Editing Mulan (Disney character) (section)

=== Characterization and design ===
The film's [[screenplay]] was constantly being revised and re-written. Naturally, so was Mulan's characterization and role in the film.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.beliefnet.com/columnists/moviemom/2013/03/interview-tom-bancroft-of-mulan.html|title = Interview: Tom Bancroft of "Mulan"|last = Minow|first = Nell|publisher = Beliefnet|access-date = February 23, 2014|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140301034012/http://www.beliefnet.com/columnists/moviemom/2013/03/interview-tom-bancroft-of-mulan.html|archive-date = March 1, 2014}}</ref> The writers wanted Mulan to represent a "different kind of Disney heroine," specifically described as one who "didn't need a [[tiara]], but was still just as much as graceful, strong, and courageous."<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url = http://www.5minutesformom.com/73682/mulan-and-mulan-ii-an-interview-with-tom-and-tony-bancroft/|title = Mulan and Mulan II – An Interview with Tom and Tony Bancroft|website = 5 Minutes for Mom|last = Sikora|first = Jennifer|date = 7 March 2013|access-date = 21 November 2013|archive-date = 27 February 2014|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140227134232/http://www.5minutesformom.com/73682/mulan-and-mulan-ii-an-interview-with-tom-and-tony-bancroft/|url-status = live}}</ref> Between the two, Bancroft and his twin brother Tom, an animator who also worked on ''Mulan'', have a total of seven daughters.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://adventuresofacouponista.com/an-interview-with-tony-and-tom-bancroft-director-and-animator-of-disneys-mulan-disneyozevent-mulan/|title = An Interview with Tony and Tom Bancroft – Director and Animator of Disney's Mulan #DisneyOzEvent #Mulan|website = Adventures of a Couponista|date = March 12, 2013|access-date = February 23, 2014|last = Smith|first = Kristy|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140227033306/http://adventuresofacouponista.com/an-interview-with-tony-and-tom-bancroft-director-and-animator-of-disneys-mulan-disneyozevent-mulan/|archive-date = February 27, 2014}}</ref> This further inspired the filmmakers to portray Mulan as a unique heroine who is "not another [[damsel in distress]]"<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.trippinwithtara.com/mulan-animators-tony-tom-bancroft-interview-disneyozevent-mulan/|title = MULAN Animators Tony & Tom Bancroft interview #DisneyOzEvent #Mulan|website = Trippin With Tara|publisher = Genesis Framework|date = March 12, 2013|access-date = February 23, 2014|last = Salinas|first = Tara|archive-date = March 18, 2013|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130318004523/http://www.trippinwithtara.com/mulan-animators-tony-tom-bancroft-interview-disneyozevent-mulan/|url-status = live}}</ref> in favor of having her resemble "a strong female Disney character who would truly be the heroine of her own story"<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://kidstvmovies.about.com/b/2013/03/12/mulan-easter-eggs-and-fun-facts.htm|title = Mulan Easter Eggs and Fun Facts|date = March 12, 2013|last = Bryson|first = Carey|publisher = About.com|access-date = February 23, 2014|archive-date = February 27, 2014|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140227140257/http://kidstvmovies.about.com/b/2013/03/12/mulan-easter-eggs-and-fun-facts.htm|url-status = dead}}</ref> instead, essentially a "female [[role model]]. The characteristics of strength and courage were a must for Mulan."<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.valmg.com/the-making-of-mulan-interview-with-the-bancroft-brothers-disneyozevent-mulan/|title = The Making of Mulan – Interview with the Bancroft Brothers – #DisneyOzEvent #Mulan|date = March 12, 2013|website = Mom Knows It All|access-date = February 24, 2014|archive-date = February 28, 2014|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140228203906/http://www.valmg.com/the-making-of-mulan-interview-with-the-bancroft-brothers-disneyozevent-mulan/|url-status = live}}</ref> In an interview with ''[[The Christian Post]]'', Bancroft elaborated on the way in which he, as the film's director, continued to consider the well-being of his two young daughters while working on ''Mulan'', having "wanted to make a unique heroine that hadn't been seen before" and provide for them "someone who would be strong on her own, without a prince saving her."<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url = http://www.christianpost.com/news/tony-bancroft-on-mulan-i-want-to-bring-christian-based-values-to-all-my-work-90987/|title = Tony Bancroft on 'Mulan': 'I Want to Bring Christian-Based Values to All My Work'|website = The Christian Post|date = March 12, 2013|last = Martin|first = Sami K.|access-date = February 23, 2014|archive-date = February 27, 2014|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140227034213/http://www.christianpost.com/news/tony-bancroft-on-mulan-i-want-to-bring-christian-based-values-to-all-my-work-90987/|url-status = live}}</ref> Addressing the way in which Mulan differs from traditional Disney heroines and princesses, Bancroft explained, "Most Disney heroines have an outside source that comes in and helps them change. Mulan stays consistent. From the first frame all the way through the end of the movie, her personality, her drive it all stays the same."<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://momwitha.com/2013/03/behind-the-creation-of-mulan-with-tom-tony-bancroft-mulan-disneyozevent/|title = Behind the Creation of Mulan with Tom & Tony Bancroft #Mulan #DisneyOzEvent|website = Mom with a Dot Com|date = March 12, 2013|access-date = February 23, 2014|first = Rita|last = Hsiao|archive-date = March 1, 2014|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140301124134/http://momwitha.com/2013/03/behind-the-creation-of-mulan-with-tom-tony-bancroft-mulan-disneyozevent/|url-status = dead}}</ref> 
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| style="text-align: left;" |"When we drew her, we had the opportunity to actually adjust her design a little bit so that when she was disguised as Ping, as a soldier, that she was physically a little different in how we drew her than when she was herself as Mulan&nbsp;... That was something we took advantage of. So, certainly, that was a challenge to have her disguised as a boy whereas she's still a girl who doesn't understand what being a boy is all about or about boys move and act, and that's part of how she learns&nbsp;... that was part of the fun and the challenge of doing Mulan. You have essentially two characters to play with."
|-
| style="text-align: left;" |— Henn, on animating Mulan as "Ping".<ref name=":4" />
|}

Visually, the animators were influenced by both traditional Chinese and Japanese artwork. In the specific case of Mulan, "The characters' simple lines ... resemble classic Asian painting".<ref name=":3" /> Chinese artist Chen Yi mentored the animators, "helping [them] to come up with these designs."<ref name=":4" /> [[Mark Henn]] served as Mulan's [[Animation director|supervising animator]]. Animating the character in her male disguise as "Ping" offered an unprecedented challenge for Henn. In order to solve this unique dilemma, Henn was provided with "the opportunity to adjust her design a little bit so that when she was disguised as Ping, as a soldier, that she was physically a little different in how we drew her than when she was herself as Mulan."<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|url = http://animatedviews.com/2010/the-princess-and-the-frog-supervising-animator-mark-henn-part-3-the-orlando-features/|title = The Princess and the Frog's Supervising Animator Mark Henn – Part 3: The Orlando Features|date = January 22, 2010|website = Animated Views|access-date = February 23, 2014|last = Noyer|first = Jérémie|archive-date = February 9, 2014|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140209203525/http://animatedviews.com/2010/the-princess-and-the-frog-supervising-animator-mark-henn-part-3-the-orlando-features/|url-status = live}}</ref> Physically, Mulan was also designed to appear less feminine than preceding traditional Disney animated heroines, specifically [[Pocahontas (character)|Pocahontas]] from ''[[Pocahontas (1995 film)|Pocahontas]]'' (1995) and [[Esmeralda (The Hunchback of Notre-Dame)|Esmeralda]] from ''[[The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996 film)|The Hunchback of Notre Dame]]'' (1996), because "you can't pass as a man in the army with a [[Barbie doll|Barbie]]-style figure."<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.oocities.org/hollywood/5082/characters.html|title = Who's Who in Mulan|website = OoCities|publisher = Geocities|access-date = March 10, 2014|date = October 2009|archive-date = March 11, 2014|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140311015513/http://www.oocities.org/hollywood/5082/characters.html|url-status = live}}</ref>

Henn revealed that he was drawn to "Mulan's story [because it] was so unique and compelling that it just captivated me from the beginning".<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite web|url = http://50mostinfluentialdisneyanimators.wordpress.com/2011/10/01/10-mark-henn/|title = 50mostinfluentialdisneyanimators – 10. Mark Henn|website = 50mostinfluentialdisneyanimators|date = October 2011|access-date = February 24, 2014|publisher = WordPress.com|archive-date = March 7, 2014|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140307223451/http://50mostinfluentialdisneyanimators.wordpress.com/2011/10/01/10-mark-henn/|url-status = live}}</ref> Animating the characters' distinct emotions using the traditional Chinese style turned out to be somewhat challenging for Henn.<ref name=":4" /> The animator explained, "We don't create realism in the sense that if you're doing a human character, it's not going to look realistic ... the balance is finding an appealing way of drawing using the visual tools that you have in the design to convey the believable emotions that you want to get across."<ref name=":4" /> In addition to Mulan, Henn was also responsible for animating Fa Zhou, Mulan's elderly father. He described the complex relationship between the two characters as "the emotional heart of the story".<ref name=":4" /> Fathering one daughter himself, Henn drew inspiration from his own emotions as well as past personal experiences while animating several intimate scenes shared by the two characters.<ref>{{Cite book|title = Walt's People: Talking Disney With the Artists Who Knew Him|last = Ghez|first = Didier|publisher = Xlibris Corporation|isbn = 978-1-4257-8314-3|location = United States|chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=3YmdyNAmh8YC&q=mark+henn+mulan+interview&pg=PA562|access-date = February 25, 2014|chapter = Mark Henn (b. 1958)|page = 578|volume = 5|publication-date = September 30, 2011|date = 2011-09-30}}{{self-published source|date=December 2017}}</ref>{{Self-published inline|certain=yes|date=December 2017}}

Several film critics have described Mulan as a [[tomboy]].<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.elle.com/pop-culture/best/shes-a-man-baby-571814-6#slide-6|title = She's a Man, Baby! – Mulan|access-date = March 11, 2014|website = Elle|date = August 11, 2011|archive-date = May 19, 2014|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140519022839/http://www.elle.com/pop-culture/best/shes-a-man-baby-571814-6#slide-6|url-status = live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title = Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History|last = Ulrich|first = Laurel Thatcher|publisher = Random House LLC|isbn = 978-1-4000-7527-0|location = United States|chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=MBHhwNSALHoC&q=mulan+tomboy&pg=PA51|access-date = March 11, 2014|page = 51|publication-date = September 23, 2008|chapter = Amazons|date = 2008-09-23}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url = http://fatherhood.about.com/od/disneyprincesses/p/A-Fathers-Guide-To-The-Disney-Princesses-Mulan.htm|title = A Father's Guide to the Disney Princesses – Mulan|publisher = About.com|access-date = March 10, 2014|last = Parker|first = Wayne|archive-date = March 11, 2014|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140311023421/http://fatherhood.about.com/od/disneyprincesses/p/A-Fathers-Guide-To-The-Disney-Princesses-Mulan.htm|url-status = dead}}</ref> Andy Patrizio of [[IGN]] observed, "In this slightly modernized version of the story, Mulan is something of a rebel and a tomboy. She has no interest in being a good little subservient wife, despite her sighing parents' wishes."<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://ca.ign.com/articles/2004/10/18/mulan-special-edition|title = Mulan: Special Edition|date = October 18, 2004|access-date = March 11, 2014|publisher = IGN Entertainment|last = Patrizio|first = Andy|archive-date = March 11, 2014|archive-url = https://archive.today/20140311055544/http://ca.ign.com/articles/2004/10/18/mulan-special-edition|url-status = live}}</ref> Jo Johnson, in contribution to the book ''Queers in American Popular Culture Volume 1: Film and Television'', wrote that "Unlike other Disney heroines, Mulan is immediately coded as a tomboy," observing the way in which the character speaks using a full mouth. Johnson additionally noticed several ways in which Mulan's design and personality differ from those typically associated with traditional Disney heroines and princesses, citing the character's clumsy, awkward demeanor; broad shoulders and muscular limbs; unruly single strand of hair; and choice of everyday attire which usually consists of loose, baggy clothing concealing her "traditionally slim Disney waist."<ref>{{Cite book|title = Queers in American Popular Culture Volume 1: Film and television|last = Johnson|first = Jo|publisher = Praeger|year = 2010|isbn = 978-0-313-35459-5|location = United States|pages = 259–261|chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=qp52mROzDMYC&q=mulan+tomboy&pg=PA259|access-date = March 11, 2014|editor-last = Elledge|editor-first = Jim|volume = 1|chapter = We'll Have a Gay Old Time|archive-date = March 31, 2024|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240331212708/https://books.google.com/books?id=qp52mROzDMYC&q=mulan+tomboy&pg=PA259|url-status = live}}</ref> Additionally, Mulan's intelligence has been observed in several professional analyses, with critics often citing the character as "brainy."<ref name=":14" /><ref>{{Cite web|url = http://skymovies.sky.com/mulan/review|title = Mulan|date = May 2, 2013|website = BSkyB|last = Allen|first = Frank|access-date = March 11, 2014|archive-date = March 11, 2014|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140311105246/http://skymovies.sky.com/mulan/review|url-status = live}}</ref>