Spoiler Warning: The following article contains spoilers for Turning Red.
Not every character in Turning Red can become a giant panda, but they can all identify with the traits of a specific astrological sign. In fact, red pandas aren’t even part of the Western zodiac chart. Just as each character has different sizes of red pandas based on their emotions, each zodiac sign is unique and dynamic.
Though the characters in Turning Red never reveal their zodiac signs to the audience, their behavior certainly matches them. Audiences have been strongly connecting to Turning Red, and the star might reveal why some characters are more relatable than others.
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Aries: Abby
Though Abby doesn’t have a big storyline of her own, her personality is exhibited very well in her friendship with the other girls. She’s passionate, stands up for herself, and is incredibly loyal to those she cares about. All of those are traits of an Aries.
Aries have a reputation for rushing into things, but that’s because their passion drives them. In Abby’s case, that passion is seen in her reprimanding classmates for littering, loving Mei’s panda form, and a determination to see 4*Town in concert.
Taurus: Ming
Ming is a creature of habit. She has her cleaning schedule for the temple, a firm set of rules for Mei, and she doesn’t like to deviate from those plans. Ming believes that structure and familiarity are going to help her protect her daughter.
Structure, a protective instinct, and a love of the familiar are all associated with Taurus. Those are traits often seen in antagonist Taurus movie characters. Stubborn Tauruses are not fans of change and take longer than most of the other signs to adapt to it, as evidenced by Ming trying so hard to keep Mei’s red panda form in check.
Gemini: Stacy
The audience doesn’t get to see much of Stacy since she’s not in Mei’s immediate friend group. Initially, Stacy appears like she might be the stereotypical mean girl — and a possible Gemini antagonist in the movie — as the audience expects her to antagonize Mei in the girl’s bathroom. Instead, however, Stacy adapts to the idea of a red panda being one of her classmates very quickly and encourages others to do the same.
Stacy going with the flow so quickly, and her seeming ability to turn on the charm once she realizes Mei’s new ability, are right in line with a Gemini. Geminis are social creatures who can be anxious in new situations but evolve quickly with their changing environments.
Cancer: Jin
Mei’s father is a man of few words, but it’s clear how much he cares about his family. When he recounts Ming standing up to her own mother on his behalf to Mei, he’s proud of her. Jin is the one who often prepares elaborate meals for the family. He also perceives when both Ming and Mei are hurting but don’t want to admit it to one another.
Jin being so in touch with his emotions is definitely a sign of a Cancer. So is his willingness to see the good in everyone around him. Cancers are often quick to make connections with people, though they might try to keep their emotions hidden.
Leo: 4*Town
It’s unlikely that all five members of the boyband are the same zodiac sign, but little is revealed about their personalities beyond what Mei and her friends believe to be true. What the audience does know is that they love performing.
They love the spotlight so much and are so ready and willing to be there for their fans, that they sing in the middle of a ritual to seal away mystical red pandas for Mei’s family. That willingness and enjoyment of being in the limelight, as well as that kind of loyalty, certainly speaks to the Leo sign.
Virgo: Mr. Gao
Initially, the audience doesn’t get much of an impression of Mr. Gao. He hangs out at the temple and plays chess, but he also proves himself to be very important to Mei’s family. Mr. Gao is the one who knows the ritual and has a plan in place for the red pandas. He cares about the family, wanting to help them complete the ritual, even in the middle of the Skydome.
Mr. Gao’s caring nature and his strategic mind are definitely traits of a Virgo. He may not be the main character, but Virgo movie protagonists are known for coming up with plans.
Libra: Miriam
Miriam has a lot of Virgo traits as well as she takes it upon herself to care for Mei’s electronic pet when Mei leaves it behind, and she’s the first one to have Mei’s back in all of their plans. However, Miriam also embodies the Libra tendency to defer to a partner in a leadership position.
While Miriam is more than willing to take the lead in social situations, standing up for her friends and leading the charge in their quest for concert tickets, she also tends to defer to Mei. Miriam and Mei are the best of friends, and Miriam is willing to go with the flow if Mei has a plan first.
Scorpio: Tyler
Scorpios are often typecast as villains, and while Tyler does act antagonistically toward Mei for much of the movie, he’s certainly not a villain. Instead, he embodies the more aggressive Scorpio traits.
Scorpios often go after what they want without regard for the consequences, like Tyler demanding Mei be the red panda for his birthday party. They also tend to hide parts of themselves away until they trust people, like Tyler not wanting anyone to know how emotional he gets over 4*Town until he meets up with the girls at the concert.
Sagittarius: The Aunts
Like 4*Town’s members, it’s unlikely that Mei’s aunts are all the same zodiac sign. They don’t, however, get distinguished from one another as much as her friends or other family members do.
What the audience does know about them is that they hold nothing back and they’re willing to travel at the drop of a hat when asked. That blunt and jet-setting nature are two things they have in common with Sagittarius. Sagittarius also tends to be the storyteller of the zodiac, and it’s easy to imagine Mei’s aunts regaling everyone with the stories of taming their pandas.
Capricorn: Grandma Wu
Grandma Wu appears to be a strict woman. Like Ming, she only wants what is best for her family, which is why she mobilizes the aunts to travel with her when Mei’s red panda emerges. She’s also the first to willingly break the piece of jewelry that sealed the panda to go after Ming.
Grandma Wu might be staunchly connected to tradition, like most Capricorns, but she’s also willing to do whatever it takes to help her family, also a Capricorn trait. The best Capricorn movie protagonists have a take-charge attitude, something Grandma Wu definitely shows when she meets up with Ming and Mei.
Aquarius: Priya
Though all of Mei’s friends are their own people, Priya is the one who seems most likely to follow her own path. She doesn’t as actively engage with other students as Miriam and Abby do. She also spends a good portion of her time reading while none of the rest of her friends seems to share that same love.
Priya’s tendency to follow her own path is shared with the sign Aquarius. An Aquarius is often termed the rebel of the zodiac because they want to do things on their own terms.
Pisces: Mei
Mei is the dreamer of the group. She might not initially see herself that way, but she certainly proves that she is as she becomes the person most caught up in her fantasies of attending the concert — and makes them happen.
Pisces is the dreamer of the zodiac. They tend to want to try to escape their emotions as well, but they feel them deeply. That’s right in line with Mei trying to tamp her emotions down, keeping the red panda under control. Pisces also tends to be creative, like Mei’s art and her idea to raise money in her red panda form.