Anyway, I definitely want to hear what his father-in-law thought of the episode

When is SP gonna do an episode on Koreans and dog eating?

As that is how Hiroshima was presented in the show. You could argue that the “Japanese as aggressor” as shown by kamikaze strikes acted as a counterpoint to the “Japanese as victim” as shown by the Emperor at Hiroshima, but if so it was far more low-key than most SP editorializing. If that was the intent, it was at least nice and subtle–perhaps too subtle.

Erik – I am not critiquing the “reality show” aspect of this episode at all. Or not much – it was rather over the top.

“if they dont (or I dont get it) then… who cares?”

Welll…me. The show to turn my brain off for is Family Guy – or worse yet, The Simpsons. Shows that don’t pretend to have anything much to say (though they sometimes do).

Yes, when SP offend they normally have a point but you seem to be concentrating that the point is either saying that killing whales is the same as killing cows or the whole unnacuracies of the way the Japanese are portrayed.

To me the whole point of this episode was to say that the whale savers and other boat-based media attention grabbing shows (Deadliest Catch) are boring shows, simple… the whole Japanese thing was just a piss take in my opinion with no real truth or reasoning… like with the Mongolians taking down the Shitty Wall… lol

I watch SP for a laugh and every now and then they make a good point of something, when they do, great, if they dont (or I dont get it) then… who cares?

I found this episode really funny and thats why I watch SP, I suggest you watch it and switch that over worked brain of yours off for 30 mins while doing so…. poker face.

I’ve not seen alot of photos of the inside of the peace museum, but the SP animation seemed really detailed. I wonder how accurate it actually is…

p.s. everybody speak eanglish (nagoriyuki)

I understand the definition of Japan as a victim, I’m just wondering why you find that it has to be necessary in the Hiroshima part? The showing of the pearl harbor-like bombing on the ship and the Emperor leading them around really goes against the Japan as a victim theme.The Japan as a victim them views the people as victims of the government and,in this case, it is the Emperor, who practically controlled the goverment pre-WWII(now more of an icon if anything).
ex. people vs. government
Still, I believe that this is all based on common misconceptions of Japan. Bringing in the Emperor could represent a pre-WWII imperialistic view of Japan, but it may also be thrown in for shits and giggles, it’s hard to say as South Park has evolved from a show about killing kenny and anal probes to a show that brings up controversial events with underlying themes ment to stir things up.

By “Japanese as victim” I am referring to those Westerners who believe there was no excuse at all for nuking civilians.

My point is that SP can often be subtle and deep (for a TV show) and its humour is not usually pointless – go see the Cartoon Wars episodes for what SP thinks of “pointless humour.” So when it does seem unsubtle and pointless it is a cause for surprise.

This is an outrage! Alert the internet police!

Again the Hiroshima and Emperor thing really had nothing to do with Japan, but really ,I think, represented probably the only few things an average American would know about Japan. If you ask an average American about Japan, what would they say? “Well they make pokemon, anime, they bombed pearl harbor, and we nuked them in WWII” and thats basically the extent of their knowledge. People who read the newspaper would may know about Hatoyama with the recent change from the LDP to DPJ. So by using images such as kamikazes, hiroshima, and the prime minister, I believe this was meant to really belittle these people who take such a strong stance against whaling, since they really don’t know anything about they country they are chastising. So, in their minds, this would be their retarded, uneducated solution scenario, played out in an outrageous south park episode. I thought it was excellently done.

Despite the somewhat condescending tone, at least you offered some reasons for the depiction. Since I am not American nor live in the US, some aspects of South Park are obscure at times (and I have seen every single one, as I noted earlier). Hence I have little idea how the American media and public really sees the issue, and if that is required then there is no way anyone outside that loop *could* get this. Is it really that insane? And was this the best way to show that?

So it portrayed the Japanese extremely offensively as the “liberal media” stirs up that image, then by saying killing cows is the same as killing whales that that *image* is stupid? And is this idea properly subverted in South Park with that final line?

“My opinion, you just haven’t watched enough Southpark episodes to make a correct judgement.”

Or rather, haven’t watched enough American media. Still no idea what the Hiroshima thing or the Emperor thing was all about.

One other thing. When the boys were talking with the PM at the end, explaining who really did it, I was sure Cartman would take the opportunity to blame the Jews and get the Japanese to “go all banzai” on them.

Whale wars- stupid a$$ show(obviously)
American view on whaling- No one cares, unless its shown to them on a mass scale(that dolphin documentary and whale wars)
American views on Japan after viewing- OMG all Japanese kill dolphins and whales!
Japanese views-This show had nothing to do with Japan’s views at all. It’s all being viewed from the Media fed American who’s opinion is easily changed based on popularity. Ex. Kenny and Cartmen when the boarded ship to get on whale wars.

Portrayal of Japan-The kamikaze act just represents how stupid all this is. It was all meant to belittle people who are against whaling. The chicken and the cow (which were mentioned along with kangaroos on takeshi kitano’s show) showed that we were desensitized to the killing of cows and chickens, but in the case of dolphins in whales, we relate them to aquariums and such.

“designed to be as offensive as possible, but for no apparent goal”- If you really can’t see the goal in this episode, well I guess interpreting South Park episodes just isn’t for you. Each outrageous act that the Japanese people were shown doing and their beliefs were meant to come straight from the mind of the heavily media influenced “tree hugging hippies” that are judging the Japanese. That is what made this episode great, in my mind. SUBTEXT my friend, subtext.

/bow.

I found it kind of exhilarating that they turned Hatoyama into a swearing maniac.

F*** you Dolphin, and F*** you Whale!

Pathetic attempts at personal insults because you do not personally agree with my views makes your level of comprehension (and intelligence) painfully clear. You probably just got a kick out of all those funny little Nips doing their wacko banzai charges.

It’s a pedantic immature insecure clueless uneducated sad show. Always has been and always will be, and this episode was another. It says nothing, and does nothing, except to annoy some people for being totally un-funny.

Oh well – just another crappy episode on which I wasted 30 minutes of my life.

Perhaps living up to your namesake a bit much?

I have never seen “Whale Wars” – didn’t even know about it until this show – so cannot comment on the whole reality show criticisms, but the ones aimed at Paul Watson were about as subtle as the harpoon he got in the head. And as others have said the protrayal of them was inaccurate anyway–no boat ramming?

But the portrayal of Japan was just insane. Kamikaze planes killing whales? The Emperor showing the boys around Hiroshima was bizarre–in fact that whole bit was. Was Parker trying to say something about moral rights being abrogated by dropping a nuclear bomb? What the hell was up with that whole Hiroshima detour? The whole portrayal of Japan seemed designed to be as offensive as possible, but for no apparent goal. Offensive is fine if it makes a point and is funny, but this failed on both counts. The only possible thing you can get out of it is by showing the Japanese as a bunch of stereotyped loons and mocking their leaders then Randy Marsh’s comment at the end that now they’re just like us means Parker thinks Americans are a bunch of crazy stereotyped loons.

And whichever drunken manatee was responsible for selecting their kanji needs to be fired. 点度犬 on the jail?