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Japanese Propaganda and Animation- Momotaro: The Sea Eagles and the Sacred Soldier

6/22/2023

1 Comment

 
by Ray Matsumoto 
Picture
Animated movies became an influential form of Japanese propaganda during the Pacific War. Its lighthearted nature made it attractive to both children and adults. One of the most famous wartime animations was the Momotarō series directed by Seo Mitsuyo. The films established a new "Japanese" form of animation while finding strong inspiration from American films, such as Disney and Warner Brothers. In March 1943, the Geijutsu Eiga-sha (GES) released Seo's first animated war film, Momotarō's Sea Eagle (Momotarō no Umiwashi). Despite the insufficient funding and resources for its production, Momotarō achieved unprecedented box office success. As the longest Japanese animated film to date, it became the symbol of Japanese cinematic advancement. ​
The lighthearted movie features Momotarō ("Peach Boy"), a character from Japanese folklore, as a navy captain. He commands a squadron of animals, including dogs, monkeys, and pheasants (characters from the original tale), for an attack on "Ogre Island," a representation of Pearl Harbor. As they attack the island, American seamen panic in comedic fashion. In one scene, a sailor attempts to flee the boat but gets caught on a line and lifted in the air. As he falls on the deck, several beer bottles fly out of his body. He proceeds to take out an opened beer bottle and drink out of it before falling off and drowning. The film ends with a speech from Momotarō stating that the three pilots of a crashed plane miraculously survived. This ending highlights the child-friendly nature of the film since, in reality, sixty-four Japanese soldiers died in the attack (Gilbert 272).
Picture
Picture of Momotarō coming out of a peach 1908 Source: Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/ Copyright: Public Domain
The first Japanese animated film appeared in the 1910s (there is debate over the exact date and film), with most serving as advertisements. The oldest surviving animated film is Dekobō Shingachō: Meian no Shippai ("Bumpy New Picture Book: Failure of a Great Plan"), released in 1917 (rediscovered in 2008). Although Japanese animation saw rapid improvement during the '20s and '30s, American cartoons dominated the market. Characters such as Mickey Mouse and Betty Boop became global icons and were even incorporated into pro-Axis propaganda, such as children's books and the 1936 Olympic games (Hori 163). On the other hand, the Japanese animation industry did not have the funding or resources to produce quality films. Seo echoed this sentiment in 1936, "We can never make good animated films since it is not a profitable business at all" (Hori 163).
Picture
Scene from Dekobō Shingachō 2008 Source: Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/ Copyright: Public Domain
Despite their limitations, Japanese animators continued to produce several quality films. One of the most popular was Suppression of the Tengu (Tengu Taiji, 1934) by Ōfuji Noburō. The film incorporated American cartoon features with Japanese tradition to produce a simple yet entertaining narrative. This hybrid of Western and Japanese styles persisted throughout the war era. Seo also incorporated a similar technique when creating war-themed animation films. For instance, he used the multiplane camera, introduced by Disney, in his piece Duck's Army Troops (Ahiru Rikusentai, 1940) and Ari-chan (1941, Hori 167). Seo also used music in a similar style in coordination with animated motion, similar to Disney films.
Seo's 1943 masterpiece, Momotarō's Sea Eagle, also incorporated American-style animation. Most notably, the American seaman in the film bears a strong resemblance to Bluto from Popeye. Moreover, the cartoonish movement of the characters also resembles those from Looney Toons. Although the film's message was anti-American in nature, its distinctly American features contributed to its domestic success. This sentiment is exemplified by a quote by film critic Hazumi Tusneo in a 1942 film magazine: "I cannot hate the dreams of Snow White even though I hate the violent country of America" (Hori 171). ​
In 1945, Shōchiku released Momotarō: Sacred Sailors (Umi no Shinpei), the sequel to Momotarō's Sea Eagle. The Japanese Navy sponsored Seo for this project, which included a larger budget, equipment, and staff. The film was twice as long as the original, with more dynamic and modern animation, as well as a strong plot and characters. The story depicts the Japanese operations in the Celebes islands (Sulawesi, Indonesia) with a strong emphasis on "Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity." The most notable scene of the film depicts a Japanese soldier (a dog) teaching the natives (cheetahs, rhinos, and tropical birds) the Japanese alphabet. The scene is famous for the AIUEO song, a musical rendition of the alphabet. Seo based the song on Japanese culture and language instructions conducted by the occupational government in Southeast Asia. Tezuka Osamu, a renowned Japanese manga artist and animator, heavily inspired by the film, incorporated the AIUEO song in his film Kimba the White Lion (Jungle Emperor). 
Although the film failed to reach a large audience following its release, it created the foundation of postwar Japanese animation. Film techniques incorporated by Seo became the industry standard, including underlighting. The movie also highlights the significance of American animation in Japan despite the war. Seo found strong inspiration for the musical aspect of Momotarō from Disney films. The scene of the AIUEO song bears a resemblance to Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). The characterization of the animals also parallels those from Disney. The "cute" features and movements of the exotic island animals, notably elephants, deer, and squirrels, resemble iconic Disney characters, such as Dumbo (1941) and Bambi (1942). This is ironic when considering the propagandistic purpose of Seo's films. Ultimately, these stories were intended to motivate society to fight against American culture and tradition. The irony highlights the conflicting and hypocritical nature of wartime Japanese propaganda. Even though, in many ways, Japanese propaganda succeeded in propagating society into total war, it failed to achieve a unified front in its fight for "liberating Greater East Asia."


Works Cited:
Gilbert, Martin. The Second World War. New York: Henry Holt, 2004. 
Hori, Hikari. Promiscuous Media: Film and Visual Culture in Imperial Japan, 1926–1945. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2017.

Related Publication:

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1 Comment
Eric Wong
8/9/2023 08:05:28 pm

i am really enjoying this blog. Thanks for your efforts.

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  • Home
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      • Unit 731 - Guide >
        • Background of Biochemical Warfare Development
        • Imperial Japan's Chemical Warfare Development Program
        • Map of Unit 731
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        • Duties of Unit 731
        • Human Experimentation
        • [GRAPHIC] Germ Warfare Attacks
        • Cover Ups After the War
        • [OLD] Cover Ups After the War
      • Philippines' Resistance - Guide >
        • Philippines World War II Timeline
        • The Japanese Invasion & Conquest of the Philippines
        • Bataan Death March
        • Formation of Underground Philippines Resistance
        • Supplies of the Guerrilla Fighters
        • The Hukbalahap
        • Hunter's ROTC
        • Marking's Guerrillas
        • United States Army Forces in the Philippines of Northern Luzon (USAFIP-NL)
        • The Aetas
        • Chinese and Filipino-Chinese Nationalist Guerrilla Units
        • The Female Faces of the Philippine Guerrillas
      • Rising Sun Flag - Guide >
        • History of the Rising Sun Flag
        • Atrocities Committed Under the Flag
        • Rising Sun Flag in Pop Culture
      • Pinay Guerrilleras - Guide >
        • Japanese Occupation of the Philippine Islands: Pinays Answering the Call to Arms
        • The Fierce Heneralas and Kumanders of the Hukbalahap Guerrillas
        • Amazons of the Pacific Theater
        • Filipina American Veterans: Recovering the Extraordinary Feats of the Ordinary Pinays
        • The Legacy of the Asian Women Soldier
      • Fall of Singapore - Guide >
        • Singapore World War II Timeline
        • History of World War II in the Pacific
        • History of Singapore
        • Japan's Conquest in Asia
        • Japan's Invasion of the Malay Peninsula
        • Sook Ching Massacre
        • Double Tenth Incident
        • Social Changes and Challenges in Singapore
        • Voices from Syonan
        • Return to British Rule
      • Three Years and Eight Months - Guide >
        • Hong Kong before WW2
        • Buildup to World War 2
        • The Battle of Hong Kong
        • Life during 3 Years and 8 Months
        • East River Column Guerrilla Fighters
        • Prisoners of War Camps
        • End of Japanese Occupation
        • War Crimes Trials
      • Siamese Sovereignty - Guide >
        • The Land of Smiles
        • The Thai-Japanese Relationship
        • Phibun’s Domestic and International Policies
        • The Free Thai Resistance Movement
        • Post WW2 Aftermath of Thailand
      • The Khabarovsk War Crimes Trial - Guide >
        • Defendants of Khabarovsk War Crime
        • The Japanese Empire and USSR in WW2
        • The Employment of the Bacteriological Weapon in the War
        • Planning of Japan invasion to USSR
      • Unit 731 Cover-up : The Operation Paperclip of the East - Guide >
        • Establishing Manchukuo
        • The Development of Unit 731
        • Plan Kantokuen and Bacteriological Warfare
        • The Downfall of the Japanese WW2 Era
        • Three Stages of Interrogations
        • Lasting Impacts
      • Marutas of Unit 731 - Guide >
        • How did Ishii Shiro start unit 731?
        • A Beta Testing Site
        • Establishing Pingfan
        • Experiences at the Human Experimentation Complex
        • Vivisection at the Unit 731
        • Anta Testing Grounds
        • Overall Advance from the Laboratory Creations
        • The End of the War
      • Prince Konoe Memoir - Guide >
        • Who is Prince Konoe?
        • Preparation to Tripartite Pact
        • Emperor Hirohito and Prince Konoe
        • The End of Prince Konoe
      • Competing Empires in Burma - Guide >
        • What was the China-Burma-India Theater?
        • When did the China-Burma-India Theater Happen?
        • Who Fought in the China-Burma-India Theater?
        • The Second Sino Japanese War
        • Japan in the South
        • Operation U-Go
      • Battle of Shanghai - Guide >
        • The Battle of Shanghai. Background
        • Shanghai Before War
        • The First Battle of Shanghai 1932
        • Battle of Shanghai 1937
        • Aftermath of Battle for Shanghai
      • Ishi Shiro - Guide >
        • History of Biological Weapons and The Young Ishii Shiro
        • Establishment in Manchuria
        • Pingfang District - Harbin
        • Failures and Corruption
        • Post War
      • Taiwan The Israel of the East - Guide >
        • Background of Formosa
        • Industrialization of Japan
        • China During WWII
        • Taiwan under Kuomintang
        • New Taiwanese National Identity
      • Seeking Justice for Biological Warfare Victims of Unit 731 - Guide >
        • Introduction of Wang Xuan
        • Colonel Memorandum
        • The Beginning of Biological Warfare
        • The Bacteriological Warfare on China
        • Victims in Zhejiang’s Testimonies
        • After the War
      • Rice and Revolution - Guide >
        • The French Colonial Period
        • Anti-Colonial Resistance
        • The Rise of the Communist Movement
        • Imperial Japan’s Entry into Indochina
        • The Portents of Famine
        • The Famine (1944-45)
        • Legacy of the 1944-45 Vietnam Famine
      • Clash of Empires - Guide >
        • Japan’s Imperialist Origins
        • Japan’s Competition against the West: Nanshin-ron and Hokushin-ron
        • Japanese Imperialism Through the Lens of French Indochina
        • The U.S.-Japan Relations and the Pearl Harbor Attack
      • Hunger for Power and Self-SufficiencyI - Guide >
        • The Influence of War Rations on Post-War Culinary Transformations
        • How World War II Complicated Food Scarcity and Invention
        • American Military Innovations
        • Government-Sponsored Food Inventions in Europe during World War II
        • Feeding the Army: The Adaptation of Japanese Military Cuisine and Its Impact on the Philippines
        • Mixed Dishes: Culinary Innovations Driven by Necessity and Food Scarcity
      • Denial A Quick Look of History of Comfort Women and Present Days’ Complication - Guide >
        • The Comfort Women System and the Fight for Recognition
        • The Role of Activism and International Pressure
        • The Controversy over Japanese History Textbooks
        • The Sonyŏsang Statue and the Symbolism of Public Memorials
        • Activism and Support from Japanese Citizens
        • The Future of Comfort Women Memorials and Education
      • Echoes of Empire: The Power of Japanese Propaganda - Guide >
        • Brief Overview of Imperial Japan
        • Defining Propaganda
        • Propaganda Encouraging Action​
        • The Rise of Nationalism
        • The Formation of Japanese State Propaganda
        • Youth and Education
      • Shadows of the Rising Sun: The Black Dragon Society and the Dawn of Pan-Asianism - Guide >
        • Origins of the Black Dragon Society
        • The Influence of Pan-Asianism
        • Relationship with Sun Yat-sen
        • The Role in Southeast Asia
        • The Spread of Ideology and Espionage
        • Disbandment and Legacy
      • Chongqing Bombing: The Forgotten Blitz of Asia and Its Lasting Impact - Guide >
        • Introduction and Historical Background
        • The Class Divide During the Bombings
        • Resilience and Unity of Chongqing
        • Key Incidents - Great Tunnel Massacre
        • The Aftermath of the Bombings
        • Legacy and Commemoration
      • Shanghai's International Zone: A Nexus of War, Intelligence, and Survival - Guide >
        • Historical Background
        • The International Zone
        • Battles in Shanghai
        • Civilian Intelligence Efforts
        • Wartime Brutality
        • Aftermath & Legacy
    • Lesson Plans >
      • Reparations
      • Ethics in Science
      • Writing the Narrative of a Pinay Fighter
      • Privilege Journal
      • Environmental Injustices
      • Female Guerrillas
      • Hunter's ROTC
      • Scientific Advancements
      • Seeking Justice: A Humanities Lesson Plan
      • The Hukbalahap
      • Trading Immunity
      • Bataan Death March
      • Biochemical Warfare Development
  • History Remembered
Contribute