Fearful that her ailing father will be drafted into the Chinese military, Mulan (Ming-Na Wen) takes his spot -- though, as a girl living under a patriarchal regime, she is technically unqualified to serve. She cleverly impersonates a man and goes off to train with fellow recruits. Accompanied by her dragon, Mushu (Eddie Murphy), she uses her smarts to help ward off a Hun invasion, falling in love with a dashing captain along the way.

When Mulan (Ming-Na) accepts General Shang's (B.D. Wong) marriage proposal, her guardian, Mushu (Mark Moseley), fears that he will lose his place in her life as she is accepted into Shang's family. Meanwhile, the Emperor asks Mulan and her fiancé to accompany three princesses to meet their future spouses in a distant territory. During the course of their dangerous journey through China, Mushu attempts to break up the young couple, and unlikely relationships flourish.