London: Tauris Parke Paperbacks. After falling from his plane, Popeye also lands on the ‘Jap Scrap Repair Ship’ and it begins to tip. Having now painted dozens of Japanese flags on the trees, denoting all the downed enemy forces, Bugs comments again about the 'peace and quiet – and if there's one thing I CAN'T stand, it's peace and quiet!'. Alternatively, he might be inspired by the stark isolation of Brünnhilde on a rocky mountain – in which case, the reference would have been Bugs being trapped on the island. The phrases "bowlegs", "monkey face", "slant eyes" both serve as racial epithets and audibly support the visualized stereotypes of the film. [12] Lerner suggests that Stalling was inspired by the name of Siegfried, "peace through victory". Other terms that were used such as ‘storm trooper’ also show the link between Germany and Japan. He speaks in Japanese-sounding gibberish and coaxes the wrestler into a near kiss. [8], They get served with chocolate-covered ice cream bars embedded with grenades. The Japanese race became a common enemy, regardless of nationality. Georgia: BearManor Media. [5] This can be seen on many occasions throughout the cartoon, for example when all of the sailors gathered round the plane to fix it they made a unified drilling sound. [4] However, many anti-Nazi cartoons featuring Popeye didn’t really generate much suspense as everyone knew that the great Popeye would eventually triumph over the enemy. Dower, J.W. Doing Their Bit: Wartime American Animated Short Films, 1939-1945 (2nd ed.). Chelsea House Publishers, New York p257, Kanfer, S. (2008). Then numerous explosions are heard. He howls and thumps his foot, his eyes bulging from their sockets. By 1944, a poll suggested that 13% of Americans wanted to kill all the Japanese population and by 1945, 22% were disappointed that more atomic bombs were not used on the Japanese after Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Only then is Bugs alerted to the mortal danger that awaits him on the island. As Popeye thinks he is safe, a big Japanese battleship sends bombs his way. After a while he gets stuck under a waterfall and his boat starts filling with water. London: McFarland & Company, Inc. Kanfer, S. (2008). An Exotic Enemy: Anti-Japanese Musical Propaganda in World War II Hollywood. They are an easily fooled mob, not a group of individuals. The kiss turns into a fatal blow with a mallet. Suggesting that their threat relies on their numbers. This may have been shown to American soldiers to show how easy it can be to let out secrets especially when under the influence of alcohol. With this remark, a female rabbit (dressed in a Hawaiian outfit) appears, saying, "It's a possibility!" The biased and often fallacious depictions of the Japanese were not only limited to animated posters —even respected media sources such as Life Magazine aided the frenzy. Bugs swims towards it, admiring the peace and quiet, when bombs start going off ("The Storm" from the William Tell Overture is also heard in the background). Mr. Moto) some 'scrap iron' (an anvil),[4] causing the soldier to fall. 6 years ago | 28 views. Similarly, at the end of the cartoon when all of the Japanese were locked in the cage they resembled squealing mice which could represent their naturally higher pitched voices. [8] The soldier bows in supplication to the authority figure. [4] Japan represented the ‘yellow peril’ and anti-Japanese prejudice was especially present on the West Coast of the United States. Search. Stronger than Spinach: The Secret Appeal of the Famous Studios Popeye Cartoons. Brünnhilde announces her pregnancy somebody: the Secret Appeal of the battle scenes Japanese features of big teeth and glasses! Enemy spies could be a symbol for their cunning and cowardice, attacking from a cover monkey face and! 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