Moana vs. Coco: A Cultural Divide

Moana and Coco are both super good, buuuuuuuut one's trying a lot harder than the other to get culture right

[@marisabelvenegas8835]

Fun Fact: The song “La Llorona” that Emelda sings is actually a song. Story: When my mom heard it in the movie theater she started crying because my deceased grandma used to play that song and sing it to her.

[@juanito_198]

@@ralphdabadie4754 What the fuck. On a comment like this? No

[@juanito_198]

@@bonk4225 Somebody said something and I called them out on it, so they deleted the comment

[@juanito_198]

@@bonk4225 Ima be real with you, just something that wasn't appropriate to this. I dont remember it exactly, but yeah.

[@NeverGiveUpExisting]

Tbh, this comment made my day, it's so heartwarming. Thank you for sharing!!

[@idiotgoddess2114]

❌ Esmerelda ✔️ Emelda

[@axelblaze6295]

"pixar and disney both do their research, they have attention to detail" *disney releases mulan 2020*

[@juanito_198]

Well that was a remake, which we all know are terrible. The only good thing out of any of them was Will Smith as a Genie for Aladdin.

[@mariejoseph8929]

I hate all live action movies. Like just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

[@virginiasultana3654]

@@mariejoseph8929 what about 101 Dalmatians? They did that one back in the early 2000s and I think it went pretty well. (Except I still haven't seen the original cartoon, so I'm probs not the best judge)

[@seantran4353]

@@virginiasultana3654 I think he's talking about the recent ones, like Lion Kind, Dumbo, Beauty and the Beast, etc. They just feel unnecessary and usually never add anything to the original besides the live-action visuals.

[@juanito_198]

@Cactus Juice Yeah no, totally. Will Smith was a total beast, and didn't try to copy the excellent and perfect performance of Mr.Williams. Which is great, he ended up actually being the most likeable part of the movie.

[@allydef]

My Mexican mom adores “Coco” and she says it reminds her of her old home. Also, Papa Julio looks like every older Mexican dad/uncle/grandpa so Pixar really did do their homework to make this movie work.

[@TXejas19]

Awww ❤

[@ebear5595]

Agreed. Looks like my abuelito as well.

[@lAcedUpLiss]

Wow, I'm polynesian and now I wish Pixar had made Moana. There were a lot of things that came across as inauthentic when I watched Moana and I could tell it was made by pakeha/palagi.

[@kimtherabbit17]

Mama Coco looks exactly like my great grandmother before she passed away, from the dress to the braided pig tails. Because of that, this movie made me feel like I was Miguel going through this adventure. It made the ending so much more emotional for me.

[@mortem4573]

my family also loves Coco and we all screamed when we saw Ernesto being literally a homage of one of the oldest and most iconic artist: Pedro Infante, it just shows how much research there was and it made us all feel so giddy and happy even when the ending made us cry!

[@pantherisboss94]

me and my friends (one of which was mexican) had time to kill at the mall so we decided to go watch coco and the mall theatre just to pass the time, and right before the movie started my mexican friend starting talking all this shit about how he was gonna cringe so hard at the movie and how it was probably gonna be insulting towards his culture, but let me tell by the first 25 minutes of the movie, my guy just sat there in silence and was just completely engrossed into it. when we finished, this guy had the biggest smile on his face and would not stop talking about how incredible this movie was. when he went home, he told his family who similarly thought Coco would be bad to watch the movie the very next day, and why all loved it.

[@popoffpeppar]

That’s a cool story

[@JoseFlores-zh2yw]

Nice

[@TheIinLiyzz]

My boyfriend cried when he first watched the movie, and he told me it looked just like Mexico and Coco reminded him of his grandmother who passed a couple years ago. He still cries actually when we watch it.

[@macbookfatty281]

@@TheIinLiyzz even though I watched the movie like 63 times (not lying) it still is a good movie

[@lilicorrea8515]

I’ve never seen my dad cry until we watched coco together. Man, I love that movie.

[@suzannahe.h6596]

me watching the mama coco scene in coco: I won't cry Miguel: **pulls out guitar** Me: **sobbing**

[@thatonedude9269]

Miguel is good at pulling out

[@lillianaoneal9231]

@@thatonedude9269 he's 10

[@thatonedude9269]

@@lillianaoneal9231 yeah, pulling out his guitar

[@lillianaoneal9231]

@@thatonedude9269 it sounded so dirty tho

[@spaghetti8338]

@@lillianaoneal9231 your fault for thinking that way

[@MrKolny]

Pixar: "Let's create a beautiful movie full of emotions" Disney: "Let's create a beautiful movie full of merchandise" Illumination Studio: "Let's create merchandise"

[@naomii5482]

Underrated Comment

[@natemanning924]

full of merchandise

[@gamerorp1684]

Sony(sometimes):let's make money

[@BiomechanicalBrick]

Dreamworks: Let's create

[@ComradeFirbolg]

*face palm* did you really forget about TOY STORY

[@johndexterzarate6663]

Scaff: Points out misrepresentation on Hercules for an extended time Emperor Cuzco: *Nervous Laughter*

[@metta6947]

....*Kuzco not helping your point there, bud

I mean, the real city is spelled Cuzco, so 🤔🤔🤔

[@metta6947]

@ yeah but they obviously weren't talking about the place, and the character is Kuzco.

@@metta6947 My point is, the name of the character comes from the city, and they didn't get it right.

[@metta6947]

@ Pretty sure Disney just changed it so if you googled "Kuzco" the first thing that would come up is the character rather than the city. I don't think a major corporation working on a movie would accidentally misspell it.

[@persephonehades7547]

I honestly like Coco more the Moana. Coco was just way more memorable to me.

[@Linneom]

Persephone Hades LOL the culture is so on point.

[@ynneJ111]

Persephone Hades Same, I never felt emotionally invested in the storyline during Moana 😶

[@selenopheria]

Honestly, me too. I watched Moana and had a good time, but I only saw it once and it didn't elicit any particularly strong emotions. I watched Coco and loved it. The music, the characters, the world, and the character growth. From a scared 12 year old who learns to place his family above himself, to a jaded wife who overcomes a century of hatred. It was so unique, and I cried like a babe at the end.

[@fluffyphoenix8082]

I feel the same! Coco was emotional and sweet and I felt like almost every minute of it was a treat. Moana, however, didn't do much for me. I had fun with it while I watched it, but then promptly kinda forgot about it. It didn't leave a big impact on me like Coco did. Schaffrillas mentioned all the reasons he didn't like Coco as much as Moana, which is totally fine. Different strokes for different folks. But I didn't care about the things he mentioned because lots of comedy is not a make or break for me. I don't mind more serious movies. And I didn't mind the "lack of tension" in the start because the movie was using that time to establish emotions, character interactions, and a lot of beautiful scenery and culture. I loved it.

[@msprettymaze]

samee

[@thesnailphilosopher]

Hercules is the kidzbop version of greek mythology

[@tripleb1436]

Don't insult Hercules like that lol

[@littlebitches]

@@InquisitorThomas i meaan, Hades did kidnap Persephone, but thats not the worst thing a greek god has done. I think actually Zeus is the most evil one. Like literally! He took fire from man, he fucks women disguised as animals, their husbands or something else. He's an awful god.

[@beebee1794]

@@littlebitches more like Persephone was curious and fell down a hole and ate food even though she was told not do or she'll be in the underworld forever (except every spring?? I think) ... at least that's how I have always heard it

[@tomo4977]

Inquisitor Thomas I wouldn't say it's poor, if you came into a Disney movie expecting a serious historically accurate retelling of anything, you've come to the wrong movie. They are inspired by stories and cultures often, from Hercules to Hamlet, and then have a lot of creative liberties to build their own world and story from. It's not lazy or poor quality, it's just focused very differently, has a different motive and for a different audience. It's definitely not a historical movie because it doesn't want to be, it wants to be its own canon, in the same way Pixar goes "what would toys do if they were alive" Disney went "what if we made Greek Gods alive in a jazzy "kiddy" mix of past and present culture, how would they act and how would it change?" Though in part I would agree about one thing- they can learn a little more about cultural representation both real world ones and generally building richly communicated ones into their film (real or not), but every film seems to be getting better

[@viggo8213]

Yes

[@chlo130]

flushed away is the best representation of british culture

[@plaitedstrings1202]

This just made my day 😂

[@jaxsjpg3225]

100%

[@annas6630]

BHAHAHAH SCREAMING

[@lostkin4910]

Feels bad that flushed away is "the" British themed film. I kinda have brave I guess.

[@chlo130]

@@lostkin4910 flushed aways a classic film wys, managed to showcase key parts of british/mainly english culture in a good tone with pretty decent humour. yeah its a rat who got flushed down the bog but its still a quality film. theres probably others that are a better showcase but in my current film experience flushed aways the best one ive found

[@radioqueen1236]

I like coco because people actually have reasons to be singing.

[@ktw5574]

Hi, Pacific Islander here 👋🏾 My whole life I've been interested in my Samoan culture, and I remember being unbelievably excited hearing about Moana when it came out. Yes, it's mostly set out on the ocean, but what's being forgotten is that voyaging was, in fact, a giant part of our culture. That's what my ancestors did, they set out on voyages, they used to the stars as a map, and Maui was part of the legends. I do agree that it could have been executed much better, the dolls were most definitely...darker than you'd expect, but it was still enjoyable. Although, I feel like most attention for Moana comes from the fact that Lin worked on music, and sang in two songs, one of them in the end credits. That's my problem with Moana, or the audience at least. Because I remember going through the comments on Moana-related videos and it _only_ being about Hamilton, the Pacific Islander comments near the bottom. So Disney kind of won, but also messed up with that one. But also, as a comment on here said, Polynesian culture is more than _one culture._ There's a lot of islands, and although some cultures and languages may sound the same (an example is Tokelauan and Samoan), they're also different in their own ways. So combining all of these cultures together might have been difficult, considering they have to pack it into a one hour movie. Coco accomplished Mexican culture because that's the only culture they were focusing on. Moana is more of a difficult subject with culture, because it's a vast majority of different ones. You can tell Lin and whoever else wrote the music tried to incorporate different languages, with the opening song being in Samoan, "An Innocent Warrior" in Tokelauan (I think), and "We Know The Way" having Samoan for the first verse, Tongan in the second. There's other cultures (I'm saying this alot but I'm terrible at describing shit sorry), but those are the _main_ ones featured and given a glimpse at in Moana. It must've been difficult trying to combine the other cultures into the movie without it confusing the audience or possibly getting something very wrong, so that's one reason why the movie could've taken place in the water the whole time. Because, especially when it's not your culture/a culture that's _rarely_ represented, research isn't always going to be enough, let alone trying to represent multiple cultures yourself. I still think Moana was a fantastic movie and that not enough people talk about it. And it's obviously going to hold a special place in my heart because that's my people, with their own movie made by _Disney._

[@elle19ism]

This is a great explanation. I liked that the film raised my interest in Polynesian cultures. I've never met any Polynesians so all I know is from what I've seen online and in films & tv. If they make Moana 2, I just hope they make the songs that are sung in Polynesian languages a lot longer.

[@bonesandhearts5683]

Thanks for the explanation and opinion, that was interesting to read 🙂 Do you think they should have focused on just one Polynesian culture or do you think it was a good idea to amalgamate them so that all Polynesians could be at least somewhat represented? Also I’m wondering what your thoughts are on the fact that Disney can now cash in on every culture it chooses to represent. It kind of seems like a downside to representation, especially by a giant like Disney. I always kind of think the worst type of cultural appropriation is when members of a powerful/oppressive culture capitalize on oppressed/marginalized cultures by commercializing those cultures, eg. a massive US corporation like Disney profiting off of selling little plastic models of Moana’s wa’a kaulua while so many Polynesian nations still experience striking poverty after colonialism, or profiting off of their little Día de los Muertos plaza at Disneyland while Mexicans suffer from extreme poverty in Mexico and discrimination and cruel immigration enforcement in the US. Sorry, I didn’t mean for that to be such a downer. I just feel like the representation in these movies is getting better and better and it’s really cool but there’s always the subsequent cash grab of merchandising that kind of negates Disney’s attempts at progressivism. I think it could only be solved if the people profiting off of that merchandising (and the films themselves) were the people being depicted in the films.

[@ktw5574]

@@bonesandhearts5683 No, no! It's all good, I'm glad you shared your insights! As far as Polynesian culture representation, I think it's good they chose to try and incorporate different ones, being as, again, the Polynesian/Pacific Islander culture is really underrepresented and not talked about that much, especially in modern day America. I mean hey, it's better than just saying "Hawaiians are the only Polynesians!" I personally think that after the Disney Renaissance, the company clearly began to grow. But as they started doing CGI and whatnot, they started focusing more on the franchise rather than making a good movie. That's why Ralph Breaks The Internet was such a flop. They knew they didn't have to try because it'd appeal to younger children anyway, which means more "I want this toy, I want that," and more purchases on merchandise and whatever. Although, I do 100% see your point with the representation part. How many Polynesian cultures still struggle after the colonization, and how Mexican/Hispanic immigrants are being treated at the border. And to that I'll simply say; Do I think representation of underrated cultures is good? Absolutely! Especially if you have younger children watching, it might help them learn something. Do I think profiting off of the project is bad? No, it just depends on how you approach it (i.e not whitewashing darker skinned characters, not making toys look offensive, etc). But do I think doing all this and choosing NOT to speak out/try to help these struggling cultures that you've represented is bad? In a way, yes. I understand Disney has different parts to take over, considering how big of a company it is. Whether it be maintaining Disney World/Land Parks, budgeting out movies, advertisement, etc. That takes a lot. But I think they should still try and help these countries they're putting on the big screen, because many people will see these places and go touring, ignoring the big issue that may be happening that they're unaware of, you know? There's two sides to every story, and I like to stay open-minded. And in this case, you're making absolutely great points. Sorry I didn't reply sooner btw

[@bonesandhearts5683]

KT W Thanks so much for replying 😊 I should give you fair warning that I’m...not a big fan of capitalism. Like I think modern racism was invented to further capitalism and that Disney will never really be a net positive for the world in terms of ending global injustices as long as it’s a corporate giant and the means of production remain un-seized 😬. The workers gotta grab those wacom cintiqs, y’know? But like, regardless, marginalized people need to be represented in media. I totally support that. And, while we’re stuck with global capitalism, I think what would make the cash-grabbiness of these movies and merchandise better would be if the people making the movies and selling the merchandise were members of those cultures. Like not just the voice actors or the consultants or the directors or the screenwriters, but like the people actually making bank off of this stuff. Like representation in media shouldn’t just refer to who’s being portrayed, but also who is producing the media. Basically I think it would be better if these films and merchandise were products of the places they represent. Like, Disney movies and merch are all products of the US and any profits made off of them end up contributing to the US GDP. I think it would be better if Disney was partnered with an actual Samoan or Mexican animation studio and if they just kind of used their influence and reach to help produce something that would ultimately be a product of Mexico/Samoa and contribute to the Mexican/Samoan GDP. Also the things you mentioned about people seeing the movies and touring the places but not being aware of the larger issues - I think that’s a great point. On the one hand, at least tourism could be a way that the places/cultures depicted in these films can profit off of the movies. On the other hand, it’s a disservice if tourists aren’t aware of the problems people living there actually face. That’s actually one of the reasons I liked Lilo and Stitch: it does perpetuate the “Hawaiians are the only Polynesians” trope, but at least it actually does depict some of the issues native Hawaiians have to deal with, including ignorant white tourists. You’ve got Lilo feeling like an outsider in the place and culture she’s from (eg. when the white girls in her hula class ostracize her), you’ve got money issues that force Nani to work at a tourist trap and Lilo to entertain tourists for cash, you’ve got state interference in Nani and Lilo’s lives (ie. the scary social worker threatening to take Lilo away)...idk it’s actually surprisingly good. That said, I don’t think every Disney movie that features marginalized people should be about their struggles. I like that Moana and Coco are triumphant portrayals of their respective cultures. I do think it’s good to have that mix though; having some movies like Lilo and Stitch might help with the ignorant tourist issue. Sorry this is so freaking long and rambling. You just made me think is all 😊

[@autreeisthebest]

I completely agree with you and so appreciate the thoughtfulness of your responses here! I am half-Tahitian. I think one of the things the creator of this video is not considering is how Polynesians are not really represented in popular media, at least not in the US. We aren't taught about Polynesian history the way we learn about Greek history in school, and we aren't exposed to Polynesian traditions the way we might see Mexicans in our community celebrate important days such as Dia de los Muertos. We are truly a minority. When I say I was born in Tahiti, most people have no idea where or what that is. Other than the Rock and a few specific films, Americans don't have the chance to learn about us, and so this film had a huge task in educating people about our culture in a way that was digestable and didn't take away from the story. It seemed to also feel the pressure to represent all of us, which I personally thought was cool, but again, a huge task. It felt as though the qualities to the story that were specifically Polynesian were very clear to Polynesians, such as Mama Tala coming back as a manta ray...the fact that Moana, as a woman, was chief is another, as pre-colonization, Polynesian cultures were egalitarian and not the patriarchal structure we see now...even the little things like tatau, taro, the siva or ori, the tiare flowers in the background. There were a lot of Polynesian details there if you knew what to look for. I felt that they tried to weave the traditions of Polynesia into the story, but the knowledge base on the culture would need a more solid base for it to register the way that the cultural pieces of Coco did. That being said, I do think Coco did a way more effective job at representing Mexican culture than Moana did, and it makes me wonder if they would have been more successful if they had "picked a lane" and just made Moana a specific Polynesian culture. I personally would have loved if they made the story more a deal where she traveled around Polynesia, learning from each group of people, instead of with those stupid monsters and the kakamora, which def were not represented well at all!

[@Sabrina0s]

*Saying that the princess and the frog wasn't memorable* I'm gonna pretend I didn't see that

[@pearlyp9898]

I haven't seen it in years but I still remember it and how much I loved it, so same

[@happysmash27]

I haven't seen it since I was a kid and only vaguely remember that the villain turns the prince in to a frog and I believe that when she kisses the prince she is turned in to a frog too, but to be fair, I haven't seen it since I was a kid...

[@altheaequatorin1179]

i truly respect this comment and your profile picture. god bless tsukiyama shuu (and my man facilier)

[@barbaro267]

It really isn't. If you cut out all the frog stuff and the stupid firefly stuff, then it's fine.

[@issacalleyne8665]

@@barbaro267 If you cut out all the frog stuff.... From The Princess and the Frog...

[@slayinsteven6553]

Maui isn’t over weight, when you look at him move he doesn’t jiggle like fat, it’s all muscle but not like modern look where people work on definition it’s all size. A good example would be old school pro wrestler Peter Maivia, The Rocks grandfather. The Rock even talked about that misconception in interviews

[@piratesfan123]

Steven Dishongh Exactly Maui is well built and in incredible shape, most of his fat is muscle so he’s hardly obese

[@JOfJaZ]

Steven Dishongh plus, take into consideration that a lot of the men in Moana are designed more stout. Maoi is super stout but he’s not fat. He doesn’t have a gut. He’s just really *THICK**

[@ashkitt7719]

@@piratesfan123 Like sumo wrestlers. They're fat but also fit and swole behind all that fat.

[@xenomorphoverlord]

Samoans are good example of that

[@LmaoMoni]

Hes built like a lot if polynesian guys. They arent skinny but its not fat either. Its kinda like fat around muscle.

[@chanchan101]

I recall watching a short blerb about the writers of Moana interviewing Polynesian people on stories they’ve heard about Maui. Although he was described as an average-sized man they wanted him to be seen as a “larger than life” character because of all the things he’s done. The writers and character artists meant no harm when they designed Moana’s Maui to look large. And I say “large” because the first thought that popped into my head when I saw Maui is “damn, that’s a lot of muscle” not “damn, Disney made a stereotypical fat Polynesian character.”

[@oomomow6621]

Exactly. I honestly didn't even know people thought Maui was fast until this video. For me it was a mix of the art style where everything and everyone doesn't have many sharp lines or edges (everything is soft lines and round), and that Maui is an absolute UNIT. I just assumed that he had literally Godly levels of muscles.

[@Corviidei]

His proportions are more realistic and useful for actual strength rather than just cosmetic purposes

[@jahelcaromedina3620]

Same for the Maui like why did he think he was fat that dude just had some muscle milk

[@portiai.2717]

I do understand what you mean but growing up when I heard this story of Maui it was of this average boy that did things no one had expected of him. The Maui in the movie felt strange, and when I saw him it wasn't the Maui I grew up hearing stories about, I am sure Disney meant no harm, and I see why they made him so large (I personally never thought he was fat but to each their own). I just think it would've been nice to see a more culturally accurate depiction of one of the most famous legends in Polynesian culture. Although, in saying that, I do admit that I think if they made him smaller he would probably fall to the stereotypical attractive male that is often depicted with Disney male leads so it's kind of a lose, lose situation.

[@PuppyLove2468]

Same, I never thought of Maui as fat, I see him as strong. I wasn't even aware it was a stereotype. Besides it was the Rock playing him so I thought Maui was partially based off the actor, especially because I've heard Disney's Maui described as "The Rock, but with hair".

[@EpicPinkCreeper]

"The shiny" Yes, we know you love him and his ultra catchy song.

[@jimmyjohnjoejr]

The gary

[@superthorc6894]

EpicPinkCreeper I like the rock cover better

[@vilwarin5635]

in the spanish is shit too. I don´t understant the hype about that character. Please, someone tell me what is all about

[@MortalAnonymous]

I didn't even know he was a thing. I'm surprised, honestly. I know he's snarky and kind of funny, and he was a surprise to the audience for not being in the promos...maybe that's all it took?

[@vilwarin5635]

@@MortalAnonymous Perhaps he is so over the top that he is perfect? I don't know. His animation was great though, but his whole scene felt like a "crocodile moment" to me

[@gatorkid3653]

I don’t know why Schaffrilla is obsessed with the coconut crab from Moana And at this point I’m too afraid ask...

[@RandomPerson-kz9uf]

Schrafilla X Tamatoa OTP.

[@RandomPerson-kz9uf]

@Ipinu Yusuf and this is the part where the vore happens

[@goldengifts3830]

@I do not kn ow what to put tHIS AINT FUNNY CUZ I READ A FRIGGEN VORE FANFIC OF TAMATOA X READER VORE FIC

[@nicolassieh6799]

@@goldengifts3830 *oh no* anyways link?

[@goldengifts3830]

nicolas sieh You can like go google and search it there, the moana vore content is multiplying im so scared wtf

[@spicy5129]

I didnt actually notice Maui being overweight. I tought he was just muscular...

[@nanuqo2006]

he isnt overweight

[@bighawaiianpunch3534]

*Maui*

[@foiibaddiix]

maui

[@spicy5129]

@@foiibaddiix whatever

[@donnie_duckling]

He isn't really, it's just the actual complexion a normal human being should have to have that much strenght. It's realistic, but because media have thaught us that "if you don't have a six pack, you are fat", that's why some people thought that he was fat.

[@sarahthomson3243]

also there are no "demi-gods" in Polynesian myths, Maui would be classified as a kupua, not half a god but more like super powerful people.

[@miamama9886]

demi-gods is super powerful people.

[@sarahthomson3243]

@@miamama9886 demi gods are offspring of gods, they can be powerful but need to have god lineage to be considered a demi god.

[@yanah.2041]

I was a bit taken aback when I realised he's not related to gods while they told his backstory. But demi-god, as I found out after finishing the movie, can refer to a mortal that has risen to a more divine status, so I guess they're not far off? It would've been interesting if they integrated the term kupua into the movie somehow though, as from my POV it speaks of Polynesian cultures quite a lot... It's nice to know why they called him a demi-god even though he doesn't fit the wide-spread defintion.

[@spaghetti8338]

Are you Polynesian Sarah? Yeah I dont think so, let the real ones decide

[@hannaaiono2006]

Hi! That's actually false. Maui is the most prominent demi-god from Maori culture, the indigenous people of New Zealand (which is part of Polynesia). His story in Moana is largely similar to the original myths, though there are some discrepancies, likely for storyline sake.

[@SplitMaw]

They already addressed the Maui thing. They had a staff of Polynesian people to run ideas by and catch anything upsetting, and they helped design the version of Maui that was in the film. They wanted him to be larger than life--literally, and the thing is, when someone is truly physically strong and not some glass canon bodybuilder they will still have "fat weight" along with their muscle. Only lean-muscled individuals lack much of their fat weight.

[@bruncla2303]

also they wanted him to look like the Rock

[@Quetzalcoatl_Feathered_Serpent]

Most of the complaint was by people who were not aware of the culture.

[@TheMangakaOtakuLife]

Not to mention Dwayne Johnson (aka the Rock and voice of Maui) shared via twitter and a short Disney promo that Maui's design was partially inspired by his grandfather; High Chief Mavia of Samoa, and a Polynesian body builder/wrestler.

[@Quetzalcoatl_Feathered_Serpent]

@@TheMangakaOtakuLife yep and that his grandfather appearence is actually quite normal in Polynesian culture. But tell that to the ones that complained and still complain about it. Ironically these people are the same ones that will later attack other films like Ghost in the Shell despite the movie fairly being faithful to the source material

[@tiagodarkpeasant]

yeah he is fat, but looks strong without the classic cone shape, makes him standout in comparisson with other heroes tht ll look the same

[@teenytinytwoo1375]

One reason I can see the music for Moana being not as effective and more Broadway is because of one simple fact. Lin Manuel Miranda did the music for Moana, whereas Michael Giacchino did the music for Coco. Lin's music style is very broadway and there are examples of this is disney movies and the entirety of the musical Hamilton. Michael has done music specifically for video games and movies since 1994.

[@pmiles363]

Michael giacchino also did the music fro The Incredibles (i'm pretty sure), and that track is a BOMB

[@lulolie]

Waiiit. CinemaWins Giacchino ?with the awesome scores?

[@teenytinytwoo1375]

@@lulolie I'm not sure , sorry.

[@pmiles363]

Lucen Smith idk, but he’s definitely the composer for “The Incredibles”

[@obama1015]

69th like nice

[@PowahSlapEntertainmint]

I'M IN LOVE WITH THE COCO.

[@Jelkiin]

ITS DA COCO NUT NUT

[@user-me9il2wg8h]

You're beating Justin y at this point

[@mslightbulb]

The coco of the movis or the one that eats little kids?

[@KhayJayArt]

No

[@magnificloud]

DAMMIT I WANTED TO SAY THAT

[@halfwayinfinate6342]

I feel like Disney have definatly made progress with Encanto. The music fits, the culture and language is used well. The story actually included a little bit Colombian history when Abuela was running away. They included the river which was inspired by a real river in Colombia. I have to say, it's a big step up.

[@TheHispanicmaid]

Encanto felt soulless not like coco where you explored a country’s beautiful culture. Encanto felt like a movie about a girl who happens to be Colombian coco felt like they were tryna tell you about a country’s culture through a well written story. Tier wise I would put Encanto at C tier and Coco S tier with Toy Story.

[@memecliparchives2254]

​@@TheHispanicmaidCap

[@flossiebell]

I totally agree with you. Moana was a nice movie, but Coco completely blew me away.

[@THESMOSHTIME]

Seeing Jisoo in your profile, you liking Coco better is no surprise. You’re an intelectual 💯

[@flossiebell]

Kosmik Yessss. Thank you! ❤️

[@yara30942]

100%

[@zsan157]

“Your Welcome” was my favorite song in Moana and one of my favorite songs. As a Hawaiian person who lived in Hawai’i their whole life, I grew up hearing and reading stories of Maui’s many feats and all the things he did for humans, and it was really cool to see that in a song.

[@amoixtlapaltic4690]

9:51 As a mexican, this image is fucking hilarious, plus that stereotype about mexicans that is joke fuel in México that we never arrive on time, this is comedy gold right here for me, this is my humor, how low have I fallen

[@heathersaxton8118]

As for pocahontas “actor and Native American activist Russell Means (who provided the speaking role and physical inspiration of Powhatan) has referred to this movie, in particular the opening, as being the "single best representation of American Indians that Hollywood has ever done."” and “In their quest for authenticity, the Disney studios hired mostly Native American actors and actresses to do the voices. They also employed Native American consultants, and had a session with a real shaman.” (From IMDb) There were also critics of the movie, but if Moana gets a pass for “being good for its time”, so does Pocahontas. Not to mention Pocahontas was the first ever Disney movie to feature an interracial couple.

[@hawktalon7890]

Good point.

[@lillianaoneal9231]

Colors of the wind saved that movie

[@aQuayQuay]

No

[@weliveinasociety4629]

Very good point I hope sometime in the future Disney creates another movie centered around a Native American story (but accurately of course) as a way of righting the wrongs within the plot of Pocahontas. Plus theres so many good Native American stories out there that they could really make something amazing.

[@ZeldaWolf2000]

I never new those things. Thanks! I love learning about different cultures and Native American cultures are up on that list, in part because they are so old, and in another, because my ancestors would have interacted with them, since they immigrated to,what would become, American in the 1660s. Not saying their relationship was entirely positive on either side, because history is complicated, but I'm interested in the relationship in general, because of how it affected both personal histories and world history. History is neat. I love messy not black and white things. Also, it's super cool how the people from those time periods literally used everything they had to make stuff. For instance, they used every part of animals to make different shit. Super cool! I love learning that type of stuff! 😀

[@Alex-ui8xp]

"pixar doesn't care about selling toys" "only if they fail spectacularly" Buddy, cars made 10 billion bucks in merchandizing. With a B.

[@renoloverxoxo]

He also dragged Brave before...

[@nanuqo2006]

@@renoloverxoxo yeah because Brave is shit

[@Mr_ice51]

@@nanuqo2006 it is

[@holup4990]

The correct saying is "Their focus is telling a good story, even if they fail spectacularly" this has nothing to do with their toys and merchandise.

[@regnirps2185]

Toy Story.

[@dalianna1931]

Me: Speaks spanish* Also me: Gets the chorizo joke because of this video* OHHHHHH

[@pphead8224]

lol pp joke

[@ayianaramirez2688]

I FELT

[@discreetscrivener7885]

I find it ironic that at the time I write this reply, there are 69 likes to this comment

[@pokaay3163]

Lol he said “only Spanish people would get it” and I went :’) guess I’m not Hispanic anymore

[@innermoonchild2793]

SAME

[@deepfriedjellybean]

8:00 I agree with you, im native american and the representation we have in disney is terrible, Pocahontas included, i wanna write my own disney movie that portrays my culture like coco did

[@clairetheperson3818]

Princess and the Frog is a masterpiece! Thank you.

[@aerialpunk]

I loved it too! Thus guy just doesn't get it I guess.

[@louminouz]

aerialpunk he said he liked it what more do you want

[@gaytrise]

@@aerialpunk newflash, your opinion isn't always right

[@aerialpunk]

@@gaytrise Who put a bee in your bonnet? I never thought that recognizing that someone else doesn't like something as much as I do would be something warranting a reply like yours.

[@shhhnbt7407]

I barely remember what happened in the movie, maybe is a bit forgettable (just guessing :p)

[@fivesmckean]

I live in New Zealand (part of Polynesia) and pretty much all the legends are correct. Not all of them are Maori though, some come from places like Samoa which have slightly different legends, so that is fine. I think it was a pretty great portrayal of our culture, and it was great to see a representation of the Maori culture in a movie. Also Maui isn't fat. That's what REAL muscle looks like :)

[@paovuantevd2676]

I always thought maui was hot;3;

[@spongebobdisneymariofan3715]

All the lights in the Land of the Dead from Coco make the movie look “Shiny”!

[@Master_WannaBe_]

Disney: we’re going to tell a generic story that has a unique culture as its back drop Pixar: we’re going to tell a generic story that has a unique culture as an integral part of the story

[@mckenzie.latham91]

Yeah half the songs, references, characters and plot points of Moana are integrally based on Polynesian culture, history/mythology, and tradition...

[@noemirodriguez1942]

I wouldn’t say that coco’s story was generic but maybe I’m just a biased Mexican ❤️

[@SilverDungeoneer]

My spanish teacher was actually surprised that coco was culturally acurate

[@fatimadiallo3201]

I don't even remember the events in Moana but Coco was much more memorable and it was actually funny too.

[@link199100]

Agree

[@stephanideleon7215]

I swear the chicken was way too annoying, I don't get why someone would think that was a good idea...

[@nra3zehuti781]

@@stephanideleon7215 i never minded the chicken ... it didnt really affected the film honestly

[@DaDunge]

6:30 As a Scandinavian... Yeah I wonder what that's like. *Cough* Thor *cough* How come we don't get to veto Americans doing stupid crap with our cultural legacy like making The Redhaired God (Thor is called this consistently through the norse myths) blonde and decorating Asgard with Celtic knots. The only association these things have to Norse mythology is that they are exploited by the same fringe political movements. You know which ones I am talking about.

[@delaineduquette1143]

bro that frozen short was so long that ppl left the theater to ask the front desk if they walked into the wrong theater. My little brother cried bc he wanted it to stop. lol

[@carl.from.accounting]

Maui’s design isn’t overweight, it’s just how real strong men have their builds.

[@oszaszi]

I prefer Coco over Moana, and I still think the best Disney movie is Mulan.

[@akacozymint]

oszaszi For me it will always be Mulan, the princess and the frog 🐸, and beauty and the beast

[@yaboimagnus4776]

Mulan is amazing

[@pelonp3691]

Same same same

[@isaywhateveriwantandyougot7421]

I love that movie, I don't agree but I do like it a lot.

[@AbbeyThoughts]

Moana had beauty in it’s visuals *Coco was made of beauty*

[@HenryStickmen]

3:16 Well that aged like milk

[@gamerstheater1187]

The difference is that Moana is named after the main character meanwhile Coco is named after a background character

[@TDArulesclub4]

When you mention Moana as being a story that could take place anywhere after taking the basic parts of its story... it could be done with any movie, really? But Moana being a cultural representation movie not being AS representative reminded me of Brother Bear. Brother Bear has its setting and character be from the native indigenous tribesman that while not the center, they do show part of their culture and beliefs, something Moana lacked to do just a little more with Polynesian culture. Despite those part being only the first 20 minutes of the movie, they're still my favorite parts.

[@FloreMar-yp3iz]

Brother Bear is best Disney movie. Period.

[@wileecoyotegenius5955]

I know this doesn't have anything to do with the actual video, but I really appreciate the title and thumbnail for this video. It didn't have any obnoxious clickbait, lies, or even exaggerations. The thumbnail was clean and appropriate, and the title accurately and proffesionaly represented the content of the video. This is a classy way to get people to click on your videos, and in this business, it takes a lot of restraint not to go for the easy provocative all-caps titles and tiddy thumbnails. You have my respect and my subscription. Please keep making content as good as this.

[@Andyatl2002]

Yes, while clickbait can be annoying and non professional, it’s been shown to increase views on a video, and if you really want to increase views to an important video/ something you are proud of, get more recognition on a channel, it happens in articles as well, clickbait is a advertisement strategy, that doesn’t mean it can be abused however, Some KZbinrs are notorious for completely clickbaiting there audiences...

[@Nick-ek9jf]

*COUGH* Game threory *COUGH*

[@Andyatl2002]

Nick, really I was thinking on the line of channels that lie to children and scam them for free robuxs, v bucks, etc, or Logan Paul, MatPat is more often misleading and less often clickbaiting but still relating to the video, plus all of the drama KZbinrs who often exaggerate to make a better story...

[@carolinabaldini1432]

After 3 years this applies perfectly to Encanto

[@karystmania5509]

IGN: COCO makes you FEEL like Mexico

[@xristosxatziantonis9829]

Did you came after video game dunky?

[@weirddood1774]

Mexico loved Coco so much, they made an entire holiday about it.

[@Retr0ver4]

Surprisingly whenever somebody asks me what my favourite Disney movie is I always accidentally reply with a pixar film

[@eminahalimovic9841]

discovering this video after disney released "encanto", i realize that disney have made a MAJOR step up in cultural rep

[@rosahathaway9925]

It was really the attention to detail that made coco so great. The banners hanging on the streets, the layout of the houses, the flowers, the way the characters were dressed, it really made my family and me feel like we were looking at our pueblo in Mexico. Moana is great, but Coco had so many emotions and made a stronger impact.

[@walle4386]

But when you cook chorizo it falls apart and gets really small I thought they were laughing because it's physically impossible to choke on it when it's the size of an ant.

[@Crab_Shanty]

same here

[@gabbi7007]

same. I've ate chorizo, its small, I was really confused when they were laughing that he choked on a chorizo.

[@ryana5642]

That's a stupid nitpick. You can literally choke on water. Pretty sure you can choke on chorizo, especially if you're a young kid like in the movie

[@donnie_duckling]

I also didn't get it for that exact same reason until now that he pointed it out LMAO Actually I think that they probably made it like that so one could brush it off, and they didn't had to take the joke out

[@rashotcake6945]

i’ve had big chorizos (and yeah, i know how that sounds)

[@AtarahDerek]

Moana is set before Polynesia really became Polynesia. It doesn't focus on or immerse us in Polynesian culture; it focuses on and immerses us in the concept of *wayfinding.* THAT is why I love it. Eeeeever so slightly more than Coco (both are my favorite CGI films to date). Coco's film invites us to explore the Land of the Dead along with Miguel and Héctor. But Moana's film invites us to just go explore. And to do so intelligently. Coco invites the audience to join a big Mexican family, and that's great. I loved just how immersive that film was. But Moana *commissions* us to go out and explore the world, while at the same time never forgetting our own home and where we come from. That's a message both Moana and Coco have in common; if you know where you came from, you can know where you're going, and always be able to find your way home.

[@user-mv5tm8eu5z]

yess beautiful comment, completely agree

[@MeowsclesPrime]

Fun fact: all the stuff Maui mentions in You’re Welcome are mythologically accurate

[@axelfransson751]

Coco is ten times better

[@WillOfMyD]

I wouldn't say ten, I'd say somewhere between two to five. Coco is beast & better than Moana, but you still gotta give Moana _some_ credit. :/

[@axelfransson751]

@@WillOfMyD yes, I totally agree with you, but it would have been weird if i wrote that Coco is three or four times better, you get what I mean

[@WillOfMyD]

@@axelfransson751 True, but it sounds like you think Coco shit stomps Moana. Meh, I just don't feel that way. Moana has problems, but it's far from crap. I can see it again & recommend it to others. Coco on the other hand, I put in the category of I can only watch it on special occasions, because it's so good. I have a list of things I do that with such as Black Panther & Eminem songs.

[@axelfransson751]

@@WillOfMyD Moana is good, but Coco is amazing

[@christopherdann4292]

Yepp coco is

[@KatieBadenhorst]

I think the problem is that in Coco you're seeing a modern culture, where Moana is set in a timeless mythical fantasy land. It's the same reason Hawaii feels real in Lilo and Stitch, but Hercules doesn't feel like it's set in Greece. While a fantasy setting might have some benefits I think it tends to be a problem when dealing with race and culture. That's also why Frozen and Tangled are so bland - their universes are just a blank slate with no POC. Obviously there's different approaches you can take depending on the movie but why not create a more diverse fictional universe like Avatar?

[@piratesfan123]

Katie Badenhorst So Frozen is bland because it doesn’t have any POC? Ok never mind the fact that Scandinavian culture is just as deep as rich as Polynesian or Mexican cultures

[@KatieBadenhorst]

@@piratesfan123 I don't think frozen really draws on that culture though. It's not meant to be a real country, it's just a fantasy setting. The singing was a nice touch, but there's very little in the way of historical details to ground it to a real time and place. It's a kind of "once upon a time" story, not a good or bad thing depending on how it's handled. And it has nothing to do with POC or political correctness.

[@zoe0seacat]

this really hits the nail on the head!!

[@arvidjonsson502]

@@piratesfan123 Frozen barely touches Scandinavian culture at all and when it does it's not at all good at it. Frozen only has Scandinavian influences because it's based on "The Snow Queen" by Hans Christian Andersen, who is Danish.

[@jauxro]

It's so easy to create a cool fictional universe and it's a damn shame movies don't do it even more often than they already do

[@zerotohero1483]

As a fellow greek man I can agree that Hercules isn’t that accurate and my biggest gripe with most representations of Hades is that he’s often portrayed as a bad guy but in mythology he’s actually one of the better gods. He does his job and doesn’t fuck around with mortal lives nearly as much as the rest of the pantheon. That being said Hades is fucking hilarious in the movie and is the best Disney villain ever. 10/10 would love for James Woods to be hades in the live action remake we will eventually get. Just give me a line incorporating the word Malaka from Phil and give me a lamb Souvlaki

[@hailpickens2454]

I know, like Zeus is an asshole and Hera is worse. Hades is a chill guy, mostly.

[@zerotohero1483]

@@hailpickens2454 he really is, but does have his limits. Idk if you’ve read the Percy Jackson books but that series has probably the best representation of Hades.

[@izzyyyyy8998]

@@zerotohero1483 Percy Jackson books are one of the most accurate representations of greek mythology on pop culture, but it still have it's fair share of slips

[@zerotohero1483]

@@izzyyyyy8998 true

[@legendarymarston9174]

@@izzyyyyy8998 Which ones if you don't mind me asking?

[@vxxiii4160]

Mexico loved Coco so much it was screened again a year later during Day of the Dead. This year probably will be the same.

[@chickennuggets3186]

lol yeah, the government even put out ads abt how we should be proud the world loves our culture so much lmao

[@lilybreee]

Honestly my family down in Mexico lost their shit when it came out

[@luis_zuniga]

V XXIII it's the highest grossing film in Mexico's history, I believe.

[@80s_graffiti]

@@luis_zuniga yep, and did mind-blowingly well in china

[@marcellava]

V XXIII Someone asked their tío for a pastel de coco, but the tio hadn’t watched the movie and brought and actual pastel de shredded coco

[@fluffyeevee383]

I like Coco's message. It fools you with the message of "Follow your dreams, be who you want to be" but instead later tells you "Sometimes there are more important things"

[@louminouz]

CalveeTheFluffy Eevee And it also teaches about the toxicity surrounding fame and what some of the awful things ppl are willing to do to get it.

[@MetaGiga]

‘Seize your moment’

[@deremotive11]

It's more like know how to compromise

[@Lambda_Ovine]

The whole message of the movie, just like the whole point of El Día de los Muertos, is that the only thing that truly matters is family.

[@teaconnoisseur3]

Roach DoggJR I’d say it’s more the ones you love or care about. For example, Hector wanted to go back to his family and Ernesto, his close friend, wanted to follow his dreams and went way too far in his pursuit.

[@luapark3068]

"overweight" Yeah nah mate, that's actually just functional muscle. My boyfriend is a literal lumberjack and he has a build p similar to Maui's, just a hair taller. Homeboy can launch me like a toothpick. That brown face costume is def a big ol yikes tho lmao

[@froggy9822]

But the problem is that maui in the legends didn't look like that.

[@SirQuadrat]

@@froggy9822 It's just a visual representation of him having inhuman strength. It doesn't matter if he doesn't look exactly like in the original legends.

[@royal3809]

@@SirQuadrat i mean, i get what you're saying, but it kinda does matter, since they are pulling Maui from polynesian culture, and probably could have represented him and other stuff a tad better

[@Killer36661]

​@@SirQuadrat There are a lot of way to portrait inhuman strength without making him looks like Incredible Hulk man-pregnated Wreck-It Ralph then dropped the baby face first on concrete floor.

[@gabbeskillz6262]

Look at all the top strongmen ever. Zydrunas Savickas, Brian Shaw, Hafthor Bjornsson etc... All fat af

[@Victoriai-y2m]

As a mexican, I agree that Coco needed more giant, singing crabs. But then again, that's every movie.

[@womensrightsdontexist7322]

Get deported on crab rave

[@clarissarojas7959]

As another Mexican, I also agree

[@SpiderOrb]

Agreed fellow Hispanic

[@kenziealtarrowhead]

As another another Mexican I agree

[@LeoEarly-bm6od]

Keep this at 666 likes

[@lightbulb129]

Schaffrillas: and the winner is coc- Tamatoa: *exists* Schaffrillas: *_P E R H A P S_*

[@lucasleanza9762]

Can I just say I really, really, really don't get this guy's obsession with that crab? Everyone I know (myself included) were completely turned off by that chracter - I, for example, was watching Moana on Netflix and literally turned the tv off when I saw it, it was just really awkward, cringy and childish. I don't say this to denigrate anyone's opinion, but Moana and that character have been getting SUCH A HUGEEE mention and honor from this channel that I am really perplexed from - when did he explain why it was a huge cinematic feat? Never, yet on every single video he mentions it as one of the greatest Disney films ever. PLEASE EXPLAIN!!

[@chronologizer422]

Don't get Templar about it. Some people are just fucking meme machines.

[@lightbulb129]

Lucas Leanza you don't get it

[@yesicalicht4882]

@@lucasleanza9762 it isn't something logical you can easily get. It just is.

[@Awesomefulrific]

@@lucasleanza9762 I dont really get it either

[@JRVBG]

The scene in Coco where Miguel says that he doesn’t want more tamales and his abuelita gives him the “do not reject my food” face is pure gold Happens all the time!!!!

[@Iruka1991]

When he is about to sing to the mariachi and his abuelita starts beating the guy while saying sth like "stay away from my miguelito pequeñito angelito" i just lost it

[@Miaou_In_Your_Pants]

Omg yes. Am not even Mexican and I can relate. In greece we have the classic " greek grandma™️" . She will make u eat anything she makes. You'll gain at least 10 pounds after visiting her

[@RK-ig8gc]

@@Miaou_In_Your_Pants same in Asianculture

[@Miaou_In_Your_Pants]

@@RK-ig8gc I guess all grandmas are like that . Pretty cool

[@jonnystorms3310]

@@Miaou_In_Your_Pants was about to say that seems to be just a grandma thing in general.

[@poesero]

The chorizo joke hit my family like a truck and we wonder how it was in English

[@anonymouslyforgotten5592]

Well for us English, it flew right over our head.

[@poesero]

@@toastarkat well... It's like soup in the way it's food... But it's nothing near like soup, sooo nope.

[@robinmatz6686]

In German they just changed it to sausage and so there was barely a joke there. Just slight awkwardness coz hes embarassed about dying from sausage

[@GonnaDieNever]

I got it, but then the US is pretty exposed to Mexican culture in general, at least where I live.

[@nowhereman748]

White American who eats a lot of chorizo because it's delicious. I laughed my ass off.

[@DarkPhaaze]

Miguel's abuelita saying he's as skinny as a stick and demanding he eat more is 1000% my abuelita so that alone gave Coco points for me. I also found it very nice to hear the random spanish they threw out just as a bilingual family would do.

[@bean181]

Ya coco is my favorite Pixar movie not only is it one of the only mainstream representations of a beautiful culture but it is also a great movie

[@xavi.cat.4095]

pretty sure that is just a grandma thing in general

[@cristinitao]

If you’re fluent in Spanish, I recommend you watch Coco 100% in Spanish. It’s 10x’s better!

[@lu-__-]

@@cristinitao yea its one of the only disney/pixar/etc movies i actually prefer in spanish

[@tasneemahmed5821]

Yeah that's not only a Spanish grandma typa thing you know

[@mrpopo6739]

Thats not fat. That's buff as hell. His muscles just aren't super defined

[@MalloryGrizzell]

We call that "hoss cat" body type in Appalachia. Someone whose strong and sturdy and you dont want to catch them in a bad mood.

[@yukiandkanamekuran]

Actually, his muscles aren't super dehydrated.

[@ryancalkins4367]

aminoapps.com/c/moana-9916041/amp/blog/maui-is-not-obese/qkmV_gJPfRuBNoo2o5KmB5BJkG054xaQRXZ This person on this amino tells it pretty fittingly

[@maradjal]

Yes. If you want defined muscles, you have to eat like that. Proteins, etc, you know, workout diet. Maui looks like he has a lot of muscle, but isn't defined as hell, because he isn't on a workout diet, he's just chillin' being super buff

[@Snowyoaks2]

mara mara and also you forgot one thing *its a simple art style*

[@Cz82]

Moana did have one big Cultural song it was "We know the way" and a lot of the background music is traditional but I agree that Coco knocks it out of the water in that respect

[@t.rae.storyteller]

We Know the Way is (in my opinion) the BEST song in Moana.

[@Cz82]

@@t.rae.storyteller I wholeheartedly agree!

[@foiibaddiix]

on god bro, i was so happy when i heard samoan in that song since we got no media rep outside nz, and the media rep we get in nz is usually on the police channels 💀💀

[@khanolval9848]

​@@t.rae.storyteller 💯

[@RaithSienar]

That dude was fat? Really? He looked like he was stylistically buff as hell.

[@Kjellbot]

at first glance his proportions are super chunky but he's not actually fat, just built like a pile of bricks. definitely larger than life.

[@MargaretRodriguez9GenY]

Raith- I'm surprised none of the Maui naysayers didn't get branded "fatphobic". But seriously, Yeah he's not even fat. He's just muscular and thick. He kinda reminded me of those strongman competitors.

[@General_Kenobi1]

He has a similar build as the Mountain from GOT, which is certainly not a bad thing

[@ChiyaPyon]

Listen, Maui is THICC KING

[@etikareborn5417]

​@@MargaretRodriguez9GenY I, a weird asian person, thought he was fat at first, I don't think it was done right to show muscle.

[@sofialuna2889]

I just want to say that Maui doesn't looks fat at all, he's a big strong man, strong as people who lift

[@sausagelynx]

oh god your pfp is giving me flashbacks lmao

[@foiibaddiix]

yeah but i can see why maui could be seen as a stereotypical islander, as a samoan person it honestly doesn't really bother me although i can see why other polys have a problem with it.

[@keekowashere]

welll duh maui is litreally a FOB🥱🥱🥱we’re big and fat

[@smolspooder]

Imagine coco... but one of the spirit animals is a certain giant shiny glowing crab...

[@guamish7593]

That's his labrihe lol

[@raviodelorule]

U just gave me a great idea for mi university project of alebrijes xd

[@aloleelibros]

Los alebrijes no son spirit animals xd

[@gwendolynbeals5806]

I really feel connected to this idea

[@sssaaabbbeeerrr]

Alibrije: al-ih-bree-hay Labrihe: ?????

[@shayla4007]

the broadway feel in moana probably comes from the fact that the guy who wrote the songs (lin-manuel miranda) also wrote hamilton, in the heights, and 21 chump street.

[@ella_spang4469]

Shayla Mazer point made.

[@girlyweirdo4658]

True

[@girlyweirdo4658]

Great songs true, buuut if I was to be cynical: Hamilton was really popular around the time along with other works by Lin, so most likely a whole lotta people knew him. Possibly Disney using him to rake in more audience?

[@niamhhamill8068]

He literally Sings a song in moana

[@icymoons]

@@girlyweirdo4658 considering disney paid 75 million for the rights to release the hamilton stage recording.... yeah probably

[@eristyto6353]

Coco: culture is actually integral to the story and the plot Moana: setting

[@paint1238]

Yeah but Giant crab

[@cyanide167]

*TOMATOA BABY*

[@ConversationswithRei]

Joram Rascon tomato

[@GrahamChapman]

Considering that Moana is a take on what happened during "The Long Pause," (and a take good enough to make a pretty good official future Polynesian folktale imo,) I cannot help but feel that the Polynesian influence on the setting and plot are a bit more significant than Scaff gave it credit for...

[@southparkxanime]

@@GrahamChapman Yes exactly, the only reason coco feels richer is because it focuses on one culture. While Moana is more of a culmination of many Polynesian futures (which was very well researched btw) in order to explain The Long Pause.

[@toria.4613]

In defense of Moana... I went to see it in theaters with a group of only poly friends (i was in their Polynesian dance troupe) and they were excited and commenting throughout the movie on how accurate to the stories they grew up with as kids many of the characters and stories within the film itself were. It was cool to hear their comments as someone who has little to no knowledge on a lot of their culture. They also did have a lot of their soundtrack done by Te Vaka, a super popular Tokelaun group 😄

[@Leo___________]

Oh crap they didn't get offended? Do better next time :D

[@snail736]

​@@Leo___________ weirdo

[@kevinzhang6623]

Yup. Always the white liberals that want to virtue signal and get offended on everyone's behalf.

[@k.n1407]

For Moana it felt more like she was a girl looking for her dream who just HAPPENED to be Polynesian.

[@kittkatkitty1]

Allie Snoëa I think it’s important to have both you know? I’m Latina and although I very proud of where I came from, my language, my culture....it also isn’t the only thing about me. So it should be a mix of stories of minorities who happen to be minorities doing really cool stuff and also stories based around the culture.

[@spaghetti8338]

Culture or where you come from shouldn't happen, nothing should be based on a culture itself, but rather the people who go through the story and adventure

[@dollchomp]

I could be wrong, but isn't moana specifically about polynesian culture or whatever? (can't think of the exact word)

[@lulolie]

@@dollchomp The storyline draws from some general Polynesian mythology I think, and they use languages from several specific Polynesian cultures in one of the songs is all I know.

[@moogan2000]

@@kittkatkitty1 I get what you're saying in the sense that race shouldn't be the only trait in a character, but us Polynesians are extremely under-represented in television and media. Like all we really have is 'Lilo and Stitch', Dwayne Johnson, and Taika Waititi. Everyone in my family was so happy to see that there was a major film being released that was going to showcase our heritage and culture, but when we went to see it in cinemas it felt like an "...oh" moment; really disappointing and underwhelming. The whole story was based around Polynesian culture and mythology, but then the only things in the film that reflected that was 1) the first 15-20 minutes of the film and 2) 'You're Welcome', then the rest of the movie takes place in the middle of the pacific or on an unhabited island.

[@savannahriches5794]

I think Lilo and Stitch should be involved in this discussion.

[@hawktalon7890]

Absolutely, it should.

[@millicentbystander4502]

HELL YEAH

[@bobathy5710]

The culture is both key too the film and also neglected. It’s weird as hell lol

[@kraziiXIII]

The Book of Life is the actual relevant topic to this discussion.

[@Animeshelly0120]

When Nani got fired from the restaurant, she even called the lua (I forget how you spell it) a “fake”

[@carmenmercedes9903]

Coco got Frida Kahlo wrong. She was not an ego maniac. She painted what she felt, and if she felt like her ex husband only liked the Mexican side of her, she would paint that. I found this on "The wounded deer" "At the lower-left corner, the artist wrote down the word "Carma", which means "destiny" or "fate". Just like her other self-portraits, in this painting Frida expressed the sadness that she cannot change her own fate. Frida used her pet deer "Granizo" as the model when she painted this portrait." She also had a pet deer and at least one monkey!!

[@Crab_Shanty]

Yeah, I loved the movie but that part really disappointed me.

[@rashotcake6945]

I didn’t really feel like the movie portrayed her as an ego maniac. Just eccentric

[@carmenmercedes9903]

@@rashotcake6945(PARAPHRASED) "The dancers-who are *me*-crawl onto a cactus-who is also *me*..."

[@rashotcake6945]

@@carmenmercedes9903 yes she’s extensively including herself in her own artwork in the movie but considering the weirdness of it all, it doesn’t seem like something that her character is doing to make herself look good. Looking like a cactus or crawling like a bunch of spiders isn’t very flattering. So instead, it just comes across to me as eccentric rather than egotistical, as i said before. Plus, her being nice to Miguel and being willing to take feedback from Miguel makes her character seem kind rather than narcissistic. At least, that’s how her portrayal personally felt to me

[@carmenmercedes9903]

@@rashotcake6945 I never said she's narcissistic. Maybe self-absorbed would be a better way to put it.

[@scarletnishimoto7916]

To be honest the Lilo and Stitch franchise is really underrated and they had some of the best cultural learning moments when it comes to Disney. I noticed a lot more as I got older but they quietly addressed some major cultural issues. High price of living, pandering to tourists, racism against Hawaiians, assimalation, poverty, lack of job security, geographic isolation, etc. Moana addressed Polynesian cultural history and beautifully done. Lilo and Stitch really brought attention to the current cultural climate for a lot of Pacific Island nations.

[@briciolaa]

yeah wasn't the whole thing of Lilo taking pictures at tourists a way of showing in reverse how the hawaiians are most of the time treated as an exotic rarity or just another prop to photograph? but then again i think they cut the scene where this is explicated out the movie and we all know why so yeah

[@shockingheaven]

Yes!

[@doodle7342]

@@briciolaa they also cut out a scene that was outright showing the racisms A tourist says "Oh look a real island native!" and another tourist says "Hey, do you know english! Which way's the beach?"

[@doodle7342]

and a lot of the music is in Hawaiian and was written around when Hawaii was being forcefully inaugurated.

[@briciolaa]

@@doodle7342 i wished they kept them in! it would have been much better to learn this when i was younger

[@gunship_serrano8768]

I have a Mexican grandma and Miguel’s grandma was just so similar to her it was legit scary, even his great grandma was so similar

[@tyrant-den884]

There isstoryI love where the directors talk about how they would show earlier drafts to Mexican community leaders to make sure they got things right, and the gave the grandma a rolling pin. and the leaders said: "no no no, grandma hits us with her shoe."

[@angellozano1938]

That part where she started smothering miguel at the plaza, only to completely ballistic the next second is so similar to my mom that its horrifying

[@lilybreee]

With the Mexican version, one of the guys just called up his abulita and she voiced the character

[@Lucidluca]

I'm a Polynesian and my grandma looks so much like Moana's grandma it is ridiculous! Love her to bits x cried my eyes out during the movie lmao.

[@80s_graffiti]

@@angellozano1938 she was literally every woman in my family (im mexican hehe)

[@ebear5595]

Here’s a cool life hack: watch Coco entirely in Spanish or at least just the songs cause they are much better that way

[@scarletbrigham1498]

one of my friends and i did that a while back! since i'm going through with my Spanish classes all thee way to AP i wanted to get a better understanding of both the movie and the language and it actually worked so well

[@rachelhansen2417]

Also, so many songs from other Disney movies end up better in Spanish. Or French. Or a lot of other languages. The Spanish versions of the Coco songs are definitely the best.

[@arie-is-bored]

I’ve never watched it in English and I refuse too. It just flows way better in Spanish in my opinion

[@kellymaldonado2114]

Yes and the reason is because they used actual Mexican singers who have been the music business for years in the Spanish version.

[@exosvocals2526]

Coco in spanish is top tier

[@tclair9623]

I love this comparison! I'm half Samoan and was so excited to see Moana, and while I like a lot of things about it, you're absolutely right about how Polynesian culture was pretty much just a tool for Disney to say "see? ~Diversity/cultural exploration~" without really putting in the work. Like you said, the story was not at all contingent on any aspect of Polynesian culture other than having folklore. Honestly - especially with characters like Tamatoa, Te Fiti, & the Kakamora - it seemed more like a fantasy/magical movie that just happened to contain islander elements.

[@tclair9623]

Also, the soundtrack is nice but it was also really disappointing.

[@foiibaddiix]

on god im full samoan and the song we know the way hittin diff when u understand the words

[@frde2190]

You got samoan in your veins Sorry rock reference

[@ehuslugi]

But um... As far as I know, Te Fiti is based on a real goddess named Hine-nui-te-po and Cacamora areva thing too

[@UrMum-ku7bz]

The two things that bother me most is the way the take a wide range of interconnected cultures and just act like there's no distinction between them. They make it seem like Hawaiian, Tahitian, Samoan and Maori culture are all the same and don't need to be preserved as separate cultures. The other thing is copyrighting the word Moana. The audacity.

[@lizardlord4k]

As someone who's lived in that culture for most of my life, Coco was downright surreal how "real", for lack of a better word, it was to me. Not just accurate, but actually real, little details that almost felt like they came from my childhood projected onto the big screen. That's something I've never experienced from a movie before, especially not a Pixar/Disney movie.

[@qeter129]

authentic?

[@TECfan1]

Yea I love how Pixar actually does their research, gets to know the actual people in the culture, and WANTS to portray the culture in a realistic way. Disney puts little hints of their culture but then the movie is full of Western musical numbers and pop culture references. Which is fine, but if you're going to portray a culture I feel that you should respect the culture.

[@lovinani7]

same dude, same

[@Reducks_again]

Mhm, that scene where the grandma is running around with the chancla was awesome. Those tamales looked like real tamales and not to mention they referenced El Santo of all people. Like who other than older Mexican folk would even known of El Santo?

[@lomilu1219]

Same, I have some of those family members which was really weird watching it

[@Onsvaltti]

I have actually cried every single time I have watched Coco. I'm not a cry-person, at all. But still. Every. Single. Time. Remember me is just too powerful for my manly finnish soul.

[@ashleyannak]

I have watched Coco at LEAST 6 times due to it being my favorite movie. I cried *thrice* every single time I did.

[@user-pq7et6eh3k]

this is facts

[@fiaflora9585]

Sameeee

[@peachy1217]

It's the part where Hector remembers singing Remember Me to Coco. I honestly had to pause for a second to sob because it was so beautiful

[@strawberrybanana9322]

I will ALWAYS cry for remember me 😭 😭

[@totallynottakingthepiss490]

hercules wasn't accurate mostly because they didn't want it to be R 18

[@catsneeze]

@Michael Richards 😭😭😭 pls wtf

[@swampymender4400]

@@catsneeze ?

[@1337b3nnyvav00m]

Deadass didn’t Hera make Heracles go crazy and kill his whole family?

[@monke5198]

Are Hercules and Heracles the same

[@Natureguy-le8pl]

@IAN HEINE Not to mention Hercules is the offspring of incest.

[@katherine_queen5294]

I absolutely LOVED coco, most of the time when people try to include Hispanic culture, it’s usually still very stereotypical. So it was refreshing to see Mexican culture shown in the right way, and I’m not even Mexican. I really hope other Hispanic countries will also get representation and culture shown

[@zona347]

have people who called maui “overweight” seen an actual muscular body builder? no, not the ones hollywood casts and muscle models. I mean actual body builders who compete in actual strength competitions. those dudes are HUGE.

[@Henriburger1]

Yeah Maui just looked massively buff to me. I have a feeling nobody really thought he was fat and some reporter just needed a boost in their click rate.

[@anonymousartist80]

Yeah I didn't understand that controversy either because he has always looked muscular to me

[@vicktoria4864]

ive seen polynesian men who have similar bodies and they are big and muscular as heck, my 5'3 self is scared

[@justradiclesandco]

Typically fighters are top heavy and have a big square build, so that’s what I saw when Maui was first shown. He seemed muscular and strong, so I don’t really see how someone would say that he’s fat.

[@abkjmnn3106]

I live in New Zealand (a pacific country) and before Moana was released Maui was slim and only 18 years old so I feel kind of offended by Moana

[@strandedlullaby1797]

my mom is puerto rican, and when we watched coco at home and the chorizo part came up she said-- "he choked on a wHAT-"

[@chesiresmile1759]

Jajajaja

[@emilyperla5572]

OKAY NOW THAT YOU SAY THAT I GET IT JSJ

[@the_weirdo_in_your_closet7099]

Yeah my mom said the same thing we are also Puerto Rican.

[@themachine430]

Yep, my Grandpa who is a Spainard lost his shit too.

[@XxcrystalestradaxX]

I had to pause the movie cause I was laughing too hard

[@themovieguy3642]

Big Difference... Disney: Believe in your dreams… While going on a fantasy adventure with cute sidekicks and living happily ever after Pixar: finding yourself… While living in a cold hard reality mixed with finding simple pleasures/adventuresin every day, normal life.

[@elanorpuppydoggowoofles2147]

@The Movie Guy I like mixing both for the extra kick in the gut and pet on the back.

[@themovieguy3642]

I’m just describing how people in general usually view both Disney and Pixar. Personally, I love both animation Studios.

[@laura-ni8ym]

hot take but Coco was hilarious and I freaking died when the guy said "my mini fridge? my good napkins? my FEMUR where is my FEMUR"

[@PussInBootsTheLastWishFan2003]

Hopefully you cried when he disappeared

[@empirebeach]

that dude was funny. rip whoever hes supposed to represent

[@MariiMee.]

Putting all of this aside, can we just appreciate how breathtakingly gorgeous the art was in both movies?

[@woxof46]

You can say that again!

[@iKnowaNoah]

The petals in Coco were gorgeous, and that's just my favorite part of the animation. The water in Moana was awesome, and Moana's hair not to mention. Both are very lively and fun stylistically speaking, but I will always prefer Coco

[@harambeh6302]

@@iKnowaNoah i think the tribal tattoos from moana were really a good touch

[@althealee9375]

Absolutely! Moana and Coco were both amazing to me because of the astounding visuals. Also being someone who has attended many funerals, Coco had me really emotional by the end of it 😢 but it was so worth it!

[@fulcrum7493]

i really adore the land of the dead and the skeleton designs in coco.

[@connorbarker1352]

You also got to take into account that these two studios, although they’re the same company, have different target demographics. Disney primary target demographic is children and they’re secondary target demographic is teens and young adults. They use bright flashy colors and extremely catchy songs that appeal to children a lot more, while also having a few underlining themes and somewhat deep story that appeal to teens and young adults. Pixar’s primary target demographic , on the other hand, is teens and young adults while they’re secondary target demographic is children. They have extremely deep story’s and a lot of underlining themes that appeal to teens and young adults, all wrapped in a colorful cartoon, with a few upbeat catchy songs throw in occasionally, which appeals to children.

[@duckmcbucket]

How could you say something so profound yet so obvious at the same time?

[@Henriburger1]

*Cars has entered the chat*

[@s29nv1sr1]

*their *stories Still agree though.

[@canvas_125]

Connor Barker *The Good Dinosaur has entered the chat*

[@seraphywang4638]

Connor Barker I’m pretty sure The Lion King is pretty deep thematic-wise even when it’s targeted to children.

[@memoryb7627]

Yes but remember “Polynesian culture” isn’t just one culture. Hawaiian culture and traditions can have huge discrepancies from the Maori culture in New Zealand, not to mention the thousands of islands in between. Whoever made the movie ( yes let’s put aside allll of Disney’s flaws first) may have a hard time landing on one specific culture or the overall Polynesian, the (mis)representation can likely offense a lot and mislead children. this video does a good job in reminding us to study and learn more about a represented culture from all sources and not just a single (corporate) film.

[@ktw5574]

Yes!!! I remember being around 9 or 10 when Moana came out, having seen it in theatres with my parents, and my mom, being Samoan, was also understandably excited. I'd keep whispering to her if things were accurate and if a song was in Samoan, and during "We Know The Way," she mentioned that the first verse was Samoan, the second verse Tongan. She also mentioned some of the culture seen on the island wasn't entirely Samoan, either. Moana mixes different Polynesian cultures into this one movie, but I figure the creators got lost between it all, so maybe that's why she was on the ocean almost the entire time. Because it's hard to take all these different, yet similar cultures and blend it together without being confused. And I don't blame them, I get Tokelau and Samoan mixed up now and then whenever I hear em 😵

[@Cahila3617]

I agree as a new Zealander myself you have explained it the same way I would

[@julienmaubrey9800]

@@ktw5574 The movie is also set in obviously largely pre colonization times, given that the ancestors ship are still seaworthy mayby somewhere between the 11th 15th century, probably at a time where different islands had less separated cultures (like French and Spanish culture became different the further you get from the end of the roman empire). besides since it's disconnected from a specific historical and cultural setting (beside pre columbian polynesian) I can understand the generalisation here, the tale is not so much about polynesian history as much as about adventure and self discovery. I don't blame the hunchback for not being a perfect depiction of the french society at that time either for exemple. OverallI think it is a step in the right direction, putting in the spotlight a rarely shown culture (except lilo and stich which i loved)

[@rise1996]

As a Samoan New Zealander I have to agree! Traditions definitely vary in every small island nation. I think while Polynesian culture could have had more of an impact on the storyline, the way the filmmakers represented our culture as a whole (rather than just making Moana come from a specific Pacific Island country) was well done. I heard Samoan, Tokelauean, and Hawaiian in one song, which was mind-blowing to me at the time lol and all the PI's were buzzing about it when it came out

[@valu_eable]

@@ktw5574 bruh when we were in theaters and we know the way came on, my mom (tongan) kept translating the lyrics and i kept having to shush her bc she was so loud lmfaooo

[@ZephyrLucki]

The only elaborate adult joke in Disney is when Anna said “size doesn’t matter”

[@minatoyuki4800]

Anna tells Christoph that he looks better in leather

[@mundane3809]

Kristoff also asks Anna about Hans for his "foot size".

[@valeriavallejo6864]

And that "You look better in leather" thing

[@franziska9260]

Oh good gods Hercules really confused me. Why is Zeus a good guy. Why is Zeus a good guy. Why. Why.

[@Alkiviadis_]

The actual question is: why is Hera a good guy? In the actual myth, she tried to kill Hercules...multiple times..

[@pifilixxiv3192]

@@Alkiviadis_ plus dont forget that hercules was the roman name for his actual greek name: Heracles (like the beetle) Because hera was trying to kill him on several occasion, but survived

[@Alkiviadis_]

@@pifilixxiv3192 Ηρακλής to be exact

[@pifilixxiv3192]

@@Alkiviadis_ I don't read Greek...

[@lusscarellyperezrodriguez2420]

WHY DOES ZEUS LOVE HERA? WHYYYYYY???????

[@NotSylvanUnfortunately]

3:15 Live-action version coming 2052 Well that aged well.

[@KennedyRose]

Just wanted to mention that, while Lee Unkrich did direct Coco, the story came from Adrian Molina, the co-director, who is Latino and was inspired in part by his own upbringing and experiences when he created the story. So to say that Coco's successful representation of Mexican culture was thanks to research on the part of Lee Unkrich isn't quite accurate. I think it's also worth mentioning the emphasis that Pixar puts on the idea that "the best stories are inspired by real experiences." Adrian was inspired by his own experiences and culture, which, in my opinion, is why Coco is so powerful, genuine, and of course culturally aware. Just wanted to throw that out there :)

[@whatupguys1]

It makes sense, i kept thinking only someone who lived all of this could come up with something so truthful and genuine.

[@robertgaudet7407]

It was confusing to me how Coco could feel so on point compared to say, a Pocahontas.

[@lektergod2280]

Actually Hercules has one greek reference. There is one scene that Phil says “two words. I am retired!” In English it’s three but in greek it’s “Είμαι συνταξιούχος!” which is two.

[@kaylenadoesthings7997]

Did you know that Hercules is his Roman name? In Greece, his name is Heracles not much of a difference, but I just wanted to point that out.

[@lektergod2280]

Kaylena Does things yeah i know, I’m actually greek.

[@Jim_100]

Δεν ειχα ιδεα οτι αυτος ηταν Ελληνας δε φαινεται καθολου απο την προφορα του

[@lektergod2280]

Jim Tsiamis Ναι ρε ουτε εγω, νομιζω απλα μεγαλωσε αμερικη και τα αγγλικα ειναι η πρωτη γλωσσα του. Μπορει να εχει γονιο ελληνα ιδκ

[@Jim_100]

@@lektergod2280 Ναι αυτο μπορει να ειναι

[@Plu255]

As a Norwegian teen, I want to say that Disney didn’t do much research on Norwegian history/culture when they made Frozen~ Edit: first of all- wow, didn’t expect to get 4K likes And second of all, yes Frozen is set in a Norwegian-inspired kingdom, the castle is inspired by stav kirker and Akershus festning, and the town of Bergen~ Anna, Elsa, Olaf, Kristoff and Hans are really common Norwegian/Scandinavian (or even just Germanic) names. And the northern people in the sequel are heavily based on the Samí-people living in North- Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. Anna’s dress from the first movie is based on traditional Norwegian dresses, I personally see it as a Frankenstein of all the dresses and I hate it :)

[@Ally5141]

There was history/culture in the Frozen?

[@spaghetti8338]

Yeah like why in the world was there a black person in Frozen 2? Thats historically inaccurate

[@Ally5141]

@@spaghetti8338 Don't worry the new little mermaid has it covered

[@spaghetti8338]

@@Ally5141 that's really stupid, forced diversity ruins a movie. Mermaids are European myths. That's like a white man playing in African myths/legends.

[@lovi5766]

Spaghetti It felt somewhat out of place for me too until I got curious enough researched the topic: Denmark-Norway participated in the slave trade, meaning some Nobels kept African slaves during the 1700 and first half of 1800. The black man in Frozen 2 is likely based on a young boy named Adam that arrived from St. Croix to Arendal (fun fact: Arendell is based on Arendal) in 1778. He escaped, but later returned to the slave owner. He was put on trial, but the judge decided Adam should be freed. The story of Frozen takes place in 1840, after Denmark-Norway abolished slavery for good in 1803, meaning the black man in Frozen would be a free man. I doubt black people had it as easy during that time period as depicted in Frozen 2, people weren’t kind back in the day, but this is a Disney movie we are talking about, I doubt they will ever dare explore such gritty topics in one of their movies. I’ll leave the link to the Wikipedia page and it’s sources down below if you’d like to read for yourself, but it’s in Norwegian though :) no.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dansk-norsk_slavehandel#cite_note-11

[@ItzFmod]

Y'know that "chocked on a chorizo" joke, I speak Spanish, and a pp joke wasn't my first initial thought was that they were making fun of the, "death by food" kind of thing.

[@EarlyOwOwl]

Also Coco is the only movie I can think of with a good spanish dub. Seriously I refuse to listen to Un Poco Loco in english.

[@josefagomezschmeisser8356]

Si, las canciones se sienten como si en español fuera la versión original

[@LaMadriguera]

@@josefagomezschmeisser8356 Lo son... Las versiónes en inglés son las adaptaciones... XD

[@Henriburger1]

The songs do sound way better in Spanish. I watched this in a Spanish course and even though I didn't learn a word of Spanish in that class I liked the songs much more in Spanish. The cringe of the songs in English just made me really uncomfortable, I don't know why. They should have used the Spanish versions of the songs in every language.

[@s29nv1sr1]

I love _Coco_ music in Spanish, but I watch the movie in English because I'm not Hispanic. And what's cool about the soundtrack for the English version is that the music is either bilingual (certain parts are in English, and others are in Spanish) or entirely in Spanish. IDK, I really like that detail, I guess.

[@sarahlamper5701]

They have the same voice actor for Hector in English and Spanish and it makes it all the better bc I LOVE his voice

[@EC2019]

I've never got the complaint that Maui is shown as supposedly overweight. He's not. He's shown as an enormous caricatured tank of muscle. He ripples those muscles frequently throughout the movie, makes the tattoo character dance as he hops his pecs around. And he's directly modelled on The Rock's grandfather. Look him up, he's basically exactly the same but without the tattoos. They tried to really make Maui look awesome. Maybe some people interpreted it differently from how they intended, and maybe the caricaturing didn't quite land, but they weren't trying to make this deity of Polynesian culture out to be a fat lazy slob by any means.

[@Sluggii]

@Psy Duck For real, like my faincé is definitely on the chubbier side but I've seen the man lift an average size refrigerator by himself, squishiness doesn't equal strength lol

[@thatguyonthedime8297]

From what i heard mauis bodytype was more natural body muscle mass than ripped body building, and he also looked similar to the rock's granddad who was also a strong guy (i think it was grandpa not 100% sure)

[@QuikVidGuy]

Ironically, people who say he looks like a slob are just applying THEIR western-centric ideals to the character

[@elizerin]

I thought it was cool that Disney portrayed Maui with a different body type than what you would typically associate with a physically fit and strong person (slim waist & defined muscles). In all reality, those body types aren't nearly as strong or have the amount of endurance than someone like Maui would have.

[@maxe_mini]

@Psy Duck spoilers: *ahem* Endgame Thor