I decided to start a series of analyzing the DP Couples in depth (and later, the other Disney Couples) after I got bored one day, and wanted to write a series of articles. You can recommend me which couple to do next in the couples section. So here is how it is going to go. I will first explain my overall statement about the couples in a paragraph, and then I will analyze each scene to look at the inner and outer feelings of the characters individually an the couple itself.
Here is the first DP Couple Analysis:link
Here is the second DP Couple Analysis:link
Here is the third DP Couple Analysis:link
Here is the first D Couple Analysis:link
Here is the second D Couple Analysis:link
Here is the third D Couple Analysis:link
Here is the fourth D Couple Analysis:link
Here is the fourth DP Couple Analysis:link
Here is the fifth D Couple Analysis:link
Here is the sixth D Couple Analysis:link
First thoughts right after watching the Movie
My first thoughts after watching Mulan is that this couple is not in love (stating the obvious), and they are just okay for me. Shang's sexuality has been questioned many times and there is every right to. I do think Shang is bisexual, but he gets a lot more attracted to her when he finds out she is a girl.
So Shang has just been promoted and when he steps out of his tent, he sees all of his troops in a huge fight, and they all point to Mulan. He qquickly walks up to her and says that he wants no trouble in his camp. In her normal voice, she stutters, but lowers her voice and tries to impress him about being a boy, punching his arm weakly. He asks for her name, and she stutters again, which only makes him angrier. She eventually comes up with the name Ping after Mushu told her it and she tells her captain that. He asks for her conscription notice, and seems to be impressed when he reads she's the son of the Fa Zhou. He tells the group that they have to clean the entire tent and training starts. The next mornign, she wakes up realizing that she is late, so she puts on her uniform and rushes to the group. Shang shows up a bit later and takes off his shirt, which she reacts by a lustful gaze. "I'll Make A Man Out Of You" starts, and a good amount of it is Mulan screwing up and getting nervous whenever he is around, and him growing frustration with her lack of progress. He one night tells her to leave, but she decides to get the arrow he shot on a wooden pole, and he is impressed when she does it. She quickly becomes one of the best in the group and when she kicks him, he does have that small "hey" smile. I didn't really think much of this because he could have been smiling because someone was able to beat him, but it could be because he is attracted to men and likes to be "roughened up". The song takes place in 3 weeks. At this point, he loses his thought of her as a menace and starts to become impressed by her from a soldier point of view, and she lusts over him.
After the song is completed, we are taken to the tent where Chi Fu and Shang asre talking about being ready to go to war. Shang says they've completed their training but Chi Fu wrote a negative letter about his training and the troop. Shang storms out angrily and Mulan (who was right outside the tent) tries to make light of the situation and says they can beat up Chi Fu, with Shang looking at her weirdly as he continued to walk past her. She then says that she thinks he is a great coach, and here is where he side eyes her in curiosity, appreciativeness, and did not really know what to say so he continued on his way. Mush says he saw what she did and told her to go to her room, knowing about her crush on him. After Mushu and Crick Kee tampered with the note, they are on their way to war, and "A Girl Worth Fighting For" is sung. Now here is where things get interesting; all of the men except Shang sing in it. Yao sings, Ling sings, Chien-Po sings, Mulan sings awkwardly, all the extras sing, and even Chi Fu sings. This confirmed his sexuality for me. All of the men are horny from seeing the traditional girls, but Shang. This couls also mean that he likes Amazon-like woman who are rougher. This also explains the questionable smirk he gave Ping. After the song is sung, they stop to see the town Shang's father was at was burned down. They find a bunch of dead bodies, and Chien-Po finds the general's helmet. Shang rests his old man's helmet on a sword to grieve for a bit and Mulan goes and comforts him. He pats her on her shoulder and they share a sympathetic look before they all head to war. Mulan feels a bit more sympathy for him, and Shang appreciates Ping more, but I wouldn't call them friends; more like a tolerable acquaintance.
Mushu accidentally shot a canon out and Shang goes to yell at her about giving the Huns their signal. He soon gets shot by an arrow and they are officially in war. They shoot a bunch of canons at the Huns who are on the mountains, and Shang yells to hold the last canon. Mulan grabs it and runs forward with him yelling at her to stop. She lights it on an edge of a mountain, causing an avalanche, and trapping the Huns. Shang gets trapped under the avalanche and she saves him by dragging him on the horse. The avalanche takes them and they almost fall down the cliff but are saved by her fellow soldiers. Shang finally wakes up and thanks her for saving him, and that his life is hers. This is really the first moment where Shang is actually beign positive full-out towards her, so maybe they are friends here, but it is debatable still. Shang doesn't see her asd a nuisance anymore. Their moment gets cut short when she starts bleeding from Shan Yu cutting her. She soon passes out and is taken to a tent and is tended by a doctor. The doctor tells Shang that Ping is a woman and he storms in the tent, shocked that it is true. He storms out and she tries to explain to him, but Chi Fu flings her and insults her like she is trash. Shang is about to kill her (since it is law), but couldn't find himself to do it. He says his debt is repaid and they all leave without her. I guess he felt betrayed that she lied to him, but is also a bit relieved. I guess.
The army make it to the main city, and they are all sad because Muan is not with them. She shows up after witnessing that the Huns are still alive and tries to warn Shang, but he refuses to listen and says she does not belong here and she needs to go home. He says he has no reason to believe in her, and she responds by saying why is it easier for him to trust her when she is a man and not a woman. He ignores her and continues on his way, and she warns the others they are in the city. They try to break into the palace after Shan Yu kidnapped the emperor, and she tells them to follow her, and they all abandon Shang. He soon joins them and they share a gaze before climbing the pole. They approach Shan Yu and Shang gets beat up, and Mulan worriedy goes to check if he is okay. Shan Yu approaches her and he hovers over her in protection and he beats up Shang for taking his victory. Mulan tells him it was her as she holds her hair up. She soon defeats Shan Yu and China is saved. Chi Fu goes on asking where she is so he can yell at her, but Shang grabs him and is about to beat hium up, but the emperor shows up and thanks Mulan for saving China and they all bow to her. She hugs her friends and when she approaches him, she is expecting him to say something romantic, but he says in nervousness "you fight good" disappointing her as she continued on her way. He stares at her knowing he screwed up as she leaves and the emperor practically tells him to follow her. He reaches her house in a nervous wreck, which is clearly seen through the way he stumbles on who's helmet he has and who to give it to. She invites him to dinner and he says that would be great.
Final Thoughts
My final thoughts is yes, he is bisexual, but he became a lot more attracted to her when he realized she is a girl. "A Girl Worth Fighting For" proved he does not like normal girls and likes being challenged and "roughened up" by what people would say which is why he is the way he is about boys. She clearly lusts him, but appreciates his honour and such. I don't really see love when I look at them, but that is also because of the situation and I can see it leading there. They are just okay to me.
There are not much more couples I can possibly analyse in the canon. There are 3 more DP couples, and for the non DPs there are Duchess and Thomas, Robin Hood and Maid Marian (which is questionable), Taran and Elionwy, and I don't think there's anyone else. So recommend a D Couple and it will be on the Disney Club. Thank you for reading, and please comment your opinions.
Here is the first DP Couple Analysis:link
Here is the second DP Couple Analysis:link
Here is the third DP Couple Analysis:link
Here is the first D Couple Analysis:link
Here is the second D Couple Analysis:link
Here is the third D Couple Analysis:link
Here is the fourth D Couple Analysis:link
Here is the fourth DP Couple Analysis:link
Here is the fifth D Couple Analysis:link
Here is the sixth D Couple Analysis:link
First thoughts right after watching the Movie
My first thoughts after watching Mulan is that this couple is not in love (stating the obvious), and they are just okay for me. Shang's sexuality has been questioned many times and there is every right to. I do think Shang is bisexual, but he gets a lot more attracted to her when he finds out she is a girl.
So Shang has just been promoted and when he steps out of his tent, he sees all of his troops in a huge fight, and they all point to Mulan. He qquickly walks up to her and says that he wants no trouble in his camp. In her normal voice, she stutters, but lowers her voice and tries to impress him about being a boy, punching his arm weakly. He asks for her name, and she stutters again, which only makes him angrier. She eventually comes up with the name Ping after Mushu told her it and she tells her captain that. He asks for her conscription notice, and seems to be impressed when he reads she's the son of the Fa Zhou. He tells the group that they have to clean the entire tent and training starts. The next mornign, she wakes up realizing that she is late, so she puts on her uniform and rushes to the group. Shang shows up a bit later and takes off his shirt, which she reacts by a lustful gaze. "I'll Make A Man Out Of You" starts, and a good amount of it is Mulan screwing up and getting nervous whenever he is around, and him growing frustration with her lack of progress. He one night tells her to leave, but she decides to get the arrow he shot on a wooden pole, and he is impressed when she does it. She quickly becomes one of the best in the group and when she kicks him, he does have that small "hey" smile. I didn't really think much of this because he could have been smiling because someone was able to beat him, but it could be because he is attracted to men and likes to be "roughened up". The song takes place in 3 weeks. At this point, he loses his thought of her as a menace and starts to become impressed by her from a soldier point of view, and she lusts over him.
After the song is completed, we are taken to the tent where Chi Fu and Shang asre talking about being ready to go to war. Shang says they've completed their training but Chi Fu wrote a negative letter about his training and the troop. Shang storms out angrily and Mulan (who was right outside the tent) tries to make light of the situation and says they can beat up Chi Fu, with Shang looking at her weirdly as he continued to walk past her. She then says that she thinks he is a great coach, and here is where he side eyes her in curiosity, appreciativeness, and did not really know what to say so he continued on his way. Mush says he saw what she did and told her to go to her room, knowing about her crush on him. After Mushu and Crick Kee tampered with the note, they are on their way to war, and "A Girl Worth Fighting For" is sung. Now here is where things get interesting; all of the men except Shang sing in it. Yao sings, Ling sings, Chien-Po sings, Mulan sings awkwardly, all the extras sing, and even Chi Fu sings. This confirmed his sexuality for me. All of the men are horny from seeing the traditional girls, but Shang. This couls also mean that he likes Amazon-like woman who are rougher. This also explains the questionable smirk he gave Ping. After the song is sung, they stop to see the town Shang's father was at was burned down. They find a bunch of dead bodies, and Chien-Po finds the general's helmet. Shang rests his old man's helmet on a sword to grieve for a bit and Mulan goes and comforts him. He pats her on her shoulder and they share a sympathetic look before they all head to war. Mulan feels a bit more sympathy for him, and Shang appreciates Ping more, but I wouldn't call them friends; more like a tolerable acquaintance.
Mushu accidentally shot a canon out and Shang goes to yell at her about giving the Huns their signal. He soon gets shot by an arrow and they are officially in war. They shoot a bunch of canons at the Huns who are on the mountains, and Shang yells to hold the last canon. Mulan grabs it and runs forward with him yelling at her to stop. She lights it on an edge of a mountain, causing an avalanche, and trapping the Huns. Shang gets trapped under the avalanche and she saves him by dragging him on the horse. The avalanche takes them and they almost fall down the cliff but are saved by her fellow soldiers. Shang finally wakes up and thanks her for saving him, and that his life is hers. This is really the first moment where Shang is actually beign positive full-out towards her, so maybe they are friends here, but it is debatable still. Shang doesn't see her asd a nuisance anymore. Their moment gets cut short when she starts bleeding from Shan Yu cutting her. She soon passes out and is taken to a tent and is tended by a doctor. The doctor tells Shang that Ping is a woman and he storms in the tent, shocked that it is true. He storms out and she tries to explain to him, but Chi Fu flings her and insults her like she is trash. Shang is about to kill her (since it is law), but couldn't find himself to do it. He says his debt is repaid and they all leave without her. I guess he felt betrayed that she lied to him, but is also a bit relieved. I guess.
The army make it to the main city, and they are all sad because Muan is not with them. She shows up after witnessing that the Huns are still alive and tries to warn Shang, but he refuses to listen and says she does not belong here and she needs to go home. He says he has no reason to believe in her, and she responds by saying why is it easier for him to trust her when she is a man and not a woman. He ignores her and continues on his way, and she warns the others they are in the city. They try to break into the palace after Shan Yu kidnapped the emperor, and she tells them to follow her, and they all abandon Shang. He soon joins them and they share a gaze before climbing the pole. They approach Shan Yu and Shang gets beat up, and Mulan worriedy goes to check if he is okay. Shan Yu approaches her and he hovers over her in protection and he beats up Shang for taking his victory. Mulan tells him it was her as she holds her hair up. She soon defeats Shan Yu and China is saved. Chi Fu goes on asking where she is so he can yell at her, but Shang grabs him and is about to beat hium up, but the emperor shows up and thanks Mulan for saving China and they all bow to her. She hugs her friends and when she approaches him, she is expecting him to say something romantic, but he says in nervousness "you fight good" disappointing her as she continued on her way. He stares at her knowing he screwed up as she leaves and the emperor practically tells him to follow her. He reaches her house in a nervous wreck, which is clearly seen through the way he stumbles on who's helmet he has and who to give it to. She invites him to dinner and he says that would be great.
Final Thoughts
My final thoughts is yes, he is bisexual, but he became a lot more attracted to her when he realized she is a girl. "A Girl Worth Fighting For" proved he does not like normal girls and likes being challenged and "roughened up" by what people would say which is why he is the way he is about boys. She clearly lusts him, but appreciates his honour and such. I don't really see love when I look at them, but that is also because of the situation and I can see it leading there. They are just okay to me.
There are not much more couples I can possibly analyse in the canon. There are 3 more DP couples, and for the non DPs there are Duchess and Thomas, Robin Hood and Maid Marian (which is questionable), Taran and Elionwy, and I don't think there's anyone else. So recommend a D Couple and it will be on the Disney Club. Thank you for reading, and please comment your opinions.