Bugs Bunny Nips the Nips

There are two ways to look at "Bugs Bunny Nips The Nips". The first and most obvious is that it is an extremely racist cartoon, with the worst Japanese stereotypes (bad teeth, glasses, and acting crazy) and the attitude towards Japanese people (such as when Bugs Bunny starts referring to the Japanese as "Japs", "Monkey Face", and "Slant Eyes".

The other way to look at it is as a reflection of its time. You have to understand the United States was at war, and cartoons like this no doubt boosted the morale of both soldiers and the people in the home front. If you understand cartoons like this provided a need at one time, and that it was a reflection of the times, then it's a lot easier to watch. In fact, there are several non-racist gags in the cartoon that can be enjoyed. Some viewers may also find that the cartoon is so over the top in its depiction of the Japanese that they won't be able to take it seriously.

I don't think Warner Brothers should have withdrawn this cartoon. Certainly not market it to impressionable children, but marketing it towards mature adults (perhaps on a collection of the other withdrawn Warner Brothers cartoons) would probably result in healthy sales. Well, at least the cartoon is currently available on YouTube for those wanting to see it.

You have to remember that, at the time this was made, the United States was engaged in a war with Japan. Thus, the stereotypes found here need to be placed in context. Properly explained and appropriately handled exposure is of greater value than pushing this back in the closet and hoping it will go away. It's a well-done short and well worth watching. Worth the trouble to locate. Recommended.

Our favorite looney tune is cruising somewhere on the pacific ocean, finally hitting some beautiful peaceful island... until a Japanese soldier comes up and they have a fight, first on the ground, then up in the air. Bugs gives him some heavy bomb (at least that's what I think it was) so the crazy Japanese guy falls down. Bugs: 'Happy landing'!

Then he takes on a sumo wrestler and in the end serves grenade-filled icecreams to, as he puts it, 'Japs, hundreds of them!'.

As you probably understand, this is propaganda and nothing else. Some would call it racist or whatever but you probably have to consider the time it was made in. There are better propaganda movies though as this is just a bit of a silly one...

4/10.

It's obvious that this type of material is unlikely to be produced today. But the ridiculous sensitivities of the past decade should not preclude us from viewing that which has been produced in the past. Warner Brothers has seen fit to make it difficult to near impossible to see any of the controversial cartoons within it's vault. This includes this and several other classic Bugs Bunny cartoons. Frankly this kind of forced censorship should not be allowed. I was able to get a hold of this cartoon and I must say that it is quite funny. One just needs to be aware of it's context and it's time frame. Many of the Bugs Bunny cartoons have either been removed from any type of circulation or edited to the point of unwatchability. The latter because of supposed excessive violence for children. Well Bugs was always on a level beyond children anyway. When the twenty mallet hits to Pete Puma's head is reduced to just one hit ... it's not funny anymore. It's the twenty that made it funny in the first place. Back off WB and allow us to watch what we want to watch and to be intelligent enough to discern the context in which it was made!

Yes, this cartoon can be offensive to Japanese people now and then. However, please take into consideration that this cartoon was propaganda. Propaganda is not supposed to be politically correct. It is supposed to make the viewer have a certain view on a certain issue. This was made when the United States was at war with Japan. And I believe every country involved in World War II had its propaganda cartoons. Countries produce propaganda cartoons and animated things when there is a strong backing throughout the country of that view. World War II had strong backing everywhere. There has been no war since that has been so strongly backed by the public so we have not seen such racist propaganda. Do understand that this short was developed to make people dislike the Japanese. I think it was good propaganda for its time. We don't believe it now because we're not at war with Japan and we have gotten over those stereotypes. However, at the time, people believed that. I think it might be offensive if you take it as a short made with no purpose. But if you understand that its propaganda and understand what that means, its not offensive at all.