History Main / ShiftedToCGI

* After the 1986 2D adaptation of Manga/SaintSeiya, later adaptations such as Anime/SaintSeiyaLegendOfSanctuary and Anime/SaintSeiyaKnightsOfTheZodiac were full CGI.

* Creator/DreamWorksAnimation is an entire studio that made the shift. Most of their early hits like ''WesternAnimation/ThePrinceOfEgypt'' and ''WesternAnimation/SpiritStallionOfTheCimarron'' were [[FollowTheLeader Disney-esque]] and traditionally animated. With the success of ''WesternAnimation/{{Shrek}}'' they stopped making traditionally animated films and refuse to make them anymore. [=DreamWorks=] is often considered the reason for the "death" of traditionally animated films in the early 2000s. Notably, however, this wasn't a straight shift: their very first movie released, ''WesternAnimation/{{Antz}}'', was CGI, which was followed by the aforementioned 2D animated movies before the infamous disregard of 2D animation altogether.

* While ''WesternAnimation/{{Arthur}}'' never made the shift (instead it shifted to a Flash-like animation style in season 16), the 2006 DirectToVideo film ''WesternAnimation/ArthursMissingPal'' was entirely in CGI. The characters looked... [[UncannyValley off]].

* ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'' was all hand-drawn animation until the release of ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars'', which was all CGI. From then on, the next series would shift between [[ZigZaggingTrope inverting and playing this trope straight]] with ''WesternAnimation/BeastMachines'' also being CG, while ''Anime/TransformersRobotsInDisguise'' and ''[[Anime/TransformersArmada Armada]]'' went back to 2D, only for ''[[Anime/TransformersEnergon Energon]]'', and [[Anime/TransformersCybertron Cybertron]] to bring the CG back. The trend would continue with ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated'', [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin also inverting this trope]]. The [[Franchise/TransformersAlignedUniverse ''Aligned Universe'']] (''WesternAnimation/TransformersPrime'', ''Anime/TransformersGo'' and ''WesternAnimation/TransformersRobotsInDisguise2015'') also went back to being all CG before ''WesternAnimation/TransformersRescueBots'' once again inverted the trope.

[[UsefulNotes/TheMillenniumAgeOfAnimation In the 2000s]] traditionally-animated works fell out of fashion due to blockbuster hits like the Creator/{{Pixar}} films and ''Franchise/{{Shrek}}'' along with the simplicity of animating in CGI compared to traditional animation. While 2D style animation is popular in France and Japan (though many use [[TwoDVisualsThreeDEffects CG elements occasionally]], and CGI cartoons are also prominent) and amongst televised cartoons (though they're usually UsefulNotes/AdobeFlash styled), {{All CGI Cartoon}}s have been rising in popularity over the years, and Western-produced traditionally-animated theatrical films are rare. Thus many series that used to be done in traditional animation have changed to being CGI over the years.

Naturally this is [[BrokenBase highly controversial]] amongst long-time fans and animation buffs. Many people will invariably [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks complain]] whenever a franchise switches to CGI.

* The CGI animation combined with the lack of Franchise/{{Batman}}'s main RoguesGallery are considered two of the main reasons why ''WesternAnimation/BewareTheBatman'' ended up cancelled after one season (and even then it was ScrewedByTheNetwork while airing). Future Franchise/DCComics kid-friendly adaptations are either done in Flash like ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueAction'', ''WebAnimation/DCSuperheroGirls'', and ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitansGo'', or are Franchise/{{LEGO}} styled.

* While ''Franchise/TheSmurfs'' franchise first shifted to CGI with the 2016 animated film ''WesternAnimation/SmurfsTheLostVillage'' by Creator/SonyPicturesAnimation (not counting numerous German and Belgian commercials), the third animated series also titled ''[[WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs2021 The Smurfs]]'' first released in French-speaking regions of Belgium on April 18, 2021 and an American release on September 10th, 2021. Is the first animated series completely animated in CGI, unlike previous works featuring the titular blue characters.

* The ''Animation/PleasantGoatAndBigBigWolf'' season ''Mighty Goat Squad'' is the first season of the series to be animated in CGI.

* The original ''[=AstroLOLogy=]'' shorts were done in Flash while the later prototypes and final products are in CGI.

* {{Inverted}} by ''Anime/HaruhiChan''. The first four episodes were animated in CG. Starting with the fifth episode and through to the end of the series, it switched to traditional animation.

* The ''Animation/PleasantGoatAndBigBigWolf'' spin-off ''Pleasant Goat Fun Class'', like the main show, is primarily 2D animation. Its seventh season ''Mighty Goat Squad'' is the first season - not just of ''Fun Class'', but of ''Pleasant Goat'' as a whole - to be animated in CGI.

[[UsefulNotes/TheMilenniumAgeOfAnimation In the 2000s]] traditionally-animated works fell out of fashion due to blockbuster hits like the Creator/{{Pixar}} films and ''Franchise/{{Shrek}}'' along with the simplicity of animating in CGI compared to traditional animation. While 2D style animation is popular in France and Japan (though many use [[TwoDVisualsThreeDEffects CG elements occasionally]], and CGI cartoons are also prominent) and amongst televised cartoons (though they're usually UsefulNotes/AdobeFlash styled), {{All CGI Cartoon}}s have been rising in popularity over the years, and Western-produced traditionally-animated theatrical films are rare. Thus many series that used to be done in traditional animation have changed to being CGI over the years.

In the 2000s traditionally-animated works fell out of fashion due to blockbuster hits like the Creator/{{Pixar}} films and ''Franchise/{{Shrek}}'' along with the simplicity of animating in CGI compared to traditional animation. While 2D style animation is popular in France and Japan (though many use [[TwoDVisualsThreeDEffects CG elements occasionally]], and CGI cartoons are also prominent) and amongst televised cartoons (though they're usually UsefulNotes/AdobeFlash styled), {{All CGI Cartoon}}s have been rising in popularity over the years, and Western-produced traditionally-animated theatrical films are rare. Thus many series that used to be done in traditional animation have changed to being CGI over the years.

* Parodied in ''WesternAnimation/RockosModernLife'' special ''[[WesternAnimation/RockosModernLifeStaticCling Static Cling]]'', when the Chameleon Bros. make a new version of the Fatheads in CGI.

* Parodied in ''WesternAnimation/RockosModernLife'' special ''Static Cling'', when the chameleon twins makes a new version of the Fatheads in GCI.

[[folder:Web Animation]]
* The original ''[=AstroLOLogy=]'' shorts were done in Flash while the later prototypes and final products are in CGI.
[[/folder]]

* For the first eleven seasons, ''WesternAnimation/ThomasAndFriends'' was animated using scale train models and wooden figures of people and animals. Season 12 was used as a transition to CGI, as while it still used the scale train models, CGI was used for the engines' faces, as well as the people and animals. Seasons 13 through 24 has the entire show animated in CGI. The ContinuityReboot ''[[WesternAnimation/ThomasAndFriendsAllEnginesGo All Engines Go!]]'' averts this and shifts to 2D animation by Nelvana.

* In 2011, Nelvana's ''Literature/{{Franklin}}'' was rebooted as an all-CGI cartoon called ''Franklin and Friends''.

* ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'' was all hand-drawn animation until the release of ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars'', which was all CGI. From then on, the next series would shift between [[ZigZaggingTrope inverting and playing this trope straight]] with ''WesternAnimation/BeastMachines'' also being CG, while ''Anime/TransformersRobotsInDisguise'' and ''[[Anime/TransformersArmada Armada]]'' went back to 2D, only for ''[[Anime/TransformersEnergon Energon]]'', and [[Anime/TransformersCybertron Cybertron]] to bring the CG back. The trend would continue with ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated'', [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin also inverting this trope]]. The [[Franchise/TransformersAlignedUniverse ''Aligned Universe'']] (''WesternAnimation/TransformersPrime'', ''WesternAnimation/TransformersGo'' and ''WesternAnimation/TransformersRobotsInDisguise2015'') also went back to being all CG before ''WesternAnimation/TransformersRescueBots'' once again inverted the trope.

* For the first eleven seasons, ''WesternAnimation/ThomasAndFriends'' was animated using scale train models and wooden figures of people and animals. Season 12 was used as a transition to CGI, as while it still used the scale train models, CGI was used for the engines' faces, as well as the people and animals. Seasons 13 through 24 has the entire show animated in CGI. The ContinuityReboot ''All Engines Go!'' averts this and shifts to 2D animation by Nelvana.

* The Creator/BlueSkyStudios ''WesternAnimation/ThePeanutsMovie'' was the first CGI ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'' adaptation. It was done in a non-traditional style that resembles the original comic.

* While ''WesternAnimation/{{Arthur}}'' never made the shift (instead it shifted to a Flash-like animation style in season 16), the 2006 DirectToVideo film ''Arthur's Missing Pal'' was entirely in CGI. The characters looked... [[UncannyValley Off]].

* For the first eleven seasons, ''WesternAnimation/ThomasAndFriends'' was animated using scale train models and wooden figures of people and animals. Season 12 was used as a transition to CGI, as while it still used the scale train models, CGI was used for the engines' faces, as well as the people and animals. Season 13 through 24 has the entire show animated in CGI all the way up until Season 24. Starting in Season 25, the series averts this and shifts to 2D animation by Nelvana.

* The WesternAnimation/ClassicDisneyShorts characters zig-zag in and out of this trope. The preschool aimed ''WesternAnimation/MickeyMouseClubhouse'' was an AllCGICartoon and it was the only thing WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse was in for years. Similarly, the original ''WesternAnimation/MickeysOnceUponAChristmas'' was traditionally animated but [[WesternAnimation/MickeysTwiceUponAChristmas the sequel]] was not. The 2013 short ''WesternAnimation/GetAHorse'' mixes 2D animated "classic" designs with CGI "modern" ones but the ''WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse2013'' shorts are not in CGI. The 2017 cartoon, ''WesternAnimation/MickeyAndTheRoadsterRacers'' , is also CGI like ''Clubhouse'' was.
* The films avert this but in terms of television cartoons ''Franchise/WinnieThePooh'' switched with ''My Friends Tigger And Pooh'' from 2007. Previously everything had been done with either puppets or traditional animation. When the characters appeared on ''WesternAnimation/DocMcStuffins'' in 2017, they were also CGI just like the show is, though the two flashbacks in the episode are hand-drawn.

* ''WesternAnimation/BluesCluesAndYou'' the reboot of the original ''WesternAnimation/BluesClues'', has the animated characters done in CGI.

* This happened to ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug'' during ''production''. The original idea was for it to be an {{animesque}} cartoon similar looking to ''Franchise/PrettyCure'' aimed at teens. The original 2012 trailer shows the original concept. Networks [[AnimationAgeGhetto didn't want the cartoon]] so the animesque style was mostly scrapped (for example Marinette lost her IdiotHair, though that could have been due to NoFlowInCGI) and it was changed into an AllCGICartoon aimed at a younger audience.

* While ''Franchise/TheSmurfs'' franchise first shifted to CGI with the 2016 animated film ''WesternAnimation/SmurfsTheLostVillage'' by Creator/SonyPicturesAnimation (not counting numerous German and Belgian commercials), the third animated series also titled ''WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs2021'' that first released in French-speaking regions of Belgium on April 18, 2021 and an American release on September 10th, 2021. Is the first animated series completely animated in CGI, unlike previous works featuring the titular blue characters.

* While ''Franchise/TheSmurfs'' franchise first shifted to CGI with the 2016 animated film ''WesternAnimation/SmurfsTheLostVillage'' by Creator/SonyPicturesAnimation (not counting numerous German and Belgian commercials), the third animated series also titled ''The Smurfs'' that first released in French-speaking regions of Belgium on April 18, 2021 and an American release on September 10th, 2021. Is the first animated series completely animated in CGI, unlike previous works featuring the titular blue characters.