Female Characters in Contemporary Chinese Cinema: Case Studies of Modern Animated Films From 2015 to 2021
Abstract
From 2015 to 2021, the feminist movement flourished, and gender studies emerged as a new discipline. This paper uses argumentative and literature analysis to conduct a detailed analysis of the portrayal of female characters in Chinese animated films, summarizing ways to improve the genre and techniques for creating excellent female characters. Among five representative domestic animated films selected, the number of female characters has significantly increased, from the absence of a female protagonist in Monkey King: Hero Is Back to the independent, strong, and courageous dual female protagonists in White Snake 2: The Tribulation of the Green Snake, with increasingly rich character designs. However, most contemporary Chinese film and television works still adhere to traditional gender stereotypes and suffer from many problems: for example, animated works featuring female protagonists often have simple themes, lack diverse character development, and exhibit bias in the portrayal and narrative style of strong women etc. Female characters should be portrayed as "people," not merely "female characters."
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