Reflection of the Cultural Values in Animation Stories Into Transmedia

Abstract

Animations are an important communication tool that impacts the lives of people via mass media. The fundamental attraction in the animations comes from their stories. Animation stories in fact are fictional communication tools that reflect the cultural values of the societies. Cultural differences reveal themselves in various characteristics such as the characters of the stories, the places the story take place, the language being used, clothes, games, and songs. In this study, the cultural values of the animation stories in Turkey are analyzed and its transmedia aspect is discussed. Therefore, the animation produced in Turkey called Rafadan Tayfa was analyzed in terms of individualism-collectivism, power distance, masculinity-femininity, and uncertainty avoidance sub-dimensions of “cultural dimensions” by Hofstede. The same animation appeared before the viewers in different ways as a musical, book, movie, and play. In addition, it was determined that these works being produced were continuously broadcast on social media.