There were quite a few reasons for wanting to re-watch 'Pleased to Eat You'. One of the main reasons being my lifelong love of animation, of all styles and decades as well as most studios, which is never going to go away. Also re-watched it for completest sake, having liked a fair bit of Famous Studios' output even if it is uneven, which is obvious in the long running Noveltoons series. Not easy resisting anything set in a zoo, a setting of great nostalgia to me, either.

As a child, 'Pleased to Eat You' struck me as a nice enough if rather unexceptional cartoon that is a little forgettable after a few days. As a young adult, my feelings are pretty much the same, something that has been true of other 50s Noveltoons and Famous Studios cartoons too. Do agree that it is an example of a cartoon that starts off well but peters out too early, a big danger with one joke cartoons which 'Pleased to Eat You' essentially is. As far as Noveltoons cartoons go, this is middling.

Certainly there are things that are done right. The best assets being the animation and the music. Something that was not uncommon for the Famous Studios cartoons, the music especially was outstanding throughout their output and the animation quality was mostly consistent (in a good way) until the late-50s. The animation has a lot of vibrancy and atmosphere and the drawing is suitably fluid but it is the attention to detail in the backgrounds that is particularly impressive in this regard. Even better is the music. Just love its energy, the beautiful and not sugary orchestration and how it adds so much and even enhances the action.

Moments of amusement and charm can be seen in the first half, with the cartoon starting off with good promise. The lion is an engaging lead character and Jerry Colonna being caricatured is always fun. The voice acting is fine.

Sadly, too many big components aren't so fine. The second half isn't anywhere near as strong and becomes tired and repetitive. The story is paper thin and predictable, really struggling with sustaining momentum and content in the second half. 'Pleased to Eat You' actually could have been two minutes shorter easily. The gags, in what is essentially a one-joke cartoon, are too few and are only mildly amusing.

Pacing could have been tighter and the supporting characters are pretty forgettable.

Watchable overall but also not particularly good. 5/10.

Animation is a form of visual storytelling that involves creating visual art and motion through the use of various techniques and technologies. In animation, images are manipulated to create the illusion of movement, bringing characters, objects, and environments to life. Animation can encompass a wide range of styles, themes, and intended audiences, making it a diverse and versatile form of storytelling.

Daveigh Chase, Rumi Hiiragi, and Mari Natsuki in Spirited Away (2001)

The short form refers to creative works characterized by their brevity and concise storytelling. Unlike full-length feature films, short films have a running time of less than 45 minutes, while TV shorts have a running time of less than 22 minutes.

Benedict Cumberbatch in The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (2023)

A hungry lion is captured, shortly after being tricked by a hunter. He escapes his cage and robs a hot dog stand. A chase ensues when the police pursue him.

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Pleased to Eat You

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