(Just copied my dA comment, so sorry, but it's a total repeat.)

Bet the Greeks are turning in their graves that there is no Neptune to exact vengeance on the blasphemers of the sea. =P

Hmm... moot argument on their part about the dolphins "eating too much fish". On the contrary, it is us, with our 6 billion people, who eat too many fish.

What exactly are these “reasons you will not go into”?

Interesting point there with the "Empire Preservation" theory; actually makes a hell of a lot of sense. I mean, after all, the Japanese (as with many Eastern cultures) seem to hate the West passionately (just thinking back to WWII is a good example; the quick allegiance with the Axis powers, the refusal to back down after Hitler’s suicide).
Weirdly enough, I've met people who like Bushido concept; but we are talking about anime fans here, most of them - anime does, in many cases, glamorise honour and – to a degree – the thrill of battle; but it's the honour and self-discipline concepts that attract these people, I think...

Anyway, good review, and I hope I'm able to see this soon. There's no slated date for theatrical release here in SA, though; somehow I doubt I'll see it until the DVD release... if I'm lucky.

And my repeated response.

It's just that most of the arguments the Japanese had in favor of the slaughter, were exactly the same as those for the seal hunt here (pest-control, livelihood, culture). The only exception is Empire-Preservation - we've never been that full of ourselves ;) Now, I'm not equating harp seals with dolphins in any way shape or form, but I would still hope that any Newfoundlander seeing this would have something to think about. (Another thing they have in common is government subsidy).

Bushido - I didn't mean to hate on it per se. Like the concept of Jihad, there's probably a lot of good things about it; but they've both been co-opted and corrupted by some very nasty people (Tojo, bin Laden, etc.)

Eh, I don't feel like continuing the copy/paste thing here too long, so I'll summarise:

- I also don't find anything wrong with Bushido, just that it glamorises war.
- It's sick that the Japanese government pays toward this.
- None of the arguments for it that have been shown to exist make sense to me; nor do they justify the act.
- Some traditions need to be thrown out; they don't fit the modern world.

nice.

Thank you!