Disney’s Mulan was a groundbreaking film for several reasons. It boasts an incredibly talented and eclectic cast and was the first time fans got to see a strong female lead who wasn’t just a damsel in distress.
To help prepare for the release of the upcoming live-action remake, we thought it would be fun to look back on the original animated classic! Here are 10+ hidden details in Disney’s Mulan !
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Why is it that Mulan’s ancestors have fingernails and she doesn’t?
A careful eye will reveal that Mulan’s slender fingers are absent fingernails. Yet when we see images of her ancestors, they’re clearly shown with fingernails.
Was this a mistake or some kind of genetic happenstance?
All the characters in the film are water-repellent.
OK – not actually, but there are some pretty peculiar things that take place whenever it rains.
We never once see a character with wet hair, or even so much as a raindrop on any article of clothing.
A reference to ‘American Gothic’.
This is one that definitely flew over my head as a kid. ‘American Gothic’ is one of the most well-known/referenced paintings in cinema, and is regarded as the most famous painting in America.
It was originally commissioned by an artist by the name of Grant Wood .
How do you spot an evil horse?
You look into their evil eyes! Duh?
Disney really doesn’t like to leave any room for interpretation. Hence they opted to paint the eyes of the ‘evil’ horses a dark crimson red.
Pretty spooky, don’t you think?
Why does Mushu’s shadow have see-through eyes and a mouth?
When Mushu casts his silhouette on the wall, not only does he appear much larger than he actually is, but there are some very important details missing.
Mainly, that the light is shining through his eye sockets and mouth.
Shang’s hair is actually blue!
Take a close look the next time you watch! This is an animation trick to help accentuate and distinguish line and color.
If you look closely, it almost looks as if Shang has a blue halo floating above his head.
How long did Chi Fu pose for his picture with the Emperor?
When Mushu is routing around in Chi Fu’s tent, the audience is shown a picture of Chi Fu pointing a ‘finger gun’ at the Emporer.
Keep in mind, Mulan takes place in the Han Dynasty ; roughly 206 BCE. Modern photography wasn’t invented until the early 1800s, which means someone painted this picture.
Donnie Osmond was the singing voice for Shang.
For those who might not be familiar, Donnie rose to fame as a child singing sensation.
He’s performed with legends like Peter Gabriel, and he also hosted a successful talk show with his sister Marie.
Most recently, he was revealed as The Peacock from The Masked Singer .
Mulan’s armor doesn’t match the rest of the soldiers’.
You can definitely spot that she’s missing a breastplate. Could it be that this was done intentionally to help distinguish Mulan while she was in armor? Or was it just an oversight?
I’m inclined to lean toward the former.
Shang’s horse has two hidden Mickey mouse heads on his body.
Can you see them? Go ahead, I’ll wait…still nothing?
OK, fine. I’ll tell you: take a look on the left side of the horse’s head, as well as the left upper-thigh. You’ll see two unmistakable Mickey heads!
Is Mulan ambidextrous?
Once again, this one requires some very careful attention to detail. But whenever Mulan is writing something down, she holds the pen in her left hand.
When she fights with a sword, the blade is clutched firmly in her right hand.
Mulan is the only Disney Princess who isn’t actually royalty.
This is just simple facts: Mulan wasn’t born into royalty, nor does she marry a Prince.
I guess you get named an automatic princess after you save a whole country from destruction.
What happened to Shang’s army?
There’s a bit of a continuity error toward the end of the film. During the scene where Shang is making his triumphant march to meet the Emporer, he’s followed by a long procession of soldiers.
Watch closely for when the scene cuts and the line of soldiers somehow drastically shrinks!
Jasmine from *Aladdin* and Mulan have the same singing voice.
If you get deja vu whenever you hear Mulan sing, there’s a good reason for that.
Voice actress Lea Salonga lent her singing talents to the characters of both Mulan and Jasmine.
The directors make a cameo appearance.
This happens toward the end of the film. Remember the scene where Mushu frightens the two guards putting on the fireworks display?
That was supposed to be the likeness of co-directors Barry Cooke and Tony Bancroft.
