The Best Cartoons Based on Real Events

Cartoons almost always tell us funny stories; their plots are often based on cautionary tales, and the heroes become role models. Often, cartoons exaggerate reality or generally depict fiction to give drama and convey their message. Nevertheless, animated narratives are an important part of the formation of modern culture. If you pay for essay, you can get an amazing paper on the development of animation techniques or the history of animation in general. 

However, animated cartoons are far from always fictional stories. As you know, life is the best storyteller, and cartoonists at different times often drew inspiration for their creations from real-life stories. Further, we offer to remember some of the best-animated films based on real historical events and characters. 

“Balto” 

The cartoon “Balto” is about a brave dog who, in 1925, participated in the so-called Great Race of Mercy. The backstory is that in the town of Nome in Alaska, an outbreak of diphtheria began, and medicine in the settlement was not enough. Because of the snowstorm, there was no way to deliver the serum by airplane, and the medicine could only be delivered to the town of Nenana. From there to Nome was a journey of 1,085 kilometers. To deliver the medicine, a dog sled relay race was organized. The relay on the last section of the route, which was 52 kilometers long, was just lucky to be led by Balto. The dog, named after the Norwegian explorer Samuel Balto, was, in reality, the first-time leader of the sled, but he excelled and navigated by sniffing in the snowstorm. 

This touching story tells of the heroic deeds of many people and dogs who took part in this relay race. Because Balto passed one of the most difficult parts of the journey, and it was he who delivered the serum, the dog and his master became national heroes of the United States, and his monument to this day stands installed in Central Park in New York.

 “Mulan” 

Disney’s animated movie “Mulan,” though based on a legend, has real historical roots in Chinese culture. Mulan, a woman who went to war in place of her father, is a well-known Chinese story. Historians still debate whether the girl who fought for years under the guise of a man, keeping her true identity from friends and enemies alike, existed in reality. Still, her heroic figure is certainly an important element of Chinese history. 

Although the cartoon takes many artistic liberties, the basic point remains that anyone, regardless of position or gender, should be able to do what they love and be respected for their accomplishments. Disney has added fictional characters, such as the dragon MuShu, to make the story more entertaining and relatable to Western audiences. Still, the key message of Mulan’s strength and bravery remains the same.

“The Secret of Kells” 

This animated movie is a solid, marvelous, magical tale about the spirit of the forest and other characters from Celtic legends. It is extremely difficult to conceive of anything real when watching it, especially considering that the action occurred in the 9th century A.D. Nevertheless, the historical background is clear – about Viking invaders, artists, chroniclers, and the magnificent Book of Kells. The Irish cartoon created by Cartoon Saloon Studios tells the story of the creation of this book, which is considered one of the most important artifacts of medieval art. The Book of Kells is a beautifully illustrated gospel created by monks in the 8th century. The movie tells the story of a boy named Brendan who helps the monks complete this amazing manuscript amidst a Viking invasion. 

What makes this cartoon unique is not only its story but also its animation style. The whole art style of the picture is inspired by and tries to convey the real illustrations from the iconic book. The real handwritten folio can be seen even now if you go to Dublin and visit Trinity College.

“Pocahontas” 

“Pocahontas” is another Disney Studios animated movie based on the story of a real character, a very young Indian girl who helped the first settlers in Virginia and, in particular, John Smith. It is worth saying that the cartoon quite seriously romanticizes the real events described in the sources. In reality, colonists and native Indians often conflicted with each other and even fought over resources. Pocahontas, whose name translates as the little naughty girl, was the daughter of the chief, and in reality, she actually saved John Smith from execution by covering him with her body. She later became something of a conduit between the native people of Virginia and the first settlers. 

Disney adapted her story, creating a more adventurous and romantic plot, which helped show the importance of cross-cultural interaction. However, it has received criticism for portraying events as not being very close to facts and over-simplifying the story. Irrespective, it still serves as a brilliant example of an animated movie based on real events; it allows its viewers to experience the history they might have never known about the colonists and learn more about it soon.

“The Wind Rises” 

Japanese anime genius Hayao Miyazaki’s “The Wind Rises” headed the saddest and most touching projects list of Studio Ghibli. This cartoon tells the story of a real airplane designer, Romantic Jiro Horikoshi, who wanted to be a pilot but could not realize his dream because of problems with his eyesight. Jiro Horikoshi dreamed of building airplanes so that people could feel freedom and see the wonder of nature from above. But against his will, he played a sad role in the Japanese history page by becoming the creator of the Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter jet.

Conclusion

Cartoons based on true events are a great way to introduce children to the study of history. Nevertheless, they also lay down many topics that adults can think about. And thanks to the fact that animation can convey complex themes and embody unforgettable images, this subgenre of animation definitely does not go anywhere.