Tokio Jokio
Encyclopedia
Tokio Jokio is a 1943 Looney Tunes
short directed by Norman McCabe
(Cpl. was added after the film finished production, as McCabe was drafted into the Armed Forces before its release). It is a propaganda film made during World War II
mocking Japan in the style of a supposed Japanese film journal broadcast. Mel Blanc
supplied all the voices.
who is about to crow. When he does, however, he changes into a vulture
with glasses
and buck teeth, while rubbing his hands. Behind him, the rising sun of the Japanese Rising Sun Flag
appears. The voiceover says: "Ohh, cock-a-doodle-doo, Prease!", in a further emphasis that this vulture is Japanese.
The first segment is "Civilian Defense". The voiceover proudly presents the Japanese air raid siren system, which turns out to be two Japanese wearing kimono
s taking turns in pricking each other in the buttocks
with a needle
, a possible nod to the obscene Japanese hand gesture, kancho
. Then a listening post is shown, which is literally a pole with key holes in it, and an aircraft spotter, which is literally someone painting spots on a plane. The camera then moves to the fire prevention
headquarters which have burned down to the ground. The surprised voiceover exclaims: "Ohh, Son a gun. Too rate!"
Then a lesson about incendiary bombs is given. The text states that one should never approach incendiary bombs for the first five seconds. A small Japanese man with an umbrella
appears, reads the text, checks his watch (which is decorated with Nazi swastika
s) to count the seconds and then roasts a sausage
above the dynamite stick. Then he explodes and reappears out of the explosion pit without his face, but his glasses and hat still in the same place. The figure then says "Oh, rosing face, prease! Rosing face!" as a pun on the Asian concept of "losing face" or shaming oneself in public.
The second segment is "Kitchen Hints", which stars General Hideki Tojo
as a cook. Tojo explains how a delicious Japanese club sandwich
is made: a bread ration card is sliced in two, a piece of a meat ration card is put in between, then it is eaten and afterwards Tojo hits himself over the head with a club. With a large hump
on his head he then starts playing with his lips.
The third segment is a style show which shows the new Japanese victory suit: no cuff
s, no pleat
s, no lapel
and ... no suit! A small Japanese is shown at this conclusion, shivering in his underpants in the snow, while trying to warm himself to a candle
.
Then "Red Toga-San" brings us the highlights of today’s Japanese sports, while talking out of an iris
. Suddenly the iris fades out and his false teeth get stuck into the circle. Then they clatter to the ground. The Japanese "king of swat
", his head shaped exactly like his trophy, is shown in his baseball
outfit. Suddenly he spots a fly, which he tries to kill with a fly swatter, but misses and spins around in a circle. The fly grabs the swatter and clobbers him down. Afterwards it takes his trophy and flies away.
The fifth segment shows personalities who made headlines that week. A skull
is seen in the title which changes into the face of Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto
sitting at his desk. He introduces himself and then leaves his desk, while walking on stilts
to look bigger. He tells the audience that he "will dictate peace time in the White House". An editor's note covers the screen informing the audience that: "this is the room reserved for admiral Yamamoto." When the card is removed an electric chair
is shown and Chopin's funeral march is quoted.
Then General Masaharu Homma
is shown, who, according to the voice-over, demonstrates "Japanese coolness and calmness during air raid attacks." Homma does however exactly the opposite and runs around in panic before ducking into a tree trunk
. When he sticks his head out of the trunk, a skunk
does the same. Disgusted by the smell of the Japanese he ducks and reappears with a gas mask
on his head.
"Flashes from the Axis" is the next segment. A monocled
anthropomorphic donkey
identified by a sign on his desk reading "Lord Hee Haw - Chief Wind Bag" (a caricature of the American-British radio broadcaster and Nazi collaborator William Joyce
, nicknamed "Lord Haw Haw", or possibly of Fred W. Kaltenbach, who was himself nicknamed Lord Hee-Haw) brays loudly before announcing into a microphone that "the Führer had just received a postcard from a friend vacationing abroad". Adolf Hitler
is shown reading the message: "Wish you were here" and then turns the card around to see the picture. It depicts Rudolph Hess in a prison camp (Hess had flown to Great Britain in 1942 and landed there by parachute to negotiate with the Allied Forces. He was arrested immediately). Hitler looks up in amazement and wiggles his nose. The next shot shows the "celebrated" ruins of ancient Rome
and then cuts to Benito Mussolini
sitting on a modern Roman ruin, titled "Ruin nr. 1".
The next segment focuses on the Japanese navy
achievements. A large submarine
is shown "three weeks ahead of schedule", according to the voiceover. Indeed, they are still working on it while it sails under water. When the submarine sails out of sight a small worker hurries behind it, only to stop when a giant crash is heard and the entire crew is apparently dead. He freezes, takes his hat off and Taps
is played. Then he shakes his shoulders and returns the way he came. After this, a group of Japanese submarine sailors are shown using "intricate and technical machinery", which are actually pinball machines, gambling machines and a peep show
machine.
Then a Japanese sailor is shown piloting a Kaiten
human torpedo
on a dangerous mission. The voice-over tells us that the pilot doesn't care about the danger, but when he asks him if he has anything to say the pilot exclaims: "No, nothing, except...RET [sic] (LET) ME OUT OF HERE!", apparently stuck in the torpedo.
The final scenes are again literal interpretations of certain marine boats and air force planes. A plane is shot into the air with a large catapult
, another plane is shown with a tricycle
landing gear (actually a small man riding a tricycle attached to the plane), an aircraft carrier is presented (which carries remains of crashed planes) and a mine sweeper
(a boat with two hands operating a broom to sweep mines away). When this ship accidentally explodes a buoy
is dropped in the sea with the note: "Regrettable incident please". Then the cartoon irises out.
against Japan while the two countries were at war. The depiction of the Japanese would generally be considered racist by today's standards. All the Japanese are shown wearing big glasses, having buck teeth and grinning and rubbing their hands in a very sinister way. Their stereotypical politeness is mocked by their continuous use of the words: "please", "regrettable" and "honorable". Also, their language is spoofed by adding many "Ooo's" at the start of every sentence and replacing the letter "r" with the letter "l" and vice versa.
Furthermore the Japanese are represented as being incompetent, weak, cowardly and primitive. Although the jokes are generally aimed at Japan, the cartoon also pokes fun at Lord Haw Haw, Rudolph Hess, Adolf Hitler
and Benito Mussolini
.
Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes is a Warner Bros. animated cartoon series. It preceded the Merrie Melodies series and was Warner Bros.'s first animated theatrical series. Since its first official release, 1930's Sinkin' in the Bathtub, the series has become a worldwide media franchise, spawning several television...
short directed by Norman McCabe
Norman McCabe
Norman McCabe was an American animator who enjoyed a long career which lasted into the 1990s.-Early career:...
(Cpl. was added after the film finished production, as McCabe was drafted into the Armed Forces before its release). It is a propaganda film made during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
mocking Japan in the style of a supposed Japanese film journal broadcast. Mel Blanc
Mel Blanc
Melvin Jerome "Mel" Blanc was an American voice actor and comedian. Although he began his nearly six-decade-long career performing in radio commercials, Blanc is best remembered for his work with Warner Bros...
supplied all the voices.
Plot
The cartoon begins with a voiceover saying that a film captured from the Japanese is now about to be released publicly. The narrater states that it is a typical example of vicious "Japanazi" propaganda. The film begins with a roosterRooster
A rooster, also known as a cockerel, cock or chanticleer, is a male chicken with the female being called a hen. Immature male chickens of less than a year's age are called cockerels...
who is about to crow. When he does, however, he changes into a vulture
Vulture
Vulture is the name given to two groups of convergently evolved scavenging birds, the New World Vultures including the well-known Californian and Andean Condors, and the Old World Vultures including the birds which are seen scavenging on carcasses of dead animals on African plains...
with glasses
Glasses
Glasses, also known as eyeglasses , spectacles or simply specs , are frames bearing lenses worn in front of the eyes. They are normally used for vision correction or eye protection. Safety glasses are a kind of eye protection against flying debris or against visible and near visible light or...
and buck teeth, while rubbing his hands. Behind him, the rising sun of the Japanese Rising Sun Flag
Rising Sun Flag
The is the military flag of Japan. It was used as the war flag of the Imperial Japanese Army and the ensign of the Imperial Japanese Navy until the end of World War II...
appears. The voiceover says: "Ohh, cock-a-doodle-doo, Prease!", in a further emphasis that this vulture is Japanese.
The first segment is "Civilian Defense". The voiceover proudly presents the Japanese air raid siren system, which turns out to be two Japanese wearing kimono
Kimono
The is a Japanese traditional garment worn by men, women and children. The word "kimono", which literally means a "thing to wear" , has come to denote these full-length robes...
s taking turns in pricking each other in the buttocks
Buttocks
The buttocks are two rounded portions of the anatomy, located on the posterior of the pelvic region of apes and humans, and many other bipeds or quadrupeds, and comprise a layer of fat superimposed on the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius muscles. Physiologically, the buttocks enable weight to...
with a needle
Sewing needle
A sewing needle is a long slender tool with a pointed tip. The first needles were made of bone or wood; modern ones are manufactured from high carbon steel wire, nickel- or 18K gold plated for corrosion resistance. The highest quality embroidery needles are plated with two-thirds platinum and...
, a possible nod to the obscene Japanese hand gesture, kancho
Kancho
is a prank often played in Japan; it is performed by clasping the hands together so the index fingers are pointing out and attempting to insert them sharply into someone's anal region when the victim is not looking...
. Then a listening post is shown, which is literally a pole with key holes in it, and an aircraft spotter, which is literally someone painting spots on a plane. The camera then moves to the fire prevention
Fire prevention
Fire Prevention is a function of many fire departments. The goal of fire prevention is to educate the public to take precautions to prevent fires, and be educated about surviving them. It is a proactive method of reducing emergencies and the damage caused by them. Many fire departments have a Fire...
headquarters which have burned down to the ground. The surprised voiceover exclaims: "Ohh, Son a gun. Too rate!"
Then a lesson about incendiary bombs is given. The text states that one should never approach incendiary bombs for the first five seconds. A small Japanese man with an umbrella
Umbrella
An umbrella or parasol is a canopy designed to protect against rain or sunlight. The term parasol usually refers to an item designed to protect from the sun; umbrella refers to a device more suited to protect from rain...
appears, reads the text, checks his watch (which is decorated with Nazi swastika
Swastika
The swastika is an equilateral cross with its arms bent at right angles, in either right-facing form in counter clock motion or its mirrored left-facing form in clock motion. Earliest archaeological evidence of swastika-shaped ornaments dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization of Ancient...
s) to count the seconds and then roasts a sausage
Sausage
A sausage is a food usually made from ground meat , mixed with salt, herbs, and other spices, although vegetarian sausages are available. The word sausage is derived from Old French saussiche, from the Latin word salsus, meaning salted.Typically, a sausage is formed in a casing traditionally made...
above the dynamite stick. Then he explodes and reappears out of the explosion pit without his face, but his glasses and hat still in the same place. The figure then says "Oh, rosing face, prease! Rosing face!" as a pun on the Asian concept of "losing face" or shaming oneself in public.
The second segment is "Kitchen Hints", which stars General Hideki Tojo
Hideki Tōjō
Hideki Tōjō was a general of the Imperial Japanese Army , the leader of the Taisei Yokusankai, and the 40th Prime Minister of Japan during most of World War II, from 17 October 1941 to 22 July 1944...
as a cook. Tojo explains how a delicious Japanese club sandwich
Club sandwich
A club sandwich, also called a clubhouse sandwich or double-decker, is a sandwich with two layers of fillings between 3 slices of toasted bread. It is often cut into quarters and held together by hors d'œuvre sticks....
is made: a bread ration card is sliced in two, a piece of a meat ration card is put in between, then it is eaten and afterwards Tojo hits himself over the head with a club. With a large hump
Hump
Hump may refer to:* HUMP! , an annual presentation of amateur pornography* The Hump, a name given by WWII Allied pilots to part of the Himalayan mountains* Kyphosis, the curve on an upper spine that causes a hunchback* Speed hump...
on his head he then starts playing with his lips.
The third segment is a style show which shows the new Japanese victory suit: no cuff
Cuff
A cuff is an extra layer of fabric at the lower edge of the sleeve of a garment covering the arms. In US usage the word may also refer to the end of the leg of a pair of trousers...
s, no pleat
Pleat
A pleat is a type of fold formed by doubling fabric back upon itself and securing it in place. It is commonly used in clothing and upholstery to gather a wide piece of fabric to a narrower circumference....
s, no lapel
Jacket lapel
Jacket lapels are the folded flaps of cloth on the front of a jacket or coat, and are most commonly found on formal clothing and suit jackets. Usually they are formed by folding over the front edges of the jacket or coat and sewing them to the collar, an extra piece of fabric around the back of the...
and ... no suit! A small Japanese is shown at this conclusion, shivering in his underpants in the snow, while trying to warm himself to a candle
Candle
A candle is a solid block or cylinder of wax with an embedded wick, which is lit to provide light, and sometimes heat.Today, most candles are made from paraffin. Candles can also be made from beeswax, soy, other plant waxes, and tallow...
.
Then "Red Toga-San" brings us the highlights of today’s Japanese sports, while talking out of an iris
Iris (plant)
Iris is a genus of 260-300species of flowering plants with showy flowers. It takes its name from the Greek word for a rainbow, referring to the wide variety of flower colors found among the many species...
. Suddenly the iris fades out and his false teeth get stuck into the circle. Then they clatter to the ground. The Japanese "king of swat
Babe Ruth
George Herman Ruth, Jr. , best known as "Babe" Ruth and nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", was an American Major League baseball player from 1914–1935...
", his head shaped exactly like his trophy, is shown in his baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
outfit. Suddenly he spots a fly, which he tries to kill with a fly swatter, but misses and spins around in a circle. The fly grabs the swatter and clobbers him down. Afterwards it takes his trophy and flies away.
The fifth segment shows personalities who made headlines that week. A skull
Human skull
The human skull is a bony structure, skeleton, that is in the human head and which supports the structures of the face and forms a cavity for the brain.In humans, the adult skull is normally made up of 22 bones...
is seen in the title which changes into the face of Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto
Isoroku Yamamoto
was a Japanese Naval Marshal General and the commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet during World War II, a graduate of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy and a student of Harvard University ....
sitting at his desk. He introduces himself and then leaves his desk, while walking on stilts
Stilts
Stilts are poles, posts or pillars used to allow a person or structure to stand at a distance above the ground. Walking stilts are poles equipped with steps for the feet to stand on, or straps to attach them to the legs, for the purpose of walking while elevated above a normal height...
to look bigger. He tells the audience that he "will dictate peace time in the White House". An editor's note covers the screen informing the audience that: "this is the room reserved for admiral Yamamoto." When the card is removed an electric chair
Electric chair
Execution by electrocution, usually performed using an electric chair, is an execution method originating in the United States in which the condemned person is strapped to a specially built wooden chair and electrocuted through electrodes placed on the body...
is shown and Chopin's funeral march is quoted.
Then General Masaharu Homma
Masaharu Homma
was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army. He is noteworthy for his role in the invasion and occupation of the Philippines during World War II. Homma, who was an amateur painter and playwright, was also known as the Poet General.-Biography:...
is shown, who, according to the voice-over, demonstrates "Japanese coolness and calmness during air raid attacks." Homma does however exactly the opposite and runs around in panic before ducking into a tree trunk
Trunk (botany)
In botany, trunk refers to the main wooden axis of a tree that supports the branches and is supported by and directly attached to the roots. The trunk is covered by the bark, which is an important diagnostic feature in tree identification, and which often differs markedly from the bottom of the...
. When he sticks his head out of the trunk, a skunk
Skunk
Skunks are mammals best known for their ability to secrete a liquid with a strong, foul odor. General appearance varies from species to species, from black-and-white to brown or cream colored. Skunks belong to the family Mephitidae and to the order Carnivora...
does the same. Disgusted by the smell of the Japanese he ducks and reappears with a gas mask
Gas mask
A gas mask is a mask put on over the face to protect the wearer from inhaling airborne pollutants and toxic gases. The mask forms a sealed cover over the nose and mouth, but may also cover the eyes and other vulnerable soft tissues of the face. Some gas masks are also respirators, though the word...
on his head.
"Flashes from the Axis" is the next segment. A monocled
Monocle
A monocle is a type of corrective lens used to correct or enhance the vision in only one eye. It consists of a circular lens, generally with a wire ring around the circumference that can be attached to a string. The other end of the string is then connected to the wearer's clothing to avoid losing...
anthropomorphic donkey
Donkey
The donkey or ass, Equus africanus asinus, is a domesticated member of the Equidae or horse family. The wild ancestor of the donkey is the African Wild Ass, E...
identified by a sign on his desk reading "Lord Hee Haw - Chief Wind Bag" (a caricature of the American-British radio broadcaster and Nazi collaborator William Joyce
William Joyce
William Joyce , nicknamed Lord Haw-Haw, was an Irish-American fascist politician and Nazi propaganda broadcaster to the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He was hanged for treason by the British as a result of his wartime activities, even though he had renounced his British nationality...
, nicknamed "Lord Haw Haw", or possibly of Fred W. Kaltenbach, who was himself nicknamed Lord Hee-Haw) brays loudly before announcing into a microphone that "the Führer had just received a postcard from a friend vacationing abroad". Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
is shown reading the message: "Wish you were here" and then turns the card around to see the picture. It depicts Rudolph Hess in a prison camp (Hess had flown to Great Britain in 1942 and landed there by parachute to negotiate with the Allied Forces. He was arrested immediately). Hitler looks up in amazement and wiggles his nose. The next shot shows the "celebrated" ruins of ancient Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and then cuts to Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
sitting on a modern Roman ruin, titled "Ruin nr. 1".
The next segment focuses on the Japanese navy
Navy
A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
achievements. A large submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
is shown "three weeks ahead of schedule", according to the voiceover. Indeed, they are still working on it while it sails under water. When the submarine sails out of sight a small worker hurries behind it, only to stop when a giant crash is heard and the entire crew is apparently dead. He freezes, takes his hat off and Taps
Taps
"Taps" is a musical piece sounded by the U.S. military nightly to indicate that it is "lights out". The tune is also sometimes known as "Butterfields Lullaby", or by the lyrics of its second verse, "Day is Done". It is also played during flag ceremonies and funerals, generally on bugle or trumpet...
is played. Then he shakes his shoulders and returns the way he came. After this, a group of Japanese submarine sailors are shown using "intricate and technical machinery", which are actually pinball machines, gambling machines and a peep show
Peep show
A peep show or peepshow is an exhibition of pictures, objects or people viewed through a small hole or magnifying glass. Though historically a peep show was a form of entertainment provided by wandering showmen, nowadays it more commonly refers a presentation of a sex show or pornographic film...
machine.
Then a Japanese sailor is shown piloting a Kaiten
Kaiten
The Kaiten were manned torpedos and suicide craft, they were used by the Imperial Japanese Navy in the final stages of World War II.-History:...
human torpedo
Human torpedo
Human torpedoes or manned torpedoes are a type of rideable submarine used as secret naval weapons in World War II. The basic design is still in use today; they are a type of diver propulsion vehicle....
on a dangerous mission. The voice-over tells us that the pilot doesn't care about the danger, but when he asks him if he has anything to say the pilot exclaims: "No, nothing, except...RET [sic] (LET) ME OUT OF HERE!", apparently stuck in the torpedo.
The final scenes are again literal interpretations of certain marine boats and air force planes. A plane is shot into the air with a large catapult
Catapult
A catapult is a device used to throw or hurl a projectile a great distance without the aid of explosive devices—particularly various types of ancient and medieval siege engines. Although the catapult has been used since ancient times, it has proven to be one of the most effective mechanisms during...
, another plane is shown with a tricycle
Tricycle
A tricycle is a three-wheeled vehicle. While tricycles are often associated with the small three-wheeled vehicles used by pre-school-age children, they are also used by adults for a variety of purposes. In the United States and Canada, adult-sized tricycles are used primarily by older persons for...
landing gear (actually a small man riding a tricycle attached to the plane), an aircraft carrier is presented (which carries remains of crashed planes) and a mine sweeper
Minesweeper (ship)
A minesweeper is a small naval warship designed to counter the threat posed by naval mines. Minesweepers generally detect then neutralize mines in advance of other naval operations.-History:...
(a boat with two hands operating a broom to sweep mines away). When this ship accidentally explodes a buoy
Buoy
A buoy is a floating device that can have many different purposes. It can be anchored or allowed to drift. The word, of Old French or Middle Dutch origin, is now most commonly in UK English, although some orthoepists have traditionally prescribed the pronunciation...
is dropped in the sea with the note: "Regrettable incident please". Then the cartoon irises out.
Controversy over stereotypes
The cartoon was intended as an American propaganda filmPropaganda film
The term propaganda can be defined as the ability to produce and spread fertile messages that, once sown, will germinate in large human cultures.” However, in the 20th century, a “new” propaganda emerged, which revolved around political organizations and their need to communicate messages that...
against Japan while the two countries were at war. The depiction of the Japanese would generally be considered racist by today's standards. All the Japanese are shown wearing big glasses, having buck teeth and grinning and rubbing their hands in a very sinister way. Their stereotypical politeness is mocked by their continuous use of the words: "please", "regrettable" and "honorable". Also, their language is spoofed by adding many "Ooo's" at the start of every sentence and replacing the letter "r" with the letter "l" and vice versa.
Furthermore the Japanese are represented as being incompetent, weak, cowardly and primitive. Although the jokes are generally aimed at Japan, the cartoon also pokes fun at Lord Haw Haw, Rudolph Hess, Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
and Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
.
See also
- The DucktatorsThe DucktatorsThe Ducktators is a Looney Tunes black and white cartoon that was produced by Leon Schlesinger Productions and was released in 1942 by Warner Bros. Directed by Norman McCabe, the cartoon satirizes various events of World War II. The title is a pun on dictator.-Story:The cartoon takes place on a...
(another World War II propaganda cartoon by Norm McCabe) - List of World War II short films