*Attempts to manifest the reunion of the Disney Fandom by screaming ‘Mowgli’, ‘Stitch’ and ‘Mickey Mouse’*
Did it work?
Right! The Disney fans (or not) who are reading this article because of my manifestation, you are in for a treat today 😉
Disney, the 13th most powerful brand worldwide, is known for its wholesome animated and live-action movies for all ages.
From its Golden Age in 1937 to the present, we have grown up looking forward to many of its movies. From Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to Pinnochio and the ever-popular Frozen and Toy Story, its growth has been exceptional over time.
Moreover, its characters have also evolved a lot- there is no comparison between Snow White and Moana!
Where Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora have ‘Disneyed’ it through their typicality and commonplace character traits, personalities like Quasimodo, Kida Nedakh have faded away.
As Disney changes its perspective, some characters have been forgotten in the crowd. These certainly deserve recognition, not only by some, but also by all those who stan Mulan or Mirabel, or Olaf!
A survey conducted by me stated the following:
58% of the people mentioned Mulan at least twice in a positive way.
95% of the responders mentioned Cinderella and Snow White as overrated/ lacking characters.
92% of the responses were the same for all the responders.
All the 20 interviewees said one of ONLY the 22 names for the similar questions, which included favourite/ least favourite/ underrated etc. characters.
This list included names from Mulan to Jafal, Dory and Héctor Rivera.
Can you imagine only around 200 characters getting all the fame when Disney has created more than 2000?
Disappointing, right?
Now, we discuss some characters that have performed brilliantly in their respective movies and deserve some hype!
- Captain Amelia (The Treasure Planet)
Starting, Captain Amelia is the part-feline captain of the ship RLS Legacy with a knack for weaponry and agility. Unlike any Disney Princess, she is snarky, a quick thinker and a fabulous captain.
Throughout the movie, she is quick to charge and takes the reigns during tough times.
In the start, Amelia faces teasing from Jim Hawkins (protagonist) and Dr. Doppler, but she displays her authority overall quickly.
The Captain’s aura demands respect from all, which makes her a fierce character.
She marries Dr. Doppler out of love, not anyone’s command over her, as in most Disney movies.
She is a forgotten character, but a simply amazing one!
- Bing bong (Inside Out)
An imaginary friend keeps you happy in rough situations. But sometimes, their absence is what brings over happiness.
Bing Bong, the jolly imaginary friend Riley has, is forgotten with time.
When Joy and Sadness find him and seek his help, he sacrifices himself, which is majorly why they reach Riley before she makes the mistake she will regret her whole life.
Bing Bong might have permanently faded from Riley’s mind, but never in her memories.
- Eleanor (Godmothered)
“Forget happily ever after and focus on being happy!”
Eleanor is determined to save Motherland, her home. So, she ventures out into a world she doesn’t have the foggiest about.
Her character starts as a typical princess being all naïve about the human world and goofing up, like, a lot.
But slowly, as she progresses in her assignment to grant Mackenzie her happily ever after, she realises that one doesn’t require a prince charming and a castle to have theirs.
Although she messes up things more than she fixes, in the end, she makes a deep-rooted impact on all and practically becomes a part of the family.
When all struggle with work and social anxiety, Eleanor becomes a glass of cold water on a summer day and brings the spirit of the little tight-knit family back.
The movie shows that love comes in all forms; loving yourself and your daughters counts!
She gives the whole movie a feel-good, wholesome, and humorous vibe.
So, to give the laydown, Eleanor’s character greatly contrasts those made by Disney till now, and we certainly hope this isn’t the last one!
- Stargirl (Stargirl)
“People aren’t happy because they win. They win because they’re happy,” -Stargirl
Stargirl isn’t like the others. She’s different. She’s independent, unique, creative, confident, and glows more than the brightest star in the universe (Sirius).
She is simply Stargirl.
Who takes the time to find out strangers’ birthdays, problems, and solutions to try and help them?
Who brings alive a whole school with her voice?
Who is the friendliest person in the school despite having no friends?
Who has a rat for a pet and names them Cinnamon?
Who is so underrated despite being one of the most aspiring non-conformists in the entertainment industry?
Stargirl
While the movie does not have the strongest plot, it sure does send one back inspired and hoping to find a Stargirl within them.
- Anastasia (Anastasia)
“It is the perfect ending!”
“No, it is the perfect beginning.”
Anastasia might be a princess in the movie, but really, she’s a queen.
She starts as an innocent girl who supports herself, given she lived with an unwanted family for ten years.
She has no clue about her past and goes by the name Anya.
When she starts a new journey with two random strangers, she has no idea what is in store for her.
Anastasia is a bit timid, but as she progresses into the movie, she becomes a strong-willed and daring character.
She also saves her whole country from the danger of Rasputin, the man who killed almost her entire family.
The best part about the movie is that it is not Dimitri who saves Anastasia, but it’s her who saves him!
Her resilience is so unlike other movies, and thus really refreshing and unique to see.
Finally, she marries Dimitri out of love and her own will to do so.
Anastasia deserves a lot more recognition for her valiance!
There are so many characters out there that are looking for your love and appreciation.
Adding flames to this fire, it was concluded that: Of the 2000+ characters Disney has created, a person who can be considered a hard-core Disney fan (much like you!) could only name a maximum of 30!
It is human nature- and it’s alright!
However, the study also states that each person surveyed had one thing in common- 55% of their list was mostly composed of princesses.
Pretty natural since we are drawn to those characters, but this also makes those faces that don’t have one of those fancy titles outcasts!
If you want to test your Disney knowledge, try naming 15+ characters that are not as popular- you will be surprised by how much of a struggle it is!
We are reaching the end of this article, but I hope I left you with some thoughts and a few excellent movies to watch. We must continue to look out for those unsung faces that deserve our love for their compassion, beauty, resilience and for the gems that they are!
Author: Pritika Bhatt, 14 years old