“Inside Out 2” (Kelsey Mann, 2024) topped the UK & Ireland box office for a fourth consecutive weekend. The movie follows Riley's journey through the early stages of turbulence— I mean, adolescence. The magic of coming-of-age stories lies in their connection with viewers.
“Inside Out’s” creative approach to the mind in a mentally unhealthy world and its depiction of anxiety in an instantaneous world hit the nail on the head. It could be argued its main problematic is the lack of nuance. However, it is worthwhile to remember an older Pixar predecessor that also deals with puberty: “Turning Red” (Domee Shi, 2022).
Puberty in “Inside Out 2”
Anxiety is a tea in many cups across the globe, but its ingredients and preparation methods vary. While many viewers related to the film regardless of their background. It is worth noting that anxiety manifests in different ways and not everyone found it relatable on “Inside Out 2.”
Not only that, but Riley’s puberty is almost a rereading of the "women in refrigerators" trope. For those unfamiliar, this is a trend in fiction where female characters face disproportionate harm to serve as plot devices to motivate male characters. In “Inside Out 2,” Anxiety serves as this pain to motivate Riley’s growth. However, female puberty involves other aspects such as hormones and menstruation. The movie touched upon these briefly, even though they often occur simultaneously with emotional waves or are interconnected.
Puberty in “Turning Red”
This is where “Turning Red” enters the scene. The movie caused a buzz with many detractors due to its perceived lack of relatability and its controversial rating. Many countries considered it suitable for parental guidance. Numerous parents left negative reviews, claiming it was inappropriate. The movie did not get the chance to see the silver screen due to pandemic restrictions but streaming instead. However, “Turning Red” conveys a powerful message about female empowerment, ancestry, sorority, self-love, and self-acceptance.
However, “Turning Red” remains a pioneer in addressing female puberty, a topic often glossed over or implied in movies and offscreen conversations and hidden in euphemisms. A stigma. Although the movie relies on metaphors to tell the story from a non-romanticized perspective. It tackles menstruation head-on through the symbol of a red panda. In China, the red panda symbolizes wisdom, while in the West, the colour red is associated with power and anger.
Problematics in “Turning Red”
“Turning Red” becomes problematic when it represents only one method to absorb menstrual fluid, such as disposable pads. There are existing alternatives, including reusable organic pads, period cup sets, and period underwear. While it is essential to recognize the ease of access and affordability of disposable pads, it is also important to acknowledge that in a capitalist world, period poverty is a harsh reality. Period poverty is the lack of access to menstrual products, sanitation facilities, and adequate education. On the other hand, disposable pads can contain harmful chemicals and are not environmentally friendly or healthy.
“Turning Red” brings diversity to Pixar stories as a natural part of its narrative setting, without injecting identity politics into its plot. It features an Asian lead and offers an accurate portrayal of Asian people through a multidimensional protagonist who deconstructs the common trope of the model minority. The animation pays homage to Asian culture through numerous visual elements and incorporates Cantonese dialogue and manga aesthetics.
It is worthwhile to mention how “Turning Red” can be problematic, as mentioned previously, due to its use of metaphors. The film employs a technique similar to Disney's practice of transforming minorities into non-human forms. As seen in "The Emperor’s New Groove" (Mark Dindal, 2000), "Brother Bear" (Aaron Blaise and Robert Walker, 2003), "The Princess and the Frog" (John Musker and Ron Clements, 2009), and "Soul" (Pete Docter and Kemp Powers, 2020).
Problematics in “Inside Out 2”
Last but not least, the diversity in “Inside Out 2” is limiting. While there are many background characters that add colour to the backdrop, the film also employs an interracial friendship strategy. On one hand, it promotes a message of inclusion and acceptance, which can strengthen communities by fostering empathy, collaboration, and progress, especially during times of political conflict. On the other hand, it relegates the 'other' to secondary roles, bordering on tokenism in today's media landscape. It presents a progressive image on the surface but may rely on social engineering beneath the surface.
Power in “Inside Out 2” and “Turning Red”
Turning Red” and “Inside Out 2” remain fundamental. Especially for children, pre-teens, and early teens. The ones who hold power in their fingertips: the future. These films offer open dialogues between generations and provide comfort in turbulence. They connect through emotions and experiences that resonate easily across generations and references caught individually to them too. These considerations are important because today's youth, whose literacy often comes from screens, directly or indirectly brainwashed. This underscores the importance of representation, interconnected with identity and resonance, broadening horizons and creating opportunities.
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