Japan is no stranger to making cute versions of popular forms of media, this time, it’s “Tom and Jerry.”
'Tom and Jerry' returns in anime form
Have you seen Japan's take on the classic Hanna-Barbera series?
By Poch Eulalia
As part of a celebration of Cheese Day in Japan back in 2022, Cartoon Network Japan released a number of animated shorts during a marathon of the classic series. This year, the anime shorts are making rounds on X (formerly Twitter) after it was announced that the shorts will be premiering on the Warner Bros. Kids YouTube channel under the title “Tom and Jerry Gokko (Play).”
Normally, “Tom and Jerry” is known for its over-the-top cartoonish violence, with Tom mostly on the receiving end of Jerry’s antics. Tom’s comically loud yells emphasize even further just how much pain he has to go through when dealing with the pesky mouse. Based on the trailer, however, “Tom and Jerry Gokko” offers a more child-friendly approach in its slapstick. We see them more as frenemies who often get on each other’s nerves but ultimately are friends at the end of the day.
BEFORE AND AFTER Some sequences lift directly from the classic series.
Appearance-wise, “Tom and Jerry Gokko” comes off as a Sanrio-fication of the Hanna-Barbera characters. They are drawn in a chibi style that depicts them as chunkier and shorter than usual. Their facial features are simplified to identify the emotions their expressions evoke more easily. Many have pointed out how the style is similar to the ’90s series, “Tom and Jerry Kids.”
(Photos screengrabbed from Warner Bros.)