This is kind of a funky thread but it's a bit of a passion idea for me. So Disney has been big on diversifying their output for a while, and while I enjoy Star Wars and Marvel I think that there's much more potential for Disney to make a 'boy' companion to the animated canon Princess franchise, along with expanding the Princess franchise to encompass more diversity and include popular characters who should be in the franchise but inexplicably are not. So let's start with the Princesses.
So the current line up has Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Pocahontas, Mulan, Tiana, Rapunzel, Merida, with the occasional additions of Anna and Elsa. My plan here will focus on expanding the line up, giving a new reason to the reason these women are princesses other than royalty, and giving another redesign to certain princesses who are not faithfully represented in their art. I'll be going through this in phases.
Phase One - re-redesign
1. Ariel: My big problem with Ariel's gown is two fold, it looks like nothing she would wear and the gown is horribly ugly. Ariel will be given a new gown based on the art work below in her normal sea foam green color. It's a much classier look and fits her character much better than the very modern gown she has now.
2. Mulan: Everything about Mulan's redesign has betrayed every facet of her character. We have gone from a brave woman of color who cut off her hair to take her father's place to a barbie doll with long hair, lightened skin, and blue eyes wearing a color that only Chinese royalty would be allowed to wear in her time. Mulan's redesign would take her to a much more movie and time accurate look, with darker skin, brown eyes, shortened hair, and a simple qi pao rather than the overly elaborate ball gown she has currently. The rule for Mulan would be to keep her understated.
3. Pocahontas: While not as bad as some others, Pocahontas still got the short end of the stick in the redesigns. Simplifying her dress, cutting the unnecessary ribbons and feathers, and bringing her mother's necklace back to normal would suffice.
4. Cinderella: My only qualm with Cinderella is her gown. The blue is garish, make it silver as it was in the movie and it would be perfect.
Phase Two: What Makes the Disney Princess?
So we have the line up of 11 to 13 Princesses. But why are they princesses? The idea that they're all royalty is tossed out with Mulan and Pocahontas. At that point it just becomes 'popular female Disney characters' so why don't we change the definition of Disney Princess? I propose Disney Princess to now mean 'having a character and virtue befitting of being honored with the title'. So now instead of Princess So and so, these characters represent something in the wider world. A new slogan will also be added to the line, Stand Strong, Princess.
Here's where the big changes come in. There's two very glaring exclusions based on the inclusions of Pocahontas and Mulan that has always bothered me. These two lovely ladies:
Esmerelda and Megara will join the franchise, along with Moana and other future cinematic princesses. Their redesign will happen at the time of their coronation and they will be added to the Parks' line up of characters (Disneyland: Fantasy Faire. Disney World: Esmerelda in France rotating with Aurora, Meg at the Fairytale Hall, and Moana at the Studios. Tokyo: Esmerelda roaming Fantasyland and World Bazaar, Meg roaming Mediterranean Harbor, and Moana roaming a new Polynesian land, Paris: Roaming the parks, Hong Kong: Fantasy Garden, Shanghai: Enchanted Storybook Castle) All three will add in new virtues to the line up and diversify the line up more with the Roma Esmerelda, Greek Megara, and Polynesian Moana.
Esmerelda: Justice
Megara: Selflessness
Moana: Compassion
So that's all I have for the princesses, next time: an old franchise recreated and made new. Disney Heroes.
So the current line up has Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Pocahontas, Mulan, Tiana, Rapunzel, Merida, with the occasional additions of Anna and Elsa. My plan here will focus on expanding the line up, giving a new reason to the reason these women are princesses other than royalty, and giving another redesign to certain princesses who are not faithfully represented in their art. I'll be going through this in phases.
Phase One - re-redesign
1. Ariel: My big problem with Ariel's gown is two fold, it looks like nothing she would wear and the gown is horribly ugly. Ariel will be given a new gown based on the art work below in her normal sea foam green color. It's a much classier look and fits her character much better than the very modern gown she has now.
2. Mulan: Everything about Mulan's redesign has betrayed every facet of her character. We have gone from a brave woman of color who cut off her hair to take her father's place to a barbie doll with long hair, lightened skin, and blue eyes wearing a color that only Chinese royalty would be allowed to wear in her time. Mulan's redesign would take her to a much more movie and time accurate look, with darker skin, brown eyes, shortened hair, and a simple qi pao rather than the overly elaborate ball gown she has currently. The rule for Mulan would be to keep her understated.
3. Pocahontas: While not as bad as some others, Pocahontas still got the short end of the stick in the redesigns. Simplifying her dress, cutting the unnecessary ribbons and feathers, and bringing her mother's necklace back to normal would suffice.
4. Cinderella: My only qualm with Cinderella is her gown. The blue is garish, make it silver as it was in the movie and it would be perfect.
Phase Two: What Makes the Disney Princess?
So we have the line up of 11 to 13 Princesses. But why are they princesses? The idea that they're all royalty is tossed out with Mulan and Pocahontas. At that point it just becomes 'popular female Disney characters' so why don't we change the definition of Disney Princess? I propose Disney Princess to now mean 'having a character and virtue befitting of being honored with the title'. So now instead of Princess So and so, these characters represent something in the wider world. A new slogan will also be added to the line, Stand Strong, Princess.
- Snow White: Kindness.
- Cinderella: Faith.
- Aurora: Grace.
- Ariel: Curiosity.
- Belle: Intelligence.
- Jasmine: Honesty.
- Pocahontas: Acceptance.
- Mulan: Bravery.
- Tiana: Perseverance.
- Rapunzel: Resourcefulness.
- Merida: Ambition.
- Anna: Loyalty.
- Elsa: Love.
Here's where the big changes come in. There's two very glaring exclusions based on the inclusions of Pocahontas and Mulan that has always bothered me. These two lovely ladies:
Esmerelda and Megara will join the franchise, along with Moana and other future cinematic princesses. Their redesign will happen at the time of their coronation and they will be added to the Parks' line up of characters (Disneyland: Fantasy Faire. Disney World: Esmerelda in France rotating with Aurora, Meg at the Fairytale Hall, and Moana at the Studios. Tokyo: Esmerelda roaming Fantasyland and World Bazaar, Meg roaming Mediterranean Harbor, and Moana roaming a new Polynesian land, Paris: Roaming the parks, Hong Kong: Fantasy Garden, Shanghai: Enchanted Storybook Castle) All three will add in new virtues to the line up and diversify the line up more with the Roma Esmerelda, Greek Megara, and Polynesian Moana.
Esmerelda: Justice
Megara: Selflessness
Moana: Compassion
So that's all I have for the princesses, next time: an old franchise recreated and made new. Disney Heroes.
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