User blog:YoungOtakuNerd/An Ongoing War in Toon City...

Ever since the early 2000s, cartoon lovers and the citizens of Toon City have been fighting a continuous battle. To this day, it can't be resolved, no matter how hard people have tried.

I am talking, of course, about the Family Guy vs The Simpsons vs South Park debate, usually called by its aptly-given nickname, the "Cartoon Wars".

Each show is a fairly influential animation aimed at an older demographic. Eack show has its ups and its downs. But today, I'm going to show which side I choose and why I pick that side. Here's what I think of each show.:

The Pros
The Simpsons has become what I like to call a "Cartoon Staple". A Cartoon Staple is a cartoon, anime, or video game that has become so well-received, that it becomes a part of popular culture and is even an inspiration for other works.

This shows was also the first cartoon aimed at older audiences to be recognized. While it did get some criticism, I do have to give it props.

The Cons
The Simpsons has been going on a little too strong. The show's never been cancelled, and it shows no sign of going away...I think it's getting a bit too hopeful. Family Guy as been cancelled twice, but brought back due to DVD sales. South Park, while it has never been cancelled, has given off vibes of possibly cancellation. Basically put, The Simpsons just doesn't cut any slack.

I've also never been that big of a fan of The Simpsons as I was the other two shows. I've seen a few moments and the movie, but I never found it as interesting as other would.

The Pros
I started watching Family Guy before I was introduced to South Park, so it already establishes a sense of nostalgia.

It also tends to crack some pretty funny jokes.

And, while people tend to criticize Brian on it, I kind of like the idea that he is Seth McFarlane personified, mainly because I, Erica Sakura, am a personification of my creator, YoungOtakuNerd. It takes some guts to make a character that is essentially yourself, so I understand Brian.

The Cons
The cutaway gags, aka "manatee gags", are kind of forced upon the viewers. It almost maked you lose focus on what the plot was to begin with. To me, they've just gotten old.

As said before, Family Guy was cancelled a couple of times, so out of the three, it's not really the most popular...

Finally, Seth McFarlane, while very funny, seems to recycle his work; element of Family Guy  can be seen in his other two shows The Cleveland Show and American Dad!, and while that's not entirely bad, it sort of takes points off on originality.

The Pros
South Park, out of three, is the most original. The Simpsons seems to have already done everything, and Family Guy (as well as McFarlane's other works) seem to follow the trend of "colorful, dysfunctional family". South Park, for the most part, isn't about a family; rather, it's about a group of friends who seems to have it figured out better than the adults, and often get into crazy situations, often learning things along the way. It's also highly satirical, tackling issues like politics and the effects of popular culture on society.

I also seem to relate to South Park more; the characters remind me of myself, and I can't help but take a liking to them more than I could to the characters of Family Guy or The Simpsons.

I also like how dynamic the fanbase for South Park is; ranging from typical adults to quite intellectual teenage girls who appreciate the show's characters and satire. The other two shows seem to have smaller fanbases.

South Park is also the most influential and recognized of the three; the name "Bart Simpson" is somewhat familiar, but somewhat tired out or forgotten, and some people don't even know the name "Stewie Griffin", but almost every head in the room will turn at the mention of "Eric Cartman".

Lastly, South Park has lessons and morals despite how offensive it is. Just pick any episode; it's highly likely to end in "Ya know, I've learned something today...."

The Cons
The only thing I find unappealing about the show is when it focuses more on other characters than the main four character. Other than that, it's still a great show.

Final Conclusion
Of all three shows, I believe that South Park to take the prize. It's much more than meets the eye, highly entertaining, and has more pros than cons.

But, this posts isn't entirely about me...

I want to hear what you think! Which side do you choose? 'PLEASE COMMENT! NO NEGATIVE/OFFENSIVE COMMENTS! THANK YOU!'