“The writing on the wall is very clear.”

Earlier this month, HBO Max pulled much more beloved animated sequence from its platform, persevering with a development that began again in 2022.

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The streamer—now formally again to its HBO Max branding—has been steadily pivoting away from youngsters’s programming. Instead, it has been leaning into content material aimed toward adults and households.

The cuts started with the removing of a number of youngsters’ animated exhibits in 2022. It was rapidly adopted by the top of the Sesame Street originals deal late final yr.

By January, the purge had expanded to older animated titles.

Fan favorites like Ed, Edd & Eddy and Teen Titans disappeared first, with The Flintstones, The Jetsons, Looney Tunes, Yogi Bear, The Smurfs, Samurai Jack, Jonny Quest, Harvey Birdman, and The Powerpuff Girls following quickly after.

The newest blow got here with the removing of Courage the Cowardly Dog.

At this level, solely Scooby Doo, Where Are You! and The Scooby Doo Show stay from HBO Max’s basic cartoon lineup. 

Anime lineup arrives subsequent month

However, not all of the information is dangerous for animation lovers.

Starting September 1, HBO Max will usher in 20 animated and live-action movies from celebrated Japanese administrators. These embody Hideaki Anno, Makoto Shinkai, and Satoshi Kon.

Some will stream in North America for the primary time. Viewers can count on titles like Children Who Chase Lost Voices (Makoto Shinkai), Fireworks (Akiyuki Shinbo, Nobuyuki Takeuchi), Lonely Castle within the Mirror (Keiichi Hara), and plenty of extra. 

Fans weigh in on the modifications

On Reddit’s r/cartoonnetwork, one consumer requested why these excessive modifications have been taking place on HBO Max recently. 

One commenter wrote that whereas HBO Max hasn’t given an official clarification, “the writing on the wall is very clear”—the service appears to be transferring towards a mature, HBO-style lineup whereas licensing youngsters’s exhibits to different platforms like Hulu.

“At least Fionna and Cake is still on Max,” one other consumer stated.

A 3rd particular person argued that HBO Max isn’t designed to function a Warner Bros. content material vault like Disney+, Peacock, or Paramount+, however quite as “a streaming version of a cable network” focusing on viewers aged 18 to 35.

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