Know Your Enemy and Know Yourself

Know Your Enemy and Know Yourself

Momotaro is one of the oldest and most beloved characters in Japanese culture. Passed down from a time before written history, Momotaro has become “a central figure in Japanese moral education” (Gerow). The story begins with an elderly couple finding an enormous peach floating down a river. The peach opens up to reveal the child Momotaro whom they raise as their own. Momotaro grows into a strong adolescent and leaves home to battle the oni who are tormenting the people of Japan. The story of Momotaro has been told countless times in numerous forms. This paper will analyze three instances of the Momotaro story. In both Iwaya Sazanami’s “Momotaro” and The National Diet Library Newsletter’s “Momotaro,”  the story is told with a combination of text and illustration. In Mitsuyo Seo’s Momotaro’s Sea Eagle, the story is told as a cartoon battle resembling the Japanese attack of Pearl Harbor. All three versions vary in their specific detail, but they all share one important detail. Every version of the Momotaro story clearly differentiates good from evil by depicting the benevolent and courageous characteristics of Momotaro and his retainers in direct comparison to the cruelty and cowardice portrayed by the oni.

The protagonist in any legend is meant to be an ideal representation of humanity. Momotaro is no different; he provides the Japanese people with a hero who is strong, skillful, and dutiful. Momotaro is always depicted as a powerful young man by having him wear a military uniform (Seo) fine clothing (Sazanami 39), or armor (Goro).  He is portrayed as a skilled warrior s with a sword always at his side (Sazanami, Goro, & Seo). While he is depicted as being capable of personally fighting the oni (Goro 4), his ability to command others is emphasized in each version of his story. In Momotaro’s Sea Eagle, Mitsuyo Seo has Momotaro assertively lay out the attack plan to his squadron as well as the audience (Seo). Throughout the film, Momotaro maintains a vigilant gaze over his men as he leads them to victory (Seo). As true leader, Momotaro knows the strengths and abilities of each of his warriors and utilizes them in the most efficient way. Sazanami has Momotaro send the pheasant to scout the Oni’s fortification (33) while Seo’s Momotaro tasks his monkeys with climbing on top of one another in order to destroy the oni’s airforce (Seo). Momotaro’s familiarity with his retainers and his ability to command them decisively causes him to be respected and loved by his followers.

Along his path to fighting the oni, Momotaro came across three strong warriors: a spotted dog, a monkey, and a pheasant (Sazanami, Goro, & Seo). Momotaro was confronted and challenged by each of his retainers as he journeyed toward Demon Island, but he was able to win each of their loyalty and friendship with by offering them one of his prized millet dumplings (Sazanami & Goro). The dumplings are used to represent loyalty and affection in the stories of Momotaro. The retainers show complete faith in their leader Momotaro in all versions of the myth, and they also develop a strong camaraderie with one another. Sazanami writes that the dog and the monkey were enemies prior to encounter with Momotaro (Sazanami-26), but with the guidance and example of a strong leader, the once-enemies can become allies and even friends. Mitsuyo Seo portrays this friendship by having the dog and the monkey embrace one another after the monkey risked his life to save civilians from accidentally being killed by a rogue torpedo.

            In that scene of Momotaro’s Sea Eagle, a torpedo is accidentally launched in the direction of a civilian area; the monkey selflessly dives from the plane and redirects the missile to its appropriate target (Seo). This is a perfect example of how the Momotaro story expresses the importance of generosity and kindness for one to be on the side of good. Mitsuyo Seo shows this again when the monkey and the dog rescue a baby eagle who gets stuck on the wing of their plane. The whole reason that Momotaro and his retainers are engaged in their righteous battle is for the sake of the people of Japan. Momotaro leaves to defeat the oni only because of the harm that they are doing to Japan (Sazanami 18), and once the oni were defeated, the heroes immediately go about returning the stolen treasures to their rightful owners (Goro 5). In order for one to truly do good in the world, it must be done for the sake of others.

            In one scene of Momotaro’s Sea Eagle, a monkey gets stuck in the hatch of a demon bomber plane that is about to explode; when another monkey notices the situation of his comrade, he takes careful aim and with one shot frees his friend from certain death (Seo). Strength and skill are vital attributes to a good warrior. Momotaro and his retainers are all armed with high quality weapons (Sazanami, Goro, & Seo), they work hard to keep them pristine (Seo), and they know how to use them with deadly precision (Sazanami, Goro, & Seo). The Momotaro story is depicting the importance for a warrior of good to be constantly vigilant and prepared to go to battle. When they go to battle, they must be able to do so skillfully. As with the scene from Momotaro’s Sea Eagle, Iwaya Sazanami also shows the exceptional skill of the retainers by having the pheasant defeat each of his opponents by easily dodging their blows and killing them with a single strike (Sazanami 35). Good warriors need strength as well as skill. In Momotaro’s Sea Eagle, a dog and a monkey obtain strength directly from eating millet dumplings, and the audience witness as in popeye-like fashion their biceps grow from the dumplings powerful nutrition (Seo). In the literature, the strength of the retainers is shown in their armor (Sazanami & Goro).

            The physical appearance and clothing are distinct ways of differentiating good from evil in all the various Momotaro telling’s. Whereas the retainers wear sharp military uniforms (Seo) or battle armor (Sazanami & Goro) and carry well maintained swords and pistols, the oni walk around in loin-cloths (Sazanami & Goro) or mismatched uniforms (Seo), and they fight with clubs (Sazanami & Goro). This shows that the oni are disorganized, and that they don’t care about their appearance. This lack of concern is emphasized by Sazanami when one of the oni doesn’t bother to arrange is loin-cloth before attacking the pheasant (34). In contrast, the dog in Momotaro’s Sea Eagle takes specific care to make certain that his headband is on properly before going into battle (Seo).

            The oni don’t care about their appearance, nor do they place any importance upon their battle preparation or discipline. Depicting this perfectly in Momotaro’s Sea Eagle, Mitsuyo Seo has the first oni that the audience gets a glimpse of sleeping against handle of a broom. This total lack of discipline and preparation is further shown when Seo has the oni sailors running around confused in all directions during the attack. To contrast this,  Seo has all of the maneuvers and formations of the animal retainers done with proficient straight lines and coordinated teamwork. All versions of the Momotaro story exemplify the ineptitude and the cowardice of the demonic  oni. In the National Diet Library Newsletter’s “Momotaro”, the oni are illustrated cowering in fear or running away from battle (Goro 4), in Sazanai’s “Momotaro”, the oni’s attacks are easily dodged and they are killed with ease (35), and in Momotaro’s Sea Eagle, the drunken oni commander has bottles of alcohol falling out of his pockets as he whimpers and cries, never actually engaging in the battle raging around him (Seo).

            Cowardice and selfishness are innate characteristics of the oni. In an attempt to bolster his courage in Momotaro’s Sea Eagle, the commanding oni quickly drinks a bottle of alcohol in a scene directly mimicking the earlier scene of the dog and monkey eating the millet dumplings; instead of developing muscles and courage, the drink merely causes the oni to fall down and flail like a drunken fool (Seo). The bumbling fool of an oni then runs around the ship haphazardly not caring who he runs into or knocks down (Seo). This shows how the oni have no respect for anyone, whether enemy or ally, and that they are completely shelfih. In Sazanami’s “Momotaro” the oni mock the pheasant for being small (34), in Momotaro’s Sea Eagle the oni commander forces several of his comrades out of a lifeboat in an attempt to save himself (Seo), and one cannot forget the treachery, thievery, and people eating that spurred on Momotaro’s campaign from the start (Sazanami & Goro).

            It is vital in life to distinguish good from evil. In battle, it is necessary to differentiate between ally and enemy. The tale of Momotaro has become a guide for doing just that. Each version of the Momotaro myth clearly depicts the characteristics of the good Momotaro and his retainers the dog, the monkey, and the pheasant as well as those of the evil oni. Wwarriors on the side of good are strong, skilled, compassionate, prepared, respectful, and ruthless when it really matters. Warriors on the side of evil are weak, selfish, crude, incompetent, and cowardly. The three interpretations of the Momotaro story examined in this paper each demonstrate the characters of good and evil in their own way. Even in their vastly different tellings of the story, however, all three still manage to demonstrate the clear cut distinctions of good and evil that are definitive of the legend of Momotaro and his battle against the oni.

 

 

 

Works Cited

Goro, Arai, and Shuppan Koyosha. Momotaro. 1951. Illustration. National Diet Library    Newsletter, Osaka. Web. 15 November 2013.    <http://www.ndl.go.jp/en/publication/ndl_newsletter/109/0942.html&gt;.       

Gerow, Aaron. “Film Comments of Momotaro’s Sea Eagle.” Pamphlet from DVD. (2007): 10.       Print.

Sazanami, Iwaya. “Momotaro” (Tokyo: Hokuseido Press, 1938). 9-40. Print.

Seo, Mitsuyo, dir. Momotaro’s Sea Eagle. Art Film Production, 1942. Web. 15 November 2013.

 

           

Entrées of Consolidation

When we eat, we establish a direct identity between our culture and the natural world. Food reflects social identities and membership in social groups.  It not only unifies people from all aspects of life, it serves as a facet of society and socialization throughout the world. People are able to gather together when food is present. It allows us to feel relaxed and socialize with one another even if there are stark differences between groups. Food allows us to strengthen social ties and serves as a unifier not only within cultural groups themselves, but between those groups. It reduces cultural differences to a minimum, reducing the disparities seen between groups of various races, ethnicities and even socioeconomic standing. This unification can be seen in the tales of Momotaro or Peach Boy, a Japanese folk hero whose stories have remained incredibly influential in Japan for the past three centuries. Food serves as a main unifier throughout the various adaptations of Momotaro. Whether they are in literature or film, food is used to symbolize community and functions as a method by which Momotaro can contract animals to help him with his quests. Throughout these variants of the story food remains a common element; food as a method to portray nationalism. The characters in the story represent different elements of Japanese society and are united by food.

In the original Momotaro story published by Iwaya Sazanami, food, specifically millet dumplings, play a crucial role in Momotaro’s development into a hero. At the very beginning of the folk tale, Momotaro’s adoptive parents discover him in a giant peach. They are “both so astonished at this appearance that they were frightened out of their wits, and they fell down” (15). The peach symbolizes life in Japanese culture and thus Momotaro’s appearance brings new life into the lives of the old couple. He is portrayed as coming from Heaven and thus has a mission on earth that he must fulfill. Once he reaches the age of fifteen, he feels an intense desire to go “wage war against them [the oni], to catch and crush them and bring back all their treasures” (19). He bids his family farewell but not before his father prepares “suitable food for a warrior on a journey” (21). This food, Kibi-dango or millet dumplings, may not seem out of the ordinary, but in reality it is these dumplings which are the means by which Momotaro can ultimately be successful at the end of his journey. As he goes about his quest, he gives half a millet dumpling to each animal he encounters on his journey. The dog, monkey, and pheasant each, in turn, become his honorable retainers and thus accompany him to the Ogres’ Island to defeat the oni. The dumplings serve as ways to bring the group together and to maintain respect and loyalty to each other. At first, the animals are incredibly aggressive towards each other but after receiving their dumplings, “all three animals were the best of friends and obeyed Peach-Boy’s commands, heart and soul” (32). The humility and esteem the dumplings bring the group into a familial connection. Prepared by Momotaro’s parents who love him dearly, these dumplings spread their love for him to the animals that end up becoming unconditionally loyal and respectful to him. His “influence of a great General is a great thing!” (32). Thus, with his new army, he is able to overcome the demons. The millet dumplings are what lead to the intense camaraderie between the group and shed light into the ability of food to bring together people from all different backgrounds for a common cause. Food is portrayed not only as a labor of love from his parents but also as a method by which Momotaro becomes a hero. With the support of this food, he accumulates all he needs to accomplish his goal and it allows him to reap the benefits of the spoils of victory.

Mitsuyo Seo’s adaptation of the traditional Momotaro lore, Momotaro’s Sea Eagles, utilizes some of the same food elements seen in the traditional tale. However, this adaptation is not used solely for the purpose of entertainment but takes on a slightly darker, propagandist twist. In the film, the millet dumplings don’t have the same emotional effect as seen in the original tale, but they seem to still have a significant effect on Momotaro and his minions. The millet dumplings, as seen in the hands of a monkey, give a reaction similar to the one seen in the American Popeye cartoons. They give him the strength and fearlessness needed in order to complete his mission for his country.

 

                     The similarities between Popeye and the monkey in Momotaro’s Sea Eagle

The dumplings are also used as rewards for the retainers and are part of the spoils, which they take after defeating the demons. The benefits of the dumplings are evident as the soldiers overrun the demons’ ships and decimate their forces. This sweeping victory aims to showcase the Japanese superiority over their American counterparts. It lifts the attack on Pearl Harbor to a mythical level; Momotaro leads pheasants, monkeys, and dogs into a fight against evil demons. The millet dumplings are more complex in Sea Eagles; the sense of love and camaraderie seen in the traditional story takes on a much larger nationalistic meaning. The nationalistic approach sheds light on the dumplings effects versus those that of the effects of the alcohol on the captain of the demon ship. While his fleet gets destroyed, he squirms around in his drunken squalor helpless to stop the invasion. The stark contrast between Momotaro and the demon captain is apparent in that the captain continues to drink while Momotaro executes his plan to perfection. The captain is not only a drunkard but is also incredibly overweight. These two characteristics are obvious propaganda tools portraying the American diet as unhealthy while that of the Japanese is lauded for its benefits to its soldiers (such as with the monkey). Overall, food in Sea Eagle represents more than just a “superman drug,” it represents the desire for Japanese global dominance in World War II. The dumplings serve as the unique aspect of Japanese culture that is untouched by Western influence; this distinctiveness aims to show the Japanese as good while the Americans are portrayed in a much more negative light.

            Noriaki Tsuchimoto’s documentary Minimata: The Victims and Their World aims to show the negative effects that food has on communities as a whole. Unlike the Momotaro stories, this documentary shows the unity that families and communities have during times of intense suffering. Throughout the entire film, the audience is exposed to residents of Minamata and the mercury poisoning caused by the fish contaminated by Chisso fertilizer factory. The families suffer from deformities and other critical diseases and thus are subject to intense hardships due to lack of government effort and the slow response by the factory itself. The food itself is the reason why the people are in such a bad state yet they continue to share their food because of the rich culture and sense of community that is felt through these eating interactions. The endurance and love they show each other is inspiring, but the conditions for life is so fatefully tragic due to the seemingly endless amounts of mercury found in the nearby water sources. The food that they need to survive is what is actually killing them. This vicious cycle only continues even when they go to the shareholder meeting because of the lack of compassion Chisso shows for its victims. This film is a window into the anger, grief, and agony that lasted a lifetime for the people involved. Family members share the agonies endured by their loved ones before they died of the disease and show the consequences that the food around them had on their lives. However, throughout all the suffering and tragedy, the community grows closer together; the people unite under a common goal, much like in the Momotaro stories, and work hard together to overcome any obstacle in their way. The film serves as a disturbing reminder of the indifference of corporate entities to human welfare and stands as a testament to the power of community in overcoming that indifference.  

The theme that becomes apparent in all three works is the ability of food to be a uniting factor within and between communities. Food establishes bonds and maintains those same bonds throughout the test of time because of its cultivation, preparation, and consumption which all represent a cultural act. Food serves as a representative of unity and community. Whether it be the coming together to fight against demons or to fight against an insensitive, corrupt company, the fact of the matter remains the same: food is the facilitator of modern culture. Without food, we are left with a fragile society that lacks the intrapersonal relationships needed for a fully functioning humanity. Food is no longer just a normal material object; it is a symbol of the synthesis required for the successful advancement of a nation.   

Peach-Boy: Food as an Instrument of Community Creation

Monkey eating dumpling in Sea Eagle

In the stories and fables centered on the hero Momotarō or Peach-Boy, food works as a symbol of solidarity as well as authority. Momotarō is a typical heroic character: noble, righteous, and a protector of the interests of the less powerful. In the fables about his exploits, he and his retainers protect Japan from various evil forces, usually in the form of ogres or demons. These two sides are often distinguished via the symbol of food, whether it is the millet dumplings that Momotarō gives his retainers in the original tales or the alcohol that is heavily consumed by the bumbling captain of the demons’ ship in a wartime cartoon. In addition, these relationships are portrayed differently in the various Momotarō stories based on the time period in which they were written. These changes are reflected in the treatment of food within the films and texts. Food and the act of consuming it is a powerful indicator of community and relationships, a fact, which is reflected quite frequently in the myths of Momotarō.

In almost every story of Peach-Boy, there is an appearance of millet dumplings. In the original fable, Momotarō gives these dumplings to the dog, monkey, and pheasant that encounters on his way to Ogres’ Island. After receiving and eating these dumplings, the respective animals become retainers or servants of Momotarō. Thus food is acting as a direct agent of producing community. These dumplings, which were made by Momotarō’s loving parents, represent the mutual acceptance between the hero and the animals to become connected in some way. Food that was originally shared between family members, Peach-Boy and his parents, is now being given to these new characters, suggesting that they are perhaps joining his family or community in some way. Sharing and eating food together is something that everyone in a community, whether it is one of friends, family, coworkers, or etc., does together. Therefore when Momotarō performs this ritual with his new retainers it represents that they have overcome their differences (as each animal initially attacks the Peach-Boy) and decided to join together in some kind of relationship, in this case one of a lord and his retainers. In this case, food also works to build a community because it shows the Momotarō is responsible for the dog, monkey, and pheasant. He provides for them in the form of the dumplings, which are supposedly the best in all of Japan in return for their future service to him. Even in future versions, such as Momotarō’s Sea Eagle, a World War II propaganda film, food is used as a sort of reward for the retainers. For example, in one scene, after the forces of dogs, monkeys, and pheasants have successfully attacked the enemy, one of the monkeys is rewarded with millet dumplings and drink. He has performed his duty to the community, which in the film includes all of Japan in addition to his captain Momotarō, so he therefore deserves the delicious food. Food holds the community together because it incentivizes acting on behalf of the rest of the community. Food is not only a symbol of kinship but is also an agent of community-creation. Another example of food acting as a force to bring characters together in the Momotarō canon is the giant peach from which he is born. Old Woman and Old Man find a giant peach from which Peach-Boy, the son that they always wanted but never had, emerges. Once again, food is directly acting as a means of bringing people together into a community; the peach delivers Momotarō to the old couple allowing a family to form. In addition, being born from the peach also establishes Momotarō as a special character. While his parents are named Old Man and Old Woman and the rest of the characters are also similarly typified, Peach-Boy has a unique name based on his strange birth. Food not only creates communities, it also helps determine the roles of each member. The millet dumplings and peach from the original Momotarō stories are strong examples of food as the basis of a community. Without either one, Momotarō could not have existed because he would have no family to raise him and no retainers or servants to help him on his quest to get rid of the Ogres.

In addition to being a symbol and vehicle of the creation of communities, food also acts as a means of differentiating between different groups, notably Momotarō on the side of righteousness and the ogres or demons on the side of evil. In the original fable, the side of good enjoys the millet dumplings. The old couple makes them for their son, Peach-Boy, who gives them to his retainers as a sign of acceptance and as a reward for joining his quest. The Ogres on Ogres’ Island, with whom he battles, do not get any of the dumplings. Instead the Ogres are said to kidnap and eat people. The differences in cuisine determine that the two forces are not part of the same community, but are in fact distinct and opposing communities. Although this seems counterintuitive when taken along the idea of food as a force for producing community, it is still useful. Community is a group of people who have something in common, whether it is family relationship, aligned interests, or simply friendship.  This suggests that if one community with certain interests exists, than another community with different interests likely exists as well. So though food does not bring the Ogres and Momotarō and his band together, it is still creating community, two communities, in fact. Thus food discerns between differing groups as well as bringing people together to form these groups. In Sea Eagle, we can see another example of food as a distinguishing force. While the Japanese forces of animals use food as an incentive and a source of fuel to perform well, the demon forces on Demon’s Island (thinly veiled caricatures of American forces in Pearl Harbor) are useless, bumbling drunks who cannot perform their duties as successfully as their enemies can. In one scene, one of the Japanese monkey soldiers eats some kind of dish in the cockpit of the plane and immediately gains strength similar to the scenes in the Popeye cartoons where he eats spinach. As mentioned previously, another monkey is rewarded with millet dumplings and a bubbly drink after he returns home safe and victorious from the attack.  Therefore, in this community, aka the Japanese forces serving under Momotarō, food is a productive and helpful thing that holds them together. Meanwhile, on the demons’ ships, their clumsy, blundering captain, who looks like Bluto, the evil character in the Popeye cartoons, is depicted as a useless alcoholic with a copious amount of bottles falling out from his clothes. Hence, the community of Japanese animal soldiers has a very different relationship with food and drink than the community of American demons. The demons have a very dysfunctional relationship to food while Momotarō’s forces have a very healthy one. Food and the way the members of a group interact with it, can show how each group is different than the next because the way that it helps various communities form is always unique.

            Minamata: The Victims and Their World, a documentary that tells the story of a village poisoned by the dumping of mercury by the nearby Chisso Corporation into the water, also shows the important connection between food and the essence of a community. The villagers suffer from a horrible disease as a result of their food supply of fish, which have all been infected with the illegally dumped methyl mercury in the ocean. Therefore, like the demons, the villagers of Minamata do not have a positive relationship to food and rather than helping to build the community, it is literally killing it. The villagers decide to confront the Chisso Corporation who burdened them with the terrible disease. These villagers compare their plight to the quest of Momotarō and even compare the home of the corporation to Ogres’ Island from the Momotarō stories. This places the community of affected villagers in the shoes of the heroic or righteous side (Momotarō) versus the side of evil (Ogres). The villagers, who originally had a rewarding relationship with food, as they were mostly fishermen who provided themselves with their own food have been reduced to the sad state of being tormented by the same very food. The community of Minamata villagers has been unified to fight against a common enemy as a result of their connection with food. The food that made their peers and loved ones sick has provoked a communal response against those who caused the misfortune. Therefore, just like Momotarō and his band of animal soldiers, these villagers seek out justice.

Food is something that is important in all cultures and in all groups of people, In general. It brings us together as well as differentiates us from those who do not share our interests. Food, as seen in the various depictions of the Momotarō myth, is the basic building block of communities. When we sit down at the dinner table with our families and share a meal, we are not so different from the Peach-Boy giving pieces of his millet dumplings to a certain dog, monkey, and pheasant. We are relying on food as a vehicle of building connections and of creating community.

Momotarō and Food: Unifiers of the Japanese

Although Momotarō originated as a simple folk hero in the early Edo period, he has transformed into a national symbol capable of creating strong bonds within the Japanese people. His portrayal has also changed with his evolution. The adult themes of the Edo period transformed to become more child-friendly before again morphing to a more militaristic attitude in war propaganda. However, the use of food in Momotarō stories has remained consistent: the establishing and strengthening of strong community bonds. Between media and through time, Momotarō is a national symbol and the use of food in his portrayals act as a way to cement community bonds.

In the original tale, Momotarō uses food to establish both camaraderie and loyalty among his vassals. The original story narrates how an old couple finds Momotarō in a large peach and raises him. “Peach Boy”, as Momotarō translates to, grows up and journeys to Oni Island to defeat the demons living there. On his voyage, he enlists the help of a dog, monkey, and pheasant using the millet dumplings his parents prepared for him. He returns from his expedition triumphant and laden with treasures. The food in the original version is instrumental in the story. The millet dumplings Momotarō gives to the animals wins him their loyalty. While winning their support, he also establishes dominance and leadership between him and his vassals. This is especially apparent when he “[places] himself between them [the dog and the monkey] and carrying in his hand and iron fan, according to the custom of all high military officials in those days […]” (28, Iwaya). Momotarō clearly establishes himself as a strong leader and the dominant figure of his vassals. He is seen as an assertive person to be looked up to and trusted. The comparison to a high military official furthers this idea s well as hints at Momotarō’s coming military might against the demons. His leadership is also apparent when he “pushed them [the dog and monkey] both apart […]” (26, Iwaya). He is responsible enough that he stops them from fighting and even has the foresight to recruit the monkey as another one of his vassals. The millet dumpling shared between the dog and monkey establishes camaraderie between the two. The food also binds the band together on their journey to Oni Island. Not only do they no longer argue, they fight alongside each other with loyalty and bravery. The millet dumplings convey the theme of camaraderie and loyalty on their journey.

In Mitsuyo Seo’s 1943 film Momotarō’s Sea Eagles, Momotarō and the millet dumplings are used to mobilize the Japanese people for the war effort. In the film, Momotarō leads a “Japanese” army of dogs, monkeys, pheasants, and rabbits against the evil demons of Oni Island, representing the American and British enemies in World War II. The film’s main purpose is to promote World War II and rally the Japanese people; in contrast, the original tale is aimed to teach and entertain children. However, the propaganda film gains power from using Momotarō as a symbol because people already identify with the original folk hero as a good, strong leader. This idea is furthered with the utter defeat of the Western “demons” and the fact that the “Japanese” army is completely unharmed. This idealized view of war only serves the film’s purpose as propaganda. Millet dumplings also rally the Japanese people together. Strong community bonds and intense loyalty are the Japanese’s strengths and the key to winning the war, and the millet dumplings represent this. In the film, the food does not simply establish these bonds, but actually makes the animals physically stronger.

The monkey’s muscles become visibly larger after eating the millet dumplings.

The millet dumplings, and symbolically the camaraderie between the Japanese, give strength to Momotarō’s army. The food in the films not only encourages camaraderie but also distinguishes the good Japanese and the demonized Westerners.

The beer makes the demons drunk and cowardly

In contrast to the strength the millet dumplings give to the Japanese, food and drink make the Westerners lazy and cowardly. This distinction further unites the Japanese. The biased portrayal dehumanizes the enemies and makes their total defeat more righteous, again typical of a propaganda film. Food in Sea Eagles helps promote enlistment in the war and draws power from the national symbol of Momotarō.

Momotarō is not used only in literature and film, but also as a real world rallying point. In Tsuchimoto’s 1971 documentary, Minamata: The Victims and their World, the citizens of Minamata suffer from mercury poisoning caused by polluted waters. A neighboring factory owned by the Chisso Corporation had been pollution the water for thirty-four years. The film documents the victims’ fight for justice. One scene portrays the march of the victims to the annual Chisso Corporation shareholder meeting in Osaka. In one particular moment, a victim alluded to Momotarō, and the folk hero becomes a rallying point. In fact, the speaker for the victims referenced the corporation as “blue and red ogres”, a clear reference to Momotarō’s Oni Island.

The speaker references Momotarõ as a way to gain sympathy from the strangers in Osaka.

Momotarō’s popularity as a defender of good and a strong leader made him an ideal symbol for the victims. His story is well known; likening the corporation to the infamous ogres serves to unite the strangers in solidarity and bring the issue closer to home. The long journey and gathering of supporters is also a parallel to Momotarō’s journey and gathering of vassals, again around food. However, the poisoned food is a weapon of the enemy rather than something to encourage camaraderie.  The reference to the familiar character of Momotarō as a defender of good also elicits sympathy for the victims, and the strangers as well as the audience join and support their cause. The ability of the victims to garner that much attention using Momotarō is a testament to the folk hero’s power. From page to screen to the real world, Momotarō retains his popularity and power.

Despite moving between media, or even because of it, Momotarō is a national symbol with a lot of influence, and he serves as a rallying point for multiple causes. Food also connects the various genres and becomes a unifier for the people involved, whether through camaraderie, or sadly, suffering. While the goal of each media was different, the three portrayals of Momotarō all shared the folk hero and food as the banners under which people came together. People tend to rally around strong leaders, and Momotarō is the ideal unifier for the Japanese people, even across time periods and media.

Illusion, Repetition, Indoctrination: Propaganda in Momotaro’s Sea Eagle

Shot 1: Flying Monkey behind Aircraft

Sponsored by the Japanese Naval Ministry, Momotaro’s Sea Eagle is a featured full-length anime produced in 1942 that effectively dramatizes a system of national ideology through propagandizing the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. I argue that through not only the medium used, but also through the repetitive illusions of war depicted in the anime, viewers are indoctrinated to justify and support warfare. First, expressing war through anime adds a taste of entertainment and lightheartedness to the burdensome topic. This is clearly demonstrated in the above shot in which the crucial assistant Monkey is late and thus left behind. During wartime, punctuality and preparedness are crucial factors that decide one’s life or death. Yet, despite the looming, heavy, and dark clouds, Monkey is able to swim its way through air – clearly a practical impossibility – and join its crew without consequences.

Shot 2: Game in Cockpit with Triumphant Monkey

To avoid further the cruelties of war, the anime extends the sense of relaxation by revealing what Monkey and Dog do within the cockpit. This playful scene, as captured in the above shot, repeats again another impossible feat – the stacking of woodblocks of various shapes in an unconventional way, not even to mention the possible turbulence during flight! Instead of seeing weapons, armors, parachutes, or simply another controller, we simply see a classic square dining table. Not only is it used to play woodblocks, Monkey sits in triumphant glory over the challenge, noting its crossed legs, crossed arms in front of its chest, its tilted chin, and finally, its huge smile. Clearly, Monkey and Dog seem to be able to find leisure time for game play during war.

Shot 3: Monkey Befriending with Millet Dumplings

With the satirical comment emphasizing playfulness aside, the illusion of war as a joyful and carefree affair is also depicted when Monkey pulls out a bag of millet dumplings to befriend Baby Sea Eagle. Though forming alliances may be common during times of war, they often involve a great deal of cost-benefit analysis with skepticism lurking behind. Yet, Monkey not only tries to comfort the crying Baby Sea Eagle without hesitation, but also persists on its efforts by using the dumplings when Monkey fails initially with its funny faces. Though a toy plane is pulled out of the bag, it functions equivalently well as the dumplings in the folktale of Momotaro, instilling a sense of indebtedness in Baby Sea Eagle and Sea Eagle, who later return to rescue them.

Shot 4: Monkey Controlling Torpedo

Then, a striking scene during the war occurs when Monkey dives into the ocean, swimming at an incredible speed to control the off target torpedo. By riding on the torpedo, Monkey not only redirects the torpedo into its correct path, but also shows its mastery in its military and commanding skills through its posture and form – extended legs and arms with a sword in one. Through this scene, the theme of carefreeness resurfaces, and the Japanese dominance and confidence are reinforced.

Shot 5: Monkey Taking Picture from Wing

Thus, by a constant repetition of illusions of war, such as those aforementioned, the anime propagandizes and enhances the idea that war is not as cruel, tiresome, and dangerous as it sounds. Rather, war is portrayed as a carefree and joyful event among a group of friends, bombarding enemies with torpedoes as if such acts were taken for granted like those playful games of woodblocks and teasing. Hence, the ultimate national ideology of Japan being superior is clearly and repetitively illustrated through their victorious and riskless fight against the Demons in the anime, and the victory is memorable enough to warrant a picture as in shot five.

Amplifier of Human Hearts: Resonance in Momotaro’s Sea Eagle and The Birth of Astro Boy

A common relationship among humans, animals, and machines is depicted in both Momotaro’s Sea Eagle and The Birth of Astro Boy. Specifically, I will like to acknowledge the relationship between humans or animals and machines in Momotaro’s Sea Eagle and the relationship between humans and machines in The Birth of Astro Boy. Through the plot development of both stories, we observe the common relationship of how machines represent and amplify the ideologies of their users or creators, resonating with them in both anime productions. This relationship occurs through the internal transformation of the machines and results in the conversion from a person-to-tool relationship into a person-to-person relationship.

Shot 1: Close-Up Still Shot of Torpedo Bomber

To begin my analysis, I point to the above screenshot at the beginning scenes of Momotaro’s Sea Eagle. The close-up shot magnifies the weight of the machine, especially taken at an angle from which one person looks above from below. The looming clouds lurking in the background adds further tension to the already present stillness of the atmosphere. The different shades of gray not only depict realism, but also add to the coldness of the lifeless aircraft. However, as the animals, or perhaps arguably humans for their great degree of personification, start preparing, controlling, and riding these aircrafts, their depicted realism and coldness fade away in the scenes of playfulness, transforming into liveliness and friendliness.

Shot 2: Medium Still Shot of Astro Boy’s Birth

Similarly, when observing shot two from The Birth of Astro Boy, I notice how the multiple circular lines of light shadings at each major joint exemplifies the machine-ness of Astro Boy. The glowing parts of his hair and clothing all serve to signify the metallic element to his construction as the glows represent the reflection of light from a metallic surface. Furthermore, the electrical cords attached to him replace the organic singular umbilical cord. Instead of growing as a fetus, Astro Boy represents already a fully grown boy. However, through the initial love of his father, the education he receives, and the interaction with different robots and people, Astro Boy finally acquires human qualities.

As a science fiction, The Birth of Astro Boy captivates the hearts of his audience not only through the intentional use of familiar objects as implemented by the author, but also through Astro Boy’s personal development. Instead of functioning simply as a tool for circuit performance, Astro Boy learns intellectually as a regular child, makes additional robot friends at the circus, and also saves people. Such developments and characteristics can be viewed as a manifestation of love from his father initially, eventually starting a wave for human rights for robots. Likewise, through the propagandizing nature of Momotaro’s Sea Eagle, the playful and friendly scenes of the greatly personified animals establish a transformation of relationships, going from person-to-machine to person-to-person or animal-to-person.

As the audiences, the animals, the people, and the robots become acquainted with the aircrafts and Astro Boy, a personal relationship arises. The aircrafts and Astro Boy are no longer described as useful or cold, typical adjectives associated with tools, but are rather described as cute and warm, adjectives associated with living beings. Hence, through this transformation of relationships, we see how tools and machines function as an amplifier of the human heart, representing our personal qualities and eventually acquiring them themselves.

In and Out of Consciousness: Personification, Exploitation, and Propaganda in Momotarō’s Sea Eagle and Astro Boy

In Momotarō’s Sea Eagle, the humans control the anthropomorphic animals or combat them in war utilizing machines such as planes and weapons, while the relationship between humans and machines plays a larger role in Astro Boy with a lack of presence from animals in a natural sense.

Momotarō plays the role of an emperor leading his animal troops that are heavily personified to the point where their interactions with other animals that are not fighting (the eagles) are comparable to a human’s course of action. The way they act makes it seem as if they are not animals at all except for the fact that they have tails or long ears and fur. They fly planes and have no remorse when obliterating ships and other vessels belonging to the “demons”. The demons are depicted as humans of a rather large stature that are not shown having any interaction with animals, while their relationship with machinery is the use of it in war.

The sea eagles save the crew.

The titular sea eagles come to rescue the damaged plane’s crew once the demons have been defeated and every other squad had returned to base. This event depicts the relationship between the animals and their human-like counterparts as a mutualistic one stemming from the compassion they have for each other.

Astro Boy, aka Astro, is the result of a scientist gone mad to bring his dead son back to life. The relationship between humans and technology here is one where man depends on machines. Without technology, Doctor Tenma would have never been able to bring his son back to life and Astro Boy would have never been born. Once Astro is found to be unable to grow like a real boy, he is sold off to a mechanical circus by his father in a completely outrageous act of neglect and greed.

Humans are depicted as being unconcerned with the well-being of their creations when they do not get any satisfaction from their technology, while the machines in the series exhibit an artificial intelligence and know that they are being thrown away. This, at times violent, misuse of the robots to for the purpose of entertainment or service for the humans is contrasted by the kind actions of Astro, who shows no discrimination towards robots or humans and strives for justice and equality. By the end of the first episode of the anime, the relationship between robots and humans is made to reflect Astro’s view with robots being granted equal rights and free will instead of being owned like slaves.

Robots receive rights putting them in equal standing with humans.

Momotarō’s Sea Eagle depicts an overall positive animal-human relationship with technology only being used as tools of war, while Astro Boy focuses on a relationship of oppression by humans on technology. The depiction of the positive relationship between humans and animals in Momotarō’s Sea Eagle may stem from the purpose of the Japanese navy to glorify war to youth as propaganda, while Astro is made a likable protagonist to sell chocolate to youth through the association of the candy and this character.

Technology Conquers

While intertwining the role of machines, animals, and humans, Momotaro’s Sea Eagle and Astro Boy are related in a way that shows the contrasting roles of humans and their dependence on technology.

In Momotaro’s Sea Eagle, humans are portrayed as more evolved, more powerful, and the overall more dominant species over the animals. Momotaro comes off as a dictator-like figure that the animals look to for leadership and command. His dominance is shown in the beginning of the film where he gives the animal soldiers their commands to fly off and start off their journey to Pearl Harbor. He comes off as an intimidating figure with stern expressions in his eyebrows accompanied with an overall seriousness in his statue. The animals, on the other hand, give off a more childish disposition with their innocent smiles and soft, playful movements.  The animals in the film serve as the “doers,” where they are the ones who carry out acts of labor, fighting the battle under the command of Momotaro. These animals are fully dependent on technology to help them win their battle.

Here you can see how Momotaro is portrayed as the leader over the animals.

The animals fly off in various fighter jets that contain a wide array of destructive machinery for the battle. In the film, the animals are shown in the fighter jet playing with toy blocks, giving the impression that they are simply passing the time as the jet moves toward the enemy for battle. The animals are completely dependent on the machinery here to bring them to their desired destination. As they are fighting, the animals give off a carefree attitude in expectation that the machinery will do its job by providing them with transportation and various explosives in their battle. As Momotaro is not seen in these fighting scenes, his leadership position in the film is emphasized. As the animal soldiers are fighting under human command, the inferior role of the animal character to the human character is evident.

The animal soldiers carelessly playing with blocks on their way to battle.

In comparison to Momotaro’s Sea Eagle, the humans in Astro Boy are not the overall dominating figure, instead the human role actually becomes dependent on others to lead and save the day. This is especially shown in the scene where the circus tent catches fire and the whole human audience is in danger. As Astro is in the room with the other neglected robots, he motivates them to come together and save the humans despite prior mistreatments. As they are saving the victims of the fire, the frightened look on the human faces contrast with the heroic actions of the robots. The human characters do not serve as the leaders in this film, but serve as the ones in need; the roles are completely switched in comparison to Momotaro.

The team of robots team up to save the lives of the humans.

In both films, the dependence on technology seems to serve as the common factor. In Momotaro, the animals depend entirely on machine technology to aid them in war whereas in Astro Boy, the humans depend on the robot technology to be saved from the fire. The relation between humans, animals, and machines result in somewhat of a hierarchy with machinery being of highest rank, followed by the role of the human character, then followed by the animal characters in Momotaro 

Momotaro leads Japan, Is Japan

Momotaro looks over his soldiers before he explains the mission.

            In the classic tale of Momotaro, the divine boy born from a peach seems to represent an ideal Japan.  He is polite, a hard-worker, and a strong, natural leader but is never boastful.  Furthermore, Momotaro has a divine purpose, to rid Japan of a particular evil group of ogres on a faraway island.  To do this, Momotaro recruits a dog, a monkey, and a bird to join his cause, and interestingly, the animals do all the fighting.  When only the Chief Ogre remains, Momotaro’s role is to “negotiate” the terms of the Ogre’s surrender.  Clearly, Momotaro is thought to be a leader and strategist rather than a simple soldier.

            In the above shot, taken from Momotaro’s Sea Eagle, we see Momotaro as a proper military leader.  He is about to give orders to his animal soliders, who will go to attack the faraway island on which the “ogres,” which are clearly American soliders, live.  His facial expression is determined and serious, he is poised and stands with his legs and shoulder-length, one hand rests on his sword as if to show that he is prepared for battle at any moment.  I imagine that WWII-era Japanese would like to think of themselves represented this way – young, but strong and determined, ready for anything, and serving a divine purpose.  While the divinity of Momotaro is not explicit in the anime, such divinity is surely implied by the very use of the name Momotaro.

            It is interesting to note that in Momotaro’s Sea Eagle, Momotaro does not actually accompany his animals to the island.  He gives the orders from afar; he consoles the soldiers when it appears (briefly) that one plane has been lost.  But he need not step foot on the island himself to garner victory, perhaps representing Japan’s ability to rule the colonies it had been acquiring similarly.

Momotaro’s Sea Eagle: Laugh in the Face of Danger

The animated film Sea Eagle, directed by Seo Mitsuyo, is a piece of propaganda used during World War II to further justify the attack on Pearl Harbor. Portraying the Japanese are small, cute animals that consist of rabbits, dogs, and monkeys. The only humans in the film are Momotaro, the emperor, and the Americans. Momotaro is drawn as a child to go hand in hand with the animal soldiers aboard the Japanese ship. The Americans are large and oddly proportioned to make them look scary and give them a more demonic type appearance. I look at this as a sort of euphemism on what war is actually like. It is not something cute and friendly but something horrible and quite ugly. In the movie though, we see a small glimpse of comfort and calmness between two of the animals aboard one of the airplanes sent out to bomb Pearl Harbor.

   
There is one scene where a baby bird is stuck on the wing of one of the airplanes. The monkey inside sees it and climbs out to comfort it. What the monkey brings out is a toy airplane to help calm the baby bird and amuse it to make it feel comfortable. I thought this portrayed a feeling of justification. Although one may feel scared or weak, this “mission,” the bombing of Pearl Harbor, will make everything okay. The fact that the monkey, even when heading out to war, can so suddenly be calm and comforting says that the Japanese were very confident in their success, that there is nothing to worry about.