Fa Mulan

Fa Mulan, later Li Mulan, is the protagonist of Disney's 1998 feature film Mulan and its direct-to-video sequel. She is inspired by the legendary Hua Mulan from the Chinese poem The Ballad of Mulan. She was voiced by Ming-Na in all three titles, with her singing voice provided by Lea Salonga.

Mulan is an official Disney Princess, and distinctively, is the only one that is not a royal princess, but a commoner.

In the Japanese dub of the movie, Mayumi Suzuki does both her singing and speaking voices.

Personality
Mulan is atypical to previous female roles in Disney films; she is courageous, more self-reliant, and does not focus on marriage. She does not fit in with the expectations of a young Chinese girl of the time; despite her beauty, she is clumsy, outspoken, and independent rather than graceful, silent and demure. Her courage, intelligence, and determination also help her through her adventures. She is the first and only Disney Princess of Asian descent.

Design
Mulan is a tall, slender, beautiful Chinese girl. In the original film, Mulan is only 16 years old, with the action of the sequel film taking place one month after the events of the first. Initially, Mulan had long hair. However, she cut it short in order to pass as a man in the army. Though she keeps her hair short in the sequel, her appearances in the Disney Princess line feature her with her original, longer hairstyle. It could still be short because it's only been a month since the events of the first film. She typically wears various Chinese style dresses, but has been seen wearing armor, as well as a kung-fu styled outfit.

Mulan
Mulan is the only child of Fa Zhou, a former war hero, and Fa Li. Mulan is sent to the town Matchmaker to find her a husband, which ends in humiliating failure. Shortly after, the Chinese Emperor's counselor, Chi-Fu, arrives in her village to announce that the deadly Huns, led by Shan Yu, have invaded China, and that one man in every family must serve in the war. Despite her protests (which the Emperor's consul Chi Fu silences), her father, says that he will go in spite of his old age and old war wounds. Mulan decides to go in his place posing as a man, cutting her long hair with a sword, stealing her father's armor and riding away on her horse, Khan, so she will keep him from risking his life.

On her way to the army camp, Mulan meets Mushu, a small dragon who claims to be a guardian sent by her ancestors. He agrees to help her pass as a soldier. Though Mulan fails the army training at first, she uses her intelligence and becomes the first soldier to solve a puzzle set by Li Shang, her unit's commanding officer.

Afterward, she rapidly progresses to become one of the best soldiers in the unit. She also makes friends in Yao, Ling and Chien Po, three fellow soldiers, though she is forced to hide her gender. Through the machinations of Mushu, the soldiers are called to the war front.

After finding that the Chinese Army, led by Shang's father General Li, has been completely destroyed by the Huns, Shang leads Mulan and the other soldiers to stop them. Despite the unit being outnumbered, Mulan is able to defeat the Huns by crushing them in an avalanche by way of a rocket. However, she sustains an injury from Shan-Yu, which results in her gender being revealed. She is spared death, which was the punishment for a woman joining the army, as Shang's way of repaying the debt from Mulan rescuing him during the previous battle.

Mulan is left behind by the army and prepares to return home. However, she discovers that Shan-Yu and his five generals have survived and are heading towards the Imperial City. Mulan attempts to warn Shang, but she is not listened to because she is a woman. When Shan Yu captures the Emperor, however, Shang, Yao, Ling, and Chien Po join her in a rescue attempt. Mulan disguises herself, Yao, Ling, and Chien Po as concubines and take out the Hun guards, allowing Shang to reach Shan Yu and the emperor. Yao, Ling and Chein Po escape with the Emperor, but Mulan remains behind after Shang is knocked unconscious by Shan Yu. She reveals herself as the soldier who took down the Huns, which angers Shan Yu. While running from Shan Yu, she comes up with a plan to kill him by means of fireworks. While Mushu goes to get the fireworks, Mulan faces Shan Yu on the roof of the Emperor's palace. She disarms him with a paper fan and uses his sword to pin him to the roof, allowing Mushu to fire fireworks at Shan Yu, presumably killing him.

Mulan is confronted by the Emperor with her various crimes. At the same time, he acknowledges that she saved all of China and bows to her out of respect. His gesture results in all the gathered people bowing as well. The Emperor first offers Mulan a council position then a job as consul, both of which Mulan refuses. The Emperor instead gifts her with his personal crest, and Shan Yu's sword. Mulan returns home, and is able to reconcile with her father. The end of the film shows Mulan inviting Shang, who had followed Mulan under the guise of returning her helmet, to dinner.

Mulan II
The beginning of the sequel shows Shang, now a General, proposing to Mulan, and they begin preparing for a marriage. However, the Emperor tasks them both with escorting his three daughters to the neighboring kingdom of Qui Gong in an attempt to form an alliance. Should the alliance fail, the Mongols would invade China. Mulan and Shang ask Yao, Ling, and Chien Po to accompany them. Shang and Mulan's relationship becomes somewhat strained during the trip, as the couple has differing views on various issues, particularly on the subject of the arranged marriages the princesses are being forced into. Meanwhile, Mushu is informed that if Mulan marries Shang, he would cease to be a guardian, instead being returned to his former job of Gong Ringer. Mushu takes advantage of Mulan and Shang's differences and tries to break them up. However, Mulan soon discovers Mushu's plans and tries to reconcile with Shang.

Before she can talk to Shang, bandits attack the group. Shang and Mulan are able to save the princesses, but are left hanging from a broken bridge. Shang chooses to sacrifice himself, as the bridge can only support one. Mulan and the princesses continue towards Qui Gong. Seeing that the princesses have fallen in love with Yao, Ling and Chien Po, and believing that Shang is dead, Mulan prepares to offer herself as a bride in their places. However, Shang is revealed to have survived his fall, and travels to stop her. Mushu is able to fix things by masquerading as the Golden Dragon of Unity, and forces the King to stop the wedding. The princesses are released from their vows and Shang and Mulan are married.

The end of the film, reveals that Mulan has told Shang about Mushu, and that Shang combined the family temples, allowing Mushu to remain a guardian.

Disney Princess Enchanted Tales
Mulan was planned to star in the second installment of the Disney Princess Enchanted Tales series of DVDs with Cinderella. However, the film was cancelled.

House of Mouse
Mulan makes cameos in the House of Mouse television series and the direct-to-video release Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse.

Kingdom Hearts II
Sora, Donald, and Goofy meet Mulan as "Ping" outside the army's camp with Mushu. Sora and Donald are shocked when Goofy reveals to them that she is actually a girl but promise to keep her identity a secret. The group join the army, where Mulan almost blows her cover after breaking up a massive brawl between Sora, Donald, and two other military recruits. Captain Shang has little faith in "Ping", despite the constant comments from Sora, Donald and Goofy. Mulan slowly impresses Shang, defeating Shan-Yu and his Heartless single-handedly by causing an avalanche, and even saves Shang's life. But Mushu accidentally gives away Mulan's identity. Shang, outraged of her deceit, chucks her and the others out of the army before leaving. Mulan and the others see Shan-Yu and several surviving Heartless emerge from the mountain and make their way to the Imperial City. Mulan fails to convince Shang to believe her, but she soon gets his trust again when the Emperor is kidnapped. Mulan, Sora and the others battle and kill Shan-Yu, Mulan being thanked personally by the Emperor who bows respectfully. Shan-Yu's sword then suddenly glows and gives Sora access to another world.

Mulan is reunited with Sora during his second visit to her world. Mulan is hunting a cloaked man who she believes is an enemy spy, but Sora knows it is a member of Organization XIII. Following the cloaked man to the mountains, they see a Heartless Dragon called the Storm Rider head for the Imperial City. They head there where they find the cloaked man (there are actually two, one being Riku) who reveals himself to be Xigbar. Mulan and the others battle the Storm Rider and defeat it. Mulan gives her support to Sora when he leaves to continue his journey to find Riku and Kairi.

In order to thank her for her unconditional loyalty, the Emperor makes her Captain Shang's partner, with the two of them serving beside him.

Disney Parks
Mulan appears regularly for meet-and-greets, parades, and shows at the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. Mulan and Mushu (as a kite) make cameo appearances in the Hong Kong Disneyland and Disneyland Resort versions of It's a Small World. She is usually dressed in her bridal costume from the Honor to Us All musical number.

In Fantasmic!, Mulan makes a notable appearance during the bubble montage having her bubble scenes nearly the longest in the montage.

On the Disney Cruise Line ships, Mulan and Shang appear in the stage show The Golden Mickeys. Mulan is also known to come out for meet-and-greets on the ships as well.

Disney On Ice
Mulan is also featured in the Disney on Ice shows Princess Classics and Princess Wishes, as a Princess, despite her lack of royal ties.

Trivia

 * Mulan is first Disney Princess to be of Asian appearance. However, she is techically not an actual princess.
 * Mulan is the first Disney Princess to cut her hair, the second being Rapunzel. However, Rapunzel did not cut her own hair, while Mulan did.
 * Mulan is the first Disney Princess to disguise herself as a boy.
 * Mulan is the first Disney Princess to not have a romantic relationship with anyone in the film until the sequel. However, it is hinted that Mulan and Shang are a couple at the film's climax when she invites him to her house for dinner. Due to this, there is no romantic song present in the film.
 * Mulan is the second Disney Princess to have both parents present during the entire film, the first being Aurora in 1959 and the third being Rapunzel in 2010.
 * Mulan is the second Disney Princess to be played by two actresses, the first being Jasmine in 1992. Ming-Na provides her speaking voice, and Lea Salonga provides her singing voice. Coincidentally, Lea Salonga also provided the singing voice for Jasmine 6 years prior.
 * Mulan is the first Disney Princess to kill the film's villain, before Tiana in 2009.
 * Mulan means "magnolia blossom" in Chinese.

Gallery
Mulán (personaje)