If you watch clips from old Saturday morning cartoons you'll spot characters making the same basic poses. The arms are thrust down at forty five degree angles, bent up into a weird half shrug, or a combo of the two. I think it's cartoon shorthand for "I am telling you something." Or, to be snarky, "I am telling you something you already know."
For example, two cartoon kids are playing catch. The ball crashes through a window. Kid one assumes the pose and says "Oh no. The ball went through the window!" (thanks for clearing that up). Kid two, also posing, observes, "Mom's not gonna like this!" (in case you were wondering).
Where did these poses come from? I rarely see them in real life. Who thought it was a good idea to animate so many characters like that? I try not to criticize other people's art*. Any idiot can say "That's bad" or "You're doing it WRONG!"...
...but something about the really cheap, badly written cartoons makes me picture some cynical suit running the show with the kids are so stupid that they'll watch anything philosophy. Plus the Artists don't know &*#! about business so why should I take suggestions from them? attitude.
I'm aware that animation is expensive and shortcuts need to be taken, but still...
Or am I just being cranky?
*Okay, I still make fun of Thomas Kinkade, but I figure with the bucks he's raking in, he wouldn't mind.
