Since its release in 1999, SpongeBob has evolved into an icon in today’s world. Known for its goofy humor and silly editing techniques, SpongeBob has evolved for the newer generation. The storylines have grown more complex, moving from simple adventures in Bikini Bottom to finding new lights to entertain the newer generation; the show has never let down its creativity throughout the seasons. 

Many young children of this generation watch YouTube as their Disney Channel or Nickelodeon. But the 2000s generation remembers SpongeBob as this quirky yellow sponge who was just living his life in Bikini Bottom with his friends. Many viewers have seen drastic changes in the show’s evolution since the departure of SpongeBob’s creator, Stephen Hillenburg, who sadly died in 2018.

Some say that SpongeBob’s style began to change with its story plot because of the creator’s passing. They say that the show created spin-offs, showing repetitiveness within past episodes shown in earlier seasons, such as the episode “Bubblestand,” first released in 1999, compared to the episode “Bubble Town,” later released in 2018.

Within its animation style, in seasons 1-4, the yellow sponge seemed to be a goofier character, while in seasons 5-8, SpongeBob seemed to have a “cuter” appearance to the viewers. With seasons 9-15 (as of now), SpongeBob SquarePants has a more saturated and brightened color palette than the show originally started in 1999. 

With the show’s history and bright pink star, Patrick, his funny, goofy personality made it big enough for Patrick to have his own show. The Patrick Star Show was recently released in 2021. Many viewers have mixed opinions about the show, not revealing the “true emotions” of Patrick Star.

Some say that Patrick’s show doesn’t have as good of a concept as SpongeBob SquarePants. Within the show, many people noticed that Patrick’s family is very different from the first time we saw his family in SpongeBob SquarePants, making fans feel disconnected. Other viewers say that the new concept shows a unique style of differences among the different sea creatures. 

At the end of the decision, the choice to update, change and evolve the animation style within SpongeBob and the other shows/movies beyond the franchise shows how animators need to balance goofiness with nostalgia. While brighter animations can improve the visuals and keep their audience in check, they can also risk backlash from fans who prefer the original, goofy style.

As preferences continue to change, changing the concept of many SpongeBob shows/episodes can grasp the attention of the newer generations, helping them understand and relate. It’s never right or wrong to change animations.