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"Goeppels-chan" Puts Moe Spin on Nazism in Fan Videos
posted on by Eric Stimson
The creators of the fan anime Moe Moe Nazis Shōjo Goeppels-chan ("Moe Moe Nazi Girl Goeppels-chan") are seeking funding for the third installment of the series through the crowdfunding website Fundiy. The anime follows Geri Goeppels, a 14-year-old moe girl version of Joseph Goebbels, who was minister of propaganda in Nazi Germany.
"Goeppels-chan" is a child prodigy and already has a Ph.D. (Her name is changed to make the pronunciation easier for the Japanese audience.) Like her historical counterpart, she broadcasts propaganda over the radio to undermine France and produces propaganda films and animation to promote Nazi ideology and glorify Adolf Hitler. She adores "the Führer" and considers herself his favorite, although she sees her colleagues Leni Riefenstahl (a filmmaker) and Skorzeny (a moe version of Lieutenant Colonel Otto Skorzeny) as love rivals. The series is a light-hearted parody of the Nazis' efforts to spread their fascist message in the 1930s — although in her introduction, Goeppels does say, "No comment about the Jews! I don't want to talk about them!" with a bitter face.
The cast (from left to right): Goeppels, Rorschach, Frankfrut (sic), and Skorzeny
The third installment of the series will involve aliens that land in German territory and request an audience with Hitler. Himmler (head of the SS, a Nazi paramilitary group) cooks up a conspiracy and Goeppels is abducted to Venus.
Goeppels-chan is the work of Nao Minda, a manga artist, and Katsuyuki Ikeda, an independent animator. They have also collaborated on Otaku no Tame no Fūzoku Guide ("A Guide to Customs for Otaku"). Although Minda originally drew the characters, Kiichi will take over this task for Episode 3 as Minda's hand is shaking too much from a medicine he is taking. Ikeda has also supplied an opening song starring Hatsune Miku, "Kokkashakaishugi no Uta" ("The National Socialism Song"), in which the famous Vocaloid singer extols Nazism as "rational" and denounces Communism as "scary."
While the first episode of Goeppels-chan was free to download, the second episode was not, resulting in a sharp decline in downloads. This prompted the creators to turn to crowdfunding to continue the series. The funding drive will last until February 20 and aims to collect 400,000 yen ($3,387). It has currently amassed 120,000 yen ($1,016), or 30% of its goal, with support from 25 donors.
As a former ally of Nazi Germany and given the absence of a significant Jewish population, Japan has generally taken a less critical or serious view of Nazi misdeeds. A manga version of Mein Kampf sold relatively well in 2009, and thinly veiled portrayals of Hitler appear in popular culture from time to time.
