The Lion King

[The Chairman]

My dad aso taked me to see this movie, but it is so bad that he is now dead

I'm sorry.

 

[WallCrawl]

I'd like it a whole lot more if it didn't rip off Osamu Tezuka.

LINK

The best part is Matthew Broderick actually thought he was voicing Kimba.

 

[CapBeerCino]

My fave!

 

[Shadow_Knight]

Not one of my favorites but it still is good so that's I'll I rated it good.

 

[Matt]

quite possibly the best animated movie to date. Gotta love an animated, musical set in the jungle, based on Hamlet.

 

[Matt]

I'd like it a whole lot more if it didn't rip off Osamu Tezuka.

LINK

I've heard that song played before. Its bull****. The Lion King was released in 1994, as was Kimba. Disney movies like the Lion King are worked on for years. If I remember correctly, production of The Lion King began in 1990, 4 years before Kimba first aired.

 

[R_9]

I love it!! It's one great movie, but it's so sad when Mufasa dies.

 

[Sava]

great film

 

[dpm07]

It's a great movie. I own the this movie and the sequel on DVD.

 

[Hunter Rider]

Great-My second fav pre pixar Disney movie

 

[Steelsheen]

good film.

 

[mister Lennon]

Great movie, absolutely wonderful. Its like the Hamlet from the animal world. And Scar, what a villain, and what a voice by Jeremy Irons.

 

[Incrediblejeff]

It was a really good movie.I used to watch it all the time as a kid.It's my second favorite Disney Film after Aaladin .9.4/10

 

[Cinemaman]

I have just updated my 1st post in this thread.

 

[WallCrawl]

I've heard that song played before. Its bull****. The Lion King was released in 1994, as was Kimba. Disney movies like the Lion King are worked on for years. If I remember correctly, production of The Lion King began in 1990, 4 years before Kimba first aired.

You remember incorrectly. Kimba, or "Jungle Emperor" (a direct translation of the original's Japanese title, "Janguru Taitei") was a manga created by the "Godfather of Anime and Manga" Osamu Tezuka (creator of Astro Boy) that saw print in November of 1950.

As Astro Boy was the first serial animated program ever aired in Japan, Jungle Emperor was the first anime to ever air in color in Japan, circa 1965, and has become one of Tezuka's most famous characters', coming second in reknown only to his first, Astro Boy. Since then Jungle Emperor has been translated into various languages and has experienced silimar popularity in its day in other countries such as Australia, the Middle East, and Europe.

The original series first aired in the US as "Kimba the White Lion" in 1966, distributed by NBC Films. It aired for the last time in the US in 1978. The Kimba title was adopted by Spain when they aired the series as "Kimba el leon blanco" on TVE in 1969, by Germany's "Kimba der weisse Löwe" on ZDF and Italy's "Kimba il leone bianco" in 1977 and Australia's "Kimba the White Lion" when it aired in 1982.

A sequel to the series was created in Japan entitled "Janguru Taitei - Susume, Leo!" (Go ahead, Leo!/Onward, Leo!) which first aired in 1966. This second series was aired in the US under the title "Leo The Lion" in 1984, airing on the Christian Broadcasting Network.

A third series was created in Japan in 1989 entitled "New Jungle Emperor Leo." What you're thinking of, Matt, is the US "Kimba the white lion" remake that was released on video. It was made by Landmark Entertainment Group, Susuki Associates and CEG Cinema Partners, and it was distributed by CEG Distribution in 1994.
http://www.50yearsofkimba.com/historymain.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kimba_the_White_Lion

Kimb has been around long before the Lion King. Europe has always had a much more mature appreciation of animation and comic books, and a by-product of that is that many European countries have avidly and knowingly been enjoying translated versions of anime series. France has translated quite a few, many of which made their way to French Canada. I'm 24, and grew up watching french versions of Kimba, Golderak, Albatoir and Le Petit Castor during the early to mid 80's. Since the US anime boom only really happened most notably in the late 80's and early 90's, I think you're underestimating how popular and culturally pervasive Kimba was in the rest of the world, especially Japan. The adult Kimba is the mascot for Japan's Seibu Lions baseball team. Kimba and Jungle Emperor is a Japanese pop culture icon, just as popular and famous as Astro Boy. Many people around the world were aware of a story of a prince lion cub who's father was killed by a sibling and run through a briar patch by hyena henchmen and had to grow up exiled eating alternatives to meat before being guided home with help froma wise baboon and a vision of his deceased father in the clouds before reclaiming his throne long before the Lion King ever existed.

So why didn't Tezuka sue?

Ultimately, the Lion King vs. Kimba controversy is a case-study in cultural attitudes toward dispute resolution. Litigation is socially frowned upon except as a last resort in Japan, and the Tezuka family, which still controls Tezuka Productions, was not interested in confronting or suing Disney. Tezuka, after all, had himself been a Disney fan. And there may also have been reluctance over giving too much exposure to the old animation series because of an ongoing lawsuit to reassert rights to the series outside of Japan (ownership of the basic story or manga books was never in dispute), and because the Tezuka people were sensitive to the previous criticism of how African natives were depicted in the manga version.
http://www.stonebridge.com/DREAMLAND/dreamland.html

Many of the Japanese were so shocked by the Lion King's resemblance to Jungle Emperor, a cultural experience they all shared and knew so well (as much as we here all are aware, know of and are familiar with Mickey Mouse on some pop-cultural level) that a petition by over 1100 manga and anime artists and fans sign a petition requesting that the Disney company acknowledge that their movie The Lion King was based on characters and situations from Jungle Emperor. Which, Disney of course refused to do, staunch in the their legal statement that NO ONE associated in their production had even heard of Kimba before.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kimba_the_White_Lion
http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a991224.html

The very idea that no one had known of Kimba is utterly ridiculous. I find it preposterous to believe that within the framework of the hundreds of people involved with such a large production, no one would have heard of the show. Even within the smaller circle of director, chief animators artists and writers, it is unfathomable that these people who were working in the animation industry and presumably would be interested and familar with multiple facets of the medium would not be aware of such an iconic program.

Not true, investigation revealed. Of eight production people for The Lion King contacted by the San Francisco Chronicle, three admitted familiarity with the series.
http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a991224.html

In 1993, a person asked Roy Disney in a Prodigy session that whether there would be any nice motherly figures in future Disney animated films. Roy replied that "Kimba's" mother in the following year's The Lion King will be lovely.
http://www.kimbawlion.com/transcript.htm

because of Disney's huge presence in Japan (merchandise, Tokyo Disneyland), Disney company higher-ups regularly visit Tokyo, where Tezuka's legacy and his lion characters are impossible to ignore. The giant Seibu Corporation, which owns train lines, department stores, and one of Japan's most popular baseball teams (the Seibu Lions), licenses one of Tezuka's lions and plasters its image on baseball caps and advertisements throughout Japan.
http://www.stonebridge.com/DREAMLAND/dreamland.html

There is also belief that due to the litigation concerning the media rights to the Kimba franchise, Disney was part of the frenzy in trying to snatch it up and had intended the Lion King to be simply an adaptation of Jungle Emperor.
http://www.kimbawlion.com/

The fact that the two's premises are similar is not the problem. A premise is just that, a starting point, a general idea or overview. As previously mentioned by others, the story of a sibling who kills his own to gain the thrown is nothing new, the most famous rendition being Hamlet. That no doubt has multiple roots in real life situations throughout history.

But as the old adage goes, the devil is in the details. What is so supremely disappointing, disheartening and revolting is that not only is the premise so similar to Jungle Emperor, so is it's cast of characters (right down to the main cast of animals and their roles and relationship to Kimba), so are multiple plot points, scenes, and visual imagery WITHIN those similar scenes. All Japan wanted was a tip of the hat, some kind of acknowledgement of where the Lion King's 'influences' come from. Disney couldn't even do that.

http://www.kimbawlion.com/rant2.htm
http://members.jcom.home.ne.jp/y-asada/leo2.html

 

[U.S War Machine]

Oh is was a great film in theaters

 

[Kevin Roegele]

I've heard that song played before. Its bull****. The Lion King was released in 1994, as was Kimba. Disney movies like the Lion King are worked on for years. If I remember correctly, production of The Lion King began in 1990, 4 years before Kimba first aired.

LOL, dude, Kimba is from 1965. Look at the damn page.

EVERYBODY knows Disney ripped this off now.

 

[WallCrawl]

LOL, dude, Kimba is from 1965. Look at the damn page.

EVERYBODY knows Disney ripped this off now.

Everybody and their mother.

 

[TheSaintofKillers]

You remember incorrectly. Kimba, or "Jungle Emperor" (a direct translation of the original's Japanese title, "Janguru Taitei") was a manga created by the "Godfather of Anime and Manga" Osamu Tezuka (creator of Astro Boy) that saw print in November of 1950.

As Astro Boy was the first serial animated program ever aired in Japan, Jungle Emperor was the first anime to ever air in color in Japan, circa 1965, and has become one of Tezuka's most famous characters', coming second in reknown only to his first, Astro Boy. Since then Jungle Emperor has been translated into various languages and has experienced silimar popularity in its day in other countries such as Australia, the Middle East, and Europe.

The original series first aired in the US as "Kimba the White Lion" in 1966, distributed by NBC Films. It aired for the last time in the US in 1978. The Kimba title was adopted by Spain when they aired the series as "Kimba el leon blanco" on TVE in 1969, by Germany's "Kimba der weisse Löwe" on ZDF and Italy's "Kimba il leone bianco" in 1977 and Australia's "Kimba the White Lion" when it aired in 1982.

A sequel to the series was created in Japan entitled "Janguru Taitei - Susume, Leo!" (Go ahead, Leo!/Onward, Leo!) which first aired in 1966. This second series was aired in the US under the title "Leo The Lion" in 1984, airing on the Christian Broadcasting Network.

A third series was created in Japan in 1989 entitled "New Jungle Emperor Leo." What you're thinking of, Matt, is the US "Kimba the white lion" remake that was released on video. It was made by Landmark Entertainment Group, Susuki Associates and CEG Cinema Partners, and it was distributed by CEG Distribution in 1994.
http://www.50yearsofkimba.com/historymain.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kimba_the_White_Lion

Kimb has been around long before the Lion King. Europe has always had a much more mature appreciation of animation and comic books, and a by-product of that is that many European countries have avidly and knowingly been enjoying translated versions of anime series. France has translated quite a few, many of which made their way to French Canada. I'm 24, and grew up watching french versions of Kimba, Golderak, Albatoir and Le Petit Castor during the early to mid 80's. Since the US anime boom only really happened most notably in the late 80's and early 90's, I think you're underestimating how popular and culturally pervasive Kimba was in the rest of the world, especially Japan. The adult Kimba is the mascot for Japan's Seibu Lions baseball team. Kimba and Jungle Emperor is a Japanese pop culture icon, just as popular and famous as Astro Boy. Many people around the world were aware of a story of a prince lion cub who's father was killed by a sibling and run through a briar patch by hyena henchmen and had to grow up exiled eating alternatives to meat before being guided home with help froma wise baboon and a vision of his deceased father in the clouds before reclaiming his throne long before the Lion King ever existed.

So why didn't Tezuka sue?

Ultimately, the Lion King vs. Kimba controversy is a case-study in cultural attitudes toward dispute resolution. Litigation is socially frowned upon except as a last resort in Japan, and the Tezuka family, which still controls Tezuka Productions, was not interested in confronting or suing Disney. Tezuka, after all, had himself been a Disney fan. And there may also have been reluctance over giving too much exposure to the old animation series because of an ongoing lawsuit to reassert rights to the series outside of Japan (ownership of the basic story or manga books was never in dispute), and because the Tezuka people were sensitive to the previous criticism of how African natives were depicted in the manga version.
http://www.stonebridge.com/DREAMLAND/dreamland.html

Many of the Japanese were so shocked by the Lion King's resemblance to Jungle Emperor, a cultural experience they all shared and knew so well (as much as we here all are aware, know of and are familiar with Mickey Mouse on some pop-cultural level) that a petition by over 1100 manga and anime artists and fans sign a petition requesting that the Disney company acknowledge that their movie The Lion King was based on characters and situations from Jungle Emperor. Which, Disney of course refused to do, staunch in the their legal statement that NO ONE associated in their production had even heard of Kimba before.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kimba_the_White_Lion
http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a991224.html

The very idea that no one had known of Kimba is utterly ridiculous. I find it preposterous to believe that within the framework of the hundreds of people involved with such a large production, no one would have heard of the show. Even within the smaller circle of director, chief animators artists and writers, it is unfathomable that these people who were working in the animation industry and presumably would be interested and familar with multiple facets of the medium would not be aware of such an iconic program.

Not true, investigation revealed. Of eight production people for The Lion King contacted by the San Francisco Chronicle, three admitted familiarity with the series.
http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a991224.html

In 1993, a person asked Roy Disney in a Prodigy session that whether there would be any nice motherly figures in future Disney animated films. Roy replied that "Kimba's" mother in the following year's The Lion King will be lovely.
http://www.kimbawlion.com/transcript.htm

because of Disney's huge presence in Japan (merchandise, Tokyo Disneyland), Disney company higher-ups regularly visit Tokyo, where Tezuka's legacy and his lion characters are impossible to ignore. The giant Seibu Corporation, which owns train lines, department stores, and one of Japan's most popular baseball teams (the Seibu Lions), licenses one of Tezuka's lions and plasters its image on baseball caps and advertisements throughout Japan.
http://www.stonebridge.com/DREAMLAND/dreamland.html

There is also belief that due to the litigation concerning the media rights to the Kimba franchise, Disney was part of the frenzy in trying to snatch it up and had intended the Lion King to be simply an adaptation of Jungle Emperor.
http://www.kimbawlion.com/

The fact that the two's premises are similar is not the problem. A premise is just that, a starting point, a general idea or overview. As previously mentioned by others, the story of a sibling who kills his own to gain the thrown is nothing new, the most famous rendition being Hamlet. That no doubt has multiple roots in real life situations throughout history.

But as the old adage goes, the devil is in the details. What is so supremely disappointing, disheartening and revolting is that not only is the premise so similar to Jungle Emperor, so is it's cast of characters (right down to the main cast of animals and their roles and relationship to Kimba), so are multiple plot points, scenes, and visual imagery WITHIN those similar scenes. All Japan wanted was a tip of the hat, some kind of acknowledgement of where the Lion King's 'influences' come from. Disney couldn't even do that.

http://www.kimbawlion.com/rant2.htm
http://members.jcom.home.ne.jp/y-asada/leo2.html

Can I say owned ?

 

[WallCrawl]

Can I say owned ?

I was kind of hoping you would.

 

[i-n-z-a-n-e]

I don't care i still love it

 

[LostSon88]

No big deal to me...I always knew that Disney wasn't as happy-go-lucky as they present themselves to be.

 

[Obi-Ron]

Great post Wallcrawl.

 

[Obi-Ron]

Things that make you say hmmmm...

1994

1991

 

[MaskedManJRK]

Great movie. Me and my dad would watch that movie all the time when I was a little kid--practically a Father's Day tradiction, that makes a hell of a lot of sense.

Man, now I want to find it on DVD and watch it again--hopefully with my dad.