#anti mulan 2020

[suzieloveships]

Snow White remakes gets more hate for being bad than Mulan remake got for normalizing a crime against humanity.

Rachel gets more hate for saying what is going to happen in a movie than a person that literally supported police brutality.

Snow white remake is a harmless movie unlike Mulan so can we please stop

[miasmultifandomdump]

The Disney executives are so stupid, if they kept in Li Shang and gave him a few longing glances at Mulan when he still thought she was a man, I am telling you the bisexuals would have seen that movie in droves

(Side note: This is a joke and in all seriousness, there were WAY bigger problems with that movie and if you want to know more about it, I highly recommend Xiran Jay Zhao's video on it, they do an excellent job of showing how the Disney writers did the bare minimum when it came to researching this movie while expecting praise for being woke.)

[burst-of-iridescent]

katara becoming “the greatest healer in the world” will never be a satisfactory ending for her character. not only because we never actually saw her heal, not only because of the gendered implications of healing, not only because she said herself that she wanted to be a fighter, but because katara’s arc in atla is about earning her own empowerment.

she fought tooth and nail to develop her waterbending skills even when she had no one to teach her, even when it put her in danger, even when she was straight up forbidden to learn. of course she had raw talent, but that would have gotten her nowhere without her own resourcefulness, creativity and willingness to learn and work hard. that’s what differentiates her from azula, her foil, and leads to her triumph over azula in the end. nothing was ever just given to her… nothing, that is, except her healing.

the moment katara discovers her healing abilities is in the aftermath of her own victimization, when her narrative is subjugated to serve her male love interest’s. her healing, like her accident at aang’s hands, is something that happens to her rather than something she actively does — and this narrative will continue to repeat itself throughout the story. katara never has to work at, develop, or fight for her healing abilities, a jarring contradiction in a show that always stresses the importance of discipline and effort to becoming a master.

nothing worth having ever comes easy, as it goes… and yet healing comes nothing but easy to katara. what, then, is the audience meant to infer about the value of healing as a skill within the narrative?

katara’s empowerment arc in atla is one catalyzed by her own agency, driven from beginning to end by her actions and choices. she fights for every bit of power she has, fails, learns, fails again, picks herself back up, and repeats the cycle over and over. the struggle is what makes her growth meaningful, just as the fight is what makes her victory worthwhile. that is what makes katara a hero, and makes her so inspiring to the many girls who saw themselves in her.

for all that resilience and hardship and strength and growth to be stripped away in the legend of korra in favour of defining katara by some underdeveloped, unexplained ability she just intrinsically has not only devalues her as a character, but also undercuts the significance and impact of her character arc in atla. and that will never, ever sit right with me.

[mia-talks-toons]

(S1E3) The Owl House: How Companies Disrespect Animated Shows

A relatively new show to join the ranks of some of Disney’s BEST animated shows, The Owl House was created in 2020 by Dana Terrace, and is the last of the Disney Channel’s serialized cartoon shows (more on that later…). It follows the adventures of Luz Noceda, a regular teen girl, who was magically transported into another world, named the Boiling Isles, full of witches and (friendly) demons and all sorts of neat creatures. There, she trains with her mentor, Eda the Owl Lady (and a demon named King), on how to become a witch and use magic, even though she, as a human, has no natural magical powers of her own. The story is, in my opinion, extremely well done, and I fell in LOVE with every single character. The only issue is that it felt a liiiittle bit too short… And let me tell you why.

While the second season was airing, it was revealed that The Owl House would end prematurely, and the show’s third season, which was already planned out, would be shortened to three specials, instead of the usual 20ish 22-minute episodes a season would have. Many ideas had to be cut, and a lot of character development had to be shortened in the process. A lot of fans were sad, disappointed, and outright outraged, including me! Such an amazing show didn't deserve the short end of the stick. The question on most of the fandom’s mind was “Why?”, and Disney tried to answer.

Dana Terrace (The show’s creator) has gone on record saying that the show didn't fit the Disney "brand". She mentioned the fact that Disney TVA wanted to move away from serialized content, as it’s mostly older kids, teens, and adults who could keep up with those kinds of shows. The Disney Channel wanted to keep their target audience a tad younger, so that meant getting rid of shows with linear storylines and introducing more shows that you could jump into at any episode.

However, many fans have speculated that this was because the show contains a lot of queer themes and characters, and Disney has shown over and over again that even though they may seem progressive, they show many homophobic tendencies. Examples of this are removing gay scenes or characters from their movies when they’re released in homophobic countries, and boasting about their “first gay/lesbian/bi/trans character!!!” while only giving them a blink-and-you-miss-it moment that mentions their identity. Knowing this, it feels like Disney’s intentions were different than they lead us to believe.

No matter what the REAL reason was for the cancellation, I’m still extremely upset. If it’s for the anti-queer reason, it would hurt, as I grew up watching Disney movies and shows, and shortening a show because of characters who are LGBT, just like me, would frankly be offensive. But the other reason would hurt just as much. Animation is constantly referred to as a “children’s genre”, both by the general public and the film industry itself. Anyone older than mid-teens is often discouraged from watching animated shows and movies unless they’re specifically targeted at that demographic. Because of this, a lot of people are missing out on some really great stories and incredible visuals. My own mother made fun of me for preferring the animated Mulan movie to its abysmal 2020 live-action counterpart. I LOVE animation, and I feel like it’s constantly being mistreated by those who are meant to defend it. And that leads to beautiful pieces of art being, well, cancelled and shortened.

But hey, at least The Owl House got to properly end, right? Unlike some other shows…

[fineillsignup]

why not to waste your money on Mulan (2020)

send message to Disney to stop with this lazy remake bullshit already and create actual new content

no Mushu

no songs

bisexual icon Li Shang replaced with bland inferior love interest

lead actress Liu Yifei trashed Hong Kong protesters, specifically supported HK’s brutal police

Hong Kong activists are asking international supporters to boycott it

perfect live action Mulan starring Vicki Zhao Wei made in 2009 already exists

here in Canada they’re asking for thirty five fucking dollars PLUS a Disney+ subscription

thirty five fucking dollars just to rent it

Edit: this blew up whew but I want to say if you’re on Twitter check out the hashtag #MilkTeaAlliance! It’s a grassroots effort by pro-democracy activists in Thailand, HK, and Taiwan to support each other and they have picked boycotting Mulan as an opportunity to raise awareness and solidarity!

[foureyedfreezy]

Mulan 2020 isn’t hated because it’s different from the animated original. It was made by three white people, misinterpreted Chinese culture, erased a potential bisexual character and labeled him a sexual predator, lead actress supports police brutality in Hong Kong, and it was filmed near Muslim internment camps. 

[alltoofruity]

you know, as a muslim hearing this news makes me angry and saddened by how the world treats us just because of the religion we choose. mulan was filmed in one of the cities where they held muslims captive in concentration camp where they get forced to eat pork, tortured, r@ped, killed, and do many haram things. as if the actress that plays mulan who supports police brutality in hong kong isn’t enough to boycott this movie, then this is just the icing on the cake.

if you are islamophobic then you can just unfollow me right now, and if you even dare to defend this movie to me then i will block you and go off on you.

it’s such a shame really, as a kid mulan was one of my favorite disney princessess who showed up that girls CAN be warriors yet this is how disney and their team potrays her to be now, as in people who support police brutality and support concentration camps on muslims.

fuck you disney. fuck you mulan live action movie. fuck you islamophobes. fuck you liu yifei. BOYCOTT MULAN.

again if you even dare to defend this movie and how it has been made, i won’t hesitate to go off on you.

[moonkattinator]

[fandomlife-confessions]

[daenerysbeauty]

*takes one look at m.ulan 2020*

ANYWAY i love li shang

[skywalkerrains]

Watching the new live-action Mulan... It is less than 10 minutes in and I am already annoyed by the wanna be unrealistic Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon fighting style, the use of Frisian horses in ancient China (hint they are a European breed developed in the Netherlands), and the incorrect use of chi. This does not bode well. If it doesn't get any better I will probably be even more disappointed in the next hour and a half. Somethings Disney just shouldn't change, touch up, or remake. (I am looking at you live-action Lion King.)

*Edit: 15 minutes in and I have already decided that it is a big production B movie from Disney. This is just sad. The acting is over the top, the action is bad and unbelievable, and where the hell is Mushu? Oh, wait... that's right, some idiots decided to leave him and Shang out of the film, as well as the songs. This is truly disappointing. Oh, and they changed the core of Mulan's character. She keeps wishing she was a son most of the time. That was never in the original movie. I don't know if I can watch this one.

Okay I admit some Disney live-action movies, like Cinderella, have been a hit and are really good, but this one is a big fat miss.

Also, where is Khan? Who the HELL is this Black Wind horse?

Where is grandmother? And Crickey? Also the villains suck.

1 1/2 stars so far...

No wonder this movie flopped in China...

[alexanderlee1012]

Reflections on Mulan

It took me a long time to cherish my Taiwanese-American heritage. Growing up in the United States, it wasn’t a facet of my identity that I attached any importance to. As a child, I even actively denied that part of me. Whenever my family went out to eat Chinese food, I threw a temper tantrum and would only eat if we stopped by fast food first. I didn’t bother speaking Chinese; I replied to my Mom’s Mandarin in English and I consistently repeated the entry level class for my Saturday Chinese-school until I was not compelled to go anymore. The only attempt to understand the vast history and traditions of my culture was acknowledging the bare minimum to profit off of the New Years. 

While there are many reasons for my delayed acceptance of my culture and identity, the portrayal of Asians in Western Society was definitely a significant factor. Similar to many young children, I was deeply impacted by television and movies. My weeks were organized by TV show airtimes and the few times I was able to go to the movies were momentous occasions. I idolized the heroes on screen, wishing to become just like them. However, what I saw on the screen never closely resembled me. Almost all Western media featured white protagonists, and in the few moments there was somebody of Chinese descent, they were essentially a one-dimensional caricature that was completely unrelatable (for men, choose either kung fu master or a super nerd, and for women, choose an exotic hypersexualized love interest or submissive wallflower). Many values are actively defined and imprinted at a societal level, and this one was no different. The messaging from Hollywood was loud and clear: there is nothing valuable about being Asian American; this culture only deserves to be simplified to basic tropes. 

To my delight, as my own relationship with my culture deepened and flourished over the decades, it seemed that the media’s portrayal of Asians were finally evolving as well. First starting on the fringes, with Asian-American content creators using new platforms such as YouTube to reach directly to their audience, then slowly creeping into the mainstream, with sitcoms and major blockbuster films. Finally, Asian-Americans can be cast as characters that were complex and interesting. Their only defining feature wasn’t just that they were Asian! Similar to white actors and actresses, it was just another part of their identity. Witnessing Asians star in these multifaceted roles has been amazing given how the landscape was just a few years prior. 

I also understand that at the end of the day media is a business, and for this movement to not be temporary, Asians need to throw their full support when these things happen. Personally, I watched Crazy Rich Asians four times (two times in theaters, once on a plane, and then renting again at home to show my mom), and I’ve been subscribed to Wong Fu’s Patreon ever since I’ve learned of it. So of course, given this momentous live-action remaking of Mulan, I’ve been at the edge of my seat, excited and ready to support. 

Especially given the cultural phenomenon that was Black Panther, I was ecstatic that Disney was going to take on Mulan again. While many were bemoaning the exclusion of Mushu, Shang and those classic songs, I actually grew more excited since the director stated that she made those decisions to be more faithful to the original legend. The anticipation kept growing and growing as the pandemic forcibly pushed back the release again and again. Until finally, this past Friday’s release on Disney+, where I eagerly paid the additional $30 premium access to be among the first to support the movie. 

My disappointment was immeasurable.

While there are many major flaws to dive deep into regarding this movie (especially the superpowers that weaken the narrative of a woman fighting to be seen as an equal in a patriarchal society), I wanted to spend some time to speak on some smaller details that yanked me out of the immersion by how grossly misrepresented it was. In life, it’s the small actions that build up to communicate your intent. Love is shown by showing care and consistency in the tiniest of details; however, in this case, the small details accumulated to disrespect and disregard instead. These cultural details clearly didn’t matter to the people designing this film.

Warning slight spoilers ahead, but nothing too major if you’re familiar with the story.

The villagers from Mulan’s hometown all lived together in a Tulou (土樓), a circular earthen hut that can house many families. However these buildings are a facet of the Hakka people living in Fujian originating from the 12th century. Mulan’s story takes place in the Northern Wei Dynasty; which occurs during 386 to 534 AD and is, as the name describes, in the northern part of China. Not only is it geographically inaccurate, but there is a time difference of 600+ years there! That would be akin to placing a modern skyscraper penthouse into the Renaissance.

As someone who is learning more about Chinese tea to connect to their culture, the teapot used during the matchmaking scene was equally jarring. The teapot was a Yokode kyusu, a teapot that has a side handle 90 degrees from the sprout. While Japanese tea culture was originally imported from China during the Song Dynasty, the cultures have significantly diverged. Each has their unique vessels, tools, and processing techniques worthy of celebrating (matcha vs pu’er, sencha vs oolong, yokode kyusu vs yixing). However, maybe to the creators of this movie, east Asian culture is just all the same to them. 

The phoenix was a central character in the movie, and to the chagrin of many fans of the original, Mushu’s replacement. As the Hua family’s ancestral guardian spirit, it provided a nice symbolism for Mulan, as her character’s male persona dies and she is reborn as Hua Mulan. What is egregious is that Phoenixes are not even an animal within Chinese folklore, that’s a Western (Greek) myth! While some may point out that there is a Chinese mythical bird called the Fenghuang (鳳凰), these are immortal birds that only choose to visit regions when there is peace and prosperity. What it definitely is NOT is a reincarnating bird leading warriors into the heat of battle. Sure, Fenghuang are genderfluid and that does match Mulan, but why was the only emphasized trait of the bird the aspect from Greek lore? Why bother taking out Mushu to be closer to the original if it’s replacement is a Western myth?

Finally, I have to bring up the obvious change in accents that happened when Mulan changed from a kid to an adult. Why cast a child actor with an American accent if the main character has a Chinese accent? There is no way that any other movie with a 200M+ budget would have allowed a white child actor to speak with an American accent, to then change it to a British accent when that character grew up and not even acknowledge it. Are we just supposed to be okay with it since they’re at least both Chinese looking?

No movie will ever be picture perfect in representing any culture, trade-offs are inevitable. However, I can’t see how those choices above added anything. Why would you make the villagers live in a Tulou? Was it critical to the plot? Every other Mulan adaptation is fine without a Greek Phoenix, why make it so necessary to this re-telling? Those small details exposed the attitude that I was all too familiar with growing up: who cares about representing actual Chinese culture?

After watching that movie, it felt as if the creative process was a room of white people gathered together, cherry-picking what fit their own narrative, sprinkling some Asian artifacts throughout, shrugging and saying to each other “That’s Chinese-y right? Good enough for me!” Imagine my lack of surprise when I checked to see that none of the screenwriters, producers or director had an Asian background. Chinese culture is the longest continuing culture in the world. It deserves to be shared for what it is (warts and all), not to be trivialized into a simplified palette that’s easiest to digest. Chinese representation in Western media should be about collaborating with us as peers, not to be used as a tool to extract the growing affluence of the Chinese and it’s diaspora.

I so badly wanted this to be a celebration, but now it’s a lose-lose situation. I wouldn’t want the younger version of me to watch this. It would have pushed me further away from my culture; I would either not relate to the characters alluding to “honor” every other sentence, or I would see that my culture isn’t worth even having just one person in this $200M major blockbuster film correct the gross cultural inaccuracies. On the other hand, I also don’t want critics to point at bad numbers and proclaim that Asian representation isn’t worth the investment. 

I just wish for us to be portrayed as who we truly are. 

[lilisouless]

You know Disney, if you wanted to make a fantasy movie inspired by chinese culture merged with some western , about a girl who does magicla parkour that figths against a shapeshifter witch , you could just do that without calling it “Mulan” to cash nostalgia 

[fineillsignup]

So my anti-Mulan post has hit 50k notes and I haven’t read all the responses of course but overall if I have to have a post go viral it’s not too bad at all lol. If I made even one person who might have given Disney $$$ not give Disney money for this, then I’m jazzed; if I got someone to become more aware about the mission of the #MilkTeaAlliance in building grassroots solidarity between Asian democracy movements, then I’m ecstatic, and it seems like I’ve done both of that, so I can’t complain.

Biggest percentage by far is people (more or less) agreeing with me, with is a wild thing that will probably never be repeated in my life, so there’s that. Especially about such an inherently heated issue.

Also most of the rude responses have been hilariously easy to shrug off because they’re like “HEY OP UM ACTUALLY CHINESE CULTURE” and I’m like  wow, couldn’t even take five seconds to see that OP is primarily known on Tumblr as a creator of Chinese to English translations, huh? But sure, I bet that thing you saw on Twitter about how the Chinese—all 1.4 billion of them—all have the same opinion about something about the 1998 Mulan is gonna blow my tiny mind. 

[enixamyram]

I totally understand people who get frustrated when the things they like and love about a movie is changed or edited out it for whatever reason in its sequel or remake...

But from what I've heard about the live action Mulan movie, cutting Mushu, the songs and Shang's entire character are actually very low on the list of problems it has.

[foureyedfreezy]

There is nothing wrong with Shang. I fail to see how his and Mulan’s relationship is linked to MeToo. Shang has never made unwanted advances to her, and they didn’t start their relationship until AFTER Mulan left the military. He is no longer her commanding officer, she’s his equal. Disney has the gull to put the guy who is too shy to say he likes a woman to the same tier as creeps like Gaston and Jafar? But rebooting Mulan to have a sexual tension with a violent warlord is okay because it’s “gay representation”.