As I told before, please, this video is an analysis; and I tried to be Objective in all, If you are a zealot then just don't comment or rate, I'm asking everyone to think before posting so we create an interesting exchange of ideas and not just insults from one to other totally unfounded.
EDIT: Just noticed I forgot one important connection: Scar's mark is based in the mark in Tony Montana's face in the famous "Scarface" of 1983.
EDIT2: Timon and Zazu say "Let me in" "Let me out" just the same Short and Willie did in Indiana Jones and the temple of Doom.
Songs, as they appear:
* Kimba the white Lion Instrumental Intro (TV 67' Album, unknown artists)
* Be prepared (Elton John, Tim Rice)
* Just can't wait to be king, Instrumental Karaoke (Elton John, Tim Rice)
Clips featured:
* The Lion King (c) Disney Studios
* Kimba the White Lion (c) Tezuka productions
* Taxi Driver (c) Bill/Phillips productions
* In the heat of night (c) The Mirisch Corporation
* The Land before time (c) Universal Studios
* Reversal of Fortune (c) Sovereign Pictures
* Triumph des Willems (c) Leni Riefenstahl-Produktion
* Bambi & Bambi 2 (c) Disney Studios
*********** MY RANT (02/04/2008) **********
I've been closely watching Kimba for the last time, (Special Thanks to blacklion50) And I came to the conclusion that even if there are proofs enough to believe that TLK was originally going to be a remake of Kimba (See pre-production art), the characters roles and types are similar, Roy Disney's Goof mentioned in comment below (also well documented) and the similar scenes between each other... Differences are very numerous, and deeper, in fact both productions give 2 very different messages:
The Lion King speech moves along "the circle of Life" a very naturalist approach, where everything works as established by natural law. Kimba goes exactly over wise this concept, he tries to break this savage law and bring civilization to the jungle; teaching animals to respect each other, here Gazelles will befriend Lions and Cheetahs and live in harmony.
Also in Kimba we often (or near always) see Human interruption in the environment and the disaster this causes. Kimba's message at all, is of understanding between species and humanity, a very "Greenpeace" idea; nothing of this is seen in the Lion King, why? Maybe because such a "political" message would go against what a "family film" should be and may anger "people" (So called people... I think they are more animals than the ones they hunt, but won't discuss this here) who make profit from exploting flora and fauna; besides, Humans were not needed.
Both series show differences when working with characters. In Kimba, the characters are very complex, each has it's own personallity and Kimba himself grows and change along the story, learning from experience and becoming a self-confident king after being a scary cat full of doubts at the beginning. Simba has somewhat the same story than Kimba, but the other characters personality is a bit dumb and squared. Dont' blame me, but it's proven that the more shallow characters are, the easiest to accept for children. Anyway Lion King's character are deeper than anyone on any other production from this company, and there is some underground political message as I well stated in the Clip, but Kimba's are just deeper than anyone. And we can't blame TLK for don't working a story behind each character because they only had 90 minutes to do it.
In the series some reality rules are broken (Why not? after all it's a cartoon) we see Animals speaking with humans and acting with some of them; The Lion King lacks completely of real human interaction. This however can be traced in the message they want to deliver. Kimba needs humans for the storytelling, the Lion King doesn't.
The Lion King's message is good, but it completely lacks of creativity as it's plot is a full adaptation of Hamlet, as Disney itself stated. It teaches self responsability with a very marked contrast between "Hakuna matata" life and the ways of the king when Simba finally decides to go back.
We can also track some ideology through both; Kimba's goal is to break the order and bring change. Simba's is to bring old order back and restore the old fashioned model, which implies exiling hyenas and of course returning to the throne. Which message is better? None, it depends on what are your thoughts and where do you live... then you can decide.
So even if through the image, characters and situations, it looks like Disney's The Lion King plagiarized Kimba; It's shown that differences go deeper, to a level invisible for normal audience.
Summary: Lion King is inspired by Kimba? Yes. Did Disney plagiarized Kimba? No.
