Steven Universe creator Rebecca Sugar on animation and the power of empathy
Western animation is in the middle of a golden age. Shows like BoJack Horseman and Rick and Morty have emerged as the new standard-bearers for a kind of cartoon that’s sharp, funny, and insightful, capable of dealing with startlingly nuanced themes, like BoJack‘s honest reflections on the nature of unhappiness. But few efforts in any medium can manage Steven Universe‘s trick of exploring topics like intimacy, love, abuse, and the constant threat of annihilation, while balancing them with thoughts on the simple joy of eating a hot dog. The series started out as a slice-of-life show about a young boy and his magical family, but it’s emerged as one of the most daring, open-hearted series on television today.
The creative force behind the…
