The Most Underrated Disney Hero Isn’t A Princess — It’s Nani Pelekai

One of the many great things about becoming a parent is that you get to essentially relive your own childhood through the eyes of your kid. You bust out old board games you haven’t played in years and pick up a crayon to color or draw a picture for the first time in ages. You also get to rewatch all of your favorite Disney movies — some of which you haven’t seen since the days when they were a part of your massive VHS collection. (Yes, I’m that old.) So when my 4-year-old son asked to watch Lilo & Stitch, I was delighted. Not only hadn’t I seen the film in a million years, but I remember really loving it and was eager to see my son’s reaction to Stitch’s many antics. It was throughout this latest viewing that I realized something: Lilo’s sister, Nani, is one of the greatest Disney characters of all time that no one ever really talks about.

Throughout the film, Nani is continually thrown into highly stressful and impossible situations that no one should have to deal with at her age. With both of their parents gone, Nani was forced to become the head of the household, taking on all financial and parental responsibilities for her young sister, Lilo. That is a huge burden to bear, and yet it feels like she gets almost zero credit for her efforts. Where’s her line of Disney merchandise? Where’s the Nani-themed ride in the Magic Kingdom?

She’s underappreciated and overlooked, but that ends here and now. With the release of the live-action adaptation of Lilo & Stitch, I say it’s high time to give this character the love she deserves.

She Always Puts Lilo First

As a young woman, Nani’s main priorities should’ve been dating, hanging out with friends, and updating her MySpace page. (This was what we had before TikTok, my friends, and it was glorious!) But being Lilo’s main guardian meant putting her own desires on hold indefinitely and making her sister her top priority. From picking Lilo up at school after she bit a classmate out of anger to agreeing to get Lilo a dog so that she could have a companion, Nani constantly put her own needs on the backburner if it meant helping Lilo and their little family. Sure, she lost her temper from time to time, as sisters are known to do. But she was a constant, loving presence in Lilo’s life — something she desperately needed at the time.

She Fights For Her Family

Lilo and Stitch didn’t always make it easy for Nani to hold down a job, given the many various antics they were known to get into, intentionally or otherwise. But she was willing to work anywhere or do anything to please the social worker so that she and Lilo could stay together. Nani never gives up and never stops trying to keep their family together. Her motives are admirable and completely selfless. She’s just a girl trying to do the right thing and be there for the people she loves.

She’s the Embodiment of Ohana

Over and over again, Lilo and Nani talk about the importance of "ohana," which means family. And family means no one gets left behind or forgotten. It's a heartwarming mantra for their family and something that perfectly encompasses who Nani is as a person. There was one scene where Nani got fired from the luau after Stitch made a huge scene, and Lilo asked Nani if it was her fault that she had lost her job. Nani immediately reassured Lilo that wasn't the case, explaining that her boss was actually a vampire and had wanted her to join his legion of the undead. It's portrayed as a joke, but really it's just one of a million examples of how generous and kind Nani is because she didn't want Lilo to blame herself for what happened. So, as far as I'm concerned, ohana and Nani are interchangeable.

Disney princesses and superheroes may get all the praise and attention, but Nani is proof that you don't need a crown or possess magical abilities to be amazing and serve as a great role model for young kids. Her superpower is love — a deep, never-ending love for her sister. And if that isn't worthy of some long overdue recognition, then I don't know what is.