Mike Wazowski's Arc: Side Character to a Realistic Protagonist | A Monsters University Video Essay

[@Trailmicks]

I had the pleasure of working on MU as a kid as the voice of young mike at the start of the film. ill never forget the experience of recording at pixar studios 😊 *fun fact: the part where hes getting pushed to the back of the crowd saying “watch the eye!” Thats a line I made up while we were recording!

[@AaliyanKapWrites]

Wait this is CRAZY!

[@h1ghtide_era]

yoo

[@TheBobist]

hi ! have u done more work after?????

[@pedrosantana245]

Young Mike Wazowski’s voice likes pokemon?? Pogg

[@Trailmicks]

@@TheBobist yeah! A bunch my whole childhood, most notably I was schroeder in the peanuts movie, zuma in paw patrol merch and video games through the 2010’s, was in “on your feet” on broadway a short time, as well as a ton of commercials over the years 😊

[@AnaandVerity1259]

I’m so glad Monsters University is getting the appreciation it deserves.

[@Koopalingfan]

Same

[@popsingerstar]

@@Koopalingfan ditto. i was 18 when it came out & dying 2 see it. i turn 29 in a week & it still rocks

[@Koopalingfan]

@@popsingerstar Nice.

[@themumblebrapper]

right its actually another great pixar movie

[@maxresdefault_]

I think it's the most underrated Pixar film, it's genuinely hilarious and has so much heart

[@asthejayflies]

MU truly does so much to retroactively enrich MI. You already pointed out how it makes Mike’s concern for his job and success make sense for his character, but one thing that I noticed was how MU makes the “mike is in advertisements and gets covered up but he doesn’t care” gag into something truly meaningful. Mike worked so hard to get where he is, there was a time where he didn’t think he could ever achieve this level of success, so the fact that he’s even *able* to be on TV and on magazine covers is a mark of pride, even if he’s not prominent in it. He plays a supportive role, it’s fine by him.

[@AaliyanKapWrites]

Great point! I really like this!

[@RTU130]

Ye

[@spennywenny]

When I was a kid, I watched monsters university and never heard of the first movie. When I actually watched it, I genuinely thought it was a sequel to university. That's what makes a fantastic prequel in my eyes, where the original could work as a great sequel.

[@bluekel615]

Same

[@Mattutube]

ME TOO

[@ae1103]

SAMEE

[@trees70]

KID??? … MU FIRST?!

[@shortstop-wt7bs]

Hooh your not the only one who thought monsters university was a sequel

[@astroliterallyjustastro]

Monsters University says something that is hard to swallow but needed. Sometimes you cant just do something, sometimes something you want to do, no matter how hard to try is just not gonna happen. It says it in a way that isnt to demean you, but in a way to let you know that your skills can be amazing for something else.

[@giga_chad9]

More people need this message in their lives

[@DaKingKayden]

sometimes, you're just not built for what you want, but mike gets around this by helping those who can. in the cabin scene, mike was the support and sully was the scare, mike made everything more disturbing, and sully delivered the power. i think this is a good thing for all of us, yeah we might not get what we want, but we can settle for something probably better. if mike never figured out sully had cheated, he would have become a miserable scarer. nobody would have been scared and he would have been fired almost instantly. mike leaving MU was the best thing to happen to him

[@winkone101]

“I am in no sense of the word a great artist, not even a great animator; I have always had men working for me whose skills were greater than my own. I am an idea man.”-Walt Disney

[@Kalossupremacy3356]

I always like the message that you may be able to achieve your dreams you wanted to, but you can get around there in a different way.

[@randoman9122]

Some dreams are impossible to obtain, but that’s not your fault

[@thomasraines1396]

I enjoyed the fact that Sully and Mike didn’t get let back in but they were still able accomplish great things despite that: Mike was able to utilize his intelligence, Sully was ultimately humbled and had to legitimately work to get where he ends up.

[@LizardOfOz69]

Mike basically lived most of his life with one goal in mind: work in Monsters, inc. so when they get banished in the 1st movie, it's totally understandable why Mike would get THIS angry at their situation.

[@n19ntendods]

While I wouldn’t *QUITE* call this movie a masterpiece, I still think it’s very unappreciated and deserves more love. Not only is Mike and Sulley’s friendship developed incredibly well, reminding me of Woody and Buzz from Toy Story 1, but it also teaches kids a very important message. That being that sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you just aren’t capable of achieving your dreams, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other options for you.

[@JustaGuy_Gaming]

MU is a good idea, it kept to the characters well and all that. But I think it's more a series of Good Scenes, over a real movie. It just doesn't flow well and spends a bit too much time on side jokes and Easter egg moments. Then the final act just feels rushed.

[@n19ntendods]

@@JustaGuy_Gaming Fair enough. It does indeed have flaws, but I still like it.

[@cryguy0000]

Same, University is good, but not quite on par with Inc. The side cast feels just...there, and a lot of the film is dedicated to a somewhat cliché school conflict. But Mike's characterization and especially the ending part of the movie was just amazing. Teaching a heartbreaking lesson about pursuing dreams, and shedding light on Sully's fears and what he lacks compared to Mike.

[@Elysium4]

​@@cryguy0000I love this movie. The best thing about it is that what you say is a hundred percent true, it has its big flaws and it could have been better, but that just never bothered me. I just enjoyed it as a movie, flaws be damned, and it's a special kind of film when you can admit it's not perfect but still enjoy anyways.

[@ryanlozano9086]

⁠@@JustaGuy_Gamingyes though they did recon that Mike and Sul knew each other since 5 because that was said in Monster Ic as a throw away line from Mike

[@purpleirken1529]

The "None of it matters?" line really hits deeper when you've seen how much Mike went through, in Monsters University, to get to where he is now. Pixar is so good at telling the kinds of stories Disney would be too afraid to touch.

[@battybuddy]

Hardscrabble as an antagonist is one of my favorites. Shes very calm, collected, and capable, and it’s very easy to see that she flat out EARNED that record breaking scare of hers. And I also love that in proving himself, Mike utilizes his biggest insecurity- that people don’t NOTICE him.

[@I_Like_Ike53]

And shes not an evil or cruel character, just a strict teacher

[@noorbohamad5796]

@@I_Like_Ike53doesn’t mean that someone who’s “just strict”can’t come across as cruel

[@e-122psi3]

I like how it not only fleshes out Mike but makes his and Sulley's end in the original film more cathartic. Not only does Mike get to go through the doors and perform as good as everyone else, but Sulley is now head of the freaking corporation. It is a genuine success story, just not the way they expected it before. It fully shows that you can have crushed dreams and hard truths and, so long as you can accept them and get back up, your journey isn't over. It makes Randall and Waternoose such interesting foils to the two as well, characters who were unwilling to take a new direction, believing the one they went for was all they had and going to whatever lengths and stepping on whoever they can to keep it going (tragically early pre-corrupted Randall likely could have made a great laugh monster).

[@samandom8772]

We could have had funny chameleon Randall (after some character development of course) but they had to toss him through a door T_T

[@donnycorn3086]

@@samandom8772 To quote something from Monster Uni, "Why didn't you told me all of this before?" "Because we weren't friends."

[@giga_chad9]

What I love about how they did mikes character and his arc is how they handled him accepting the realities of his life, but he’s not just settling down into his life making it shitty. He’s actively having fun at his job, has a great relationship with an octopus mommy, and has a solid group of friends, at the end of the day Mike proves that you can live simply and be happy and be able to give to the world

[@e-122psi3]

Sulley's also an interesting character to talk about because how unfocused he actually seems to be in any goal, he just has it rammed into his head he's supposed to be top scarer. He has the talent but no motivation besides peer pressure. I think it's interesting how in both films his agency is simply to go with his heart and his 'reward' is a friend thinking that particular area up for him. He helps Mike and he motivates him to work his way up to a respectable position in Monster's Inc. He helps Boo and she inspires him to use laughter to solve the energy crisis. Ultimately Sulley's end goal isn't even to be top scarer, it's to be the 'heart' of the company, the thing he was ultimately best at and most motivated by.

[@accelleratiiincredibus446]

I think something interesting that isn't brought up is how Monsters Inc. ends in relation to Monsters University. Throughout Monsters Inc., it's shown that the company isn't doing so hot, hence why Waternoose let Randal do his freaky scream extractor stuff. It's also shown that laugh energy is WAY stronger than scream energy, with Boo managing to power a million doors with her laughter. After Waternoose is arrested, Sully is able to keep the company alive by using laugh energy and Mike has basically taken his old job, since, as the summer camp girl in Monsters University said, he looks funny. By the end of Monsters Inc., Mike has achieved the position he's always wanted, just without the necessity of being scary. As it turned out, the assumption that monsters needed to be scary to harvest energy was wrong. And, not only are the children doing better with this new energy model, monsters have more fun with it too, and still use their differences to fill different niches as they did before. Essentially, Monsters University challenges how monsters are valued based off of their scariness, and Monsters Inc. challenges how important scariness truly is. I also just love some of the details in Monsters University, like the Abominable Snowman's comment that reveals what he was probably banished for. One I truly loved though, and I admittedly first saw pointed out by a comment on another video, was what Heartscrabble said to Sully about how a child afraid of snakes would cry instead of scream if a monster roared at them. In Monsters Inc., Boo's monster is Randal, a snake/chameleon-like monster, and when Waternoose makes Sully demonstrate his roar, what happens when Boo sees him? She cries. Heartscabble's perceptions were off, but she was definitely very knowledgeable on the subject of scaring.

[@bryceallen]

Props on you for catching that last one. I didn’t realize it until now.

[@Nic_2751]

Excellent observation, I did note some of these but forgot there were other establishments to build off those lines

[@SirToaster9330]

One small detail I found interesting as well was how scaring Adults was on a similar level of effectiveness as making kids laugh

[@noorbohamad5796]

@@SirToaster9330scaring MULTIPLE SEVERAL adults AND AT ONCE THE SAME TIME

[@allis_o2628]

I can't really think of any other children's movies that carries the message "Some people won't have their big dreams come true, but it's okay because they can still have great lives".

[@AaliyanKapWrites]

Couldnt agree more

[@SoundtrackDetector]

One underrated detail. The movie came out long after the original, at a time where the kids who watched monsters inc growing up would be at or nearing to college age, making it hit super hard for the people who grew up with the first movie. Great video!

[@fionna_cool_girl]

This movie is the definition of the quote "shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars" Mike may not have gotten to where he wanted to be, but he still shines bright.

[@dianadegracia3586]

this makes the second last scene in the movie all the better when Mike becomes one of the best performers on the newly redubbed Laugh Floor

[@deusherbert-noel2424]

The best*

[@CleverFoxStudios]

The end of MU reminds me if one reason i enjoyed The Wind Rises. The point wasn't "defy the odds and prove them wrong", because there are times that ideology is harmful, wrong or just plain unrealistic. When told he had poor eyesight and couldn't fly, the protag didn't fly anyway and "defy" this limitation--he could have gotten himself or someone hurt. Instead, he took his passion and did something else by designing the aircraft he loved so much. Mike is the same. He couldn't be a scarer, but he did manage to find himself in the company regardless, by redefining his goal rather than push through it when it was just unrealistic. I think that message of adaptability in pursuit of a dream is a far better message than "don't be told you can't", because you may not be able to and the emotional damage of that failure can be soul crushing. Absolutely try to defy the odds if you can, dare to dream, but knowing your own limits is more important to your own happiness. Perhaps you were not meant to be the one shattering the glass ceiling, but you WERE meant to be the one teaching that very person. That's my thoughts anyway ❤

[@babayaga3976]

7:49 ah yes, iron man and tony stark, my favorite dynamic

[@samiab7120]

time to re-watch Monster's Inc

[@deltram]

I rewatched monsters university with my friend and we couldn't stop listing the attention to detail in this movie: the bright colours of the university when mike steps in symbolising opportunity and excitement, only to become grey with the only colour being pronounced is blue once mike gets kicked out of the scaring program is my favourite detail.

[@thatguytristan3928]

I’m glad more people are talking about MU It’s such an underrated masterpiece

[@n19ntendods]

I’ll be honest. This movie makes me appreciate Mike a lot more. As much as I love Monsters, Inc, after rewatching it recently, I’m starting to realise how much of an asshole Mike is. It’s like how people feel when they realise how much of an asshole Woody was in the first Toy Story movie. Now don’t get me wrong. I don’t hate Mike. Definitely not. I think he’s funny, charming, adorable, charismatic, intelligent, and caring. And honestly, Billy Crystal’s vocal performance is what ultimately saves me from hating him. He’s absolutely perfect as the character. Delivering a lot of hilarious lines, but also giving him a lot of heart, kindness, compassion, and vulnerability. And even though Mike does act arrogant, impatient, boastful, ignorant, and selfish, at times, he’s still a great friend who puts the needs of others before his own like when he repaired Boo’s door so Sulley could see her again and when he took his fraternity to Monsters, Inc to motivate them into becoming great scarers. And after watching Monsters University, you can see where Mike’s behaviour stems from, as he was constantly teased, insulted, and told he would never be a real scarer, which was unfortunately true. And while Mike does commit a lot of hasty, impulsive felonies in both movies that have severe consequences, I think his actions are a lot more justified in this film, as all he wanted was to be admired and respected by his peers, which is a very relatable goal for someone, like me. And I’m sure other people can relate to Mike in this movie, as well.

[@graciegonzales2077]

I watched Monsters Inc. recently after University and I saw some parts where Mike wasn't getting much attention from the corporation since they covered most of him up on a TV commercial and an article. The only good things with him at the corporation were that he got himself a girlfriend and became a monster comedian at the end of the movie.

[@donnycorn3086]

@@graciegonzales2077 for that last part, notice how the camp girl said he looks funny in the Uni movie, but then at the end of Inc., he's a great comedian. He may not live what he wanted to be, but he live what is needed for him.

[@ASLTheatre]

I first saw Monsters University as it was advertised, a stupid 80’s college movie. But 3 years ago I was convinced to watch it again focusing on Mike’s and Sully’s struggles. I related and understood Mike so much more. I now love this movie. Advertising can really ruin a movie.

[@zerodark3505]

Mike is definitely an underrated character, good to see he comes into his own when they switch to laughter

[@Pudding404]

Monster's University really has been out over 10 years as of June, damn. Pixar movies in general are made to be rewatched 10 years later with a more mature mind. The writers clearly had a vision and an underlying narrative to tell.

[@fluffycat679]

Surprisingly among my families entire collection of classics, the one most commonly picked was always Monster's University. At first I didn't understand what elevated this film above all the others. But the burning question "why is this film being chosen again and again?" made me continually wonder what was it about this movie that had us watching nonstop. And every time I think to that ending. It's so brutally truthful, you'd think it could only exist in a tragedy. But then the film takes a turn in a truthful, yet calming way. It shows that even though Mike didn't get the ending he wanted he did get an ending he could love. It's bittersweet at the moment, but it promises better things can come, and I love that about this film.

[@_Alex_Zer0_]

7:49 I really loved the relationship between Iron Man and Tony Stark in Avengers, their development really helped me enrich my real life friendships

[@pointypointypointy-pin]

lol

[@creepertech9872]

Great video, the only thing I wish you brought up is how Mike and sully after being expelled, still followed their dream, working from the mailroom all the way up to the scare floor, and how when when every card is dealt against you and fail these still a chance to take a different path which might not be as good or as simple, but you can still try to teach your goals

[@crazypeopleonsunday7864]

I love how you let your closing statement sink in at the end with that little bit of silence after your last sentence and before your video ends. It really lets what you have to say sink in.

[@goodolmeplant5809]

The fact that he became a comedian for kids, something better than a scarer, I love monsters inc

[@rickyricardo2280]

See I knew I wasn’t crazy for loving this movie Even if at first it was mostly because of the credits song 💀

[@Youwillseesomething]

This is why I will always prefer monsters University over Monsters Inc. it’s really relatable and really well written, it’s a shame that nobody talks about it on the Internet cause it’s one of my favorite Pixar movies ever.

[@gecko3941]

10:19 pulling out the welwraith/inkplasm art in the middle of a video essay is diabolical 😭😭😭

[@AaliyanKapWrites]

Thanks for all the love y'all! 1.5K for just my second video?? LETS GO! I made the script for this years ago, and just recently got the courage to make this video and publish it! Be sure to check out my other video essays and let me know what other things to cover! More to come for sure!

[@AaliyanKapWrites]

UHH 10k, wow thanks for the love yall!

[@EveloGrave]

I have an extremely personal connection with Monsters Inc. because when I was 4 my mom was on the BART (a rail system in the Bay Area, California) with me and she ran into someone who worked at Pixar. Albert Lozano. He had extra tickets to see the pre-release of Monsters Inc. in a private showing with a few families and many of the people who worked on the film. After the movie ended I told my mom, "That was REALLY good." She looked back and saw the numerous people who worked on the film with beaming smiles at my response. I am tearing up just typing this out. Monsters Inc is my favorite animated movie period. Nothing will change that. Fast forward to when I am significantly older and Monsters University comes out. I was hesitant to see it for fear it would besmirch my love of the classic. After the film ended I really liked it. It didn't become an instant love like I did for the first movie but I did enjoy it. I haven't seen it since I watched it at the theater but I think I will now. Then follow it up with the classic Monsters Inc I love so much. Thank you Mr. Lozano. you greatly touched the life of a child forever. ❤

[@jimejimeyu]

Another video to put in my monsters inc appreciation playlist

[@fayescarlet]

MU is one of my favorite Pixar films. I was on my 2nd year of uni when it came out, and I really, REALLY resonated with Mike's struggles. That even with all the hard work and studying in the world, even if you want it with all your heart, sometimes you just don't *have it*. And accepting that, and working with what you DO have, is such a hard bitter lesson. But this movie helped me reconcile that.

[@jelly_elli]

I love this movie sm and it truly is super underrated. As a disabled person, it also hits left even more of an impact on me. Also YOU REFERENCED THE HOBBIT!! I am so happy!! I love the hobbit and LOTR with all my heart and I draw them all the time. My channel literally revolves around it and it keeps me going. Anyway love this video, and keep it up!! :)

[@TristanIonizedBerri]

Oh, so that's why the movie felt to real to me! I honestly didn't think that they would talk about this movie.

[@edgelord8256]

Idk why but i was crying by the end of this video the wau you describe these characters is something special

[@mevb]

Not all Pixar films end on a bittersweet note. The first Toy Story Woody gets to be Andy's favorite again, though he accepts sharing it with Buzz, who technically is cooler than him but it's because of his journey of getting lost that he gets re-appreciated by Andy (caused by his own actions driven by the fear of losing his love for Andy and the respect of the other toys). A Bug's Life doesn't have a bittersweet ending either as Flik did get what he wanted, to be appreciated by the colony (and getting Princess Atta, who he always had a crush on but at the start it was one-sided because of his clumsiness). Finding Nemo Marlin gets his son back, though he has learned that being overprotective isn't a good idea and that he can't stop things from happening to Nemo. Finding Dory has a happy ending with Dory having her whole family again, both her surogates (Marlin and Nemo) and her real parents along with new friends Hank, Destiny and Bailey, with her feeling good that despite her mental handicap, she could make such achievements, going beyond what her parents hoped for (and despite their worries when she was little). Monsters, Inc. is just semi-bittersweet as thanks to Mike, Sulley does to get meet Boo again, solved the energy crisis and saved the company from being shut down. In The Incredibles Mr. Incredible does get the chance to become a super again and he does it with his family (which, similar to Woody, wasn't willing to share at first). Okay, Incredibles 2 does continue this as apparently supers haven't become legal again yet anyway but that what the sequel's story resolve and the family is happy once again (it yet remains to be seen if 3 will do similar like 2 did with 1's ending... or not). The Cars franchise don't really have any bittersweetiness other than Lightning didn't win the race and get to be signed with Dinoco but that's because he was willing to sacrifice it for the sake of his friendship with The Radiator Springs towns people. Of course, he didn't get to make his comeback and beat Jackson Storm but he became a mentor figure for Cruz like Doc did to him (and in a sort of irony, he became part of Dinoco as Tex bought Rusteze from Steerling and he did get to continue racing). In Ratatouille, while Gusteau's was shut down instead of being restored to its full glory as a five-star restaurant, Remy did became the cook he always wanted. WALL-E has certainly a feel-good ending with WALL-E getting the girl and he helped humanity back to Earth to restore it. In Brave, while kind of a happy ending it was a kind of compromise between Merida and Eleanor. While Merida is accepting her destiny as becoming a queen in the future, she does get to do her adventures and her mom accepting of it. Inside Out, while Joy understands she can't keep Riley happy all the time, she does get to most of the time while she have to let Sadness take control when she needs to. Not exactly a bittersweet ending as life continues. While Coco is bittersweet in the sense that Coco died between the penultimate scene and the epilogue, Miguel does get to play music as he wanted, Hector doesn't become forgotten, gets to cross to The Land of The Living and is reunited with his daughter after all those years.

[@superxavxii421]

Ka-Chigga

[@sarwatarannya8786]

You literally explained why the endings are bittersweet in most of these

[@matheuskirisame]

I can get Mike not being a scary monster because he focuses so much on technique he ends up forgetting the basic/natural part, truly the opposite of Sulley, but while you could say Sulley learned to be gently over the time this movie hurts Monsters Inc. Mike character for actually being a regression of personality he developed in Monsters University. But this aside it was a excellent review, i love that final scene with the director "dragon" and Mike, where she doesn't lies about how he isn't scary but gives him a push to continue chasing his dream in a different road leading to the same place at the end. You may not be as famous as the singer of your band, but at the same time the band isn't made of a single person/role and Mike learned there had different routes he and Sulley could follow to fullfil his childhood dream.

[@noorbohamad5796]

This PREQUEL movie EXPLAINED Monster inc mike’s behavior why he’s so angry and all when they’re banished

[@blu.blasters]

The fact that pixar had a standard 2 year release schedule despite still being an experimental studio, while still putting in extra stuff astounds me

[@seeminglyindistressed3855]

Mike is relatable because i watched this movie in elementary school and i just started to push myself in school all the way to Rhodes Middle School.I got top 8 in my grade but what broke me is that i got suspended for getting mad at someone who was mocking me. Now i gotta pick myself back up to take down college and I'm making good progress with honor society sending me invitations(but i won't accept it because it's just paid subscription service like ea they are pretty greedy)

[@FizzleFX]

Using the university and the janitor Job to tie the movies together is clever. They kept that door open

[@hectorespinoza1100]

Man, I did not notice how few views this had! Great video! This truly deserves more views

[@gvlbright]

This was an overall brilliantly in-depth character analysis video. I've never really been into university themed movies, but the theme in this one is such a powerful one that needs to be heard. It may be bittersweet, but it's not defeatist to accept one's limitations and adapt to your strengths.

[@apple2435]

I remember watching this movie in 2013 and I woulda been around 6. This movie made my childhood and I'm so glad I got to watch it in cinemas

[@Raiigen]

MU is by far my most favourite Monsters movie and on the top shelf with my favourite Disney flicks, specifically because of how it deals with, well, everything, but most of all the sense of Hard Work doesn't always get you what you want, but still opens the way to what you need. That heartfelt conversation at the lake after Mike gets a terrible eye opener is, hands down, my favourite Pixar movie moment. I also love the symbolism of Mike's hat: He first gets it when he gets an approval as a kid and wears it throughout the entirety of his school journey and even brings it to campus, wearing it again when he decides to go to the human world to proof himself. It then gets burnt, symbolizing his utter failure at what he tried to accomplish, only to have it replaced by the helmet once he steps onto the Scare Floor. Mike may not have become a Scarer like he wanted to, but he did find his calling along the line, which is training other monsters to be scary. I wanted to work with languages and studied hard to accomplish that, but due to circumstances, I had to work in a CallCenter for a tech related project. I now work in IT and I absolutely love it, also taking care of training newcomers. Sometimes, we find our calling while searching for a way to accomplish our dreams. Maybe this is why MU is so beloved for me.

[@Nic_2751]

I’m honestly glad the original is better because it means chronologically their story just gets better and they both got the spotlight, not to mention just how great both movies are on their own, absolutely love Monsters

[@medi-sin2969]

this has to be one of the most heartfelt video essays ive watched. it's like a breath of fresh air

[@roseypixelz1470]

I think what I like- and how I interpret your mention of the sense of "realism" is not that I love the realism of the setting/narritive but the *hope* that no matter what life gives you, your story isn't over and you didn't fail with an unhappy ending. I love how these kids shows and movies as a whole have these "realism" moments or "deeper" narrative choices not because they need to be realistic, but because our main characters still have that look in their eye like everything will be okay. There is still childhood wonder and curiosity and that sense of magic- that- spark that doesn't leave even if they didn't get the ideal perfect happily ever after and I think that's really valuable to those of us who have such an affinity with these movies. We want to see our heros never lose hope so that we believe that we can too. (Thank you for reading my long comment haha😄)

[@haiderrizvi3188]

Genius and original concept … def one of the favs

[@kbdj790]

I watched this movie when I was still in elementary, I didn't liked the ending much back then. It was annoying that the main character did not win or get what they wanted. But now on my final year in college and this movie makes much more sense. This video made me understand how this movie is such a gem.

[@kldn-xtlxmr7675]

My favourite scene in the prequel was when Sulley says something like: Mike, you ain't scary, not even a little bit, but you ain't scared of nothing

[@ComboFood]

Rewatched Monsters University for the first time in years, I’d forgotten just how good this film is, I’d overlooked it for a while but now I’d have it in my top 5 Pixar films alongside Cars, Ratatouille, The Incredibles and Monsters Inc

[@ZaTheLean]

You just gained a new sub! This video is criminally underrated and you explained it in detail and used great wordings. I can see you being one of the biggest KZbinrs in a couple years.

[@Artemi22]

this video is insanely good and well written, before I checked I could swear this video was from a channel with well over 100k subs, I wish you the best of luck with your channel and await for the next video!

[@thetuerk]

6:18 Mister Blue Scarer is exactly is such a hero omg

[@growingupwithdisney]

I never watched Monsters University, but this is a great analysis. I can resonate with having to accept myself/my life, and letting go of a dream thats unrealistic for me. I have certain strengths I can use to work to achieve realistic goals

[@AaliyanKapWrites]

Yes guys, I know I made a mistake, Tony Stark is indeed the same as Iron Man, as a Marvel fanboy im disappointed in my mistake too dw :(

[@ariellelopez8857]

It's cool. We all make them. You at least learned from it.

[@amadeosendiulo2137]

​@@ariellelopez8857Because Tony Stark leans from Iron Man’s mistakes.

[@TheDiamondCore]

This is a really great video, this deserves more views! Monsters University is an underrated gem, the main theme ALONE makes it a worthwhile prequel to exist lmao

[@chloeafton2414]

One thing I don’t understand is how people all call mike not scary but there’s like a literal garten of banban purple noodle that isn’t scary at all but is yet considered scary?The math ain’t mathing

[@AaliyanKapWrites]

This pretty funny LOLL if i saw a green ball with one eye crawling around in my room id def get messed up ngl 🤣

[@fadillah6014]

I think he simply chooses wrong poses to scare, he had big round eye which could be attractive for some people and he had dull teeth with small body. Imagine if he using his stealth the blank stare while getting closer, I'm sure that would more terrifying.

[@noorbohamad5796]

who and/or what’s the ‘ literal garten of banban purple noodle that isn’t scary at all ’ ?

[@itsraventm]

I was not expecting to see an inkplasm post in a pixar essay but here we are and im giving you extra credit

[@yowhatsupguys6919]

1:57 is my favorite moment here. It’s hilarious on it’s own and the cut off here is just overall better.

[@tamis06]

I love Monsters University, and I never realized the connection between Mike's desperation to keep his job and MU, even if it was super obvious lol.I think the big thing that slightly sets me off with MU tho is the mischaracterization of Sully. I think there are certain elements which they had that they absolutely should utilize, but Sully in MU was so hot headed, compared to his much more gentle self in Monsters Inc. You could say its character growth, but the characterizations of somebody that hot headed I think would normally leave remnants later on in life that I dont see in Monsters Inc. I think something that couldve been interesting for Sully is him, even with as gentle as he is, slowly realizing his privilege and general advantage he has in his field. He thinks he's a cool guy, but implicitly he still has these issues. Nothing too crazy tho, like I LOVE the message and even the general execution of the movie, its just a slight tweak I would make.

[@GuyWithNoNickName]

Sully isn’t actually hot headed though. That was all just an act. As he reveals to Mike at the end, he’s actually terrified most of the time. He just doesn’t let anybody know and uses a facade to get out of letting anyone know. Perhaps some part of him believes he really is that cool, but I believe it’s mostly just masking his LACK of confidence. He doesn’t want to let his family name down and look like a wimp in front of everyone at the school, so he puffs himself up to seem like the big shot they’d expect “a Sullivan” to be. Trying to survive in a world of big dogs, he needs to act like one. He didn’t shed that shell until the end. Him being much nicer during Inc, simply has him not needing to fake anything anymore. Add on the fact that he’s older in that movie and not an immature college student where the impression of your peers seems more important than when you mature and get older. Overall, I think it works.

[@buzzlightyear1213]

7:48 a yes iron-man and tony stark dynamic ❤

[@AaliyanKapWrites]

Damnit u caught it 🥲

[@Looona_fan]

Just noticed that.

[@amadeosendiulo2137]

Selfcest ship when?

[@cloudybookcase9189]

Whenever I feel like my life as gone to shit, I go to this movie. Taught me life doesn't go your way but you go you're own way. Whither it's your own way or on your way.

[@catprog]

Here is one thing I don't see many people talk about. Mike's scare in the scare games. It is scary. What would of happened if Sully did not change the setting?

[@terryh.9238]

That's one of the big mysteries of the film. I wish we got to see.

[@miles_quartz]

I loved your analysis here. I vaguely remember watching this when I was veryy young, and just returned to it the other day out of curiosity and boredom and was pleasantly surprised. the only bit that is a little frustrating to me though is that, they fully SHATTERED heartscrabble's scare record, they probably broke a world record, and yet, no one will ever know about it :,) i freaking adored this movie, thank you for giving it the love it deserves!! also it goes to show the potential that disney pixar can have when they focus on expanding upon their characters and further developing them instead of just making a live action or some poorly thrown together sequel. i can't believe how underrated this movie is when it's some of the best stuff to come from disney/pixar.

[@MasJon-]

The Monster INC franchise is my favorite movie franchise. My biggest dream growing up was to have 1 real best friend as cringe as it sounds. I got a lot of friends and connections but never really a really close one until a couple years ago. And I am 22. So I always loved watching these movies, because i think I lived though their friendship. I loved what Mike and Sully had so I always enjoyed watching them. They lived my dream, so I kind of always felt like I was there with them. I know it sounds weird coming from a grown adult, but I hope it makes sense.

[@AaliyanKapWrites]

Working on a video essay on Loki's 13 year arc 👀thoughts? Lemme know if theres any other media y'all want me to cover

[@JauyJauy]

U know, I recently rewatched this movie a few months ago and it’s really breath taking to look at as an adult. When I was a kid watching Monster’s university, I thought it was good! But was very disappointed that Mike found out he wasn’t scary and him & Sully had to leave the University…. But now as an adult, I understand it more. The message that not everything u wish for will come true, even if u wish hard enough. But, the things that u NEED, will show its way and will bring u to a better path. AND the talents you do have make u unique, so to focus on those rather than the things you don’t have 😊

[@pyromancersaber]

I never really request stuff like this, but could you please also cover how both movies tie into Monstser's at Work? I always loved how Mike was fully determined in Monsters University, only to bring it back with Monster's at work as he was one of the few keeping the company going with laugh power.

[@szkraft220]

I'm SO glad that a video appreciating this underrated gem of a prequel exists! This is really good freakin video, I'm subbing immediatelly. It just points out all of the thingsthis movie does SO right and i love it

[@AaliyanKapWrites]

Feeling an Elemental video essay for my next one 👀

[@Tf2SoldierOffical]

Can you do one about Toy Story or Shrek?

[@TheSEAempire]

Excellent video! I haven't seen Monsters University in years but I always remembered that it was pretty solid, so you did a great job explaining why it works so well. I'm very happy I found your channel!

[@ThePoliticrat]

Mike was never a side character.

[@NoEsArmin]

Great video! I think you should have mentioned at least a little of Monsters at Work, where we see the transition of M. Inc. from scares to laught, where we can see Mike becoming a Jokester AND teaching other monsters to become one, I think it's nice that he found something that he is good at and can use his knowledge and abilities, even if it's not something he ever thought about. That arc of his character transform the "Sometimes you won't be good enough for that something you want" and becomes a "Eventually, you'll find out what your really good at, when you less expect it".

[@NicoleMP885]

I loved this movie so much becuase of its message, as kids we are always told that if we really want something and we work hard for it that we will get it, when thats not true. I always thought that I would end up being an artist and would become an animator, and I thought that surely if I just worked hard it would happen, but seeing that my painting skills after 5+ years of practice where no where near as good as thoes who had natural talent and have been painting for less than a day really stung, I felt like Mike in that last scene where he yells at Sully, I was so angery that others could just do so much better without as much effort as I put in. Everyone always told me that they didnt think that Art was for me and I should pursue something else and I thought that I was going to have a main character moment and prove all of them wrong, but no. The scene where Mike is staring at his reflection and says "im not scary" is the most acurate portrayal ofwhat it feels like to realized that everyone was right all along. I ended up choosing a different career path, one that I think im better suited for, but the crushing realization that just trying isn't enough is really heart breaking

[@irok1]

I've never thought of Mike as a secondary character since they're both in it together, but it makes sense if you point it out

[@Raxacoricofallapatorius]

A while back I watched every Pixar film in order cuz there's a few I hadn't seen in years and some I'd never seen. When it came to Monster's University, I genuinely found myself enjoying it more than the original film. The original is still a classic and a brilliant concept and establishes the world, but I feel like Monster's University sets up the dynamics so well and really fleshes out the world more. Great video man!

[@NoirRaven]

I really don't understand how Mike _isn't_ scary; a giant eye with sharp teeth? That's a paralysis demon for some people. Sully always felt too fluffy and unlike Mordu, never had the dead-gaze of a cursed creature, heft or dental definition to be as scary as other fluffy killing machines; lions, tigers & bears -oh my-

[@sakurawhisperasmr]

I’m sorry, but “paralysis demon” made me laugh uncontrollably. 🤣 It’s SO true too. XD

[@noorbohamad5796]

I pretty much totally get the “always felt too fluffy” part well at least I guess so?

[@lenierka]

comment for the youtube gods! I'm glad there have been videos like yours recently that appreciate this movie for what it does so well. I'm stuck right now between going back to school or settling with what I have now and MU resonates with me deeply.

[@RaddyMadi]

I’m so happy someone’s openly recognizing this movie for the gem it is, great video!

[@LoveBugLola]

I love how MU ends with Mike finding happiness in the realization that what he thought he wanted just wasn't right for him. I'm disabled, I was born with several conditions that I won't bother droning on about. 😅 I, like Mike, have always had a sense that I'm different, and no matter how hard I try, the world is just not designed for my success. From the beginning, we see Mike is not like the other monsters; he's small, easily overlooked, and constantly being told that he doesn't belong. When he starts going to MU, he's fully aware of the fact that his differences could be seen as negative qualities, but he doesn't let them define him, and instead works twice as hard as his classmates. Mike's narrative parallels the disabled experience so beautifully. Disabled people extend far beyond their disabilities, and they often do have to work twice as hard as those who are able-bodied just for a tiny taste of what it feels like to be taken seriously. It can be so frustrating when you spend your whole life wishing people would open their eyes, look beyond your disability, and see that you are capable of greatness, only for an able-bodied person (someone like Sully in MU) to come along and have the whole world handed to them on a silver platter. I think Mike always knew he didn't belong in the Scare Program; he's not stupid, he knows that he's built different from the conventionally "scary" guys. Getting kicked out was painful to him not only because it meant that he would have to stop pursuing what he wanted, but also it felt like a harsh confirmation that everyone was right about him-- he *does not* belong. Part of being disabled is making peace with the fact that there will be things that some folks can do that you simply can't. When you're brought up in an able-bodied world, that initial realization of "hey, this isn't meant for me" can really suck, and takes time to accept. Mike's whole approach with the Oozma Kappa monsters in the Scare Games was to basically use their differences to make them scary. We can see here that Mike is starting to accept the fact that he's different, but he's still having a hard time, because his mentality is that differences are only okay when they make you scary; the aim is still on being scary and fitting in, even when diversity is on the table. Side note, but the scene when The OK monsters are watching the workers on the Scare Floor was so touching, I actually cried seeing individuals who have always been told they don't belong finding pieces of themselves in those that they look up to :') Anyway, The quote from Sully at the end of the movie, "You aren't scary, not even a little bit, but you are fearless!" is so important. Every other time "you aren't scary" is said, it is meant in a derogatory way. This is the first time that it is recognized that Mike not being scary doesn't have to be a bad thing, and the fact that it comes from Sully, one of the most privileged monsters-- the same guy who was bullying Mike for his lack of scariness in the beginning-- is huge. Disabilities are not bad, they just are. I hate it when kid's movies give the protagonist a clear disadvantage only for them to end up just like everyone else in the end. These kinds of stories can teach kids, especially kids with disabilities, that they *have* to fit in to get their happy ending. I am so grateful MU did not end this way. Mike's dream come true does not look the way he imagined at first, but that's because he had to go on a journey of self acceptance to realize that he is meant for something different. He finally learns that his worth is not defined by how scary he is, similarly to how disabled folks' worth is not defined by what they can or can't do. Disabled people, like Mike, will still live meaningful lives

[@MCIsSquared]

HOW DO YOU HAVE LESS THAN 1K SUBSCRIBERS?? This video essay was absolutely amazing with so much information packed into an astounding essay. Incredible job, continue pursuing like Mike!

[@plutonis6562]

Really enjoyed your review of this film. I also feel like it's severely underrated. Glad I'm not alone!

[@SirToaster9330]

I remember one person stated how interesting it was that Mike and Sully managed to get their dream job despite being dropouts. My only problem is that the whole process of them getting their dream job as IN THE CREDITS! That's like Hotel Transylvania 4's ending where the entire plot of Johnny and Mavis getting the hotel was just an animated credit sequence

[@username5450]

I can usually call when a channel is gonna go big, and I can tell you're gonna go big, so you've earned a subscriber my friend.

[@JF098]

2:10 What I love about animated films is that people can relate without even realizing. It's like Sully had a kid and now all of a sudden he only cares about the child, and Mike, his childless best friend, is now alone. Their hopes and aspirations, dashed. And I'm sure some childless folks can relate when all their friends start having kids and priorities change.

[@bup8671]

This was a really good watch for me and it disected many things that i had also thought, along with other points i hadn't considered with this film in a well articulated manner. Mix that in with a bit of comedy and it was a great 20 minute video, don't let low number's discourage you either, even if a video "only" gets 100 views, visualise 100 different people and it will feel like a lot, keep up the amazing work as i know i will definately check out more videos in the future

[@robo_lol]

i’m so happy that monsters university is getting the love it deserves! amazing video essay btw :)

[@SaviTheGamer]

Incredible work here! Glad this movie is getting the love it truly deserved. Keep up the good work, I'll continue watching this channel with great interest.

[@datdude534]

Absolutely incredible video! The editing was amazing, the script was even better, and the overall experience was very enjoyable! An amazing video on an amazing and far-too-often underlooked movie!

[@thebananaspeedruns9275]

Monsters Inc has a sequel show called Monsters at work which is 100% worth watching

[@thunzur]

even though watching it as a kid, not completely understanding the messages of the movie, still felt like this really was a great movie

[@thunzur]

@breadandcircuses8127 when watching movies as a kid, even though i couldn't completely get all the true meanings of some parts but i could still generally understood if a movie has good flow and story ig, the characters are also great and thus i just felt it had to be one of the best pixar movie i've seen

[@LucasPlay171]

You mentioned onward there, might be a banger video yk, just throwing some ideas around