Inspiring Kings: Part 1 (An Introduction)

As a kid, I was absolutely captivated by the The Lion King’s darkness. Here was a family film with an epic, complex tale of death, loss, grief, and redemption. Nothing was held back or sugarcoated. I felt like I was being challenged and taken seriously. The Lion King was one of the first animated works to show me that animation wasn’t only mindless entertainment. It would also help shape my special interest in animation.

Soon, perhaps ironically, the 1965 anime series Kimba the White Lion (titled Jungle Emperor in Japan) would sneak its way into my life. Adapted from the first half of Osamu Tezuka’s 1950 manga, Kimba tells the story of a lion prince trying to carry on his father’s legacy while striving towards his own vision of a utopian society. Not only was I blown away by how colorful and adorable the show was, I also admired its dark themes of… well… death, loss, grief, and redemption… More importantly, I fell in love with Kimba’s dream of bringing animals and humans together in harmony. Like The Lion King, Kimba would also impact my special interest in animation.

While I do enjoy these two works, I am absolutely aware of the Lion King/Kimba the White Lion controversy. There is no denying that The Lion King ripped artistic imagery and cues from Kimba. And it saddens me that Disney refuses to acknowledge that Kimba was one of its sources of inspiration, especially when there were artists working on The Lion King who so greatly admired Tezuka’s works.

But I’m not here to focus on the controversy. While it has affected my relationship with The Lion King and Kimba, I want to spare readers the details of the controversy itself. Discussing it would be like beating a dead horse, which is why I’ve provided links instead.

Instead, I am here to talk about the relationships I have built with The Lion King and Kimba the White Lion over the summer and the messages they have recently taught me.

Since I have a lot of thoughts and feelings, I will be dividing them up into separate articles. The second part of this “series” will focus on my recent emotional journey with The Lion King and what it has taught me about trauma. The third part will focus on how I got reinvested in Kimba and the ways the show has inspired my activism. And the fourth part will deliver a conclusion that will tie everything together.

I’m excited to share my experiences and analysis with you all and look forward to hearing your thoughts as I share mine!