Mushu
Fictional character / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Mushu[1] is a fictional character in Disney's Mulan franchise, first appearing in the 1998 animated film of the same name. A small Chinese dragon, Mushu was a guardian of Mulan's family before being demoted for failing to protect an ancestor. He plots to redeem himself by ensuring Mulan's success when she enlists herself in the army in her father's place, ultimately becoming her loyal confidant.
Mushu | |
---|---|
Mulan character | |
First appearance | Mulan (1998) |
Created by | Robert D. San Souci |
Designed by | Tom Bancroft (supervising animator) |
Voiced by | Eddie Murphy
|
In-universe information | |
Species | Chinese dragon |
Although Mulan was based on the Chinese legend Hua Mulan, Mushu was created specifically for the film at the suggestion of Roy E. Disney. Inspired by Robin Williams' Genie in Aladdin (1992), the producers hoped to have Mushu voiced by a comedian, and had originally hired Joe Pesci. They cast Eddie Murphy after deciding an urban sidekick would provide contrast and chemistry with the film's protagonist. Supervising animator Tom Bancroft studied both Chinese culture and Dragon characters from previous Disney animated films to design the character.
Mushu was generally well-received by American critics and audiences. Some reviewers praised the character's humor and Murphy's performance, while others felt he weakened the film's otherwise serious tone and deemed it inferior to Robin Williams in Aladdin. Meanwhile, the character was poorly received in China, with viewers accusing him of trivializing Chinese culture.
Several publications have ranked him as one of Disney's greatest sidekicks. Disney's decision to not include the character in the 2020 live-action adaptation of Mulan in an effort to be more culturally sensitive to Chinese audiences drew mixed reviews from fans of the character.