| | The examples and perspective in this article or section might have an extensive bias or disproportional coverage towards one or more specific regions. Please improve this article or discuss the issue on the talk page. | Jungle Emperor (ジャングル大帝, Janguru Taitei?), known in the United States as Kimba the White Lion, is a Japanese anime series from the 1960s. Created by Osamu Tezuka and based on his manga of the same title which began publication in 1950, it was the first color animated television series created in Japan. The entire series of manga was first published in serialized form in Manga Shōnen magazine. This anime was produced by Mushi Production and Tezuka Productions, and produced along with Mushi Productions for the later series. This anime series has enjoyed popularity worldwide — including in the United States, Australia, Europe (where it has been translated into several languages such as: French, Italian, Catalan, Spanish, German, Dutch etc.) and the Middle East. A new TV special premiered September 5, 2009 on Fuji TV. Produced in commemoration of Fuji TV's 50th anniversary, it was directed by Gorō Taniguchi in his first directorial venture since Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2, written by noted novelist and drama writer Osamu Suzuki, and featuring character designs from noted illustrator Yoshitaka Amano.[2] In Africa during the mid-20th century: In the face of the encroachment of mankind, a white lion, Panja, seeks to give all wild animals of the jungle a safe haven, free from fear. And, to a very large degree, he is successful. His mistake is that he steals the cattle from a nearby village in order to feed the carnivores of the jungle (In the English dub Panja merely released the cattle so they could be free). This angered the villagers because they had no other food. A professional hunter, Viper Snakely (known as Ham Egg in the original Japanese) is called in to stop these raids. He avoids directly attacking Panja — instead, Ham Egg records the sounds of Panja and uses that as bait to trap his mate, Eliza, who then becomes bait in a trap for Panja. Panja is killed for his hide, and the pregnant Eliza is put on a ship, destined for a zoo. Leo (Kimba in the English-language version) is born on the boat. Eliza teaches him his father's ideals. As a huge storm approaches, she urges Leo out to leave through the bars of her cage. The storm wrecks the boat, leaving Leo floundering in the ocean. The fish help him to survive and learn to swim. As he begins to despair, the stars in the sky form his mother, and she encourages him with loving guidance. Guided by butterflies, Leo makes it back to land. Leo/Kimba lands far from his ancestral home and is found and cared for by some people. Leo learns the advantages of human culture, and he makes up his mind that when he returns to his wild home he will bring civilized culture to the jungle and stand for peace like his father. The show follows Leo/Kimba's life after he returns to the wild (still a young cub) and shows his learning and growing during the next year. One thing Leo soon learns is that true peace will require communication and mutual understanding between the animals and humans. [edit] Global syndication English and Spanish versions were created in 1966. The show has also been translated into many other languages (see Worldwide translations, below). [edit] Broadcast history The animated series was first broadcast in Japan, in October, 1965.[3] Then it was broadcast, with English-dubbed voices, in the United States and other English-speaking markets, beginning in September, 1966. (It was first commissioned for U.S. development by NBC Enterprises [and "translated" by Fred Ladd], for syndicated broadcast.)[4] Japan (Original) United States Australia Canada Mexico An entirely new series, with a different cast performing the voice-overs was produced in 1994. It carried the exact same name.[5] [edit] Characters Note: The original Japanese names are given first, with the English names given in parentheses. If no English name was given to replace the character's original name, then no parentheses are given. - Panja (Caesar): A white Masai Lion and Leo's father and Emperor of the Jungle. He is killed by Ham Egg while trying to rescue his wife and Queen. His skin is currently in Kimba's lair under his son's care and, interestingly, Kimba also used the hide as an attraction for a festival in Episode 24: 'Gypsy's Purple Potion.' He was Specklerex's rival. He appears in certain episodes in flashbacks
- Eliza (Snowene): Leo's mother who is used as bait by Ham Egg and Kutter. While on the ship, she gives birth to Leo and urges him to escape, before the ship is overturned during a storm with her on it.
- Leo (Kimba): The main character of the story whose life (in the original manga) is detailed from birth to death. He believes that it is possible for there to be peace between animals and humans alike if given a chance to understand each other. In Jungle Emperor Leo, Kimba leads Dr. Moustache and his assistant to Mt Moon, and he committs suicide by falling on Dr. Moustache's kris, so that Dr. Moustache will have food and shelter from the cold.
- Leona (Reona): She was Leo's sister; her relation to Leo was changed in the 1989 remake. She was then Leo's aunt as well as something of a foster mother to Lyre.
- Lyre (Kitty/Leah/Raija/Raya/Lyra): A lioness who would later be Leo's mate and bear him two cubs (A son and daughter). She is also the niece of the old mazori Specklerex and lives with him since her parents were slain by hunters. She tends to notice things that Leo sometimes overlooks. She is always there for Leo when he needs advice, someone to calm him down when his temper gets the better of him, a shoulder to cry on, or someone to fight at his side. In the movie, Lyre falls victim to the speckled fever and slowly dies.
- Tommy (Bucky/Tony/T.K.): A Grant's gazelle that tends to always get into some kind of mischief, and is almost always seen wearing a straw hat (as Leo had used it to appoint him Secretary of the Jungle Economy)
- Coco (Pauley Cracker): A parrot who spent some time living with humans and believes that he should be put in charge of mentoring Leo.
- Buzara/Mandy (Dan'l Baboon): A wise, aged mandrill who acts as Leo's mentor. He has been known as Buzara in the original manga. His name was changed to Mandy in the original anime series, but changed back to Buzara for the 1997 move.
- Bongo (Speedy Cheetah): One of Kimba's Cubhood friends (was a Leopard cub in the original Japanese version)
- Pagoola (Kelly Phunt): A stubborn elephant who has absolutely no trust for humans or human culture whatsoever.
- Bubu (Claw/Jamar): A one-eyed lion who wants nothing more than to see Leo and his family dead so that he may take the role of Jungle Emperor for himself. At times, Bubu shows affection toward Lyre and tries to capture her so that she would become his queen. However, this romantic interest in Lyre was not present in the 1989 remake. He also has a jagged scar on his face.
- Sylvester (Cassius/Shaka/Totto): A black panther working with Bubu to see Leo and the white lions dethroned. He often acts as Bubu's advisor on what moves they should make next.
- Dick (Tom): A tall lanky hyena who works with Bubu and Sylvester to assist them in their fiendish plans. He helps provide the comic relief aspect of the villainous animals. He is almost always seen with Bo.
- Bo (Tab): A short, squat hyena who works with Bubu and Sylvester to assist them in their fiendish plans. He helps provide the comic relief aspect of the villainous animals. He is almost always seen with Dick.
- The Black Four: A group of four panther assassins that seem to have supernatural powers (able to fade and manipulate their bodies in the darkness). They are summoned by Sylvester during one episode to do away with Leo. Many of their scenes were cut from the American dub, most notably their trademark song.
- Kenichi (Roger Ranger): Shunsaku Ban's nephew who takes in Leo after he is washed ashore. After about a year living with Leo in human civilization, he decides to go to the jungle with Leo and live among him and the other animals. He plays a pivotal role in teaching the animals how to speak to humans.
- Mary: A young girl who was in love with Roger Ranger before, but lost her memory for a period of time. During this she was the animal hunter, Tonga. She regained her memory and left the jungle with Roger and Mr. Pompous. In the movie, Mary was the circus girl who lost her parents, and she took good care of Rune, Kimba's son.
- Mr. Pompous (Dr. Mustache): Kenichi's uncle who helps take care of Leo at the Arabian peninsula. He goes on to help return Leo to the jungle, and is one of the first to discover Mt. Moon. However, he often tries to get his nephew, Kenichi, to return to human civilization. Although Mr. Pompous has appeared in many of Tezuka's works, his real name is "Shunsaku Ban", a detective. In the movie, he saves the lives of not only Lukyo, but also Bizo and other animals from the dreaded sicknkess, the Speckled Fever [AKA the Great Plague]
- Dr. Plus: A chief representative of the Science and Technology Agency who is willing to pay Ham Egg for leading them to the source of the Moon Stones. He has also gathered plenty of information on Ham Egg's activities and seems to be willing to blackmail him if necessary.
- Dr. Minus: A member of the Science and Technology Agency that hopes to use the Moon Stone to provide a clean and potent energy source for the planet. His assistant is Mr. Lemonade.
- Tick & Tuck: In place of Kenichi and Mary for the 1997 movie, Mr. Lemonade is an associate of the Science and Technology Agency seeking the Moon Stone. He, like Shunsaku Ban, is appalled at Ham Egg's actions.
- Ham Egg (Viper Snakely/Jake): A nasty poacher who will do anything for money, regardless of the consequences. He is responsible for most of the death and tragedy that befalls Leo's jungle. He is interested in the Moon Stone with the hopes of making a fortune from it. Ham Egg has appeared as a villain in many of Tezuka's works.
- Kutter (Tubby): A sidekick to Ham Egg, but who has reservations about what the two of them are doing. Kutter resembles Wimpy from Popeye.
- Rommel: A recurring character in Tezuka's works.
- Boss Rhino: Leader of the other rhinos.
- Samson: A water buffalo who sometimes opposes Leo's ideas
- Specklerex: An old mazori who lives in the mountains with a small pride of his own. He's also Lyre's uncle. He had a misjudging attitude towards Kimba since his father, Panja, was Specklerex's rival. Of course, he also went insane by causing havoc in a city. Because of his age, his mane is almost pale blonde.
- Silvertail the Renegade: A timid Masai Lion who was reported to be stealing people's livestock [same mistake The Great Panja made]. He is mostly scared because hunters might slay him due to animal theft. Unlike Specklerex, Silvertail lacks the leopard rosettes and is 2 years younger, but he's still an old lion. He only appears in the last episode.
- Puffyadder: An Anaconda who lived and ruled among humans. He is a warlock, meaning he can cast a spell and put his victim under his control. He flees due to the offensive stench from the timid reeking bird named Rancid. He and Rancid only appear in episode 17.
- Gargoyle T. Warthog: A warthog who other animals poked fun of [except Kimba]. However, he decides to attack a gang of vicious mandrills in a small woodplain north of Kimba's Jungle. He won the medal that belonged to a champion. He disliked his primitive warts and wanted to kill himself, but Wildey wouldn't let it happen. He and his mother, Ms. Warthog, only appear in episode 18.
- Gypsy: An old alchemist who lives in Descelation Grotto. She's also an African owl. She was Sylvester's friend, but she couldn't do any more of her potions until she gave Kimba a potion that changed his color from snow-white to violet, knocking him in a coma. She only appears in episode 24, and she saves Kimba's life and attends the festival with the skin of Panja as the main attraction.
- Big O: A light brown mandrill who wanted revenge against Dan'l. He has a special boomerang that can blind his victims with pepper for a set amount of time. He only appears in episode 21.
- Pop Wooly: An Ibex who leads a herd of his own. He may be old, but he can still run. He falls victim to the speckled fever only once, but Kimba, with help from Panja, manages to save his life. Pop Wooly and his herd only appear in episode 22.
- Newton: A chameleon who wants to have friends. Because of his insanity, he always tells stories about problems, like Kitty's encounters with Claw. His alams also save everyone's lives from a pack of lycons. He only appears in episode 27.
- Wily: a WildCat who lost his mother to hunters. He is also accused of stealing and abuse. When Kimba's words 'United we stand. Divided we fall' reach his brain, he realizes he must do what's right and fights the hunters off with Kimba. He only appears in episode 28.
- Bella Dona: A lioness who was sent by Tonga to slay Kimba. Before that, she tricks Kimba into believing that she is his aunt and manages to fool him. She realizes what she did was wrong and is forgiven. She only appears in one episode.
- The Shimera: The Shimera, also known as Atlas Bear, is considered the legendary beast feared by humans and animals alike. There were once thousands of Shimera, but one sow and her cub are the last. Some legends state that she is known to steal cattle from farms. The mother shimera and her cub only appear in episode 43.
- Fancy Prancy: A cheetah who lived in the city. She was sent home by her owner, where she was reunited with her brother, Dash. She worries that Dash might get slaughtered when one of the impala told Kimba that the Kingdom of The Great Panja was raided by over a million ants. She only appears in one episode, while her brother appears in certain episodes.
[edit] Voice casts 1966 dub - Billie Lou Watt - Kimba, Eliza, Dodie Deer, Gypsy
- Gilbert Mack - Coco, Mr. Pompous, Viper Snakely, Claw, Tab
- Hal Studer - Roger Ranger
- Ray Owens - Narrator, Dan'l Baboon, Caeser, Cassius, Tom, Stork, and Specklerex
- Sonia Owens - Kitty, Mary, Mammoth, Bella Donna
1993 dub [edit] Chronicle  Image of Kimba ( Leo) from the anime, Kimba the White Lion - 1950 — Original Jungle Emperor story started in Manga Shōnen (Comic Boy) magazine.
- 1965 — Anime series started as the first color TV anime series in Japan.
- 1966 — Theatrical version of Jungle Emperor (Dir. Eiichi Yamamoto) released in Japan. Jungle Emperor Symphonic Poem (by Isao Tomita) released on LP. Kimba The White Lion (translated version of Jungle Emperor TV series) airs in U.S. A sequel series, Jungle Taitei: Susumu Leo! (Jungle Emperor: Onward, Leo!) airs in Japan. Features Leo (Kimba) as an adult.
- 1967 — Jungle Emperor theatrical feature awarded the St. Mark's Silver Lion Award at the 19th Venice International Film Festival.
- 1978 — Adult Leo character becomes mascot for the Seibu Lions (current Saitama Seibu Lions) baseball team.
- 1984 — Jungle Emperor: Onward Leo! finally comes to the US, as Leo the Lion on the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN).
- 1989 — Dr. Osamu Tezuka dies at age 60 on February 9. A remake of Jungle Emperor is made and shown in Japan. This series bears little resemblance to the original manga or the first TV series, as the plot is extremely different and the characters have been completely reworked and changed.
- 1991 — A new animated film is created, using the Symphonic Poem for its audio.
- 1993 — The first Jungle Emperor/Kimba The White Lion series is dubbed into English again.
- 1994 — In Japan, 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.
- 1997 — New Jungle Taitei theatrical feature (Jungle Emperor Leo; Dir. Hiroo Takeuchi) released in Japan, based on the second half of Dr. Tezuka's original manga story. It is not entirely faithful however.
- 1998 — Several heavily edited episodes of the 1989 remake of Kimba The White Lion are dubbed into English and released directly to video under the name: The New Adventures of Kimba the white Lion, by Pioneer Family Entertainment.
- 2003 — The 1997 Jungle Emperor movie is dubbed into English and released on DVD under the name Jungle Emperor Leo, by Anime Works.
- 2005 — The original 1966 dub of Kimba The White Lion is released as an 11-disc DVD set by Madman Anime of Australia and Right Stuf International of the U.S. It was a best seller.
- 2009 — A new Kimba special is planned for Summer 2009. The settings would be based on 20XX Earth in an artificially created jungle. In this movie, Panja and his mate, Eliza, are still alive, and Sylvester, the black panther, serves as a secondary antagonist until he changes his ways when a young boy mends his leg.[6]
[edit] Episodes - Go, White Lion!
- Jungle Thief
- Dangerous Journey
- Great Caesar's Ghost
- Journey Into Time
- Restaurant Trouble
- The Bad Baboon
- The Wind in the Desert
- Insect Invasion
- Battle at the Dead River
- Scrambled Eggs
- The Chameleon Who Cried Wolf
- Gypsy's Purple Potion
- A Human Friend
- The Wild Wildcat
- City of Gold
- The Last Poacher
- The Trappers
- The Hunting Ground
- The Legend of Hippo Valley
- Magic Serpent
- Volcano Island
- The Flying Tiger
- Running Wild
- The Destroyers from the Desert
- The Troublemaker
- The Gigantic Grasshopper
- The Mystery of the Deserted Village
- Jungle Justice
- Too Many Elephants
- Nightmare Narcissus
- Adventure in the City
- Such Sweet, Sorrow
- Diamonds in the Gruff
- The Runaway
- A Revolting Development
- Silvertail the Renegade
- A Friend, In Deed
- Two Hearts and Two Minds
- Soldier of Fortune
- The Day the Sun Went Out
- The Red Menace
- Jungle Fun
- The Pretenders
- The Monster of Petrified Valley
- Fair Game
- The Balloon That Blows Up
- The Monster of the Mountain
- The Sun Tree
- The Cobweb Caper
- The Return of Fancy Prancy
- Catch 'Em If You Can
[edit] The Lion King controversy  Comparison of Kimba the White Lion and The Lion King on Pride Rock. Left: Panja, right: Mufasa. A controversy arose between a number of media journalists and fans, on the one hand, and the makers of Disney's animated feature film The Lion King, on the other. The controversy does not involve the screenplay of The Lion King but, rather, the characters and certain situations in the story. The journalists and fans argue that there is a connection between some of the characters and screen story of The Lion King and those of Kimba the White Lion. They suggest that some of the characters and situations in The Lion King were modeled after certain situations and characters in Kimba the White Lion. Disney has stated that the similarities are all coincidental.[7] Matthew Broderick has mentioned that when he was hired as the voice actor for Simba in The Lion King, he actually presumed the project was related to Kimba The White Lion.[8][9][10][11] "I thought he meant Kimba, who was a white lion in a cartoon when I was a little kid," said Broderick. "So I kept telling everybody I was going to play Kimba. I didn't really know anything about it, but I didn't really care."[12]  Screenshot from an early presentation reel of The Lion King that shows a white lion cub and a butterfly. The Tezuka-Disney connection extends back decades before either Kimba the White Lion or The Lion King were made. Tezuka met Walt Disney at the 1964 New York World's Fair, at which time Disney said he hoped to "make something just like" Tezuka's Astro Boy.[citation needed] Tezuka then sought out and obtained the license to adapt Disney's Bambi into manga for the Japanese market. Most recently, Disney animators were hired to train Tezuka's crew in the use of color when production was started on the Jungle Emperor/Kimba the White Lion TV series.[citation needed] The controversy has been mentioned in a number of national newspapers in the United States, including a June 2007 Los Angeles Times article.[13] - The series uses several pieces of theme music for the series. The 1966 version uses two pieces of theme music. The Japanese opening theme is called "Junguru Taitei(Jungle Emperor)", and uses an entirely instrumental piece. The Japanese ending song is "Leo and Leah´s Song". For the remake, the Japanese opening theme is "Sabanna wo Koete (Past the Savanna)" sung by Ichiro Mizuki. The ending song is "Yuubae ni Nare" sung by Tomoko Tokugai. The opening song for the sequel series is "Go Ahead Onward Leo!" written by Isao Tomita, sung by Mieko Hirota.
[edit] See also [edit] References - ^ Kimba the White Lion (manga) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia. Accessed on 2007-06-13.
- ^ "Jungle Emperor Leo (special)". Anime News Network. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=10923. Retrieved 2009-09-07.
- ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058817/
- ^ "Kimba the White Lion: History of the original series" http://www.kimbawlion.com/history.htm
- ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0286366/
- ^ TAF 2009: Osamu Tezuka’s “Kimba the White Lion” to be renewed in summer 2009
- ^ Hong, Peter (2002-05-19). "The Lion King/Kimba controversy". Los Angeles Times. pp. L4. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/120586440.html?dids=120586440:120586440&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=May+19%2C+2002&author=PETER+HONG&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&edition=&startpage=L.4&desc=Weekend+Escape%3B+Before+Silicon+Valley%2C+There+Was+San+Jose%3B+Seeking+out+history%2C+Asian+and+otherwise%2C+in+California%27s+oldest+city. Retrieved 2008-08-12.
- ^ Peter Schweizer and Rochelle Schweizer, "Disney: The Mouse Betrayed", pp. 167-168.
- ^ Trish Ledoux and Doug Ranney, "The Complete Anime Guide: Japanese Animation Video Directory and Resource Guide", p. 16.
- ^ Buress, Charles. "Uproar Over 'The Lion King'", The San Francisco Chronicle, July 11, 1994, pp. A1, A13.
- ^ "Did Japanese Animator Inspire 'Lion King'?", The Washington Times, July 15, 1994, p. C15.
- ^ Arar, Yardena. (June 12, 1994) Los Angeles Daily News "Disney expands on animation tradition with 'Lion King'" Section: L.A. Life. Page L4.
- ^ Ybarra, Michael J. (June 6, 2007) Los Angeles Times "Osamu Tezuka has been called Japan's Walt Disney. But his drawings aren't happy fantasies." Section: Calendar; Page 1
[edit] Further reading [edit] External links |
