Ever since “The Lion King” debuted a little more than 20 years ago, everything the light touches has been its kingdom. The movie is one of the most cherished Disney films of all time, it was turned into the most successful musical ever and its soundtrack was Disney’s most decorated until “Frozen” came along. (Just let it go, “Lion King” fans.)
But despite its massive success, a huge controversy has always dogged the film: “Kimba, the White Lion.”
“I can say there is absolutely no inspiration from ‘Kimba,'” animator Tom Sito told HuffPost Entertainment. Sito’s resume includes classic Disney films such as “Beauty and the Beast,” “Aladdin” and, of course, “The Lion King,” to name a few. “I mean the artists working on the film, if they grew up in the ’60s, they probably saw ‘Kimba.’ I mean, I watched ‘Kimba’ when I was a kid in the ’60s, and I think in the recesses of my memory we’re aware of it, but I don’t think anybody consciously thought, ‘Let’s rip off ‘Kimba.'”
The “Kimba” Controversy
Following animated classics like “The Little Mermaid” (1989), “Beauty and the Beast,” (1991) and “Aladdin” (1992), “The Lion King” was billed as Disney’s first big animated feature that wasn’t a retelling of a fairytale or previous story. And while the film took a lot of inspiration from Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” its originality was still praised by critics and audiences.
Not everyone was impressed, though.
Image: YouTube/Tezuka
After the movie’s release, many were shocked by its similarities to a Japanese-created American television cartoon series called “Kimba, the White Lion.” That cartoon, about African wildlife, began airing in the 1960s and was based off of a Manga comic called “Jungle Emperor Leo” by animator Osamu Tezuka.
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Image: Tumblr
See more “Kimba” characters in the slideshow:
Character from “Kimba the White Lion.”
Characters from “Kimba the White Lion.”
Character from “Kimba the White Lion.”
Characters from “Kimba the White Lion.”
Character from “Kimba the White Lion”
Main image created by WhiteLionWarrior.
