Another year, another massive backlog of bookmarked stories about animation. Our reading list is long, as it should be, and it gets longer by the day. And like we did last year, we’ve put one more list together to make yours longer, too. Here are some of our favorite pieces of written analysis, reportage, argument, and feature writing on animation that The Dot and Line got to read, but had no part in publishing, this year. We’ve highlighted some of our favorite things about each piece below. Enjoy your binge-watching, friends, but don’t forget to binge-read too!
Important Note! We read as much as we possibly can, but we’re neither perfect nor do we wish to live in a world filled with only our opinions. If you feel we missed a particularly awesome piece of writing (or just want to say hi), send us a note at thedotandline@gmail.com, and we’ll include it and quote you!
It’s Time To Stop Acting Like Nobody Watches Anime
Thank you, Kotaku.
Why Lisa Simpson Matters
Lisa Simpson has been an essential character for cartoons, feminism, and comedy at large for the past 30 years. This examines why.
‘Rocko’s Modern Life’: Inside the Barely Contained Chaos of a Nickelodeon Classic
“That was a hoot!”
Why Do Cartoon Villains Speak in Foreign Accents?
An important examination of othering and its consequences in child-geared animation.
What ‘The Proud Family’ Gave to Millennial Muslims by Mariam Ansar
We can’t endorse The Proud Family or this essay or this episode enough.
‘Rick And Morty’ 2028?
Full disclosure, a Dot and Line editor is quoted in this story, but that doesn’t make its analysis—of the crazy decision to announce 70 more episodes of Rick and Morty at once—any less worth reading.
An oral history of ‘Gargoyles,’ Disney’s groundbreaking animated series
SyFy has gotten very good at oral histories, and this look at Gargoyles is a welcome throwback to one of the most intense animated series of the ’90s. (This one, on the Disney Afternoon, is pretty great, too.)
Goku is the John Cena of ‘Dragon Ball’ and That’s Fine Actually
No argument published in any medium was more correct this year than this one.
HBO’s ‘My Brilliant Friend’ Adaptation Should’ve Been an Anime
Yes. It should have.
Not My ‘Cartoon President’
This piece by Harry Waksberg is a clear-eyed look at the benefits and limits of Our Cartoon President, and it lands here: “It’s worth considering whether we can make fun of homicidal insanity.”
The Cast Of ‘Big Mouth’ Talk To Us About Pushing Boundaries – The Audience’s, And Their Own
Remarkably, people watch Big Mouth with their kids. This piece breaks down the making of the show better than most.
Anime is turning quiet corners of the world into major tourist attractions
It’s not often that we get something this well-composed about the effect of anime on real-world spaces.
How Netflix’s ‘She-Ra’ paid its respects to horse girls
Always respect the horse girls. And watch She-Ra, which The Dot and Line did not cover this year, but which is terrific.
“He Who Must Not Be Named”: Can John Lasseter Ever Return to Disney?
We don’t mean to end this list on a down note, but Kim Masters’s investigation of one of the most powerful men in American animation is a must-read for anyone who grew up on his work.
The Disturbing Secret Behind An Iconic Cartoon
Another down note, but 2018 saw the #MeToo shine a light on the world of cartoons as well—and the darkness some of us would be surprised to find within it. This piece on the predatory behavior of John Kricfalusi, the creator of Ren and Stimpy, is spectacularly reported. Read and reflect. We’ll be better off for it.
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