i've always thought that one of the best things about cartoons is that you can do things that can't be done in a live-action production (or not without millions of dollars of special effects, anyway), which is why i think it's impossible to compare the two- of course a medium built on the impossible is going to be terrible if asked to conform to the rules of reality.

also, we only expect cartoons to be schmaltzy and sappy and dumb because that's what we've been given in our countries. cartoons have always been regarded as a kids' thing here, and grownups do some insipid things in the effort to appeal to kids. but check out animated stuff from japan, and it's nothing like that, because historically the japanese used animation instead of live action because it was cheaper and required less production space.