Disney’s classic premiered in 1998 and to celebrate it, artists showed their creations on social media.
By now, you should know the story of Mulan: the girl who went to war in order to save not only her father but China. For many, many years, it has been both an inspiration and a controversy around the world, for apparently, it doesn’t show Chinese culture as it really is. But, on the other hand, Mulan still is a feminist story, in which the hero turns out to be a woman, despite all the struggles and rules.
Released 20 years ago
Mulan turned into an icon and a role model: the heroine willing to sacrifice her own life to avoid her father returning to the army, to save her country, and to restore her family’s honor. The kind of person everyone aspires to be, one that makes a difference.
And if you’re really, really young and haven’t watched this movie yet, now’s the time, stop reading and start watching!
For those of us who have watched it more times than we’d like to admit, here’s a little something: some of the best fanart on Twitter. As two whole decades have gone by, many artists decided to “bring honor to us all” and make some amazing drawings about it.
The first one was done by the Chinese American Youtube personality
And manga artist, Valory Pierce:
Happy 20th anniversary to one of my most cherished childhood #disney films #Mulan 💖 She has been one of my role models growing up in a Chinese household, ever since the movie came out – it has always inspired me to be my own hero. #disneyart #fanart #digitalart #DisneyPrincess pic.twitter.com/EruGCeLGNu
— 𝐕𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐏𝐈𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐄 平雪蘭 (@ValoryPierce) June 6, 2018
You can watch the drawing process here:
This next one was done by Spanish illustrator
Sara HP, better known as Shycheeks:
It’s been 20 years enjoying the Disney Mulan movie and these awesome songs!🏯🐉🦗
“The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all.”🌸#Mulan #disneyprincess #wreckitralph2#mulan20thanniversary #fightlikeagirl pic.twitter.com/fDJoE1aVoG— Shycheeks ✨ Natsu Valencia (@Shycheeks_Art) June 6, 2018
As simple as it can be
illustrator and animator Anthony Guerra made us fall in love with this design:
Happy 20th anniversary #Mulan #Disney pic.twitter.com/nQ6bJhpdXn
— Anthony Guerra (@thefoolsart) June 7, 2018
We can’t get enough of this art made by concept artist Lara Pickle:
Happy 20th anniversary #Mulan 💛✨@DisneyAnimation @TomBancroft1 #characterdesign #larapickle @ApoyaAlArtista @TheArtBond @wacom #mulananniversary #mulan20thanniversary pic.twitter.com/ekbQrrymWN
— Lara Pickle 🥨 (@Larapic) June 6, 2018
Comic artist and writer Chris Schweizer
Made a whole poster of one of the movie’s best scenes:
I missed the 20th Anniversary of #Mulan yesterday because I was at Holiday World! Hope it ain’t too late to celebrate the best princess movie in the stable. Here’s a poster I did for it, with the kind of credits I want to see on an animated feature poster. pic.twitter.com/cD14ZicmF2
— Chris Schweizer • HeroesConAA1215 (@schweizercomics) June 6, 2018
A version of one of the official movie posters
Made by Spanish illustrator and comic artist, Lucía Benavente:
happy 20th birthday! #mulan pic.twitter.com/WnYlV7lsIF
— LittleBrisby (@LittleBrisby) June 6, 2018
This one was done by Brazilian illustrator Isadora Zeferino:
happy (late) 20th to a movie that brought honor to us all pic.twitter.com/Ov6aeZzh36
— Isadora Zeferino 🏳️🌈 (@imzeferino) June 7, 2018
And last, but not least, American storyboard artist, visual effects animator, and voice actor, Paul Briggs himself, who actually got to work on Mulan 20 years ago, shared his amazing art:
@Disney #Mulan premiered on this day 20 years ago today! My first film I was brought in to work on! A little drawing to celebrate it –
Happy Anniversary @DisneyAnimation ! pic.twitter.com/V4PZ7jd9Ca— Paul Briggs (@_paul_briggs_) June 6, 2018
Follow these artists to know more about them and see more of their work.
And as the Emperor of China once said:
“I’ve heard a great deal about you, Fa Mulan. You stole your father’s armor, ran away from home, impersonated a soldier, deceived your commanding officer, dishonored the Chinese Army, destroyed my palace, and… you have saved us all.”
Yes, Mulan, you did save us all.