Perhaps it’s because I grew up in the 80s, but I have a particular fondness for 2D cel animation. But I think my fondness of it moves beyond the trappings of nostalgia; I see it as an art, and these days, I see it as a dying art. I’ve written pieces like this before, so if you’ve known me for awhile, please excuse me as I rattle on about this for the umpteenth time. But for me, these thoughts are important, and as such I feel the need to document them, especially in such places where I have yet to do so.

I’ll admit, a bit of it is nostalgia. Things were better when I was growing up; yes I had my problems, but they were different and easier to deal with than the problems I have today. I have very fond memories of animated classics like The Hobbit, Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland, The Secret of NIMH, The Brave Little Toaster, et cetera. They remind me of a time that I miss, a time that I’ll never get back. And yes, I could go on and on here, but I won’t, I’ll spare you from that. Suffice it to say, these types of movies ruled my childhood (and I loved it).

In 1995, Toy Story came out. As a sort of tech-nerd, I was interested in this new form of animation, an entire feature length film rendered in CGI with computers! I saw it, and while I was impressed technically, it didn’t exactly blow me away like I had hoped. I received it with lukewarm enthusiasm. At the time, I didn’t connect my love of cel animation with my distaste for CGI animation, not that I even have a distaste for CGI animation, really. But when Toy Story came out, cel animation was so ubiquitous, that to consider it might one day be replaced with CGI animation seemed foolish. So I forgot about it.

Years went by and I became obsessed with anime. Yes, I was (and still am, but more on this later) quite the anime nerd. What I was hoping Toy Story would do (blow me away by its quality), anime did regularly. I began to regard Japanese animators as the best in the business. And the king of all Japanese animators was one Hayao Miyazaki. His works include some of the greatest films of all time… and I’m not just talking animated films, I mean films period. Hayao Miyazaki is a master storyteller. This is something I’d hold onto for years, all the while decrying the fall of western animation. The Japanese were doing something better than Americans ever could, and it was obvious to anyone who’s ever seen a Miyazaki film, or should have been obvious at least.

Some time in the early ’00s, American cel animation died to be replaced with CGI. I don’t mind CGI, but I strongly believe that there’s room for both computer animation and traditional animation. This bothered me a great deal, that CGI had completely usurped something that I considered important. I didn’t like what I was seeing; all the CGI films out of the states were uninspired, thoughtless, meaningless piles of garbage… this track record continues still. Sure, there’s a few gems here and there, but 95% of American CGI feature films are crap. Crap! I decided to go back, all the way to the fist CGI film, Toy Story, and lay blame on whoever directed the unholy catalyst. John Lasseter. I began to chide him on a regular basis for ruining the world of animation. When Toy Story would come up in conversation, I’d always have something to say about John Lasseter. “Oh, that’s the guy that killed cel animation. Yeah, screw that guy!”

I wrapped myself in the last bastion of cel animation, anime. The Japanese were still doing it right, talented artists creating beautiful and meaningful things with their hands. It didn’t take me long to discover that Miyazaki’s animation house, Studio Ghibli, produced the finest examples of 2D animation. The scenes Ghibli produced (and continue to produce) are unlike anything I had ever seen come out of American animation. I clung hard to Ghibli as the last bastion of brilliant craftsmanship in the dying art of cel animation. Hayao Miyazaki was, in my mind, keeping this art alive, probably due to some stubbornness on his part. But I appreciate his continued dedication to it. Hayao Miyazaki became a hero of mine.

Eventually, I came to discover that John Lasseter considered Miyazaki a hero as well. I found this out several years ago. I didn’t understand it then and I still don’t understand it. John Lasseter; a man I came to… loathe, shared with me a fondness of Hayao Miyazaki. I was confused as to why a man like Lasseter would take a medium from one of his idols, and completely screw it up. Kids don’t want to go to the theater to see 2D flicks anymore, they want to see Ice Age, Despicable Me, and (sigh) How To Train Your Stupid Freakin’ Dragon. John Lasseter was instrumental in securing this future of animation for us, that’s why I resented him the way I did. But I’ve always said, I feel there’s room for both styles; unfortunately, the American public doesn’t feel the same way. The great art of cel animation had died, with Toy Story leading the charge, and the American public filling the seats for the latest in CGI because it looks way cooler.

Studio Ghibli continues to be what I consider the last great house of traditional animation. I fear for the day they close their doors. The Japanese are beginning to embrace CGI more and more, and it’s a disturbing trend. I fear the doom-clock is ticking for one of my favorite things. But Miyazaki seems to be one stubborn man, and due to the general shift toward CGI, I consider that to be one of his greatest attributes. He sees something in a style that every one else misses, even John Lasseter. Now, I’ve come to respect Lasseter a bit over the years, because many of his films do have a certain emotional impact that comes through via terrific character development, intriguing plots and well written dialog. But I think, and I have to imagine that Lasseter would agree with me here, Miyazaki is the master.

So I’m always very conflicted. I do appreciate the odd CGI film, and I’ll admit that John Lasseter is a thoughtful and caring director. And if it were a perfect world, the movie-going populace would fill seats for both styles. I suppose I’m the old curmudgeon that pontificates on how everything was better in my day. Well, it was. And I’m bewildered by the outpouring of fans and media attention that films like Despicable Me receive while masterpieces like Tales From Earthsea go wholly unnoticed. I have to wonder what’s wrong with the world when such beautiful art routinely goes unappreciated and ignored in favor of this grotesque bastardization of the medium.

Now, get off my lawn!