Exploring the Essence of the Rise of Motion Comics in the Information Age - Research Article

Aug 20, 2026

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Explores the essence behind the rise of motion comics in the information age through historical background and technological conditions. Analyzes how mobile internet growth has expanded animation opportunities and how motion comics—short, flat, and fast—have gained momentum as a native mobile platform form. Challenges the vague view of motion comics as a simple fusion of old animation and comics, arguing they originate from the decline of traditional formats and the emergence of information technology, combining strip comics, motion graphics, and short videos.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages6

Reading Time15 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

The Overview of Motion Comics

The Dilemma of Comics and 2D Animation

Journal of Theory and Practice of Social Science ISSN: 2790-1513 DOI: 10.53469/jtpss.2023.03(03).05 Exploring the Essence of the Rise of Motion Comics in the Information Age Zhiyong Zeng Shandong Vocational College of Industry, Zibo, Shandong 255000, China Abstract: This article explores the essence of the rise of Motion comics by analyzing the historical background and technological conditions. In recent years, with the rapid development of mobile internet, the animation industry has also ushered in unprecedented development opportunities, with "Motion comics" characterized by short, flat, and fast gradually developing and growing. However, fora long time, people have had a vague understanding of Motion comics, only seeing them as a product of the fusion of old-fashioned animation and comics. However, this article proposes a different viewpoint. In the article, dynamic comics are a unique form of animation rooted in the decline of traditional animation and comics, and are rooted in the emergence of information technology. The article innovatively proposes that Motion comics are developed based on strip-type comics, the technology of Motion Graphics, and short videos. Keywords: Motion Comics; Strip-type Comics; Motion Graphics; Short Video. 1. INTRODUCTION Chinese animation art has undergone continuous development and growth from the birth of the "Wan Brothers" era, through the age of Chinese cartoon, reform and opening up. Until now, animation has become more active on many mobile internet platforms, meeting the aesthetic needs of generations ofthe public. However, with the decline of traditional video websites such as Youku and iQiyi and the rise of platforms such as Tiktok, BiLiBiLi and Kuai Kan, "Motion comics" characterized by short, flat and fast are gradually growing as a native animation form in the soil of mobile Internet, which has gradually attracted the attention of the academic community. 2. THE OVERVIEW OF MOTION COMICS Motion Comics generally refer to a form of Comics that incorporates some dynamic elements and simple dubbing. It is between animation and Comics, and is a transitional form of the two. It does not require readers to supplement elements outside the screen like Comics, nor does it require tedious processes and huge costs like animation. On the contrary, it is simple, lightweight, and highly narrative, making it a simple animation similar to a storyboard format. But as a new form of anime, motion comics seem to be inherently controversial. Many scholars believe that as an extremely low fidelity form of animation, motion comics have significant controversy over its independent significance; However, some scholars hold different opinions. Lei Chen, from the School of Fine Arts at Tsinghua University, proposed that when we look back at history, we will find that before the official appearance of motion comics, the art form of animation had a history of almost a hundred years, while the art form of comics is even older. If we consider motion comics as an intermediate form between animation and comics, which have a long history, why did this intermediate form emerge more than a hundred years later? He believes that motion comics have unique characteristics and area free-form narrative technique that has emerged in the information society. The research also believes that motion comics are more suitable for the current era background, as they contain enormous development potential and occupy an increasingly important position in the closed-loop of the animation industry. 3. THE DILEMMA OF COMICS AND 2D ANIMATION Animation and comics, as two narrative forms of animation, have a glorious history of over a hundred years. Modern animated images emerged at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries, while the history of comics is even older. These two ancient forms of art began to interweave closely over a hundred years later. Firstly, Japanese manga artist Takeshi Tezuka changed the nar

FAQs

What is the paper's main viewpoint on motion comics?

Motion comics are presented as a distinct animation form rooted in the decline of traditional animation and comics and driven by information technology, rather than merely a fusion of older formats.

Why did motion comics emerge later despite animation and comics having long histories?

The paper attributes the emergence to unique information-society characteristics and area-free-form narrative techniques that fit the current era.

How does mobile internet influence the development of motion comics?

Mobile platforms increase demand for short, fast native content; smartphones and improved communication technologies help comics evolve into strip forms and short videos, supporting motion comics' growth.

Aug 20, 2026

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