Line #38 Main/ShiftedToCGI


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4	[[quoteright:350:[[Franchise/{{Asterix}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/asterix_shifted_to_cgi_7.png]]]]
5	[[caption-width-right:350:Top: ''WesternAnimation/AsterixConquersAmerica'' (1994).\
6	Bottom: ''WesternAnimation/TheSecretOfTheMagicPotion'' (2018).]]
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12	[[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 produced through digital animation programs like UsefulNotes/AdobeFlash or UsefulNotes/ToonBoom), {{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.
13
14	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.
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16	Compare to the VideoGame3DLeap for a video game counterpart where games went from mostly sprites to 3D models.
17
18	----
19	!!Examples:
20	[[foldercontrol]]
21
22	[[folder:Advertising]]
23	* Zig-zagged with the Advertising/EnergizerBunny, the American mascot for Energizer Batteries. From 1989 to the early 2000s, the Bunny was a remote-controlled model that ran on the batteries it was advertising. This proved difficult for the company during filming due to how much power the model consumed (40 batteries, all in the drum of the model, were used to power it). In the early 2000's, the Bunny was animated in CGI as part of Energizer's "Do You Have the Bunny Inside?" campaign, in which he would dance inside an Energizer battery. After the campaign ended in the mid-2000's, the remote-controlled model of the Bunny was brought back for commercials. As of the 2010's, the Bunny is animated in full CGI, with an ArtEvolution happening in 2016.
24	* The end card of commercials for the American carpeting company Empire Today featuring their famous PhoneNumberJingle was hand-animated from 1984 to 2004 before becoming computer animated starting in 2005.
25	* The mascot to Kid Cuisine has switched to being CGI animated.
26	* Advertising/MAndMs commercials were traditionally animated since 1962. In 1994, one year before the first ''Franchise/ToyStory'' movie hit theaters, the [=M&M's=] started to appear in CGI, partially so [[RogerRabbitEffect they could interact with real people]], and have been depicted as such ever since.
27	* In 1998 Tony the Tiger, the mascot of Kellogg's Frosted Flakes (Frosties in some countries) cereal, switched from being traditionally animated to being CGI for a while. He was switched back after it was decided he looked better traditionally animated. In the 2010s they revived the concept though.
28	* This would eventually happen to fellow Kellogg's cereal brand, Froot Loops in 2013, with the commercials from that point onwards switching to to fully being CGI animated, with Advertising/ToucanSam later being switched to full CGI on Froot Loops boxes later on that year.
29	** Surprisingly, despite the commercials switching to being full CGI, Toucan Sam remained as a 2D shaded character on Froot Loops boxes from some international countries (like Germany, South Africa, Philippines, Australia (until later switching to CGI Toucan Sam in about the early-2020s) and the Latin Americas, until some Latin American countries started to ban mascots from sugary cereals starting later in the 2010s, which saw Toucan Sam removed from some Latin American Froot Loops boxes as a result).
30	* UK-exclusive Kellogg's brand, Coco Pops mainly used traditional animation in its commercials until fully rebooting to be CGI animated in 2011.
31	* Creator/ChuckECheese was originally human-sized and 2D animated in commercials, but in July 2012 he was given a 3D redesign and changed to the size of a normal rodent.
32	[[/folder]]
33
34	[[folder:Anime]]
35	* The ''Anime/OneStormyNight'' film was traditionally animated. The anime series ''Anime/OneStormyNightSecretFriends'', which is a separate adaptation of [[Literature/OneStormyNight the books]] and features Mei as a female, was an AllCGICartoon.
36	* Creator/ShirowMasamune's ''Manga/{{Appleseed}}'' had a one-shot OVA adaptation in 1988, but in 2004 received a new adaptation in the form of CGI. After that, a couple of movies and a 13-episode OVA were released, all of them in CGI too. Sadly, [[InNameOnly none of them share the story of the original manga]].
37	* ''Manga/{{Gantz}}'' had an all-CGI movie entitled ''GANTZ: O'' which was released in 2016 and focused on the events of the Nurarihyon Seijin arc of the manga.
38	* ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamMSIGLOO'' is the first CGI Franchise/{{Gundam}} series which is part of the early Universal Century timeline and is set during the One Year War.
39	* While previous anime adaptations of ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'' were mostly traditionally animated, ''Anime/Berserk2016'' is mostly in [[CelShading Cel-Shaded]] 3D with small parts in 2D.
40	* The first season of ''Anime/BangDream'' was animated in 2D by Issen and Creator/{{Xebec}}. From Season 2 on, it and its [[DistaffCounterpart Spear Counterpart]] ''Music/{{Argonavis}} from [=BanG=] Dream!'' are done in full 3D by Creator/SanzigenAnimationStudio.
41	* The 1998 adaptation of ''Manga/{{Trigun}}'' was animated entirely in 2d, the 2010 movie [[TwoDVisualsThreeDEffects was animated primarily in 2D with some CGI effects]], but the 2023 reboot anime ''Trigun Stampede'' is animated entirely in CGI.
42	* {{Inverted\|Trope}} by ''Manga/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.
43	* The first theatrical ''Anime/LupinIII'' film since 1996,[[note]]Not counting the crossover ''Lupin Vs. Detective Conan: The Movie'' or the limited theatrical releases of the three Koike films[[/note]] ''Anime/LupinIIITheFirst'' was widely praised for bringing the characters and cartoony style of the series to 3D CG animation.
44	* The original ''Anime/SailorMoon'' anime ran in the 90s and was entirely cel animation. ''Anime/SailorMoonCrystal'', on the other hand, used CGI for the soldiers' {{transformation sequence}}s. The results were fairly divisive, with some praising the technological advances with others deriding the uncanniness of the characters in 3D but with the same anime features. Likely in response to the criticism, Season 3 replaces them with new hand-drawn transformations.
45	* After the 1986 2D adaptation of ''Manga/SaintSeiya'', later adaptations such as ''Anime/SaintSeiyaLegendOfSanctuary'' and ''Anime/SaintSeiyaKnightsOfTheZodiac'' were full CGI.
46	* ''Anime/DragonBallSuperSuperHero'' is animated in [[CelShading Cel-Shaded]] 3D, when the previous ''Franchise/DragonBall'' movies and TV series were traditionally animated.
47	[[/folder]]
48
49	[[folder:Asian Animation]]
50	* The ''Animation/PleasantGoatFunClass'' season ''Mighty Goat Squad'' is the first season of that series, and the larger ''Animation/PleasantGoatAndBigBigWolf'' series it's based on, to be animated in CGI.
51	[[/folder]]
52
53	[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
54	* Most of Creator/AFilm's 90's and early 2000's movies were 2D, but starting by 2004 they shifted mostly to CGI (pic related in fact, as they're responsible for all ''Franchise/{{Asterix}}'' animated movies). Interestingly enough, however, they are still commissioned for 2D animation for other projects; ''WesternAnimation/TheRedTurtle'' is a notable recent example.
55	* 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/Shrek1'' 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.
56	* Franchise/DisneyAnimatedCanon:
57	** The Disney Animated Canon slowly made the shift. After the underwhelming performance of ''WesternAnimation/TreasurePlanet'' and ''WesternAnimation/BrotherBear'', they declared that ''WesternAnimation/HomeOnTheRange'' will be their last 2D animated film. Their first attempts at AllCGICartoon, such as ''WesternAnimation/ChickenLittle'' and ''WesternAnimation/MeetTheRobinsons'', were not particularly successful though the latter was critically better received than the former. ''WesternAnimation/{{Bolt}}'' seemed to break the streak, and starting with ''WesternAnimation/{{Tangled}}'' (which was originally to be done in a 2D/3D mix ala ''WesternAnimation/{{Paperman}}'' but was changed due to developmental issues) all of their AllCGICartoon films are major hits. They made two attempts to return to the 2D animation they used to be famous for, but the lukewarm success of ''WesternAnimation/ThePrincessAndTheFrog'' and ''WesternAnimation/WinnieThePooh2011'', paired up with such CGI blockbusters as ''WesternAnimation/Frozen2013'' (which was announced as a traditionally animated film but was quickly changed to CGI) and ''WesternAnimation/{{Zootopia}}'', means that we shouldn't expect any 2D Disney films in the near future.
58	** As for characters, ''WesternAnimation/RalphBreaksTheInternet'' features the Franchise/DisneyPrincess characters (well, those who weren't CGI to begin with) in CGI during a sequence taking place within a Disney-themed website.
59	* Creator/BlueSkyStudios' ''WesternAnimation/ThePeanutsMovie'' was the first CGI ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'' adaptation, and was done in a non-traditional style that resembles the old TV specials (I.E animating on irregular intervals like two's), although it's also an early example of PaintedCGI, as it also uses 2D elements in ImagineSpot moments, as well as for Pigpens' dustmites, and other miselleneous effects, so as to reference the old comic strips.
60	* After eight traditionally animated films, ''WesternAnimation/TheMansionsOfTheGods'' was the first AnimatedAdaptation of the ''ComicBook/{{Asterix}}'' comics that was entirely made in CGI.
61	* ''Heathcliff: Bad Kitty'' was an attempt at doing this. It was an AllCGICartoon direct-to-video movie about ''ComicStrip/{{Heathcliff}}'' meant to introduce him to newer audiences. It featured Creator/FrankWelker (who voices [[DuelingShows rival]] Garfield in ''WesternAnimation/TheGarfieldShow'') as the voice of Heathcliff. The idea, however, fell through the water. There was a TV show meant to go with the film however it was to be Flash animated, not CG, but that also never came to be.
62	* The first three of ''WesternAnimation/TheSwanPrincess'' films were all traditionally animated. After a SequelGap of 14 years, the series was inexplicably revived with ''The Swan Princess Christmas'' in 2012. It is completely CGI and features a new voice cast.
63	* The traditionally animated Hungarian film ''Animation/VukTheLittleFox'' got a 3D CGI sequel called ''The Fox's Tale'' several decades later. The poor animation was one of the many reasons the sequel was [[{{Sequelitis}} universally disliked]].
64	* The two Disney ''WesternAnimation/PeterPan'' [[WesternAnimation/ReturnToNeverland films]] are traditionally animated while the spinoff series ''Franchise/DisneyFairies'' is CGI.
65	* The first ''WesternAnimation/MonsterHigh'' DTV film, as well as early webtoons, were animated in Flash. Starting with the second film, the series shifted to CGI.
66	* ''WesternAnimation/TheSpongeBobMovieSpongeOnTheRun''; while the first ''[=SpongeBob=]'' [[WesternAnimation/TheSpongeBobSquarePantsMovie movie]] was 2D animation with live-action portions and ''[[WesternAnimation/TheSpongeBobMovieSpongeOutOfWater Sponge Out of Water]]'' has a part near the end that has the characters shift to CGI, ''Sponge on the Run'' is fully CGI-animated.
67	* ''WesternAnimation/PostmanPat'' had a theatrical movie that was animated in CGI. [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks Let's just say that it wasn't as good as the TV series]].
68	* The third ''WesternAnimation/JungledyretHugo'' movie.
69	* The ''Animation/HappyHeroes'' movie series started to utilize CGI in 2022 with the third movie ''Animation/HappyHeroesTheStones'', the previous movies instead being in 2D like the show. To an extent, it shifted back to 2D in the fourth movie, ''Animation/HappyHeroesMultiverseRescue''; while the environments are 3D, the characters are 2D.
70	* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyANewGeneration'', a DistantSequel to the 2D-animated ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', is rendered in detailed 3D animation.
71	* ''Film/ChipNDaleRescueRangers2022'': InUniverse, 2D toons can go through a CGI lift. To look more modern, like Dale did, and/or in order to be cast into a live-action remake like Baloo did.
72	[[/folder]]
73
74	[[folder:Web Animation]]
75	* The original ''WebAnimation/AstroLOLogy'' shorts were done in Flash while the later prototypes and final products are in CGI.
76	[[/folder]]
77
78	[[folder:Western Animation]]
79	* This happened to ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug'' during ''production''. The original idea was for it to be an {{animesque}} cartoon similar looking to ''Anime/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.
80	* With the exception of three DirectToVideo movies, ''Franchise/CareBears'' adaptations were all traditionally animated until ''WesternAnimation/CareBearsWelcomeToCareALot''.
81	* All ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' adaptations were traditionally animated until ''WesternAnimation/SonicBoom'', which uses a CGI styling. It doesn't stand out because the games have been 3D since ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure'' and it's done in the same fashion as the games.
82	* 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.
83	* The pitch trailer for a ''WesternAnimation/CourageTheCowardlyDog'' reboot was in CGI. All the voices were [[RoleReprise reprised]] [[TheOtherDarrin except]] for Eustace's (due to his voice actor's death).
84	* 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 Creator/{{Nelvana}}.
85	* Starting in season 2, ''WesternAnimation/ShimmerAndShine'' is animated in CGI.
86	* ''WesternAnimation/SofiaTheFirst'' does this for most Franchise/DisneyPrincess characters. Whenever they appear they are in the same CGI style as everything else.
87	* 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. ''[[WesternAnimation/MickeyAndTheRoadsterRacers Mickey Mouse Roadster Racers & Mixed-Up Adventures]]'' and ''WesternAnimation/MickeyMouseFunhouse'' are also CGI like ''Clubhouse'' was.
88	* The films avert this but in terms of television cartoons ''Franchise/WinnieThePooh'' switched with ''WesternAnimation/MyFriendsTiggerAndPooh'' in 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.
89	* 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 canceled after one season (and even then it was ScrewedByTheNetwork while airing). Future Franchise/DCComics kid-friendly adaptations are either done in 2D animation like ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueAction'', ''WebAnimation/DCSuperheroGirls'', and ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitansGo'', or are Franchise/{{LEGO}} styled (a different style of 3DCG animation).
90	* In 2009 ''WesternAnimation/BobTheBuilder'' switched from stop-motion to CGI. The reboot is completely CGI animated as well.
91	* ''WesternAnimation/InspectorGadget2015'' is a reboot of ''WesternAnimation/InspectorGadget'' done in CGI.
92	* ''WesternAnimation/SabrinaSecretsOfATeenageWitch'' is the first ''ComicBook/SabrinaTheTeenageWitch'' adaptation done in CGI. Previously they had all been live-action or traditionally animated.
93	* In 2009 ''WesternAnimation/AngelinaBallerina'' was changed from traditional animation into an AllCGICartoon. For whatever reason, the show also gave Angelina's design a GirlinessUpgrade--she went from a standard white mouse who wore multiple styles to [[AmazingTechnicolorWildlife light pink]] and almost always wearing her pink ballet dress and slippers.
94	* In 2011, Creator/{{Nelvana}}'s ''Literature/{{Franklin}}'' was rebooted as an all-CGI cartoon called ''Franklin and Friends''.
95	* ''ComicStrip/{{Garfield}}'' has had numerous traditionally-animated adaptations, but 2009's ''WesternAnimation/TheGarfieldShow'' is CGI.
96	* A ''WesternAnimation/FelixTheCat'' reboot announced in 2013 was meant to do this for the franchise, albeit while mixing in Flash elements. It ended up canned for unknown reasons.
97	* There have been two ''Franchise/StarWars'' cartoons about the Clone Wars. ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsCloneWars'' aired first and used traditional animation while ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars'' aired a few years later and was CGI.
98	* ''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. Successive shows ''WesternAnimation/TransformersCyberverse'' was again in CG, albeit it ran alongside the 2D animated show ''WesternAnimation/TransformersRescueBotsAcademy''. The first Netflix show ''WesternAnimation/TransformersWarForCybertronTrilogy'' was CG again, but after that came ''WesternAnimation/TransformersBotBots'', another 2D show.
99	* Creator/{{Nelvana}}'s ''Literature/{{Babar}}'' television series, as well as the theatrical movies, were all traditionally animated. ''WesternAnimation/BabarAndTheAdventuresOfBadou'', starting in 2011, is CGI.
100	* ''WesternAnimation/BluesCluesAndYou'', the reboot of the original ''WesternAnimation/BluesClues'', has the animated characters done in CGI.
101	* The original movie ''WesternAnimation/SpiritStallionOfTheCimarron'' is 2D, but its Creator/{{Netflix}} spin-off series ''WesternAnimation/SpiritRidingFree'' is cel-shaded CGI.
102	* Inverted with ''WesternAnimation/BigHero6TheSeries''. The original [[WesternAnimation/BigHero6 film]] was an AllCGICartoon; however, the cartoon series is hand-drawn.
103	* ''WesternAnimation/TangledTheSeries'' also inverts this. ''WesternAnimation/{{Tangled}}'' was CGI but its cartoon midquel is in hand-drawn animation.
104	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Unikitty}}'' is an inversion. The movie Unikitty originated from, ''WesternAnimation/TheLEGOMovie'', was a CGI movie designed to look like LEGO bricks, while the show is a Flash-animated one.
105	* The original ''WesternAnimation/{{Muppet Babies\|1984}}'' was traditionally animated. The [[WesternAnimation/MuppetBabies2018 2018 reboot]] is an AllCGICartoon.
106	* Inverted with ''WesternAnimation/LarryBoyTheCartoonAdventures'', a traditionally-animated spin-off of the CGI ''WesternAnimation/VeggieTales''.
107	* ''WesternAnimation/AskTheStorybots'' has a case of this happening during the show itself. The [=StoryBots=] are traditionally animated when they're in the computer world, but shift to CGI when they reach the Outer World.
108	* While ''WesternAnimation/WinxClub'' does shift to CGI several times in the show itself when the girls enter another realm, the movies, on the other hand, are fully in CGI.
109	* ''WesternAnimation/MagicAdventuresOfMumfie'''s reboot, ''[[WesternAnimation/Mumfie2018 Mumfie]]'', has the characters done in a CGI style that seems to emulate plastic toys.
110	* 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. It's the first animated series completely animated in CGI, unlike previous works featuring the titular blue characters.
111	* Parodied in the ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' episode "Back to the Pilot", where Stewie and Brian travel five years into the future and see that the show is now in CGI, [[SelfDeprecation while the writing has become straight and to the point rather than attempting to make any kind of joke]].
112	* Parodied in the ''WesternAnimation/RockosModernLife'' special ''[[WesternAnimation/RockosModernLifeStaticCling Static Cling]]'', when the Chameleon Bros. make a new version of the Fatheads in CGI.
113	* The original ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats\|1991}}'' was traditionally animated, while the [[WesternAnimation/Rugrats2021 2021 reboot]] is in CGI.
114	[[/folder]]

Context Main / ShiftedToCGI