Part 7/11:
The consensus among industry veterans is that animation, especially in Western markets, is undervalued compared to live-action. Studios view animated content primarily as a way to attract children and families and are reluctant to take risks on original ideas. As a result, only properties with pre-existing audiences or franchise potential have any chance of success.
This has led to the stagnation of fresh content and a declining pipeline of innovative ideas. It also discourages newcomers from entering the field unless they are prepared to be entrepreneurial, self-fund projects, or build audiences first.