Disney has been around for over 90 years and in all that time they have made some fantastic movies. For most girls, our childhoods were spent watching the Disney princesses and wishing for our prince to come and whisk us off into happily ever after. Until Mulan made her debut in 1998 as the first Asian heroine in a Disney film. The story is based on an ancient Chinese poem about Hua Mulan, a legendary warrior who took her father's place in the army. Here are 12 reasons why Mulan is pretty much one of the best Disney movies in the Disney princess universe.
1. She's a bad a** feminist for starters!
Mulan isn't even really a princess! She was the hero of ALL China! She risked her life for her father, she saved the Emperor and her boyfriend from death. And by doing so proved that women can do what a man can do and maybe even better (see "I'll Make a Man Out of You" part of the movie for further proof).
2. All she really wants is to be accepted the way she is...
...which is a girl who has a brain and always tries to speaks her mind. Mulan is trying to find her place in a super traditional culture.
3. She doesn't need a man to save her, she saves her man
Twice!
4. She doesn't let her misogynistic friends keep her from dreaming about a man who will like her for who she is.
'Nuff said Mulan. Enough said.
5. Mulan has the best friends in all China.
They gave away all their armor and dressed in drag for her, they also left their commanding officer which was a pretty darn serious offense.
6. She has the craziest grandmother of them all!
Old lady Fa is a delight to watch. She also knows what's up.
7. Mulan also has one of the best soundtracks of all time.
You know that you sing along with every song they sing: "Reflection," "A Girl Worth Fighting For," "Honor to Us All," and of course "I'll Make a Man Out of You."
8. Women everywhere discovered what kind of man they want
They want a man who is as swift as the coursing river, with all the force of a great typhoon with all the strength of a raging fire and as mysterious as the dark side of the moon.
9. Mulan has a miniature dragon as her sidekick!
10. Chien-Po knows what's up when it comes to food
11. The sass in this movie is amazing!
12. I say again: FEMINISM!
The Emperor of China BOWED TO HER! Mulan was able to achieve the impossible and especially as a woman of that time and culture this was unprecedented. It was also the first movie that showed a heroine doing something more than falling in love. She went from believing that she was only going to bring dishonor to her family to becoming the hero that saved her whole nation. Talk about goals!
This doesn't even begin to cover why "Mulan" is one of the greatest movies to ever come out of Disney. If you haven't seen it then I would high recommend that you watch it, and even if you've seen it before, watch it again!
