Symbolization of Momotaro

YoungEun Kim

Mcknight, A.

Japanese 70 – Dis 1C

28 November 2013

Symbolization of Momotaro

In the Japanese fairy story, Momotaro, the main character was born from a peach and the old women bring to her house. When she and her husband try to eat a peach, suddenly a boy comes out of peach. They believe this boy as a heaven sent gift, so they name a newborn boy, “Momo” from the peach and “Taro” from the elder son. In Japanese culture, the peach represents fecundity because it looks like women’s hip. A few years later, Momotaro sets out on a trip to get rid of a plunderer in the island. During his journey, he makes his colleagues who are a dog, a monkey and a bird. Momotaro’s Sea Eagle is an animation version of Mitsuyo Seo and describes the Pacific War when Japan attacked Hawaii on 1941. When children watch this animation, they are going to think that America is the enemy of the Japan. In this animation, Momotaro is a captain of his army and he has some subordinates who is a dog, pheasant and monkey to attack the demon island. They started to attack by air and finally induce the enemy’s surrender. During the war in the animation and book, the millet dumplings are important role to Momotaro and his camaraderie. In the book, the author states that “Attempted to continue in in animation after war, but with Japanese animation, along with other aspects of Japanese cinema, being dependent upon war and its money, peace drove hhim and many others like Massaokka out of the Business” and “ Seo was saddled with the ideologically suspect but technically masterful Momotaro films as his primary legacy (P.228) Animation version and children’s story version are pretty similar to finish with a happy ending. Both of them describe Japanese “liberation of Asia”, as proclaimed by the government at the time. Furthermore, they try to give dreams, hope and peace to children with these stories beyond the appearance of war propaganda. The devastated Japan was on the verge of an unthinkable defeat, the film depicts Peach Boy who is a heroic figure from Japanese folklore. Momotaro has recruited some cute animal friends into his ever so friendly and noble crusade to “liberate” southern islands in the Pacific and South East Asia region. In this animation, everybody can know the Momotaro’s army represent a Japanese army as a good and the other side represent the United States army as a bad. At the end of traditional fairy tale and animation Momotaro defeat the demon island and return home with wonderful treasures.

This animation depicts the significance of the millet dumplings. The millet dumplings are not only foodstuffs during the war, but also fighting spirit to Momotaro’s forces. For instance, the monkey shows a bag of millet dumplings to his colleagues before departing and says this is a millet dumpling to improve fighting spirit. Furthermore, these dumplings do an important role during the war. Monkey eats the millet dumplings and it makes him encourage and gain strength. In the book, The Momotaro’s old woman prepared the millet dumplings before going to war. This part exactly shows how food is an important role in the society; his parents would think the most needed things are food during the war. That’s why the old woman cooked the millet dumplings and it assists Momotaro to make his subordinate who is a dog. The author describes about dumplings as “the best millet dumplings in Japan. I cannot give you a whole one; I will give you half-a-one” (P.25). After that, the dog accepted to go with a Momotaro. The millet dumplings make their camaraderie promote and important foodstuffs during their travel to war. Someone would say they just share the food, however Momotaro and dog can be closer and feel fellowship by sharing the millet dumplings

The story and animation describes a Momotaro as a good leader to recover the defeat from the United States. The character, Momotaro, indicates a lot of importance for that period. The author describes, “While Momotaro became a central figure in Japanse moral education, and he was also frequently used during WWII to represent nationalist military values (P.228). The Momotaro’s enemies are actually the classic American cartoon characters; they are characterized as a devil and a bitter satire on the United States. . The interesting part is the Americans are described in human and the Japanese are depicted in animal form. Even if the American is in a human, he has a demon horns on his head. He drinks a lot of bottles of beer, behavior badly and totally different from Momotaro. On the other hand, Momotaro is an esteemed leader and describes as a strong, upright, faithfully in the army and tries to do his best for the justice. Momotaro was commandeered by propagandists as a legendary patriotic hero in this animation.

In Talkie manga which we watched in class, it has also similarities to Momotaro story. The Disney characters come on the scene, they start to plunder and behavior badly like an American soldier in Demon Island in the Momotaro’s Sea Eagle. Momotaro’s Divine Sea Warriors is dreamlike, haunting and strangely sinister, but despite its intentions it is in fact, the father or mother of all Japanese animation. Those stories, mangas and animations are emphasized on the good and devil, in other words, Japan and America. Even though the background of this story is like a darkness war, by finishing with a happy ending, those really trying to symbolize the positive thinking, hope for peace, and Japanese greatness.

Between Momotaro’s Sea Eagle and the Japanese fairy story has a pretty similar theme, however there are differences. Both of them are about defeating the enemy, however, the book is a more likely heroic tale and gives an important lesson from the characters. For example, the book is focused on Momotaro’s personal things. He went out to defeat the enemies, make some subordinate and come back to his house with a happy ending. Furthermore, Momotaro lives happily with the old woman and old man at the end. In the book, it is based on children who need to learn an important lesson. On the other hand, Momotaro’s Sea Eagle is more tend to be a documentary theme. For instance, the animation is emphasized on the war between Japan and the United States in 1941. The animation doesn’t describe the Momotaro’s birth and fellowship as the book. When the book comes to give a moral to children, the animation more focused on describing the confidence, Japanese greatness and the relationship between Japan and America. Therefore, the book is more likely children to read, but animation is based on the Japanese traditional fairy tale, so it is a good not only children, but also adults.

The animation and book is actually different genre, so those have a different narrative form. The traditional fairy tale’s narrators have traces of orality, use of iterative tense and impersonate animals. For example, the book starts, “Very, very long a go”, it is the example of using iterative tense in folkloric. So, the traditional fairy tale tends to use a form of once upon a time tense, and repeated when something need to be emphasized. On the other hand, the animation doesn’t use this kind of method to develop a story

In the story of Momotaro, the food is a significant theme; it unifies the Momotaro and his camaraderie’s fellowship, teamwork and heroism. The millet dumplings are not only foodstuffs during the war, but also fighting spirit to Momotaro’s forces. Furthermore, Momotaro gives a half of the millet dumplings to the dog, and dog accepted to be camaraderie of Momotaro. Food can be a trivial thing; however it is the most important thing people live. Some people would say the main theme of this novel is about the good triumphing over the evil. However, the food symbolizes the fellowship, the method of fighting spirit in the Momotaro. Moreover, Momotaro is described as a legendary patriotic hero in the book and animation, they teach the patrioticism and Japanese greatness to Japanese children and adult.

Under Two Leaders, Lie One Community

Communities may be seen as a complex grouping of people or figures, but can be brought upon each other through the simplest of ideas. Bonds may be created and communities may be unified through ideas as simple as food and enemies. This can be seen in Iwaya Sazanami’s story of Momotaro, The Story of Peach Boy as well as in the anime Momotaro’s Sea Eagles, directed by Seo Mitsuyo. Both of these works depict the tale of Momotaro in which he sets out to defeat his enemy to save Japan.  Though, similar in story, however, both works hold their own distinctions and variations. Even with their differences, ideas of community building can still be seen to be paralleled. Such ideas can be seen in the use of millet dumplings to show camaraderie, the idea of happiness to create bonds, and the idea of sharing a common enemy to bring groups together. Community building can be seen in both the story as well as in the anime through the use of food, happiness of children, and a common enemy.

The idea of food as a unifier can be seen in both the story and the anime when the millet dumplings are used to show camaraderie. This is seen in the story when Momotaro is first given millet dumplings by his father when he was about to head out to face the ogres. This is the first instance in which food was used to show affection. However, this is not the main use of the millet dumplings in this story. The main use can be seen during Momotaro’s actual voyage to conquer Ogres’ Island. During his trip, Momotaro meets three animals, a dog, monkey, and a bird, and during his confrontations, he gives each of them half a dumpling to join him in his destination. This can be seen when Momotaro states to the monkey, “In consideration of your good intentions, I will give you half of one of the best millet dumplings in Japan, and you may follow me” (23). Just like how the dog was given half a millet dumpling, the monkey was also given one as a sign of camaraderie and was due to the fact that he became Momotaro’s ally. The use of the dumpling was to obtain allies and through that, a community was formed as Momotaro ended up having three animals join him in his fight against the ogres. This idea can be similarly seen in the anime when one of the monkeys decides to help out a lost bird on the wing of the plane. In order to comfort the bird, the monkey grabs a bag with the label, “millet dumplings” and pulls out a toy plane. He then gives it to the bird which comforts the lost bird and soon after; the mother bird comes and takes his lost bird. In this scene, the use of millet dumplings may not be exactly the same as the story, but the idea is still similar. In replace of the dumpling, a toy plane which came from the dumpling bag was used in order to show camaraderie and this later plays out as the birds come help them at the end in their fight against evil. Both the millet dumpling of the story and the toy plane of the anime were used to signify friendship and camaraderie. Food was not the only sign of community building seen in the story and the anime as the happiness of children also played a large role.

The next example of community building can be seen in the idea of the happiness of children in both the story and the anime. In the story of Momotaro, the young peach boy is seen to be born from a large, magical peach. He was sent down by the Heavens and came to become the child of an old family. In this family, he was treated with kindness and affection and learned to experience happiness. This idea can be seen when Momotaro states, “Father, we became parent and child in a most remarkable manner. Your goodness to me has been higher than the mountain from which you cut grass and deeper than the river in which the washing is done” (17). In this statement, Momotaro compares his father’s kindness with that of the height of the mountain and the deepness of the river. These similes show how much compassion he has received and cannot help but be happy with his father’s kindness. The father’s love and affection help create a bond between him and his son. This idea is further remedied in the anime with the idea of Children’s day. This can be seen throughout the anime in which a koi banner becomes the focal point in multiple scenes. The koi banner is a clear representation of Children’s day in Japan and a celebration of the children’s happiness. To add support to this idea can be seen in the the scene in which the dog and the monkey play Jenga inside their airplane as they begin their attack against the enemy. Even during times of war, the animals are seen to enjoy themselves and further show their happiness. These scenes of joyful playing help create a community amongst the animals as they are children happily playing with each other. Even though this example is completely different from that of the story, happiness is still the focal point in both. The idea of happiness creating bonds is apparent and shows how the happiness of children is an example of community building. Besides the happiness of children, having a common enemy can also bring groups together.

The last example of community building can be seen in the idea of having a common enemy. Before establishing the idea of creating a community through the fact of having a common enemy, one should look at the idea of leadership first. Leadership is depicted differently in the story as opposed to that of the anime. In the story, Momotaro is seen to be more of a comrade then a leader. On his journey, he interacts with the animals and commends them for their personalities. He shows them sign of camaraderie and friendship. This is completely opposite in the anime, however. The Momotaro seen in the anime is distant and is more of a commander and supreme authoritative figure. Throughout the anime, there are few scenes of Momotaro and in all of them, it is him gazing upon his troops, never interacting, never saying a word. In the story, however, Momotaro fights with his comrades and is a leader in which his allies fight with, but in the anime, Momotaro is a leader in which his allies fight under. Even though their leaderships are distinct, they are still a part of a community that shares a single goal: to defeat their enemy. In the story, Momotaro and his allies are brought together in order to defeat the evil ogres. The ogres, are, by default, naturally evil and thus must be defeated. This can be seen when the Monkey states, “I hear that you, Lord Peach-Boy, are making this journey in order to conquer Ogres’ Island, I also wish to be allowed to accompany you” (27). This is a clear example that shows how Momotaro’s allies came to be his allies. They wanted to follow him under his command to defeat the evil ogres. By having this common enemy, a group was formed and bonds were created. The use of ogres in the story also plays a role with the audience. By having ogres, the audience would be more drawn to the side of Momotaro as he and his allies are not fiendish creatures. Just like the story, the anime plays along with this idea of creating a community through the use of a common enemy. This is seen when the American are first introduced. They are depicted as grungy, human like-beings that look nearly identical to Popeye’s enemy, Bluto, and have horns and drink alcohol. This, in contrast with the cute, loveable animals makes it much more believable that the Americans are the enemies. The use of adorable animals also plays a role in attracting the viewers as they are most likely children. Knowing that, it makes it much more understandable that the humans are seen as the enemy. Even though the Momotaro in this anime does not interact with his comrades, they still fight under him because they want to defeat their enemy. Even with two different types of leadership, communities were still formed because of the same reasons. This clearly shows how having a common enemy can create communities and bring unification.

Even with simple ideas such as food, happiness and enemies, communities can still be formed from them. This can be seen in both the story and the anime of Momotaro. Even with their clear distinctions, similar ideas are still seen to be prevalent in both. Food is used as unification by creating allies through sharing and the happiness of children is capable of creating lasting bonds. Not only does friendship and camaraderie create communities, so does having a common enemy. With that being said, even with differences, groups can still be brought together as seen through both works of Momotaro.

The Various Momotaros

Hello everybody! Raiya Abi-Samra here! Since we are exploring Momotaro in class I thought I would link some of the Momotaro versions/parodies/influences (mainly anime) here :

Maid-sama (English Subtitles):
Episode 09: http://www.hulu.com/watch/466074

Folktales from Japan (English Subtitles):
Episode 40: http://www.crunchyroll.com/folktales-from-japan/episode-40-momotaro-princess-flowerpot-head-the-story-of-the-twelve-signs-of-the-zodiac-610525

SKET Dance (English Subtitles):
Episode 22: http://www.crunchyroll.com/sket-dance/episode-22-in-the-park-homerun-revised-583324

Chronicles of the Going Home Club (English Subtitles) :
Very briefly discussed at around 17:10
Episode 5: http://www.crunchyroll.com/chronicles-of-the-going-home-club/episode-5-the-demon-kings-dignity-recommended-literature-vaguely-remembered-folk-tales-628123

 Detective Conan (English Subtitles):
Episode 377: http://watchanimestream.com/detective-conan/377/
Episode 378: http://watchanimestream.com/detective-conan/378/

Super Why! (English [PBS Kids Show]):
Episode 33: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQ0KVKg7maQ

Omishi Magical Theater: Risky Safety (English Subtitles):
Episode 15: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mkz0rENJn3g

Yu Yu Hakusho (English Dub):
Episode 45: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1gR6VSiAhI
Episode 46: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIZVpwAwRDQ

Samurai 7 (English Subtitles):
Referenced around 12:30 likening the main character, Shichiroji to Momotaro (Though only briefly mentioned the plot of Samurai 7 is similar of that of Momotaro which is likely why this scene is put in the show in order to get the audience to make the connection)
Episode 7: http://www.hulu.com/watch/369705#i1,p6,d0

Super Mario (English Subtitles):
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXoKLm-_2EA

Prince of Tennis (English Subtitles):
Episodes 87-88 http://www.veoh.com/watch/v14087247AQhWjBke

Samurai Jack(show)/Tale Runner (game)
(Clip with both game and show) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uc7aYvIsPWk
Excerpt from episode 52 (starts around 6:50): http://videos.sapo.pt/kiSEddhz0yRjHi8vAQ46 

Zombie Panic in Wonderland (game):
This is a short game and these videos are with commentary of the player. Note the main characters name is Momotaro. There are other influences to be sure, but Momotaro is essentially doing what he does in the folktale; he is saving the town from oni (or zombies in this case).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtjKaJVpGNk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIQtG4RJ3D8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2gSi4PqIRw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6ZpTO6Swk0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sDopAueUyg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSZKq8Geo7Y

Video Project on Youtube of Momotaro (kind of like a book with music):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uqt5-9GS488

Reading of a version of the book:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjtCP1BtZeI

Imagination Stage Trailer for Theatre preformance of “Anime Momotaro”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T16VOHaHano

If anyone can think of anymore, please reply to this post with links. Thank you.

~End~
-By Raiya Abi-Samra

Spirited Away: Identity Formation, Preservation, and Recollection

Robert Vander Veer
3 Page Analysis on Spirited Away
Japanese 70, Discussion 1B

 It is difficult to pinpoint just one overall theme in Spirited Away, a movie as complex and ridden with symbolism as it is beautiful. Chihiro, the movie’s main protagonist and central character, is not the only one in the movie who experiences her own change and development. As the story unfolds, even the minions who are obstructions on the quest to save her parents naturally turn into allies that walk by her side as she vigilantly keeps her goals in sight despite the oppressive and chaotic nature of the “Bathhouse”. In order to serve their purpose within the hedonist and egoist environment, the characters are given one-dimensional roles via the replacement of their identity by Yubaba, who owns them once she makes them forget their “name” (their true self) and gives them a new one. This may seem odd in the literal sense, but metaphysically and symbolically, there is no better representation that parallels quite accurately how people are “indoctrinated” into society, and how they transform and lose themselves when being swept up in the world of unfulfilling work, losing themselves day by day. Spirited Away thus becomes a story about the preservation, recollection, and formation of identity and of the “self” in a modern society wherein it is easy to lose yourself when becoming a gear in the “machine” of society.

            To understand the central themes of identity reformation and preservation in Spirited Away, it really helps to make sense out of the rules of the world the movie takes place in. At first, they seem very foreign, and just made up to seem “otherworldly”, but the fact of the matter is that they are not very much unlike our own, in that they are metaphysical representations of the conscious and what takes place “inside” rather than actual “cause-effect” physical realities. When Chihiro is first “absorbed” into the Spirit World, she becomes transparent, as if fading from existence. Because she does not belong in the world, and has no ties, it is almost as if she has nothing within that world to “ground” her into that reality, no identity or purpose within this society in which she doesn’t belong, that is, until Haku comes. “Don’t worry, I’m a friend.” As he gives her a small tidbit of food, Chihiro becomes rematerialized, having partaken in a simple exchange of food with Haku. Although this seemed like such a simple moment, it is one of the most significant, in that by eating the food, Chihiro is almost given an identity for this particular society, now having established a bond with Haku, someone being from within the society to indoctrinate her. In this sense, food almost seems to always embody something within the movie, and in this scene, it was the establishment of a bond that kept her from floating away; a new identity, or persona if you will, that enabled her to act upon and exert her presence materially on the other worldly society thanks to Haku.

An astonished Chihiro holds a panacea that seemingly has the potential to remedy the ailments brought on by the desensitization and traumatizing disenchantment (or malicious enchantments) of the Bathhouse World. This was given to her by the River God that she helped, showing how powerful bonds are in order to be established within a society and to build upon your identity.

            Later on in the movie, When Chihiro helps a River God from another world, he gifts her with a special Panacea that can seemingly “purge” anyone of anything that ails them within the world of the bath-house. Given to her because of her selflessness and lack of presumptions about his character, the River God brings something in which even the hedonist world of desire cannot trample under, and this embodies something from a different, supposedly more tranquil world. In a sense, since only Chihiro could have obtained this gift, it’s almost as if it the manifestation of a 2^nd identity for her in the world of the bathhouse, as she is indoctrinated by the semblance of this item bestowed unto her. Whereas the previous exchange with Haku preserved and reformed a new identity within the bathhouse world, this new exchange between her and the nameless River God gave her a new, more empowered identity, one of an objective worldview that could be used to take on the hardships of the bathhouse, rather than just be encompassed by them. Astonishingly, this takes the form of food, which has two interesting and very important qualities central to the film: It can be shared with others, and it is expendable. Because it can be shared, she too, can bestow it unto others, as if to put her own strength of heart and purity into others to purge them of the noise of the bathhouse.

A newly purged No- Face accompanies Chihiro, who is more than willing to let him come along. Realizing that the bathhouse is what makes him crazy, she knows it is best to take him as far as possible from there.

Much like Chihiro, No-Face is initially transparent, has no place to go, and knows no one in the bathhouse, and thus has no “self” to place him in relation to anyone or anything in the world. When Chihiro opens the door for him in the rain, she is performing a subtle ritual of initiation, establishing an indirect bond with No-Face, although unbeknownst to her. In a sense, you could say he really has “No-Face”, or no identity. The mask he wears is expressionless, and gestures and utterances are his only form of communication. Because he has no identity to establish, he is impressionable to the world of the Bathhouse, and is quickly engulfed by the desire and greed around him. When he sees Chihiro as someone who stands above all of this chaos, he is filled with a strange sort of infatuation for her, almost as if she is like a diamond in the rough. He constantly gives her gifts throughout the story, almost as if he wants her to fall into the world of desire with him, possibly in order to rationalize that there is no one who could possibly resist, that falling into the ordinary flow of the Bathhouse is normal. He is torn between wanting Chihiro, and wanting to be like her. Upon becoming engorged after indulging in every whim of the bathhouse, he comes to find that he is still miserable. Wanting to possess Chihiro, (being the embodiment of tranquility and enlightenment; being free from material desire), he pursues her, wherein Chihiro gets him to eat the Panacea, using the very last bit on him rather than on her parents. No-Face is purged of all the darkness of the Bathhouse, regurgitating everything that he had absorbed as he follows Chihiro. He eventually joins her as a travelling companion, leaving everything behind, including all that plagues him, to walk with Chihiro to Swamp Bottom. In the slower, rhythmic world of nature, No-Face is free to live a life free from the circle of desire and suffering that is commonplace in the bathhouse, and is allowed to stay with Zaniba. Here, he can take the baby steps he needs to find out what he wants to do with his life.

The way No-Face eats his food in Zaniba’s house in the quiet forest is a far cry from how he had been previously engorged and engulfed by desire and misery in the bathhouse. No-Face sips on a cup of tea, almost serenely with a slight expression of delight on his mask.

In conclusion, it is impossible to confine Spirited Away to one central theme, as there are many things to draw and learn from within this brilliant film. In establishing a believable world that is in its own right a microcosm of many societies today, Spirited Away opens up a world of possibilities to revisit and learn something new from time and time again.

 

Anime’s Role in a System of National Ideology

Like Disney stories for young Americans, Momotaro folklore was the Japanese youth equivalent for relaying certain ideologies, specifically concerning World War II and nationalism. In reality, WWII was a devastating event for the Japanese, but the animated versions of Momotaro served to fuel and ignite patriotism and a spirit of national unity among viewers by propagandizing the surprise strike on Pearl Harbor. Animation, as a media form, allows a great deal of flexibility for illustrating imaginations. Thus, Mitsuyo Seo had a lot of creative power to work with because he could let his characters perform unrealistic feats (such as leaping through the air on flying planes, acrobatic attacks on enemy forces, and riding torpedoes) to demonstrate noble qualities like strength, bravery, and teamwork.

Powerful images of Momotaro as a strong commander and his animal militia as brave soldiers are presented on screen which gives the idea that the Japanese are a force to be seriously reckoned with. In each scene, the Japanese fighters are seen in well-organized ranks, smartly dressed in uniforms, and readily prepared to engage in battle. There is a strong sense of order and agility, because all of their movements are so expertly coordinated to the point of being graceful. When they are called to arms, they do so exuberantly with cries of joy and board their fighter jets enthusiastically. They are not fearful, nor cowardly. This allied front encourages viewers to view the call to arms as something to be proud of and excited about. The opportunity to serve one’s country becomes not only admirable but also highly desirable.

Adorable but skillful animal militia unite to defeat enemy forces.

Seo portrays the animal soldiers with round, smiling faces. This imagery borders on being misleading, because the reality of war is rough and often brutal. However, the fighting in Momotaro is playful and entertaining. The monkeys and dogs bound from their jets with bouncy movements and acrobatic flips, like scenes from a Cirque-du-Soleil troupe. Their firearms do not resound with ear-piercing explosions or body-rattling aftershocks. Wars are gruesome, bloody affairs, but in Momotaro’s world, boats simply capsize in rolling waves and the enemy forces slip under the waves. For young viewers, the violence is downplayed but the triumph of victory is exaggerated. This moves them to appreciate the glory of battle as, not only a desirable goal, but almost a fun activity like playing a game with harmless Nerf guns.

The enemy are portrayed are as oafish and clumsy. Their actions consist of running from battle rather than standing their ground and retaliating. On the ground, empty liquor bottles roll around as they flee from Momotaro’s forces. . The crushing defeat of the Americans is propagandistic but extremely effective, suggesting that a united nation can defeat anyone. Ultimately, the propaganda is successful in firmly establishing the undeniable superiority of the Japanese as a dominant and impressive national power in viewers’ minds and motivating them to answer when called to arms.

Bumbling American forces.

Genre Comparison in Anime – Momotaro’s Sea Eagle and Astro Boy

Animated film producers of works like Momotaro’s Sea Eagle and Astro Boy mix humans, animals, and machines to deliver thematic messages to audiences about camaraderie, loyalty, relationships, technology’s role in society and adventure. In Momotaro’s Sea Eagle, Mitsuyo Seo’s employment of animal soldiers commanding advanced weaponry is used for WWII propagandistic purposes. Led by Momotaro, the adorable animal crew fly planes, wield swords, drop bombs, sink ships, and set fire to enemy fleets. The cuteness of the animals downplays the seriousness of war, while invoking feelings of pride, honor, and nationalism in viewers. Although the setting is wartime, the film is infused with playful and jocular moments. In one scene, the monkey is seen playing with a little bird, bounding through the skies with it on his back. This friendly portrait contrasts starkly with the war effort. However, even in fighting scenes, the animals make wreaking havoc seem entertaining and fun. Momotaro and his crew’s bravery in attacking the ogres of Demon Island demonstrated the power of teamwork and strength through solidarity. How often do cute monkeys ride missiles or do tricks while burning down planes?  These endearing images were perfect for young audiences to accept militarism and the pride of being a Japanese soldier.

Monkey cheerfully holds his pistol during battle.

Osama Tezuka’s Astro Boy follows the adventures of a robot boy coexisting with humans in a futuristic world. Astro’s existence relies on the science used to create him. Although he is technically a machine, he exhibits real human emotions. His interactions with people, like his “father,” teachers, and the cruel circus manager, demonstrate his ability to think critically and genuinely feel joy, sadness, success and rejection. With his father, Astro behaves like an actual human boy, save for several unique interpretations of reality (like his chemical composition drawing of fruit) and his inability to age. Tezuka’s choice to show Astro’s perception of something like an apple on the atomic level reminds the audience that he is not, in fact, human. During his brief stint in the circus, Astro shows his ‘humanity’ by refusing to destroy his fellow robot opponent in the ring. Unlike a typical robot who would feel no loyalty nor attachment, he even goes on to rejuvenate rejected robots with his own energy supply. When the circus tent collapses in a fire inferno, they save the evil circus manager and show attendees even though they had been mistreated. This reinforces the human-like quality of robots to experience things like camaraderie and Tezuka shows audiences that peaceful coexistence between different groups, like animals and robots, is really possible.

Astro’s interpretation of a plate of fruit.

Although Seo and Tezuka used anime for different purposes, both men creatively communicate with viewers via the flexible and dynamic nature of animation. In reality, the blend of humans, animals and technology would have been expensive and impractical for production. Animation allowed them to unleash their imaginations without being constrained by anything except their drawing speeds and deadlines.

Astro Boy: Closing the Gap

As a pioneer of Japanese manga and anime, Osamu Tezuka is possibly most renowned for his ever popular anime series, Astro Boy. Although it had its beginnings as a manga series, by 1963, Astro Boy rocketed into the world of television where it proceeded take the world by storm, penetrating and influencing all aspects of Japanese society and culture.

The pilot episode of the television program begins the series with the birth of Astro Boy. Created by a scientist to replace his recently deceased son, Astro Boy is quickly abandoned by his father when he realizes that Astro Boy is unable to live and grow like a human boy. The basic narrative of the series, depicting Astro Boy as a heroic figure, is established when Astro Boy is sold to a circus and readily saves all the victims when the circus tent catastrophically burns down.

Astro Boy saving the circus ringleader from the fire

The creation of this heroic, futuristic robot served as an admirable role model to the youth of Japan and quickly attracted a large fan base. The popularity of Astro Boy skyrocketed, exhibiting an exponential growth in popularity. Initially, Astro Boy seemed to be taking the manga and anime world by storm, but the series continued to grow, infiltrating all media outlets and aspects of society, eventually making its way into the food industry. When the series began, its first sponsor was Meiji Seika, a leading chocolate manufacturer in Japan. Although the sponsoring of Meiji and Astro Boy ultimately served to mutually increase the popularity and sales of both partners, it was the appeal and attraction of Astro Boy that allowed the sponsorship to achieve such prosperity.

From Astro Boy opening credits: Astro Boy fighting evil

By no means was Astro Boy the first manga or anime character. But what set the series apart from all its predecessors is its combination of strong aesthetic attraction and appealing characteristics of the protagonist. Creating an eternally youthful yet futuristic robot adorned with big, glassy eyes and drawn with rounded shapes, Tezuka created a universally appealing aesthetic in Astro Boy. Coupled with his kind, and selfless acts of heroism, Astro Boy quickly became a popular idol for children. This combination was enough to create a high demand for Astro Boy in all aspects of daily life. As the sponsor, Meiji sold their products with supplementary Astro Boy stickers, and with the mobility and portability of these stickers, Astro Boy seemed to be taking over society. Astro Boy had such a large impact on Meiji that they further diminished the gap between the entertainment and food industry when the company released chocolates shaped like Astro Boy.

The strong ties established between Astro Boy and Meiji have had such a historically significant impact that the two names have become increasingly synonymous. And over time, Astro Boy has grown to become much more than a popular anime series. While the television series itself left its mark in the manga and anime world, Astro Boy’s ability to penetrate and diffuse through Japanese culture served to close the gap between contrasting elements of society and ultimately creating a cohesive unit tied together by one sole character.

Momotarō War Propaganda

The image featured below is a screen shot from the film titled Momotarō’s Sea Eagle directed by Seo Mitsuyo. It features a rabbit relaying signals with its ears from a watchtower situated on Momotarō’s aircraft carrier prior to the Demon Island assault. Taking a closer look, the screen shot is a strong piece of propaganda that familiarizes the viewer with warfare/war. For instance, the image’s monochrome color scheme first of all highlights the screen shot’s realistic nature. That is to say, the rabbit’s incandescent whiteness illuminates the scene in a way that makes its martial features evident (a reference to the heavy-duty spotlight positioned behind the rabbit). Also, the stiff linear art style used to shape the spotlight positioned right behind the rabbit, accentuates the screen shot’s pro-martial stance. If figuratively conveys the following message: warfare is a complex, well-organized process. The rabbit on the other hand is entirely composed of curved lines. This design in effect connotes dynamism and implies martial involvement is an empowering experience. Furthermore, the rabbit’s human garb has a humanizing effect that makes it a directly relatable entity. Therefore, the viewer vicariously experiences war and its technicality via the rabbit.  Last but not least, the rabbit’s flowing ears, large eyes, and small facial features make it a highly approachable, cute thing. In effect, war and the condition of the warrior, the factors represented by the rabbit, are unconsciously accepted when the rabbit itself is accepted. All in all, the screen shot featured below is a highly propagandistic image that forcefully upholds war and warfare. Likewise, the Momotarō folk tale as Iwaya Sazanami tells it, romanticizes warfare by glorifying violence in the following manner: “…Our pheasant was certainly a brave fellow. He dodged the blow without an effort and with one stroke of his beak on the crown of the ogre’s head, stabbed and knocked him down…” (Iwaya 35).

The cute warrior.

Momotaro’s Sea Eagle: An Effective Propaganda

In Momotaro’s Sea Eagle, which is based on one of the most well known Japan’s folklore, the classic tale of Peach Boy was brought to the audience with a new twist. The anime still contains the basic plot of Peach Boy going to Demon Island with his animal friends to fight the demons. However, instead of the traditional setting from the original folklore, Peach boy is now a general figure upon an aircraft carrier and the crew consists of monkeys, dogs, pheasants, and rabbits. The anime has a much more modern setting and an emphasis on warfare. By doing so the fairytale of Peach Boy has been turn into a war propaganda that can effectively affect the mindset of the viewers for their support for Japan and the military’s attack on the enemy.

one of the monkeys bringing millet dumpling onto the attack mission

One of the way in which the anime showcase its message to the audience is through the use of the millet dumpling and alcohol. In this situation, the millet dumpling is being used to represent Japan and its strength as a nation. The fact that the monkey brought the millet dumpling onto the attack mission demonstrates how the spirit of Japan will always accompanies them whenever they go.

the monkey eating the millet dumpling

Thus when the monkey eats the dumpling and literally gain muscle from it, the dumpling is symbolic of Japan’s strength and power. In this case that power is being shown through the monkey and his skills as a sailor. Through these images and symbolic representation of Japan the anime is convincing the audience that the home nation is strong. Although the millet dumpling may be a simple traditional food it is a strong part of their culture and that is what gives them strength,therefore, this will stimulates people’s pride for the nation and encourage more support for their attack mission.

the monkey gaining muscles after eating the dumpling

a shot of a demon sailor falling onto the deck with beer bottles around him

While displaying a nation’s strength and rallying people’s pride in the nation can effectively deliver the purpose of the propaganda, it is also important to reveal who the enemy is to justify their action. For this anime the enemy is being seen through alcohol. When the crew of Momotaro attacks the Demon Island the occupants there were taken by surprised. However, instead of having the demons try their best to retaliate back the anime has them running around trying to escape with beer bottles lying all over the ship deck. That image there is very key in describing the enemy, they are being seen as drunks who are not prepared in contrast to Momotaro’s crew.

the demon sailor drinking more alcohol

In addition, when one of the demon sailor drinks more alcohol thinking it could make him stronger, he ended up more like fool. That shot demonstrates how the enemy is powerless as a nation. The alcohol here has no match for the millet dumpling of Japan. It gives no spirit and strength to the demons, whereas the millet dumpling is full of determination and courage. That contrast reveals the enemy as an easy target and therefore convincing the audience that this attack will be a guaranteed victory.

Through the medium of food the anime creates and effective propaganda that can appeal to many different types of audiences. The use of food here clearly demonstrates the power of the homeland in contrast to their enemy, thus by showing it through witty and comical ways the anime instills its message in people’s mind without the horror images of warfare.