Animated Violence Is Not (Always) a Laughing Matter

Violence and animation have a long-established bond. Through Tom and Jerry (1940-1958) and Looney Tunes (1930-1969), animated violence has developed a reputation as a comedic tool, but is also a common subject for animated documentaries with a serious ‘truth-telling’ agenda. This relationship with violence may stem from a visual freedom in animation that can traverse the representational boundaries of acceptability and taste, otherwise not afforded to a live-action counterpart (see Wells 1998, 127). Yet, animation is not only a visual medium but an aural medium too. This post considers sound’s role in representing violence.