take between Li Shang and Naveen was torturous .

I hope we’re all having a fantastic AAPI Heritage Month! Seeing the trailer for the newLilo & Stitchgot me thinking about what a masterpiece the original movie is. Nani has got to be one of my favoriteDisney charactersof all time.

And on that note, hasn’t it been cool to witness more and more API representation in animation sinceLilo & Stitchcame out in 2002? To celebrate some of the amazing characters on screen, I thought I’d rank my favorite Asian and Pacific IslanderDisneycharacters so we can all remember some of the greats. It’s pretty satisfying that we have enough API rep that we can make a list of 19 characters. We definitely still have a long way to go, however.

Just a disclaimer — we’re sticking to mostly main characters and important side characters. Otherwise, the grandma fromMulanwould sweep, and I want to make this fair. Let’s jump in!

19. Raya —Raya and the Last Dragon

18. Go Go Tomago —Big Hero 6

17. Anne Boonchuy —Amphibia

16. Lilo —Lilo & Stitch

15. Mei —Turning Red

14. Candy Chiu —Gravity Falls

13, Mowgli —The Jungle Book

12. Hiro Hamada —Big Hero 6

11. Aladdin —Aladdin

10. Jasmine —Aladdin

9. Edna Mode —The Incredibles

8. Russell —Up

7. Tadashi Hamada —Big Hero 6

6. Jake Long —American Dragon

5. Li Shang —Mulan

4. Moana —Moana

3. Naveen —The Princess and the Frog

2. Nani —Lilo & Stitch

1. Mulan —Mulan

Characters surfing on a wave: an excited blue alien one, a joyful girl, and a smiling young woman riding on a man's shoulders

Animated elderly woman holding a birdcage with a cricket inside, smiling with a playful expression. Scene from a popular animated movie

Animated character with a wide-brimmed hat stands in a desert landscape with rock formations in the background

Animated character with short black hair and a purple streak, wearing a black leather jacket, looking to the side with a serious expression

Animated character with large hair, wearing a school-themed shirt and carrying a backpack, stands confidently with hands on hips in a forest setting

Animated character Lilo, in a yellow dress with green leaf patterns, joyfully dances with arm extended, baskets of produce in the background

Animated character with glasses and a broad smile walks on a lively city street, holding a bag and wearing a cardigan

Animated character with round glasses, long dark hair, and a striped shirt, smiling and adjusting glasses

Animated character Mowgli from The Jungle Book peacefully resting on large leaves in the jungle

Animated character playing a video game with a focused expression, sitting cross-legged and holding a game controller

Animated character Aladdin smiling, wearing a vest and fez, looking upwards against a plain background

Animated character, wearing a jeweled headband and off-the-shoulder outfit, stands in front of a lush background with water trickling down

Animated characters Edna Mode and Elastigirl sit together, with Edna grinning excitedly and Elastigirl looking surprised

Animated character in scout uniform holding a GPS device happily indoors

Animated character in a baseball cap smiles warmly, set against a blurred nighttime backdrop

Animated character singing into a microphone on stage, with a dragon emblem in the background and animated band members playing instruments

A cartoon warrior in training stance breaks a clay pot with a wooden staff in a mountainous setting

Animated character with long wavy hair looks out at the ocean under a sunset sky. She wears a strapless dress and a necklace with a large pendant

Animated character smiling warmly, wearing a collared shirt

Animated character with long hair, wearing a casual outfit, gestures with one hand, standing near a plant and wall ornament

Animated character wearing traditional Asian attire holds a gold medallion, looking thoughtfully upwards against a nighttime backdrop

Illustration of diverse hands reaching for Asian dishes around "APA Heritage Month" text, promoting Asian Pacific American Heritage Month