12 Things You Learn Rewatching You Only Live Twice

12. It's The Most Racist Bond Movie...By Far

You Only Live Twice Sean Connery
United Artists

The earlier Bond movies aren't exactly known for their cultural sensitivity, but even so, You Only Live Twice stands out as the most egregiously racist entry into the entire franchise.

From start to finish, the film is steeped in rampant, embarrassing Orientalism, cracking painful one-liners ("Why do Chinese girls taste different from all other girls?"), and indulging in just about every regional cliche imaginable (sumo wrestlers, submissive masseuses, sake and the unexpected appearance of ninjas).

That's to say nothing of Tiger Tanaka's (Tetsurō Tamba) assertion that "In Japan, men always come first, women come second", and the infamous sequence where Bond (Sean Connery) undergoes an operation to resemble a Japanese man. Not only is 007 fitted with a wig and bushy eyebrows, but his skin is dyed with an object that looks curiously like a lemon. Seriously.

Connery may be considered the best Bond by many, but this is a wince-inducing low-point of his tenure, no question. It hasn't aged well at all.

Advertisement
Contributor
Contributor

Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.