Old School Japanese Propaganda Pits ‘Mickey Mouse’ Against Samurai

Imagine an alternate timeline where Walt Disney's most beloved rodent took to the skies to invade Japan. He'd ride bats, right? And command an army of snakes?

No? Well, the Imperialist Japanese government of the early 1940s must have thought so, otherwise it's hard to explain this propaganda piece demonizing Western culture and influence for young audiences.

All kidding aside, the surreal short does hearken back to a far darker period for American and Japanese relations. This clip seems to hail from an era prior to World War II, but its implications show an enormously different atmosphere for cultural exchange - especially in terms of importing entertainment.

The moral? The cross pollination of Eastern and Western ideas and styles in comics, animation and beyond is a healthy, healthy thing.

Watch the clip after the jump to remind yourself just HOW healthy...

Yeah, I'm pretty sure this won't be playing at Tokyo Disney anytime soon.

[Via Superpunch]