Technological Innovations in Animated Film

In the examination of the technological innovations, themed plotlines, and evolving characterizations throughout the near-century of Disney history, one fact becomes inherently apparent: the Disney franchise and its productions have both impacted and been impacted by the circumstances during different cultural eras of American history. Whether it be the incorporation of multiracial princesses in films such as Mulan (1998) and The Princess and the Frog (2009) in the past half century’s age of improved racial relations; the evident austere transformation in the character of Mickey Mouse throughout the Depression days; or the incorporation of wartime propaganda in Donald Duck shorts1, the Disney name has eternally and inevitably become intertwined with the surrounding culture. Walt Disney’s extreme nationalism and attention to politics become manifest when he states, “If you could see close in my eyes, the American flag is waving in both of them and up my spine is glowing this red, white, and blue stripe.” Additionally, Disney often emphasized the necessity for intellectual and spiritual freedom, and the need for the resistance of tyranny and oppression2 (Mongello). Ultimately, this Western individualistic thinking largely influenced Disney narratives, character development, drawing style, and overall productions in comparison to the analogous relevant Anime cartoons and respective collectivist mindset of the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries.

The primary difference between Eastern and Western philosophies concerns the overarching concept of the person. “Collectivism” and “individualism” are ultimately psychological terms used to describe and explain how human beings identify themselves among society, prioritize their ...

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...ent, intensity, and egoism of individualistic societies and the conformity and reflectiveness of collectivist societies inevitably play a part in the development of animation’s plotlines, characters, humor, and aesthetic styles. Nonetheless, like the two separate groups of people that these styles of animations reflect, there are naturally more similarities than contrasts. As our Westernized culture becomes a diverse melting pot, it is inevitable that Western and anime styles of animation build from and inspire one another. As Disney continues approaching an “illusion of life” aesthetic and as both grow to appeal to wider audiences to stay relevant, the future of each style of animation is capricious yet promising. As Walt said, “We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”