View source for Year Hare Affair

{{Short description|Chinese webcomic and animated series}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{Cleanup rewrite|date=August 2015}}
{{Update|date=February 2019}}
{{refimprove|date=January 2023}}
}}
{{Infobox manhua
|image = YearHareAffair.jpg
|image_size =
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|caption =
|hanzi = 那年那兔那些事
|romanized =
|genre = Historical, comedy
|author = Lin Chao
|illustrator =
|publisher = [[Sina Weibo]] 
|publisher_en =
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|demographic = <!-- Do not use Japanese terms -->
|magazine =
|first = 2011
|firstmo = 13 June
|last = present
|lastmo =
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|chapter_list =
|related =
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}}
'''''Year Hare Affair''''' ({{lang-zh|c=那年那兔那些事(儿)|l=Those stories of that rabbit that happened in those years}}) is a Chinese [[webcomic]] and media franchise by Lin Chao ({{lang-zh|labels=no|c=林超}}), initially under the [[pen name]] "{{lang|zh-hans|逆光飞行}}" ([[Pinyin]]: {{lang|zh-latn|Nìguāng Fēixíng}}, {{literally}} "flight against the light"). The comic uses [[anthropomorphic character|anthropomorphic animal]]s as an [[National personification|allegory for nations and sovereign states]] to represent 20th and 21st century political, military, and diplomatic events.

An animated adaptation of the series started airing in [[Douban]] in March 2015 and a [[free-to-play]] [[strategy video game]] based on it was released on [[iOS]] and [[Android (operating system)|Android]] in July 2015.

==Characters==
===Factions and characters===
{| class="wikitable"
! Nations / Sovereign states !! Appearance !! Reasons and source of the appearance
|-
| [[People's Republic of China]]<br>(or [[Chinese Communist Party]]) ||[[Hare]]|| Hares are [[herbivorous]] animals that are usually considered cute, docile and populous, as well as being "harmless to humans and animals alike" ({{lang-zh|人畜无害}}), but can still inflict nasty bites and kicks when irritated, representing the People's Republic of China's traditionally not so aggressive foreign policies, but can still pack a heavy punch when required. Another explanation for it is that the Chinese words for "[[comrade]]" and "rabbit/hare" sound very similar when pronounced with a [[Shanghainese]] accent, as famously coined by [[xiangsheng|crosstalk]] comedian [[Jiang Kun (comedian)|Jiang Kun]] during the 1980s.

The Hare normally prefers to act friendly and ''[[moe (slang)|moe]]'' in front of others and is obsessed with working the fields harvesting [[carrot]]s and earning "small money", but when provoked into fighting often wields a [[Chinese chef's knife|cleaver]] and a [[brick]] in each hand while emitting a hellish black [[aura (paranormal)|aura]], and later learns to "plant [[mushroom cloud|mushroom]]s" and build "[[Tanks in China|water cabinets]]".  When extremely enraged, the Hare dons a green [[dinosaur]] [[creature suit|suit]] and becomes a [[Godzilla]]-like [[kaiju|monster]] that [[Fire-breathing monster|breathes fire]].
|-
| [[Republic of China (disambiguation)|Republic of China in all its forms]] (minus Communist) || [[Baldness|Baldhead]] || Based on the (absence of) hair of [[Chiang Kai-shek]]. In [[Standard Chinese]] the words "baldhead" (秃子 ''tūzi'') and "Hare" (兔子 ''tùzi'') are near-[[homophone]]s, which also represent the complexity of [[Cross-Strait relations]].
|-
| [[Hong Kong–Mainland China conflict|Hong Kong Democrats]] || [[Cockroach]] || Based on the slur used by Hong Kong police against Anti-ELAB Protestors. Some big wig cockroaches such as HSBC executives have a yellow sticker on a front leg.
|-
| [[Qing dynasty]] and [[Manchukuo]]|| [[Pigtail]] || Based on the queues which is the Manchu hairstyle of the Qing dynasty. (辫子  ''biànzi'').
|-
| [[United States]] || [[Bald eagle]] || Bald eagle is the [[national bird]] of the United States of America.<ref>Lawrence, E.A. (1990). "Symbol of a Nation: The Bald Eagle in American Culture". ''The Journal of American Culture'' 13 (1): 63–69</ref>
|-
| [[Soviet Union]] || [[Brown bear]] || Bear is a common national personification for Russia and the [[USSR]] starting from the [[Russian Empire]]. The Soviet bear has a symbol — the [[hammer and sickle]] of [[Communism]] — on his stomach, which later becomes more like a character, "父", meaning "father" in Chinese.
|-
| [[Russia]] || Brown bear || To differentiate from Soviet Union, this bear has a character "大" ("big" in Chinese, or "eldest" when describing age order of siblings) on his stomach, meaning that he is the "eldest son" of the USSR.  The hair refers to "毛子" ("hairy ones", referring to the comparatively higher [[body hair]] count in [[Caucasian race|Caucasians]]), a common [[Mandarin Chinese|northern Chinese]] nickname for [[Russians]] (and all [[East Slavs]] by extension).
|-
| [[Ukraine]] || Brown bear|| To differentiate from Russia, this bear has a number "2" on his stomach, meaning that he is the "second son" of the USSR.
|-
| [[Belarus]] || Brown bear || To differentiate from Russia, this bear has a number "3" on his stomach, meaning that he is the "third son" of the USSR.
|-
| [[Japan]] || [[Poussin (chicken)|Poussin]] (insists on being addressed as [[Crane (bird)|Crane]])|| The crane is an important part of the Japanese culture, and the fact that the [[green pheasant]] is Japan's official national bird. However, they are mocked as a [[Poussin (chicken)|poussin]] in canon.
|-
| [[South Korea]] || [[Gaoli bangzi|stick]] with a M1 helmet || ''Bangzi'' is an [[ethnic slur]] by Chinese people towards Korean. To differentiate with North Korea, a US-style [[combat helmet]] is added to the appearance of South Korea.
|-
| [[North Korea]] || [[Gaoli bangzi|stick]] with a military skicap || To differentiate with South Korea, a Communist-style [[red star]] cap is added to the appearance of North Korea.
|-
| Various [[Southeast Asia]]n countries:<br />[[Vietnam]], [[Indonesia]], [[Philippines]] || [[Snub-nosed  monkey]] || In Chinese, monkey is a [[Racism|racist]] term used to describe Southeast Asians.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Diana|first=James S.|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.58512|title=Production systems for commonly cultured freshwater fishes of southeast Asia /|date=1985|publisher=University of Michigan, Great Lakes and Marine Waters Center|location=Ann Arbor, Mich.|doi=10.5962/bhl.title.58512 }}</ref>{{better source|reason=English source for this is ideal|date=January 2023}}
|-
| [[Pakistan]] || [[Markhor]] || Markhor is commonly seen in Pakistan and the [[national animal]]. In the animation the Markhor is called ''Ba Ba Yang'' ("Pak Goat") and sometimes nicknamed "Little Ba" by the Hare.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thelovelyplanet.net/markhor-the-national-animal-of-pakistan/|title=Markhor: the national animal of Pakistan}}</ref>
|-
| [[India]] || [[White elephant (animal)|White elephant]] || White elephant is commonly seen in India as an important part of Hindu mythology. In the animation the author chooses it rather than the [[bull]] which is sacred in Hindu to represent India because bull has already been used to represent the UK.{{cn|date=January 2023}}
|-
| [[United Kingdom]] || [[Bull]] || "[[John Bull]]" is a national personification of England and the United Kingdom in general.
|-
| [[France]] || [[Gallic rooster]] || Gallic rooster is an unofficial national symbol of France.
|-
| [[Cuba]] || [[Crocodile]] || Based on the shape of the country
|-
| [[Germany]] || cat || The [[Tiger I]]/[[Tiger II|II]] [[heavy tank]]s and the [[Jagdtiger]] series [[tank destroyer]]s are the most famous German [[armoured fighting vehicle]]s from the [[Second World War]],<ref>Jentz, Thomas; Doyle, Hilary (1993). ''Kingtiger Heavy Tank 1942–45''. Osprey Publishing. p. 23. {{ISBN|185532282X}}.</ref> so in the comic Germany was at first a tiger called "[[Hans (name)|Hans]]". But since both [[East Germany|East]] and [[West Germany]] had been restricted in military strength after World War II, the "[[big cats|big cat]]" have been "tamed" and "downsized" to "[[kitten|small cat]]s".
|-
| Various [[Africa]]n countries in:<br />[[Libyan Arab Jamahiriya]],<br />[[Tanzania]],<br />[[Sudan]],<br />[[South Sudan]],<br />[[Eritrea]] || [[Hippopotamus]] || Hippopotamus is a large, mostly [[herbivorous]] mammal in [[Sub-Saharan Africa]] generally stereotyped as being simple-witted and clumsy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.awf.org/wildlife-conservation/hippopotamus|title=Hippopotamus|work=awf.org}}</ref>  Both in the comic and the animation, nearly all African countries mentioned are represented by hippopotamus, except for the [[History of Uganda (1971–79)|Ugandan junta regime]] under [[Idi Amin]].  Also, "Colonel Ka the Hippo" sometimes symbolizes [[Muammar Gaddafi]] himself other than the country. Sudan and South Sudan only appear in the end of Episode 3, Season 2 of the animation.
|-
| [[Uganda]] || [[Duck]] || "Uncle Crazy Duck" is, in fact, the nickname of Idi Amin Dada among Chinese netizens. He wears a hippopotamus [[fursuit]] with loose screws on the head, meaning that his brain is "different" from other Africans. In the animation, Uncle Crazy Duck shouts "Banana!" during speeches like the [[Minions (film)|Minions]].
|-
| Various [[Arab world]] countries:<br />[[Afghanistan]],<br />[[Saudi Arabia]],<br />[[Iraq]],<br />[[Pahlavi dynasty|Pahlavi Iran]] || [[Camel]] || Camel is commonly seen and used as transportation in the arid, desert [[Middle East]] and [[Central Asia]]. Both in the comic and the animation, nearly all mentioned Arabic countries are represented by camels, but they have different appearance — Afghan camel wears a scarf and is bearded; Saudi (and other [[Gulf nations]] by extension) camel wears a [[keffiyeh|scarf]] and [[Arab billionaires|many diamonds]]; Iraqi camel under the [[Saddam Hussein]] regime wears a [[military beret]]; and [[Iran]]ian camel during the [[Pahlavi dynasty]] has a [[crown]] on his head.
|-
| [[History of the Islamic Republic of Iran|Post-revolution Iran]] || [[Lion]] || Lion is the symbol of [[ancient Iran]] and the [[Persian Empire]].  The religious reform of [[Ruhollah Khomeini]] made the [[shia]]-majority Iran quite different from its [[sunni]] Arabic neighbours, and so the author chooses the symbol of ancient Persia to represent it.
|}

=== Others ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Character !! Avatar !! Reasons and source of the appearance
|-
| Lin Chao (author)
| [[Dragon]]
| "[[Twine|Twiny]] snake" ({{lang-zh|麻蛇}}) is one of the author's online nickname, and comes in the form of a small green dragon with a pair of yellow [[antler]]s.  The author is often violently beaten up by other characters for inappropriately awkward [[straight man]] talks, and frequently threatened by the Hare to be cooked into a [[geng (dish)|pasty soup]] — a [[running gag|running]] [[in-joke]] about the author's notoriety of often delaying the periodic updates of the comic series.  The Chinese characters for "update" ({{lang|zh|更}}) and "paste" ({{lang|zh|羹}}) are homophones both pronouncing ''Gēng'', causing the series' fans to create a parodic [[light poetry]]: "if the Snake doesn't update, make [him into] a [[snake soup|snake paste]] ({{zh|麻蛇不更麻蛇羹}})."
|-
| Lin Chao's wife
| Snail Fairy
| Lin Chao's girlfriend (whom he married later) was often used as an excuse when he failed to update the comics on time, so an avatar is created as a recurrent [[cameo appearance|cameo character]] who is a [[homemaker]] for the author, like in the Chinese legend of the Snail Fairy.
|-
| Director of the animated cartoon
| Tree
| "Two Tree" ({{lang-zh|二树}}) is the online username of the director/producer of the comics' animated series, so an avatar is created as a cameo character.
|-
| [[Suning.com]]
| Lion
| Suning.com is a sponsor of the animated series, and its [[mascot]] is a lion.
|-
|}

==Included events==
* [[Second Sino-Japanese War]]
* [[Chinese Communist Revolution]]
* [[Korean War]]
* [[Sino-Soviet Split]]
* [[United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758]]
* [[Sino-Vietnamese War]]
* [[Scarborough Shoal standoff]]
* The Commission of [[Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning]]
* [[U.S. bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade]]
* [[Hainan Island incident]]
* [[Cold War]]
* [[Vietnam War]]
* [[Battle of the Paracel Islands]]
* [[Uganda–Tanzania War]]
* [[30 September Movement]]
* [[Sino-Soviet border conflict]]
* [[1972 Nixon visit to China]]
* [[Soviet–Afghan War]]
* [[Cultural Revolution]]
* [[Iran–Iraq War]]
* [[Dissolution of the Soviet Union]]
* [[Gulf War]]
* [[Chinese economic reform]]
* [[Third Taiwan Strait Crisis]]
* The Signing of [[Joint Communiqué of the Government of Japan and the Government of the People's Republic of China]]
* [[Yinhe incident]]
* [[Kosovo War]]
* [[September 11 attacks]]
* [[War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)]]
* [[Chen Shui-bian corruption charges]]
* [[Senkaku Islands dispute]]
* [[Indo-Pakistani wars and conflicts]]
* [[Hundred Regiments Offensive]]

==Video game==
{{Expand section|date=August 2017}}
A [[free-to-play]] [[strategy video game|strategy]] [[role-playing video game]] based on the webcomic, was released on iOS and Android on 15 July 2015. The player controls one of three factions: Hare, Bald Eagle and Bear.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://xw.qq.com/games/20150606003325/GAM2015060600332500|script-title=zh:国漫《那年那兔那些事儿》出军事题材手游|website=xw.qq.com|date=6 June 2015|access-date=5 August 2017|language=zh}}</ref>

==Reception==
===Critical response===
Hare ({{zh|links=no|c=我兔|l=Our rabbit}}) is now used as [[Internet slang]] referring to China.<ref>{{Cite news|date=1 August 2015|title=网民为什么会把中国称为"兔子"|language=Chinese|trans-title=Why do Internet called China a "hare"?|work=The Paper|url=https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_1359034|access-date=8 October 2021}}</ref>

=== Criticisms ===
The historical vision, provided in first two seasons of ''Year Hare Affair'', came under heavy criticism in an overview on the Russian website South China Insight, especially [[Sino-Soviet relations]]. Though it is admitted that relations with Russia "occupy a leading place" in reflecting of Chinese history, but with a "complete disregard for historical facts", such as Soviet involvement in the Chinese Communist Party's foundation and the [[Red Army]]'s [[Soviet invasion of Manchuria|liberation of Manchuria]] from Japanese forces. It was also noted that the [[Sino-Vietnamese War]] has been completely left behind.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.south-insight.com/node/218192 |script-title=ru:"Дела зайца в те годы" - как китайцы видят отношения с Россией в одном из самых популярных мультфильмов Китая |trans-title="Year Hare Affair" - how the Chinese view relations with Russia in one of the most popular cartoons of China| website=South-insight.com |date=May 7, 2016 |access-date= August 7, 2017 |language=ru}}</ref>

Oiwan Lam of [[Global Voices Online]] finds [[racism]] in portraying the African as a hippopotamus, which she considers "a lazy and stupid animal". In that regard, "China's aid for Africa has also been simplified as a last resort because 'the [[First World|first world]] refused to play with us'".<ref>{{cite web |last=Lam| first= Oiwan|url=https://globalvoices.org/2016/06/01/why-some-chinese-fail-to-see-racism-in-qiaobis-viral-detergent-commercial/| title=Why Some Chinese Fail to See Racism in Qiaobi's Viral Detergent Commercial|publisher=[[Global Voices Online]]|date=June 1, 2016|access-date= August 7, 2017}}</ref>

===Ratings===
The second and third season received 8.6 and 8.4 points out of 10 on [[Douban]].<ref name="ChinaDaily five">{{cite web|last1=Li|first1=Hongrui|url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/culture/2017-03/16/content_28581355_3.htm|title=Five popular new Chinese animation series|work=[[China Daily]]|date=16 March 2017|access-date=3 August 2017}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* {{cite journal|last=Sun|first=Jiarui |url=https://digitalcommons.dartmouth.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1027&context=clamantis|title=The Moe Politics in Year, Hare, Affair|date=November 2017|volume=1|issue=3|journal=Clamantis: The MALS Journal|access-date=29 June 2018}}

==External links==
* {{in lang|zh}} [http://weibo.com/u/1890872744 Authors's Sina Weibo]
* {{in lang|zh}} [http://lt.cjdby.net/thread-1163825-1-1.html The original page where the author post the comic] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200813235708/https://lt.cjdby.net/thread-1163825-1-1.html |date=13 August 2020 }}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Year Hare Affair}}
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