Long Story Short: A Comedic Animation Masterpiece

• Raphael Bob-Waksberg has put out a new animation known as “Long Story Short”.
• This piece of work is being hailed as a genius and funny method of concise storytelling.
• The focus of the series is on complex themes such as family relationships, religion, pandemic, and generational trauma.
• Despite the heavy subject matter, the animation is refreshingly realistic and doesn’t follow typical therapy clichés.

Hot Take

Well, well, if it isn’t Raphael Bob-Waksberg coming back to charm us with another hearty belly laugh – or ten, and this time with even deeper themes! Who knew that when signing up to watch a 3D animation, a therapy session was on the cards? Only this time, you won’t find any eye-rolling jargon; it’s just straight-up, real-life issues packaged in, what I like to call – ‘animated humor therapy’. BoJack Horseman fans, buckle up for a ride down ‘Anim-Emotion Alley’, because Long Story Short isn’t playing around in diving into the nitty-gritty of life. Consider it your 3D animated rollercoaster ride – brace for some ups and downs, but remember to enjoy the view!

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Skwigly Animation Magazine

Experience a storytelling masterpiece with Long Story Short. This sequel to Raphael Bob-Waksberg’s BoJack Horseman is a deep dive into a swirl of family issues, religion, the pandemic and generational trauma, free from cliché therapeutic phrases and rendered with a fresh realism rarely seen in animation.

Unlike other animated series, such as Futurama and BoJack, Long Story Short is rooted entirely in reality, narrating the real-life experience of a Jewish family. Not only does its premise cling to the real world, but the series also employs a unique non-linear narrative that takes you through a family’s life from the 1990s to the 2020s. This, combined with its unique animation style that fuses childlike sketches with stunning visuals, makes this series one of the most memorable in recent years.

The structure of Long Story Short, where episodes may take place at any time from 1990 to 2025, does away with linear momentum. Instead of building traditional suspense, it focuses on creating riveting characters whom you’re excited to learn more about as they navigate their respective interpersonal journeys.

Instead of focusing on grand life events like weddings and births, Long Story Short effectively explores how such events shape its characters. This clever narrative approach helps make the family’s experiences feel authentic and relatable, as if you’re hearing about real people from a close friend.

Unlike BoJack with its anthropomorphic cast, Long Story Short features human characters, making the emotional journey more relatable. The title stands true to its promise, offering a straight-to-the-point narrative with no reliance on fantasy for comedy. Even when striving for absurd humor, the series manages to maintain a delicate balance between emotional depth and laugh-out-loud moments. The overall writing style is also more compact and information-dense, delivering a more concise narrative.

Visually, the series has evolved from the aesthetic of BoJack. Much like the show’s themes of messy relationships and complex life experiences, the artwork captures a feel of nostalgia amidst the chaos of life, making for a visually captivating and thematically coherent experience.

Long Story Short explores a multitude of themes including religion, internalised anti-semitism, parenting, childhood, romance, the pandemic, career anxiety, and more, capturing diverse experiences over a 40-year span while not asserting any absolute conclusion.

As in BoJack, Long Story Short tackles mental health issues and parenthood head-on, without detouring into clichéd therapy talk or trauma metaphors. It unearths the raw elements that build character personalities, whether joyous or traumatic.

In essence, this series explores the complex nature of understanding others, especially in parent-child bonds. Long Story Short is a stellar exploration of family dynamics, striking a fine balance between family drama and animated amusement. With its impactful writing, it makes a powerful statement about family relationships while also providing plenty of laughs.

Raphael Bob-Waksberg’s Long Story Short thoroughly deserves its place in mature animation history – perfectly encapsulating decades-long narratives and providing deep insights into each character with its succinct and impactful writing.

Original article: https://www.skwigly.co.uk/long-story-short-review/