animation, showcasing them play-fighting as children to a fight to the death as adults, presenting a heartbreaking depiction of the devolvement of their relationship. This cinematic element completely changed the game for the future of the show with more and more scenes within the second, and final, season having a similar feeling. Many scenes, especially within the second season, were traditionally drawn. In fact, the second season started with a completely hand-drawn charcoal sequence, breaking the boundaries of 3D animation.
Arcane & The Evolution Of Modern 2D/3D Animation Techniques
In the opening scene, no words were spoken; instead, the background was filled with music while charcoal images dominated the screen. Only select characters, including Caitlyn and her mother’s coffin, were depicted in color.14 This shift from 3D animation to traditional hand-drawn art created a raw and poignant portrayal of grief. This cinematic choice marked just the beginning of the stunning and unique scenes throughout the final season of the show.
Episode three showcased a wide variety of 2D and 3D animation styles. The episode’s opening used music as its guiding element, while also introducing a fresh new style to the show: a fully 2D, comic-book-inspired aesthetic.15 This shift in animation styles heightened the impact of the scene, much like the Jinx and Ekko fight in the season two introduction. It added tension to the episode and emphasized the unusual nature of the situation. The choice to use a comic-book style also intensified the on-screen action, as comic books are renowned for their dynamic portrayals of movement and conflict.
Later in episode three, the fight scene between sisters Jinx and Vi was expertly choreographed, seamlessly transitioning between intense action and high-tension moments with other characters. The rapid movements of the frames and the realistic depiction of sibling rivalry, with kicks and hair-pulling, brought the scene to life.16 Additionally, the smooth transitions between different locations were masterfully executed, enhancing the buildup of the scene to its maximum potential.
Similar to episode three, episode six featured a rich blend of different animation styles. Most notably, it continued the use of traditionally drawn art to depict a heartbreaking flashback of a broken man’s memories. The scene focuses on Vander, Jinx, and Vi’s father — a victim of human experimentation who was transformed into a monster — while another character, Viktor, attempts to access his past and reveal the man he once was.17
The characters were painted in color against a stark white background, representing how Vander clings only to the memory of them as his greatest treasures. This approach added depth to the scene’s bittersweet tone, illustrating the fragmented nature of memory through the rough, unpredictable quality of watercolor, a medium that mirrors the fragility of recollection.
Episode six ends with the sacrifice of Isha, a young girl Jinx had cared for. In the sequence, Isha transitions from 3D to 2D animation, bringing a burst of color that contrasts sharply with Arcanes usual grim aesthetic. The style, resembling crayon or marker sketches, highlights Isha’s youth and the childishness of her and Jinx’s interactions. In many frames, only their eyes and mouths are drawn, emphasizing simplicity and innocence. Despite the bright colors, the scene retains a melancholic tone, fitting for Isha’s sacrifice.18
The artistry in Arcane is evident throughout the entire series, with each episode surpassing the last. These are just a few notable examples. The show’s exceptional animation has earned widespread recognition, including five Emmy nominations and four wins. In 2022, Arcane also won the Game Award for “Best Adaptation,” along with numerous other accolades and nominations.19
The Decline Of Disney’s Dominance In Animation
Disney’s reign as the standard in animation has come to an end. While it significantly shaped 2D and 3D animation, its focus on children’s content has limited the medium’s respect. However, with evolving animation styles, change is underway. Starting with Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, a blend of 2D and 3D animation has gained traction in Western animation, though it’s still mainly marketed to younger audiences.
Arcane, however, has broken new ground for adult animation, challenging the notion that animation is solely for children. Its innovative storytelling, realistic character designs, and cinematic techniques are reshaping the future of animation.
Footnotes
- “The History of Animation: Celebrating Disney’s 100 Years of Stories.” NYFA, 18 Oct. 2023. ↩︎
- “Disney’s ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’: First Full-Length Animated Film Got Released on This Day in History.” The Economic Times, 20 Dec. 2022 ↩︎
- Davis, Sarah. “First 3D Movie and the History of 3D Animation: Avalanche.” Avalanche Studios, 9 Feb. 2024. ↩︎
- “Toy Story.” IMDb, IMDb.com. 22 Nov. 1995. ↩︎
- “All Ice Age Movies.” IMDb, IMDb.com. Accessed 16 Dec. 2024. ↩︎
- “Sony Pictures Animation.” Sony Pictures Animation Wiki, Fandom, Inc. Accessed 16 Dec. 2024. ↩︎
- “In a Heartbeat.” IMDb, IMDb.com. 31 July 2017. ↩︎
- “In a Heartbeat Awards.” IMDb, IMDb.com. Accessed 16 Dec. 2024. ↩︎
- Church, Zach. “Animation at the Oscars: A Controversial History.” The West Bend Current, 29 Jan. 2024. ↩︎
- Leite, Marcelo. “6 Different Animation Styles in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Explained.” ScreenRant, 25 Jan. 2024. ↩︎
- Schnier, Mike. “Sergio Pablos on the Creative Process behind Netflix’s Klaus.” Toon Boom Animation, 3 Nov. 2022. ↩︎
- Linke, Christian and Alex Yee, creators. Arcane. Fortiche, 2021. ↩︎
- “The Boy Savior.” Arcane, season 1, episode 7, Fortiche, 20 Nov. 2021. Netflix. ↩︎
- “Heavy Is the Crown.” Arcane, season 2, episode 1, Fortiche, 9 Nov. 2024. Netflix. ↩︎
- “Finally Got the Name Right.” Arcane, season 2, episode 3, Fortiche, 9 Nov. 2024. Netflix. ↩︎
- “Finally Got the Name Right.” Arcane, season 2, episode 3, Fortiche, 9 Nov. 2024. Netflix. ↩︎
- “Blisters and Bedrock.” Arcane, season 2, episode 6, Fortiche, 16 Nov. 2024. Netflix. ↩︎
- “Blisters and Bedrock.” Arcane, season 2, episode 6, Fortiche, 16 Nov. 2024. Netflix. ↩︎
- “Arcane Awards.” IMDb, IMDb.com. Accessed 3 Jan. 2025. ↩︎