The Animation Generation - Rockin' the 90's

1995.
Kevin Mitnick is arrested by the FBI for hacking into the America's "safest" computer networks >__<

Windows 95 was rolling onto desktops everywhere, promising to revolutionize the world by dinner time +__+

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 30 points to close above 4,000 for the first time in history and we were too young to give a crap ^__^

The Oklahoma City bombing took the lives of 168 people that year, a tragedy that would forever change the security laws we operate under... And yet.

You might be wondering how a ten year old can deal with all this stuff?

Well, from what I can remember, I was way too busy watching Saturday morning cartoons =)
So many great toons come to mind, too many in fact, but here's a few that stood out:

-nostalgia-
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (before they became an acronym ;)
- Biker Mice From Mars (what a name! They just don't make 'em like that anymore!)
- Captain Planet (I'm alt-tabbing between an environmental engie paper right now, so go figure)
- Goof Troop (best served in the basement with a popsicle)
- Talespin (as a kid with my head in the clouds, this was one of my top 3, Don Carnage = Best demented villain EVER, Skyboard thingy was SICK and I still want one)
- Timon and Pumba (I somehow felt like these 2D best friends were my friends too. They were just so happy all the time!)
-/nostalgia-

I could go on and on like this... But the point is, animation is such a critical part of our generation's pop culture. We grew up watching cartoons, many of us still do, and will continue to until death to us part!

Thankfully, animation has been growing up along with us. The subject matter changed, new styles have been popping up, and new tech options have given birth to new styles. Those fresh ideas that were so difficult to express with old school techniques are now within the grasp of almost anyone! Well, anyone who's willing to make the next click, that is...

Anime happened! Serious story lines, ridiculous story lines, complete lack of story lines!

It all happened so fast, we were hooked before we knew it!

Off the top of my head, I can think of a few landmark anime series/films that have been landmark works in my life:

-otakuness-
- My Neighbour Totoro
- Howl's Moving Castle
- Spirited Away
- Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within
- Ghost in the Shell
- Wolf's Rain (dark, at times painful, but SO honest)
- Fullmetal Alchemist (genre-defining)
- Pale Coccoon (A very profound short film, The Matrix fans: this is for you!)
- The Place Promised in our Early Days (Shinkai is a quiet genius, look out for 5cm per second due out this year)
- The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (One of the smartest anime I've ever seen)

- Last Exile (Started watching this one recently... Aviation fans... Watch out!)
-/otakuness-

Clearly I've left out too many classics and favourites, but these are a few of the titles that have made an impression on me, personally. It's been as though just when we thought Hollywood was going downhill, mainstream TV became one neverending ad... Visual storytelling needed a kick in the pants, and got a ninja star to the head instead!

The point is, when the world around us is too intense to handle, we all need something to turn to. Something imaginary and completely out of this world. When the fan hits the $h!t, it's fiction and fantasy that reminds us that we've always had the power to dream, imagine and laugh.

Don't lose faith in the world kids... It's the only world we have ; )