Top Ten Disney Couples

For most of us girls, Disney movies were our first introduction to romance. Whether we dreamed of fairytale weddings, a dashing prince charming to sweep us off our feet, or simply riding off into happily ever after, there’s no denying that Disny has had a huge impact on the way we view romance. But of all the love stories Disney has produced, which are the best? Which couple has that elusive it factor that lets us fall in love with their love story over and over again?

I bring you my Top Ten Disney Couples!  Selected from only the movies in the Disney Animated Canon (no Pixar, Studio Ghibli, or direct-to-video sequels here), the following are my picks for the Disney pairs with the best love story. Some of my favorite movies, heroes, and heroines didn’t make the list because the romance just wasn’t up to par, but the couples that are here really sparkle.

10. Robin Hood and Maid Marian (Robin Hood, 1973)

These two have an old-fashioned, stars-in-their-eyes flair to their romance. I love how they both separately hang onto their feelings for their childhood sweetheart, even though they’re convinced their happily-ever-after will never happen. And then it does.

9. Simba and Nala (The Lion King, 1994)

I love how we see the evolution of their relationship, from inseparable best buds who are grossed out by the idea of marriage to true lovers. I especially like how Nala isn’t afraid to call Simba out when she needs to and how he respects her and treats her like an equal. Their bond as cubs is very fleshed out, but the rekindling of their relationship when they meet again as adults happens very quickly, which cost it a few ranks.

8. Ariel and Eric (The Little Mermaid, 1989)

I know for a lot of people, this is their number one Disney couple. These two definitely have some classic romantic moments and fantastic songs to go with them. The fact that Ariel is voiceless during much of their romance adds a unique flair to it that I like…but it also contributes to my major hang-up with this couple: they don’t know each other well enough. They make major sacrifices for each other not knowing that much information other than each other’s names.  It just all seems a little underdeveloped to me, which is why they only make it number eight.

7. Aladdin and Jasmine (Aladdin, 1992)

The other power couple of the Disney Renaissance. Even though these two also have brief courtship, they establish a much deeper and more natural connection over the course of their film. By the time they are called to make sacrifices for their relationship, it feels like there really is something there to sacrifice for. Both Aladdin and Jasmine feel like more rounded characters and hence their romance is more three-dimensional as well.

6. Bianca and Bernard (The Rescuers, 1974, and The Rescuers Down Under, 1990)

These two are just too adorable for words. The always-classy, free-spirited Miss Bianca and the nervous, grounded, every-mouse Bernard are the most unlikely of pairs, yet it’s obvious that they’re perfect for each other. It definitely doesn’t hurt that we get two movies (both in the Disney Animated Canon) to watch their romance slowly develop. When they finally get together at the end of The Rescuers Down Under, it’s incredibly satisfying.

5. Tarzan and Jane (Tarzan, 1999)

Two worlds, one true love. One of the strengths of this romance is the way we get to see it slowly develop. Even though there is quite a bit of initial attraction, it’s not a case of love at first sight. Their love story is quirky and full of struggle and compromise as they learn  to understand each other’s worlds. The impending threat of separation provides a powerful conflict, and the way it is resolved is very believable. Plus, Tarzan and Jane’s interactions are ridiculously cute and funny at the same time.

4. Tiana and Naveen (The Princess and The Frog, 2009)

Starring in the first Disney Princess movie to be released since Mulan in 1998, this couple had a lot live up to. They more than meet expectations. Both workaholic Tiana and her charming but lazy prince Naveen are interesting, dynamic characters and their relationship is nuanced and well-developed. Their love doesn’t magically whisk away their problems, in fact, it complicates them, but its definitely worth fighting for. Tiana and Naveen are so manifestly good for each other that’s its impossible not to root for them.

3. Shang and Mulan (Mulan, 1998)

I’m pretty sure it’s impossible not to love these two. Between Mulan’s cleverness and pluck and Shang’s hard-edged awesomeness streaked with awkward adorableness, there’s just so much to adore. Mulan focuses on the personal journey of its titular heroine, not just on her love life, but that doesn’t mean that the romance is undeveloped. Instead, it’s handled very subtly,showing them build a relationship of mutual respect and trust–and not-too-successfully fighting a budding attraction. Fittingly, their relationship does’t end with a happily ever after, but more of a happily ever beginning. Fun fact: Mulan is the only Disney Princess not to kiss her love interest in her film. (They do share a kiss in the direct-to-video sequel)

2. Rapunzel and Flynn (Tangled, 2010)

Or if you prefer, Rapunzel and Eugene.

This romance (like the movie itself almost completely runs on the strength of the characters. Their songs are just okay, the plot drawing them together is serviceable but far from brilliant, and I really, really wish they’d spend more than 24 hours together before deciding to sacrifice their lives for each other. They do get a boost from some really beautiful romantic imagery like the above, but mostly, they’re on their own. And they make it work. Like Tiana and Naveen, they are both vividly fleshed out characters with motivations that bring them into a collision course with each other. They don’t seem like they should work, but they actually fit together perfectly, strengthening each other’s weaknesses, smoothing and softening each other’s rough edges. I also like how subtly the  film handles the mutual loneliness of these two characters. I’m not sure if the word “lonely” is ever even uttered, but it’s a deep undercurrent to their interactions. Not only does their love heal their loneliness, but together they are able to forge a new life with new relationships and connections to many people. And they’re stinkin’ cute. Did I mention that?

With Disney’s two newest films cracking the top four, I have high hopes that Disney’s relationship writing skills will only get better. However, as good as its newest couples are, you just can’t beat…

1. Belle and the Beast (Beauty and the Beast, 1991)

I am going to admit it right now: I am such a sucker for this couple and this movie. Maybe it’s because I identify so strongly with its misfit, bookish, brunette heroine. Maybe its because the Beast has this explicable ability to make me adore him even when I despise him. Maybe it’s because that library scene melts my book-loving heart into a puddle of goo every time.

Honestly, there’s no way I can be objective about this couple. But if I try really hard to come up with some objective-sounding reasons why I love this couple so much, this is what I come up with: Like most of my other top couples, both halves of this pair are dynamic and three-dimensional characters in their own right. However, their story gets to revolve around their relationship and its development more than possibly any other Disney movie. It borrows an important plot element from traditional romance novels: the love interest as antagonist. While Gaston, the Beast’s foil and Belle’s rejected suitor, ultimately fills the villain role, the conflict stems not from his or anyone else’s exterior meddlings, but from Belle and the Beast’s relationship itself. At the beginning of the movie, the Beast is clearly an antagonistic character. It’s only through his interactions and growing  relationship with Belle that he is able to change himself into a heroic character, a person worthy of her love. For her part, Belle not only stands up to the Beast and forces him to change his ways, but she also changes. Her interactions with the Beast force her to learn to compromise, to look past appearances, and to give second chances, while also satisfying the elusive dreams she couldn’t capture in her “poor, provincial town”.  Best of all, we get to watch all of this character growth and brewing romance develop slowly and naturally. Hands down, the best love story in the Disney Canon.

Agree? Disagree? What’s your list?