Superman: Eleventh Hour (1942)

[JordenLuke]

Would it be treason if someone told the Janpanese Superman's weakness?

[xsf908]

Japanese lost the war because Superman destroy they battleships

[WillScarlet16]

Wow, the internment quarters in Japan seem pretty luxurious compared to the American internment centers for Japanese Americans.

[rotccadet2010]

Now this takes me back! I remember back in 1942 when this came out in the theater. It was good then and still good now! The memories and thanks for whoever uploaded it!

[Concuzzzion]

Superman = Terrorist

I never knew

[Ben1238]

I do not see what is so racist about these cartoons. The propaganda thing had to be done to keep morale up. Besides I do not think some cartoons are very hurtful considering what they did to POW's during the war and civilians of countries they invaded.

[Bastiest]

Gotta admit, even though most stereotype propaganda cartoons are usually funny this one went little too over board even for my standards.

This one pretty much shows clear hate towards to japanese people.

[madisonelectronic]

@Bastiest Considering Finland mostly hid in the closet in WW2 I can recognize the same whiny elitist traits in you, wanker.

[Bastiest]

@madisonelectronic You clearly like to represent USA;s famous traits of idiocy and ignorance.

[spyder1138]

Superman doesn't seem to like Japan.

[xradio86]

@spyder1138 not in those days no...

[draven26]

This doesn't even come close to some Warner Bros Cartoons of roughly the same period some of them are outrageously racist and stereotypical

[KrazyKartoonKid]

I agree. They got into so much trouble because they didn't think right.

[Matt14151617]

i remember i had these on vhs...i still do in a box somewhere...ahh good times!!...i think these are great cartoons

[lanet191]

a little trivia. The producers of Superman in the 40's were basically forced to make these cartoons during WW2 or be labeled anti American. They complied (obviously), but did show some subtle signs of protest. Notice the position and shape of the Japanese officer's sword at 6.28.

[jamierourketen]

@lanet191 haha that is a classic! you must have good eyesight

[museguest]

i've got all on dvd !

my favorite episode.

[Kreez8]

I used to watch these on VHS all the time. Thanks for posting these!

[GoblinXXX]

The truly fantastic thing in this is the fact that nothing was misspelled on that warning to Superman poster. THAT I have a hard time believing!

[Bastiest]

@GoblinXXX Even in space, everyone speaks perfect english. :)

[echomedia]

Superman was a dick!

[ThatNickGuy28]

This was just pure propaganda at the time, man. He was standing up against the "Japanese threat".

[jwg372]

Anti-Japanese sentiments were rampant throughout Hollywood in the early 40s. Cartoons and movie serials were good fodder for war propaganda. Disney did it. Warner Brothers did it. Columbia, Paramount. They were all guilty of it. The BATMAN serial produced in 1943 is a good example of Anti-Japanese rhetoric at its most blatant.

[GoblinXXX]

Gee, I wonder why

[WystenDraco]

I'll bet any movie biz that produced anything other than war propaganda, were branded disloyal and jailed for not supporting the war effort, which then was the same as trying to sabotage it. I mean our govt got suspicious of people and investigated them and possibly jailed them just for not buying war bonds. The Superman I grew up on would have beaten on the fascists within before he took on the ones without.

[TampaRed]

Well said! Unfortunately, the propaganada machine covered and consumed the Superman mythos and even the Man of Steel wasn't immune to the scary Reds in Hollywood.

[WystenDraco]

My 1st direct reply, and a level headed one at that. But at least the mythos have survived to the present day, the last Superman Film and TV actor to truly show them well were Christopher Reeve and Dean Cain respectively. Tom Welling did well enough, but he is not better than Dean Cain as far as TV Supermen go.

[xxsexykindaxx]

yup, there were a bunch of Superman propaganda. Disney studios made some propaganda too..

[2ndsuperman]

Why would the Japanies government let american reporters into their country during the war in the first place? And wouldn't the Japanies figure out that Kent was Superman if the sabatage stopped after he went home?

[prodprod]

Lois Lane makes reference to their being "interned." That is American citizens in Japan at the time that war was declared were taken prisoner and held -- that is "interned" for the length of the war (and many died in so-called internment camps). These weren't soldiers but U.S. and other civilians.

And presumably Kent would stay "interned" for as long as Superman was needed to kick the stuffings out of the Japanese.

(Besides, if Lois couldn't figure it out, why would they?)

[PrussianSunsets]

What is Superman doing? He's a jerk! He killed hundreds of people on that battleship....and on that train...and in those houses...and those cars. Was the war even going on then? Is this set in 1942?

[dragongrrl3]

yea he killed them becauz back then in 1942 the us was involved in WWII and back then japanese people were part of the axis.

[Yugi40]

Superman is no jerk!! He's my hero!! He killed bad people who are trying to destroy America! Superman is the best superhero ever!!!

[obscenegesture66]

um duh?

[Rkerekes13]

Man, I didn't know Superman originated in the 1930s and 1940s!

[CraigFoye80]

This cartoon short took place in Yokohama, Japan.

[numerozs]

thats sick. just look at the japs. looks so damn goofy.