The Whale Whores is an animation made by South Park about the
Japanese' whaling and dolphin-killing activities (in a much more comical and exaggerated
way.) The animation showed a group of armed Japanese charging into aquariums
and dolphinariums, killing every single dolphins and whales as well as those
out in the sea. The protagonist of the animation, Stan, is upset and
infuriated about this issue and asked his dad “why did they do that?” and
his dad replied that the Japanese don’t really like Dolphins very much; not as
much as “normal” people do. Stan decided to stand up against the actions of the
Japanese and wanted help from his friends. However, Kyle was reluctant, stating
that “they’ve been doing it for a long time, and it’s not like we are able to
change how an entire country thinks. I don’t like it, but it’s just the way
they are.” Cartmen and Kenny simply don’t care about the plight of those sea
mammals claiming that they don't give two shits about stupid-ass whales. Stan
was angered by their lack of concern saying, “you know, when all the whales and
dolphins in the world are gone, people are gonna wish that at some point they’d
taken a little time to care just a little god damn bit!” Butters then told Stan
about the Whale Wars where there are people like him who would do something for
those whales and dolphins. Stan eventually volunteered to be one of the
activists and replaced Capt. Paul Watson into leading the activists to protect
the whales and dolphins more effectively. Paul Watson was portrayed as a liar
who would do anything to increase the ratings. In the end, Cartmen and Kenny
joined the crews in Whale Wars under false pretence that they care for the
animals, which in fact, they were only after the fame. In the end, Stan and his
friends found out that the reason for the Japanese to slaughter all the whales
and dolphins was because they piloted Enola Gay to bomb Hiroshima (which is not
true.) Stan knowing that it’s a fake decided to give the Japanese the “real”
photo of the killers- the chicken and cow. And the ending scene was the
Japanese charging into farms to kill chickens and cows and Stan’s dad thanking
him for making the Japanese “normal” like them.
After watching the animation, it is clear to me that Stan is
the main protagonist, wanting to be an activist, to want to do something to
stop whaling and dolphin- killing. The Japanese as obviously depicted as the
antagonists, trying to avenge for the bombing of Hiroshima. Kyle and Butters
are in the neutral position where though they are concern about the issue, but
aren’t willing to stand up against the Japanese, merely letting things be just
the way it is. On the contrary, Cartmen and Kenny couldn’t care less about what
the Japanese are doing nor are they concern about the whaling and dolphin-
killing.
I myself think that I’m standing in the position of in between
Cartmen, Kenny and Kyle, Butters. Though I care, but don’t think I’ll go to
such extremes as being an activist. Moreover, other than whaling and
dolphin-killing, I think there are many other more serious issues to brood over
than this; such as the economic crisis in Europe and terrorism. It is also not
only the whales and dolphins are endangering soon, animals such as the white
tigers and panda are even on the verge to extinction. Compared to these whaling
and dolphin- killing activities (obviously not due to them bombing Hiroshima),
sports hunting is a much greater issue to be concerned of as people hunt for
leisure purposes. But I’m still thankful to those activists as in a way or
another, their efforts do make a difference regardless a huge or a small one.
It does indirectly help to slow down the rate of endangering these animals
which might give the animals enough time to reproduce some offsprings.
Another issue, in the last scene, Stan’s dad mentioned that
the Japanese who are now killing chicken and cows instead are “normal” like
them. But in such context, how do you clearly define normal? Just because we
kill chickens and cows instead of whales and dolphins means we’re normal? It
depends on individual’s perception on how to perceive as being normal. Maybe to
the Japanese in the animation, Stan and others are the abnormal ones for not
killing whales and dolphins. I think that they are all the same, as they all
kill animals, regardless of whether is it cows, chickens, whales or dolphins.
In addition, cows and chickens are commercially reared and raised as food for
our consumption, thus is not seen as a cruel act to kill them. So does it mean
that if we commercially raise the whales and dolphins, it would not seen as
being cruel to kill them? I think that Japanese being one of the largest
exporters in the seafood industries kill whales and dolphins because there’s a
demand for it, especially when their cuisine comprises highly of seafood
products.
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