The best characters in fiction are those that can inspire and empower audiences after witnessing their stories. Cinema has created a fair number of these kinds of characters, brought to life by amazing acting and writing. Since the release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937, animation has contributed its fair share to this growing pool.
Recent years have seen more of a focus on shining a spotlight on female characters in particular. It's a worthy cause with a good intention of empowering and encouraging young women to tackle some of their own problems as these women did.
10 Elsa - 'Frozen'
Born with powers over ice and snow, Princess Elsa (Idina Menzel) was told to hide her gift by her parents. After they died in a shipwreck, she closed herself off completely from her sister, Anna (Kristen Bell), until the day of her coronation as Queen. However, when her powers are exposed, Elsa puts her kingdom under a magical winter brought on by anxiety and fear.
Elsa's story is one of finding self-empowerment and overcoming trauma. It's not an easy journey: she starts off fleeing from her responsibilities for a life of isolation, so she can be free. However, she learns that loved ones can give you the strength and love you need to overcome your demons without shutting out the world.
9 Elastigirl - 'The Incredibles'
During the Golden Age of Superheroes, Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) married Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) shortly before superheroes were outlawed. Now living as ordinary citizens, they raise a family of three children, though Mr. Incredible has a harder time adjusting. When he begins performing secret missions behind her back, Elastigirl suits up again to track him down.
Elastigril is a wonderful character that shows how strength and agency don't stop at motherhood. She is still able to infiltrate an island fortress, take out multiple guards, and hold her own against a deadly robot. When she's not saving the day, she has a lot of good advice and encouragement to import onto her children.
8 Kitty Softpaws - 'Puss in Boots'
Originally a stray cat proud of her claws, Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek) found her luck change when a human couple took her in. Unfortunately, she liked to scratch up the furniture, so her owners had her declawed. Betrayed, she turned to a life of crime and became one of the best pickpockets in the land.
Kitty's history has left her disabled and with difficulty trusting others, but it hasn't slowed her down. She has been able to turn her disability into an advantage, as using her paws makes her a better pickpocket and thief. Her trust issues make it hard for her to open up to others, and she can jump to conclusions, but over two movies she slowly learns to trust again.
7 Mulan - 'Mulan'
When China is invaded by a Hun army, one man from every household is called up to serve in the army. Fa Mulan (Ming-Na Wen) fears that her father won't survive the war due to his age and previous injuries. So she takes his armor, disguises herself as a man, and takes his place.
Mulan doesn't see herself as an ideal daughter: she is clumsy, lacks self-confidence, and socially awkward. However, her decision to take her father's place shows great bravery, and her creative mind allows her to inspire her fellow recruits thanks to finding out of the box solutions. This allowed her to destroy the Hun army with a well-placed landslide.
6 Cinderella - 'Cinderella'
After the death of her father, Cinderella (Ilene Woods) was forced into servitude by her stepmother, Lady Tremaine (Eleanor Audley). Though she is forced to live in rags and work from dawn to dusk, she maintains a positive outlook. She even takes some time to help out the animals of the household, proving them with food, clothing, and protection from Tremaine's cat, Lucifer (June Foray).
Cinderella is the best example of how kindness inspires future kindness. She always acts kind and respectful to others, regardless of how much they deserve it, and does her best to make each day as positive as possible. This kindness ends up coming back to her, when her animal friends and a Fairy Godmother (Verna Felton), ensure that she can have a lovely night at the royal ball.
5 Fiona - 'Shrek'
When Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) was young, she was cursed by a witch to transform into an ogre every night. Her parents hid her in a tower guarded by a dragon for the day when she would be rescued by her true love to break the spell with true love's kiss. Instead of Prince Charming (Rupert Everet), that true love ended up being the ogre, Shrek (Mike Myers).
Befitting Shrek's nature as a parody of Disney, Fiona was made to be as different from a Disney princess as possible. She is a skilled combatant and, at the end of the film, is left permanently as an ogre. This allows Fiona to show that you don't need to be conventionally beautiful or feminine to find happiness, which is reinforced by her growing relationship with Shrek in the sequels.
4 Chihiro/Sen - 'Spirited Away'
While moving to a new house, Chihiro (Rumi Hiiragi/Daveigh Chase) and her parents end up in the spirit world. While her parents are turned into pigs, Chihiro gets a job at a bathhouse run by the witch Yubaba (Mari Natsuki/Suzanne Pleshette) while she searches for a way to turn them back. Unfortunately, Yubaba takes her name as payment and renames her Sen.
Chihiro is only ten years old during the events of Spirited Away, which makes her courage all the more spectacular. Though she has understandable moments of emotional vulnerability, she quickly adapts to the rules of this crazy world, and refuses to give up regardless of the danger. Her kindness and consideration for others also allow her to improve the lives of some of the other spirits.
3 Judy Hopps - 'Zootopia'
From a young age, Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) knew she wanted to be a police officer. She received little encouragement from her peers, since in a world of anthropomorphic animals, a rabbit can't compete with megafauna like rhinos and bears. While Judy is able to get a job as an officer in Zootopia, she faces more stigma than ever before.
Judy is the perfect character to explore the complex themes of prejudice presented in Zootopia. She possesses a peppy, can-do attitude that helps her tackle any problem head-first. Though she has her own biases to work through, she recognizes that she has room for growth and, slowly, takes the necessary steps.
2 Mrs. Brisby - 'The Secret of Nimh'
After her husband is killed by the farmer's cat, widowed field mouse Mrs. Brisby (Elizabeth Hartman) is left to take care of their three children alone. Things get worse when her youngest son, Timothy, gets pneumonia, leaving him bedridden as the farmer prepares to plow his field. To save her family, Mrs. Brisby embarks on a daring quest to enlist the help of intelligent rats who live in a rosebush.
Mrs. Brisby is a testament to the power of motherhood. She doesn't have special powers or higher intelligence and is just as terrified of cats and owls as any mouse would be. Yet despite her fears, she risks her life again and again if it means saving the lives of her children, which allows her to unlock a hidden strength.
1 Belle - 'Beauty and the Beast'
In a poor provincial town in France lives Belle (Paige O'Hara), the daughter of an eccentric inventor. While everyone in town enjoys gossiping or fawning over the local hunter, Gaston (Richard White), Belle has her nose in a book, dreaming of adventure in the great wide somewhere. She eventually gets her wish when her father falls afoul of a Beast (Robbie Benson), and she selflessly chooses to take his place as prisoner.
Belle is easily Disney's best princess. She is kind, intelligent, creative, and selfless, especially when it comes to protecting her friends and family. She also handles her captivity with bravery, refusing to bow to Beast's demands, and inspiring him to be a better person.
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