In the book Ways of Being Male: Representing Masculinities in Children's Literature, author John Stephens wrote that although both Mulan and Hercules depict "the active male body as spectacle," Mulans is less "straight-forward" due to the character's gender.
John Stephens, in his book "Ways of Being Male: Representing Masculinities in Children's Literature," observes that both Mulan and Hercules depict the active male body as spectacle, highlighting a common theme in children's literature. However, he emphasizes that Mulan's portrayal is more complex due to her gender identity.