Симба на английском как пишется имя

Simba
The Lion King character
Simba, as he appears as an adult in the original film and related media
First appearance	The Lion King (1994)
Created by	Irene Mecchi Jonathan Roberts Linda Woolverton
Voiced by	Matthew Broderick (adult; main 3 films) Jonathan Taylor Thomas (cub; 1st film) Joseph Williams (adult; singing in 1st film, The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride Active Play and Mickey’s Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse) Jason Weaver (cub; singing; 1st film) Evan Saucedo (cub; singing; 1st film (The Morning Report only)) Ryan O’Donohue (cub; Disney’s Animated Storybook: The Lion King and Disney’s Activity Center: The Lion King) Shaun Fleming (cub; The Lion King: Simba’s Mighty Adventure) Bret Loehr (cub; Disney’s Extreme Skate Adventure) Matt Weinberg (cub; The Lion King 1½) Oliver King (cub; singing; The Lion King 1½) Kathryn Haywood (cub; The Lion King: Simba’s Big Adventure) Colin Ford (cub; Disney Friends) Cam Clarke (spin-offs, merchandise and singing in Simba’s Pride) Rob Lowe (The Lion Guard) Donald Glover (adult; 2019 remake) JD McCrary (cub; 2019 remake)
Inspired by	Prince Hamlet Bambi Moses
In-universe information
Species	Lion
Gender	Male
Family	Mufasa (father) Sarabi (mother) Sarafina (mother-in-law) Kovu (son-in-law) Rani (daughter-in-law) Scar (paternal uncle) Ahadi (paternal grandfather) Uru (paternal grandmother) Mohatu (paternal great-grandfather) Timon and Pumbaa (adoptive fathers/best friends) Bunga (adoptive brother) Ma (adoptive grandmother) Uncle Max (adoptive great-uncle)
Spouse	Nala (wife)
Children	Kopa (son) Kiara (daughter) Kion (son)

Simba is a fictional character and the protagonist of Disney’s The Lion King franchise. Introduced in the 1994 film The Lion King, Walt Disney Animation’s 32nd animated feature, the character subsequently appears in The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride (1998) and The Lion King 1½ (2004) as well as the 2019 remake of the original film. Simba was created by screenwriters Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts and Linda Woolverton. While Mark Henn served as Simba’s supervising animator as a cub, Ruben A. Aquino animated the character as he appears as an adult.

Simba was inspired by the character Bambi from Disney’s Bambi (1942), as well as the stories of Moses and Joseph from the Bible. Additionally, several similarities have been drawn between Simba and Prince Hamlet from William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. In 1997, The Lion King was adapted into a Broadway musical, with actors Scott Irby-Ranniar and Jason Raize originating the roles of the cub and adult Simba, respectively. JD McCrary and Donald Glover voice the cub and adult Simba respectively in the CGI remake.

Development[edit]

Conception[edit]

The Lion King was conceived by Disney chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg in 1988.^[2] Filmmakers jokingly nicknamed the film «Bambi in Africa» due similarities between the film and Disney’s own Bambi (1942), and their respective main characters.^[3] Although considered an original^[4][5] coming-of-age^[6] story that follows Simba as he grows up and «tak[es] on the responsibility of adulthood,» directors Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff drew inspiration from other sources for the character, namely the biblical figures Moses and Joseph.^[7] Producer Don Hahn said that, like them, Simba is «born into royalty, is then exiled, and has to return to claim [his] kingdom».^[8]

Unlike the studio’s three previous films The Little Mermaid (1989), Beauty and the Beast (1991) and Aladdin (1992) which are essentially love stories, The Lion King focuses on Simba’s relationship with his father instead, which Allers identified as «The real heart and emotional underpinning of the whole story».^[9] In April 1992, the filmmakers hosted a «brainstorming session» in which much of the film’s original story was largely re-written, particularly Simba’s personality.^[9] Originally, Simba was intended to remain with the pride after Mufasa’s death until this idea was re-written in order to make the character more «likable and sympathetic.»^[9]

Several film and entertainment critics have noted similarities and parallels between the stories of The Lion King and William Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet, and their protagonists.^{[10][11][12][13]} Allers said that these similarities were not initially intentional and came as a surprise to the filmmakers themselves; they noticed the similarities only after the story was established and they eventually decided to pursue it. According to Hahn, «When we first pitched the revised outline of the movie … someone in the room announced that its themes and relationships were similar to Hamlet. Everyone responded favorably to the idea that we were doing something Shakespearean, so we continued to look for ways to model our film on that all-time classic.»^[8]

Screenwriter Jonathan Roberts said that, in a musical, songs are used to convey a character’s emotions and «I wants.» Composer Elton John and lyricist Tim Rice wrote the song «I Just Can’t Wait to Be King» in order to give Simba a medium through which he can express his desire to become King of the Pride Lands. Roberts said, «It’s a way for storytellers to move the story and deliver the direction of the character.»^[14]

Voice[edit]

Matthew Broderick provided the speaking voice of adult Simba.^[15] The first actor to be assigned to The Lion King,^[5] Broderick learned of the role while he was on vacation in Ireland, where he received a telephone call from his agent informing him that the directors were interested in casting him as Simba after seeing his film Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986).^[16][17] The directors decided to cast him as Simba because they felt that he was «perfect» for the role; according to producer Don Hahn, Broderick’s voice resembled «the kind of character who could be irresponsible and likeable, but you also felt that he could come back in a very heroic way.»^[18] Minkoff recalled that the actor «was able to humanize the hero character … and give Simba a lot of depth», preventing the hero from «becoming 2-dimensional» using «brought a great deal of sensitivity and thoughtfulness to the role along with sincerity and a sense of humor.»^[9] Jonathan Taylor Thomas, who was starring as Randy Taylor on the television sitcom Home Improvement at the time,^[19] was cast as the speaking voice of young Simba.^[20] His appearance and personality would later serve as creative inspiration for supervising animator Mark Henn.^[4]

Despite often singing in his work, Broderick opted not to perform his own vocals in the film.^[21] Toto lead singer Joseph Williams and actor Jason Weaver were hired to dub their respective singing voices. Williams’ voice is heard on the song «Can You Feel the Love Tonight».^[22] Impressed by Weaver’s performance as a young Michael Jackson in the miniseries The Jacksons: An American Dream, songwriters Elton John and Tim Rice recruited him to record «I Just Can’t Wait to Be King» and «Hakuna Matata»^[23] while the film was still in its early stages of production.^[24] Weaver’s vocal tracks were well-liked by Allers and Minkoff that they offered Weaver the speaking role, but later learned Jonathan Taylor Thomas had already accepted the part.^[25] As directors, Allers and Minkoff worked closely with the actors in order to ensure credible performances.^[26] As frequently done in animated films, the filmmakers videotaped the actors while they recorded their dialogue, allowing the animators to incorporate their specific mannerisms into the designs of their characters.^[27]

Personality and design[edit]

When The Lion King was green-lit, its concept and story were not well received by studio employees. To guarantee the release of at least one successful film, Katzenberg divided the studio into two separate projects: The Lion King and Pocahontas (1995), the latter of which was expected to be the more successful film. Because of this assumption, the majority of the studio’s more seasoned animators gravitated towards Pocahontas, while less experienced animators were assigned to work on The Lion King, which was deemed a «risk».^[28] Co-director Rob Minkoff received this positively, saying that this decision «gave a lot of newer animators a chance to step up to leadership roles.»^[29]

The role of animating Simba was divided between Ruben A. Aquino and Mark Henn, the former of whom was the first animator to be assigned to the project.^[9] While Henn served as the supervising animator of Simba as a cub, credited as young Simba,^[31] Aquino was placed in charge of animating the character as he appears as an adult.^[32] The Lion King was Disney’s first animated feature film to feature absolutely no humans since Robin Hood (1973). According to Aquino, animating four-legged creatures is difficult because the artists are faced with the task of drawing «twice as many legs … as you do with human characters» and must also attribute to them both human and animal-like qualities. For assistance, Aquino drew influence from previous animated films that feature four-legged creatures as their main characters, citing Bambi, Lady and the Tramp (1955) and The Jungle Book (1967) as his main sources of inspiration.^[33]

Before The Lion King, Henn’s experience as a supervising animator was limited to predominantly female characters;^[34][35] he had just recently completed work on Ariel from The Little Mermaid (1989), Belle from Beauty and the Beast (1991) and Jasmine from Aladdin (1992).^[30] When he became involved with The Lion King, Henn initially expressed interest in animating the film’s villain, Scar, because he wanted to do «something different.»^[34] However, producer Don Hahn felt that he was better suited for animating Simba.^[36] Henn approaches animating new characters by «put[ting himself] into the character’s situation.» Simba proved to be a challenge because Henn was faced with the task of creating an animated character who would both appear and behave like a real lion cub. To achieve this, Henn visited zoos, sketched and studied live lion cubs that were brought into the studio for research, and frequently consulted with wildlife experts.^[37] Simba’s short hair follows from the extreme heat of the lion’s native climate, as does the thickness of the skin depicted on each paw, allowing him to swiftly navigate the grasslands.

When it came time to animate Simba during the «I Just Can’t Wait to Be King» musical sequence, Henn felt it essential that the character remain on all fours at all times, despite the fact that he is meant to be dancing.^[35] In terms of personality, Henn aimed to depict Simba as a «cocky, confident character» at the beginning of the film, who must eventually mature and learn to take responsibility.^[34] The animators would often observe and document the voice actors while they recorded their dialogue, using their movements and mannerisms as a visual aid. Actor Jonathan Taylor Thomas, who provided the voice of young Simba, served as inspiration for the design and personality of Simba. Henn said, «I loved watching Jonathan Taylor Thomas when he was a boy on Home Improvement, and getting to meet him and observe him.»^[38] Although Aquino was responsible for animating the majority of Simba’s adult sequences, Henn animated the character’s first appearance as an adult that occurs near the end of the «Hakuna Matata» musical number.^[39]

Appearances[edit]

The Lion King[edit]

Released in theaters in 1994, The Lion King marks Simba’s first appearance. All the animals in the Pride Lands gather at the foot of Pride Rock to commemorate the birth of Simba, who will eventually succeed to the throne and take his father Mufasa’s place as king. Furious by the fact that he is no longer next in line, Simba’s jealous paternal uncle Scar refuses to attend the ceremony. While Simba grows into a rambunctious lion cub who frequently boasts about the fact that he will someday rule over the Pride Lands, Scar secretly plots against him.

Scar plots regicide and familicide against Simba and Mufasa by luring Simba into a vast gorge, where he triggers a wildebeest stampede. Notified by Scar that Simba is in danger, Mufasa rushes to his aid and manages to place him safely on a ledge. Weakened and unable to pull himself up the steep slope to safety, Mufasa asks his younger brother for assistance. However, Scar’s true nature is revealed and he betrays Mufasa, throwing him into the gorge where he is killed by the fall.

Tricked by Scar into thinking that he was the cause of Mufasa’s demise, Simba runs away to a distant jungle where he is befriended by Timon and Pumbaa, a meerkat and a warthog who both help him put his past behind him whilst living a carefree life under «hakuna matata» («no worries» in Swahili). There, he grows into a young adult lion who vaguely resembles his late father, while Scar wreaks havoc on the Pride Lands. When Simba is discovered by his childhood friend; a lioness named Nala, she confronts him, warning him of Scar’s tyranny and begging him to return home. However, Simba refuses out of guilt of his father’s death until a wise mandrill named Rafiki leads him to Mufasa’s ghost, who convinces him to return home and take his rightful place as king.^[40]

Realizing that he can no longer run from his past, Simba returns to the Pride Lands with Nala, Timon and Pumbaa and finds them barren because their natural resources have been squandered and abused by Scar. After witnessing Scar strike his mother Sarabi, Simba orders Scar to abdicate. At first thrown by the fact that he is alive, Scar soon regains composure and forces Simba to reveal that he is responsible for Mufasa’s death, while cornering him at the edge of Pride Rock, hoping to subject him to a similar fate as his father. Having grown overconfident, Scar finally reveals that he killed Mufasa to Simba, who furiously tackles his uncle and forces him into announcing this to the pride, initiating a battle between them and Scar’s hyena army. Simba eventually defeats Scar and throws him into a pit, where he is cornered and killed by the hyenas, who overheard Scar blaming them for what he’d done. With Simba king and the Pride Lands returned to its former glory, the inhabitants welcome the birth of his and Nala’s firstborn.^[41]

The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride[edit]

A direct-to-video sequel released in 1998, Simba’s Pride picks up immediately where the first film left off, depicting Simba and Nala as king and queen of the Pride Lands. In a ceremony at Pride Rock, the Pride Lands commemorate the birth of Simba and Nala’s daughter Kiara, whom Simba is overprotective of. One day when Kiara is a young cub, Simba discovers that she has disobeyed him by visiting the forbidden Outlands, home to an enemy pride of Scar’s followers known as the Outsiders, and befriending a young member of the pride named Kovu. After a close confrontation with Kovu’s mother Zira, the leader of the Outsiders and Scar’s most loyal follower, Simba separates the two and reminds Kiara of her responsibilities as the future queen. Meanwhile, Zira plots to manipulate Kovu to exact revenge on Simba for Scar’s death.

Several years later, Simba grants an adolescent Kiara’s request to embark on her first hunt, but has Timon and Pumbaa follow her in secret. Realizing this, Kiara rebels and pursue her hunt outside of the Pride Lands, where she nearly falls victim to a wildfire. Kiara is rescued by Kovu, who returns her to the Pride Lands, which is actually part of Zira’s plan to overthrow Simba. Saying that he has left the Outsiders, Kovu asks Simba to let him join his pride. Simba reluctantly accepts, but distrusts Kovu because of his similarities to Scar, and continues to treat him ruthlessly. That night, Simba has a nightmare about attempting to save his father Mufasa from falling into the stampede but is stopped by Scar who turns into Kovu and throws Simba off the cliff into the stampede.

While Kiara and Kovu’s friendship continues to grow, Simba, encouraged by Nala, attempts to show Kovu kindness by spending a day with him. Realizing that Kovu is beginning to side with Simba because of his love for Kiara, Zira ambushes and attacks Simba. Convinced by Zira that Kovu is responsible for the ambush, Simba exiles him and forbids Kiara to see him, but she makes her father realize that he is acting irrationally and trying too hard to be Mufasa, before leaving to find Kovu. When a battle ensues between the Pride Landers and the Outsiders, Kiara and Kovu arrive and stop them, with Kiara telling them that they are one, helping Simba to realize that despite their hatred for one another they are the same. This convinced Simba to accept the Outsiders back to his pride. When a furious Zira attacks Simba, she is intercepted by Kiara, causing the two to fall over the edge of a cliff. Having landed safely on a ledge, Kiara offers to help Zira, who is struggling to hang on. However, Zira, consumed by her resentment towards Simba, falls to her death. Simba finally approves of Kiara’s love for Kovu and reconciles with his daughter, and accepts the two lions as the future queen regnant and king consort of the Pride Lands.^[42]

The Lion King 1½[edit]

In The Lion King 1½, a direct-to-video followup released in 2004, Simba appears as a less prominent character because the film’s primary focus is on Timon and Pumbaa’s behind-the-scenes role and involvement in The Lion King,^[43][44] in which they appear as supporting characters. Although the two films technically share the same story and timeline, the plot of The Lion King 1 1/2 focuses more on Timon and Pumbaa. The meerkat and warthog unknowingly coexist alongside Simba, and the story fills in the two characters’ backstories and events that led up to their long-lasting friendship, coinciding with and often initiating the events that affect Simba’s life during the first film. These events include the commemorative bow that occurs during the opening «Circle of Life» musical number and the collapsing of the animal tower that takes place during «I Just Can’t Wait to Be King.»^[45] The film also explores, in further detail, the relationship among the three characters as Timon and Pumbaa struggle to raise Simba as adoptive «parents» and disapprove of his relationship with Nala, portraying Simba as he grows from an energetic young lion cub, into an incorrigible teenager and, finally, an independent young lion.^[46]

The Lion King (2019)[edit]

On July 19, 2019, Walt Disney Pictures released a CGI remake of The Lion King.^[47][48] The film was directed and produced by Jon Favreau and written by Jeff Nathanson.^[49] In this version, Donald Glover was cast for the role of adult Simba.^[50][51]

Glover said that «[The Lion King is] a timeless story, but [he thinks] the way Favreau has constructed it, it’s a very timely story as well» and said that «[he] just wanted to be a part of a global good».^[52] The actor had previously worked with Favreau on the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017). Glover said that the film will focus more on Simba’s time growing up than the original film did, stating that «[Jon] was very keen in making sure we saw [Simba’s] transition from boy to man and how hard that can be when there’s been a deep trauma».^[53] On November 1, 2017, JD McCrary was cast as young Simba.^[54] McCrary said that «Donald Glover is so talented that [he] actually did have to take it into consideration, because if Simba is going to grow up to be some sort of figure and you know of it, you have to keep that motive».^[55]

Timon and Pumbaa and television[edit]

The success of The Lion King and popularity of its characters led to the production of Timon & Pumbaa, an animated television series starring Timon and Pumbaa. Simba makes several appearances, including one episode in which Timon drags him out to try to revive Pumbaa’s lost memory.

In the episode «Congo On Like This,» Timon and Pumbaa (especially Timon) suspect that Simba has reverted to his carnivorous nature. The episode «Shake Your Djibouti» again features Simba, when Timon and Pumbaa are forced to train him to protect them from a laboratory monster. Another episode, entitled «Rome Alone,» shows Simba being captured by Romans and forced into gladiatorial battle with another lion named Claudius. Simba makes brief appearances in «Once Upon a Timon», «Zazu’s Off-By-One Day», and «Beethoven’s Whiff». He also appears in a music video of «The Lion Sleeps Tonight».

Simba was featured as a guest in the animated series House of Mouse, in which he alternates between being a cub and an adult.

The Lion Guard[edit]

In January 2016, a new series called The Lion Guard premiered, following a television pilot film The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar in November 2015. Set within the time gap in The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride^[56] (except the final episode titled «Return to The Pride Lands, which takes place after the film), it features Kion who is the son and youngest child of Simba and Nala, who as the second-born cub, is tasked with assembling a team to protect the Pride Lands.^[57]

Broadway musical[edit]

The success of The Lion King led to the production of a Broadway musical based on the film. Directed by Julie Taymor, with a book by Irene Mecchi and Roger Allers, The Lion King premiered at the New Amsterdam Theatre on November 13, 1997, where it ran for nine years until being moved to the Minskoff Theatre on June 13, 2006.^[58] The role of Simba was originated by Scott Irby-Ranniar and Jason Raize, with Irby-Ranniar portraying young Simba and Raize portraying adult Simba.^[59]

Raize auditioned for the role of adult Simba after hearing that Taymor was looking to cast an actor who was of «unidentifiable ethnicity.»^[60] Raize revealed in an interview that there was a lot of competition for the role because the musical required «triple-threat work – singing, dancing and acting – that you don’t get to such an extent in other shows. It was more the sense of who can take the challenge and not be daunted by the task.» Raize, who instantly felt that he «had a connection with Simba,» eventually won the role with the approval of Taymor and choreographer Garth Fagan,^[61] with Fagan admiring the fact that Raize was «willing to try, to fail, and then to try again.»^[6] Once cast, Raize found it difficult to maintain Taymor’s «sense of duality» because Simba is «both man and beast.» He said, «The tendency is to sacrifice one for the other, but you can’t.»^[62] Although hundreds of children auditioned for the role of young Simba,^[63] the casting process was far less grueling for Irby-Ranniar who, according to Taymor, simply «walked in and he had the part.»^[64]

Miscellaneous[edit]

Books[edit]

In 1994, a six-volume book set titled The Lion King: Six New Adventures were released. Set after the events of the first film, they featured a cub named Kopa, who was the son of Simba and Nala.

Merchandising and video games[edit]

As part of the franchise’s merchandising, Simba has appeared in various The Lion King-related products.^[65] The character’s likeness has been used in and adapted into a variety of items, including plush toys and figurines, clothing, bedding, household decor and appliances.^[66] The success of the Broadway musical has also led to its own line of merchandising,^[67] including the Simba beanbag doll, based on the character’s appearance and costume in the Broadway show.^[68][69]

Since the film’s 1994 debut, Simba has appeared as a playable character in a variety of video game releases, both directly and indirectly associated with the franchise. The character’s first appearance as a video game character was in The Lion King, which was released by Virgin Interactive on November 1, 1994, for the video game platforms Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Game Gear, Nintendo Entertainment System, and PC.^[70] The game follows the plot of the original film and features Simba as both a cub and an adult.^[71]

On December 28, 2000,^[72] Activision released The Lion King: Simba’s Mighty Adventure for Game Boy Color and PlayStation.^[73] The game encompasses 10 levels and incorporates the plot of both The Lion King and The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride as «Simba … matures from a precocious cub to an adult lion.»^[74]

Simba appears in the Square Enix Kingdom Hearts video game franchise as a friend and ally of the series’ main character, Sora, appearing as a character to summon in Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories and Kingdom Hearts III, and a companion in battle in Kingdom Hearts II.^{[75][76][77][78][79]}

Simba also appears as a playable character in Disney Interactive Studios’ Disney’s Extreme Skate Adventure, released on September 3, 2003, for Game Boy Advance, PlayStation 2, GameCube and Xbox,^[80]

Simba is one of the central characters in Disney Friends, released for Nintendo DS on February 26, 2008, where the player can interact with him.^[81]

Simba is a playable character to unlock for a limited time in Disney Magic Kingdoms.^[82]

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts[edit]

Live versions of Simba appear in the Lion King musical and in the parades and shows at the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.

Simba was also the main character in «Legend of the Lion King,» a former Fantasyland attraction in Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, which retold the story of the film using fully articulated puppets. Other Disney attractions that have featured Simba include the Mickey’s PhilharMagic 3D show and the Hong Kong Disneyland version of It’s a Small World.

He appeared as one of the main characters at Epcot’s Land Pavilion 12-minute edutainment film Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable, until its closure in 2018. He currently appears in animatronic form in Festival of the Lion King at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Reception and legacy[edit]

Critical response[edit]

Reception towards Simba has been generally mixed. The Christian Science Monitor‘s David Sterritt hailed Simba as «a superbly realized character,» specifically praising the scene in which the character «faces discipline by his dad after his adventure with the hyenas.»^[83] Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly wrote that Simba «has been given a marvelously expressive face» to the point of which «He seems more human than the Ken and Barbie types featured in Aladdin and The Little Mermaid.»^[84] Peter Travers of Rolling Stone described «the father-son relationship» shared by Simba and Mufasa as «movingly rendered,»^[85] while About.com’s David Nusair wrote, «it’s the touching father/son stuff that lies at the heart of the movie that cements The Lion King‘s place as an utterly timeless piece of work.»^[86] James Berardinelli of ReelViews enjoyed the fact that the film focuses more on the story of Simba himself as opposed to the romantic relationship developing between the character and Nala. However, Berardinelli criticized Matthew Broderick’s vocal performance, describing it as «nondescript.»^[87] Rob Humanick of Slant Magazine hailed the fact that «it’s never laid on [Simba] that his time as king will directly correspond with the eventual passing of his father» as one of the film’s «most important facets.» However, he criticized The Lion King‘s characters, describing them as well-designed but «lazy and troublesome.»^[88] The Austin Chronicle‘s Robert Faires felt that Simba and the other Lion King characters, though «true», were simply unoriginal retreads of preceding animated characters who were «swiped from other Disney cartoons.»^[89]

Hal Hinson of The Washington Post gave the character a negative review. Labeling Timon and Pumbaa the only interesting characters in The Lion King, Hinson questioned Simba’s role as the film’s hero.^[90] Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times agreed, «A movie’s heroes may have their names above the title, but often as not it’s the sidekicks who get the real work done.» Turan went on to pan Simba, describing him as «irritatingly callow.»^[91] Chris Hick of the Deseret News complained about the fact that Simba and the other «characters in The Lion King are not as warm and fuzzy as other Disney animated features,» crediting this with making «the film a bit tougher to warm [up] to.»^[92] ComingSoon.net strongly panned Simba as a lead character, writing, «typically for Disney animated fare, it’s the hero who is the weak link being both blandly designed and blandly performed.»^[93] Acknowledging the character’s Shakespearean origins, The Baltimore Sun‘s Stephen Hunter gave Simba a negative review, writing, «Alas …Simba stands in for Hamlet, but he’s a lot less complicated; in fact, he’s less complicated than Morris the Cat or Sylvester.» Hunter continued, «Simba the Exile is even less interesting than Simba the Prince.»^[94] Christopher Null of Contactmusic.com was critical of Weaver’s performance as the singing voice of Young Simba, writing, «If there’s anything annoying about the film, it’s the singing. Young Simba sounds like a young Michael Jackson … You almost don’t want him to succeed.» However, Null reacted more positively towards Broderick’s performance.^[95]

Despite the character’s mixed reception, several critics have awarded specific praise to Broderick for his portrayal of Simba, including the San Francisco Chronicle‘s Peter Stack and The Washington Post‘s Desson Howe.^[96][97] Annette Basile of FilmInk described Broderick’s performance as «excellent,»^[98] while Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian called it «sumptuous.» Digital Spy’s Mayer Nissim described Broderick’s portrayal of Simba as «wonderful.»^[99]

A number of critics and animators have claimed striking similarities between Simba and Kimba, the protagonist of Osamu Tezuka’s 1960s Japanese anime series Kimba the White Lion, and they believe Simba may have been inspired by Kimba.^{[100][101][102][103][104][105][106]}

Impact and popularity[edit]

During the film’s opening number, «Circle of Life», Rafiki introduces a newborn Simba to the crowd of animals gathered at the foot of Pride Rock by holding him high above their heads while parents Mufasa and Sarabi look on.^[7] Since the film’s 1994 release, this scene has grown to iconic status.^[107] In November 2002, singer Michael Jackson sparked controversy by holding his son, Blanket, over the protective railing of a hotel balcony in Berlin. The event was witnessed by a large crowd of spectators who were watching from below.^[108] Some sources have claimed that Jackson was harmlessly attempting to emulate the scene from The Lion King.^[109]

When Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge went into labor with hers and Prince William’s baby in July 2013, the idea that the couple should reenact the famous scene from The Lion King became quite popular among Twitter users.^[110] Radio journalist Darren Simpson reportedly tweeted, «when your baby arrives please re-enact the scene from the Lion King«.^[111] Shortly after Middleton gave birth to a boy, England native Tommy Peto initiated a petition asking the couple to welcome their baby by having the Archbishop of Canterbury emulate the scene by holding him over the balcony of Buckingham Palace. Ultimately, the idea was deemed «outside the responsibility of the government» and was declined.^[112]

The scene has found itself the subject of both reference and parody in various forms of media, such as in the film George of the Jungle (1997).^[113] In what is almost an exact replica of the scene, George, portrayed by actor Brendan Fraser, takes the place of both Rafiki and Mufasa by standing at the tip of Pride Rock and presenting his young son to a crowd of onlooking animals, accompanied by wife Ursula, portrayed by Leslie Mann.^[114]

During the third season finale of Once Upon a Time, the main character Emma Swan asked her parents Snow White and David Nolan if they were going to hold up her yet unnamed baby brother like in The Lion King.^[115]
Since the release of The Lion King in 1994, the name «Simba» has increased in use and popularity among dog and cat owners. According to Comcast in 2010, the use of Simba as a dog name reemerged in popularity in 2009 after experiencing a noticeable decline in 2001, ranking the name ninth out of 10 on its list of «Top 10 Trendiest Dog Names of the Year.»^[116] In May 2013, Yahoo! Lifestyle included the name on its list of «Trendiest Dog Names.»^[117] According to YouPet, Simba is the 17th most popular cat name out of 100 candidates.^[118] Care2 included Simba in its article «All-around Cool Cat Names,»^[119] while DutchNews.nl reported that Simba ranks among the country’s most popular cat names as of July 2013.^[120] In its list of «Top Popular Pet Names,» BabyNames.com placed Simba at number 64 on its list of most popular dog names out of the 100 that were considered.^[121]

References[edit]

Simba
The Lion King character
Simba, as he appears as an adult in the original film and related media
First appearance	The Lion King (1994)
Created by	Irene Mecchi Jonathan Roberts Linda Woolverton
Voiced by	Matthew Broderick (adult; main 3 films) Jonathan Taylor Thomas (cub; 1st film) Joseph Williams (adult; singing in 1st film, The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride Active Play and Mickey’s Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse) Jason Weaver (cub; singing; 1st film) Evan Saucedo (cub; singing; 1st film (The Morning Report only)) Ryan O’Donohue (cub; Disney’s Animated Storybook: The Lion King and Disney’s Activity Center: The Lion King) Shaun Fleming (cub; The Lion King: Simba’s Mighty Adventure) Bret Loehr (cub; Disney’s Extreme Skate Adventure) Matt Weinberg (cub; The Lion King 1½) Oliver King (cub; singing; The Lion King 1½) Kathryn Haywood (cub; The Lion King: Simba’s Big Adventure) Colin Ford (cub; Disney Friends) Cam Clarke (spin-offs, merchandise and singing in Simba’s Pride) Rob Lowe (The Lion Guard) Donald Glover (adult; 2019 remake) JD McCrary (cub; 2019 remake)
Inspired by	Prince Hamlet Bambi Moses
In-universe information
Species	Lion
Gender	Male
Family	Mufasa (father) Sarabi (mother) Sarafina (mother-in-law) Kovu (son-in-law) Rani (daughter-in-law) Scar (paternal uncle) Ahadi (paternal grandfather) Uru (paternal grandmother) Mohatu (paternal great-grandfather) Timon and Pumbaa (adoptive fathers/best friends) Bunga (adoptive brother) Ma (adoptive grandmother) Uncle Max (adoptive great-uncle)
Spouse	Nala (wife)
Children	Kopa (son) Kiara (daughter) Kion (son)

Simba is a fictional character and the protagonist of Disney’s The Lion King franchise. Introduced in the 1994 film The Lion King, Walt Disney Animation’s 32nd animated feature, the character subsequently appears in The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride (1998) and The Lion King 1½ (2004) as well as the 2019 remake of the original film. Simba was created by screenwriters Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts and Linda Woolverton. While Mark Henn served as Simba’s supervising animator as a cub, Ruben A. Aquino animated the character as he appears as an adult.

Simba was inspired by the character Bambi from Disney’s Bambi (1942), as well as the stories of Moses and Joseph from the Bible. Additionally, several similarities have been drawn between Simba and Prince Hamlet from William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. In 1997, The Lion King was adapted into a Broadway musical, with actors Scott Irby-Ranniar and Jason Raize originating the roles of the cub and adult Simba, respectively. JD McCrary and Donald Glover voice the cub and adult Simba respectively in the CGI remake.

Development[edit]

Conception[edit]

The Lion King was conceived by Disney chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg in 1988.^[2] Filmmakers jokingly nicknamed the film «Bambi in Africa» due similarities between the film and Disney’s own Bambi (1942), and their respective main characters.^[3] Although considered an original^[4][5] coming-of-age^[6] story that follows Simba as he grows up and «tak[es] on the responsibility of adulthood,» directors Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff drew inspiration from other sources for the character, namely the biblical figures Moses and Joseph.^[7] Producer Don Hahn said that, like them, Simba is «born into royalty, is then exiled, and has to return to claim [his] kingdom».^[8]

Unlike the studio’s three previous films The Little Mermaid (1989), Beauty and the Beast (1991) and Aladdin (1992) which are essentially love stories, The Lion King focuses on Simba’s relationship with his father instead, which Allers identified as «The real heart and emotional underpinning of the whole story».^[9] In April 1992, the filmmakers hosted a «brainstorming session» in which much of the film’s original story was largely re-written, particularly Simba’s personality.^[9] Originally, Simba was intended to remain with the pride after Mufasa’s death until this idea was re-written in order to make the character more «likable and sympathetic.»^[9]

Several film and entertainment critics have noted similarities and parallels between the stories of The Lion King and William Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet, and their protagonists.^{[10][11][12][13]} Allers said that these similarities were not initially intentional and came as a surprise to the filmmakers themselves; they noticed the similarities only after the story was established and they eventually decided to pursue it. According to Hahn, «When we first pitched the revised outline of the movie … someone in the room announced that its themes and relationships were similar to Hamlet. Everyone responded favorably to the idea that we were doing something Shakespearean, so we continued to look for ways to model our film on that all-time classic.»^[8]

Screenwriter Jonathan Roberts said that, in a musical, songs are used to convey a character’s emotions and «I wants.» Composer Elton John and lyricist Tim Rice wrote the song «I Just Can’t Wait to Be King» in order to give Simba a medium through which he can express his desire to become King of the Pride Lands. Roberts said, «It’s a way for storytellers to move the story and deliver the direction of the character.»^[14]

Voice[edit]

Matthew Broderick provided the speaking voice of adult Simba.^[15] The first actor to be assigned to The Lion King,^[5] Broderick learned of the role while he was on vacation in Ireland, where he received a telephone call from his agent informing him that the directors were interested in casting him as Simba after seeing his film Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986).^[16][17] The directors decided to cast him as Simba because they felt that he was «perfect» for the role; according to producer Don Hahn, Broderick’s voice resembled «the kind of character who could be irresponsible and likeable, but you also felt that he could come back in a very heroic way.»^[18] Minkoff recalled that the actor «was able to humanize the hero character … and give Simba a lot of depth», preventing the hero from «becoming 2-dimensional» using «brought a great deal of sensitivity and thoughtfulness to the role along with sincerity and a sense of humor.»^[9] Jonathan Taylor Thomas, who was starring as Randy Taylor on the television sitcom Home Improvement at the time,^[19] was cast as the speaking voice of young Simba.^[20] His appearance and personality would later serve as creative inspiration for supervising animator Mark Henn.^[4]

Despite often singing in his work, Broderick opted not to perform his own vocals in the film.^[21] Toto lead singer Joseph Williams and actor Jason Weaver were hired to dub their respective singing voices. Williams’ voice is heard on the song «Can You Feel the Love Tonight».^[22] Impressed by Weaver’s performance as a young Michael Jackson in the miniseries The Jacksons: An American Dream, songwriters Elton John and Tim Rice recruited him to record «I Just Can’t Wait to Be King» and «Hakuna Matata»^[23] while the film was still in its early stages of production.^[24] Weaver’s vocal tracks were well-liked by Allers and Minkoff that they offered Weaver the speaking role, but later learned Jonathan Taylor Thomas had already accepted the part.^[25] As directors, Allers and Minkoff worked closely with the actors in order to ensure credible performances.^[26] As frequently done in animated films, the filmmakers videotaped the actors while they recorded their dialogue, allowing the animators to incorporate their specific mannerisms into the designs of their characters.^[27]

Personality and design[edit]

When The Lion King was green-lit, its concept and story were not well received by studio employees. To guarantee the release of at least one successful film, Katzenberg divided the studio into two separate projects: The Lion King and Pocahontas (1995), the latter of which was expected to be the more successful film. Because of this assumption, the majority of the studio’s more seasoned animators gravitated towards Pocahontas, while less experienced animators were assigned to work on The Lion King, which was deemed a «risk».^[28] Co-director Rob Minkoff received this positively, saying that this decision «gave a lot of newer animators a chance to step up to leadership roles.»^[29]

The role of animating Simba was divided between Ruben A. Aquino and Mark Henn, the former of whom was the first animator to be assigned to the project.^[9] While Henn served as the supervising animator of Simba as a cub, credited as young Simba,^[31] Aquino was placed in charge of animating the character as he appears as an adult.^[32] The Lion King was Disney’s first animated feature film to feature absolutely no humans since Robin Hood (1973). According to Aquino, animating four-legged creatures is difficult because the artists are faced with the task of drawing «twice as many legs … as you do with human characters» and must also attribute to them both human and animal-like qualities. For assistance, Aquino drew influence from previous animated films that feature four-legged creatures as their main characters, citing Bambi, Lady and the Tramp (1955) and The Jungle Book (1967) as his main sources of inspiration.^[33]

Before The Lion King, Henn’s experience as a supervising animator was limited to predominantly female characters;^[34][35] he had just recently completed work on Ariel from The Little Mermaid (1989), Belle from Beauty and the Beast (1991) and Jasmine from Aladdin (1992).^[30] When he became involved with The Lion King, Henn initially expressed interest in animating the film’s villain, Scar, because he wanted to do «something different.»^[34] However, producer Don Hahn felt that he was better suited for animating Simba.^[36] Henn approaches animating new characters by «put[ting himself] into the character’s situation.» Simba proved to be a challenge because Henn was faced with the task of creating an animated character who would both appear and behave like a real lion cub. To achieve this, Henn visited zoos, sketched and studied live lion cubs that were brought into the studio for research, and frequently consulted with wildlife experts.^[37] Simba’s short hair follows from the extreme heat of the lion’s native climate, as does the thickness of the skin depicted on each paw, allowing him to swiftly navigate the grasslands.

When it came time to animate Simba during the «I Just Can’t Wait to Be King» musical sequence, Henn felt it essential that the character remain on all fours at all times, despite the fact that he is meant to be dancing.^[35] In terms of personality, Henn aimed to depict Simba as a «cocky, confident character» at the beginning of the film, who must eventually mature and learn to take responsibility.^[34] The animators would often observe and document the voice actors while they recorded their dialogue, using their movements and mannerisms as a visual aid. Actor Jonathan Taylor Thomas, who provided the voice of young Simba, served as inspiration for the design and personality of Simba. Henn said, «I loved watching Jonathan Taylor Thomas when he was a boy on Home Improvement, and getting to meet him and observe him.»^[38] Although Aquino was responsible for animating the majority of Simba’s adult sequences, Henn animated the character’s first appearance as an adult that occurs near the end of the «Hakuna Matata» musical number.^[39]

Appearances[edit]

The Lion King[edit]

Released in theaters in 1994, The Lion King marks Simba’s first appearance. All the animals in the Pride Lands gather at the foot of Pride Rock to commemorate the birth of Simba, who will eventually succeed to the throne and take his father Mufasa’s place as king. Furious by the fact that he is no longer next in line, Simba’s jealous paternal uncle Scar refuses to attend the ceremony. While Simba grows into a rambunctious lion cub who frequently boasts about the fact that he will someday rule over the Pride Lands, Scar secretly plots against him.

Scar plots regicide and familicide against Simba and Mufasa by luring Simba into a vast gorge, where he triggers a wildebeest stampede. Notified by Scar that Simba is in danger, Mufasa rushes to his aid and manages to place him safely on a ledge. Weakened and unable to pull himself up the steep slope to safety, Mufasa asks his younger brother for assistance. However, Scar’s true nature is revealed and he betrays Mufasa, throwing him into the gorge where he is killed by the fall.

Tricked by Scar into thinking that he was the cause of Mufasa’s demise, Simba runs away to a distant jungle where he is befriended by Timon and Pumbaa, a meerkat and a warthog who both help him put his past behind him whilst living a carefree life under «hakuna matata» («no worries» in Swahili). There, he grows into a young adult lion who vaguely resembles his late father, while Scar wreaks havoc on the Pride Lands. When Simba is discovered by his childhood friend; a lioness named Nala, she confronts him, warning him of Scar’s tyranny and begging him to return home. However, Simba refuses out of guilt of his father’s death until a wise mandrill named Rafiki leads him to Mufasa’s ghost, who convinces him to return home and take his rightful place as king.^[40]

Realizing that he can no longer run from his past, Simba returns to the Pride Lands with Nala, Timon and Pumbaa and finds them barren because their natural resources have been squandered and abused by Scar. After witnessing Scar strike his mother Sarabi, Simba orders Scar to abdicate. At first thrown by the fact that he is alive, Scar soon regains composure and forces Simba to reveal that he is responsible for Mufasa’s death, while cornering him at the edge of Pride Rock, hoping to subject him to a similar fate as his father. Having grown overconfident, Scar finally reveals that he killed Mufasa to Simba, who furiously tackles his uncle and forces him into announcing this to the pride, initiating a battle between them and Scar’s hyena army. Simba eventually defeats Scar and throws him into a pit, where he is cornered and killed by the hyenas, who overheard Scar blaming them for what he’d done. With Simba king and the Pride Lands returned to its former glory, the inhabitants welcome the birth of his and Nala’s firstborn.^[41]

The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride[edit]

A direct-to-video sequel released in 1998, Simba’s Pride picks up immediately where the first film left off, depicting Simba and Nala as king and queen of the Pride Lands. In a ceremony at Pride Rock, the Pride Lands commemorate the birth of Simba and Nala’s daughter Kiara, whom Simba is overprotective of. One day when Kiara is a young cub, Simba discovers that she has disobeyed him by visiting the forbidden Outlands, home to an enemy pride of Scar’s followers known as the Outsiders, and befriending a young member of the pride named Kovu. After a close confrontation with Kovu’s mother Zira, the leader of the Outsiders and Scar’s most loyal follower, Simba separates the two and reminds Kiara of her responsibilities as the future queen. Meanwhile, Zira plots to manipulate Kovu to exact revenge on Simba for Scar’s death.

Several years later, Simba grants an adolescent Kiara’s request to embark on her first hunt, but has Timon and Pumbaa follow her in secret. Realizing this, Kiara rebels and pursue her hunt outside of the Pride Lands, where she nearly falls victim to a wildfire. Kiara is rescued by Kovu, who returns her to the Pride Lands, which is actually part of Zira’s plan to overthrow Simba. Saying that he has left the Outsiders, Kovu asks Simba to let him join his pride. Simba reluctantly accepts, but distrusts Kovu because of his similarities to Scar, and continues to treat him ruthlessly. That night, Simba has a nightmare about attempting to save his father Mufasa from falling into the stampede but is stopped by Scar who turns into Kovu and throws Simba off the cliff into the stampede.

While Kiara and Kovu’s friendship continues to grow, Simba, encouraged by Nala, attempts to show Kovu kindness by spending a day with him. Realizing that Kovu is beginning to side with Simba because of his love for Kiara, Zira ambushes and attacks Simba. Convinced by Zira that Kovu is responsible for the ambush, Simba exiles him and forbids Kiara to see him, but she makes her father realize that he is acting irrationally and trying too hard to be Mufasa, before leaving to find Kovu. When a battle ensues between the Pride Landers and the Outsiders, Kiara and Kovu arrive and stop them, with Kiara telling them that they are one, helping Simba to realize that despite their hatred for one another they are the same. This convinced Simba to accept the Outsiders back to his pride. When a furious Zira attacks Simba, she is intercepted by Kiara, causing the two to fall over the edge of a cliff. Having landed safely on a ledge, Kiara offers to help Zira, who is struggling to hang on. However, Zira, consumed by her resentment towards Simba, falls to her death. Simba finally approves of Kiara’s love for Kovu and reconciles with his daughter, and accepts the two lions as the future queen regnant and king consort of the Pride Lands.^[42]

The Lion King 1½[edit]

In The Lion King 1½, a direct-to-video followup released in 2004, Simba appears as a less prominent character because the film’s primary focus is on Timon and Pumbaa’s behind-the-scenes role and involvement in The Lion King,^[43][44] in which they appear as supporting characters. Although the two films technically share the same story and timeline, the plot of The Lion King 1 1/2 focuses more on Timon and Pumbaa. The meerkat and warthog unknowingly coexist alongside Simba, and the story fills in the two characters’ backstories and events that led up to their long-lasting friendship, coinciding with and often initiating the events that affect Simba’s life during the first film. These events include the commemorative bow that occurs during the opening «Circle of Life» musical number and the collapsing of the animal tower that takes place during «I Just Can’t Wait to Be King.»^[45] The film also explores, in further detail, the relationship among the three characters as Timon and Pumbaa struggle to raise Simba as adoptive «parents» and disapprove of his relationship with Nala, portraying Simba as he grows from an energetic young lion cub, into an incorrigible teenager and, finally, an independent young lion.^[46]

The Lion King (2019)[edit]

On July 19, 2019, Walt Disney Pictures released a CGI remake of The Lion King.^[47][48] The film was directed and produced by Jon Favreau and written by Jeff Nathanson.^[49] In this version, Donald Glover was cast for the role of adult Simba.^[50][51]

Glover said that «[The Lion King is] a timeless story, but [he thinks] the way Favreau has constructed it, it’s a very timely story as well» and said that «[he] just wanted to be a part of a global good».^[52] The actor had previously worked with Favreau on the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017). Glover said that the film will focus more on Simba’s time growing up than the original film did, stating that «[Jon] was very keen in making sure we saw [Simba’s] transition from boy to man and how hard that can be when there’s been a deep trauma».^[53] On November 1, 2017, JD McCrary was cast as young Simba.^[54] McCrary said that «Donald Glover is so talented that [he] actually did have to take it into consideration, because if Simba is going to grow up to be some sort of figure and you know of it, you have to keep that motive».^[55]

Timon and Pumbaa and television[edit]

The success of The Lion King and popularity of its characters led to the production of Timon & Pumbaa, an animated television series starring Timon and Pumbaa. Simba makes several appearances, including one episode in which Timon drags him out to try to revive Pumbaa’s lost memory.

In the episode «Congo On Like This,» Timon and Pumbaa (especially Timon) suspect that Simba has reverted to his carnivorous nature. The episode «Shake Your Djibouti» again features Simba, when Timon and Pumbaa are forced to train him to protect them from a laboratory monster. Another episode, entitled «Rome Alone,» shows Simba being captured by Romans and forced into gladiatorial battle with another lion named Claudius. Simba makes brief appearances in «Once Upon a Timon», «Zazu’s Off-By-One Day», and «Beethoven’s Whiff». He also appears in a music video of «The Lion Sleeps Tonight».

Simba was featured as a guest in the animated series House of Mouse, in which he alternates between being a cub and an adult.

The Lion Guard[edit]

In January 2016, a new series called The Lion Guard premiered, following a television pilot film The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar in November 2015. Set within the time gap in The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride^[56] (except the final episode titled «Return to The Pride Lands, which takes place after the film), it features Kion who is the son and youngest child of Simba and Nala, who as the second-born cub, is tasked with assembling a team to protect the Pride Lands.^[57]

Broadway musical[edit]

The success of The Lion King led to the production of a Broadway musical based on the film. Directed by Julie Taymor, with a book by Irene Mecchi and Roger Allers, The Lion King premiered at the New Amsterdam Theatre on November 13, 1997, where it ran for nine years until being moved to the Minskoff Theatre on June 13, 2006.^[58] The role of Simba was originated by Scott Irby-Ranniar and Jason Raize, with Irby-Ranniar portraying young Simba and Raize portraying adult Simba.^[59]

Raize auditioned for the role of adult Simba after hearing that Taymor was looking to cast an actor who was of «unidentifiable ethnicity.»^[60] Raize revealed in an interview that there was a lot of competition for the role because the musical required «triple-threat work – singing, dancing and acting – that you don’t get to such an extent in other shows. It was more the sense of who can take the challenge and not be daunted by the task.» Raize, who instantly felt that he «had a connection with Simba,» eventually won the role with the approval of Taymor and choreographer Garth Fagan,^[61] with Fagan admiring the fact that Raize was «willing to try, to fail, and then to try again.»^[6] Once cast, Raize found it difficult to maintain Taymor’s «sense of duality» because Simba is «both man and beast.» He said, «The tendency is to sacrifice one for the other, but you can’t.»^[62] Although hundreds of children auditioned for the role of young Simba,^[63] the casting process was far less grueling for Irby-Ranniar who, according to Taymor, simply «walked in and he had the part.»^[64]

Miscellaneous[edit]

Books[edit]

In 1994, a six-volume book set titled The Lion King: Six New Adventures were released. Set after the events of the first film, they featured a cub named Kopa, who was the son of Simba and Nala.

Merchandising and video games[edit]

As part of the franchise’s merchandising, Simba has appeared in various The Lion King-related products.^[65] The character’s likeness has been used in and adapted into a variety of items, including plush toys and figurines, clothing, bedding, household decor and appliances.^[66] The success of the Broadway musical has also led to its own line of merchandising,^[67] including the Simba beanbag doll, based on the character’s appearance and costume in the Broadway show.^[68][69]

Since the film’s 1994 debut, Simba has appeared as a playable character in a variety of video game releases, both directly and indirectly associated with the franchise. The character’s first appearance as a video game character was in The Lion King, which was released by Virgin Interactive on November 1, 1994, for the video game platforms Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Game Gear, Nintendo Entertainment System, and PC.^[70] The game follows the plot of the original film and features Simba as both a cub and an adult.^[71]

On December 28, 2000,^[72] Activision released The Lion King: Simba’s Mighty Adventure for Game Boy Color and PlayStation.^[73] The game encompasses 10 levels and incorporates the plot of both The Lion King and The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride as «Simba … matures from a precocious cub to an adult lion.»^[74]

Simba appears in the Square Enix Kingdom Hearts video game franchise as a friend and ally of the series’ main character, Sora, appearing as a character to summon in Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories and Kingdom Hearts III, and a companion in battle in Kingdom Hearts II.^{[75][76][77][78][79]}

Simba also appears as a playable character in Disney Interactive Studios’ Disney’s Extreme Skate Adventure, released on September 3, 2003, for Game Boy Advance, PlayStation 2, GameCube and Xbox,^[80]

Simba is one of the central characters in Disney Friends, released for Nintendo DS on February 26, 2008, where the player can interact with him.^[81]

Simba is a playable character to unlock for a limited time in Disney Magic Kingdoms.^[82]

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts[edit]

Live versions of Simba appear in the Lion King musical and in the parades and shows at the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.

Simba was also the main character in «Legend of the Lion King,» a former Fantasyland attraction in Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, which retold the story of the film using fully articulated puppets. Other Disney attractions that have featured Simba include the Mickey’s PhilharMagic 3D show and the Hong Kong Disneyland version of It’s a Small World.

He appeared as one of the main characters at Epcot’s Land Pavilion 12-minute edutainment film Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable, until its closure in 2018. He currently appears in animatronic form in Festival of the Lion King at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Reception and legacy[edit]

Critical response[edit]

Reception towards Simba has been generally mixed. The Christian Science Monitor‘s David Sterritt hailed Simba as «a superbly realized character,» specifically praising the scene in which the character «faces discipline by his dad after his adventure with the hyenas.»^[83] Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly wrote that Simba «has been given a marvelously expressive face» to the point of which «He seems more human than the Ken and Barbie types featured in Aladdin and The Little Mermaid.»^[84] Peter Travers of Rolling Stone described «the father-son relationship» shared by Simba and Mufasa as «movingly rendered,»^[85] while About.com’s David Nusair wrote, «it’s the touching father/son stuff that lies at the heart of the movie that cements The Lion King‘s place as an utterly timeless piece of work.»^[86] James Berardinelli of ReelViews enjoyed the fact that the film focuses more on the story of Simba himself as opposed to the romantic relationship developing between the character and Nala. However, Berardinelli criticized Matthew Broderick’s vocal performance, describing it as «nondescript.»^[87] Rob Humanick of Slant Magazine hailed the fact that «it’s never laid on [Simba] that his time as king will directly correspond with the eventual passing of his father» as one of the film’s «most important facets.» However, he criticized The Lion King‘s characters, describing them as well-designed but «lazy and troublesome.»^[88] The Austin Chronicle‘s Robert Faires felt that Simba and the other Lion King characters, though «true», were simply unoriginal retreads of preceding animated characters who were «swiped from other Disney cartoons.»^[89]

Hal Hinson of The Washington Post gave the character a negative review. Labeling Timon and Pumbaa the only interesting characters in The Lion King, Hinson questioned Simba’s role as the film’s hero.^[90] Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times agreed, «A movie’s heroes may have their names above the title, but often as not it’s the sidekicks who get the real work done.» Turan went on to pan Simba, describing him as «irritatingly callow.»^[91] Chris Hick of the Deseret News complained about the fact that Simba and the other «characters in The Lion King are not as warm and fuzzy as other Disney animated features,» crediting this with making «the film a bit tougher to warm [up] to.»^[92] ComingSoon.net strongly panned Simba as a lead character, writing, «typically for Disney animated fare, it’s the hero who is the weak link being both blandly designed and blandly performed.»^[93] Acknowledging the character’s Shakespearean origins, The Baltimore Sun‘s Stephen Hunter gave Simba a negative review, writing, «Alas …Simba stands in for Hamlet, but he’s a lot less complicated; in fact, he’s less complicated than Morris the Cat or Sylvester.» Hunter continued, «Simba the Exile is even less interesting than Simba the Prince.»^[94] Christopher Null of Contactmusic.com was critical of Weaver’s performance as the singing voice of Young Simba, writing, «If there’s anything annoying about the film, it’s the singing. Young Simba sounds like a young Michael Jackson … You almost don’t want him to succeed.» However, Null reacted more positively towards Broderick’s performance.^[95]

Despite the character’s mixed reception, several critics have awarded specific praise to Broderick for his portrayal of Simba, including the San Francisco Chronicle‘s Peter Stack and The Washington Post‘s Desson Howe.^[96][97] Annette Basile of FilmInk described Broderick’s performance as «excellent,»^[98] while Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian called it «sumptuous.» Digital Spy’s Mayer Nissim described Broderick’s portrayal of Simba as «wonderful.»^[99]

A number of critics and animators have claimed striking similarities between Simba and Kimba, the protagonist of Osamu Tezuka’s 1960s Japanese anime series Kimba the White Lion, and they believe Simba may have been inspired by Kimba.^{[100][101][102][103][104][105][106]}

Impact and popularity[edit]

During the film’s opening number, «Circle of Life», Rafiki introduces a newborn Simba to the crowd of animals gathered at the foot of Pride Rock by holding him high above their heads while parents Mufasa and Sarabi look on.^[7] Since the film’s 1994 release, this scene has grown to iconic status.^[107] In November 2002, singer Michael Jackson sparked controversy by holding his son, Blanket, over the protective railing of a hotel balcony in Berlin. The event was witnessed by a large crowd of spectators who were watching from below.^[108] Some sources have claimed that Jackson was harmlessly attempting to emulate the scene from The Lion King.^[109]

When Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge went into labor with hers and Prince William’s baby in July 2013, the idea that the couple should reenact the famous scene from The Lion King became quite popular among Twitter users.^[110] Radio journalist Darren Simpson reportedly tweeted, «when your baby arrives please re-enact the scene from the Lion King«.^[111] Shortly after Middleton gave birth to a boy, England native Tommy Peto initiated a petition asking the couple to welcome their baby by having the Archbishop of Canterbury emulate the scene by holding him over the balcony of Buckingham Palace. Ultimately, the idea was deemed «outside the responsibility of the government» and was declined.^[112]

The scene has found itself the subject of both reference and parody in various forms of media, such as in the film George of the Jungle (1997).^[113] In what is almost an exact replica of the scene, George, portrayed by actor Brendan Fraser, takes the place of both Rafiki and Mufasa by standing at the tip of Pride Rock and presenting his young son to a crowd of onlooking animals, accompanied by wife Ursula, portrayed by Leslie Mann.^[114]

During the third season finale of Once Upon a Time, the main character Emma Swan asked her parents Snow White and David Nolan if they were going to hold up her yet unnamed baby brother like in The Lion King.^[115]
Since the release of The Lion King in 1994, the name «Simba» has increased in use and popularity among dog and cat owners. According to Comcast in 2010, the use of Simba as a dog name reemerged in popularity in 2009 after experiencing a noticeable decline in 2001, ranking the name ninth out of 10 on its list of «Top 10 Trendiest Dog Names of the Year.»^[116] In May 2013, Yahoo! Lifestyle included the name on its list of «Trendiest Dog Names.»^[117] According to YouPet, Simba is the 17th most popular cat name out of 100 candidates.^[118] Care2 included Simba in its article «All-around Cool Cat Names,»^[119] while DutchNews.nl reported that Simba ranks among the country’s most popular cat names as of July 2013.^[120] In its list of «Top Popular Pet Names,» BabyNames.com placed Simba at number 64 on its list of most popular dog names out of the 100 that were considered.^[121]

References[edit]

Транслит мужского имени Симба: Simba

Значение имени «Симба»

лев

Значение букв в имени «Симба»

С — властность, нервозность, здравый смысл

И — впечатлительность, миролюбие

М — трудолюбие, заботливость

Б — постоянство, целеустремленность

А — властность, сила

Популярные мужские имена

• Боипузо
• Чидубем
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Кличка Симба

Один из интересных вариантов имени для питомца — в честь мультипликационного или кинематографического героя, на кого щенок похож окрасом, мордочкой, повадками, эмоциональностью, сообразительностью или даже «характером». Такой вариант — Симба, главный персонаж «Короля Льва».

Щенок со львиной кличкой:

Значение имени

По-английски это слово пишется как Simba. Если обратиться к переводу с африканского языка суахили, оно означает «лев». Неудивительно, что так назвали львенка, главного положительного героя мультфильма «Король Лев», выпущенного Disney в 1994 году. По сюжету маленький Simba — будущий правитель Прайда, сын Муфасы и Сараби.

Интересны и другие значения слова:

• Название реки, протекающей в России — в Мурманской области.
• «Восстание Симба» — так именовалось движение племен Восточного Конго, выступающих в 1964-1966 гг. против местных правительств.
• «УАЗ Симба» — название УАЗа-3165, концептуального минивэна отечественного производства.

Что интересно, почти каждое имя из «Короля Льва» имеет свое интересное значение:

• Нала: на фанатских форумах встречается версия, что оно переводится как «подарок», «дар». На языке сесото это «процветание», а на языке сомали — «пыль».
• Муфаса — имя последнего вождя племени багада до завоевания Кении европейскими колонизаторами.
• Сараби — «мираж» на языке суахили.
• Пумба — «глупый», «придуривающийся» на том же суахили.
• Тимон — назван в честь желчного афинского философа (из пьесы Шекспира «Тимон Афинский»).
• Зазу — «подвижный» на иврите.
• Шрам — Scar, что с английского так и переводится как «шрам». Интересно имя, главное отрицательному герою при рождении, — Така. С языка суахили оно переводится как «мусор», «отброс».

Его зовут Simba:

Кому подходит

Львиная кличка, конечно, подходит питомцам с «львиным сердцем»: храбрым, умным, бесстрашным, независимым, самостоятельным. Это горделивые звери, преисполненные чувством собственного достоинства. Суровые, но не агрессивные: не обижают маленьких и слабых, терпеливо относятся к проделкам детишек. Симбу нужно уважать, видеть в нем друга, а не просто «хвостик». Только в таком случае он будет послушен и верен хозяину, ответит на человеческую привязанность любовью своего «львиного сердца».

Немало питомцев с такой кличкой среди поклонников «Короля Льва». Этим именем называют и дворняжек, и представителей различных пород, включая, конечно же, африканские.

Источник

Кличка Симба (Simba)

Помните трогательный, временами драматичный диснеевский «Король Лев»? Отличной идеей будет назвать своего питомца в честь одного их главных героев — Симбой. Причем такое прозвище подходит не только для котов, но и для кошечек. Читайте, что оно означает.

Значение имени

По-английски пишется так же, как и звучит — «Simba». Пришло из языка суахили, в переводе означает «лев». Именно поэтому так звали основного персонажа культовой мультипликации студии «Дисней» — львенка из «Короля Льва». Он был сын Муфасы, который трагически погиб, а также будущим предводителем прайда.

Производные

Если полное имя кажется слишком банальным, можете подобрать варианты из его производных:

Это Сим. Вид у него действительно королевский.

Каким будет питомец

Котенок с детства будет отважным, решительным, энергичным. Он не боится никого и ничего. При необходимости может дать отпор даже тем, кто значительно больше его.

Очень любопытный, «засунет» свой носик везде, куда только получится. Зачастую это может заканчиваться различными неприятностями. Поэтому за питомцем нужно внимательно следить, убрать все опасные предметы из поля его недосягаемости.

Немного повзрослев, любимец начнет осознавать, что можно, а что нет, в чем может заключаться опасность. После этого хозяева могут немного расслабиться.

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Нюша назвала дочь Симба и объяснила значение этого имени

Пользователи раскритиковали певицу Нюшу в «Инстаграме» за странный выбор имени для своей маленькой дочери. Во время съёмки для обложки журнала Hello исполнительница впервые представила девочку общественности:

«Знакомьтесь, моя дочь — Симба!» — заявила Нюша во время разговора с журналистами.

После того как Нюша поделилась кадрами съёмки на своей странице в «Инстаграм», пользователи сети раскритиковали ее за выбор имени. Некоторые заявили, что сочетание «Симба Игоревна Сивова » звучит странно и вовсе не подходит для России . Пользователи предположили, что в будущем девочку будут травить и высмеивать, а также она никогда не сможет избавиться от ассоциаций с культовым мультфильмом от Дисней «Король Лев».

«Я понимаю, хотели необычное имя, но не Симба же. И к отчеству ну никак не подходит. Подрастет, совсем задразнят — будут постоянно спрашивать: «Ты из мультика «Король Лев»?», — подчеркнула пользовательница с ником @e_shchur.

«Симба Игоревна Сивова ?! Нюша пошутила? За что так со своим ребенком?», — возмутился пользователь @markus_ricardo1.

Значение имени Симба

Певица не стала реагировать на травлю и решила, что стоит объяснить поклонникам и пользователям сети свой выбор.

«Дочь моя — единственная в своем роде. Нам с мужем нравится «Король Лев», и здорово, что она у людей будет ассоциироваться с этим мультиком. Но главное не в этом. Дочь Скорпион, это непростой знак. Сильной личности нужно сильное имя. У нас был запасной вариант — Мирослава. Мы с мужем решили, что когда ее увидим, сразу поймем, какое имя подойдет больше. Так и произошло», — рассказала исполнительница.

Помимо прочего, она добавила, что всегда стремилась ко всему необычному и даже свое распространённое имя «Анна» она сменила на «Нюшу». Потому исполнительница хотела, чтоб ее дочь также получила необычное имя.

Нюша назвала дочь мужским именем

Симба – это мужское африканское имя, имеющее значение «лев». Такое имя получил львёнок с анимационной ленты «Король Лев». Вместе с тем, Нюша решила, что мужское имя с подобным значением подойдёт и для ее дочери.

Изначально поклонники исполнительницы решили, что певица шутит. Они даже предположили, что дочь Нюши зовут Серафимой, а Симба – всего лишь сокращённая версия имени. Но позже Нюша объяснила, что ее ребёнка действительно зовут Симбой.

В 2017 году исполнительница вышла замуж за генерального советника президента Международной федерации студенческого спорта (FISU) Игоря Сивова , с которым встречалась на протяжении двух лет. А уже в ноябре 2018 года у нее появилась дочь. Долгое время Нюша не выкладывала фотографий с дочерью, а также не раскрывала ее имени. Но теперь известно, что певица, стремясь выделиться и подобрать малышке необычное имя, назвала ее в честь персонажа мультфильма «Король Лев».

Источник

Значение имени Симба

Варианты толкований

Нумерология имени Симба

Единицы — чрезвычайно целеустремленные личности, которые все свои силы готовы отдать для воплощения идей в жизнь. Эти творческие люди никогда не будут страдать от плохого воображения, а лидерские качества помогут им достичь вершин в бизнесе.
Единицы всегда находятся в центре внимания окружающих, они умеют подчинять себе других. Порой агрессивность бывает чрезмерной, однако упорство позволяет достигнуть поставленных целей. Это достаточно противоречивые личности, которые могут сомневаться в себе, но никогда не потеряют самоуважения. Единицы — хорошие партнеры, если уделять им должное внимание.

Значение букв в имени Симба

С – отличаются упрямством, непредсказуемостью и лидерскими качествами. В своих поступках привыкли опираться на логику и здравый смысл. Бывают чрезмерно эмоциональными, а порой даже капризными. Они постоянно желают выделиться из серой массы. К партнеру могут предъявлять завышенные требования.

И – тонкая душевная организация, романтичность, доброта, честность и миролюбие. Представительницы прекрасного пола уделяют много внимания своей внешности, а мужчины делают акцент на внутренние качества. Больших успехов им удается достичь в науке и работе с людьми. Очень хозяйственны и расчетливы.

М – если посмотреть на людей, у которых в имени есть буква «М», можно сказать, что они рассеянные и неорганизованные, а в действительности все не так. Все, что им нужно, они никогда не забудут. Предпочитают делать работу качественно. Из них получаются прекрасные руководители, которые всегда считаются с интересами окружающих.

Б – сильный, пробивной характер, стремление во всем добиваться успехов. В отношениях проявляют инициативу и очень часто собственнически относятся к партнеру. Такие люди обладают высокой стрессоустойчивостью. Постоянно стремятся к роскошной жизни и умеют зарабатывать много денег.

А – с нее начинается алфавит, и она символизирует начало, желание достигать успехов. Если у человека в имени есть эта буква, то он постоянно будет стремиться к физическому и духовному равновесию. Люди, чье имя начинается на «А», достаточно трудолюбивы. Они любят проявлять во всем инициативу и не любят рутину.

Имя как фраза

• С – Слово
• И – И (Объединение, Соединять, Союз, ЕДИНСТВО, Едино, Воедино, «Вместе с»)
• М – Мыслите
• Б – Буки
• А – Аз (Я, Мне, Себе, Себя)

Имя Симба на английском языке (латиницей)

Заполняя документ на английском, следует писать сначала имя, потом отчество латинскими буквами и уже потом фамилию. Написание имя Симба по-английски вам может понадобиться при заявление на загран паспорт, заказе зарубежного отеля, при оформление заказа в английском интернет-магазине и так далее

Источник

Как переводятся имена героев «Короля Льва»?

Я никогда не придавал значения именам мультфильма, считая их вымышленными, пока не попал на африканское сафари.

Мы ехали по дороге в национальном парке Озеро Накуру в поисках животных. Навстречу нам выехал другой джип с туристами. Наш гид притормозил и начал общаться со своим коллегой. Говорили они на суахили, но я различил слово «симба».

– О чём ты спрашивал другого водителя? – поинтересовался я у Джейкоба, нашего гида.
– Спросил, не попадались ли львы или леопарды в той части парка откуда они едут.
– А на суахили лев – «симба»? – высказал я свою догадку.
– Да, – улыбнулся гид. Как в мультфильме «Король Лев».

Мне стало интересно и я начал спрашивать как называются другие животные, выяснил кое-что интересное, а приехав домой дополнил свои познания, немного погуглив в интернете, и повозившись с гугл-переводчиком. Вот что у меня получилось.

Симба. Как вы уже поняли, имя главного героя переводится с суахили просто «лев.

Муфаса. Лидер прайда имеет имя, которое не совсем животного происхождения. Нашёл в сети информацию, что повелитель львов был назван в честь последнего вождя народности багата, который жил в период колонизации Кении британцами.

Сараби. Мать Симбы, гордая Сараби, носит имя, которая переводится с суахили как «мираж». Мне доводилось наблюдать за охотой львиц. Они реально могут сливаться с окружающим пейзажем и появляться из ниоткуда, так что имя вполне оправдано.

Нала. Перевод имени подружки Симбы так и не смог найти. В аглийской версии статьи Wiki говорится, что её имя переводится как «дар». Но Гугл перевод это не подтверждает. Я перебрал все синонимы и не смог получить ничего отдалённо похожего на nala.

Шрам. На самом деле, «Шрам» – кличка, которую лев получил за шрам полученный в схватке с Муфасой за лидерство прайда. Имя данное ему при рождении – Така. С суахили оно переводится как «отброс, изгой». Неудивительно, что с таким именем персонаж вырос социопатом. О мотивах матери, назвавшей сына подобным образом, остаётся только гадать. На что она надеялась? Ведь известно же: «Как яхту назовёшь, так она и поплывёт». Впрочем, диснеевцы могли и не смотреть «Приключения капитана Врунгеля».

Пумба, как и Симба, переводится просто – этим словом на суахили обозначают бородавочника. Причём, это слово означает также «придурковатый». Почему так называют бородавочников – отдельная история.

А вот с Тимоном всё интереснее. Его имя с суахили не связана, похоже это отсылка к трагедии Шекспира «Тимон Афинский», об известном античном мизантропе.

Рафики. Мандрил-шаман, неизвестно откуда появившийся в Восточной Африке (они там и близко не водятся) носит имя, которое переводится с суахили как «друг»

Зазу. Красноклювый токо, мажордом прайда, действительно обитает в Африке, и, похоже, имеет имя ни к чему не привязанное. Фанаты строят версии, но они, все нелепы, и не особо хочется их расписывать.

Шензи. Повелительница пятнистых гиен. У гиен в стае матриархат, кстати. В отличие от львов. В переводе с суахили означает «грубая».

Вот такая заметка. Надеюсь, вам было интересно. Не забудьте подписаться на канал , на этой неделе начинаются заметки из моих африканских путешествий. Спасибо всем, кто поддержит пост лайком.

Источник

For other uses, see Simba (disambiguation).

Simba
The Lion King character
Simba, as a cub
First Episode Appearance	The Lion King (1994)
Created by	Irene Mecchi Jonathan Roberts Linda Woolverton
Character played by	Matthew Broderick (adult; main 3 films) Jonathan Taylor Thomas (cub; 1st film) Joseph Williams (adult; singing; 1st film) Jason Weaver (cub; singing; 1st film) Matt Weinberg (cub; The Lion King 1½) Cam Clarke (various sequels and merchandise) Rob Lowe (The Lion Guard and television film) Donald Glover (adult; 2019 remake) JD McCrary (cub; 2019 remake)
In-universe information
Species	Lion
Gender	Male
Family	Mufasa (father) Sarabi (mother) Sarafina (mother-in-law) Kovu (son-in-law) Rani (daughter-in-law) Scar (uncle) Ahadi (paternal grandfather) Uru (paternal grandmother) Mohatu (paternal great-grandfather)
Spouse	Nala (wife)
Children	Kiara (daughter) Kion (son)

Simba is the main character of Disney’s The Lion King franchise. Introduced in Walt Disney Animation’s 32nd animated feature film The Lion King (1994), the character subsequently appears in The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride (1998) and The Lion King 1½ (2004) as well as the 2019 remake of the original film, which is the most recent appearance. Simba was created by screenwriters Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts and Linda Woolverton. While Mark Henn served as Simba’s supervising animator as a cub, Ruben A. Aquino animated the character as he appears as an adult.

Simba was inspired by the character Bambi from Disney’s Bambi (1942), Osamu Tezuka’s anime Kimba the White Lion, as well as the stories of Moses and Joseph from the Bible. Additionally, several similarities have been drawn between Simba and Prince Hamlet from William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. In 1997, The Lion King was adapted into a Broadway musical, with actors Scott Irby-Ranniar and Jason Raize originating the roles of the cub and adult Simbas, respectively. JD McCrary and Donald Glover voice the cub and adult Simba respectively in the CGI remake.

Name

Simba is a Swahili word for lion, reflecting Simba’s origins in sub-Saharan Africa. It also has other definitions, such as king, strong, or aggressive.^[1]

Development

Conception

The idea for The Lion King originated from Disney chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg in 1988^[3] and was originally conceived under the title King of the Jungle.^[4] The story, which has been compared to Bambi (1942),^[5] was jokingly referred to as «Bambi in Africa» because of the similarities between the two films and their respective main characters.^[6] Co-director Rob Minkoff said that both films are «more true-life adventure than mythical epic.»^[6] Though considered an original^[7][8] coming-of-age^[9] story that follows the life of Simba as he grows up and «tak[es] on the responsibility of adulthood,» co-directors Roger Allers and Minkoff drew inspiration from other sources. In particular, the biblical figures Moses and Joseph served as creative inspiration for the character.^[10] Producer Don Hahn said that, like them, Simba is «born into royalty, is then exiled, and has to return to claim [his] kingdom.»^[11]

Unlike the studio’s three previous films The Little Mermaid (1989), Beauty and the Beast (1991) and Aladdin (1992) which are essentially love stories, The Lion King revolves around Simba’s relationship with his father instead, which Allers identified as «The real heart and emotional underpinning of the whole story».^[12] In April 1992, the filmmakers hosted a «brainstorming session» in which much of the film’s original story was largely re-written, particularly Simba’s personality.^[12] Originally, Simba was intended to remain with the pride after Mufasa’s death until this idea was re-written in order to make the character more «likable and sympathetic.»^[12]

Several film and entertainment critics have noted similarities and parallels between the stories of The Lion King and William Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet, and their protagonists.^{[13][14][15][16]} Allers said that these similarities were not initially intentional and came as a surprise to the filmmakers themselves; they noticed the similarities only after the story was established and they eventually decided to pursue it. According to Hahn, «When we first pitched the revised outline of the movie … someone in the room announced that its themes and relationships were similar to Hamlet. Everyone responded favorably to the idea that we were doing something Shakespearean, so we continued to look for ways to model our film on that all-time classic.»^[11]

Screenwriter Jonathan Roberts said that, in a musical, songs are used to convey a character’s emotions and «I wants.» Composer Elton John and lyricist Tim Rice wrote the song «I Just Can’t Wait to Be King» in order to give Simba a medium through which he can express his desire to become King of the Pride Lands. Roberts said, «It’s a way for storytellers to move the story and deliver the direction of the character.»^[17]

Voice

File:Matthew Broderick 2012.jpg

Matthew Broderick provided the speaking voice of adult Simba.^[18] The first actor to be assigned to The Lion King,^[8] Broderick learned of the role while he was on vacation in Ireland, where he received a telephone call from his agent informing him that the directors were interested in casting him as Simba after seeing his film Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986).^[19] The directors decided to cast him as Simba because they felt that he was «perfect» for the role; according to producer Don Hahn, Broderick’s voice resembled «the kind of character who could be irresponsible and likeable, but you also felt that he could come back in a very heroic way.»^[20] Minkoff recalled that the actor «was able to humanize the hero character … and give Simba a lot of depth», preventing the hero from «becoming 2-dimensional» using «brought a great deal of sensitivity and thoughtfulness to the role along with sincerity and a sense of humor.»^[12] Jonathan Taylor Thomas, who was starring as Randy Taylor on the television sitcom Home Improvement at the time,^[21] was cast as the speaking voice of Young Simba.^[22] His appearance and personality would later serve as creative inspiration for supervising animator Mark Henn.^[7]

Despite often singing in his work, Broderick opted not to perform his own vocals in the film.^[23] Toto lead singer Joseph Williams and actor Jason Weaver were hired to dub their respective singing voices. Williams’ voice is heard on the song «Can You Feel the Love Tonight«.^[24] Impressed by Weaver’s performance as a young Michael Jackson in the miniseries The Jacksons: An American Dream, songwriters Elton John and Tim Rice recruited him to record «I Just Can’t Wait to Be King» and «Hakuna Matata«^[25] while the film was still in its early stages of production.^[26] As directors, Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff worked closely with the actors in order to ensure credible performances.^[27] As is frequently done in animated films, the filmmakers videotaped the actors while they recorded their dialogue, allowing the animators to incorporate their specific mannerisms into the designs of their characters.^[28]

Personality and design

When The Lion King was green-lit, its concept and story were not well received by studio employees. To guarantee the release of at least one successful film, Disney chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg divided the studio into two separate projects: The Lion King and Pocahontas (1995), with Pocahontas expected to be the more successful of the two. Because of this assumption, the majority of the studio’s more seasoned animators gravitated towards Pocahontas because The Lion King was deemed a «risk», while less experienced animators were assigned to work on The Lion King.^[29] Co-director Rob Minkoff received this positively, saying that this decision «gave a lot of newer animators a chance to step up to leadership roles.»^[30]

The role of animating Simba was divided between Ruben A. Aquino and Mark Henn, the former of whom was the first animator to be assigned to the project.^[12] While Henn served as the supervising animator of Simba as a cub, credited as Young Simba,^[32] Aquino was placed in charge of animating the character as he appears as an adult.^[33] The Lion King was Disney’s first animated feature film to feature absolutely no humans since Robin Hood (1973). According to Aquino, animating four-legged creatures is difficult because the artists are faced with the task of drawing «twice as many legs … as you do with human characters» and must also attribute to them both human and animal-like qualities. For assistance, Aquino drew influence from previous animated films that feature four-legged creatures as their main characters, citing Bambi, Lady and the Tramp (1955) and The Jungle Book (1967) as his main sources of inspiration.^[34]

File:Tlkiisp-simba.png

Before The Lion King, Henn’s experience as a supervising animator was limited to predominantly female characters;^[5][35] he had just recently completed work on Ariel from The Little Mermaid (1989), Belle from Beauty and the Beast (1991) and Jasmine from Aladdin (1992).^[31] When he became involved with The Lion King, Henn initially expressed interest in animating the film’s villain, Scar, because he wanted to do «something different.»^[5] However, producer Don Hahn felt that he was better suited for animating Simba.^[36] Henn approaches animating new characters by «put[ting himself] into the character’s situation.» Simba proved to be a challenge because Henn was faced with the task of creating an animated character who would both appear and behave like a real lion cub. To achieve this, Henn visited zoos, sketched and studied live lion cubs that were brought into the studio for research, and frequently consulted with wildlife experts.^[37] Simba’s short hair follows from the extreme heat of the lion’s native climate, as does the thickness of the skin depicted on each paw, allowing him to swiftly navigate the grasslands.

When it came time to animate Simba during the «I Just Can’t Wait to Be King» musical sequence, Henn felt it essential that the character remain on all fours at all times, despite the fact that he is meant to be dancing.^[35] In terms of personality, Henn aimed to depict Simba as a «cocky, confident character» at the beginning of the film, who must eventually mature and learn to take responsibility.^[5] The animators would often observe and document the voice actors while they recorded their dialogue, using their movements and mannerisms as a visual aid. Actor Jonathan Taylor Thomas, who provided the voice of Young Simba, served as inspiration for the design and personality of Simba. Henn said, «I loved watching Jonathan Taylor Thomas when he was a boy on Home Improvement, and getting to meet him and observe him.»^[38] Although Aquino was responsible for animating the majority of Simba’s adult sequences, Henn animated the character’s first appearance as an adult that occurs near the end of the «Hakuna Matata» musical number.^[39]

Appearances

The Lion King

Released in theaters in 1994, The Lion King marks Simba’s first appearance. All the animals in the Pride Lands gather at the foot of Pride Rock to commemorate the birth of Simba, who will eventually succeed to the throne and take his father Mufasa’s place as king. Furious by the fact that he is no longer next in line, Simba’s jealous uncle Scar refuses to attend the ceremony. While Simba grows into a rambunctious lion cub who frequently boasts about the fact that he will someday rule over the Pride Lands, Scar secretly plots against him.

Scar plots regicide and familicide against Simba and Mufasa by luring Simba into a vast gorge, where he triggers a wildebeest stampede. Notified by Scar that Simba is in danger, Mufasa rushes to his aid and manages to place him safely on a ledge. Weakened and unable to pull himself up the steep slope to safety, Mufasa asks his brother for assistance. However, Scar’s true nature is revealed and he betrays Mufasa, throwing him into the gorge where he is killed by the fall.

Convinced by Scar that he is responsible for his father’s death, Simba runs away to a distant jungle where he is befriended by Timon and Pumbaa, who teach him to ignore his past and avoid his responsibilities. There, he grows into an adult lion, while Scar wreaks havoc on the Pride Lands. When Simba is discovered by his childhood friend named Nala, she confronts him, warning him of Scar’s tyranny and begging him to return home. Afraid of facing his past, Simba refuses until a wise mandrill named Rafiki leads him to Mufasa’s ghost, who convinces him to return home and reclaim his kingdom from Scar.^[40]

Simba returns to the Pride Lands with Nala, Timon and Pumbaa and finds them barren because their natural resources have been squandered and abused by Scar. After witnessing Scar strike his mother Sarabi, Simba orders Scar to resign. At first thrown by the fact that he is alive, Scar soon regains composure and forces Simba to reveal that he is responsible for Mufasa’s death, while cornering him at the edge of Pride Rock, hoping to subject him to a similar fate as his father. Having grown overconfident, Scar finally reveals to Simba that he killed Mufasa. Furious, Simba tackles Scar and forces him into announcing this to the pride, initiating a battle between Simba’s pride of lionesses, Timon, Pumbaa and Scar’s army of hyenas. Simba eventually defeats Scar and throws him into a pit, where he is cornered and killed by the hyenas, who overheard Scar blame them for what he’d done. Simba then takes his rightful place as king. When the kingdom returns to its former glory, the animals welcome the birth of King Simba and Queen Nala’s firstborn.^[41]

The Lion King 2: Simba’s Pride

Main article: The Lion King 2: Simba’s Pride

A direct-to-video sequel released in 1998, Simba’s Pride picks up immediately where the first film left off, depicting Simba and Nala as king and queen of the Pride Lands. In a ceremony at Pride Rock, the Pride Lands commemorate the birth of Simba and Nala’s daughter Kiara, whom Simba is overprotective of. He discovers that Kiara has disobeyed him by visiting the forbidden Outlands, home to an enemy pride of Scar’s followers known as the Outsiders, and befriending a young member of the pride named Kovu. After a close confrontation with Kovu’s mother Zira, the leader of the Outsiders and Scar’s most loyal follower, Simba separates the two and reminds Kiara of her responsibilities as the future queen. Meanwhile, Zira plots to manipulate Kovu to exact revenge on Simba for Scar’s death.

Several years later, Simba grants an adolescent Kiara’s request to embark on her first hunt, but has Timon and Pumbaa follow her in secret. Realizing this, Kiara rebels and pursue her hunt outside of the Pride Lands, where she nearly falls victim to a wildfire. Kiara is rescued by Kovu, who returns her to the Pride Lands, which is actually part of Zira’s plan to overthrow Simba. Saying that he has left the Outsiders, Kovu asks Simba to let him join his pride. Simba reluctantly accepts, but distrusts Kovu because of his similarities to Scar, and continues to treat him ruthlessly. That night, Simba has a nightmare about attempting to save his father Mufasa from falling into the stampede but is stopped by Scar who turns into Kovu and throws Simba off the cliff into the stampede.

While Kiara and Kovu’s friendship continues to grow, Simba, encouraged by Nala, attempts to show Kovu kindness by spending a day with him. Realizing that Kovu is beginning to side with Simba because of his love for Kiara, Zira ambushes and attacks Simba. Convinced by Zira that Kovu is responsible for the ambush, Simba exiles him and forbids Kiara to see him, but she makes her father realize that he is acting irrationally and trying too hard to be Mufasa, before leaving to find Kovu. When a battle ensues between the Pride Landers and the Outsiders, Kiara and Kovu arrive and stop them, with Kiara telling them that they are one, helping Simba to realize that despite their hatred for one another they are the same. This convinced Simba to accept the Outsiders back to his pride. When a furious Zira attacks Simba, she is intercepted by Kiara, causing the two to fall over the edge of a cliff. Having landed safely on a ledge, Kiara offers to help Zira, who is struggling to hang on. However, Zira, consumed by her resentment towards Simba, falls to her death. Simba finally approves of Kiara’s love for Kovu and reconciles with his daughter, and accepts the two lions as the future king and queen of the Pride Lands.^[42]

The Lion King 3: Hakuna Matata!

Main article: The Lion King 3: Hakuna Matata!

In The Lion King 3: Hakuna Matata!, a direct-to-video followup released in 2004, Simba appears as a less prominent character because the film’s primary focus is on Timon and Pumbaa’s behind-the-scenes role and involvement in The Lion King,^[43][44] in which they appear as supporting characters. Although the two films technically share the same story and timeline, the plot of The Lion King 3: Hakuna Matata! focuses more on Timon and Pumbaa. The meerkat and warthog unknowingly coexist alongside Simba, and the story fills in the two characters’ backstories and events that led up to their long-lasting friendship, coinciding with and often initiating the events that affect Simba’s life during the first film. These events include the commemorative bow that occurs during the opening «Circle of Life» musical number and the collapsing of the animal tower that takes place during «I Just Can’t Wait to Be King.»^[45] The film also explores, in further detail, the relationship among the three characters as Timon and Pumbaa struggle to raise Simba as adoptive «parents» and disapprove of his relationship with Nala, portraying Simba as he grows from an energetic young lion cub, into an incorrigible teenager and, finally, an independent young lion.^[46]

The Lion King (2019)

Walt Disney Pictures has released an animated version of 1994 movie The Lion King. ^{[47] [48]} The movie was released on July 19, 2019, directed and produced by Jon Favreau and written by Jeff Nathanson. ^{[49] [50]} In this version, Donald Glover was cast for the role of Simba. ^[51][52][53]
Glover said that «[The Lion King is] a timeless story, but [he thinks] the way Favreau has constructed it, it’s a very timely story as well» and said that «[he] just wanted to be a part of a global good».^[54] The actor who previously work with Favreau in Marvel Cinematic Universe film Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017).
Glover said that the film will focus more on Simba’s time growing-up than the original film did, stating that «[Jon] was very keen in making sure we saw [Simba’s] transition from boy to man and how hard that can be when there’s been a deep trauma».^[55] On November 1, 2017, JD McCrary was cast as young Simba.^[56] McCrary said that «Donald Glover is so talented that [he] actually did have to take it into consideration, because if Simba is going to grow up to be some sort of figure and you know of it, you have to keep that motive».^[57]

Hindi Dub Version (2019)

The 2019 computer-animated version of The Lion King also has an alternate Hindi-Dub version ^[58][59] which was released on the same date as the original movie.^[60] In this the Aryan Khan, the son of Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, has lent his voice for the role of Simba.^[61][62][63]

Timon & Pumbaa and television

Main article: Timon & Pumbaa (TV series)

The success of The Lion King and popularity of its characters led to the production of Timon & Pumbaa, an animated television series starring Timon and Pumbaa. Simba makes several appearances, including one episode in which Timon drags him out to try to revive Pumbaa’s lost memory.

In the episode «Congo On Like This,» Timon and Pumbaa (especially Timon) suspect that Simba has reverted to his carnivorous nature. The episode «Shake Your Djibouti» again features Simba, when Timon and Pumbaa are forced to train him to protect them from a laboratory monster. Another episode, entitled «Rome Alone,» shows Simba being captured by Romans and forced into gladiatorial battle with another lion named Claudius. Simba makes brief appearances in «Once Upon a Timon», «Zazu’s Off-By-One Day», and «Beethoven’s Whiff». He also appears in a music video of «The Lion Sleeps Tonight«.

Simba was featured as a guest in the animated series House of Mouse, in which he alternates between cub and adult.

The Lion Guard

Main article: The Lion Guard

In January 2016, a new series called The Lion Guard premiered, following a television pilot film The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar in November 2015. Set within the time gap in The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride,^[64] it features Kion who is the son and youngest child of Simba and Nala, who as the second-born cub, is tasked with assembling a team to protect the Pride Lands.^[65]

Broadway musical

Main article: The Lion King (musical)

The success of The Lion King led to the production of a Broadway musical based on the film. Directed by Julie Taymor, with a book by Irene Mecchi and Roger Allers, The Lion King premiered at the New Amsterdam Theatre on November 13, 1997, where it ran for nine years until being moved to the Minskoff Theatre on June 13, 2006.^[66] The role of Simba was originated by Scott Irby-Ranniar and Jason Raize, with Irby-Ranniar portraying Young Simba and Raize portraying Adult Simba.^[67]

Raize auditioned for the role of Adult Simba after hearing that Taymor was looking to cast an actor who was of «unidentifiable ethnicity.»^[68] Raize revealed in an interview that there was a lot of competition for the role because the musical required «triple-threat work — singing, dancing and acting — that you don’t get to such an extent in other shows. It was more the sense of who can take the challenge and not be daunted by the task.» Raize, who instantly felt that he «had a connection with Simba,» eventually won the role with the approval of Taymor and choreographer Garth Fagan,^[69] with Fagan admiring the fact that Raize was «willing to try, to fail, and then to try again.»^[9] Once cast, Raize found it difficult to maintain Taymor’s «sense of duality» because Simba is «both man and beast.» He said, «The tendency is to sacrifice one for the other, but you can’t.»^[70] Although hundreds of children auditioned for the role of Young Simba,^[71] the casting process was far less grueling for Irby-Ranniar who, according to Taymor, simply «walked in and he had the part.»^[72]

Miscellaneous

Books

In 1994, a six-volume book set titled The Lion King: Six New Adventures were released. Set after the events of the first film, they featured a cub named Kopa, who was the son of Simba and Nala.

Merchandising and video games

As part of the franchise‘s merchandising, Simba has appeared in various The Lion King-related products.^[73] The character’s likeness has been used in and adapted into a variety of items, including plush toys and figurines, clothing, bedding, household decor and appliances.^[74] The success of the Broadway musical has also led to its own line of merchandising,^[75] including the Simba beanbag doll, based on the character’s appearance and costume in the Broadway show.^[76][77]

Since the film’s 1994 debut, Simba has appeared as a playable character in a variety of video game releases, both directly and indirectly associated with the franchise. The character’s first appearance as a video game character was in The Lion King, which was released by Virgin Interactive on November 1, 1994, for the video game platforms Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Game Gear, Nintendo Entertainment System, and PC.^[78] The game follows the plot of the original film and features Simba as both a cub and an adult.^[79]

On December 28, 2000,^[80] Activision released The Lion King: Simba’s Mighty Adventure for Game Boy Color and PlayStation.^[81] The game encompasses 10 levels and incorporates the plot of both The Lion King and The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride as «Simba … matures from a precocious cub to an adult lion.»^[82] Simba also appears as a playable character in Disney Interactive Studios’ Disney’s Extreme Skate Adventure, released on September 3, 2003, for Game Boy Advance, PlayStation 2, GameCube and Xbox,^[83] and Disney Friends , released for Nintendo DS on February 26, 2008.^[84] Additionally, Simba appears in the Square Enix Kingdom Hearts video game franchise as a friend and ally of the series’ main character, Sora.^{[85][86][87][88][89]}

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts

Live versions of Simba appear in the Lion King musical and in the parades and shows at the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.

Simba was also the main character in «Legend of the Lion King,» a former Fantasyland attraction in Walt Disney World‘s Magic Kingdom, which retold the story of the film using fully articulated puppets. Other Disney attractions that have featured Simba include the Mickey’s PhilharMagic 3D show and the Hong Kong Disneyland version of It’s a Small World.

He appeared as one of the main characters at Epcot’s Land Pavilion 12-minute edutainment film Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable, until its closure in 2018. He currently appears in animatronic form in Festival of the Lion King at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Reception and legacy

Critical response

Although The Lion King itself has garnered universal acclaim from film critics,^[90] reception towards Simba has been generally mixed. The Christian Science Monitor‘s David Sterritt hailed Simba as «a superbly realized character,» specifically praising the scene in which the character «faces discipline by his dad after his adventure with the hyenas.»^[91] Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly wrote that Simba «has been given a marvelously expressive face» to the point of which «He seems more human than the Ken and Barbie types featured in Aladdin and The Little Mermaid.»^[92] Peter Travers of Rolling Stone described «the father-son relationship» shared by Simba and Mufasa as «movingly rendered,»^[93] while About.com’s David Nusair wrote, «it’s the touching father/son stuff that lies at the heart of the movie that cements The Lion King‘s place as an utterly timeless piece of work.»^[94] James Berardinelli of ReelViews enjoyed the fact that the film focuses more on the story of Simba himself as opposed to the romantic relationship developing between the character and Nala. However, Berardinelli criticized Matthew Broderick’s vocal performance, describing it as «nondescript.»^[95] Rob Humanick of Slant Magazine hailed the fact that «it’s never laid on [Simba] that his time as king will directly correspond with the eventual passing of his father» as one of the film’s «most important facets.» However, he criticized The Lion King‘s characters, describing them as well-designed but «lazy and troublesome.»^[96] The Austin Chronicle‘s Robert Faires felt that Simba and the other Lion King characters, though «true», were simply unoriginal retreads of preceding animated characters who were «swiped from other Disney cartoons.»^[97]

Hal Hinson of The Washington Post gave the character a negative review. Labeling Timon and Pumbaa the only interesting characters in The Lion King, Hinson questioned Simba’s role as the film’s hero.^[98] Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times agreed, «A movie’s heroes may have their names above the title, but often as not it’s the sidekicks who get the real work done.» Turan went on to pan Simba, describing him as «irritatingly callow.»^[99] Chris Hick of the Deseret News complained about the fact that Simba and the other «characters in The Lion King are not as warm and fuzzy as other Disney animated features,» crediting this with making «the film a bit tougher to warm [up] to.»^[100] ComingSoon.net strongly panned Simba as a lead character, writing, «typically for Disney animated fare, it’s the hero who is the weak link being both blandly designed and blandly performed.»^[101] Acknowledging the character’s Shakespearean origins, The Baltimore Sun‘s Stephen Hunter gave Simba a negative review, writing, «Alas …Simba stands in for Hamlet, but he’s a lot less complicated; in fact, he’s less complicated than Morris the Cat or Sylvester.» Hunter continued, «Simba the Exile is even less interesting than Simba the Prince.»^[102] Christopher Null of Contactmusic.com was critical of Weaver’s performance as the singing voice of Young Simba, writing, «If there’s anything annoying about the film, it’s the singing. Young Simba sounds like a young Michael Jackson … You almost don’t want him to succeed.» However, Null reacted more positively towards Broderick’s performance.^[103]

Despite the character’s mixed reception, several critics have awarded specific praise to Broderick for his portrayal of Simba, including the San Francisco Chronicle‘s Peter Stack and The Washington Post‘s Desson Howe.^[104][105] Annette Basile of Filmink described Broderick’s performance as «excellent,»^[106] while Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian called it «sumptuous.» Digital Spy’s Mayer Nissim described Broderick’s portrayal of Simba as «wonderful.»^[107]

A number of critics and animators have noted striking similarities between Simba and Kimba, the protagonist of Osamu Tezuka’s 1960s Japanese anime series Kimba the White Lion, and they believe Simba may have been inspired by Kimba.^{[108][109][110][111][112][113][114]}

Impact and popularity

During the film’s opening number, «Circle of Life«, Rafiki introduces a newborn Simba to the crowd of animals gathered at the foot of Pride Rock by holding him high above their heads while parents Mufasa and Sarabi look on.^[10] Since the film’s 1994 release, this scene has grown to iconic status.^[115] In November 2002, singer Michael Jackson sparked controversy by holding his son over the protective railing of a hotel balcony in Berlin. The event was witnessed by a large crowd of spectators who were watching from below.^[116] Some sources have claimed that Jackson was harmlessly attempting to emulate the scene from The Lion King.^[117]

When Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge went into labor with hers and Prince William‘s baby in July 2013, the idea that the couple should reenact the famous scene from The Lion King became quite popular among Twitter users.^[118][119] Radio journalist Darren Simpson reportedly tweeted, «when your baby arrives please re-enact the scene from the Lion King«.^[120] Shortly after Middleton gave birth to a boy, England native Tommy Peto initiated a petition asking the couple to welcome their baby by having the Archbishop of Canterbury emulate the scene by holding him over the balcony of Buckingham Palace. Ultimately, the idea was deemed «outside the responsibility of the government» and was declined.^[121]

The scene has found itself the subject of both reference and parody in various forms of media, such as in the film George of the Jungle (1997).^[122] In what is almost an exact replica of the scene, George, portrayed by actor Brendan Fraser, takes the place of both Rafiki and Mufasa by standing at the tip of Pride Rock and presenting his young son to a crowd of onlooking animals, accompanied by wife Ursula, portrayed by Leslie Mann.^[123]

During the third season finale of Once Upon a Time, the main character Emma Swan asked her parents Snow White and David Nolan if they were going to hold up her yet unnamed baby brother like in The Lion King.^[124]
Since the release of The Lion King in 1994, the name «Simba» has increased in use and popularity among dog and cat owners. According to Comcast in 2010, the use of Simba as a dog name reemerged in popularity in 2009 after experiencing a noticeable decline in 2001, ranking the name ninth out of 10 on its list of «Top 10 Trendiest Dog Names of the Year.»^[125] In May 2013, Yahoo! Lifestyle included the name on its list of «Trendiest Dog Names.»^[126] According to YouPet, Simba is the 17th most popular cat name out of 100 candidates.^[127] Care2 included Simba in its article «All-around Cool Cat Names,»^[128] while DutchNews.nl reported that Simba ranks among the country’s most popular cat names as of July 2013.^[129] In its list of «Top Popular Pet Names,» BabyNames.com placed Simba at number 64 on its list of most popular dog names out of the 100 that were considered.^[130]

References

For other uses, see Simba (disambiguation).

Simba
The Lion King character
Simba, as a cub
First Episode Appearance	The Lion King (1994)
Created by	Irene Mecchi Jonathan Roberts Linda Woolverton
Character played by	Matthew Broderick (adult; main 3 films) Jonathan Taylor Thomas (cub; 1st film) Joseph Williams (adult; singing; 1st film) Jason Weaver (cub; singing; 1st film) Matt Weinberg (cub; The Lion King 1½) Cam Clarke (various sequels and merchandise) Rob Lowe (The Lion Guard and television film) Donald Glover (adult; 2019 remake) JD McCrary (cub; 2019 remake)
In-universe information
Species	Lion
Gender	Male
Family	Mufasa (father) Sarabi (mother) Sarafina (mother-in-law) Kovu (son-in-law) Rani (daughter-in-law) Scar (uncle) Ahadi (paternal grandfather) Uru (paternal grandmother) Mohatu (paternal great-grandfather)
Spouse	Nala (wife)
Children	Kiara (daughter) Kion (son)

Simba is the main character of Disney’s The Lion King franchise. Introduced in Walt Disney Animation’s 32nd animated feature film The Lion King (1994), the character subsequently appears in The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride (1998) and The Lion King 1½ (2004) as well as the 2019 remake of the original film, which is the most recent appearance. Simba was created by screenwriters Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts and Linda Woolverton. While Mark Henn served as Simba’s supervising animator as a cub, Ruben A. Aquino animated the character as he appears as an adult.

Simba was inspired by the character Bambi from Disney’s Bambi (1942), Osamu Tezuka’s anime Kimba the White Lion, as well as the stories of Moses and Joseph from the Bible. Additionally, several similarities have been drawn between Simba and Prince Hamlet from William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. In 1997, The Lion King was adapted into a Broadway musical, with actors Scott Irby-Ranniar and Jason Raize originating the roles of the cub and adult Simbas, respectively. JD McCrary and Donald Glover voice the cub and adult Simba respectively in the CGI remake.

Name

Simba is a Swahili word for lion, reflecting Simba’s origins in sub-Saharan Africa. It also has other definitions, such as king, strong, or aggressive.^[1]

Development

Conception

The idea for The Lion King originated from Disney chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg in 1988^[3] and was originally conceived under the title King of the Jungle.^[4] The story, which has been compared to Bambi (1942),^[5] was jokingly referred to as «Bambi in Africa» because of the similarities between the two films and their respective main characters.^[6] Co-director Rob Minkoff said that both films are «more true-life adventure than mythical epic.»^[6] Though considered an original^[7][8] coming-of-age^[9] story that follows the life of Simba as he grows up and «tak[es] on the responsibility of adulthood,» co-directors Roger Allers and Minkoff drew inspiration from other sources. In particular, the biblical figures Moses and Joseph served as creative inspiration for the character.^[10] Producer Don Hahn said that, like them, Simba is «born into royalty, is then exiled, and has to return to claim [his] kingdom.»^[11]

Unlike the studio’s three previous films The Little Mermaid (1989), Beauty and the Beast (1991) and Aladdin (1992) which are essentially love stories, The Lion King revolves around Simba’s relationship with his father instead, which Allers identified as «The real heart and emotional underpinning of the whole story».^[12] In April 1992, the filmmakers hosted a «brainstorming session» in which much of the film’s original story was largely re-written, particularly Simba’s personality.^[12] Originally, Simba was intended to remain with the pride after Mufasa’s death until this idea was re-written in order to make the character more «likable and sympathetic.»^[12]

Several film and entertainment critics have noted similarities and parallels between the stories of The Lion King and William Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet, and their protagonists.^{[13][14][15][16]} Allers said that these similarities were not initially intentional and came as a surprise to the filmmakers themselves; they noticed the similarities only after the story was established and they eventually decided to pursue it. According to Hahn, «When we first pitched the revised outline of the movie … someone in the room announced that its themes and relationships were similar to Hamlet. Everyone responded favorably to the idea that we were doing something Shakespearean, so we continued to look for ways to model our film on that all-time classic.»^[11]

Screenwriter Jonathan Roberts said that, in a musical, songs are used to convey a character’s emotions and «I wants.» Composer Elton John and lyricist Tim Rice wrote the song «I Just Can’t Wait to Be King» in order to give Simba a medium through which he can express his desire to become King of the Pride Lands. Roberts said, «It’s a way for storytellers to move the story and deliver the direction of the character.»^[17]

Voice

File:Matthew Broderick 2012.jpg

Matthew Broderick provided the speaking voice of adult Simba.^[18] The first actor to be assigned to The Lion King,^[8] Broderick learned of the role while he was on vacation in Ireland, where he received a telephone call from his agent informing him that the directors were interested in casting him as Simba after seeing his film Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986).^[19] The directors decided to cast him as Simba because they felt that he was «perfect» for the role; according to producer Don Hahn, Broderick’s voice resembled «the kind of character who could be irresponsible and likeable, but you also felt that he could come back in a very heroic way.»^[20] Minkoff recalled that the actor «was able to humanize the hero character … and give Simba a lot of depth», preventing the hero from «becoming 2-dimensional» using «brought a great deal of sensitivity and thoughtfulness to the role along with sincerity and a sense of humor.»^[12] Jonathan Taylor Thomas, who was starring as Randy Taylor on the television sitcom Home Improvement at the time,^[21] was cast as the speaking voice of Young Simba.^[22] His appearance and personality would later serve as creative inspiration for supervising animator Mark Henn.^[7]

Despite often singing in his work, Broderick opted not to perform his own vocals in the film.^[23] Toto lead singer Joseph Williams and actor Jason Weaver were hired to dub their respective singing voices. Williams’ voice is heard on the song «Can You Feel the Love Tonight«.^[24] Impressed by Weaver’s performance as a young Michael Jackson in the miniseries The Jacksons: An American Dream, songwriters Elton John and Tim Rice recruited him to record «I Just Can’t Wait to Be King» and «Hakuna Matata«^[25] while the film was still in its early stages of production.^[26] As directors, Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff worked closely with the actors in order to ensure credible performances.^[27] As is frequently done in animated films, the filmmakers videotaped the actors while they recorded their dialogue, allowing the animators to incorporate their specific mannerisms into the designs of their characters.^[28]

Personality and design

When The Lion King was green-lit, its concept and story were not well received by studio employees. To guarantee the release of at least one successful film, Disney chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg divided the studio into two separate projects: The Lion King and Pocahontas (1995), with Pocahontas expected to be the more successful of the two. Because of this assumption, the majority of the studio’s more seasoned animators gravitated towards Pocahontas because The Lion King was deemed a «risk», while less experienced animators were assigned to work on The Lion King.^[29] Co-director Rob Minkoff received this positively, saying that this decision «gave a lot of newer animators a chance to step up to leadership roles.»^[30]

The role of animating Simba was divided between Ruben A. Aquino and Mark Henn, the former of whom was the first animator to be assigned to the project.^[12] While Henn served as the supervising animator of Simba as a cub, credited as Young Simba,^[32] Aquino was placed in charge of animating the character as he appears as an adult.^[33] The Lion King was Disney’s first animated feature film to feature absolutely no humans since Robin Hood (1973). According to Aquino, animating four-legged creatures is difficult because the artists are faced with the task of drawing «twice as many legs … as you do with human characters» and must also attribute to them both human and animal-like qualities. For assistance, Aquino drew influence from previous animated films that feature four-legged creatures as their main characters, citing Bambi, Lady and the Tramp (1955) and The Jungle Book (1967) as his main sources of inspiration.^[34]

File:Tlkiisp-simba.png

Before The Lion King, Henn’s experience as a supervising animator was limited to predominantly female characters;^[5][35] he had just recently completed work on Ariel from The Little Mermaid (1989), Belle from Beauty and the Beast (1991) and Jasmine from Aladdin (1992).^[31] When he became involved with The Lion King, Henn initially expressed interest in animating the film’s villain, Scar, because he wanted to do «something different.»^[5] However, producer Don Hahn felt that he was better suited for animating Simba.^[36] Henn approaches animating new characters by «put[ting himself] into the character’s situation.» Simba proved to be a challenge because Henn was faced with the task of creating an animated character who would both appear and behave like a real lion cub. To achieve this, Henn visited zoos, sketched and studied live lion cubs that were brought into the studio for research, and frequently consulted with wildlife experts.^[37] Simba’s short hair follows from the extreme heat of the lion’s native climate, as does the thickness of the skin depicted on each paw, allowing him to swiftly navigate the grasslands.

When it came time to animate Simba during the «I Just Can’t Wait to Be King» musical sequence, Henn felt it essential that the character remain on all fours at all times, despite the fact that he is meant to be dancing.^[35] In terms of personality, Henn aimed to depict Simba as a «cocky, confident character» at the beginning of the film, who must eventually mature and learn to take responsibility.^[5] The animators would often observe and document the voice actors while they recorded their dialogue, using their movements and mannerisms as a visual aid. Actor Jonathan Taylor Thomas, who provided the voice of Young Simba, served as inspiration for the design and personality of Simba. Henn said, «I loved watching Jonathan Taylor Thomas when he was a boy on Home Improvement, and getting to meet him and observe him.»^[38] Although Aquino was responsible for animating the majority of Simba’s adult sequences, Henn animated the character’s first appearance as an adult that occurs near the end of the «Hakuna Matata» musical number.^[39]

Appearances

The Lion King

Released in theaters in 1994, The Lion King marks Simba’s first appearance. All the animals in the Pride Lands gather at the foot of Pride Rock to commemorate the birth of Simba, who will eventually succeed to the throne and take his father Mufasa’s place as king. Furious by the fact that he is no longer next in line, Simba’s jealous uncle Scar refuses to attend the ceremony. While Simba grows into a rambunctious lion cub who frequently boasts about the fact that he will someday rule over the Pride Lands, Scar secretly plots against him.

Scar plots regicide and familicide against Simba and Mufasa by luring Simba into a vast gorge, where he triggers a wildebeest stampede. Notified by Scar that Simba is in danger, Mufasa rushes to his aid and manages to place him safely on a ledge. Weakened and unable to pull himself up the steep slope to safety, Mufasa asks his brother for assistance. However, Scar’s true nature is revealed and he betrays Mufasa, throwing him into the gorge where he is killed by the fall.

Convinced by Scar that he is responsible for his father’s death, Simba runs away to a distant jungle where he is befriended by Timon and Pumbaa, who teach him to ignore his past and avoid his responsibilities. There, he grows into an adult lion, while Scar wreaks havoc on the Pride Lands. When Simba is discovered by his childhood friend named Nala, she confronts him, warning him of Scar’s tyranny and begging him to return home. Afraid of facing his past, Simba refuses until a wise mandrill named Rafiki leads him to Mufasa’s ghost, who convinces him to return home and reclaim his kingdom from Scar.^[40]

Simba returns to the Pride Lands with Nala, Timon and Pumbaa and finds them barren because their natural resources have been squandered and abused by Scar. After witnessing Scar strike his mother Sarabi, Simba orders Scar to resign. At first thrown by the fact that he is alive, Scar soon regains composure and forces Simba to reveal that he is responsible for Mufasa’s death, while cornering him at the edge of Pride Rock, hoping to subject him to a similar fate as his father. Having grown overconfident, Scar finally reveals to Simba that he killed Mufasa. Furious, Simba tackles Scar and forces him into announcing this to the pride, initiating a battle between Simba’s pride of lionesses, Timon, Pumbaa and Scar’s army of hyenas. Simba eventually defeats Scar and throws him into a pit, where he is cornered and killed by the hyenas, who overheard Scar blame them for what he’d done. Simba then takes his rightful place as king. When the kingdom returns to its former glory, the animals welcome the birth of King Simba and Queen Nala’s firstborn.^[41]

The Lion King 2: Simba’s Pride

Main article: The Lion King 2: Simba’s Pride

A direct-to-video sequel released in 1998, Simba’s Pride picks up immediately where the first film left off, depicting Simba and Nala as king and queen of the Pride Lands. In a ceremony at Pride Rock, the Pride Lands commemorate the birth of Simba and Nala’s daughter Kiara, whom Simba is overprotective of. He discovers that Kiara has disobeyed him by visiting the forbidden Outlands, home to an enemy pride of Scar’s followers known as the Outsiders, and befriending a young member of the pride named Kovu. After a close confrontation with Kovu’s mother Zira, the leader of the Outsiders and Scar’s most loyal follower, Simba separates the two and reminds Kiara of her responsibilities as the future queen. Meanwhile, Zira plots to manipulate Kovu to exact revenge on Simba for Scar’s death.

Several years later, Simba grants an adolescent Kiara’s request to embark on her first hunt, but has Timon and Pumbaa follow her in secret. Realizing this, Kiara rebels and pursue her hunt outside of the Pride Lands, where she nearly falls victim to a wildfire. Kiara is rescued by Kovu, who returns her to the Pride Lands, which is actually part of Zira’s plan to overthrow Simba. Saying that he has left the Outsiders, Kovu asks Simba to let him join his pride. Simba reluctantly accepts, but distrusts Kovu because of his similarities to Scar, and continues to treat him ruthlessly. That night, Simba has a nightmare about attempting to save his father Mufasa from falling into the stampede but is stopped by Scar who turns into Kovu and throws Simba off the cliff into the stampede.

While Kiara and Kovu’s friendship continues to grow, Simba, encouraged by Nala, attempts to show Kovu kindness by spending a day with him. Realizing that Kovu is beginning to side with Simba because of his love for Kiara, Zira ambushes and attacks Simba. Convinced by Zira that Kovu is responsible for the ambush, Simba exiles him and forbids Kiara to see him, but she makes her father realize that he is acting irrationally and trying too hard to be Mufasa, before leaving to find Kovu. When a battle ensues between the Pride Landers and the Outsiders, Kiara and Kovu arrive and stop them, with Kiara telling them that they are one, helping Simba to realize that despite their hatred for one another they are the same. This convinced Simba to accept the Outsiders back to his pride. When a furious Zira attacks Simba, she is intercepted by Kiara, causing the two to fall over the edge of a cliff. Having landed safely on a ledge, Kiara offers to help Zira, who is struggling to hang on. However, Zira, consumed by her resentment towards Simba, falls to her death. Simba finally approves of Kiara’s love for Kovu and reconciles with his daughter, and accepts the two lions as the future king and queen of the Pride Lands.^[42]

The Lion King 3: Hakuna Matata!

Main article: The Lion King 3: Hakuna Matata!

In The Lion King 3: Hakuna Matata!, a direct-to-video followup released in 2004, Simba appears as a less prominent character because the film’s primary focus is on Timon and Pumbaa’s behind-the-scenes role and involvement in The Lion King,^[43][44] in which they appear as supporting characters. Although the two films technically share the same story and timeline, the plot of The Lion King 3: Hakuna Matata! focuses more on Timon and Pumbaa. The meerkat and warthog unknowingly coexist alongside Simba, and the story fills in the two characters’ backstories and events that led up to their long-lasting friendship, coinciding with and often initiating the events that affect Simba’s life during the first film. These events include the commemorative bow that occurs during the opening «Circle of Life» musical number and the collapsing of the animal tower that takes place during «I Just Can’t Wait to Be King.»^[45] The film also explores, in further detail, the relationship among the three characters as Timon and Pumbaa struggle to raise Simba as adoptive «parents» and disapprove of his relationship with Nala, portraying Simba as he grows from an energetic young lion cub, into an incorrigible teenager and, finally, an independent young lion.^[46]

The Lion King (2019)

Walt Disney Pictures has released an animated version of 1994 movie The Lion King. ^{[47] [48]} The movie was released on July 19, 2019, directed and produced by Jon Favreau and written by Jeff Nathanson. ^{[49] [50]} In this version, Donald Glover was cast for the role of Simba. ^[51][52][53]
Glover said that «[The Lion King is] a timeless story, but [he thinks] the way Favreau has constructed it, it’s a very timely story as well» and said that «[he] just wanted to be a part of a global good».^[54] The actor who previously work with Favreau in Marvel Cinematic Universe film Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017).
Glover said that the film will focus more on Simba’s time growing-up than the original film did, stating that «[Jon] was very keen in making sure we saw [Simba’s] transition from boy to man and how hard that can be when there’s been a deep trauma».^[55] On November 1, 2017, JD McCrary was cast as young Simba.^[56] McCrary said that «Donald Glover is so talented that [he] actually did have to take it into consideration, because if Simba is going to grow up to be some sort of figure and you know of it, you have to keep that motive».^[57]

Hindi Dub Version (2019)

The 2019 computer-animated version of The Lion King also has an alternate Hindi-Dub version ^[58][59] which was released on the same date as the original movie.^[60] In this the Aryan Khan, the son of Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, has lent his voice for the role of Simba.^[61][62][63]

Timon & Pumbaa and television

Main article: Timon & Pumbaa (TV series)

The success of The Lion King and popularity of its characters led to the production of Timon & Pumbaa, an animated television series starring Timon and Pumbaa. Simba makes several appearances, including one episode in which Timon drags him out to try to revive Pumbaa’s lost memory.

In the episode «Congo On Like This,» Timon and Pumbaa (especially Timon) suspect that Simba has reverted to his carnivorous nature. The episode «Shake Your Djibouti» again features Simba, when Timon and Pumbaa are forced to train him to protect them from a laboratory monster. Another episode, entitled «Rome Alone,» shows Simba being captured by Romans and forced into gladiatorial battle with another lion named Claudius. Simba makes brief appearances in «Once Upon a Timon», «Zazu’s Off-By-One Day», and «Beethoven’s Whiff». He also appears in a music video of «The Lion Sleeps Tonight«.

Simba was featured as a guest in the animated series House of Mouse, in which he alternates between cub and adult.

The Lion Guard

Main article: The Lion Guard

In January 2016, a new series called The Lion Guard premiered, following a television pilot film The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar in November 2015. Set within the time gap in The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride,^[64] it features Kion who is the son and youngest child of Simba and Nala, who as the second-born cub, is tasked with assembling a team to protect the Pride Lands.^[65]

Broadway musical

Main article: The Lion King (musical)

The success of The Lion King led to the production of a Broadway musical based on the film. Directed by Julie Taymor, with a book by Irene Mecchi and Roger Allers, The Lion King premiered at the New Amsterdam Theatre on November 13, 1997, where it ran for nine years until being moved to the Minskoff Theatre on June 13, 2006.^[66] The role of Simba was originated by Scott Irby-Ranniar and Jason Raize, with Irby-Ranniar portraying Young Simba and Raize portraying Adult Simba.^[67]

Raize auditioned for the role of Adult Simba after hearing that Taymor was looking to cast an actor who was of «unidentifiable ethnicity.»^[68] Raize revealed in an interview that there was a lot of competition for the role because the musical required «triple-threat work — singing, dancing and acting — that you don’t get to such an extent in other shows. It was more the sense of who can take the challenge and not be daunted by the task.» Raize, who instantly felt that he «had a connection with Simba,» eventually won the role with the approval of Taymor and choreographer Garth Fagan,^[69] with Fagan admiring the fact that Raize was «willing to try, to fail, and then to try again.»^[9] Once cast, Raize found it difficult to maintain Taymor’s «sense of duality» because Simba is «both man and beast.» He said, «The tendency is to sacrifice one for the other, but you can’t.»^[70] Although hundreds of children auditioned for the role of Young Simba,^[71] the casting process was far less grueling for Irby-Ranniar who, according to Taymor, simply «walked in and he had the part.»^[72]

Miscellaneous

Books

In 1994, a six-volume book set titled The Lion King: Six New Adventures were released. Set after the events of the first film, they featured a cub named Kopa, who was the son of Simba and Nala.

Merchandising and video games

As part of the franchise‘s merchandising, Simba has appeared in various The Lion King-related products.^[73] The character’s likeness has been used in and adapted into a variety of items, including plush toys and figurines, clothing, bedding, household decor and appliances.^[74] The success of the Broadway musical has also led to its own line of merchandising,^[75] including the Simba beanbag doll, based on the character’s appearance and costume in the Broadway show.^[76][77]

Since the film’s 1994 debut, Simba has appeared as a playable character in a variety of video game releases, both directly and indirectly associated with the franchise. The character’s first appearance as a video game character was in The Lion King, which was released by Virgin Interactive on November 1, 1994, for the video game platforms Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Game Gear, Nintendo Entertainment System, and PC.^[78] The game follows the plot of the original film and features Simba as both a cub and an adult.^[79]

On December 28, 2000,^[80] Activision released The Lion King: Simba’s Mighty Adventure for Game Boy Color and PlayStation.^[81] The game encompasses 10 levels and incorporates the plot of both The Lion King and The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride as «Simba … matures from a precocious cub to an adult lion.»^[82] Simba also appears as a playable character in Disney Interactive Studios’ Disney’s Extreme Skate Adventure, released on September 3, 2003, for Game Boy Advance, PlayStation 2, GameCube and Xbox,^[83] and Disney Friends , released for Nintendo DS on February 26, 2008.^[84] Additionally, Simba appears in the Square Enix Kingdom Hearts video game franchise as a friend and ally of the series’ main character, Sora.^{[85][86][87][88][89]}

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts

Live versions of Simba appear in the Lion King musical and in the parades and shows at the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.

Simba was also the main character in «Legend of the Lion King,» a former Fantasyland attraction in Walt Disney World‘s Magic Kingdom, which retold the story of the film using fully articulated puppets. Other Disney attractions that have featured Simba include the Mickey’s PhilharMagic 3D show and the Hong Kong Disneyland version of It’s a Small World.

He appeared as one of the main characters at Epcot’s Land Pavilion 12-minute edutainment film Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable, until its closure in 2018. He currently appears in animatronic form in Festival of the Lion King at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Reception and legacy

Critical response

Although The Lion King itself has garnered universal acclaim from film critics,^[90] reception towards Simba has been generally mixed. The Christian Science Monitor‘s David Sterritt hailed Simba as «a superbly realized character,» specifically praising the scene in which the character «faces discipline by his dad after his adventure with the hyenas.»^[91] Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly wrote that Simba «has been given a marvelously expressive face» to the point of which «He seems more human than the Ken and Barbie types featured in Aladdin and The Little Mermaid.»^[92] Peter Travers of Rolling Stone described «the father-son relationship» shared by Simba and Mufasa as «movingly rendered,»^[93] while About.com’s David Nusair wrote, «it’s the touching father/son stuff that lies at the heart of the movie that cements The Lion King‘s place as an utterly timeless piece of work.»^[94] James Berardinelli of ReelViews enjoyed the fact that the film focuses more on the story of Simba himself as opposed to the romantic relationship developing between the character and Nala. However, Berardinelli criticized Matthew Broderick’s vocal performance, describing it as «nondescript.»^[95] Rob Humanick of Slant Magazine hailed the fact that «it’s never laid on [Simba] that his time as king will directly correspond with the eventual passing of his father» as one of the film’s «most important facets.» However, he criticized The Lion King‘s characters, describing them as well-designed but «lazy and troublesome.»^[96] The Austin Chronicle‘s Robert Faires felt that Simba and the other Lion King characters, though «true», were simply unoriginal retreads of preceding animated characters who were «swiped from other Disney cartoons.»^[97]

Hal Hinson of The Washington Post gave the character a negative review. Labeling Timon and Pumbaa the only interesting characters in The Lion King, Hinson questioned Simba’s role as the film’s hero.^[98] Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times agreed, «A movie’s heroes may have their names above the title, but often as not it’s the sidekicks who get the real work done.» Turan went on to pan Simba, describing him as «irritatingly callow.»^[99] Chris Hick of the Deseret News complained about the fact that Simba and the other «characters in The Lion King are not as warm and fuzzy as other Disney animated features,» crediting this with making «the film a bit tougher to warm [up] to.»^[100] ComingSoon.net strongly panned Simba as a lead character, writing, «typically for Disney animated fare, it’s the hero who is the weak link being both blandly designed and blandly performed.»^[101] Acknowledging the character’s Shakespearean origins, The Baltimore Sun‘s Stephen Hunter gave Simba a negative review, writing, «Alas …Simba stands in for Hamlet, but he’s a lot less complicated; in fact, he’s less complicated than Morris the Cat or Sylvester.» Hunter continued, «Simba the Exile is even less interesting than Simba the Prince.»^[102] Christopher Null of Contactmusic.com was critical of Weaver’s performance as the singing voice of Young Simba, writing, «If there’s anything annoying about the film, it’s the singing. Young Simba sounds like a young Michael Jackson … You almost don’t want him to succeed.» However, Null reacted more positively towards Broderick’s performance.^[103]

Despite the character’s mixed reception, several critics have awarded specific praise to Broderick for his portrayal of Simba, including the San Francisco Chronicle‘s Peter Stack and The Washington Post‘s Desson Howe.^[104][105] Annette Basile of Filmink described Broderick’s performance as «excellent,»^[106] while Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian called it «sumptuous.» Digital Spy’s Mayer Nissim described Broderick’s portrayal of Simba as «wonderful.»^[107]

A number of critics and animators have noted striking similarities between Simba and Kimba, the protagonist of Osamu Tezuka’s 1960s Japanese anime series Kimba the White Lion, and they believe Simba may have been inspired by Kimba.^{[108][109][110][111][112][113][114]}

Impact and popularity

During the film’s opening number, «Circle of Life«, Rafiki introduces a newborn Simba to the crowd of animals gathered at the foot of Pride Rock by holding him high above their heads while parents Mufasa and Sarabi look on.^[10] Since the film’s 1994 release, this scene has grown to iconic status.^[115] In November 2002, singer Michael Jackson sparked controversy by holding his son over the protective railing of a hotel balcony in Berlin. The event was witnessed by a large crowd of spectators who were watching from below.^[116] Some sources have claimed that Jackson was harmlessly attempting to emulate the scene from The Lion King.^[117]

When Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge went into labor with hers and Prince William‘s baby in July 2013, the idea that the couple should reenact the famous scene from The Lion King became quite popular among Twitter users.^[118][119] Radio journalist Darren Simpson reportedly tweeted, «when your baby arrives please re-enact the scene from the Lion King«.^[120] Shortly after Middleton gave birth to a boy, England native Tommy Peto initiated a petition asking the couple to welcome their baby by having the Archbishop of Canterbury emulate the scene by holding him over the balcony of Buckingham Palace. Ultimately, the idea was deemed «outside the responsibility of the government» and was declined.^[121]

The scene has found itself the subject of both reference and parody in various forms of media, such as in the film George of the Jungle (1997).^[122] In what is almost an exact replica of the scene, George, portrayed by actor Brendan Fraser, takes the place of both Rafiki and Mufasa by standing at the tip of Pride Rock and presenting his young son to a crowd of onlooking animals, accompanied by wife Ursula, portrayed by Leslie Mann.^[123]

During the third season finale of Once Upon a Time, the main character Emma Swan asked her parents Snow White and David Nolan if they were going to hold up her yet unnamed baby brother like in The Lion King.^[124]
Since the release of The Lion King in 1994, the name «Simba» has increased in use and popularity among dog and cat owners. According to Comcast in 2010, the use of Simba as a dog name reemerged in popularity in 2009 after experiencing a noticeable decline in 2001, ranking the name ninth out of 10 on its list of «Top 10 Trendiest Dog Names of the Year.»^[125] In May 2013, Yahoo! Lifestyle included the name on its list of «Trendiest Dog Names.»^[126] According to YouPet, Simba is the 17th most popular cat name out of 100 candidates.^[127] Care2 included Simba in its article «All-around Cool Cat Names,»^[128] while DutchNews.nl reported that Simba ranks among the country’s most popular cat names as of July 2013.^[129] In its list of «Top Popular Pet Names,» BabyNames.com placed Simba at number 64 on its list of most popular dog names out of the 100 that were considered.^[130]

References