20 reasons we still love the magic of Mulan 20 years later

12. The romance is only a small part of the story

Romance has usually been a major part of Disney movies. There’s always a damsel in distress in need of a handsome prince to save her. She gets rescued, and then they fall madly in love in only a day or two.

Don’t get me wrong, I love all Disney movies. But it is refreshing when a movie’s main plot isn’t about a love story. Mulan is about finding who you are and of course, saving China.

There is a little bit of romance between Mulan and Li Shang of course, but it is not a part of the main storyline — especially since Li Shang thinks Mulan is a man named Ping for most of the film. But once he realizes she is a woman, he knows that he cares for her and can’t let her go.

So, he follows her home and stays for dinner. The subtle romance is nice because it gives it that dose of love that we all like seeing in a Disney movie. But the fact that it’s in the background lets the characters personalities shine through more.

We get to see that Mulan is strong and confident instead of seeing her pining after a guy. The way Mulan portrays romance is how it should be in every Disney movie, and they seem to have taken notice since. Movies like The Princess and the Frog and Brave are both movies that feature Disney princesses, without the need of a prince rescuing them. And that, of course, is all thanks to Mulan.