For the record, I am female, but I usually prefer watching male leads. A good female character is hard to shoot for; males are a safer bet, I think.

John Lasseter worships Miyazaki, so what’s holding him back? Answer: He knows the average American audience too well.

I'm a German, and we get lots of dubbed movies from other nations, and I just can't imagine a lot of German and foreign movies with girl protagonists getting successfully remade in the US, because critics would reject them for these girls being bad role models, the movie would be called girly, and it's very hard to make changes that both please the critics, and get the boys to watch the movie, so ultimately, a remake will paint the movie pink to get the girls to view it, and most likely ruin it.

I'm a German, and we get lots of dubbed movies from other nations, and I just can't imagine a lot of German and foreign movies with girl protagonists getting successfully remade in the US, because critics would reject them for these girls being bad role models, the movie would be called girly, and it's very hard to make changes that both please the critics, and get the boys to watch the movie, so ultimately, a remake will paint the movie pink to get the girls to view it, and most likely ruin it.

And then there are all those who gripe about "the PC police" and roll their eyes… I agree that political correctness can get out of hand, but trying to include all kinds of people is more than just PC. It's equality. I'm glad that a person of colour finally made it into a lead role in a Pixar film. I'm glad Disney finally has an African-American princess. It isn't "sad" or succumbing to criticisms to include people who are different from the norm, it's inclusive and progressive!

I'm withholding judgement on the princess thing until I see what kind of princess she'll be, but I'd really like to see the idea that men can't relate to female characters thrown out. If women can do it, why can't we?

And then there are all those who gripe about "the PC police" and roll their eyes… I agree that political correctness can get out of hand, but trying to include all kinds of people is more than just PC. It's equality. I'm glad that a person of colour finally made it into a lead role in a Pixar film. I'm glad Disney finally has an African-American princess. It isn't "sad" or succumbing to criticisms to include people who are different from the norm, it's inclusive and progressive!

I'm withholding judgement on the princess thing until I see what kind of princess she'll be, but I'd really like to see the idea that men can't relate to female characters thrown out. If women can do it, why can't we?

And why not make a movie about a prince? It could be cool. A prince who gets rescued by a peasant girl, who saves the day.

How about, instead of insisting it must be ALL empowered women or ALL little-princesses we could have a variety of exciting, varied and interesting characters for children of both genders and all races and colours? Then everyone can be happy.

And why not make a movie about a prince? It could be cool. A prince who gets rescued by a peasant girl, who saves the day.

How about, instead of insisting it must be ALL empowered women or ALL little-princesses we could have a variety of exciting, varied and interesting characters for children of both genders and all races and colours? Then everyone can be happy.

Some girls like princesses. Some girls like robots. Or lizards. Or dinosaurs. Some boys want to be cowboys. Some actually prefer dolls and dress-up to meccano, but when was the last time you met a parent who wouldn't react somwewhat negatively to little Timmy playing with his sisters tutus?

I wanted to be a mad scientist/artist/rock star/archaeologist/vet when I was a kid. All at once. With superpowers. Just because. Princesses didn't enter into it. We don't tumble out of the womb with a special preference for gendered things like cowboys and princesses hardwired into our brains. Such things are at least partially about conditioning. It is probably no coincidence that I developed a desire for archaeology with an Uncle who loved going beach combing, digging and generally looking-for-interesting-rocks, or loved The Doors after another uncle practically forced me to listen to them every time I visited him!

Some girls like princesses. Some girls like robots. Or lizards. Or dinosaurs. Some boys want to be cowboys. Some actually prefer dolls and dress-up to meccano, but when was the last time you met a parent who wouldn't react somwewhat negatively to little Timmy playing with his sisters tutus?

I wanted to be a mad scientist/artist/rock star/archaeologist/vet when I was a kid. All at once. With superpowers. Just because. Princesses didn't enter into it. We don't tumble out of the womb with a special preference for gendered things like cowboys and princesses hardwired into our brains. Such things are at least partially about conditioning. It is probably no coincidence that I developed a desire for archaeology with an Uncle who loved going beach combing, digging and generally looking-for-interesting-rocks, or loved The Doors after another uncle practically forced me to listen to them every time I visited him!

Pixar have very few female leads, but they do have them. I believe Monsters Vs Aliens was a Pixar move; in which a strong woman gets superpowers that, subconsciously, are not the sort of thing we would epxect for a woman – she gets HUGE! SUPERBIG! And of course strong with it. Women are not supposed to take up space – physical, social, political, that is what we are usually told. But this woman does, she kicks arse, and she has the guts ot kick her ex out on his ear when he comes crawling back.

Mrs Incredible was not the lead but was a strong, independent, capable and feisty woman all on her own right, and did not sit back waiting to be rescued or watching her man be heroic; she took action herself.

Pixar rarely produce princess-type women, and even when they do their princesses do not fit the standard mold; just look at Shrek. Okay, not a lead, but pretty damn good. I think Disney (oldschool) is far more guilty. Growing up, the strongest female character I remember is Mrs Dibley from The Secret of Nimh; Mulan was a little too late for me, and the other Disney princesses just… sucked. They suck even more now, though, since they were made more "marketable". (read, bland).

Really, I think the issue now is Pixar clearly know that strong female characters sell well, they just are only slowly getting brave enough to risk putting one in as the central character. I have no doubt they are trying to though, and expect to see more female leads in the future.