East vs West - Strong female protagonists

The role of the heroine differs somewhat in Miyazaki and Disney films. As I mentioned earlier, coming from a historically oppressive culture towards women, you would think that such strong female roles would not be an as important part in Miyazaki's films, but feminism is emphasised more throughout his work than that of Walt Disney who was brought up in the West.

Starting with the suffrage movement in the 1820's, up to the "second wave" feminists post 1960's, America has always adknowleged the tradition of femenism. Disney does include strong female characters such as Mulan and Pocahontas...but they are not as strong a femenist role model as the females we see in Miyazaki's animations. His females are strong, they retain positions of power, freedom and indepence. Disney's females - even though overcoming obstacles and straying away from the duties they are expected to complete as a female (Mulan running off to be in the army,) they are still held back or constricted by a male authority (at the end Mulan choses to accept the path of marriage rather than continue her life as a soldier and reverts back into a submissive feminine role.)

References taken from this article

Themes of nature in both Miyazaki's and Disney's films.

Both Disney and Miyazaki films support the recurring theme that humanity must live in harmony with nature, but that it is a constant struggle.

"In snow white, the analogue between discovery and horror is evident, particularly with respect to nature in general and the forest in particular."

In one scene Snow White is banished to the forest, forced to run through scenes of terifying monstrous trees but then finds herself in the sunshine surrounded by a choir or friendly animals.

Snow white in the forest with the animals

In Miyazaki's Princess Mononoke, Ashitaka (the male protagonist) is cursed by evil from the forest which is a "materialization of the natural world's war with man."

Disney's Bambi emphasises the incompatability of the animal kingdom and the human worlds.

A lot of the forest creatures in Miyazaki's Princess Mononoke have human qualities but it is not permitted for humans to live harmoniously amongst them.

The Kodama in the forest in Princess Mononoke

Quotes taken from this article

Miyazaki and Walt Disney

I've found some interesting articles on the internet comparing his work and Walt Disney's. Of particular interest is the role of females (East vs West arguments) and how even though Miyazaki comes from a culture that is historically far more oppressive towards women than America, his females always assume and retain positions of power. In contrast to this, Disney's heroines – although they stray from their feminine roles and go on a journey to become more self-reliant, they still never entirely free themselves from the comforting yet controlling restraints of male authority (“One day my prince will come.”)

Another aspect I've found intriguing is comparing Miyazaki's recurring theme of nature with Disney's approach. The “goodness” of nature is consistent throughout Disney's work but both show the permanent struggle between humans and nature.

I have also been looking at the “Good vs Evil” theme throughout both films. Miyazaki's characters are never wholly evil and are given the chance to see their errors and change, whereas Disney seems to want to emphasise between “right” and “wrong” behaviour often killing off the evil character (the Evil Queen in Snow White.)

My one concern is whether I concentrate on just this one aspect, or include all aspects such as themes, narrative, plot storyline and characters, comparing both using the East vs West approach, including historical, cultural, social and political references.