Step aside, Tom and Jerry. Shove off, Ren and Stimpy. And hey, Itchy and Scratchy: You fellows take five. We love you, but when it comes to animated mayhem, you’ve got nothing on the Happy Tree Friends and their first collection of cartoons: “First Blood.”

The series follows the terrible misadventures of a group of lovable, cuddly woodland creatures that meet horrendous fates in each episode, however innocently their day begins. These lovable critters are just too cute to live.

Oh, the episodes always start innocently enough — a ride on a playground carousel, a game of hide-and-seek, a hyperactive squirrel trying to get a sugar buzz — but it always ends in blood and death. And they’re hilarious — it’s Tom and Jerry without the depth, Itchy and Scratchy with more blood and violence.

The show got its start on the Internet (now it’s a production of the Mondo Mini Shows online cartoon syndicate), and a handful of episodes were the highlight of last year’s Spike & Mike’s Sick & Twisted Festival of Animation. Most of these episodes are included on the DVD release, along with a bunch of others — 14 in all — and a gaggle of special features, toys and storyboard-to-animation comparisons.

The show is hilarious, and the special features are entertaining (especially the “Smoochies”), but unfortunately there’s not all that much to see.

Part of this lies in the extreme brevity of the shorts — most don’t top a minute-thirty in length, and the whole of the series can be watched in about 20 minutes. The special features add another hour or so of content, but that’s still a stretch to fit the running time on the back of the box.

It’s funny stuff, though, and a great way to horrify your friends or liven up a party. It’s not something you’ll watch over and over, but it’s not a waste of your money, either, especially if you’re already a fan — there’s quite a bit here that can’t be found on the Internet.