One of the First American Animes
So, first post right? Ok so let’s talk about Aaron McGruder’s The Boondocks which is considered one of the first great American animes. McGruder originally produced The Boondocks as a comic strip in daily papers nationwide. Even then, the strip’s art design was based in a manga style. But one of the key things that McGruder does with his anime that is very different from classic animes is the content within.
McGruder still includes all of the wonderful things we love about anime: action, big expressions, absurd situations and beautiful colors. But what makes McGruder’s cartoon different then others is the inclusion of social commentary. Granted there are plenty of animes that make reference to the downfall of domineering countries or capatialism (i.e. The Gundam Series, Code Geass, etc.), but The Boondocks directly attacks flaws in current day society. In an episode entitled The Trial of R. Kelly, the show essentially goes through what the trial of R. Kelly would end up playing out. R. Kelly’s lawyer uses racism as a means to get R. Kelly off for his child pornography charges and in the end R. Kelly performs a concert in the court room for all the fans that supported him.
McGruder points out all of the issues that blacks face in a current America that some either take as a joke or might be to unaware to understand the destruction around them. Some of these ideas are so on point, that even some of the episodes in the second season got banned from being aired on TV. Obviously, McGruder has hit a nerve, and maybe if his show continues to succeed at doing so, some things will change
McGruder still includes all of the wonderful things we love about anime: action, big expressions, absurd situations and beautiful colors. But what makes McGruder’s cartoon different then others is the inclusion of social commentary. Granted there are plenty of animes that make reference to the downfall of domineering countries or capatialism (i.e. The Gundam Series, Code Geass, etc.), but The Boondocks directly attacks flaws in current day society. In an episode entitled The Trial of R. Kelly, the show essentially goes through what the trial of R. Kelly would end up playing out. R. Kelly’s lawyer uses racism as a means to get R. Kelly off for his child pornography charges and in the end R. Kelly performs a concert in the court room for all the fans that supported him.
McGruder points out all of the issues that blacks face in a current America that some either take as a joke or might be to unaware to understand the destruction around them. Some of these ideas are so on point, that even some of the episodes in the second season got banned from being aired on TV. Obviously, McGruder has hit a nerve, and maybe if his show continues to succeed at doing so, some things will change
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