Ever since we were young, we have been exposed to animated shows and movies. Whether to learn how to count, make friends, or just to have a silly time, these pieces of media have become nostalgic for all generations. However, with the new wave of 3D animations, CGI-focused films, and live-action remakes of Disney classics, it feels like the movie industry is pushing us to agree that the modernization of animated films is “what needs to be done.” On the other hand, it’s still debated whether that change is really needed. All nominations for “Animated Feature Film” in the 2024 Oscars (Nimona, The Boy and the Heron, Robot Dreams, Elemental, and Spiderman: Across the Spider-Verse) involved some degree of 2D animation techniques in their production. Doesn’t that prove that we still love it and look for it? Should we really leave 2D animation in the past and end its presence in blockbuster films? I don’t think so. Not to be one of those people that says things were better before but… I firmly believe 2D animation must come back in some way to the mainstream or these corporations will stay trying to recreate that feeling it left for us.
As mentioned previously, 2D animation is a source of nostalgia for everyone. Because of its similar look to storybooks, drawings, comic books, and paintings, we naturally connect to it on a personal level as we can recognize the human element behind them. These films preserve and highlight different artistic styles in their animation. We also appreciate how it can take more creative liberties than 3D animation, like having more expressive and “cartoonish” looking characters. This creates a healthy distance from reality because the barrier between the viewer and the film (imaginary vs. reality) is recognizable. This also means that certain movements or plot elements (use of magic or other fantasy elements) are understood as “normal” and not as unrealistic. On the other hand, 3D is made to be more detailed and realistic. It covers different themes and problems through the same or similar visual perspectives we see in real life. While for some content I feel 3D and/or CGI is the better medium to present them in (Wall-E? Hello? Pure cinema), there are others that could benefit from taking a risk and implementing a 2D approach.
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2.5D animations are those projects that risk themselves. This animation style mixes both 2D and 3D to create interesting and appealing visuals that bend the rules of both mediums. Usually, it presents 3D characters and objects in 2D backgrounds. Some recent examples of this style are Spiderman: Across the Spider-Verse, Puss in Boots, The Mitchells vs. the Machines, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. Some techniques used to enhance the 2.5D feeling in these films, according to VFXApprentice, are: parallax (moving the background and foreground at different speeds), isometric perspectives, shading, hand painted stylized textures, dropped frames (cutting certain frames in a movement to make them seem choppy), and many others. Basically, techniques used in comic books to give them realistic feelings of movement are being employed to give these films an illusion resembling a flipbook rather than a real-life video. It’s important to mention that it can also be done vice versa, presenting 2D characters in 3D backgrounds, like in the video games Little Misfortune and Paper Mario.
These 2.5D films have not been the only ones keeping 2D animation alive. While 2D animation is typically viewed as “not good enough” for blockbuster films, it has prospered in other areas. Animated TV shows are a booming space where 2D animation is still the norm for many reasons. It helps create episodes at a faster pace because, compared to CGI, the cost of technology-assisted animation is low, plus it’s less time consuming because the production process is not as intricate and complex. Japan’s animation industry, one of the biggest in the globe, has also stayed relevant without the need of CGI. Because most of them are based on manga, the viewer is already used to seeing everything in a flat format. They have no need to “modernize” and have proven to stand the test of time.
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If we have so much evidence of 2D animation and 2D animation-adjacent projects having good viewership and revenue, why do some of the big film corporations (cough Disney cough) decide to ignore it? Aside from them laying off their entire 2D animation department in 2013, they have continued considering hand-drawn animation as a thing of the past since their competition also transitioned to CGI. Because 2D, for a large-scale project, takes more time to complete and Disney has a particular drive of constantly making movies for profit, they have yet to go back on their decision. Still, I feel like they might reconsider. Wish and Moana 2, while having other factors that played a part in their eventual failure, are proof of Disney’s decline. They did so poorly at the box office that it led to the company not receiving any Oscar nominations for a second year in a row. With recent technological advancements that have made 2D animation more accessible, I feel that, due to financial concerns, it might come back with an updated appearance.
While 3D animation currently dominates the mainstream, there is still hope for 2D animation’s revival. Indie creators and niche concepts, such as folklore or comic book inspired stories, continue to keep this style alive, providing there is still a demand for its unique artistic expression. 2D animation’s ability to showcase distinct personal artistry and creative liberties cannot be replaced by the realism of 3D. Ultimately, 2D and 3D can coexist and enrich the animated movies we watch.