Uploaded January 2019 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago

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Among other things, part of what I find so interesting about Lucas the Spider is that, it's not the kind of animation you see all that often on Youtube anymore - a series of videos made by someone with an animation program and a fun idea. Sure, short films and student projects are still alive and well, but due to a variety of changes in the systems that this site is built on, independent original animation has become harder and harder to sustain.

However, over the last few years, there’s been a noticeable resurgence in the amount of animated content on Youtube. It’s hard to tell what exactly caused this, whether it’s simply luck or if there’s been another algorithm shift or something else entirely. From Storytime Animations to Animated Reviews, Critiques and Commentary to even a trend of Virtual Anime Girls slowly spreading across the site, animation is slowly but surely making a return.

So today, I want to explore animation's history on youtube and the way it's grown and evolved over the years.

LINKZ!
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♣| Come Fly With Me! |♣
- On This Channel: bit.ly/2n4xEJi
- On Twitter: bit.ly/322Uq77

♣| Watch More: bit.ly/2LLNr9a |♣

♣| Music Used |♣
- School Life - Kensuke Ushio
Part of Devilman Crybaby’s soundtrack
Available here: apple.co/2R08iLO

- First Steps - Lena Raine
Part of Celeste’s soundtrack
Available here: bit.ly/2CwHEOw

- Resurrections - Lena Raine
Part of Celeste’s soundtrack
Available here: bit.ly/2CwHEOw

- Phosphor - Nightmargin
Part of OneShot’s soundtrack
Available here: bit.ly/2AkqMvR

- Alula - Nightmargin
Part of OneShot’s soundtrack
Available here: bit.ly/2AkqMvR

- Scarlet Forest - Toby Fox
Part of Deltarune’s soundtrack
Available here: bit.ly/2yMsyoQ

- My Burden Is Light - Nightmargin
Part of OneShot’s soundtrack
Available here: bit.ly/2AkqMvR

♣| Footage/Images/Media From |♣
- Lucas the Spider - bit.ly/2ssn7Ld
- Big Hero 6 (2014)
- Zootopia
- Ralph Breaks The Internet
- In A Heartbeat (Short Film)
- There’s A Man In The Woods (Short Film)
- Club A Seal (Web Game)
- All Your Base Are Belong To Us - bit.ly/2EYDiED
- Numa Numa - bit.ly/1xSbpUg
(original version of this video on Newgrounds was taken down a while ago due to legal issues)
- badgers ver. 1 - bit.ly/2s25G0P
- Foamy’s Rant - bit.ly/2TinwbB
- Salad Fingers - bit.ly/2RiRyyL
- Meat Boy - bit.ly/2Tfz3IC
- Metal Gear Awesome - bit.ly/2GRt0Zt
- the YuYu - bit.ly/2Ap4h9b
- Leo & Satan - bit.ly/2BTXZ1e
- Charlie the Unicorn - bit.ly/2Qf7kpt
- The Perfect Murder - bit.ly/2TnebiQ
- Tankmen - bit.ly/2QgEHs2
- ASDFMovie - bit.ly/2oz9GUK
- vlogbrothers
- Swoozie
- Egoraptor
- Element Animations
- Never Gonna Give You Up - bit.ly/IqT6zt
- Simon’s Cat
- Alan Becker
- Piemations
- RWBY (Series)
- GameGrumps
- OneyPlays
- GameGrumps Animateds, by
Egoraptor - bit.ly/2s0aMuy
Sherbies - bit.ly/2LazHDX
- bit.ly/2r9fiIp
ScribbleNetty - bit.ly/2QexDfN
Brandon Turner - bit.ly/2s4mtjL
Pixlbit - bit.ly/2QexVmT
- Markiplier Animateds, by
Cranbersher - bit.ly/2EVyakJ
Gritty Sugar - bit.ly/2Tio0hV
- Jacksepticeye Animateds, by
Gritty Sugar - bit.ly/2CIW4yj
Pixlbit - bit.ly/2CIFajs
- Cox ‘n’ Crendor Animateds, by Daniel Tan
The Mud Brothers - bit.ly/2F0hQPG
The Sghetti Scandal - bit.ly/2s1uXsf
Fumble Beginnings - bit.ly/2CGUM6W
- Co-Optional Podcast Animateds, by Julian
Admiral Biscuit - bit.ly/2CJSC6F
- Youtube Rewind 2018 - bit.ly/2rosUht
- Youtube Rewind 2017 - bit.ly/2AfOX0I
- Kurzgesagt - In A Nutshell
- Life Noggin
- Let Me Explain Studios
- Domics
- TheOdd1sOut
- JaidenAnimations
- Katzun
- GingerPale
- James Lee
- Andrei Terbea
- Alex Meyers
- Eddache
- ScottFalco
- A.I.Channel
- Kaguya Luna Official
- Natsumi Moe - Virtual Youtuber
- Mirai Akari Project
- Watch_Dogs (Game) (BTS)
- Driving Around New York City (1928)
- Steamboat Willie (1928)
- Dead Cells - Launch Trailer
- Digital Network Background - bit.ly/2Sv97su

♣| Other Sources |♣
Dodo Interview about Lucas the Spider
- bit.ly/2qqmA84

Fresh TV Buys Lucas the Spider Film Rights
- bit.ly/2F07XlI

Lucas the Spider Merch Line Launch
- bit.ly/2EXMaex

History of Newgrounds
- bit.ly/2CHn40V

Youtube Algorithm Changes
- bit.ly/2G9iuvc
- bit.ly/2HMniDN
- bit.ly/2LNIrkt

Declining CPM
- bit.ly/2EZuJcG

Animators Discussing This Issue
- JazzaDraws - bit.ly/2EZxfjd
- RubberNinja - bit.ly/1s2aRWw
- RicePirate - bit.ly/2F2h84x

#lucasthespider #youtubeanimation #animation