Unveiling Narrative: A Study of Female Characters in Monsta Animation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24191/idealogy.v11i1.889Keywords:
Female Representation, Female Muslim Representation, Muslimah Superheroes, Malaysian Animation, SemioticsAbstract
Animation serves as a prominent medium for representation, allowing diverse narratives and identities to manifest in ways that can both reflect and redefine cultural norms. This paper presents a study on the representation of females in superhero archetypes, specifically female Muslim (Muslimah) in Monsta’s IPs: BoBoiBoy, Mechamato, and PapaPipi. Monsta is the mastermind behind numerous engaging and acclaimed creative works suitable for all ages. These animations have captivated audiences worldwide, providing entertainment to millions of people through great storytelling. This research analyzes three female characters: Yaya from Boboiboy, Tamara from Mechamato, and Pipi from PapaPipi. This study utilizes a qualitative approach, utilizing focus group discussions with the practitioners behind the scenes. This approach will emphasize understanding the idea from the creative side. This study has shown that each character plays multiple roles based on the story's context and the visual portrayal of each character as a Muslimah superhero. This study is important because females, including film, are often stereotypically represented in mass media. Therefore, it is crucial to explore and analyze whether Muslimah images are accurately portrayed.
Keywords: Female Representation, Female Muslim Representation, Muslimah Superheroes, Malaysian Animation, Semiotics
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