Mulan [Pin-up]

It's Mulan Monday!

I went back and forth on Mulan and had a lot of difficulty finding the right story for her. Initially I imagined her as a Chinese athlete, but that didn't feel sexy enough. Then there was the idea that she should be a massage therapist or a comfort girl, some people requested she be Bleached or Karen-ized somehow, or that maybe she should even stay in her classic setting and become a slave to the invading Huns. I even thought about making her a soldier in the modern Chinese army, LOL.

Ultimately, this is one of the pin-ups where the story and imagery worked in tandem, rather than the outfit driving the narrative. I was inspired to make Mulan the daughter of a Triads crime-boss, and the plot with the father and brother is loosely lifted from Michael Mann's book Heat 2. The open kimono look came out of that, as I wanted something that said "pleasure girl" without being too overly "bimbo-y." I wanted it to feel sexy and alluring.

Bonus points to the patron who can translate her lower back tat!