Disney Reignites an Old Controversy with Mufasa’s White Lion Villain

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As a longtime admirer and connoisseur of animated films, I find myself deeply intrigued by this fascinating saga unfolding between Disney’s “The Lion King” and the legendary Japanese anime series, “Kimba the White Lion.” Having grown up watching both, it is evident that these stories share some striking similarities.

The Lion King: Mufasa serves as both a prequel and sequel to the 2019 film adaptation of the original 1994 animated classic, The Lion King. In this story, Mufasa (portrayed by Aaron Pierre) is seen listening to Rafiki narrate his life story to his granddaughter, Kiara (Blue Ivy Carter). Through this tale, we discover how Mufasa ascended the throne of the Pride Lands, learn about the transformation of his brother Scar, initially named Taka (Kelvin Harrison Jr.), into his sinister counterpart, and witness the development of the rift between the two brothers.

In the film Mufasa: The Lion King, the primary adversary of Mufasa is Kiros, portrayed by Mads Mikkelsen. Although the story’s commentary on colonization and potential underlying reasons for choosing a white lion as the villain are interesting discussions, it’s worth noting that this may be a subtle nod to another well-known work. While Disney has denied any allegations of plagiarism, it’s hard not to see the inclusion of a white lion as the antagonist in a new Lion King movie as a playful jab at Kimba the White Lion, a popular manga that some have accused Disney of imitating.

What Is ‘Kimba the White Lion’?

Originally called “The Jungle Emperor,” Kimba the White Lion was brought to life by Osamu Tezuka, often referred to as the “father of manga.” This classic story was serialized in Manga Shōnen magazine from November 1950 to April 1954. After experiencing a tragic loss – his father’s death at the hands of poachers and his mother’s selfless act to save him during a shipwreck – an orphaned white lion named Kimba returns to Africa, determined to reclaim his rightful place as king among the animals and strive for harmony between humans and creatures of the wild.

Back in 1965, Mushi Production transformed “Kimba the White Lion” into a series and broadcasted it from then until 1967, making it Japan’s first colored animated show. This popular series was later shown on NBC in the U.S. during the late 1960s. A movie adaptation of Kimba emerged in Japan in 1966, while a new anime titled “The New Adventures of Kimba The White Lion” premiered in 1989. Some children who later watched The Lion King in theaters might have recognized it as an ad on their old VHS tapes of Pokémon.

1994 marked the grand debut of “The Lion King” in cinemas, earning both critical acclaim and impressive box office returns. To this very day, it remains the highest-earning hand-drawn animated film ever made, amassing $312 million domestically and $771 million globally in 1994. The movie quickly became a global cultural sensation…and many in Japan soon began recognizing certain similarities with Kimba the White Lion. When “The Lion King” premiered in Japan, where creator Osamu Tezuka is revered as an icon, 488 Japanese cartoonists pooled together to sign a letter petitioning The Walt Disney Company to give proper credit to “The Jungle Emperor”/ “Kimba the White Lion”.

Similarities Between ‘Kimba the White Lion’ and ‘The Lion King’

Despite having distinct storylines, as humans are present in “Kimba the White Lion” but not in “The Lion King”, many comparisons boil down to visual resemblances. Although it’s easy to disregard a shot of Simba on Pride Rock and one of Kimba on a similar rock, it’s challenging to overlook that both films incorporate a scene where the protagonist experiences a vision of their father speaking from the clouds.

In terms of character resemblance, both Kimba the White Lion and The Lion King share some striking similarities. For instance, the antagonist Claw from Kimba bears a strong resemblance to Scar. Claw sports a black mane like Scar and even has a scar on the same eye. However, it’s worth noting that Roger Allers, director of The Lion King, mentioned it was common to have characters such as baboons, birds, or hyenas in films set in Africa, which could explain these similarities.

In a 1994 article by the LA Times, Fred Ladd, one of the producers of Kimba the White Lion, admitted that when people watch the movie, they might be reminded of content from a TV series from three decades prior. However, he also noted that while Simba and Kimba share similar names, this is not particularly remarkable since ‘Simba’ is simply the Swahili word for ‘lion.’ The name Kimba, on the other hand, is an English translation of the character’s Japanese name, Leo.

The author, Frederik Schodt from San Francisco who translates Japanese comics, published a book in 1983 titled “Manga! Manga! The World of Japanese Comics“. He observed numerous similarities between this work and Disney animation. Furthermore, Schodt expressed doubt that the animators at Disney had not been exposed to “Kimba the White Lion“. In his opinion, there are a significant number of young Americans who are enthusiastic about Japanese animation today, many of whom now work in the U.S. animation industry. He suggested it would be surprising if no one at Disney had previously encountered “Kimba, the White Lion”.

In a 1994 interview, Matthew Broderick, who voiced Simba in The Lion King, expressed his belief that he was initially cast for a Kimba project because he remembered watching the original anime as a child. Interestingly, during the development of The Lion King at Disney, it was originally titled King of the Jungle, which is quite similar to the original title of Kimba, The Jungle Emperor. Additionally, early artwork for The Lion King depicted a young white lion, further fueling speculation about potential connections. However, Disney has not officially commented on this matter.

Disney Response and the ‘Bambi’ Connection

Disney has consistently denied accusations that “The Lion King” was inspired by “Kimba the White Lion”. In 1994, co-director Rob Minkoff stated to The Times, “To be honest, I’m not familiar with the TV series. I can confirm that it was never a topic of discussion during my time on the project.” Similarly, screenwriter Linda Woolverton told The San Francisco Chronicle, “This is the first I’ve heard of Kimba or Tezuka. I never came across any information or saw anything about his work.

As a dedicated cinephile and the son of Osamu Tezuka, the genius behind Kimba’s creation, I’ve always made it a point to clarify that neither myself nor Tezuka Productions have ever initiated a lawsuit against Disney. In fact, if Disney had drawn inspiration from The Jungle Emperor, our founder, the late Osamu Tezuka, he would have been nothing but delighted.

It’s just as evident that there are similarities between ‘Kimba the White Lion’ and ‘The Lion King’, given their shared connection with Bambi. Both Kimba and Bambi lose a parent due to human gunfire, and the original manga and anime of Kimba strive to depict the enchanting allure of the jungle, much like how Bambi captured the charm of the forest in Disney’s adaptation. Interestingly, Osamu Tezuka, the creator of Kimba, had a chance encounter with Walt Disney at the 1964 World’s Fair in New York, where Disney expressed admiration for Tezuka’s work on ‘Astro Boy’.

In the case of the original creators of “The Lion King”, it’s possible they could have been unaware of Kimba the White Lion. However, for the team behind “Mufasa: The Lion King”, ignorance is less plausible given Disney’s familiarity with their own history. It’s likely that Disney is well-versed in the potential implications of introducing a white lion into a project linked to “The Lion King”. Although there might not be any intentional ill will behind making a white lion the antagonist, it appears as though Disney is taking a subtle dig, alluding to their history and emphasizing the enduring popularity of The Lion King. When people search for “Lion King white lion”, results are likely to favor images of Kiros over Kimba.

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2024-12-24 02:32