Doctor Who cartoon AU (would this count as an AU?) where every time the Doctor regenerates, the art style changes (though some episodes have their own thematic shifts to match the tone of the story, none of these are so dramatic as the regeneration shifts). Multi-Doctor stories feature previous Doctors in the current one’s style.
1 featured a predominantly stationary style, occasionally interrupted by animation of dubious dynamics, much in the style of The Marvel Super Heroes and Spider-Man. Well known for its beautiful stationary spreads.
2 featured a minimalist style, similar to Peabody’s Improbable History and Scooby Doo but with (slightly) higher animation values, allowing for beautiful (black and white) landscapes and a range of action scenes. 4 returned to 2′s general style, but shifted more towards Scooby Doo than Rocky and Bullwinkle, favoring more accurate anatomy and with even more emphasis on action. 5 further continued this trend, though the emphasis on action shifted to emphasis on expression.
3, 6, and 12 favor a Gankutsuo / Mononoke type style, with their own idiosyncrasies within that category (with 6′s era specifically being compared to the Thief and the Cobbler, both favorably and unfavorably (surreal, sometimes beautiful visuals and a horrific delay before its final season).
7, following the then disaster of 6, changed to a much simpler art style, fairly similar to the then current Spiral Zone and SWAT Kats, which would come into production later.
8 was done in Don Bluth style (in-universe, was probably done by Don Bluth) with a few Ghibli style touches and universally accepted as some of, if not the best animation ever done in the name of Doctor Who. Doesn’t save the plot.
9 got Roswell Conspiracies: Aliens, Myths, and Legends, with a little bit of Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century.
10 continued with the slight influence of Sherlock Holmes, but now taking notes from the fabulously animated Cybersix (do not look up the comics as reference, we are going off of the fantastic cartoon).
11′s era, started with an explosive shift away from the previous style, taking design notes not only from Cybersix, but G.I. Joe Renegades and the Avengers Earth’s Mighiest Heroes.
Animated 1′s era was the stiffest in terms of animation, featuring many static images dramatically zoomed in on, though many argue that this budget-saving feature had the advantage of showcasing the artist’s highly detailed ink-work, which can be seen on the official Doctor Who BBC webpage.
Animated 2′s era, having received a new animation crew as the previous had left before the end of 1′s tenure, was marked by a sudden leap into action as the new crew was allowed to stretch their legs and wings into their own unique style. Character designs became more stylized and, while the beautiful ink-work of the previous era occasionally resurfaced, action scenes (referenced from both members of the staff and the voice actors themselves) ruled the day.
Animated 3′s era was the first to be shown in full color (and was accordingly given a style to take full eccentric advantage of such), but the animators also took care to choose textures that would stand out on black-and-white televisions. Since the art style used was relatively new, the action occasionally proved stiff as the crew worked out the kinks in their creation, but by the end of 3′s era and most readily evident in the last serial, was considered an artistic triumph and a fitting last hurrah for the Third Doctor.
Animated 4′s era was slightly more subdued than 3′s, hearkening back to 2′s in terms of smooth action scenes while dispensing with the highly complex patterns used in 3′s. This seeming slip in artistic quality was ignored as characters (mostly the Fourth Doctor himself) were given a wider range of expression to match the inimitable voice of Tom Baker.
Animated 5′s era carried over some of 4′s elements, with a brighter palette and even more expressiveness carried over to the characters (at the cost of the action budget, resulting in a much less physical Doctor). While the first and second seasons were considered somewhat mediocre, the third was widely considered, even by those who worked on the show, to be the best of the era.
Animated 6′s era was not favorably received due to budget issues and the mandated palette being incredibly unsuitable to the subject matter. Later works, produced by Big Finish, have proven that, with those factors removed from the equation, the adventures of the Sixth Doctor was just as scintillating to follow as any other.
7′s era was one in flux, in both terms of story content and art direction. When the crew’s attempt at softening the impression left by 6′s tenure failed at it was made abundantly clear that the management did not look upon them favorably, they decided to go in their own direction. The palette of the show grew to incorporate dramatic shadows as the story lines darkened, and the action shifted from pratfalls to dynamic chases, most prominently evidenced in the final serial of the era, Survival.
8′s movie was an attempt at a revival, executed gorgeously in some of the best animation available at the time (and since). Unfortunately, the beautiful execution was hampered by an unconvincing plot and a series bible that not only failed to catch the eye of a new provider, but was, and still proves to be, a major point of irritation within the fandom.
9′s short tenure was marked by a minimalist style that hearkened back to the previous decade. There were few complaints from the audience, so the traditional style continued in 10′s era, even as the budget expanded and allowed for action scenes not witnessed since the classic era.
11′s era, started with an explosive shift away from the previous style, taking design notes from a number of American cartoon series while holding onto the most favorable elements from its immediate predecessor - smooth action and dynamic editing.
12′s era began surprisingly, with a shift to a style not used in almost thirty years on Doctor Who, though the basic designs are still evident from the previous era. Thanks to modern technology allowing for feats impossible for the animators of the classic age, 12′s era is proving to be one of the most gorgeously executed of all modern cartoons.
