Sing 2: Most Enjoyable for Introverts

I used to have a strong passion for performing when I was little. I'd always be the first to sign up for any school performance event. This often surprised people, as I appeared to be quite an introverted person. Truthfully, I am introverted. However, my introversion doesn't inhibit my love for performing. Even though most of the time I prefer solitude, I consider it as a form of "charging up" for my performances. My vibrant inner life needs a real-world outlet after all.

Yet, my introverted nature also poses a problem. "Appropriate times" for performance in real life comes far and few in between, so when I get the chance, I tend to become overly emotional, either stuttering or being overly excited.

For someone like me, animation film is the perfect medium to be my emotional outlet. The exaggerated expressions, incredible actions and resilient characters, all birthed from a vibrant imagination, portray everything I'm too shy to do in daily life. Animated musicals are my favorite, as characters can sing and dance no matter the situation.

Sing 2, a sequel work which has been in Netflix's Top 10 for ten consecutive weeks, has been considered inferior to its predecessor by many viewers. However, as someone who watched Sing 2 before Sing, I believe Sing 2 is equally good, if not better. Even if you haven't seen Sing, it's fine to watch Sing 2 first as their plots aren't strongly linked. There's no need to understand Sing to appreciate Sing 2.

In Sing 2, many characters struggle to express their talents due to their introverted nature. These include Johnny, a gorilla and family thief voiced by Taron Egerton; Rosita, a pig and a mother to dozens of children, who is voiced by Reese Witherspoon; and the seemingly clumsy but actually agile Meena, an elephant voiced by Tori Kelly.

My favorite character is Meena. In one scene, she carefully shields her companions using her massive body, straining to maintain balance while pretending nothing is happening. Her expressive eyes reveal her nervousness and fear, and her drooping ears add to her cuteness.

While Meena is introverted, her large ears display a range of emotions. When she feels shy, she covers her face with her ears, much like a mimosa plant. I admire the animators' creativity in this respect. Instead of the common practice of showing a blush on a character's face, this method of expression is both straightforward and natural.

For me, the subplot about Clay Calloway, the lion voiced by Bono, is quite touching. Clay retreats into seclusion in a deep forest after suffering the loss of his confidante, the love of his life. Ash, the hedgehog character voiced by Scarlett Johansson and a die-hard fan of Clay, bravely decides to invite him to rejoin society at the peril of her idol’s image.

Calloway is portrayed as an introverted lion. Despite the lack of detail about his past, it's easy to infer that beneath his aloof exterior lies a sensitive and kind heart. His love stimulated all his desires to express himself, and when his loved one passed away, he thought that his expressive desires died with her. He chose to isolate himself to avoid feeling anything, as any feelings would remind him of his past love. Essentially, Calloway forgets his voice due to his prolonged isolation. However, when Ash passionately and repeatedly performs his music in front of him to remind him of what he was truly born to do, his passion for performing is reignited.

The urge to vent never goes away; it just needs an opportunity to be heard. However, introverts often refrain from actively expressing this need. Every introvert, I believe, yearns for a friend like Ash. Ash may be a hedgehog who, when getting emotional, throws her spikes at others while dancing, but she always courageously expresses herself.

I think, for an introvert, an extroverted friend is like a mirror. Despite occasionally finding them "annoying" when they are too extroverted, their positive energy often unearths emotions that have long been buried within introverts.