Lisa Dawn's Blog: The Princess Blog, page 72
October 11, 2018
Disney Is Celebrating International Day of the Girl With Their #DreamBigPrincess Campaign!
Did you know that today is International Day of the Girl? It's a great day to be a modern princess, and Disney is promoting it in a very big way. When the Disney Princess toy line was bought out by Hasbro in 2016, they began their "Dream Big, Princess" campaign, which focused on girls being active and working toward difficult goals to achieve great accomplishments. The campaign was promoted with several new Disney Princess anthems, leading up to the most recent, "Live Your Story," performed by Auli'i Cravalho. Around this time every year since the campaign started, Disney promotes International Day of the Girl with their princess line by supporting Girl Up, a United Nations organization that started the day. Last year, they celebrated with a photo shoot of girls being active while wearing Disney Princess Halloween costumes, and this year, they did a series of videos of young women from all over the world interviewing women who have accomplished what they are hoping to achieve in their own futures.
Like with last year's photo campaign, for every public social media post of one of these inspirational videos or photos that contains the hashtag #DreamBigPrincess, Disney will donate $1 to the UN's Girl Up organization. This is a great way for Disney to give back to the community of girls who look up to their characters. The campaign will last for a full month, ending on November 10th, which gives fans plenty of time to participate in it. It's fun, free, and involves minimal effort, so why not? I watched all of the videos last night and found them to be quite inspirational. In each video, the role model reminds the girl receiving her advice to continue working hard and believing in her dreams no matter what sort of adversity she might face. These timeless ideas apply to all the Disney Princess movies, including the older ones. However, Disney does have a tendency to avoid talking about the helplessness of some of their early characters for fear of encouraging the "Damsel in Distress" stigma, despite the fact that achieving these goals may not be as easy as they seem.
In truth, the "Dream Big, Princess" video series has very little to do with Disney Princesses in general and more to do with successful career women and the women who want to be like them. Very few of the videos actually mention the Disney Princesses, and the ones that do feel forced. I'm actually glad that most of them avoid the references because this series is about the dreams of girls who are living today, not fictional ones from fairy tales. That makes the Disney Princess label feel a little unnecessary, as the entire campaign could have just as easily been run by Girl Up, but it probably wouldn't have gotten nearly as much attention without the popularity of the Disney Princess line. The first few videos did have women from Disney Animation as role models, but they tapered off less than a quarter of the way into the series when we began traveling to other countries such as France, China, and Argentina.
I would consider the power businesswomen from these videos closer to queens than princesses. In fact, they could be struggling with the Divided Woman archetype because none of the women in the videos mentioned anything about love or support from family and friends when it comes to accomplishing their dreams. The modern decline in femininity is strong in this series, especially considering that it's being used under the name of a brand that mainly features characters who fell deeply in love in their stories. If you can accomplish being a successful career woman, then all the more power to you, but the hard truth is that following paths like these inevitably come with a lot of rejection, and it's important for girls to also have love and support in their lives to help them through that. Tiana is one of my favorite princesses because by the end of her story, she found just the right balance between working hard and being loved.
The "Dream Big, Princess" campaign is a direct contrast to the early days Snow White singing "Someday My Prince Will Come" back in 1937. As we celebrate International Day of the Girl, it's wonderful to think about all of the great things that women have accomplished over the years and all of the opportunities that are open to them that were once out of reach. However, we should not deny the importance of having love and friendship in women's lives as well to support them down the long and winding road to achievement. If you enjoy this new video series, be sure to share it on social media with the #DreamBigPrincess before November 10th to make sure that Disney donates to Girl Up!
Like with last year's photo campaign, for every public social media post of one of these inspirational videos or photos that contains the hashtag #DreamBigPrincess, Disney will donate $1 to the UN's Girl Up organization. This is a great way for Disney to give back to the community of girls who look up to their characters. The campaign will last for a full month, ending on November 10th, which gives fans plenty of time to participate in it. It's fun, free, and involves minimal effort, so why not? I watched all of the videos last night and found them to be quite inspirational. In each video, the role model reminds the girl receiving her advice to continue working hard and believing in her dreams no matter what sort of adversity she might face. These timeless ideas apply to all the Disney Princess movies, including the older ones. However, Disney does have a tendency to avoid talking about the helplessness of some of their early characters for fear of encouraging the "Damsel in Distress" stigma, despite the fact that achieving these goals may not be as easy as they seem.
In truth, the "Dream Big, Princess" video series has very little to do with Disney Princesses in general and more to do with successful career women and the women who want to be like them. Very few of the videos actually mention the Disney Princesses, and the ones that do feel forced. I'm actually glad that most of them avoid the references because this series is about the dreams of girls who are living today, not fictional ones from fairy tales. That makes the Disney Princess label feel a little unnecessary, as the entire campaign could have just as easily been run by Girl Up, but it probably wouldn't have gotten nearly as much attention without the popularity of the Disney Princess line. The first few videos did have women from Disney Animation as role models, but they tapered off less than a quarter of the way into the series when we began traveling to other countries such as France, China, and Argentina.
I would consider the power businesswomen from these videos closer to queens than princesses. In fact, they could be struggling with the Divided Woman archetype because none of the women in the videos mentioned anything about love or support from family and friends when it comes to accomplishing their dreams. The modern decline in femininity is strong in this series, especially considering that it's being used under the name of a brand that mainly features characters who fell deeply in love in their stories. If you can accomplish being a successful career woman, then all the more power to you, but the hard truth is that following paths like these inevitably come with a lot of rejection, and it's important for girls to also have love and support in their lives to help them through that. Tiana is one of my favorite princesses because by the end of her story, she found just the right balance between working hard and being loved.
The "Dream Big, Princess" campaign is a direct contrast to the early days Snow White singing "Someday My Prince Will Come" back in 1937. As we celebrate International Day of the Girl, it's wonderful to think about all of the great things that women have accomplished over the years and all of the opportunities that are open to them that were once out of reach. However, we should not deny the importance of having love and friendship in women's lives as well to support them down the long and winding road to achievement. If you enjoy this new video series, be sure to share it on social media with the #DreamBigPrincess before November 10th to make sure that Disney donates to Girl Up!
October 10, 2018
Review: The Rose and the Briar
After falling madly in love with J. M. Stengl's Faraway Castle series, I signed up for her Advance Reader List and had the pleasure of previewing her upcoming novel,
The Rose and the Briar
. This "Sleeping Beauty" adaptation is the third book from Faraway Castle with a few subtle nods to Ellie and the Prince, the first book in the series. It tells the story of Rosa, a young lady with the ability to control plants who is burdened with the task of caring for Zafira, a sleeping princess with dangerous latent powers. Zafira reminded me of the title character from the 2016 horror movie The Curse of Sleeping Beauty, which also featured a powerful Sleeping Beauty character that turned out to be best left asleep! However, this book had a much better protagonist and a far more interesting story. Rosa's unique abilities were a pleasure to explore. They were reminiscent of Poison Ivy from Batman. The love story in the book was also clever and sweet.
There are two versions of the cover for The Rose and the Briar. Though both are just lovely, I'm partial to the first one because it focuses more on Rosa than her dress. Rosa is an ethnic beauty with raven hair, ruby lips, and caramel skin. She takes her task of preventing princes from discovering the sleeping princess very seriously by setting up a series of traps created by plants and trees that she brings to life with her magic. The creative way that she handles her burden makes the story a lot of fun, and her inferiority complex when it comes to Zafira's overwhelming beauty makes her an even more sympathetic character. Rosa also wears a mysterious ring that links her to Zafira, ensuring that she will not slack on her duties. Though Zafira is in a vegetable state for most of the story, she uses the power of her matching enchanted ring to manipulate Rosa in whatever way she can. The rivalry between the two clever beauties is what made this book stand apart from many other princess stories.
I love how all of the book titles in Faraway Castle are subtle nods to the main couple in the story. The Rose and the Briar is a clever metaphor for the beauty of a rose combined with the danger of a thorn, but it's also a reference to Rosa and her love interest. Prince Briar is a different sort of prince from the ones in Ellie and the Prince and The Siren and the Scholar . Instead of coming off as shy and awkward, he is outspoken and charming. Rosa does her best to resist him because she fears that he will learn her secret, but he manages to break through her walls both literally and figuratively until their true feelings toward each other are revealed. Rosa and Briar's relationship reminded me a lot of Aladdin and Jasmine because like Jasmine, Rosa needs to forgive Briar for pretending to be something he isn't. Rosa spends the first half of the story trying to avoid Briar, so their relationship is very playful with lots of fun banter.
The types of creatures that Rosa brings to life with her powers are like something straight out of an animated movie. There's a giant topiary teddy bear that behaves like a real bear and a rose bush that behaves like a dog. When Rosa is uncomfortable with the idea of being able to create life, Briar reminds her that plants are already alive and that she just helps them become more advanced in their capabilities. In that respect, this book has a lot of appeal to environmentalists. Rosa is a great nicer alternative to Poison Ivy. Working as the head gardener at Faraway Castle, she has an extensive amount of knowledge about plants, flowers, and trees. It's such a clever idea to have a character who brings topiaries to life because many of them already look so lifelike!
The Rose and the Briar will be released later this month. I am so pleased to be one of its first readers. It is a unique take on "Sleeping Beauty," and it's the only one I know of with a female protagonist who isn't Sleeping Beauty herself. Rosa's connection to Zafira through their rings created a lot of suspense, and the romance was entertaining and humorous. I recommend this book as well as the rest of the Faraway Castle series to anyone who loves fairy tales and romance. Also, if you're an environmentalist looking for more green-friendly fairy tales, check out my first novella, Elf Princess Roweena !
There are two versions of the cover for The Rose and the Briar. Though both are just lovely, I'm partial to the first one because it focuses more on Rosa than her dress. Rosa is an ethnic beauty with raven hair, ruby lips, and caramel skin. She takes her task of preventing princes from discovering the sleeping princess very seriously by setting up a series of traps created by plants and trees that she brings to life with her magic. The creative way that she handles her burden makes the story a lot of fun, and her inferiority complex when it comes to Zafira's overwhelming beauty makes her an even more sympathetic character. Rosa also wears a mysterious ring that links her to Zafira, ensuring that she will not slack on her duties. Though Zafira is in a vegetable state for most of the story, she uses the power of her matching enchanted ring to manipulate Rosa in whatever way she can. The rivalry between the two clever beauties is what made this book stand apart from many other princess stories.
I love how all of the book titles in Faraway Castle are subtle nods to the main couple in the story. The Rose and the Briar is a clever metaphor for the beauty of a rose combined with the danger of a thorn, but it's also a reference to Rosa and her love interest. Prince Briar is a different sort of prince from the ones in Ellie and the Prince and The Siren and the Scholar . Instead of coming off as shy and awkward, he is outspoken and charming. Rosa does her best to resist him because she fears that he will learn her secret, but he manages to break through her walls both literally and figuratively until their true feelings toward each other are revealed. Rosa and Briar's relationship reminded me a lot of Aladdin and Jasmine because like Jasmine, Rosa needs to forgive Briar for pretending to be something he isn't. Rosa spends the first half of the story trying to avoid Briar, so their relationship is very playful with lots of fun banter.
The types of creatures that Rosa brings to life with her powers are like something straight out of an animated movie. There's a giant topiary teddy bear that behaves like a real bear and a rose bush that behaves like a dog. When Rosa is uncomfortable with the idea of being able to create life, Briar reminds her that plants are already alive and that she just helps them become more advanced in their capabilities. In that respect, this book has a lot of appeal to environmentalists. Rosa is a great nicer alternative to Poison Ivy. Working as the head gardener at Faraway Castle, she has an extensive amount of knowledge about plants, flowers, and trees. It's such a clever idea to have a character who brings topiaries to life because many of them already look so lifelike!
The Rose and the Briar will be released later this month. I am so pleased to be one of its first readers. It is a unique take on "Sleeping Beauty," and it's the only one I know of with a female protagonist who isn't Sleeping Beauty herself. Rosa's connection to Zafira through their rings created a lot of suspense, and the romance was entertaining and humorous. I recommend this book as well as the rest of the Faraway Castle series to anyone who loves fairy tales and romance. Also, if you're an environmentalist looking for more green-friendly fairy tales, check out my first novella, Elf Princess Roweena !
October 6, 2018
She-Ra and the Princesses of Power Now Has a Full-Length Trailer!
The upcoming Netflix reboot, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, made a big appearance at New York Comic Con this week. Along with the previews offered to fans who attended the convention, the series also released several new stills, toys, and posters on their Facebook page as well as a brand new full-length trailer that reveals a lot more of the story and characters than the teaser we got a few weeks ago. We now have a comprehensive look at the animation, style, and design of the series. It has a very clean look to it with bold colors and round outlines with no sharp edges. We also got a brief look at She-Ra's flying unicorn, Swift Wind, who she rides gleefully over the forest. Netflix shows don't always get a lot of promotion, so I was very pleased to be able to get a glimpse at this many scenes from the series before its release on November 16th.
The trailer begins with clips of Adora hanging out with her best friend, Catra, before she learns that they are both on the wrong side. Catra is very excited about Adora's promotion to Force Captain of the Horde until Adora falls into the woods, finds a magic sword, and turns into She-Ra. When she befriends some members of the rebellion, she learns for the first time that the Horde is evil and is given the Sorceress's blessing to protect the world with her newfound identity as She-Ra, even after revealing to everyone that she was a member of the Horde. With Adora out of the picture, Catra becomes Force Captain of the Horde and is forced to stop being her friend. The complex relationship between Adora and Catra will be very interesting to expand upon with modern-day storytelling and continuity, something that the original series lacked. Once She-Ra joins the rebellion, they form the Alliance of Princesses, which is probably why the new show is called She-Ra and the Princesses of Power instead of She-Ra: Princess of Power.
Even though the character designs are admittedly much simpler than the series from the '80s, the reboot boasts beautiful backgrounds and bright colors. There's plenty of pink, purple, and sparkles, clearly indicating that the series is meant for girls. When She-Ra's new design was first revealed, there were complaints that she didn't look feminine enough. I think it's perfectly clear that she's a girl, especially when she transforms into her tiara and long flowing blonde locks, but the one trait that she and the other female characters in the show are missing is lips. Every character, including She-Ra, has a simple black line for a mouth. This doesn't bother me too much since it goes along with the simplistic style of the animation, but it does take a little getting used to since princesses are usually drawn with brightly colored lips. I think this is an interesting choice stylistically because makeup is a lot less popular among women today than it was in the '80s. The lack of sharp edges in the animation makes the show appear less threatening, which good for an action series intended for little girls.
My favorite character design from the trailer was that of the Sorceress who granted Adora the title of "Princess of Power." I love her pink and purple hair, pearlescent pink skin, white crystals hanging from her ears, forehead, and neck, and gradient pink and lavender transparent wings spread across her back. She looks much prettier and more mystical than the red, white, and blue eagle-like Sorceress from the original series. She is not the only character who got a makeover in the reboot. Bow and Mermista, two of She-Ra's companions from the rebellion, are now people of color, giving the group more diversity, which is very important and relevant in today's world. Mermista, who says in the trailer that she wants to be on Adora's side because she "can turn into an eight-foot-tall blonde lady with a sword," is voiced by
If its trailer is any indication of what the series will be like, She-Ra and the Princess of Power is off to a very promising start. I'm looking forward to seeing more of her struggle with switching sides from evil to good, especially when she had such a close friendship with Catra as a member of the Horde. I can understand the lack of enthusiasm many fans feel toward the animation since it would look nicer with more detail, but I love the colors as well as several of the characters' designs. If it has a good enough story, the animation won't even matter that much anyway. She-Ra will draw her sword again for the Honor of Grayskull in a little over a month on November 16th. Are you ready for her?
The trailer begins with clips of Adora hanging out with her best friend, Catra, before she learns that they are both on the wrong side. Catra is very excited about Adora's promotion to Force Captain of the Horde until Adora falls into the woods, finds a magic sword, and turns into She-Ra. When she befriends some members of the rebellion, she learns for the first time that the Horde is evil and is given the Sorceress's blessing to protect the world with her newfound identity as She-Ra, even after revealing to everyone that she was a member of the Horde. With Adora out of the picture, Catra becomes Force Captain of the Horde and is forced to stop being her friend. The complex relationship between Adora and Catra will be very interesting to expand upon with modern-day storytelling and continuity, something that the original series lacked. Once She-Ra joins the rebellion, they form the Alliance of Princesses, which is probably why the new show is called She-Ra and the Princesses of Power instead of She-Ra: Princess of Power.
Even though the character designs are admittedly much simpler than the series from the '80s, the reboot boasts beautiful backgrounds and bright colors. There's plenty of pink, purple, and sparkles, clearly indicating that the series is meant for girls. When She-Ra's new design was first revealed, there were complaints that she didn't look feminine enough. I think it's perfectly clear that she's a girl, especially when she transforms into her tiara and long flowing blonde locks, but the one trait that she and the other female characters in the show are missing is lips. Every character, including She-Ra, has a simple black line for a mouth. This doesn't bother me too much since it goes along with the simplistic style of the animation, but it does take a little getting used to since princesses are usually drawn with brightly colored lips. I think this is an interesting choice stylistically because makeup is a lot less popular among women today than it was in the '80s. The lack of sharp edges in the animation makes the show appear less threatening, which good for an action series intended for little girls.
My favorite character design from the trailer was that of the Sorceress who granted Adora the title of "Princess of Power." I love her pink and purple hair, pearlescent pink skin, white crystals hanging from her ears, forehead, and neck, and gradient pink and lavender transparent wings spread across her back. She looks much prettier and more mystical than the red, white, and blue eagle-like Sorceress from the original series. She is not the only character who got a makeover in the reboot. Bow and Mermista, two of She-Ra's companions from the rebellion, are now people of color, giving the group more diversity, which is very important and relevant in today's world. Mermista, who says in the trailer that she wants to be on Adora's side because she "can turn into an eight-foot-tall blonde lady with a sword," is voiced by
If its trailer is any indication of what the series will be like, She-Ra and the Princess of Power is off to a very promising start. I'm looking forward to seeing more of her struggle with switching sides from evil to good, especially when she had such a close friendship with Catra as a member of the Horde. I can understand the lack of enthusiasm many fans feel toward the animation since it would look nicer with more detail, but I love the colors as well as several of the characters' designs. If it has a good enough story, the animation won't even matter that much anyway. She-Ra will draw her sword again for the Honor of Grayskull in a little over a month on November 16th. Are you ready for her?
October 2, 2018
Traci Hines Made a Wreck-It Ralph Fan Video That's Packed with Princesses!
Creativity is in the air this month with new episodes of our favorite TV shows and Halloween just around the corner. Princess fans everywhere are getting into the spirit with cosplay and collaborative music videos. PattyCake Productions, known for their fantastic movie and pop song mashups recently teased an upcoming villain music video on their Facebook page. In the meantime, the wait is over for Traci Hines's latest collaboration with a large group of princess cosplayers recreating the famous trailer scene from
Wreck-It Ralph 2
to the song "When Can I See You Again?" by Owl City from the first
Wreck-It Ralph
. The song is upbeat and peppy in the spirit of the scene it is attempting to recreate, making it a terrific choice for the video. The lyrics about having a great time hanging out with someone and then needing to leave blend perfectly with the plot where Vanellope sneaks into the Disney Princesses' secret dressing room and has some fun with them before needing to continue her quest through the internet to repair her game.
The music video is a companion piece to a skit from Jbunzie's channel that mimics the famous scene from the trailer, complete with matching dialogue, movements, and camera angles. I loved how they recreated the beautiful pink recreation room that the princesses share via green screen technology. All fourteen official Disney Princesses are accounted for alongside a cute older Vanellope who was edited with camera tricks to look shorter. Even though they got the layout of the scene perfect, there are a few fashion errors spotted when comparing it to the scene that inspired it. The princesses' formal movie costumes are beautiful and extremely detailed with shimmering brocades and sequins, but Mulan's cosplayer appears to be wearing the yellow and green dress she wore at the beginning of the movie before she met the Matchmaker. In the Wreck-It Ralph 2 trailer, she was shown wearing the blue dress from the end of the movie when she saved the Emporer from the Huns. Their casual wear is even less screen accurate, but that's forgivable considering how little we've seen of it thus far. Some clips from the movie have revealed Aurora in a hot pink top that says "Nap Queen," while here she's wearing a white t-shirt that says "Let Me Sleep," among other inconsistencies such as Ariel returning to her mermaid form with her Adorkable Apparel seashell t-shirt.
Having the Disney Princesses sing this famous song together was a clever and unique idea that really sold the video. "When Can I See You Again?" has been featured in the Disney theme parks for the Paint the Night Parade, giving it a classic feel while breathing new life into it with an all-female cast of performers. Traci Hines reused her beautiful pink tea dress from her "Part of Your World" video while she performed as her signature cosplay character, Ariel. Many of the other actresses had terrific singing voices. Each one was strategically matched to a lyric in the song that went along with her character. Tiana sang about starlight, and Anna and Elsa sang grabbing their sidekicks in voices that sounded very close to the original. At the end of the video, each princess blended a line from her own signature movie song into final the chorus of "When Can I See You Again?" Another clever twist was when Ralph tried to call Vanellope from outside the arcade machine to warn her that they had been intercepted by a Storm Trooper. This was also a reference to something Ralph and Vanellope saw when they entered the world of the internet in the trailer.
Even though the music video didn't include the famous selfie scene that's been all over social media, the most epic shot in the video was at the end where all of the princesses were lying down in a circle around Vanellope. Seeing all of their classic costumes and wigs laid out in an infinite loop was truly a work of art. They had just the right amount of cosplayers to fit in the frame for an overhead shot of their faces circling Vanellope. It was so cute to see them all singing and having fun together, which is preferable to the aggressive and somewhat sardonic tone of the trailer in which they got angry and tried to attack Vanellope for invading their private space before warming up to her and vegging out in their casual wear. There was no lounging with popcorn and frappuccinos in this music video! They were very active while giggling and having pillow fights at the most epic sleepover party ever. It's no wonder Vanellope didn't want to leave! It looks like all of the cosplayers had a fantastic time filming this. I would have loved to have been a part of a similar collaboration. How often do you get to hang out with that many fellow princess fans at once?
October is a fun month for creative types. Now that the summer slump is over, lots of television shows are airing their season premieres. It's time to get our heads back into the clouds with our fantasy worlds and tell our stories. Now that the Halloween season is in full swing, it's wonderful to be able start off the month with such a lovely fan creation from Traci Hines. Be sure to keep an eye on PattyCake Productions' YouTube channel for their upcoming "Villains Lair" video, and stay tuned to The Princess Blog to read about my experience at Mickey's Halloween Party this year! Are you going to be a princess this Halloween? Let me know who you're cosplaying as in the comments. Happy Halloween, everyone!
The music video is a companion piece to a skit from Jbunzie's channel that mimics the famous scene from the trailer, complete with matching dialogue, movements, and camera angles. I loved how they recreated the beautiful pink recreation room that the princesses share via green screen technology. All fourteen official Disney Princesses are accounted for alongside a cute older Vanellope who was edited with camera tricks to look shorter. Even though they got the layout of the scene perfect, there are a few fashion errors spotted when comparing it to the scene that inspired it. The princesses' formal movie costumes are beautiful and extremely detailed with shimmering brocades and sequins, but Mulan's cosplayer appears to be wearing the yellow and green dress she wore at the beginning of the movie before she met the Matchmaker. In the Wreck-It Ralph 2 trailer, she was shown wearing the blue dress from the end of the movie when she saved the Emporer from the Huns. Their casual wear is even less screen accurate, but that's forgivable considering how little we've seen of it thus far. Some clips from the movie have revealed Aurora in a hot pink top that says "Nap Queen," while here she's wearing a white t-shirt that says "Let Me Sleep," among other inconsistencies such as Ariel returning to her mermaid form with her Adorkable Apparel seashell t-shirt.
Having the Disney Princesses sing this famous song together was a clever and unique idea that really sold the video. "When Can I See You Again?" has been featured in the Disney theme parks for the Paint the Night Parade, giving it a classic feel while breathing new life into it with an all-female cast of performers. Traci Hines reused her beautiful pink tea dress from her "Part of Your World" video while she performed as her signature cosplay character, Ariel. Many of the other actresses had terrific singing voices. Each one was strategically matched to a lyric in the song that went along with her character. Tiana sang about starlight, and Anna and Elsa sang grabbing their sidekicks in voices that sounded very close to the original. At the end of the video, each princess blended a line from her own signature movie song into final the chorus of "When Can I See You Again?" Another clever twist was when Ralph tried to call Vanellope from outside the arcade machine to warn her that they had been intercepted by a Storm Trooper. This was also a reference to something Ralph and Vanellope saw when they entered the world of the internet in the trailer.
Even though the music video didn't include the famous selfie scene that's been all over social media, the most epic shot in the video was at the end where all of the princesses were lying down in a circle around Vanellope. Seeing all of their classic costumes and wigs laid out in an infinite loop was truly a work of art. They had just the right amount of cosplayers to fit in the frame for an overhead shot of their faces circling Vanellope. It was so cute to see them all singing and having fun together, which is preferable to the aggressive and somewhat sardonic tone of the trailer in which they got angry and tried to attack Vanellope for invading their private space before warming up to her and vegging out in their casual wear. There was no lounging with popcorn and frappuccinos in this music video! They were very active while giggling and having pillow fights at the most epic sleepover party ever. It's no wonder Vanellope didn't want to leave! It looks like all of the cosplayers had a fantastic time filming this. I would have loved to have been a part of a similar collaboration. How often do you get to hang out with that many fellow princess fans at once?
October is a fun month for creative types. Now that the summer slump is over, lots of television shows are airing their season premieres. It's time to get our heads back into the clouds with our fantasy worlds and tell our stories. Now that the Halloween season is in full swing, it's wonderful to be able start off the month with such a lovely fan creation from Traci Hines. Be sure to keep an eye on PattyCake Productions' YouTube channel for their upcoming "Villains Lair" video, and stay tuned to The Princess Blog to read about my experience at Mickey's Halloween Party this year! Are you going to be a princess this Halloween? Let me know who you're cosplaying as in the comments. Happy Halloween, everyone!
September 26, 2018
Do Princesses Want To Be Queen?
I've made some posts in the past about how more often than not, princesses are portrayed as good and queens as evil. Since this is so often the case, does that mean that the storybook princesses we love are not willing to fulfill their royal destiny as the hope for their kingdom's future? While it's true that princesses often seek freedom from the confines of palace life, they don't necessarily want to run away from their responsibilities either. The problem is that princess stories usually reveal only a brief period from their heroine's life that takes place before the biggest trials and tribulations of reaching full adulthood. I expanded upon this briefly in my "Confessions of a Grown-Up Princess Fan" post, where I discussed how even though I still relate to certain aspects of being a princess, I have developed a sense of cynicism that I did not have the first time I watched their movies. Seeing the world through the eyes of a princess now feels more like a nostalgic trip down memory lane than seeing myself reflected in them.
Stories about queens, such as Reign, are generally intended for older audiences than stories about princesses. That isn't necessarily because the protagonists are older either. After all, Mary, Queen of Scots was still a teenager when she was crowned. It's also not about the ability to be a leader since we all know there are plenty of princesses who can do that just fine as well. No, the reason we don't see princesses become queens in fairy tales is something deeper. It's because becoming queen inherently forces a princess to lose her innocence and curiosity about the world, which have become defining traits for the Disney Princess genre. A queen must be exposed to some of the darker sides of being royal, such as warfare, political alliances, manipulation, and the suffering of peasants. Carefree teenagers who dance in the woods with their animal friends don't see these things and maintain a beautiful air of purity and optimism about the world around them as a result. If their stories end before they reach that point in their lives, that purity remains an immortal part of their identity that defines what people remember most about their stories for many generations.
Over the weekend, I had the pleasure of attending an exclusive presentation by Stacey Simmons about the theory of the Divided Woman, in which women are split between two forces--the innocent princess-like side that uses the magic of love to solve all of her problems and the empowered witch-like side who has been scorned in some way and must use her unique talents to overcome adversity. The only way to overcome this struggle is by accepting both sides of herself to become a United Sovereign Queen. As an example of this, Stacey referenced how Moana used the heart of Te Fiti to unite Te Fiti and Te Ka. There is certainly no shortage of princess movies these days, but there is a decline in the feminity of their heroines in comparison to the princesses of the past. Clara from The Nutcracker and the Four Realms trailers does indeed appear gentle and feminine in her elegant mauve dress, but she is also portrayed wearing a soldier's uniform and propositioned to fight Mother Ginger and save the Fourth Realm. Even the upcoming princess scene from Ralph Breaks the Internet is centered around showing us that our favorite princesses are not always perfectly dressed and well-mannered.
I don't think Moana is the only Disney Princess who was able to unite the two sides of her personality and achieve sovereignty. Tiana from The Princess and the Frog , starts out as an empowered fearless entrepreneur and learns later to accept the gentler side of herself upon realizing that she is in love with Naveen. She teaches him the meaning of responsibility just as much as he teaches her the meaning of love. The pilot episode of Sofia the First called "Just One of the Princes" demonstrated that Sofia did not want to be a traditional feminine princess who was obsessed with jewels and gowns by surprising all of the students of Royal Prep when she signed up for a class that only princes took to learn how to ride a flying horse. She achieved sovereignty by dressing up in many lovely gowns and being adorable while also using the powers of her amulet to save others instead of needing to be rescued. Elena of Avalor might be the first Disney Princess to express a genuine desire to become queen but must rule as crown princess instead until she comes of age. She demonstrates her feminine side by ruling Avalor with understanding and diplomacy while maintaining her empowered side by unapologetically taking the initiative in any task even if it means being a little reckless and learning to use the powers of the Sceptor of Light against Shuriki.
It took many years for princess mythology to reach a point where the heroines would no longer need to be divided between their two selves. In earlier stories such as "Snow White" or "Cinderella," portraying the titular characters as queens would take away an inherent part of who they are and what people love about them, namely their innocence and optimism about the unlimited potential of a world that they have yet to experience. In more recent adaptations, such as Disney's The Little Mermaid , it was possible to portray Ariel as queen in the sequel somewhat believably because she was less submissive than her predecessors and had the courage to break the boundaries that her father set for her, placing her on her first step in the path to sovereignty. I don't believe that storybook princesses are necessarily afraid of becoming queen, but most of them are not yet at a point in their lives where they would be able to comprehend such a mysterious and potentially dangerous future. That limitless potential is one of the things that makes their stories so fascinating.
Stories about queens, such as Reign, are generally intended for older audiences than stories about princesses. That isn't necessarily because the protagonists are older either. After all, Mary, Queen of Scots was still a teenager when she was crowned. It's also not about the ability to be a leader since we all know there are plenty of princesses who can do that just fine as well. No, the reason we don't see princesses become queens in fairy tales is something deeper. It's because becoming queen inherently forces a princess to lose her innocence and curiosity about the world, which have become defining traits for the Disney Princess genre. A queen must be exposed to some of the darker sides of being royal, such as warfare, political alliances, manipulation, and the suffering of peasants. Carefree teenagers who dance in the woods with their animal friends don't see these things and maintain a beautiful air of purity and optimism about the world around them as a result. If their stories end before they reach that point in their lives, that purity remains an immortal part of their identity that defines what people remember most about their stories for many generations.
Over the weekend, I had the pleasure of attending an exclusive presentation by Stacey Simmons about the theory of the Divided Woman, in which women are split between two forces--the innocent princess-like side that uses the magic of love to solve all of her problems and the empowered witch-like side who has been scorned in some way and must use her unique talents to overcome adversity. The only way to overcome this struggle is by accepting both sides of herself to become a United Sovereign Queen. As an example of this, Stacey referenced how Moana used the heart of Te Fiti to unite Te Fiti and Te Ka. There is certainly no shortage of princess movies these days, but there is a decline in the feminity of their heroines in comparison to the princesses of the past. Clara from The Nutcracker and the Four Realms trailers does indeed appear gentle and feminine in her elegant mauve dress, but she is also portrayed wearing a soldier's uniform and propositioned to fight Mother Ginger and save the Fourth Realm. Even the upcoming princess scene from Ralph Breaks the Internet is centered around showing us that our favorite princesses are not always perfectly dressed and well-mannered.
I don't think Moana is the only Disney Princess who was able to unite the two sides of her personality and achieve sovereignty. Tiana from The Princess and the Frog , starts out as an empowered fearless entrepreneur and learns later to accept the gentler side of herself upon realizing that she is in love with Naveen. She teaches him the meaning of responsibility just as much as he teaches her the meaning of love. The pilot episode of Sofia the First called "Just One of the Princes" demonstrated that Sofia did not want to be a traditional feminine princess who was obsessed with jewels and gowns by surprising all of the students of Royal Prep when she signed up for a class that only princes took to learn how to ride a flying horse. She achieved sovereignty by dressing up in many lovely gowns and being adorable while also using the powers of her amulet to save others instead of needing to be rescued. Elena of Avalor might be the first Disney Princess to express a genuine desire to become queen but must rule as crown princess instead until she comes of age. She demonstrates her feminine side by ruling Avalor with understanding and diplomacy while maintaining her empowered side by unapologetically taking the initiative in any task even if it means being a little reckless and learning to use the powers of the Sceptor of Light against Shuriki.
It took many years for princess mythology to reach a point where the heroines would no longer need to be divided between their two selves. In earlier stories such as "Snow White" or "Cinderella," portraying the titular characters as queens would take away an inherent part of who they are and what people love about them, namely their innocence and optimism about the unlimited potential of a world that they have yet to experience. In more recent adaptations, such as Disney's The Little Mermaid , it was possible to portray Ariel as queen in the sequel somewhat believably because she was less submissive than her predecessors and had the courage to break the boundaries that her father set for her, placing her on her first step in the path to sovereignty. I don't believe that storybook princesses are necessarily afraid of becoming queen, but most of them are not yet at a point in their lives where they would be able to comprehend such a mysterious and potentially dangerous future. That limitless potential is one of the things that makes their stories so fascinating.
September 21, 2018
Review: Elena of Avalor - Song of the Sirenas
It's no secret I love mermaid princess stories. Mermaids have the ability to transport us to another world where everything is calm, serene, and the impossible becomes possible. When I heard that Elena of Avalor was doing a special called
Song of the Sirenas
, my mermaid heart lit up with joy. I was even more excited to learn that one of my favorite actresses,
Elena of Avalor has really found its footing this season, and this latest special did not disappoint. From the beautiful pink architecture of Elena's cousin's estate in Puerta Nueva to the new twist on the old mermaid vs. human tales, this special was everything I could have hoped for in a new mermaid princess story. The sirenas are very different from the mermaids presented in Sofia the First as they have pointed ears, more colorful fashions, and appear Hispanic in ethnicity. They also possess the ability to hypnotize people with their singing, similar to sirens except that the song appears to work on anyone, not just lustful sailors. Unlike Sofia's Merroway Cove, which is a matriarchy ruled by Queen Emmeline, this kingdom has both a queen and a king. Princess Marisa's backstory reminded me a great deal of Dyesebel, another mermaid favorite of mine. Like Dyesebel, Marisa was born to both a mermaid and a human. This gives her the ability to transform her tail into a pair of legs (conveniently covered by hot-pink leggings) when she goes on land, as well as her brother Marzel. The lovely seashell and armor accessories that the sirenas wear are also reminiscent of a lot of the mer-fashions from Dyesebel.
Princess Marisa is easily my favorite character introduced on Elena of Avalor thus far. From her gorgeous purple braid and sheer lavender dress to her incredible acting and singing, I was very excited to learn what sort of mermaid Gina Rodriguez's character would be. I loved that Marisa was a stubborn pacifist, fiercely supporting Elena no matter what anyone else said or did to try to deter her. Instead of falling in love with a human or wanting to live on land, Marisa sees herself as an ambassador of peace between the mermaid and human realms. She considers Elena her ally in accomplishing this because they are both fellow princesses and diplomats. Marisa's brother, Marzel, serves as the perfect balance to Marisa's optimism, representing the overall disdain that most of the sirenas carry toward humans. I love how Marisa was never swayed even a little by her brother's doubts, and her gorgeous character design filled me with glee every time she appeared onscreen.
The weakest element in Song of the Sirenas was the new villain, Elena's cousin Cristobal. Having one back-stabbing two-faced cousin was already enough for them to need to introduce another. Cristobal had never been mentioned before this point in Elena of Avalor. The show acknowledged this when Elena said that Esteban was exaggerating when he claimed to be her only cousin, making Cristobal's introduction similar to Morgana's in The Little Mermaid 2 , where Sebastian shouts "Ursula's crazy sister!" and the audience is just supposed to go with it. Fortunately, the special was so engaging before Cristobal's betrayal that it wasn't enough to take away the pleasure of watching it. There were also plenty of former villains that made an appearance in Song of the Sirenas including Elena's main nemesis Shuriki as well as Fiero and a brief glimpse of the greedy Victor and his daughter Carla. The addition of the Shuriki masks that several bystanders wore to throw Elena off during the parade were a clever touch. It was also nice to see that Elena is starting to get better at using her staff, since she has a much wider learning curve than most other princesses who posses magical devices.
Song of the Sirenas was a pleasure to watch, especially after some of the more disappointing Elena specials I've seen in past. I was so pleased when I learned that they were doing a mermaid story since I wasn't sure they would want to compete with any of Sofia's territory. The sirenas were unique enough from other mermaids that Disney has created in the past to captivate mermaid fans of all ages and walks of life with a fresh take on the mythology. It was an absolute pleasure to hear Gina Rodriguez perform as a mermaid princess and an added bonus that her signature color was purple, my favorite! I thorough enjoyed the songs, story, and characters and look forward to more specials of this caliber in the future.
Elena of Avalor has really found its footing this season, and this latest special did not disappoint. From the beautiful pink architecture of Elena's cousin's estate in Puerta Nueva to the new twist on the old mermaid vs. human tales, this special was everything I could have hoped for in a new mermaid princess story. The sirenas are very different from the mermaids presented in Sofia the First as they have pointed ears, more colorful fashions, and appear Hispanic in ethnicity. They also possess the ability to hypnotize people with their singing, similar to sirens except that the song appears to work on anyone, not just lustful sailors. Unlike Sofia's Merroway Cove, which is a matriarchy ruled by Queen Emmeline, this kingdom has both a queen and a king. Princess Marisa's backstory reminded me a great deal of Dyesebel, another mermaid favorite of mine. Like Dyesebel, Marisa was born to both a mermaid and a human. This gives her the ability to transform her tail into a pair of legs (conveniently covered by hot-pink leggings) when she goes on land, as well as her brother Marzel. The lovely seashell and armor accessories that the sirenas wear are also reminiscent of a lot of the mer-fashions from Dyesebel.
Princess Marisa is easily my favorite character introduced on Elena of Avalor thus far. From her gorgeous purple braid and sheer lavender dress to her incredible acting and singing, I was very excited to learn what sort of mermaid Gina Rodriguez's character would be. I loved that Marisa was a stubborn pacifist, fiercely supporting Elena no matter what anyone else said or did to try to deter her. Instead of falling in love with a human or wanting to live on land, Marisa sees herself as an ambassador of peace between the mermaid and human realms. She considers Elena her ally in accomplishing this because they are both fellow princesses and diplomats. Marisa's brother, Marzel, serves as the perfect balance to Marisa's optimism, representing the overall disdain that most of the sirenas carry toward humans. I love how Marisa was never swayed even a little by her brother's doubts, and her gorgeous character design filled me with glee every time she appeared onscreen.
The weakest element in Song of the Sirenas was the new villain, Elena's cousin Cristobal. Having one back-stabbing two-faced cousin was already enough for them to need to introduce another. Cristobal had never been mentioned before this point in Elena of Avalor. The show acknowledged this when Elena said that Esteban was exaggerating when he claimed to be her only cousin, making Cristobal's introduction similar to Morgana's in The Little Mermaid 2 , where Sebastian shouts "Ursula's crazy sister!" and the audience is just supposed to go with it. Fortunately, the special was so engaging before Cristobal's betrayal that it wasn't enough to take away the pleasure of watching it. There were also plenty of former villains that made an appearance in Song of the Sirenas including Elena's main nemesis Shuriki as well as Fiero and a brief glimpse of the greedy Victor and his daughter Carla. The addition of the Shuriki masks that several bystanders wore to throw Elena off during the parade were a clever touch. It was also nice to see that Elena is starting to get better at using her staff, since she has a much wider learning curve than most other princesses who posses magical devices.
Song of the Sirenas was a pleasure to watch, especially after some of the more disappointing Elena specials I've seen in past. I was so pleased when I learned that they were doing a mermaid story since I wasn't sure they would want to compete with any of Sofia's territory. The sirenas were unique enough from other mermaids that Disney has created in the past to captivate mermaid fans of all ages and walks of life with a fresh take on the mythology. It was an absolute pleasure to hear Gina Rodriguez perform as a mermaid princess and an added bonus that her signature color was purple, my favorite! I thorough enjoyed the songs, story, and characters and look forward to more specials of this caliber in the future.
September 17, 2018
Mysticons Concludes in the Age of Dragons
It's barely been over a year since I reviewed "Sisters in Arms," the series premiere of Mysticons, and we've already arrived at the show's short-lived finale. They've been dropping like flies lately, haven't they? Sofia the First just ended last week, and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is on its final run next month along with several other popular shows. Many of my favorite television series in the past have only lasted for two seasons, but they usually take some time in between for the writers to figure out where the story will go next. That, unfortunately, was not the case for Mysticons. It jumped through two seasons containing a total of forty episodes with virtually no downtime in between, leading up to this weekend's series finale "The Age of Dragons." Before I start, I feel obliged to apologize that this review is coming out a bit later than I had hoped as Nickelodeon has always been very inconsistent when it comes to updating shows on their app, and I ended up finding the episode on Amazon instead.
Even though Mysticons started out with a strong pilot, it has had somewhat uneven pacing from the second episode onward. There are certain important emotional moments that get skipped right over, such as Malvaron asking Arkayna on a date, Emerald and Casey's relationship switching from Em pursuing Casey to Casey pursing Em, Gawayne learning that Zarya is his new stepsister, and, most importantly of all, Queen Goodfey confronting Zarya for the first time upon learning that she was her long-lost forgotten daughter. All of these scenarios would appeal primarily to a female audience because they are purely emotional moments unlike the show's many action sequences, which have a wider appeal due to boys liking action and girls still relating to the all-female main cast. The reason for this focal shift, of course, hearkens back the show's origins, in which it was originally created about a group of male action heroes and was targeted toward boys. The shift in the series' direction when the cast was gender-swapped created the struggle of balance between action and emotion. They wanted it to be an action show, but one that was female-oriented, hence the inclusion of princesses. Yet, if they made it too feminine, it would lose sight of its roots. I do admit that the weaponized was at least a refreshing shift from some of the confusing sparkly "attacks" that you normally see in Magical Girl shows that have no intention of attracting an action-seeking male audience.
Of the last set of episodes that have aired, my personal favorite was "Eternal Starshine of the Mage's Mind" because that was the only one that did not seem to shy away from or skip over the more emotional moments. It also provided some terrific closure for Proxima, who was almost a princess but wound up getting screwed over by some trick writing and then turning evil for a while as a direct result. In my opinion, Proxima had the best character arc on the show because it was so easy to relate to her loneliness and feelings of being unappreciated by her peers. I also loved that Arkayna admitted for the first time in that episode that she had a tendency be selfish and inconsiderate of others without always being aware of it. Even though she had a good excuse to act that way due to her tragic loss, she doesn't always set the best example for a modern princess. It was nice to see her finally put her differences aside and make up with Proxima, who was more than deserving of it. I was also glad to see Proxima fight off the mask of the Spectral Hand, as evil was never a good color on her. Mallory of the Vexicons was far more suited for the mask than Proxima ever was.
The series finale, "Age of Dragons," saw some sibling rivalry for the first time between Arkayna and her newly discovered twin sister but long-time friend, Zarya. It was great that the king and queen got their bodies restored before the series was canceled because no one wanted to see it end in a world where Gawayne would stay king! Arkayna was understandably jealous of the attention that her mother gave Zarya, but I still missed seeing Queen Goodfey's reaction the moment when she first learned that she had another daughter who she forgot about because of a spell. Moments that got glossed over such as this one are what prevented Mysticons from being a great show instead of just a good one. I was still pleased overall with the conclusion of the royal Goodfey women's story, as they will now have the rest of their lives to form a healthy family dynamic. However, I feel that Arkayna and Gawayne displayed very little growth over the course of the show as Drake City's future rulers. Zarya's character arc was marginally better, thanks to her morality struggle as a former sky pirate.
When I tweeted series creator about ending the show, he felt that it was a shame because they were "just getting started." It's true that there were several characters' backstories that remained unexplored, such as Malvaron's history with his evil sister Tasma, and the details of Piper's past and future. When the series began, she was my favorite Mysticon, but she became more of a comic relief than a main character as we spent more time learning about Arkayna, Zarya, and Emerald's families. At this point, I would have to say that Proxima was probably my favorite character in the show because her story felt the most complete. Even though the pacing was uneven at times, it was still a fun ride, and I'm glad I got to go on it. The final episode of Mysticons wrapped up cleanly enough to be satisfying while at the same time remaining open to future adventures, many of which are being continued in novel form. Long live the Mysticons!
Even though Mysticons started out with a strong pilot, it has had somewhat uneven pacing from the second episode onward. There are certain important emotional moments that get skipped right over, such as Malvaron asking Arkayna on a date, Emerald and Casey's relationship switching from Em pursuing Casey to Casey pursing Em, Gawayne learning that Zarya is his new stepsister, and, most importantly of all, Queen Goodfey confronting Zarya for the first time upon learning that she was her long-lost forgotten daughter. All of these scenarios would appeal primarily to a female audience because they are purely emotional moments unlike the show's many action sequences, which have a wider appeal due to boys liking action and girls still relating to the all-female main cast. The reason for this focal shift, of course, hearkens back the show's origins, in which it was originally created about a group of male action heroes and was targeted toward boys. The shift in the series' direction when the cast was gender-swapped created the struggle of balance between action and emotion. They wanted it to be an action show, but one that was female-oriented, hence the inclusion of princesses. Yet, if they made it too feminine, it would lose sight of its roots. I do admit that the weaponized was at least a refreshing shift from some of the confusing sparkly "attacks" that you normally see in Magical Girl shows that have no intention of attracting an action-seeking male audience.
Of the last set of episodes that have aired, my personal favorite was "Eternal Starshine of the Mage's Mind" because that was the only one that did not seem to shy away from or skip over the more emotional moments. It also provided some terrific closure for Proxima, who was almost a princess but wound up getting screwed over by some trick writing and then turning evil for a while as a direct result. In my opinion, Proxima had the best character arc on the show because it was so easy to relate to her loneliness and feelings of being unappreciated by her peers. I also loved that Arkayna admitted for the first time in that episode that she had a tendency be selfish and inconsiderate of others without always being aware of it. Even though she had a good excuse to act that way due to her tragic loss, she doesn't always set the best example for a modern princess. It was nice to see her finally put her differences aside and make up with Proxima, who was more than deserving of it. I was also glad to see Proxima fight off the mask of the Spectral Hand, as evil was never a good color on her. Mallory of the Vexicons was far more suited for the mask than Proxima ever was.
The series finale, "Age of Dragons," saw some sibling rivalry for the first time between Arkayna and her newly discovered twin sister but long-time friend, Zarya. It was great that the king and queen got their bodies restored before the series was canceled because no one wanted to see it end in a world where Gawayne would stay king! Arkayna was understandably jealous of the attention that her mother gave Zarya, but I still missed seeing Queen Goodfey's reaction the moment when she first learned that she had another daughter who she forgot about because of a spell. Moments that got glossed over such as this one are what prevented Mysticons from being a great show instead of just a good one. I was still pleased overall with the conclusion of the royal Goodfey women's story, as they will now have the rest of their lives to form a healthy family dynamic. However, I feel that Arkayna and Gawayne displayed very little growth over the course of the show as Drake City's future rulers. Zarya's character arc was marginally better, thanks to her morality struggle as a former sky pirate.
When I tweeted series creator about ending the show, he felt that it was a shame because they were "just getting started." It's true that there were several characters' backstories that remained unexplored, such as Malvaron's history with his evil sister Tasma, and the details of Piper's past and future. When the series began, she was my favorite Mysticon, but she became more of a comic relief than a main character as we spent more time learning about Arkayna, Zarya, and Emerald's families. At this point, I would have to say that Proxima was probably my favorite character in the show because her story felt the most complete. Even though the pacing was uneven at times, it was still a fun ride, and I'm glad I got to go on it. The final episode of Mysticons wrapped up cleanly enough to be satisfying while at the same time remaining open to future adventures, many of which are being continued in novel form. Long live the Mysticons!
September 12, 2018
Review: The Last Dragon Princess
I was recently offered an opportunity to read an advance copy of
The Last Dragon Princess
by Cynthia Payne. It's a good time to read about dragon royalty considering that Netflix is releasing their original animated series The Dragon Prince later this week. The Last Dragon Princess currently has a release date of October 2nd. I think it will have a lot of appeal to people who enjoy dragon lore. It's not exactly written in the format of a fairy tale, but it instead incorporates Greek mythology and a lot of fantasy style world building. I think it would be most enjoyed most by people who liked stories such as The Handmaid's Tale and Game of Thrones. Though not nearly as explicit, the book incorporates similar themes of conquering kingdoms and using women as a tool to continue important lineages.
The Last Dragon Princess takes place in a world of people known as "hisgeii." Those among them who are "shifters" have the ability to transform into dragons at will. Danu, the main character, is a "breeder," meaning that she is the only person can produce more shifters, but she is also the last of her kind. Without her, the hisgeii would lose their ability to turn into dragons, making shifters extinct. Just like any other story involving politics, the shifters are divided into a caste system and judged based on their ranking. Danu is the lowest form of shifter called a spark, so she struggles to earn the respect she deserves as the last breeder, which is normally a renowned position. All of the decisions Danu makes must revolve around the well-being of her people and their future because she represents their last hope. This is not a character-drive story. Danu has little desire to be free and accepts her responsibility with little to no regard of her own selfish desires.
The reason I don't consider this story a fairy tale is that fairy tales about princesses generally contain simple and straightforward romances. The princess always knows exactly who she wants to be with, and the two lovers fight for each other against all odds, usually resulting in a happy marriage. Danu spends most of the story being confused about which of the shifters she wants to give her heart to. Anyone who marries her would become king, so all of the male shifters pursue her regardless of their personal feelings, and she has trouble figuring out which ones genuinely care about her and which ones just want power, causing her to form many misplaced crushes. Even it was obvious to me who she was going to end up, I wouldn't consider this book particularly romantic. There was virtually no buildup to her final decision at the end of the book. Even her choice of who to marry in the first few chapters had absolutely nothing to do with love. It was instead about protecting her people from political corruption by picking the shifter most worthy to be king.
I did not find Danu very easy to relate to, but I don't think that took away from my overall enjoyment of the story. Her selfless willingness to do anything to ensure the future of the hisgeii shifters was admirable, but her flightiness of what she wanted on a personal level made it hard to root for her as a character. The book's plot picked up the most in the final few chapters when it introduced Greek mythology and hinted at the history of how hisgeii gained the ability to transform into dragons. I think Danu would have been a lot more interesting to read about if she knew how to transform into a dragon at the beginning of the story because that was one of the most interesting aspects of her world. It was all right to read about her riding her male companions when they transformed, but it wasn't the same as reading about it would it would be like first-hand, which was only expanded upon briefly at the end.
I think The Last Dragon Princess has the potential to be a beloved tale for the proper audience. As someone who prefers fairy tales and straightforward romance, there were things in it that I had difficulty relating to. Still, it was a very well-written book with a fully fleshed out fantasy world bursting with compelling original dragon mythology. Anyone who is a fan of dragons would love this book. The inclusion of Greek mythology was a clever twist that helped to make an unfamiliar world feel a little more familiar by incorporating stories that most people are already aware of. It's also a great book for people who enjoy reading about political corruption in fantasy worlds. If any of these things sound like they appeal to you, be sure to keep an eye out for its release next month!
The Last Dragon Princess takes place in a world of people known as "hisgeii." Those among them who are "shifters" have the ability to transform into dragons at will. Danu, the main character, is a "breeder," meaning that she is the only person can produce more shifters, but she is also the last of her kind. Without her, the hisgeii would lose their ability to turn into dragons, making shifters extinct. Just like any other story involving politics, the shifters are divided into a caste system and judged based on their ranking. Danu is the lowest form of shifter called a spark, so she struggles to earn the respect she deserves as the last breeder, which is normally a renowned position. All of the decisions Danu makes must revolve around the well-being of her people and their future because she represents their last hope. This is not a character-drive story. Danu has little desire to be free and accepts her responsibility with little to no regard of her own selfish desires.
The reason I don't consider this story a fairy tale is that fairy tales about princesses generally contain simple and straightforward romances. The princess always knows exactly who she wants to be with, and the two lovers fight for each other against all odds, usually resulting in a happy marriage. Danu spends most of the story being confused about which of the shifters she wants to give her heart to. Anyone who marries her would become king, so all of the male shifters pursue her regardless of their personal feelings, and she has trouble figuring out which ones genuinely care about her and which ones just want power, causing her to form many misplaced crushes. Even it was obvious to me who she was going to end up, I wouldn't consider this book particularly romantic. There was virtually no buildup to her final decision at the end of the book. Even her choice of who to marry in the first few chapters had absolutely nothing to do with love. It was instead about protecting her people from political corruption by picking the shifter most worthy to be king.
I did not find Danu very easy to relate to, but I don't think that took away from my overall enjoyment of the story. Her selfless willingness to do anything to ensure the future of the hisgeii shifters was admirable, but her flightiness of what she wanted on a personal level made it hard to root for her as a character. The book's plot picked up the most in the final few chapters when it introduced Greek mythology and hinted at the history of how hisgeii gained the ability to transform into dragons. I think Danu would have been a lot more interesting to read about if she knew how to transform into a dragon at the beginning of the story because that was one of the most interesting aspects of her world. It was all right to read about her riding her male companions when they transformed, but it wasn't the same as reading about it would it would be like first-hand, which was only expanded upon briefly at the end.
I think The Last Dragon Princess has the potential to be a beloved tale for the proper audience. As someone who prefers fairy tales and straightforward romance, there were things in it that I had difficulty relating to. Still, it was a very well-written book with a fully fleshed out fantasy world bursting with compelling original dragon mythology. Anyone who is a fan of dragons would love this book. The inclusion of Greek mythology was a clever twist that helped to make an unfamiliar world feel a little more familiar by incorporating stories that most people are already aware of. It's also a great book for people who enjoy reading about political corruption in fantasy worlds. If any of these things sound like they appeal to you, be sure to keep an eye out for its release next month!
September 8, 2018
Forever Royal: The Last Sofia the First
Back around 2012, a friend of mine sent me a press release about how Disney was making a new princess show about a little girl from a poor village who becomes a princess overnight when her mother marries the king. The endearing image of the little girl on the press release instantly caught my attention with her unique reddish-brown curls, playful expression, and gorgeous lavender dress that was dripping with pearl accents. Something about this description and image got me so excited for the series that I got to work right away on making a grown-up sized cosplay of Sofia's elegant gown. The series premiered on Disney Junior with a TV special called Once Upon a Princess in which Sofia received her legendary Amulet of Avalor and sang about her insecurities for her future life as a princess heroine in the song "Not Ready To Be a Princess." I loved her instantly. Over the next six years, she took me on a four season-long journey filled with Disney Princesses, fairies, mermaids, and unicorns that concluded today with an epic TV movie special called
Forever Royal
.
Sofia the First lives up to her namesake in many ways. She was the first Disney Princess to be introduced with a television series instead of a theatrical release, the first who doesn't grow up into a teenager during her story, the first to become a princess through the marriage of her mother instead of her own, the first to have a good stepfather (as opposed to an evil stepmother) and brother, and the first to wield her own magic relic instead of seeking help from a fairy or sorceress. In fact, she received her magical training at Royal Prep from Sleeping Beauty 's three fairies, Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather. Her show also launched the groundwork for Elena of Avalor, the first Latina Disney Princess, whose series is still going strong. In these ways, the Sofia the First was revolutionary for its time period, and it delivered everything it promised and more. Sofia is a fantastic role model, teaching lessons about friendship, compassion, forgiveness, and bravery. Despite her initial reservations, she grew to be an exemplary princess by freeing Elena from her amulet, becoming a guardian of the Mystic Isles and even teaching a few lessons to her stepsister, Amber, who thought she knew everything there was to know about being a princess.
Even though the manga Kilala Princess was the first to portray a young girl becoming friends with all of the Disney Princesses, Sofia was the first to do so in an animated format. The Amulet of Avalor gave her the ability to summon various Disney Princesses for advice whenever she found herself in a sticky situation. Most of the princesses were voiced by their original actresses and often sang songs, but their animation style was altered to match the show and the most recent merchandise stock art of their character designs. On the subject of songs, this series did a fantastic job of placing a brand new song in every single episode. Of course, having such a large quantity meant that not every tune was a guaranteed hit, but there was a surprising number of great ones for a show made for such a young audience. Some of the ones that stand out to me, include "All You Need" from the episode "The Shy Princess" where Sofia met a young musician named Princess Vivian and "Who I Am" from The Mystic Isles special in which Amber showed a rare moment of insecurity until Sofia gave her the encouragement she needed. Amber showed a significant amount of growth throughout the series leading up to the moment that she learned that she would inherit the throne instead of James.
Today's finale, Forever Royal, was an extremely fitting conclusion for such a strong series. It bought back all of the most memorable characters from previous episodes including Sofia's village friends Ruby and Jade, the shy Princess Vivian and her dragon Crackle, Prince Desmond, Lucinda the witch, Sofia's Aunt Tilly who wielded the Amulet of Avalor before her, and Prisma, Sofia's arch nemesis from the final season's story arc. I was very pleased that the royal sorcerer Cedric also had a much larger role in this special than he has had for the past few seasons. When the series began, he was the main antagonist and plotted on a regular basis to steal the Amulet of Avalor from Sofia so he could use its powers to take over the kingdom because he felt unappreciated by the simple-minded King Roland. Over time, Sofia won Cedric over with her charms, and he changed his mind about stealing from her but became less prominent on the show as a result. He was one of my favorite characters in the series who had the most growth along with Princess Amber, so it disappointed me to see him featured so much less. In Forever Royal, not only does he save Sofia's from the amulet and earn Roland's respect in a scene that is very reminiscent of an enchanted jewel circle from Princess Gwenevere and the Jewel Riders, another of my favorite shows, but he also graciously returns the amulet to Sofia, proving that he has truly come full circle.
It is very rare for a series to find just the right balance of fantasy, heart, adventure, and fun. Even though it concluded today, Sofia the First will always have a place in my heart as one of my favorite shows of all time. Her amulet's abilities to allow her to talk to animals and transform her into a mermaid, fairy, unicorn, and more fulfills every girl's fantasy of being a fairy tale princess and going on magical adventures. Sofia's initial insecurities about being worthy of becoming a princess overnight make her easy to relate to. Her loyalty and faith in people and ability to soften even the heart of the most disgruntled sorcerer in the kingdom makes watching her journey worthwhile. She inspires everyone who knows her with her bravery while still occasionally asking for advice from her elder princesses, proving that it's okay to ask for help. Today, we bid farewell to a revolutionary young princess who made an irreversible impact on the future of girls' entertainment.
Sofia the First lives up to her namesake in many ways. She was the first Disney Princess to be introduced with a television series instead of a theatrical release, the first who doesn't grow up into a teenager during her story, the first to become a princess through the marriage of her mother instead of her own, the first to have a good stepfather (as opposed to an evil stepmother) and brother, and the first to wield her own magic relic instead of seeking help from a fairy or sorceress. In fact, she received her magical training at Royal Prep from Sleeping Beauty 's three fairies, Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather. Her show also launched the groundwork for Elena of Avalor, the first Latina Disney Princess, whose series is still going strong. In these ways, the Sofia the First was revolutionary for its time period, and it delivered everything it promised and more. Sofia is a fantastic role model, teaching lessons about friendship, compassion, forgiveness, and bravery. Despite her initial reservations, she grew to be an exemplary princess by freeing Elena from her amulet, becoming a guardian of the Mystic Isles and even teaching a few lessons to her stepsister, Amber, who thought she knew everything there was to know about being a princess.
Even though the manga Kilala Princess was the first to portray a young girl becoming friends with all of the Disney Princesses, Sofia was the first to do so in an animated format. The Amulet of Avalor gave her the ability to summon various Disney Princesses for advice whenever she found herself in a sticky situation. Most of the princesses were voiced by their original actresses and often sang songs, but their animation style was altered to match the show and the most recent merchandise stock art of their character designs. On the subject of songs, this series did a fantastic job of placing a brand new song in every single episode. Of course, having such a large quantity meant that not every tune was a guaranteed hit, but there was a surprising number of great ones for a show made for such a young audience. Some of the ones that stand out to me, include "All You Need" from the episode "The Shy Princess" where Sofia met a young musician named Princess Vivian and "Who I Am" from The Mystic Isles special in which Amber showed a rare moment of insecurity until Sofia gave her the encouragement she needed. Amber showed a significant amount of growth throughout the series leading up to the moment that she learned that she would inherit the throne instead of James.
Today's finale, Forever Royal, was an extremely fitting conclusion for such a strong series. It bought back all of the most memorable characters from previous episodes including Sofia's village friends Ruby and Jade, the shy Princess Vivian and her dragon Crackle, Prince Desmond, Lucinda the witch, Sofia's Aunt Tilly who wielded the Amulet of Avalor before her, and Prisma, Sofia's arch nemesis from the final season's story arc. I was very pleased that the royal sorcerer Cedric also had a much larger role in this special than he has had for the past few seasons. When the series began, he was the main antagonist and plotted on a regular basis to steal the Amulet of Avalor from Sofia so he could use its powers to take over the kingdom because he felt unappreciated by the simple-minded King Roland. Over time, Sofia won Cedric over with her charms, and he changed his mind about stealing from her but became less prominent on the show as a result. He was one of my favorite characters in the series who had the most growth along with Princess Amber, so it disappointed me to see him featured so much less. In Forever Royal, not only does he save Sofia's from the amulet and earn Roland's respect in a scene that is very reminiscent of an enchanted jewel circle from Princess Gwenevere and the Jewel Riders, another of my favorite shows, but he also graciously returns the amulet to Sofia, proving that he has truly come full circle.
It is very rare for a series to find just the right balance of fantasy, heart, adventure, and fun. Even though it concluded today, Sofia the First will always have a place in my heart as one of my favorite shows of all time. Her amulet's abilities to allow her to talk to animals and transform her into a mermaid, fairy, unicorn, and more fulfills every girl's fantasy of being a fairy tale princess and going on magical adventures. Sofia's initial insecurities about being worthy of becoming a princess overnight make her easy to relate to. Her loyalty and faith in people and ability to soften even the heart of the most disgruntled sorcerer in the kingdom makes watching her journey worthwhile. She inspires everyone who knows her with her bravery while still occasionally asking for advice from her elder princesses, proving that it's okay to ask for help. Today, we bid farewell to a revolutionary young princess who made an irreversible impact on the future of girls' entertainment.
September 4, 2018
How Princesses Represent Hope
The final trailer was just released for Disney's latest fairy tale endeavor,
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms
. This trailer gives audiences more insight to the content of the four realms of snowflakes, flowers, sweets, and the creepy distorted land that was taken over by the movie's villain, Mother Ginger. The trailer also confirmed that the man with the eyepatch from the previous trailer was in fact Clara's godfather, Drosselmeyer. While it still hasn't been confirmed in the dialogue that the soldier accompanying Clara in the trailers is Drosselmeyer's nephew, the Nutcracker turned human, it's fairly obvious at this point. Some people have commented that this movie looks like a remake of Tim Burton's 2010 live-action Alice in Wonderland. Both portray a classic heroine donning the uniform of a soldier to save an enchanted realm from evil. This feminist answer to the "one man's journey" trope brings in a new era that shifts the method in which princesses represent hope in fantasy stories, a role that they have played for centuries.
Clara's status as a princess in this movie was established in the previous trailer even though it diverges from the original fairy tale. Her late mother created the four realms and is therefore considered their queen. As her offspring, Clara inherits the title of "Princess" along with the responsibility of saving the realms from Mother Ginger after her mother's death. We see additional footage of her in her soldier dress in this trailer as well as a brief demonstration of her knowledge of physics. Even though Clara was not aware of the enchanted realms, her destiny was set for her before she was born, and she must now finish what her mother started. In this way, her more metaphorical role as a princess isn't all that different from what it means to be a princess historically. Princesses are born into royal blood lines and are destined to either rule a kingdom or marry into an alliance that will promise peace between other kingdoms. The decline of femininity in modern media has mitigated the importance of marriage in fairy tales, so princesses must now take on a more active role in ensuring the future of their kingdoms, which is why Clara is seen as a soldier in this movie instead of being tailored into the role of the Nutcracker's future bride.
Princesses in fiction represent hope for the future in the same way that heroes do. That'sthe reason Auli'i Cravalho from Disney's Moana prefers to think of her character, the daughter of the village chief, as a heroine instead a princess. For better or worse, the term "princess" has a larger appeal to girls than "heroine," so that's the term that the media targeted toward girls prefers to use. It's also why the My Little Pony franchise made their most powerful characters princesses instead of queens. Princesses have always been a representation of the ideal female archetype. When Snow White ate the poison apple, the whole kingdom mourned for her. It was the death of the promise of a happy future under a kind and just queen. In the end, the prince revived her, restoring hope for the kingdom and the life of a pure, innocent, loving maiden. Today, princesses are more active in restoring that hope, but their significance to the lives of everyone living in their kingdom has not changed.
You might be wondering why Clara needs to be a princess when she played her role just fine as a little girl named Marie in the fairy tale and as an similar character in the ballet. What it all comes down to is princess culture in our society. The ideas of being perceived as beautiful inside and out, being loved by all, wearing beautiful clothes, and enjoying life are still ideal outcomes for girls today. All of these things are associated with princesses even though the finer details of what it means to be a princess have changed over the years. Therefore, calling Clara a princess makes The Nutcracker and the Four Realms more appealing to its target audience than if it was marketed as a retelling of "The Nutcracker." Would it change the story if they just call her "Clara" and leave all the other details in the script the same? Probably not. In the end, it's just a cleverly employed marketing device that allows them to tie this movie into their extremely successful Disney Princess franchise.
Today, princesses are synonymous with heroines in fiction. They embody all of the traits that make women outstanding and appealing. Clara from the new Nutcracker and the Four Realms trailer is no exception. She uses her intellect, strength, and predetermined destiny as the daughter of the woman who created the four realms to protect the magical land that she discovers. The Nutcracker and the Four Realms is coming to theaters on November 2nd. Even though it looks similar to a lot of other recent female-driven films, I'm eager to see what new twists they will place on the fairy tale as well as the lovely visuals portrayed in all of the trailers leading up to the final one released today.
Clara's status as a princess in this movie was established in the previous trailer even though it diverges from the original fairy tale. Her late mother created the four realms and is therefore considered their queen. As her offspring, Clara inherits the title of "Princess" along with the responsibility of saving the realms from Mother Ginger after her mother's death. We see additional footage of her in her soldier dress in this trailer as well as a brief demonstration of her knowledge of physics. Even though Clara was not aware of the enchanted realms, her destiny was set for her before she was born, and she must now finish what her mother started. In this way, her more metaphorical role as a princess isn't all that different from what it means to be a princess historically. Princesses are born into royal blood lines and are destined to either rule a kingdom or marry into an alliance that will promise peace between other kingdoms. The decline of femininity in modern media has mitigated the importance of marriage in fairy tales, so princesses must now take on a more active role in ensuring the future of their kingdoms, which is why Clara is seen as a soldier in this movie instead of being tailored into the role of the Nutcracker's future bride.
Princesses in fiction represent hope for the future in the same way that heroes do. That'sthe reason Auli'i Cravalho from Disney's Moana prefers to think of her character, the daughter of the village chief, as a heroine instead a princess. For better or worse, the term "princess" has a larger appeal to girls than "heroine," so that's the term that the media targeted toward girls prefers to use. It's also why the My Little Pony franchise made their most powerful characters princesses instead of queens. Princesses have always been a representation of the ideal female archetype. When Snow White ate the poison apple, the whole kingdom mourned for her. It was the death of the promise of a happy future under a kind and just queen. In the end, the prince revived her, restoring hope for the kingdom and the life of a pure, innocent, loving maiden. Today, princesses are more active in restoring that hope, but their significance to the lives of everyone living in their kingdom has not changed.
You might be wondering why Clara needs to be a princess when she played her role just fine as a little girl named Marie in the fairy tale and as an similar character in the ballet. What it all comes down to is princess culture in our society. The ideas of being perceived as beautiful inside and out, being loved by all, wearing beautiful clothes, and enjoying life are still ideal outcomes for girls today. All of these things are associated with princesses even though the finer details of what it means to be a princess have changed over the years. Therefore, calling Clara a princess makes The Nutcracker and the Four Realms more appealing to its target audience than if it was marketed as a retelling of "The Nutcracker." Would it change the story if they just call her "Clara" and leave all the other details in the script the same? Probably not. In the end, it's just a cleverly employed marketing device that allows them to tie this movie into their extremely successful Disney Princess franchise.
Today, princesses are synonymous with heroines in fiction. They embody all of the traits that make women outstanding and appealing. Clara from the new Nutcracker and the Four Realms trailer is no exception. She uses her intellect, strength, and predetermined destiny as the daughter of the woman who created the four realms to protect the magical land that she discovers. The Nutcracker and the Four Realms is coming to theaters on November 2nd. Even though it looks similar to a lot of other recent female-driven films, I'm eager to see what new twists they will place on the fairy tale as well as the lovely visuals portrayed in all of the trailers leading up to the final one released today.
