Okay, time for a history lesson. Or, perhaps more accurately, a cultural lesson.
In America, animation was traditionally made for children and that mindset has been prevalent for most of its history. In Japan, most anime is based off of manga. Manga is an art form that here in America we call comic books. But where comic books in American have been for many years denigrated and seen as something for children and nerds, in Japan, manga is respected and is made specifically for different ages and genders and comes in many different styles. Manga and anime for children is, in general, simplified and not very different from what you see in American animation. If you go back to early forms of anime made for children, you’ll see that even more.
However, if you take manga that is written for teenagers or adults, you naturally find a much more sophisticated and detailed style. That style then needs to be replicated when these stories are made into animation.
But the real deal comes down to money. Because manga and anime are a mainstay in Japanese culture for all ages, on the same level of consumption as books, novels, serious television and film, the people of Japan invest in it. That is to say, they buy the manga, they buy the anime, they see the movies in the theaters. Most of the biggest blockbusters in Japan with the highest audience counts have been anime films, until they are beat out by a “Titanic” or an “Avengers” movie. In Japan, anime was often made specifically to be direct to video - you couldn’t watch your favorite show on TV, you had to buy the OAV. And that’s not even touching the whole pornimai genre.
There has never been this kind of investment and support in America for animation. It is still, for the most part, considered a form of entertainment for children. Every animated film you see in American theaters is made for children, even if some of them have jokes and clever moments for adults to enjoy as well. And even though there is now more “adult” animation in American (Adult Swim), you still have the stylistics of children’s cartoons because it adds to the irony and humor of the animation. Crude animation that is literally crude and rude humor is funnier when it comes in a “child-like” package. And it’s also cheaper.
Since animation it isn’t a huge staple in America, the quality animated shows that do come out are still made for children, but feature enough quality writing, characters, plots, and creativity to appeal to adults as well. But because they start off as “children’s animation” (Adventure Time, Steven Universe, etc) they still have those simpler stylistics because they are the norm and, again, less expensive to produce on a limited budget.
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