Waiting for a Prince?: Young Japanese Women as Disney Princesses
Faculty Information
Robert Andolina | Course: INST 4960 | Project-in-progress
Presentation Type
Individual
Presentation Format
Oral presentation
Start Date
10-5-2024 3:00 PM
End Date
10-5-2024 4:00 PM
Abstract or artist statement
Beauty standards and female roles in Japanese society have changed throughout the generations. Japanese women are becoming more self-conscious of their appearance and their ways of interacting with Japanese men. Japanese women have long seen physical beauty as white skin, thin proportions, with big eyes; they have seen attractive behavior as quiet, shy and obedient. As part of Westernization in Japan, The Walt Disney Company has reinforced and transformed these notions of femininity through Disney Princess movies. This study therefore investigates the effects of Disney Princesses on young Japanese women's expectations of themselves. It carries out critical analysis of five Disney movies futuring princesses such as Cinderella, Snow White, and Ariel, together with Japanese gender and beauty standards. It focuses on an analysis of Disney Princesses' characteristics and today's definition of beauty in Japan. This study finds that the way Japanese women portray themselves reflects how Disney Princesses appear and act in their movies and intends to attract men of their interest. Increasingly, Japanese women are pressured to believe that Western women are the standards of female beauty. This runs the risk of young Japanese women failing to recognize the beauty within themselves.
Keywords: Female and beauty standards in Japan effected by Disney Princesses
Waiting for a Prince?: Young Japanese Women as Disney Princesses
Beauty standards and female roles in Japanese society have changed throughout the generations. Japanese women are becoming more self-conscious of their appearance and their ways of interacting with Japanese men. Japanese women have long seen physical beauty as white skin, thin proportions, with big eyes; they have seen attractive behavior as quiet, shy and obedient. As part of Westernization in Japan, The Walt Disney Company has reinforced and transformed these notions of femininity through Disney Princess movies. This study therefore investigates the effects of Disney Princesses on young Japanese women's expectations of themselves. It carries out critical analysis of five Disney movies futuring princesses such as Cinderella, Snow White, and Ariel, together with Japanese gender and beauty standards. It focuses on an analysis of Disney Princesses' characteristics and today's definition of beauty in Japan. This study finds that the way Japanese women portray themselves reflects how Disney Princesses appear and act in their movies and intends to attract men of their interest. Increasingly, Japanese women are pressured to believe that Western women are the standards of female beauty. This runs the risk of young Japanese women failing to recognize the beauty within themselves.
Keywords: Female and beauty standards in Japan effected by Disney Princesses