I think I’ve discovered why Imperial Japan lost the Pacific War. No, it wasn’t a lack of oil, half the population of the United States, 1/17th the GNP of the United States or a simply unimaginable gap in total warmaking potential [Imperial Japanese Navy Page, one of my favorites]. Rather, it was because the East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere didn’t have a cute mascots like this:
(from here, HT to the Western Confucian)
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Yep. But you’ll just love his name: Prince Pickles! My daughter says he is almost as gay as the “seamanship” ad for the Japanese maritime self defense force (must see this disarming peace propaganda):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjAXJaFydwM
Couldn’t they have put in a “rising sun” flag, next to the Iraqi one: or even the famous “meatball” flag, isn’t that ensign still flown by the Japanese Navy/used as symbol on sides of aircraft/etc etc.
And that small map of Iraq, in the upper background! With a little quiet guile it could be altered to resemble an overhead map of Oahu Island; the rough resemblance just suddently jumped into my mind. It’s as though I’m “channeling” the spirit of Adm Yamamoto himself.
Of course, then I’d have to dutifully come on the board here as an outraged American and exclaim how “mean-spirited” and “hateful” it all was. Still, that would be better than having to look at this godawful thing and feel my spirits drooping.
If I was an aggressive Chinese sub skipper I take this logo (and some stills from that video) and pin them up on the crew bulletin board to boost morale, then begin probing Japanese territorial waters with renewed vigor.
To quote Team America, “there’s just one problem…[he/guy on the right] doesn’t look Middle Eastern.”
Well, he looks more ME than the other guy looks Japanese.
The guy on the left reminds me of an F16 pilot (of no particular nationality) who’s realizing that his engine has just flamed out in midflight due to poor maintenance.
“Hey Sgt, what does it mean when my air speed is 500 and my ground speed is zero?”
He looks like a potential love interest for Korea’s police mascot.
The dude on the left had a show on Comedy Central:
http://tinyurl.com/3a9ss6
Korea is out in front as usual
with its “Zaytun” mascot:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7.....269447807/
Lookin’ bad dude, al Quaeda watch out!
Thats not an F-16 helmet.
It is supposed to be an SPH-5 single visor helicopter helmet, but they have headphones wrong, they should be underneath the helmet ear cover.
Dear Japan,
What happened, man? You used to be so cool. Samurai, katanas, geisha, emperors… you really had it going on back in the day.
We know its our fault. And we’re sorry. If we knew what sort of effeminate consequences denying you your empire would have for your people, we would have let you exploit Asia to your heart’s content.
Please make a new army and take everybody over again. We won’t mind, really. This is just too painful to watch.
Sincerely,
America
#10–You have it all wrong. We’d still be a part of the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere today if they had a few cute mascots and Hello Kitty back in the 30s and 40s. You think Pappy Boyington could’ve shot down Zeros with pink mouthless kittens painted on the side?
I don’t want JDF to be used for other countries’ problems.
lobotomy948 - I don’t want US forces to be used for other countries’ problems, either.
Why is an organization with “defense” and “Japan” in it being used under a slogan with “future” and “Iraq” substituted?
fred, just to clarify, those US forces ARE other countries’ problems.
Man, those Japanese pilots sure have big round eyes. Must be all the ‘go pills’ they take.