Just finished watching Persepolis. It reminded me of a couple of other animations, a neat little bundle that share the same skill. The other two are Arrugas (Wrinkles, 2011) & Chico and Rita (2010). All three have an ability to affably convey a niche tale to a broad audience; the story of an elderly man with dementia aclimatizing to a retirement home; a black Latino love story set in Cuba; and an obscure & ranging tale from the journal of a young woman.
These aren't typical film plots, they are niche. however, through boiling them down and reducing them to their essence (simple smiles we can all communicate with) we have the outline for a tale we can begin to relate to our own lives.
I've always been a fan of King of the Hill & now I think I have found the reason why; its just simply the boiled down essence. If it was live action, I doubt very much I'd watch it/ enjoy it if I did. The same goes for the above three.
I think that so much more comes into it with live action; I think there are atavistic, subconscious things going on.
A good example of art boiled down to their essence is Keith Haring. His work shares the broad understanding of cave paintings; anyone anywhere in the world can relate to it; and that's just it; we are all in it together, all share the common desires, vices, emotions. Boiling it down to the action, or the essence of an emotion - like a perfumer refining his substance to the most concentrated amount - we can all understand.