Issue date: 4/18/03 Section: The Verge

Spitting firmly in the face of Tipper Gore and other anti-violence pundits, "Happy Tree Friends" offers a blissfully ribald combination of cute and fuzzy characters and blood-soaked gore and depravity on "Volume 1: First Blood."

With a look firmly grounded in Goldenbook children's stories and uber-cute '40s style animation, "Happy Tree Friends" creators Aubrey Ankrum and Rhode Montijo offer the perfect example of bait-and-switch as these adorable characters lure fans in only to be reduced to scraps of road kill.

While the cartoon first appeared online, and later made a splash on Spike and Mike's Twisted Animation festival, "First Blood" offers 14 original episodes along with a slew of extras on a beautifully maniacal DVD package.

Created by Gif-style animation, a typical "Happy Tree Friends" episode consists of a mere minute cartoon short always ending in each character's untimely demise. The storylines are inconsequential and plot is almost nonexistent as character deaths become more elaborate and amusing as each episode follows.

Seemingly benign events such as mowing the lawn, playing hide and seek, or spinning on a merry-go-round all become fodder for "Happy Tree Friends" as cheerful laughter ends in the gruesome and often cringe-inducing deaths of these endearing characters.

Fear not, however, as each macabre episode is followed by friendly advice like "Always buckle your safety belt" or "If friends were flowers, I'd pick you," courtesy of the HTF gang.

It is in this juxtaposition between twisted humor and heart that "Happy Tree Friends" thrives as viewers alternate freely between cringes, laughter and heart-warming smiles.

Although "Happy Tree Friends" appears initially amusing, the series is subject to a rare phenomenon by which episodes become funnier as more people watch.

What is amusing alone becomes funny with a few friends and hilarious with a room full of people. And if the episodes themselves don't hold up to repeat viewing with some fans, DVD extras like commentary, sn Easter Egg feature and an explanation of the evolution of the show are worth multiple showings.

Rated CV for abundant cartoon violence and gore, "Happy Tree Friends" is utterly unsuitable for children, but perfect for the mayhem-obsessed child in any adult.

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