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Leo the Lion (anime)
Encyclopedia
is a sequel to the Japanese-American co-produced series "Jungle Emperor", or Kimba the White Lion
. Osamu Tezuka
had always wanted his story of Kimba to follow Kimba's entire life, and the Jungle Emperor/Kimba series was such a hit in Japan that Dr. Tezuka produced a sequel, without his American partners, in 1966.
Making the series without a co-producer gave him complete creative control. For example, Dr. Tezuka changed the conclusion of his original manga story (represented in the last two episodes of this series) to a happy ending.
Leo the Lion does not follow immediately from the end of the Kimba series. Instead, the story begins a couple of years following the end of the previous series. To English-speaking audiences, the behavior of the title character is inexplicably out of line with what was established in the first series. At the end of the first series, in the original Japanese script, Kimba promises to keep his animals separate from humans. It is this promise that drives the seemingly hermit-like Leo in this series.
As the series unfolds, the focus shifts from the title character to one of his cubs, the male named Rune. This series as a whole is about Rune's growth, from a whining weakling to a confident leader.
The Japanese series was dubbed into English seventeen years after its creation on the CBN
Cable Network, when it was given the title "Leo The Lion", Leo being the original Japanese name for the character known as Kimba in most of the world.
The American theme song was written by Mark Boccaccio and Susan Brunet of SONIC-Sound International Corporation.
adapted with permission from content on www.kimbawlion.com
English language cast list not available.
Kimba the White Lion
, known in the United States as Kimba the White Lion, is an anime series from the 1960s. Created by Osamu Tezuka and based on his manga of the same title which began publication in 1950, it was the first color animated television series created in Japan. The manga was first published in serialized...
. Osamu Tezuka
Osamu Tezuka
was a Japanese cartoonist, manga artist, animator, producer, activist and medical doctor, although he never practiced medicine. Born in Osaka Prefecture, he is best known as the creator of Astro Boy, Kimba the White Lion and Black Jack...
had always wanted his story of Kimba to follow Kimba's entire life, and the Jungle Emperor/Kimba series was such a hit in Japan that Dr. Tezuka produced a sequel, without his American partners, in 1966.
Making the series without a co-producer gave him complete creative control. For example, Dr. Tezuka changed the conclusion of his original manga story (represented in the last two episodes of this series) to a happy ending.
Leo the Lion does not follow immediately from the end of the Kimba series. Instead, the story begins a couple of years following the end of the previous series. To English-speaking audiences, the behavior of the title character is inexplicably out of line with what was established in the first series. At the end of the first series, in the original Japanese script, Kimba promises to keep his animals separate from humans. It is this promise that drives the seemingly hermit-like Leo in this series.
As the series unfolds, the focus shifts from the title character to one of his cubs, the male named Rune. This series as a whole is about Rune's growth, from a whining weakling to a confident leader.
The Japanese series was dubbed into English seventeen years after its creation on the CBN
Christian Broadcasting Network
The Christian Broadcasting Network, or CBN, is a fundamentalist Christian television broadcasting network in the United States. Its headquarters and main studios are in Virginia Beach, Virginia.-Background:...
Cable Network, when it was given the title "Leo The Lion", Leo being the original Japanese name for the character known as Kimba in most of the world.
The American theme song was written by Mark Boccaccio and Susan Brunet of SONIC-Sound International Corporation.
adapted with permission from content on www.kimbawlion.com
Characters
Some believe that Leo's cub Rune is Leo himself, but that is not true. Leo is actually grown up to a full adult lion with white skin. Also, unlike the previous series, the producers of the English-dubbed version of this series used the original Japanese names for nearly all the characters:- Leo
- Lea
- LoLo
- Coco
- Mandy
- Rune and Rukio
- Squawk
- Tommy
- Rick The Lycon
- Grandpa Leopard
- Mr. Hunter
- Rhino
- Bizo
- Pagoola
- The Saber-Toothed Tiger
- Triceratops Herd
- Huge The Gorilla
- Zamba the Blue Lion
- The Ceratosaurus
- The Mahamba
English language cast list not available.