The quotation at the end of the episode shown is pretty damn pessimistic. But nonetheless, Happy Tree Friends are probably one of the most successful Internet phenomena of our generation. Despite the friendly, childish facade of these characters, the nature of the show itself is extremely violent – every episode features bloodshed, gore, dismemberment, pain, and/or death. The animators don’t treat the violence shown here with discretion; instead the imagery is extremely graphic and exaggerated.
The clip above is probably a very typical episode of Happy Tree Friends, starting off with seemingly normative situations, but don’t be fooled by the storybook-like packaging: the plot quickly escalates into extreme violence and ultimately leads to the inevitable death of the “innocent” character. Personally, I’m not sure if it’s the fact that the show looks perfectly friendly on the surface and then surprises one with the extreme, graphic violence; or the fact that the characters don’t speak; or the fact that the painful, gruesome death is prolonged and hyperbolized – but this show created quite an impression on me: I don’t like it. I got through one episode, and barely made it though the second one. But that's merely my opinion. Facts show that the general public does. With a video game, a spin off show, an average of 15 mil views/ month on youtube, TV shows in 15 different languages and 17 different countries, and a mainstream band (fall out boy) paying homage to this – you can do the math: It is indisputable that this is a success. Maybe it’s because of the idea of aestheticized violence in the form of smiling, bright coloured, fluffy “friends” that intrigues people, or maybe because the characters magically reincarnate after each episode...nonetheless,the whole idea of taking something cute and giving it a dark, sinister twist is an interesting concept, and is defiantly worth exploring.
I remember coming across "Happy Tree Friends" when I was in middle school, just around the time Youtube was getting big as well. I don't know what to think about it because I enjoyed in a lot back then. The violence was so ridiculous that it was just funny, to laugh at the bodies breaking and animals getting chopped up, even though I must say they were quite cute. This show kind of reminds me of what "The Simpsons" children watched on TV: "The Itchy and Scratchy Show." Like you said, its a hyperbole of violence and gruesomeness, so much so that it's hilarious. It's like "Kill Bill" in a lot of ways as well. We laugh at the insanities of the violence because its so unrealistic, it is somehow fascinating and hilarious. Look at all the other classic cartoons like "Loony Toons" and kids shows like "Power Rangers." We're a society fascinated by gruesomeness.
ReplyDeleteI am a HUGE fan of Happy Tree Friends and have been for quite some time. The thing that makes me laugh about the show is the crazy situations in which the violence is facilitated; however, what allows us to laugh is, as the poster pointed out, the fact that "the characters magically reincarnate after each episode." It takes away from the severity of the consequences of violence as well as desensitizes us to the point where we can find humor in it.
ReplyDeleteThe violence in "Happy Tree Friends" is something I don't really consider true violence. I know this is a stupid-sounding sentence, but allow me to elaborate on what I mean. Like in Kill Bill, the violence in "Happy Tree Friends" is so over the top and so absurd that we almost don't see it as real violence. I was a big fan of the show when I was younger, and I still find it pretty funny now. The fact that the characters always magically reincarnate is a way of making the violence look so much less severe too. This is a funny program that desensitizes us to mainstream violence in a way.
ReplyDeleteThis was one of the tougher videos on this blog that I have watched. It was hard to get through. I guess its because glass shards piercing my body is an incredible horrific amount of violence. But another reason why this is so disturbing is because these are everyday (as you said) "normative" situations. Every once in a while we have to change a lightbulb or two and this situation is not too implausible. This just brings another aspect of violence to the viewer.
ReplyDeleteIt's appealing because it takes what first appears to be a children's show and makes in comically horrifying. It's a pairing that's been done before - for example on South Park's paper cutout animation strewn with cursing and disgusting situations.
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