Nermal: Garfield’s Cute Nemesis Is Still Hilarious, But I Miss His Original Design

Nermal, the self-proclaimed “world’s cutest kitten,” has long been a staple in the Garfield universe, bringing his own brand of humor to Jim Davis’ iconic comic strip. As Garfield’s cute, confident, and sometimes smug nemesis, Nermal is known for his ability to effortlessly annoy the larger, more cynical cat. While Nermal’s personality and role in the comic have stayed fairly consistent over the years, one significant aspect of his character that has changed is his design. His transformation from a more realistic kitten to a cartoonishly cute character has drawn both praise and nostalgia from longtime fans. While Nermal is still as funny as ever, there’s something special about his original look that many, including myself, miss.

Early Design

In the earlier days of the Garfield comic strip, Nermal had a much more grounded and naturalistic design. He was smaller and sleeker than Garfield, with subtle details like longer whiskers, a leaner body, and a more kitten-like appearance. This design complemented his role as the young, adorable cat who delighted in flaunting his cuteness, often to Garfield’s immense irritation. His appearance played an important role in the humor, as Nermal’s innocence and charm served as the perfect foil to Garfield’s grumpy, sarcastic demeanor.

Nermal’s original design had an understated quality that made his personality shine through more. His cuteness wasn’t as exaggerated as it is today, and his features—while still cute—had a more traditional cartoon aesthetic. This more reserved design made his character feel relatable, and his antics had an additional layer of depth because they seemed less over-the-top.

The Shift in Nermal’s Appearance

Over time, as Garfield evolved and adapted to more modern animation styles, Nermal’s design underwent a significant shift. His rounder, more stylized appearance aligns with the trend of making characters cuter and more exaggerated. His eyes became larger, his body rounder, and his overall aesthetic more cartoonish. This change was likely an effort to make Nermal even more adorable in contrast to Garfield’s lethargic, pudgy figure, but in doing so, some of the subtlety in his character design was lost.

While the updated design certainly makes Nermal stand out as the “cutest kitten in the world,” it also makes him feel less distinct. The exaggerated cuteness doesn’t add to the humor as much as it did when his appearance was more restrained. With a more realistic design, Nermal’s bragging about his cuteness had a humorous irony—he wasn’t trying too hard to be adorable. Now, his overtly cute appearance feels more forced, and the character lacks the same impact.

Why I Miss the Old Nermal

The original design of Nermal fit perfectly with the tone of the early Garfield comic strip. His cuteness felt natural, and that made his interactions with Garfield even funnier. The subtle balance between his innocent, playful demeanor and Garfield’s annoyed, cynical reactions worked so well because neither character’s design felt overly exaggerated. Nermal didn’t need to be excessively cute to irritate Garfield—his personality and confidence in his looks did all the work.

The newer design, while still charming, feels more in line with modern animation styles that emphasize big eyes and round faces. While this might appeal to newer audiences or fans of contemporary animation, longtime followers of the comic strip may find that Nermal’s original design better captured the essence of his character. It allowed him to be endearing without overdoing the cuteness, and it highlighted the classic interplay between him and Garfield in a way that felt more authentic and understated.

Nermal remains a beloved and hilarious character in the Garfield series, regardless of his evolving design. However, there is a certain nostalgia for his original appearance, which felt more grounded and allowed his personality to take center stage. While the newer, rounder version of Nermal is undeniably cute, it’s hard not to miss the old design that perfectly balanced his adorableness with his ability to get under Garfield’s fur. Whether new or old, Nermal will always be Garfield’s cute nemesis—but for many fans, the charm of his original design is hard to forget.