While I think John Smith is an excellent role model, I think Shang is great in that he doesn't just serve as a counterpart to Mulan. He actually has a job, works hard, and shows someone who is grounded and smart instead of just "wild adventuring works for me" type like John/Aladdin/Flynn, etc.

ALSO:
THINK BEFORE YOU VOTE.

Shang had a great work ethic, and never gave up trying even when he lost everything (well, mostly his father). He's the kind of guy someone should look up to and try to be more like. John is a good role model, but Shang is just number one.

calling me a savage....BASTARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I also agree. Shang never gives up despite the trials and tribulations thrown at him. He always works hard with his duties and leads his men forward, even after his father died. When he was knocked down by Shan Yu and when things looked bad, he STILL kept fighting with the tiny knife that he had. He is literally a pillar of strength, not allowing a single thing to waver him, yet still has a subtle sense of humor and shows that he really does care. In short, Shang is the best role model, period. He deserves to be #1.

I think John Smith is kinder at heart than Shang. He helped to forge a bond between two fighting sides and he let himself be captured instead of Thomas. He was able to see past the prejudices of his people, and Shang wasn't able to do this as well. It still took him some time to really trust Mulan.

Oh my god you guys, you have no idea, I'm about to cry reading your comments about Shang ♥ :)

@milky-way, I wanna point out two things:

"I think John Smith is kinder at heart than Shang". ....minus the dozens of "savages" that he killed.

"Shang wasn't able to do this as well. It still took him some time to really trust Mulan."....yeah, I mean he should have immediately trusted her despite the fact that she lied the whole time she was in the army.

To beggin with, this is just my opinion.

Well, they are both generals,so they have killed. i guess.
Also, i can't help it, but i like so much when people change their personality,when change themselves. I mean, think about it,it's too difficult to change yourself when you are at the age of John. But he did it.He became a great person who accepted the nature,the animals and the other people as his friends. Also, when he was in the ship, in the begging of the movie hi risked his life for his friend.He's so brave and loves his friends.He took a bullet which was going to someone who didn't know very much, just because he knew that he could help the peace and pocahontas (i mean if powhatan had took the bullet a war would have broken out and pocahontas would have been awful sad).

Now about Shang. I think that he is a very good role model but.... He doesn't give everything for love.. Remember, they are both in the past where people looked down on the women and... Shang didn't do that but he didn't hear the words of mulan sometimes, but John..John definitely never looked down on her... NEVER.

To put it in a nutchell, they are both great role models but i can't help it.. Hell, John changed his whole life

-sigh-

I agree with what everyone else had to say.

my choice because he is ugly. and yeah he faught for gratitude.

^good, I'll make sure to ignore your vote

thats cheating

sorry, I only use SMART reasonings

i am smart.

Gee...I wouldn't even say that John is the BEST role model....I like Shang very much, but...well, John did take a bullet for Pocahontas. But then, Shang puts his life in danger for Mulan as well. The only reason I picked John as the better role model is because at first, Shang didn't seem to have time for love, and John immediately fell in love...oh, I don't know! It's only opinion, all the time!

@milky-way: I disagree. Both of them are very kind at heart. Maybe Shang just had one of those tough Spartan-like childhoods, where they take really little kids and train them to fight.

@hardyharhar: No, you are not. Now leave us alone and quit trolling.

WHY IS LOVE SUCH A DETERMINING FACTOR FOR DECIDING IF SOMEONE IS A GOOD ROLEMODEL!!!! WHAT'S WRONG WITH SHANG NOT HAVING TIME FOR LOVE, HE'S TRYING TO SAVE HIS GODDAMN COUNTRY! AHHHHHHHH!

-tries to save her rage for response article-

^AAH! Okay, okay, I'll change it! That was pretty good reasoning, princesslullaby. He IS trying to save his country.

^don't change it just because I said so, seriously. I just don't see why people are saying "Well, Shang didn't do this or that for love", so WHAT? Someone please explain to me what that has to do with being a role model. Now, if you want to say what John Smith did for love outweighs what Shang did (which wasn't for love), of course that's valid. I just don't see why Shang not having time for love makes him a bad role model. He's only like, 20 or something!

i will do anything for love.

^still not counting

don't count me than. i know this countdown will be a hulk than.

Don't you mean hoax? lol

yes hoax.

I think Shang's a great role model. I just didn't expect he and John to be in the top two. ._.

Oh, well.

@princesslullaby: I agree with you that whether they have time for love or not isn't important in determining their value as a role model. I actually kind of like that Shang didn't immediately fall in love. But I still think John Smith is the kinder person. They're both fighters, and I know Smith probably killed many savages before he went to Virginia, and Shang might have been trained to fight from a young age. But I'm only judging from what I see of them in their movies. From what I see, Smith is the kinder, more understanding of the two, and overall I find his actions to be more admirable.

I'm not saying Shang is a bad role model, he is very worthy of winning this countdown, but for me personally he isn't number 1. And I realise that he felt betrayed by Mulan's lying about being a woman, but still I don't think it was wise of him to ignore her warning about Shan-Yu being in the city. She had earned his trust as Ping after all. Yes, he was living in a time when women were ignored, but it still counts against him in my opinion.

Right, she earned his trust as Ping...when he didn't know she was lying. Okay, but I understand your points, and you're one of the few people who have commented against Shang with actual valid opinions.