Lovely "Tom & Jerry" and "Woody Woodpecker"

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Since early 1950's, I have been watching lots of American and Japanese animated cartoons. Among fine animations by Walt Disney, Osamu Tezuka and many others, I still love to see the shorts of "Tom & Jerry" by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, and of "Woody Woodpecker" by Walter Lantz.

The short films of "Tom & Jerry" center on a never-ending rivarly between a housecat (Tom) and a mouse (Jerry) whose chases and battles often involve comic violence. While, "Woody Woodpecker" is a noisy woodpecker who bores holes in all kinds of things.

The two cartoons are similar in every point:
- the shorts run only for 7 ~ 8 minutes
- they tend to use vivid/original colors
- every-second scene has a sense of humor and wits
- main characters are active in high spirits
- they are big stars: "Tom & Jerry" got Academy Award (Oscar) for Best Short Subject: Cartoons for seven times! And, "Woody" has a motion picture star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame!

I highly appreciate that the U.S. TV stations still show us the animations from time to time.#

Japanese animation in the U.S.

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Japanese animation aired on American TV or screened at theaters in the U.S.:

[Year][Title when shown in the U.S.][Japanese Title]
1963 ASTRO BOY (Tetsuwan Atom)
1966 Gigantor (Tetsujin 28-Go)
1967 Speed Racer (Mach Go Go Go)
1981 Galaxy Express 999 (Ginga Tetsudo 999)
1986 Warriors of the Wind (Kaze no Tani no Naushika)
1992 The Professional: Golgo 13 (Gorugo 13)
1995 Dragon Ball (Dragon Ball)
1995 Sailor Moon (Bishojo Senshi Sailor Moon)
1998 Pokemon (Pocket Monster)
2001 Mobile Suit Gundam (Kido Senshi Gundam)
2002 Kinnikuman: Ultimate Muscle (Kinnikuman)
2002 Spirited Away (Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi)
2003 Lupin the 3rd (Rupan 3-Sei)
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American comics

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The American comics started as "comic strip" (in magazines and newspapers) in the early twentieth century. The American comic book (booklet with dozens of pages) became very popular in late 1930's when superheros like 'Superman' and 'Batman' came out. Those books are usually sold at newsstands/kiosque, never at regular bookstores.

In early 50's, because of horror and violent crime in comics, the comic circle was severely criticized by the society. The comic publishers made up their comic code to restrict the representation. This movement got away comic artists' freedom and interfered the development of the American comics.

In 1960's the new type of heros such as 'Fantastic Four,' 'Spiderman,' 'Hulk,' 'X-Men,' and others emerged. And then, the underground comics and the alternative comics as new genre have developed since late 60's and 1980's respectively.

The Japanese MANGA got its reputation in the U.S., especially monthly book "Shonen Jump" published in 2003 and "Shojo Beat" (for female readers) in 2005.#