Mufasa: The Lion King’s Main Villain Not Scar, but Kiros: Debunking The Kimba Controversy
The release of Mufasa: The Lion King, a prequel to the Disney animated classic, has brought forth a reminder of a long-standing controversy regarding the 1994 movie. Despite the new movie being considered an unnecessary addition to the franchise, Mufasa: The Lion King’s reviews have praised its enhanced animation, affecting soundtrack, and most importantly, its clever story that changes The Lion King canon in a positive way. The story delves into Mufasa’s origin, building on the generational history of the lionesses and exploring the troubling relationship between Mufasa and Taka, who would later become Scar.
The movie’s main villain is not Scar, but Kiros, a merciless outsider who seeks to kill all lion kings to gain sole power over all creatures. The controversy surrounding the villain, however, has centered on the striking visual similarity to Osamu Tezuka’s Kimba the White Lion, the protagonist of the 1965-1967 anime series.
For decades, Disney fans have argued that The Lion King’s creator borrowed inspiration from Kimba, even penning an open letter to Disney to acknowledge the influence. However, creators of The Lion King claim they were never aware of Kimba and only developed their characters through their own ideas.
Experts point out that many similarities between Simba and Kimba, such as befriends with some animals and seeks to dethrone a black-haired usurper with a scar on his left eye, can be explained by common story tropes and coincidence. Additionally, the name “Simba” simply means lion in Swahili, and the likeness to “Kimba” is likely due to translation confusion.
Kiros, the main villain of Mufasa: The Lion King, may have some superficial resemblance to Kimba due to being a white lion, but they are entirely different characters with opposing personalities and actions. Kimba is a heroic figure known for his courage, kindness, and solidarity, while Kiros is a ruthless oppressor with no interest in friendship or benevolence towards other animals.
Disney’s explanation of white lions’ marginalized status in Mufasa: The Lion King contrasts sharply with the anime’s depiction of Kimba, where being white is perceived as a superior quality. In light of these explanations and debunked arguments, it seems clear that the Kimba controversy surrounding The Lion King has finally subsided, leaving only admiration for Mufasa’s enhanced origin story and engaging soundtrack.