The Analysis Of Spongebob SquarePants
SpongeBob SquarePants is a Nickelodeon cartoon that aired on May 1st, 1999. It was created by Stephen Hillenburg who was a marine biologist. Hillenburg attended California Institute of Arts in 1989 to study Animation. He later worked on Rocko’s Modern World (1993-1996). During 1994 he started designing The Intertidal Zone characters that soon after developed and went on to be what we know now as SpongeBob SquarePants. Little did anyone know how SpongeBob would take over the world.
SpongeBob is one of the only shows that have stuck around since the late 90’s. While other cartoons from around it’s time such as Rocko’s Modern Life, Rugrats, Rocket Power, and many more seemed to die out after a few years. It having about 12 seasons so far on Nickelodeon with no end in sight. Having built such a dedicated fanbase throughout the years which help it stay relevant. Fans post clips and photos of the episodes pretty much everywhere on the internet. I remember being in elementary school when me and all my friends knew about Spongebob. We would talk about the episodes and make references to the show. Now being in college and seeing that that hasn’t changed and that you are never too old to make a SpongeBob joke and when you do the chances of someone else getting the reference or joke is very likely. No other cartoon on Nickelodeon can compare to SpongeBob’s longevity and the dedication that the audience had to it. I mean, c’mon, there was even a petition for SpongeBob’s song ‘Sweet Victory’ to be played at the Super Bowl. And it happened! Well, for a few seconds until Maroon 5 ruined it. I’m not bitter. In all seriousness though, I can’t imagine something like that happening for any other television show or cartoon. Whether it’s all for a big meme or it’s genuine love for the show, it’s awesome.
Spongebob himself has become such a popular character thats its almost impossible to for anyone to not know who he is. In a way you can compare him to other popular characters such as Mickey Mouse who is an iconic household name, yet most people do not sit around and watch Mickey Mouse cartoons on replay. Yet there are multiple channels on YouTube that post live streams of endless hours of SpongeBob episodes on loop.
SpongeBob has also expanded in terms of its merchandise. You could probably find any object with a SpongeBob theme or design on it. Whether it’s clothing, stickers, office supplies, candy, etc. The Show had generated about $13,000,000,000 in revenue on merchandise alone. So the chances that Spongebob will ever see an end are very low. Although Spongebob has also in some ways sold out, audiences don't really see him as anything other than a cartoon character. But a character like Mickey Mouse turned out to be more of a mascot or a brand now more than it is a cartoon.
Although the show has been around for years, the episodes, the style and the characters have seen some changes throughout the years, both good and bad. Some would say that the first three seasons were the “Golden Age” of Spongebob. The style of the cartoon was a lot darker during the earlier seasons. Whereas the newer seasons such as nine and ten have a brighter and more colorful design. The animation style has also seen some changes in terms of the silliness and exaggeration. The newer seasons see a more rubbery feel and more expressive body language and facial expressions. I personally really like the new style of animation that has come from it over the years, however, others have expressed their dislike for the new style. Some have said it is more juvenile than it used to be and therefore SpongeBob is no longer a likable character. But I will get into that later.
The storylines seem to go in a very different direction now than they did before. The earlier seasons had more mundane storylines with comedic visuals and dialogues. Whereas the later seasons seem to go into a more abstract and random, yet unique approach with more meta jokes. The newer seasons show a strive to try new things and experiment in terms of storyline and animation.
Although many cartoons have come and go over the years Spongebob has evolved with our society and grew organically within it. From being a simple cartoon on television to being used within what we now call “Meme Culture.” If I know anything about this generation is that we all like memes and we all like Spongebob. There are not very many cartoons or characters that can adapt to new generations and its interest.
But what exactly made SpongeBob so popular in the first place? Some might say it’s the comedy. Every reference that has ever been made to Spongebob is on the basis of of something funny that pertains to the show. Whether it is the pacing, the random and eccentric comedy style. But the comedy is not all that different from shows that we’ve seen before. Yet, those cartoons have not lasted as long or has or even come close to being as popular as SpongeBob was and is now.
SpongeBob SquarePants has always been one of my favorite television shows and many people feel the same way. In spite of the fact that some people do not like the changes that have come about from the show over the years, it has not lost its popularity or its relevance.
