Disney's Divinity wrote:I don't know who two of those guys are, but... The controversy is deserved. Maui is revolting.
I don't find him revolting, and I actually find it ironic that people complain about how society has a standard for women, but take a chance to body shame a character for being bulky and not up to their standard of what is good looking.
Maui is a freak'n god. He's powerful, hence why he's bulky. He moves Islands, lifts the sky, and is a fisherman. He's not an athlete, like the other guys. He eats and is powerful. That's it.
Also people tend to forget some versions of Maui describes him as being unattractive, and in one legend even stole the face of his wife because she was beautiful unlike him. Although I do wonder if we should really call this version of Maui ugly, because I would say he's at least pleasingly bulky.
On an anecdotal note, I do find Pacific Islanders to be on the larger side, and they pretty much make up the majority of players on the football teams here.
Maui's center-weighted face is what I have a problem with. ┐(´∀`)┌
jazzflower92 wrote:
I don't find him revolting, and I actually find it ironic that people complain about how society has a standard for women, but take a chance to body shame a character for being bulky and not up to their standard of what is good looking.
He's ugly and there's no body-shaming in saying that. Do you think anyone hesitates to call Ursula ugly? Or Yzma? Or Quasimodo? They are ugly. And for Maui, he's not even designed appealingly despite being unattractive like those characters.
Listening to most often lately:
Taylor Swift ~ ~ "The Fate of Ophelia"
Taylor Swift ~ "Eldest Daughter"
Taylor Swift ~ "CANCELLED!"
kiseki wrote:Maui's center-weighted face is what I have a problem with.
Agreed. Maui's facial structure is the problem but from the looks of it this controversy has more to do with fatphobia than with the concept of appeal in animation.
Disney's Divinity wrote:Do you think anyone hesitates to call Ursula ugly? Or Yzma? Or Quasimodo? They are ugly. And for Maui, he's not even designed appealingly despite being unattractive like those characters.
Exactly. That's the problem with Maui. Unlike other "ugly" characters, his character design is unintentionally unappealing.
Yeah, the "controversy" seems to be over the fact that he is "fat" and/or "obese," which I think is pretty unwarranted, especially considering that Disney is always under fire for their heroes/heroines having unattainable or "ideal" figures.
But I agree with Sotiris that it is the character design that is the real problem here. Most of Disney's "ugly" characters have designs that are appealing. You understand that they are "ugly" characters, but you don't think, "man, that is one poorly designed character!" every time they appear on screen, which is unfortunately what happens with Maui every time I see him. IMO he doesn't really have any appeal as a cartoon character, and I'd think that's kinda a no-no in terms of character design. (IMO Quasimodo also is quite unappealing as an animated character, but I didn't find that problematic given that there is a specific purpose in making him look unappealing.)
Disney's Divinity wrote:I don't know who two of those guys are, but... The controversy is deserved. Maui is revolting.
And yet a personally know a number of Polynesians who look a lot like this animated Maui. I also know a number that are thinner, and some that are in-between. People come in all shapes and sizes as it turns out.
jazzflower92 wrote:
I don't find him revolting, and I actually find it ironic that people complain about how society has a standard for women, but take a chance to body shame a character for being bulky and not up to their standard of what is good looking.
Seriously! Aren't a lot of the same people complaining also the ones that defend fat women? I've decided that a part of the population just likes to find things to complain about. I guess it keeps them in the news.
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All the adversity I've had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me... You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.
Disney's Divinity wrote:I don't know who two of those guys are, but... The controversy is deserved. Maui is revolting.
And yet a personally know a number of Polynesians who look a lot like this animated Maui. I also know a number that are thinner, and some that are in-between. People come in all shapes and sizes as it turns out.
jazzflower92 wrote:
I don't find him revolting, and I actually find it ironic that people complain about how society has a standard for women, but take a chance to body shame a character for being bulky and not up to their standard of what is good looking.
Seriously! Aren't a lot of the same people complaining also the ones that defend fat women? I've decided that a part of the population just likes to find things to complain about. I guess it keeps them in the news.
They're only complaining because it's from WDAS. If Maui was from Pixar, DreamWorks, Illumination or Blue Sky, you would hardly hear any complaining.
I know who two of those guys are, though I'm sure everyone knows who Dwayne The Rock Johnson is.
That guy in the first picture is a WWE wreslter, Roman Reigns who is Samoan and is related to The Rock.
I feel this debate is a bit silly as well. I mean I laughed at Maui's character in the trailer, he was funny and The Rock is the right guy to voice Maui. I mean did someone see some footage of Maui on a sofa surrounded by chips, I know I didn't.
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DisneyEra wrote:
They're only complaining because it's from WDAS. If Maui was from Pixar, DreamWorks, Illumination or Blue Sky, you would hardly hear any complaining.
PIXAR might have gotten some flak, but I fully agree with the other studios.
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All the adversity I've had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me... You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.