The Amazing World of Gumball

The Amazing World of Gumball is another show which I had not watched before, but decided to for research and ideas for my animation.

I watched the episode 'The Shell', which can be viewed at: http://www.watchcartoononline.com/the-amazing-world-of-gumball-season-3-episode-20-the-shell 

The main thing that makes The Amazing World Of Gumball stand out from other animated shows I have seen is the use of photographic backgrounds with 2D vector based cartoon characters in front of them.
These backgrounds are often fairly complex with lighting and effects, which in turn affects the 2D cartoon characters, for example lighting spots and shadow are used in various places on their faces and bodies, which sometimes creates slightly 3D effects to the characters too.

Once again, many of the characters' facial expressions are conveyed most from their eyes, however the characters in The Amazing World of Gumball seem to have a lot more animated components to their faces and bodies as a whole that characters in Adventure Time and The Regular Show.
Personally I do like this and feel that it makes the animation more exciting, however it is clear that a lot more time and effort has gone into creating all of these.

In this episode there is quite a heavy use of metamorphosis, as Penny's 'real self' transforms into different animals and creatures. The transitions for these are still extremely smooth, and, combined with the photographic backgrounds, presents the animation as a lot more 'real'.

Similar to Adventure Time and The Regular Show, sound is use in speech, sound effects, and music to add drama, tension and atmosphere to the animation.