反串
反串 (fan chuan) / ズボン役 (zubon yaku) - a breeches role (also pants role or trouser role, travesti or "Hosenrolle"), a role in which an actress appears in male clothing.
In other words: female actresses that act as the male characters. It's different from cross-dressing as they are not pretending to be the opposite gender, they ARE male.
This list isn't travesti-only, there's some cross-dressing or movies with female characters displaying male characteristics/wearing male clothing (and pulling it off!) thrown-in here and there, please read comments attached to each title.
If you have any recs that you think belong to this list, please drop me a comment.
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1. Purple Tang
Chinese Movie - 2019
Veronique Zheng
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2. Hibiscus of Late Tang Dynasty
Chinese Movie - 2019
Veronique Zheng
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3. The Story of Xi Yan
Chinese Movie - 2019
Veronique Zheng
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4. New Legend of White Snake
Taiwanese Drama - 1992, 50 episodes
Cecilia Yip
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5. 12 Golden Ducks
Hong Kong Movie - 2015
Sandra Ng as Future Cheung
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6. Zhong Wu Yen
Hong Kong Movie - 2001
Anita Mui and (partially) Cecilia Cheung
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7. The 14 Amazons
Hong Kong Movie - 1972
Lily Ho
secondary main character
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8. A Step Into the Past
Hong Kong Drama - 2001, 40 episodes
minor supporting role
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9. The Love Eterne
Hong Kong Movie - 1963
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10. The Three Swordsmen
Hong Kong Movie - 1994
Brigitte Lin as Ming Kim
They even dubbed Brigitte with male voice!
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11. The Grand Substitution
Hong Kong Movie - 1965
Ivy Ling Po
secondary main character
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12. New Dragon Gate Inn
Hong Kong Movie - 1992
Brigitte Lin
It's cross-dressing but it's so believable you wouldn't notice it if they didn't tell you
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13. Peking Opera Blues
Hong Kong Movie - 1986
Brigitte Lin
It's cross-dressing but very well done
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14. I Will Never Let You Go
Chinese Drama - 2019, 51 episodes
Xing En, secondary main character
It's cross-dressing but it's so believable you wouldn't notice it if they didn't tell you
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15. The Dream of the Red Chamber
Hong Kong Movie - 1977
Brigitte Lin
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16. The Swordsman 2
Hong Kong Movie - 1992
Brigitte Lin (Dongfang Bubai) - her character is originally an eunuch in the novel
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17. The Swordsman 3: The East Is Red
Hong Kong Movie - 1993
Brigitte Lin (Dongfang Bubai) - her character is originally an eunuch in the novel
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18. Heroic Journey of Ne Zha
Chinese Drama - 2020, 48 episodes
Angelina Jiang as Ne Zha
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19. Saiyuki
Japanese Drama - 1978, 52 episodes
Natsume Masako as Tripitaka (Tang San Zang)
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20. Dream of the Red Chamber
Hong Kong Movie - 1962
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21. Dream of the Red Chamber
Hong Kong Movie - 1978
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22. A Maid from Heaven
Hong Kong Movie - 1963
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23. As We Like It
Taiwanese Movie - 2021
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24. Genji: A Thousand Year Love
Japanese Movie - 2001
Amami Yuki as Hikaru Genji
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25. Fuku-chan of FukuFuku Flats
Japanese Movie - 2014
Oshima Miyuki as Fuku-chan
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26. Tonde Saitama
Japanese Movie - 2019
Nikaido Fumi as Hakuhodo Momomi
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27. White Snake
Chinese Movie - 2017
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28. Silence and Sunset
Japanese Movie - 2020
Supporting character (implied)
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29. Sh15uya
Japanese Drama - 2005, 12 episodes
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30. Saiyuuki
Japanese Drama - 2006, 11 episodes
Fukatsu Eri as Tripitaka
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31. Journey to the West
Hong Kong Drama - 1996, 30 episodes
Ne Zha and Hong Hai Er
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32. Swordsman
Chinese Drama - 2013, 42 episodes
Dongfang Bubai
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33. Juvenile Justice
Korean Drama - 2022, 10 episodes
guest character
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34. CJ7
Hong Kong Movie - 2008