Many reviews and scholars have suggested that George Lucas seems to have based certain species in Star Wars human ethnicities, and particularly on stereotypes thereof. For instance, the Toydarians (who have large noses and are unmotivated by the Force, "only money") are supposedly meant to represent Jews.

He's called Watto the Toydarian. He's a slave owner and slave driver to our young blond hero, Anakin Skywalker. "Even in a galaxy far away, the Jews are apparently behind the slave trade," observes Bruce Gottlieb in a 5-26-99 piece on Slate, the only article we've seen on the subject and one we didn't see until this column was nearly finished. Gottlieb also pointed out the racial stereotyping in the character Jar-Jar Binks, as have many African-Americans.

But there are other examples: I've heard that the Neimodians might have been based on people from Japan, among others.

Crafty Japanese trade villains aren't the only heavy-handed ethnic stereotype in The Phantom Menace.

Is there any truth to these claims? Did Lucas base these or other Star Wars aliens on national or ethnic stereotypes?