33:01 Fun fact: Shan Yu wasn’t at all surprised at the fact that Milan was a woman. Bc historically the Huns, originally from Mongolia, have women in their armies and they are more respected in society.
So many questions throughout but to answer a few: 1: yes this is based on a true story. There are a lot of things that are different but Mulan was a real person who went to war in a time she should not have been able to. The Huns were real and much scarier than portrayed here 2: this was during a time that women were NOT allowed to go to war. They were there to be good wives. 3: the makeup is a cultural thing. I don't know enough to explain it properly. I'm sure someone else properly will 4: you don't need to apologize for talking! We are here to see your reactions not to watch the movie ❤
Would also like to add that the original Chinese legend spans Mulan’s whole life-the movie condenses some things, though it’s really not accurate anyway-and that moment when they find out Mulan is a woman? That’s like several decades after she becomes a decorated general and she’s actually executed for disguising as a man. There was no Shang or Mushu around to help out 🥲
As for 3, I’m Asian but not Chinese so this is partly conjecture, but part of Asian beauty standards back then (that have persisted to today tbh) was that “pretty” women had porcelain white skin, red lips/cheeks, etc. (There’s a saying about the ideal woman from either China or Korea, I don’t remember it v well though.) Darker skin meant you were out in the sun often, meaning you were probably working and therefore lower class. Basically the paler you were, the richer you were, was the implication. 🤷 And for women at the time, the most important thing was getting married, which relied primarily on the woman’s beauty and the family’s social class/wealth.
@@azam9782 We had this beauty standard too in Europe in like the Middle Ages and the Modern Times I think but it switched in the more recent centuries. I find it interesting how this image has been seen by different cultures and grew throughout history differently.
I love the fact that once they find the burnt out village there are no songs until the end credits, because it was decided it would break the tone too much.
I can see why anyone would want him as an icon, because he's hot XD but unfortunately Shang isn't bisexual. He's a good soldier and even better friend. Men should be able to show platonic affection toward one another without it being called romantic or sexual.
@@MiciousDawn You really believe he fell in love with Mulan only after discovering she was a woman? Not when she showed him support when he was doubting himself, when she progressed so much or when she saved them with the avalanche? No, just by the end of the movie when he discovered she was a woman. He obviously had some feelings for her even when she was a man and if it bothers you that much we could say he’s pan and therefore doesn’t care which gender she was but you can’t deny he still had feelings for her way before discovering her true identity. And I get what you’re saying, not every man x man friendship is gay and I would only consider them as friends if they hadn’t become a couple my the end of the movie (+ Mulan 2)
@@Ley_klrrr yes because we’re not delusional and we have eyes that I actually are paying attention to what’s happening in the story and not our fantasies
@@Ley_klrrr Going into this kind of interpretation would be as though this was reality, but this was a Disney movie written and directed by men in the mid 90s who wrote Shang as a straight man. It's just a statement of fact. Whatever we interpret and speculate about the nuances to their friendship can be fun but it doesn't change that fact. The movie showed the two of them bonding as Shang and Ping, because people in war very often bond in these ways. In moments like when Ping kicks Shang and Shang touches his face and smiles, he isn't smiling because he's suddenly into Ping, he's smiling because he's proud of himself for finally seeing his hard work training them is paying off. Because his only goal is to get approval that he's a good captain. That's what the movie portrays anyway. I haven't seen Mulan 2, I've been meaning to but I haven't heard very good things about it! Is it worth it??
this movie is a loose adaptation of the ballad of hua mulan, which was a folk song thought to originate around the northern and southern dynasties period. patriarchy is a thing in a majority of historical cultures; the historical chinese gender construct has a particular flavor of filial piety and social hierarchy baked into it.
i love your reactions so much, they come across so genuine and not fake or exaggerated but you still engage with the content enough to make it fun!! keep it upp
I love the shock we have moving from a happy bubbly song to the reality of war when they find the destroyed village. The shift in tone is so effective.
I think its a magnolia tree not a cherry bloossom. In Chinese culture, the Yulan magnolia is a symbol of purity and perseverance. These flowers bloom as some of the first signs of spring, enduring the final frosts of winter, making them also a symbol of renewal and new beginnings.
It is yeah. I swear there's even a line in the film where it's specifically called as such. Also magnolia flowers are just, a lot bigger than cherry blossoms (our neighbour has a magnolia tree, the flowers are sizable)
I appreciate how when you discuss culture you’re very clear that you don’t know and aren’t an expert! It says a lot about your character that you can say those things, so thank you! Speaking more on the patriarchy thing-for that scene that brought up the conversation, in that moment it was probably more about filial piety than the patriarchy (though gender roles are certainly very involved here too). This whole movie is really centred around the idea of filial piety and ancestral worship/respect. Children are not supposed to speak back to their elders, especially parents, and especially female children, hence why Mulan’s father got mad-she was being incredibly disrespectful. (I couldn’t imagine yelling back at my parents or grandparents, like it’s wild.) Traditionally she should defer to his decisions. This comes at war with her own love and care for her dad obviously, and it can be considered a type of filial piety in her running away to the army, as she’s doing so to protect her family. If she doesn’t get caught, she brings honor to the family (and it’s established at the beginning that she’s not expected to bring honor via traditional expectations for women). But yeah, hard to separate that from gender roles and patriarchal systems; Asian cultural and family dynamics are complicated and hard to explain to those not raised in such cultures, so for all that this movie kinda butchers the original legend of Mulan, it’s such a fantastic movie, especially in a time where Asian culture wasn’t very known or celebrated in the US. (Compared to now, with anime, k pop, globalisation and internet culture leading to greater interest in Asian cultures.) (Source: I come from an Asian family, not Chinese though.)
A little interesting fact about what disney did amazing in this movie, Girl Worth Fighting For was the last song of the movie as the end of finding the village in ruins turns the tune of the movie to more serious 😸💜
8:56 that’s why Mulan went to the match maker. It’s been the same in most cultures actually. It came from patriarchy. It’s everywhere and it’s wayyyy more unfair for the woman. A lot of them end up abused by their partner and mistreated in these situations and it doesn’t benefit them much at all.
@ yes we can lol. So many cultures around the world are rooted in hatred of things and people that are perceived as “different.” the majority of cultures are full of misogyny, homophobia, racism, classism, xenophobia, etc. We as people, should be able to look at those things and recognize them as wrong. I’m not saying that the entirety of those cultures are bad, bc that’s not true at all. Having a strong culture and tradition is a beautiful thing, but everyone and everything has problems. And we should be able to speak up about them. As an African, I know for sure that it’s wrong to rape and “well it’s part of my culture, you just don’t understand bc you’re uncultured.” That is stupid. And more systems of oppression should be challenged even if they are “cultural.”
For the record, this movie was based off of an actual woman named Mulan who did do this. They just disneyed it up and added talking animals, romantic subplot, and songs. I like the songs, but essentially they did the same with pocahontas. They also added a fanservice sequel. It wasn't very good.
So Tokyo is amazing...We went in 2019 right before Covid and during the fall. The autumn foliage was SO beautiful. I'd still love to see Kyoto in the Spring, but it's a HUGE time of hear for tourists. This was always one of my favorites because her goal was not to "find a man/prince". And she kicked ass.
If people seem angry or rude in the comments about comparisons to Japan, it’s likely not personal. Japan did extreme damage to other East Asian countries in the 20th century including China and Korea and this has led to increased sensitivity about preserving culture and keeping it from being Japanese in some cases bc for so long Japan imposed itself as the superior culture and race. So if anyone gets angry at what are understandable comparisons or confusions on your part, that might be the reason, so don’t take it too personally. Japan’s truly unimaginable atrocities sadly go largely under discussed in japan and non Asian countries
The singing voice for Mulan for the song Reflection is the same as the singing voice for Jasmine from Aladdin (OG one), and the singer was a Filipina named Lea Salonga!
I don't think it's about the culture cause Mulan is set in Ancient China, so more about the old times and old fashioned thinking like patriarchy. Like here in India, such things were more common a while back (depends on region as well, some are more developed than others i.e. more open minded), I'm sure it's the same for China. Also don't worry about dissing patriarchal societies, no one in their right mind would support those mindsets nowadays
I’d have to disagree with you there; the patriarchy and associated thinking is really not as old fashioned as we like to believe. Plenty of people are making comments *today* that are super patriarchal in nature. And while Mulan is set in ancient China, it is very much about the culture. Gender roles are a big part of cultural dynamics, and what we see in ancient China still reflects a lot of how modern cultures in China and surrounding countries view gender roles today. And I do think this movie is just as much about filial piety and the concept around ancestral worship as much as it is about gender roles. Actually, I would say filial piety takes precedence since that’s the whole plot (“bring honor” is being filial here basically) and the Chinese culture, good and bad (we can throw the gender roles into here) reflects the environment, worldbuilding, and affects the plot.
@@azam9782oh yeah. I definitely understand that, it's pretty common for people to think like that in India nowadays as well (heck there's many examples in my own family). I was just saying that he doesn't need to be respectful towards that thinking just because some people believe in it. If it's wrong, it's wrong. Like there are positive aspects of a culture that definitely deserve respect however we won't blame you for talking about the negative aspects. However I also believe that patriarchy is not a part of our culture. We have never been taught to view women as lesser, though there have always been gender roles. It's something that has been developed by the people. We've worshipped warrior goddesses for ages and yet people still treat women like that. So I'd like to believe it's old fashioned thinking rather than culture. I dunno if I'm making any sense 😭😭 just ignore it if I'm not
@@Autumn-xs1bt No worries, you make perfect sense! And you're right, it's totally okay to call it out, although I can understand where our Shy Guy is coming from too. Even if you disagree with something a culture does, it can feel weird to call it out if you're not a part of that culture and don't know much about it. Like a fine line between pointing out something that's morally wrong vs being ethnocentric about it. And I get where you're coming from, I just think it's a little hard to simplify things as patriarchy or not when it comes to gender roles. When it comes to discussions of cultures, gender roles and how those are perceived are very much a cultural thing--but as you said, it doesn't mean it has to be a good thing. I think it's important to recognize that this is part of my culture and I reject it because of A/B/C. Culture also evolves too--if we look at Western cultures for instance, a lot of them were/are also v patriarchal historically, and are less so now. Like we still recognize where those roles influence today but we don't have to follow them. Of course, keeping in mind we have slightly different viewpoints because we're coming from different cultural perspectives and experiences. It's also worth noting for both India and Vietnam in particular that when it comes to "traditional"/patriarchal gender roles in culture, how much of that was imposed via imperialism? Anyways, all that to say I do define it as part of culture, but that doesn't mean it has to be a good thing, as you said. Plus, cultures and societies are always shifting and changing, so just because something is part of the culture doesn't necessarily mean it has to stay that way. I like to come at it from a very academic POV though, so when I discuss cultural things it's often through that lens.
@@azam9782oh yeah I definitely understand why he was hesitant to call it out, that's why I made this comment in the first place. To just let him know that it's completely okay to talk negatively about harmful practices in our culture, we won't feel offended or anything 😅
4:11 dude. It’s inspired by traditional Chinese makeup. The colors all symbolize something. It’s also not that accurate bc this movie was made by a lot of white ppl so it’s actually very reminiscent of Japanese makeup.
If i am correct i believe her makeup was what was traditional for weddings in ancient china and the matchmaker would pair couples for marriage but i could be worng so take it with a grainof rice
The Spartan story you might have been talking about at 26:05 might have been the battle at Thermopilae; from my understanding, the Pelopenesians had 1,000 or so soldiers trying to make it through a narrow pass, but the 300 Spartan men held them off for a significant amount of time in a crazy show of glory. The Spartans were eventually defeated, but pretty cool right?
Fun fact: the Great Wall of China in this movie looks like the ming dynasty one (1368-1644 AD) which is also the version that stands today but the group a lot of people assume was an early version of the Huns, the Xiongnu, attacked the Han dynasty (202 BCE-205AD) when the Great Wall was mostly made of mud and sticks.
Actually this period of history happened after the Han Dynasty. After the Xiongnu匈奴 were defeated, they scattered and fled. One of their families (Tuoba拓拔) later established the Northern Wei北魏 and entered the Southern and Northern Dynasties南北朝 (420-589). Hua Mulan fought for the emperor Tuoba Tao拓拔焘 for twelve years (emperor was actually very young at the time). I think the huns in this movie refers to the Rouran at that time. Shanyu was Xiongnu‘ s honorific title for the tribal leader, not the name of a specific person. The movie isn’t correct, as they don't call shanyu anymore after 420. Both Rouran and Northern Wei called it Khan可汗.
@ ah yeah now that you say it the Huns being the Rouran makes a lot of sense. I was going off of the Xiongnu being the group implicated often when someone references the huns and China but as you point out, the historical context and original poem don’t actually line up that well with that guess. It’s so funny that no matter what group they maybe mean by the Huns, that ming dynasty Great Wall is still a very goofy inclusion even tho it probably was done so the audience would know it was the Great Wall. Thank you for sharing and correcting me. I really like history, including Chinese history, and this was a cool set of facts
8:54 A really good movie from the early 2000’s was done on India’s way of life through the story of two brothers, it’s called slum dog millionaire ❤🎉. Definitely a must watch, the soundtrack is a banger too lol!
you should also definitely react to tangled (sorry if you have its my favourite movie and i haven't seen it on your account), its got plenty of songs and is the perfect Disney princess movie with a darker twist
@ The story has been adapted multiple times over many years but in the most popular one, Mulan takes the place of her father in the conscription for the army and disguises herself as a man because her father only had 2 daughters and an infant son. She fought for 12 years and even ended up leading the troops at one point. When she finally goes back home as a declared war hero, everyone discovers her true gender and she finds that her father had died while she was gone and that her mother remarried. Then the opposing emperor (the Khan) summoned Mulan to his palace and tried to force her into becoming his concubine. She ordered her younger sister to deliver and goodbye letter to her fiancée (the general) and she took her own life with a sword because she would’ve rather died by her own hand than serve a foreign ruler.
some amazing movies you should watch; hercules AMAZING; Brave; pocahontas is beautiful, the lion king trilogy, corpse bride, nightmare before christmas, pinnochio by guillermo del toro,.... (and I know you like some musicals, these dont really have movies, i think you would just enjoy to listen to them, little shop of horrors (it has a movie), sweenney todd (it has a movie), waitress, wicked, into the woods (it has a movie),dear even hansen (it has a movie), phantom of the opera (it has a movie) )
i think you really missed the fact that this wasn’t set in todays day and age, it was set in 386-535 CE .. china isn’t like this today, and the whole world was also like this at the time this was set .. and unfortunately for a long time after. only in the last 80 or so years have women been able to join the usa army for example
Keep in mind Disney is not an accurate representation of the history of other cultures, it's a fictional story loosely based on an old fable- Mulan served 12 years in the military until fellow soldiers realized she was a woman and they were just surprised but celebrated her. Mulan had an actual brother who could have gone to war but Mulan decided to go even so because she felt it was what was right. This is an old fable and unknown if based on a real female solider. Yes there have been matriarchal societies in history, and China did have periods in time where women could write books, do important jobs, depending on their social status and other factors. It has not always been extremely oppressed against the people. Be careful not to stereotype other races or countries based on what you see in fictional films and if you're curious , look up and educate yourself on what other countries and their history was all about.
War never changes. I'd highly recommend watching the Fallout series! Great series, and relatively short, only 8 episodes (only 1 season out right now, but its been renewed for a second season)
The story of Mulan likely originated in Northern China during the Northern Wei Period (386-535 CE). The original version of the story, The Poem of Mulan, was written in the 6th century CE. Even tho there's no evidence that Mulan was a real person, the story may have been inspired by the wars between the northern Wei dynasty and the Rouran. The ancien China or any old culture of a country pretty muchbis based on the patriarchy and hierarchy of traditional Chinese society, also the makeup Mulan was wearing is supposed to have meaning & its of the whole the whiter you are the more desirable & from a wealthy family you are while if you had darker skin the you are pretty much poor or even a commoner in the eyes of those from high status families. Women were pretty much forbidden to join the army & were ment to stay at home to cook clean & even take care of children if married. All the songs are amazing in the movie & my favorite song is Reflection, I'll Make a Man out of you, & A Girl Worth Fighting For. The song A girl worth fighting for was the last song & its to implicate that the little girl was who they were fighting for since even tho they never showed the dead bodies of the innocent village people especially the girl who lost her doll, its really sad. This is my absolute favorite Disney movie. Also idk if you knew but Eddie Murphy voiced Mushu it's not hard to tell lol 😆
Hey I just wanted to say I love your reacting videos and I also have a movie request. Could you please react to the beauty and the beast live action or soul if you haven’t already. Thank you❤
wake up yall, shy just dropped
This guy is probably my favorite reactor of all time!!💖💖
awwwwwww😭😭😭😭😭
@@ShyGuyPlus keep up the good work🫶🏼🫶🏼
I read this wayyy too fast and thought it said sh*t
@@ShyGuyPlusMulan is my favourite Disney movie and my second favourite Disney is the Hunchback of Notre Dame.
33:01 Fun fact: Shan Yu wasn’t at all surprised at the fact that Milan was a woman. Bc historically the Huns, originally from Mongolia, have women in their armies and they are more respected in society.
Ahhhhh that makes sense then
He believes in gender equality
So many questions throughout but to answer a few:
1: yes this is based on a true story. There are a lot of things that are different but Mulan was a real person who went to war in a time she should not have been able to. The Huns were real and much scarier than portrayed here
2: this was during a time that women were NOT allowed to go to war. They were there to be good wives.
3: the makeup is a cultural thing. I don't know enough to explain it properly. I'm sure someone else properly will
4: you don't need to apologize for talking! We are here to see your reactions not to watch the movie ❤
Would also like to add that the original Chinese legend spans Mulan’s whole life-the movie condenses some things, though it’s really not accurate anyway-and that moment when they find out Mulan is a woman? That’s like several decades after she becomes a decorated general and she’s actually executed for disguising as a man. There was no Shang or Mushu around to help out 🥲
As for 3, I’m Asian but not Chinese so this is partly conjecture, but part of Asian beauty standards back then (that have persisted to today tbh) was that “pretty” women had porcelain white skin, red lips/cheeks, etc. (There’s a saying about the ideal woman from either China or Korea, I don’t remember it v well though.) Darker skin meant you were out in the sun often, meaning you were probably working and therefore lower class. Basically the paler you were, the richer you were, was the implication. 🤷 And for women at the time, the most important thing was getting married, which relied primarily on the woman’s beauty and the family’s social class/wealth.
@@azam9782 We had this beauty standard too in Europe in like the Middle Ages and the Modern Times I think but it switched in the more recent centuries. I find it interesting how this image has been seen by different cultures and grew throughout history differently.
I love the fact that once they find the burnt out village there are no songs until the end credits, because it was decided it would break the tone too much.
Give it up for Shang, our bisexual icon 👏
I can see why anyone would want him as an icon, because he's hot XD but unfortunately Shang isn't bisexual. He's a good soldier and even better friend. Men should be able to show platonic affection toward one another without it being called romantic or sexual.
@@MiciousDawn You really believe he fell in love with Mulan only after discovering she was a woman? Not when she showed him support when he was doubting himself, when she progressed so much or when she saved them with the avalanche? No, just by the end of the movie when he discovered she was a woman. He obviously had some feelings for her even when she was a man and if it bothers you that much we could say he’s pan and therefore doesn’t care which gender she was but you can’t deny he still had feelings for her way before discovering her true identity.
And I get what you’re saying, not every man x man friendship is gay and I would only consider them as friends if they hadn’t become a couple my the end of the movie (+ Mulan 2)
@@Ley_klrrr yes because we’re not delusional and we have eyes that I actually are paying attention to what’s happening in the story and not our fantasies
@@Ley_klrrr Going into this kind of interpretation would be as though this was reality, but this was a Disney movie written and directed by men in the mid 90s who wrote Shang as a straight man. It's just a statement of fact. Whatever we interpret and speculate about the nuances to their friendship can be fun but it doesn't change that fact. The movie showed the two of them bonding as Shang and Ping, because people in war very often bond in these ways. In moments like when Ping kicks Shang and Shang touches his face and smiles, he isn't smiling because he's suddenly into Ping, he's smiling because he's proud of himself for finally seeing his hard work training them is paying off. Because his only goal is to get approval that he's a good captain. That's what the movie portrays anyway. I haven't seen Mulan 2, I've been meaning to but I haven't heard very good things about it! Is it worth it??
this movie is a loose adaptation of the ballad of hua mulan, which was a folk song thought to originate around the northern and southern dynasties period. patriarchy is a thing in a majority of historical cultures; the historical chinese gender construct has a particular flavor of filial piety and social hierarchy baked into it.
i love your reactions so much, they come across so genuine and not fake or exaggerated but you still engage with the content enough to make it fun!! keep it upp
exactly this!
no nononononon chill making me smile now
I love the shock we have moving from a happy bubbly song to the reality of war when they find the destroyed village. The shift in tone is so effective.
It is said that the great dragon couldn`t be woken because Mulan already was the great dragon`s kind of reincarnation.
I think its a magnolia tree not a cherry bloossom. In Chinese culture, the Yulan magnolia is a symbol of purity and perseverance. These flowers bloom as some of the first signs of spring, enduring the final frosts of winter, making them also a symbol of renewal and new beginnings.
It is yeah. I swear there's even a line in the film where it's specifically called as such. Also magnolia flowers are just, a lot bigger than cherry blossoms (our neighbour has a magnolia tree, the flowers are sizable)
I appreciate how when you discuss culture you’re very clear that you don’t know and aren’t an expert! It says a lot about your character that you can say those things, so thank you!
Speaking more on the patriarchy thing-for that scene that brought up the conversation, in that moment it was probably more about filial piety than the patriarchy (though gender roles are certainly very involved here too). This whole movie is really centred around the idea of filial piety and ancestral worship/respect. Children are not supposed to speak back to their elders, especially parents, and especially female children, hence why Mulan’s father got mad-she was being incredibly disrespectful. (I couldn’t imagine yelling back at my parents or grandparents, like it’s wild.) Traditionally she should defer to his decisions. This comes at war with her own love and care for her dad obviously, and it can be considered a type of filial piety in her running away to the army, as she’s doing so to protect her family. If she doesn’t get caught, she brings honor to the family (and it’s established at the beginning that she’s not expected to bring honor via traditional expectations for women). But yeah, hard to separate that from gender roles and patriarchal systems; Asian cultural and family dynamics are complicated and hard to explain to those not raised in such cultures, so for all that this movie kinda butchers the original legend of Mulan, it’s such a fantastic movie, especially in a time where Asian culture wasn’t very known or celebrated in the US. (Compared to now, with anime, k pop, globalisation and internet culture leading to greater interest in Asian cultures.)
(Source: I come from an Asian family, not Chinese though.)
this was very knowledgeable thanks for all of this i really love learning new things, and thanks for taking the time to comment this aswell!
@ You’re welcome! Mulan has always been one of my favorites growing up since I can relate most so just wanted to share! Glad it was helpful!
Super recommend watching and reacting to Hunchback of Notre Dame! Arguably one of the darkest stories Disney has ever adapted and produced.
I second that! One of my favourite Disney Movies!
A little interesting fact about what disney did amazing in this movie, Girl Worth Fighting For was the last song of the movie as the end of finding the village in ruins turns the tune of the movie to more serious 😸💜
This is my first time seeing your chanel and I'm about to go on a binge,😂😂 you should 100% do tangled and anastasia top tier movies in my opinion
8:56 that’s why Mulan went to the match maker. It’s been the same in most cultures actually. It came from patriarchy. It’s everywhere and it’s wayyyy more unfair for the woman. A lot of them end up abused by their partner and mistreated in these situations and it doesn’t benefit them much at all.
yeah but we cant judge anyones culture ya know, its how there raised 🙃
@ yes we can lol. So many cultures around the world are rooted in hatred of things and people that are perceived as “different.” the majority of cultures are full of misogyny, homophobia, racism, classism, xenophobia, etc. We as people, should be able to look at those things and recognize them as wrong. I’m not saying that the entirety of those cultures are bad, bc that’s not true at all. Having a strong culture and tradition is a beautiful thing, but everyone and everything has problems. And we should be able to speak up about them. As an African, I know for sure that it’s wrong to rape and “well it’s part of my culture, you just don’t understand bc you’re uncultured.” That is stupid. And more systems of oppression should be challenged even if they are “cultural.”
@@ShyGuyPlus Slavery used to be "culturally appropriate", and now it's not. Why do you think that is?
@@ShyGuyPlus Abuse is not culture, just remember that.
26:27 "I'm sorry, I get it die on honor. But why don't you run and fight another day" idk why that was so funny it's just relatable 😂
not related at all BUT FELLOW MOA??
@Star-n5e AND FELLOW BEOMGYU STAN???
@@nananvbe YESSSS
34:29 it’s more of a legend. A really old Chinese tale. But there’s no real proof of Fa Mulan’s existence although it’s not impossible.
What? Mulan was a historical figure.
You have to understand. The US is barely up to date on gender equality either. So this movie ain’t that crazy
As an anthropologist i was wincing my way through some of your commentary haha but i love your reactions as always! 😂
For the record, this movie was based off of an actual woman named Mulan who did do this. They just disneyed it up and added talking animals, romantic subplot, and songs. I like the songs, but essentially they did the same with pocahontas. They also added a fanservice sequel. It wasn't very good.
So Tokyo is amazing...We went in 2019 right before Covid and during the fall. The autumn foliage was SO beautiful. I'd still love to see Kyoto in the Spring, but it's a HUGE time of hear for tourists.
This was always one of my favorites because her goal was not to "find a man/prince". And she kicked ass.
ouuuu im jelous!!!
If people seem angry or rude in the comments about comparisons to Japan, it’s likely not personal. Japan did extreme damage to other East Asian countries in the 20th century including China and Korea and this has led to increased sensitivity about preserving culture and keeping it from being Japanese in some cases bc for so long Japan imposed itself as the superior culture and race. So if anyone gets angry at what are understandable comparisons or confusions on your part, that might be the reason, so don’t take it too personally. Japan’s truly unimaginable atrocities sadly go largely under discussed in japan and non Asian countries
The singing voice for Mulan for the song Reflection is the same as the singing voice for Jasmine from Aladdin (OG one), and the singer was a Filipina named Lea Salonga!
I don't think it's about the culture cause Mulan is set in Ancient China, so more about the old times and old fashioned thinking like patriarchy. Like here in India, such things were more common a while back (depends on region as well, some are more developed than others i.e. more open minded), I'm sure it's the same for China.
Also don't worry about dissing patriarchal societies, no one in their right mind would support those mindsets nowadays
I’d have to disagree with you there; the patriarchy and associated thinking is really not as old fashioned as we like to believe. Plenty of people are making comments *today* that are super patriarchal in nature.
And while Mulan is set in ancient China, it is very much about the culture. Gender roles are a big part of cultural dynamics, and what we see in ancient China still reflects a lot of how modern cultures in China and surrounding countries view gender roles today. And I do think this movie is just as much about filial piety and the concept around ancestral worship as much as it is about gender roles. Actually, I would say filial piety takes precedence since that’s the whole plot (“bring honor” is being filial here basically) and the Chinese culture, good and bad (we can throw the gender roles into here) reflects the environment, worldbuilding, and affects the plot.
Well sadly, there are people who would and so support that type of thinking, especially in the middle east still.
@@azam9782oh yeah. I definitely understand that, it's pretty common for people to think like that in India nowadays as well (heck there's many examples in my own family). I was just saying that he doesn't need to be respectful towards that thinking just because some people believe in it. If it's wrong, it's wrong. Like there are positive aspects of a culture that definitely deserve respect however we won't blame you for talking about the negative aspects.
However I also believe that patriarchy is not a part of our culture. We have never been taught to view women as lesser, though there have always been gender roles. It's something that has been developed by the people. We've worshipped warrior goddesses for ages and yet people still treat women like that. So I'd like to believe it's old fashioned thinking rather than culture.
I dunno if I'm making any sense 😭😭 just ignore it if I'm not
@@Autumn-xs1bt No worries, you make perfect sense! And you're right, it's totally okay to call it out, although I can understand where our Shy Guy is coming from too. Even if you disagree with something a culture does, it can feel weird to call it out if you're not a part of that culture and don't know much about it. Like a fine line between pointing out something that's morally wrong vs being ethnocentric about it.
And I get where you're coming from, I just think it's a little hard to simplify things as patriarchy or not when it comes to gender roles. When it comes to discussions of cultures, gender roles and how those are perceived are very much a cultural thing--but as you said, it doesn't mean it has to be a good thing. I think it's important to recognize that this is part of my culture and I reject it because of A/B/C. Culture also evolves too--if we look at Western cultures for instance, a lot of them were/are also v patriarchal historically, and are less so now. Like we still recognize where those roles influence today but we don't have to follow them. Of course, keeping in mind we have slightly different viewpoints because we're coming from different cultural perspectives and experiences. It's also worth noting for both India and Vietnam in particular that when it comes to "traditional"/patriarchal gender roles in culture, how much of that was imposed via imperialism?
Anyways, all that to say I do define it as part of culture, but that doesn't mean it has to be a good thing, as you said. Plus, cultures and societies are always shifting and changing, so just because something is part of the culture doesn't necessarily mean it has to stay that way. I like to come at it from a very academic POV though, so when I discuss cultural things it's often through that lens.
@@azam9782oh yeah I definitely understand why he was hesitant to call it out, that's why I made this comment in the first place. To just let him know that it's completely okay to talk negatively about harmful practices in our culture, we won't feel offended or anything 😅
Speaking of Spartans, if you haven’t watched and reacted to “300”, YOU MUST!
Glad you're finally starting to watch the Disney Renaissance movies! You should do Hercules next, you won't regret it :D
4:11 dude. It’s inspired by traditional Chinese makeup. The colors all symbolize something. It’s also not that accurate bc this movie was made by a lot of white ppl so it’s actually very reminiscent of Japanese makeup.
18:51 to be honest I never really noticed how good this song was until a few years ago 🔥❤️ love reflection too
They DO NOT make disney princesses like they used to.
If i am correct i believe her makeup was what was traditional for weddings in ancient china and the matchmaker would pair couples for marriage but i could be worng so take it with a grainof rice
You should check out the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Another classic! 😊
The Spartan story you might have been talking about at 26:05 might have been the battle at Thermopilae; from my understanding, the Pelopenesians had 1,000 or so soldiers trying to make it through a narrow pass, but the 300 Spartan men held them off for a significant amount of time in a crazy show of glory. The Spartans were eventually defeated, but pretty cool right?
26:28t the movie "300" is a dramatization of that Greek story. Great movie. Highly recommend.
Mulan remains the only Disney heroine with a triple-digit body count. 😎
Fun fact: the Great Wall of China in this movie looks like the ming dynasty one (1368-1644 AD) which is also the version that stands today but the group a lot of people assume was an early version of the Huns, the Xiongnu, attacked the Han dynasty (202 BCE-205AD) when the Great Wall was mostly made of mud and sticks.
Actually this period of history happened after the Han Dynasty. After the Xiongnu匈奴 were defeated, they scattered and fled. One of their families (Tuoba拓拔) later established the Northern Wei北魏 and entered the Southern and Northern Dynasties南北朝 (420-589). Hua Mulan fought for the emperor Tuoba Tao拓拔焘 for twelve years (emperor was actually very young at the time). I think the huns in this movie refers to the Rouran at that time. Shanyu was Xiongnu‘ s honorific title for the tribal leader, not the name of a specific person. The movie isn’t correct, as they don't call shanyu anymore after 420. Both Rouran and Northern Wei called it Khan可汗.
@ ah yeah now that you say it the Huns being the Rouran makes a lot of sense. I was going off of the Xiongnu being the group implicated often when someone references the huns and China but as you point out, the historical context and original poem don’t actually line up that well with that guess. It’s so funny that no matter what group they maybe mean by the Huns, that ming dynasty Great Wall is still a very goofy inclusion even tho it probably was done so the audience would know it was the Great Wall. Thank you for sharing and correcting me. I really like history, including Chinese history, and this was a cool set of facts
8:54
A really good movie from the early 2000’s was done on India’s way of life through the story of two brothers, it’s called slum dog millionaire ❤🎉. Definitely a must watch, the soundtrack is a banger too lol!
Mulan's singing voice is by Lea Salonga who also did Princess Jasmine',s singing voice in Aladdin. Filipinos represent!!! Lol
7:42 this is China. Not Japan lol that’s not a samurai outfit
sorrrryyy lmao
you should also definitely react to tangled (sorry if you have its my favourite movie and i haven't seen it on your account), its got plenty of songs and is the perfect Disney princess movie with a darker twist
Tangled is great!
i have it on my list def wanna get to that tooo!
Mulan is my favorite movie
Never have been here 2 mins after a drop 😂❤🎉 so excited for you 🎉
LESSSSSS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
The original story of this is soooo much darker.
how so
@ The story has been adapted multiple times over many years but in the most popular one, Mulan takes the place of her father in the conscription for the army and disguises herself as a man because her father only had 2 daughters and an infant son. She fought for 12 years and even ended up leading the troops at one point. When she finally goes back home as a declared war hero, everyone discovers her true gender and she finds that her father had died while she was gone and that her mother remarried. Then the opposing emperor (the Khan) summoned Mulan to his palace and tried to force her into becoming his concubine. She ordered her younger sister to deliver and goodbye letter to her fiancée (the general) and she took her own life with a sword because she would’ve rather died by her own hand than serve a foreign ruler.
Now you really should watch blue eye samurai 😊
some amazing movies you should watch; hercules AMAZING; Brave; pocahontas is beautiful, the lion king trilogy, corpse bride, nightmare before christmas, pinnochio by guillermo del toro,.... (and I know you like some musicals, these dont really have movies, i think you would just enjoy to listen to them, little shop of horrors (it has a movie), sweenney todd (it has a movie), waitress, wicked, into the woods (it has a movie),dear even hansen (it has a movie), phantom of the opera (it has a movie) )
added to the list!
I’m a new subscriber and I truly enjoyed this video you should definitely watch mulan 2!!!
You should totally watch Big Hero 6 please! It’s not a princess movie but it is a Disney movie
I really want to see you and Scoot react to Turning Red.
PLEASE REACT TO ALIEN STAGE
i think you really missed the fact that this wasn’t set in todays day and age, it was set in 386-535 CE .. china isn’t like this today, and the whole world was also like this at the time this was set .. and unfortunately for a long time after. only in the last 80 or so years have women been able to join the usa army for example
The click was instant
An interesting way for the captain to find out hes straight haha you know you were thinking it
Keep in mind Disney is not an accurate representation of the history of other cultures, it's a fictional story loosely based on an old fable- Mulan served 12 years in the military until fellow soldiers realized she was a woman and they were just surprised but celebrated her. Mulan had an actual brother who could have gone to war but Mulan decided to go even so because she felt it was what was right. This is an old fable and unknown if based on a real female solider. Yes there have been matriarchal societies in history, and China did have periods in time where women could write books, do important jobs, depending on their social status and other factors. It has not always been extremely oppressed against the people. Be careful not to stereotype other races or countries based on what you see in fictional films and if you're curious , look up and educate yourself on what other countries and their history was all about.
You must watch Avatar: The Last Airbender. It‘s really good and i think you will Like it 😊
War never changes.
I'd highly recommend watching the Fallout series! Great series, and relatively short, only 8 episodes (only 1 season out right now, but its been renewed for a second season)
OUUUUUUUUU great recommendation!!
@ it's ssssooooo good!!
The story of Mulan likely originated in Northern China during the Northern Wei Period (386-535 CE). The original version of the story, The Poem of Mulan, was written in the 6th century CE. Even tho there's no evidence that Mulan was a real person, the story may have been inspired by the wars between the northern Wei dynasty and the Rouran. The ancien China or any old culture of a country pretty muchbis based on the patriarchy and hierarchy of traditional Chinese society, also the makeup Mulan was wearing is supposed to have meaning & its of the whole the whiter you are the more desirable & from a wealthy family you are while if you had darker skin the you are pretty much poor or even a commoner in the eyes of those from high status families. Women were pretty much forbidden to join the army & were ment to stay at home to cook clean & even take care of children if married. All the songs are amazing in the movie & my favorite song is Reflection, I'll Make a Man out of you, & A Girl Worth Fighting For. The song A girl worth fighting for was the last song & its to implicate that the little girl was who they were fighting for since even tho they never showed the dead bodies of the innocent village people especially the girl who lost her doll, its really sad. This is my absolute favorite Disney movie. Also idk if you knew but Eddie Murphy voiced Mushu it's not hard to tell lol 😆
The reason they put on that much make up on. It’s a traditional thing to look like a porcelain doll it was all in the first song
Hey I just wanted to say I love your reacting videos and I also have a movie request. Could you please react to the beauty and the beast live action or soul if you haven’t already. Thank you❤
ouu ill ask him about that!
I beg you watch Beauty and the beast
added to the list!
Have you seen the movie Haywire with Gina Carano?