My Favourite Disney Characters

I just watched Beauty and the Beast again recently, and it inspired me to make a list of my favourite Disney characters. I’ll be focusing on more modern Disney characters (1990s or later probably) because I find them more multidimensional (I enjoy Snow White and Lady and the Tramp, but the characters are pretty flat). This list is also heavily dependant on the movies I’ve seen in recent years. I remember liking Ants, for instance, but I don’t remember it well enough for any of its characters to make it on this list (perhaps I’ll update it one day). Also, I’ve decided to make the arbitrary rule that I can only pick ONE per film. I started making this list and I was picking like three or four per film in some cases… It made for a really long list. 

So here we go! In no particular order here are my favourite Disney characters!

1) Beast from Beauty and the Beast

You were expecting Belle, weren’t you? Belle is awesome, don’t get me wrong. She’s kind, reliable, and reforms a beast into a lovely person. I love this movie despite some terrible messages it drives home, like “showing an abusive person kindness will make them love you in return”, and “giving women gifts will in turn make them love you.” Yeah… not so good. But it’s NICE. And HAPPY. And COMPLETELY UNREALISTIC and I love it.

The main reason I love the Beast? Mostly expressions like these:

He’s just so awkward, it’s fantastic.

2) Rapunzel from Tangled.

I ADORE Rapunzel. She is this perfect mix of witty, naive, intelligent, adorable, sensitive… yeah, she’s pretty much perfect, and I might have a crush on her. It was kind of hard to pick between her and Maximus (winner of Best Horse Award by far), but I had to go with Rapunzel in the end.

Rapunzel also has her share of funny facial expressions:

Yep. Big crush.

3) Pocahontas from Pocahontas

Pocahontas told me to run the hidden pine trails of the forest, walk in the foot steps of a stranger, and paint with all the colours of the wind. She also put an end to Racism in her tribe with the help of John Smith (who did not make this list for being too boring, in my opinion). Basically, she is awesome. No funny expressions here, just expressions full of DETERMINATION and BADASSERY.

4) Tarzan from Tarzan

Picking between Tarzan, Jane and Kala is practically impossible. My answer will probably vary from day to day, but today I’m picking Tarzan. Tarzan is just such a kind and loving persongorillaman. Now brace yourself for Tarzan and Jane awkwardness:

5) Mulan from Mulan.

This choice probably doesn’t require an explanation. She SAVED CHINA. She was always very relatable for me as a kid who didn’t really fit in with other girls.

Obligatory facial expressions…

6) Kenai from Brother Bear

I didn’t watch Brother Bear when it first came out, and actually just watched it for the first time last summer. I hadn’t really heard much about it, and I think it may have flown under many people’s radars, but it was EXCELLENT. Kenai just seemed irresponsible and incapable of empathy for the first half of the film, but as the story progresses he learns better and really grows on you. He’s definitely a favourite of mine now. If you haven’t seen Brother Bear, I highly recommend it.

7) Nala from The Lion King

Similar to the situation I had with Jane, Tarzan and Kala, I find it difficult to pick between Scar, Simba and Nala. Today is definitely a Nala day though. She is just plain sassy and I love it.

I wonder who will get added to the list after I re-watch more Disney films? Aladin or Jasmine maybe? Megora? Pongo? We’ll just have to wait and see.

So there you have it, some of my favourite Disney characters (making strange faces as an added bonus of course). And now I ask the question, WHO ARE YOUR FAVOURITE DISNEY CHARACTERS? I am ultra curious.

Windie