Throughout its history and even still today, animation has had an undeserved reputation as being a medium of storytelling purely meant for younger children, something thatan entire subgenre of more mature showswould clearly disagree with. This especially seems to be true of fantasy stories, as even shows loved by some adults can be overlooked merely due to the style in which they are created. One thing that has rarely been seen, however, is the blending of the three genres,which has the potential to explore darker themes and portray elements that would be logistically difficult or even impossible to capture through live action.
Although shows likeCastlevaniahave been wildly successful in the face of great risks, few other franchises have been willing to test the waters of adult fantasy animation, which makes the recent news aboutan animatedGame of Thronesspjnoffall the more surprising. This really should not be the case, as animation has long proven itself a unique avenue through which more fantastical concepts can be explored. Seeing such an esteemed franchise tackle more stories through this method not only provides a great opportunity for world building and new storylines, but might even help secure mainstream acceptance of adult fantasy animation in ther same way the original series once did for more mature fantasy stories on live action television.
Game Of Thrones
Nine noble families fight for control over the lands of Westeros while an ancient enemy returns after being dormant for millennia.
‘Game of Thrones’ Already Has An Overlooked History With Animation
Right from the beginning, the world of Westeros has already shown an interest in what animation can bring to the table when creating such an expansive world. During each season of the original series,hand drawn and later fully colored animation was used to explore and explain various concepts, usually those which remained relevant to the season in question. For example, the inaugural seasonexplains the Wall and the Night’s Watchwho guard it to casual viewers, even if conceptslike the White Walkersare never explored. During later seasons, as the series expanded its budget and prestige,historical events and character backstories were explored in not only greater detail, but now in full color. Perhaps the most notable example is season seven, where Aegon’s Conquest, previously explored in earlier pieces,is discussed more thoroughly and with striking visuals to boot.
Often, these many hours of fascinating details have been dismissed as simply fun exercises for passionate fans or mere exposition for newcomers, ones largely confined to the backwater of behind the scenes content released on home video. This is a shame, as theHistory and Loreseries not only remains a treasure trove of content,but their influence has already served as an indirect source of guidance towards other live action shows.
Several years beforeHouse of the Dragonexplored the event in greater detail, an animated half hour special was created for season five ofGame of Thronesto explain the Dance of the Dragons,which the live action series had only mentioned in passing. This animated feature, the first to be created with color and by far the longest of any other such content before and since,almost served as a precursor to the development of the full prequel series that would later follow,with some adaptational changes here and thereandsome events that are portrayed differentlyby various fictional sources in Westeros.
The Animation Precedent for ‘Game of Thrones’ Has Already Been Set
Unlike the original live action series, Westeros has its work cut out for it within the realm of animation,as it not only has explored the medium before but has great examples to follow. Shows likeArcaneon Netflixhave already been critically acclaimedfor their mature storytelling through computer animation, taking a franchise4 with a passionate fan base and expanding it through another medium. Perhaps the more fitting template, however, lies in another Netflix adult fantasy animated series based upon a popular franchise, that ofCastlevania. Such a groundbreaking show, which cautiously began with a very short first season due to the uncertainty over how it would be perceived,achieved remarkable success, spawning multiple seasons and, more recently,another whole series. Still, while Netflix might be the pioneer of animated fantasy created for older audiences,other studios have also joined the fray. Preceding both these shows wasThe Legend of Vox Machinaon Amazon Prime, which was praised formany of the same reasons.
This playing field gives any animated spin-off in Westeros something the original live action shows never possessed in the form of a tried and tested framework. Not only is animated fantasya rapidly expanding subgenre,but one that has gained acclaim in many different forms. Whether the content is mostly directed towards children but still loved by adults, like withAvatar: The Last Airbender, or meant primarily for older viewers, like the shows mentioned above, audiences cannot seem to get enough of them.This makes an animated series for Westeros less of a risk than it might have been even two or three years ago. Far from being an anomaly, the medium has been proven to work time and time again. Assuming you have a good story and characters, your passionate audience will most likely follow.
This ‘Game of Thrones’ Actor Was Nominated for an Emmy Every Season
The star was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award every season of the show’s eight-season run, winning a record four times.
‘Game of Thrones’ Has Endless Potential Through Animation
Perhaps the biggest reason why animation should be considered a new venture for the world of Westeros is its potential for world building and exploration. Not only are therecountless ideas for future spinoffs, butthe method of production allows for exploration of locations and events not logistically possible in other live action settings. When discussing the progress of the spinoffThe Sea Snake, the prequel series about the many adventures ofCorlys Velaryondecades beforeHouse of the Dragontakes place, series creatorGeorge R. R. Martinnoted the show was originally intended for live action, but conceded that the sheer amount of physical locations being explored would render it prohibitively expensive, necessitating the use of animation instead.
Combined with his admission that other future spinoffrs might be animated for the same reasons,this opens all kinds of possibilities for a franchise known for being rich in world building and with so many untapped reserves of lore.Some spinoffs already appear to be planned for live action, such asDunk and Egg, and others remain uncertain, likeFlea Bottomand the possible Jon Snow sequel series. As the previous example ofBloodmoonhas shown us, filming a live action pilot comes with a large set of risks,which have already left it as a casualty.
Although Martin has not specified which of the proposed spinoffs will be animated,the medium would remain best suited for those which are large in scale and possess unfamiliar locations. Already, this brings to mind the10,000 Shipsseries, featuringthe journey of Nymeriathat created the modern culture of Dorne, andThe Golden Empire, a show based upon the lands of Yi Ti, inspired by ancient China. Given the vastness of the world Martin has created, it’s easy to imaginea series about Old Valyriaorthe future voyages of Arya Starkbeing ripe for exploration in both a creative and literal sense. Several future spinoffscould take place outside of Westeros. And given thata limited series and film of Aegon’s Conquesthas been discussed,one could also envision new animated stories on a smaller scale exploring major events in the history of Westeros, ideas that a full live action series might not be worth the cost of creating. From Robert’s Rebellion to the Faith Militant Uprising, there is no shortage of storylines for creators to dive into, should they be given the opportunity.
At the end of the day,there are so many benefits and so few drawbacks forGame of Thronesto expand into more animated spaces. Other shows have already shown us that, as long as you have a good story and developed characters, the audience is already there. Should they be willing to embrace animation with open arms, that potential might become well and truly realized.
Game of Thronesis available to stream on Max in the U.S.
