Kimba the White Lion request
hair...@utdallas.edu
current discussion about the upcoming release of "The Lion King" and
how much of it is or isn't a copy of "Kimba, the White Lion." The only
problem is that in all the discussion, no one has brought up any info
on the "Kimba" series itself. All anyone seems to know is that the names
are similar (Kimba-Simba) and that both are young sons of the King of
the Jungle. (So obviously, every single story about a young prince or
princess is a rip-off of every *other* story about a young prince or
princess. :^) )
Seriously, does anyone have a short storyline or synopsis of "Kimba"?
I checked the venice site and didn't find anything there. It would be
nice to find one to post to rec.arts.disney so they could raise the
discussion above the " 'is so!' "is not!' 'is so!' " level.
Thanks.
Marc Hairston--Center for Space Sciences--University of Texas at Dallas
hair...@utdallas.edu
The Old Crow
Wow...I haven't seen Kimba since the days of 'Paul Shannon's Adventure
Time', a Sunday afternoon children's show broadcast out of Pittsburgh from
1973 to 1975. From what I can remember, Kimba is the orphaned heir to the
jungle kingdom, and being not quite even what we would call adolescent, he
must try to learn how to rule wisely as he comes of age. The only clear
scenes I can remember of the series at all are Kimba's talks with the ghost
of his father.
/**/
Albert Nakano CBN
or Lord of the Jungle Leo. So the name similarity between Simba and Kimba
doesn't really hold. I'm really fuzzy on the story, but Leo was born a
white lion. His father was lord of the jungle, but was shot and killed by
hunters. Leo and mom were captured by same hunters and was being shipped
out of Africa. With encouragement from mom, Leo jumps ship to seek out his
own fortune. So begins the adventure of Leo to become Lord of the Jungle,
or something like that. The original series (anime) was followed by a
second series (I'm pretty sure). In the second series, he was a young adult
whereas in the first series he was a cub. The entire story was Tezuka Osamu's
creation. I'm not sure how many volumes there are in the manga. I hope
this helped a bit.
no sig yet,
Albert Nakano
Iskandar Taib
Albert Nakano CBN <be...@snowman.med.umn.edu> wrote:
>Kimba the White Lion was originally called in Japanese, Janguru Taitei Reo,
>or Lord of the Jungle Leo. So the name similarity between Simba and Kimba
>doesn't really hold.
Besides..
"Simba" simply means "Lion" in many African languages (including
Swahili, I think).
--
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Iskandar Taib | The only thing worse than Peach ala
Internet: NT...@SILVER.UCS.INDIANA.EDU | Frog is Frog ala Peach
Bitnet: NTAIB@IUBACS !
Outis Longxing
>I don't know how many of you also read rec.arts.disney, but there is a
>current discussion about the upcoming release of "The Lion King" and
>how much of it is or isn't a copy of "Kimba, the White Lion." The only
>problem is that in all the discussion, no one has brought up any info
>on the "Kimba" series itself. All anyone seems to know is that the names
>are similar (Kimba-Simba) and that both are young sons of the King of
>the Jungle.
Factual followups about the American "Kimba" coming from the Japanese
show "King of the Jungle," in which the protagonist lion is named Leo can
be found in rec.arts.anime, but I just wanted to update you on the
current events side of the matter.
It was the Japanese manga artist and animator Osamu Tezuka (as in
Atom/Astroboy) who created the manga "King of the Jungle," and he later
animated it as a TV show himself. At this point, the protanonist's name
was still Leo. The animated "King of the Jungle" came to stateside, and
at this point, everything was beyond Tezuka's influence. It was the
stateside distributor who rechristened the protagonist Kimba, from the
Swahili for "lion" as supposed to the Latin for it and who retitled the
show "Kimba the White Lion." Well, White Lion is a brand of toothpaste in
Japan, and "kimba" means "gold tooth" in Japanese, so Tezuka apparently
thought it was bad pun.
Recently, I've received E-mail from the manager of a former assistant to
Tezuka, who is a well-established manga artist and animator himself. She
wrote, "There is rumor that Disney announced, 'The Lion King is based,
with approval, on the work by Osamu Tezuka.' Tezuka fans in Japan are
furious. I wish Japanese people in the US would organize a demonstration
in front of the Disney company." She *is* a big Disney fan, as is the
artist himself. The circle of "Tezuka fans" she associates with tends to
be high profile people in society such as writers and artist, who are
mostly Disney fans as well as Tezuka fans. In fact, the late Osamu
Tezuka himself was well-known as a Disney fan.
I find it rather unfortunate, that some vicious rumor about Disney
plagerism is infuriating some of the best fans Disney could have. I've
never known Disney features to be original stories, and sources tend to be
citable and acknowledged. I wouldn't know the origins of the rumor from
the E-mail I received, but I tend to feel accusational speculations made
without the benefit of citable reference material in electronic
communities about the inspirations for "The Lion King" certainly
encourage, if not outright propagate, such a rumor. What do you think?
Or do you not care what goes on outside the boarders of the United States
of America?
Outis Longxing,
San Francisco, CA, USA
HORN, D K
original story."
--Carl "Pass de dutchie on de left hand side" Horn
Jeroen Croux
:I find it rather unfortunate, that some vicious rumor about Disney
:plagerism is infuriating some of the best fans Disney could have. I've
:never known Disney features to be original stories, and sources tend to be
:Outis Longxing,
:San Francisco, CA, USA
This has nothing to do with Tezuka's 'King of the Jungle', but is
about Disney's plagerism (I assume this is the correct English word ?)
Please compare Disney's Alladin chara designs and background designs with
those of Toei's Alladin of 1984 (or around that time).
IMHO a very clear case of plagerism. Then look at the Making of Alladin report
with designers bragging about how they got the designs.
I look at Disney with different eyes since.
Jeroen (Eurotakus Unite!)
Wei Xiong
About the only thing I remember is the little Kimba jumping off the ship
and the virus episode when he becomes the king.
Not much else, it's been so looooong.
I guess we'll find out when The Lion King is out.
--
Wei Xiong wxi...@ux4.cso.uiuc.edu
A...Ayukawa.. <SLAP!>
Elena Leong
> Seriously, does anyone have a short storyline or synopsis of "Kimba"?
Well I just happen to have a 20-yr comic (in Chinese, which I cant read)
which is tells the story of young Kimba's origins. Basically his father,
the king of the jungle is pissing off the local natives because he is
setting off and freeing all the animals they trap. Along come these game
hunters who capture his mate and kill him when he tries to rescue her.
She is taken back to civilization by the hunters, on board ship she gives
birth. Exactly what happens to her is not clear, but Kimba jumps off board
and meets up first with a kind hearty shipped wreaked sailor, then gets
picked up by a sailing ship and meets some mice who feed him, and leave
him with the blame for stealing all the food. He then gets chucked off ship,
(with a life-ring), meets some fish who carry him along to shore. There he
meets some kids who take him under his wings. Indispersed with this story,
one of the hunters appear to have been given a large gem by the king, which
turn out to be ...? (dunno, I cant read Chinese). Anyway, one of the kids
read some history book that tells of how lions were revered by the ancient
Egyptians. Kimba then runs around town, and ends up at the zoo, talking
to a caged cheetah.
End of this volume. Sigh. The drawings are very cute and detailed, and the
comic very old and treasured. It was one of the few Chinese comics that
I took with me when our family migrated to Australia 19 yrs ago.
Hope Disney doesnt mangle it too much.
Elena.