Why is Mulan my favourite Disney movie...

I watched Mulan (1998) when I was in high school. It's funny that I hadn't watched it as a kid.

As a young girl, I wanted to be like any Disney princess. We all know the typical storyline of every Disney princess movie. Disney princess had a happy life. The antagonist enters. Makes the princess's life a living hell. Yes of course, the prince comes to the rescue. The end, princess is happy forever.

Well Mulan was nothing like that. This is why Mulan has captured a special place in my heart.

1) It has broken the age old stereotype that women need to be saved/rescued by a male figure, and funnily this has defined what love is in animation movies, at least all the old ones. Love happens when a man saves a women. Seriously why has this become the norm? Mulan has addressed this stereotype quite beautifully though.

2) To show 'true love' through family is where this stereotype is broken in Mulan. The most palpable love that I could feel in Mulan was not between Captain Li Shang and Mulan, but the love the father and daughter share.

Mulan puts everything on the line, even her own honour because she loves her father. The last scene in the movie where Mulan and her father embrace each other is what the movie was all about for me. (Still gets me teary eyed)

3) The characterisation of Mulan's character has propelled the idea of women empowerment, something that I could not visibly see in old Disney princess movies as a child. In almost every Disney movie, women are pitted against each other (Snow White-Old Hag, Rapunzel-Step Mom, Sleeping Beauty-Maleficent, Cinderella-Step Mother, Ariel-Usrula). The antagonist in Mulan is the Hun Leader who is a man, and is visibly more stronger and powerful than Mulan. She defeats him victoriously in the end despite all her short comings (lack of Captain Li Shang's and her comrades trust, her being noticeably 'weaker' than the Hun Leader, lack of her family's support). Truly remarkable. Think of an old Disney movie that was able to achieve this?

4) This is one the Disney movie where Mulan's identity did not reflect just her own identity as Mulan but rather represented identity of women who do not 'fit' the role of a stereotypical woman. She cuts her hair, and impersonates herself to be a male. When was the last time a Disney princess did that?

The movie starts with the matchmaker trying to match Mulan with a suitable groom. But Mulan being Mulan ends up getting cursed by the matchmakers that "she will never bring honour to her family". All the struggles Mulan faces in the movie is to bring honour to her family. The movie ends with the Chinese Emperor, the people, Li Shang and the most important person, her father accepting Mulan just the way she is. She brings honour to her family not by marriage, but everything else she was able to accomplish as a woman.

5) The idea of “embrace your uniqueness” comes out very strongly in Mulan. From the very beginning you notice she is different. She is not an organised girl, she does not want to get married like all the girls around her, she chops her hair with a sword, impersonates herself, and joins the Chinese army... Things you generally don't see in a typically Disney princess movie. And this is what makes this movie special. Everything about her that was considered problematic, was not when she was accepted just the way she is. Isn't that what we all want in the end of the day?

If you haven't watched Mulan, watch it. If you have children, watch it with them, If you're working, take a break and watch it by yourself or with some friends. If you have watched it, watch it again with some popcorn :)

Image Reference

Image 1

Image 2

Image 3

Image 4

Image 5

Image 6

Image 7