Bugs Bunny Nips the Nips

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.

When this cartoon starring Bugs Bunny was released the United States were in a war with Japan and that is something you must keep in mind while watching it. Every couple of seconds the cartoon makes fun of the Japanese and I must admit it is very funny, although very discriminating.

Bugs Bunny floats somewhere in the pacific when he sees land. He thinks it is a quiet island but it is filled with Japanese warriors. First a small soldier, who keeps talking 'Japanese' the entire time, wants to kill Bugs and after he fails a very big one tries to do the same. Of course Bugs will win. After this he faces an entire army but with a smart plan he wins that battle as well. Especially this part is not very nice to Japanese people, although it will make you laugh. Again, the United States were in a war with Japan and even now people make fun about others when they are in war with them.

"Bugs Bunny Nips the Nips" is one of the many cartoons that you would have to watch not as straight-forward entertainment, but rather so as to see the sorts of stereotypes that pervaded during WWII. In this case, the world's most famous rabbit washes up on a Pacific island and has to battle a whole slew of stereotyped Japanese people (and at one point even goes so far as to use the derogatory term for a Japanese person). He goes to some rather ugly extremes.

Yes, it's totally racist, but definitely worth seeing as a reference. I wonder whether or not the Axis governments commissioned propaganda movies portraying Americans as ignoramuses; I know that the Japanese government showed its troops Abbott & Costello movies and claimed that all Americans were like that.

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.

"Bugs Bunny Nips the Nips". A Bugs Bunny cartoon produced in 1944, during the second World War.

The film features grotesque Japanese stereotypes.

That "definition" aside, I've seen a lot of these "politically incorrect" cartoons, and I say that this sort of thing should not be hidden.

People of Japanese descent may find it offensive, but if this cartoon is to be shown on television at all, there's a simple solution: put a disclaimer on the screen before airing it! That is much more reasonable than hiding the truth completely. Aside from the Japanese stereotypes, this cartoon, IMHO, is very amusing. The current generation of children who watch these cartoons on television have a right to know what's behind their backs.

WWII was an awful thing, but the children may find it interesting to learn about that period of time and see the cartoons and movies produced in that time, to get an idea of the political views of the time. It would make them curious. I am only 14 years old, but we have been weaned on Looney Tunes for decades. The Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons have been virtually everywhere in the public since 1930, and this is one of them. WB may be ashamed to be associated with this cartoon, but like it or not, it's there and it was made more than 50 years ago. They act as though these "offensive" cartoons don't even exist! They may have the legal control to ban this cartoon from the air, but then what? Delete all references to WWII from history books? Historical truth should not be shielded and stood behind. There's nothing that can be done about the past, so the past might as well be acknowledged to the people of the present. So as a final word, I say this cartoon is not offensive if you can put yourself in the timeframe in which it was made. Thanks for taking the time to read my discourse, for I have strong opinions about things like this.