Mulan (Disney character)

Mulan
Mulan character
Mulan as she appears in Mulan (1998).
First appearance	Mulan (1998)
Created by	Robert D. San Souci
Based on	Hua Mulan from the Ballad of Mulan
Voiced by	Ming-Na Wen (speaking voice) Lea Salonga (singing voice)
Portrayed by	Yifei Liu (2020 film) Crystal Rao (child; 2020 film)
In-universe information
Full name	Fa Mulan Hua Mulan (2020 film)
Alias	Fa Ping (male alter ego) Hua Jun (male alter ego; 2020 film)
Occupation	Imperial agent Soldier Farm girl Warrior
Affiliation	Disney Princesses
Family	1998 film: Fa Zhou (father) Fa Li (mother) Grandmother Fa (grandmother) First Ancestor Fa (ancestor) 2020 film: Hua Zhou (father) Hua Li (mother) Hua Xiu (sister)
Spouse	Li Shang
Relatives	Grandmother Fa (grandmother) General Li (father-in-law)
Nationality	Chinese

Fa Mulan is a fictional character, inspired by a legendary figure, who appears in Walt Disney Pictures' animated film Mulan (1998). Her speaking voice is provided by actress Ming-Na Wen, while singer Lea Salonga provides the character's singing voice. Created by author Robert D. San Souci, Mulan is based on the legendary Chinese warrior Hua Mulan from the poem the Ballad of Mulan, making her the first Disney Princess not to be based on a fairytale or folktale but rather a legend. Her name "Fa Mulan" is inspired by the Yue Chinese name for the character, which is pronounced Fa Muklan. The only child of an aging war veteran, Mulan disregards both tradition and the law by disguising herself as a man in order to enlist herself in the army in lieu of her feeble father.

Disney had originally conceived Mulan as an oppressed young Chinese woman who ultimately elopes to Europe to be with a British prince. However, director Tony Bancroft, who was inspired by the well-being of his own daughters, wanted Mulan to be a different, unique kind of Disney heroine – one who is strong and independent, whose fate does not depend upon a male character. Thus, the relationship between Mulan and Captain Li Shang was relegated to that of a minor subplot, while Mulan's bravery and strength were emphasized in order to ensure that she remained the hero of her own story. She became the eighth Disney Princess and the first one who isn't actually a princess in her film, as she wasn't born of royalty nor did she become one by marrying a prince. While an argument could be made that Pocahontas is still technically a princess since she is a chieftain's daughter, Mulan quite literally is not, but is included in the lineup nonetheless. She also became the first one of Asian descent as well. She is the last Disney Princess to be developed during the Disney Renaissance. Mulan's supervising animator was Mark Henn, who deliberately designed the character so that she would appear less feminine than her predecessors.

Reception towards Mulan's personality has been generally positive, with critics praising her bravery and heroism. However, her romantic relationship with Shang has been accused of compromising Mulan's heroism.^[1] Both Wen and Salonga have been awarded Disney Legends for their contributions to the role. Yifei Liu played the live-action version of the character in the 2020 live-action adaptation of the original 1998 film, named Hua Mulan.