Some dude bro on the internet talking about the new She-Ra reboot: Ugh SJWs are taking over cartoons and making them all preachy. I hate it when shows try to push an agenda on kids. Why can’t they be like they used to be, you know?
Original He-Man, looking straight at the audience: We had a lot of fun here today, but you know what isn’t fun? Judging others based on how they look. Not liking a person because he or she is a different race or religion is wrong. Also, plant a tree, and don’t do drugs.
Lou Scheimer was born to a German Jewish family and believed that his cartoons had a responsibility to teach children kindness and respect for everybody.
Back then there were also MILITANT divides between “boy’s” and “girl’s” entertainment but when he found out He-Man had at least a small following of little girls he pitched the concept of He-Man’s sister She-Ra and was insistent she be as tough a warrior as her brother. He saw that girls actually did like “scary” sword and sorcery and had a WHOLE NEW FUCKING SHOW made so they could feel acknowledged and have a heroine to look up to with her very own series.
Later he would help design a whole new sci-fi fantasy setting with the most creative control he ever had, Bravestarr, and was adamant that the hero be a Native American man, the first ever in a starring role on a kid’s action show. He also wanted Bravestarr to be a positive role model by being a patient, gentle, soft spoken man who abhors violence and avoids using guns at all costs.
These cartoons are remembered as schlocky toy commercials and they ARE entertaining that way but real love went into them by a really wonderful guy who sincerely hoped he’d make his fans at least a little more sensitive even as he reeled them in with barbarians and robots.
