Everyone Loves Cartoons

If Tom and Jerry were real life characters, would you still watch it?

Probably not. The violence would feel disturbing, the events would be dull, and honestly, mice are disgusting.

Every studio knows that. Even when Tom & Jerry was brought into real cities and grounded environments, they made sure the characters themselves stayed animated.
Because the moment you lose the cartoon, you lose the magic.

And T&J isn’t alone. Take Space Jam — a basketball film built around real NBA stars colliding with Looney Tunes. Every Looney Tunes character stayed animated, even in a live-action world. The studio could’ve gone full CGI or humanized them, but they didn’t. Why? Because cartoons are what we connect with.

It’s a funny comedic relief that feels more relatable than real, scary adults. Especially to kids. Kids aren’t looking for nuanced character arcs or tragic plot lines. They want understandable, simple television that allows them to quickly catch on after a second of watching.

And that’s the power of cartoons: you know exactly what you're getting the second a character appears.

• SpongeBob = naïve joy

• Velma = Quiet intelligence

• Bugs Bunny = clever confidence

Believe it or not, that’s the exact same reason adults love cartoons as well.

We keep coming back to cartoons because they simplify reality. It’s not just nostalgia. When we’re drained from gruesome news or tedious work, cartoons are the easiest content to digest.

That simplicity also gives us room to reinterpret the world. For example, a cartoon version of LeBron James doesn’t have to carry the same intimidating, high-stakes energy he brings to the court. He can be clumsy, quirky, or downright hilarious. Cartoons give us permission to explore alternate versions of real people and emotions in a way that still feels safe and entertaining.

Open Instagram and scroll. You'll notice just how many creators use animated lettering, bouncing characters, and sketchy overlays. All while talking about something completely unrelated. Why? Because cartoons grab attention, soften tone, and pull emotion out of you, even when you’re just reading captions.

That’s why so many brands — even billion-dollar ones — use cartoons. The moment we see a big-eyed animal or a wobbly-limbed figure, something inside us lets go. We drop our skepticism. We trust.

To this day, I will watch countless episodes of Scooby-Doo and T&J. I love seeing animated characters or graphics when they pop up on my feed. It’s not by accident. It’s because of the effect that cartoons have on me. The reason we keep seeing more and more of it around us is because of the simple truth. Everyone loves cartoons.