Terry Ito Column Vol.25 Mickey Mouse and the Mice

No other mouse is as beloved around the world as Mickey Mouse. Seeing Mickey delights people of all ages, even bringing a smile to the face of a crying baby. However, if you were to encounter a real mouse in the kitchen, closet, or on a dark street at night, most people's faces would likely cringe and they would scream. Then, a major commotion would break out, with people either hitting the mouse with a broom or calling for help. Even though they're both mice, how can they be treated so differently? Why is Mickey Mouse the only one who's so popular? It's all thanks to Walt Disney, Mickey Mouse's creator. Ever since his screen debut in 1928, in the film "Steamboat Willie," he's been loved by people all over the world. A mouse that was supposed to be hated has become a super idol. That's amazing, isn't it? Creating an image is key.

So what about the wolf? Even in the anime, it doesn't have a good image. In the Grimm fairy tale "Little Red Riding Hood," Little Red Riding Hood encounters a wolf on her way to her grandmother's house across the forest, but the wolf gets there first and eats her grandmother. The wolf then disguises himself as Grandma and waits for Little Red Riding Hood. In this story, the wolf is portrayed as a terrible murderer. This would never make him popular with the children. What about the fox? In English, the expression "as sly as a fox" means "as cunning as a fox." This is unbearable for the fox. Humans create their own image of themselves. It's only natural that the wolf would sue them. What about the turtle? In Aesop's fable "The Tortoise and the Hare," the tortoise steadily advances and overtakes the hare while the hare is carelessly napping, a tale of hard work and great results. In recent years, he has appeared as a hero of justice in the globally popular movie "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," and is extremely popular. Turtles are very popular.

What about deer? Another Disney film, "Bambi" (released in 1942), tells the story of a young deer named Bambi, whose mother is killed by humans, growing up strong under the care of a great father. The whole world shed tears. I still remember the moving experience I felt when I saw it as a child. I still find myself calling a fawn "Bambi." I even have a Bambi doll. Bambi is a lovely name. Memories from childhood never fade. On the other hand, cockroaches, no matter how you look at them, are unlikely to become idols. Calling them "Cockroach-chan" or "Gokky-kun" wouldn't be very popular. They have no future. If that's the case, I want them to be completely evil. Build a den of evil with the goal of world domination! It'd be boring if they were all popular. A "Cockroach King" or a "Cyborgian" might be good, too. Ideally, with an army of foxes. Sorry, I'm getting off topic.

Terry Ito (director)

Born in Tsukiji, Tokyo in 1949. After attending Waseda Jitsugyo Junior and Senior High School, he graduated from Nihon University's School of Economics.
In March 2023, he completed the Master's program at the Graduate School of Media and Governance at Keio University.
He joined the television production company IVS Television, where he worked on variety shows such as "Tensai Takeshi's Genki ga Deru TV" and "Neruton Benikujidan."
He then went independent and worked on planning and directing a number of television programs, including TV Tokyo's "Asakusabashi Young Clothing Store."
His book "Comedy North Korea" became a bestseller, and he subsequently made numerous media appearances under the name Terry Ito.
In addition to his work as a director, he is also active in a variety of fields as a producer, entertainer, and commentator.
YouTube channelTerry Ito's Comedy Backdrop'
Currently writing a column in LALALA USA
https://lalalausa.com/archives/category/column/terry