FROM THE SCREEN CREDITS TO CULTURE: THE IMPACT OF ANIMATION ON CULTURE, AND VICE VERSA.

When you think about animation, your first thought might be characters with big eyes, exaggerated expressions, or vibrant color palettes. 

But beyond the surface, animation styles have a deeper relationship with culture. Not only do they reflect societal trends and ideas, but they also shape culture in ways we often overlook. From influencing hip hop fashion to playing a major role in food trends, animation has left its mark on the world in ways that stretch far beyond the screen.

Let’s explore how animation styles have been shaped by cultural movements, and how in turn, animation has influenced fashion, music, food, and other areas of society.

The Cultural Influences on Animation Style

1. Japanese Anime and Its Global Impact

Anime has been one of the most significant cultural exports of Japan, influencing animation worldwide. From the way characters are designed to the specific art techniques used, anime has impacted everything from fashion trends to musical aesthetics. Think of the bold, colorful designs in anime like Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon, or Attack on Titan. These visual styles are immediately recognizable and have contributed to global fashion trends, particularly in streetwear.

How Anime Shaped Fashion:

Anime has fueled everything from cosplay culture to the booming streetwear market. Designers like Yohji Yamamoto and the late Issey Miyake have drawn inspiration from anime's futuristic, oversized, and sometimes dystopian designs. The influence of anime is especially evident in fashion brands that cater to youth subcultures. Brands like Supreme and BAPE have referenced anime directly in their designs, bringing anime’s bold colors, exaggerated proportions, and graphic aesthetics into mainstream fashion.

Anime’s Influence on Music:

Anime’s visual style has also heavily influenced hip hop. The art of animated series has permeated rap videos, album covers, and even fashion worn by famous artists. The “Naruto run” and the incorporation of anime-style visuals in the music videos of artists like Lil Uzi Vert, Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco, Travis Scott and Megan Thee Stallion, show just how much anime aesthetics are ingrained in pop culture. These artists use animation’s exaggerated, dynamic visuals to communicate energy, movement, and self-expression, much like the animated characters they grew up with.

2. American Cartoons and the Evolution of Pop Culture

When we talk about animation's impact on American culture, it’s hard to ignore the influence of cartoons, especially from the golden age of animation (think Looney Tunes, Disney, and later Saturday morning cartoons). These shows weren’t just entertainment. they shaped generational aesthetics, humor, and even consumer habits.

How Cartoons Shaped Society:

Characters like Bugs Bunny and Mickey Mouse are as iconic as any pop star or politician. These figures became cultural symbols, leading to merchandising empires that helped establish animation as a key player in the consumer economy. Their influence can be seen in fashion lines, toys, and even restaurant promotions. Think about how the Looney Tunes characters have been featured in collaborations with Gucci or how Mickey Mouse continues to be a staple in various streetwear collections.

In the 1990s, Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network furthered the animation revolution, introducing shows like Rugrats, The Powerpuff Girls, and Dexter’s Laboratory. These shows carried a bold, graphic design that influenced 90s fashion such as, oversized clothing, bright colors, and patterns that are still popular today.

The Role of Animation in Shaping Society

While animation styles are undoubtedly influenced by the cultural movements of their time, the reverse is also true. Animation influences society in profound ways, affecting fashion, music, food, and even politics.

1. Animation and Fashion: A Symbiotic Relationship

As mentioned earlier, anime has influenced streetwear culture, but the influence goes both ways. Over the years, cartoons like The Simpsons, Rick and Morty, and SpongeBob SquarePants have become fashion icons themselves.

• SpongeBob SquarePants made his way from TV screens into streetwear collections and high-fashion pieces. The character’s vibrant, goofy style has been embraced by major fashion houses like Balenciaga, which has released limited-edition SpongeBob-themed apparel. This fusion of animation and high fashion is a perfect example of how animation impacts global culture.
• Similarly, The Simpsons has become so culturally ingrained that its iconic characters, colors, and designs are often used in art collections, sneakers, and runway shows. The bold, graphic animation of these shows makes them perfect for incorporation into modern fashion and pop art, turning them into cultural icons.

2. Animation’s Influence on Music: From Hip Hop to Pop

Animation’s relationship with music is especially prominent in hip hop, pop and electronic music videos. As mentioned before, artists in the hip hop world, like Travis Scott, have leaned heavily on anime aesthetics and cartoonish imagery for their music videos. In fact, some music videos are almost animated themselves, borrowing the frenetic energy and exaggerated visual style of animation to convey dynamic action and emotion.

Gorillaz are one of the artist groups that have been well known to use animation as part of their way to convey their stories in their videos and also part of their brand. The use of a very rough lined style towards their 2D animated work, it creates a feeling of roughness and urban touch that comes with their works. Everyone is aware of who they are from their animated characters and style whenever it appears anywhere.

Below is a video of their song "Feel Good Inc".

https://youtu.be/HyHNuVaZJ-k?si=vs-IiMoYOmz1RWyD

Kanye West’s "Stronger" video is a great example, it borrows from anime and cyberpunk aesthetics to deliver a futuristic look that complements the song's vibe. Another animation influence on Kanye West's video is his video of his song "Heartless". It borrows lots of aesthetics from a pop art kind of style, which encapsulates the feel for the urban stories theme he was going for. Below is the video.

https://youtu.be/Co0tTeuUVhU?si=rByQWAp15Agk3217

Even Daft Punk's Interstella 5555, an animated film made in collaboration with the French electronic duo, shows how animation and music can form a visually stunning narrative together. The fusion of animation and music isn't just about enhancing the audio experience, it’s about creating a multisensory journey that resonates with fans of both mediums.

Scott Mescudi aka Kid Cudi, is also an artist who has infused animation with his music. This can be seen in his recent film, which was released on Netflix, entitled, "Entergalactic" which played on themes that represented what he was exploring with his album which was of them same name. This use of animation assisted in bringing out stronger storytelling and a much more vivid experience of his songs. Below is the trailer.

https://youtu.be/2C2lyCIusKo?si=aMpS_pdpMwBZZwMg

3. Animation and Food Culture

Yes, you read that right. 

Animation even has an influence on food culture. Think of the food featured in animated films like Ratatouille, where the colors, textures, and creative presentation of food have inspired a whole new generation of foodies. The meticulous, stylized depiction of cuisine in animation, especially in Pixar films, has made food a visual spectacle, influencing everything from restaurant designs to how we appreciate cooking as an art form.

Some chefs even take inspiration from the artful presentation seen in animation, creating dishes that are inspired by animated films. Ratatouille, in particular, saw an uptick in interest in French cuisine, especially when it came to dishes like ratatouille (the dish itself).

In addition, other aspects include shows like Naruto and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Naruto has come to popularize, the ramen food and it has become someone closely associate with culture in society. 

Likewise, Pizza, is something that seem like a dish that anyone can grab at your Pizza restaurant but in the animation community or society at large, any TMNT fan or people close to the culture, has come to see Pizza as more of a symbol of their fandom. 

We also possibly can’t forget Homer Simpson and his famous donut too. 😅😄

Through this, we can easily how culinary culture can be influenced to decorate their foods or even make certain menus based on the fandom that certain animated characters create around some foods or even drinks.

Animation, in this way, becomes a vessel for promoting culinary culture and making food an experience that’s both visual and tasty.

Conclusion
The symbiotic relationship between animation and culture is undeniable. Animation doesn't just reflect society, it creates and shapes it. From influencing fashion trends and hip hop music to redefining how we view food, animation styles have permeated almost every aspect of our lives. 

Whether it's the sleek, dynamic lines of anime or the bold colors of American cartoons, animation gives us a lens through which we can interpret the world, while also leaving an imprint on how we live, dress, and express ourselves.

Animation’s power to cross boundaries and influence diverse spheres of life reminds us that it’s more than just entertainment, it’s a cultural force that helps shape our identities and the world around us.