The Superman theatrical shorts faced a noticeable dip in quality after the Fleischers were fired in 1942; the shorts became more overtly political and racist corresponding to America's then anti-Japanese sentiment following the attack on Pearl Harbor. And this short was the victim of that 'politicization' that many cartoons were going through at the time. They couldn't just be straight-up entertainment neutral to cultural ideologies; these shorts were propaganda showcases to fight against the Axis Powers during World War Two. And of course the animation wasn't as sharp without Dave Fleischer directing the films. And this short clearly shows these shortcomings: there's recycled shots of Superman from pre-existing shorts and Lois doesn't look nearly as refined as she does in 'The Mechanical Monsters'; production corners were cut because the Fleischers were too expensive to keep hiring for the job, but that's no excuse in the fudging of supposed cinematic art.
This short: Superman fights the Japanese; a little racist but Supes still kicks some ass like he ought to. The film hasn't aged all that well, but it's still got some nice little touches here and there.
This short: Superman fights the Japanese; a little racist but Supes still kicks some ass like he ought to. The film hasn't aged all that well, but it's still got some nice little touches here and there.