'Cat Shit One', and rambling about storytelling with anthropomorphic characters

Ok, so I saw this little...gem...on skorzy's journal, and it's just too hilarious and bizarre, so I'm sharing the pain. This is an upcoming anime film based upon a manga set in the Vietnam war which uses anthropomorphic characters: bunnies for Americans, kitties for various Asians. I can't vouch for the quality of the manga, having never read it, but all I can see looking at this trailer is "dog."

Hey, maybe it will be a brilliant film. I nonetheless cringe and snicker guiltily despite this very real possibility; you guys hand me some crow if it is. Still, as a furry fan and someone who likes to tell stories through the vehicle of anthropomorphic animals, I started poking a little at why I had such a strong reaction to something which in theory I might just like. I quickly came to the conclusion that the concept was fine, but I hated the character designs, which clash with the war theme in this amazing way.

Maybe that's intentional? Even if so, I had less of an 'unsettled so it makes me think' experience and more of an 'I'm being pulled completely out of the drama by the juxtaposition of ultra-cute fuzzy animals and serious, violent plot, to the point where creators have made me LOL unintentionally.' One can go for 'Happy Tree Friends' and one can try for 'Maus', but maybe not at the same time in the same story. Or maybe you can, but the above just failed to pull it off.

( There's more, but I cut for length. )