In episode 151 of “The Twilight Zone,” titled “The Encounter,” George Takei plays a Japanese American gardener named Arthur who runs into a World War II veteran named Mr. Fenton, portrayed by Neville Brand. Throughout their interaction, Fenton’s prejudice is on full display: He talks down to Arthur, rants about Japanese immigrants, and insinuates that Arthur’s name and appearance don’t match. Arthur stands up for himself, stating “I’m a full-grown man and I answer to Arthur” to deflect Fenton’s derogatory remarks. But the two struggle to get along, highlighting the real discrimination faced by Asian Americans during and after World War II (via Off-Ramp).
While Takei’s depiction as Arthur begins with some nuance, it eventually devolves into something explicitly racist. At the climax of the story, Arthur loses his temper with Fenton and confesses that his father fought on the Japanese side in World War II. The tension finally breaks, and Arthur cuts down Fenton with the veteran’s war souvenir — a samurai sword. As if Arthur’s violent rage wasn’t enough of a stereotype, he ends the episode shouting, “Banzai!” as he leaps out of a window.
