迪士尼於1994年推出的經典動畫電影《獅子王》（The Lion King），與日本漫畫大師手塚治虫在1950年代創作的代表作《森林大帝》（又名《小白獅王》，Kimba the White Lion）之間的相似性，長年以來一直是動畫史上最具爭議、也最常被討論的「抄襲疑雲」之一。這場爭議不僅牽涉到具體畫面與角色設定，更延伸到文化影響、創作倫理，以及東西方動畫產業權力結構的問題，因此至今仍反覆被影迷與學者拿出來檢視。

爭議的核心，來自於兩部作品在角色、情節與視覺呈現上的高度重疊感。首先是主角設定，《獅子王》的主角名為Simba，而《森林大帝》的主角則是 Kimba，兩者僅一字之差。迪士尼方面解釋，Simba在斯瓦希里語中本來就意為「獅子」，屬於合理命名，但在觀眾眼中，這種近乎鏡像的命名仍難免引發聯想，尤其是在角色本身同樣是年幼獅王、肩負王權與責任成長的敘事結構下，更顯得耐人尋味。

在視覺與分鏡層面，爭議更為集中。兩部作品中都出現幼獅站在高聳岩石頂端，俯瞰並接受萬獸朝拜的畫面；反派角色皆為臉部帶有疤痕的雄獅；主角在迷惘或低潮時，透過天空、星辰或雲霧中「亡父的幻影」獲得精神指引。這些場景不僅概念相似，甚至在構圖、角度與情緒節奏上都被指出有高度重疊之處，使得不少動畫評論者認為，這已超出「類型片共通語言」的範圍。

配角的相似性同樣加深了外界質疑。兩部作品中皆出現擔任輔助與說書角色的鳥類夥伴，一邊是犀鳥，一邊是鸚鵡，性格皆偏向聒噪、機智又帶點喜感；同時也有具有神秘、智慧形象的狒狒或山魈角色，扮演精神導師或長老；反派身邊則都配置成群的鬣狗，作為象徵混亂與暴力的爪牙。這些元素的重疊，使許多觀眾直覺認為《獅子王》在世界觀建構上，與《森林大帝》存在難以忽視的借鑑關係。

面對外界質疑，迪士尼始終堅持《獅子王》是公司首部完全「原創故事」的動畫長片，並表示創作靈感主要來自莎士比亞的《哈姆雷特》以及《舊約聖經》中關於王權與流放的敘事結構。迪士尼高層多次強調，參與製作的核心團隊在創作前並未接觸或研究《森林大帝》。然而，這一說法也曾因細節而動搖，例如主角 Simba 的英文配音員Matthew Broderick就曾在訪談中坦言，他最初接到邀約時，誤以為自己參與的是美國版《小白獅王》，這段發言至今仍被視為爭議中的關鍵插曲。

另一方面，手塚治虫的後繼者──手塚製作公司（Tezuka Productions）與手塚家族，則採取相對溫和的立場。儘管在《獅子王》上映後，超過 400 位日本漫畫家與動畫人聯署，公開要求迪士尼對手塚治虫給予應有的尊重與致敬，其中不乏里中滿智子等重量級創作者，但手塚製作最終並未提出法律訴訟。公司負責人表示，兩部作品在主題層次上仍有差異，《森林大帝》更偏向人與自然共存、反戰與環境倫理，而《獅子王》則聚焦於王權繼承與個人成長。他們也認為，若手塚治虫本人仍在世，或許會對自己的作品能夠啟發世界最大動畫公司之一感到某種程度的欣慰。

進入 2020 年代後，學界與影像研究者也開始對這場長年爭議進行更冷靜的重新檢視。有研究指出，網路上流傳甚廣的許多「對照圖」，其實使用的是 1997 年推出的《森林大帝》劇場版畫面，而該版本是在《獅子王》上映三年後才製作完成的。這代表部分畫面相似性，可能是後來的《森林大帝》動畫反向受到《獅子王》影響，進而在比較時被誤認為原始抄襲證據，無形中放大指控的力度。

從更長遠的歷史脈絡來看，這場疑雲本身其實充滿諷刺意味。手塚治虫本人正是華特．迪士尼的忠實崇拜者，他早期的畫風與敘事方式深受《小鹿斑比》等迪士尼動畫影響，而《森林大帝》也被視為日本對迪士尼自然主義與情感敘事的一種在地化回應。也因此，有不少影迷將《獅子王》與《森林大帝》的相似性，視為一種「跨世代、跨文化的循環致敬」，只是當創作者從個人藝術家，變成全球娛樂巨頭時，這種借鑑便不可避免地被放大為道德與產業層面的爭議。

總體而言，《獅子王》與《森林大帝》的抄襲疑雲，已不僅是「有沒有抄」的簡單是非題，而是一個關於創作影響、文化權力與商業規模差異的複雜案例。它提醒人們，在全球化娛樂產業中，靈感、致敬與挪用之間的界線，往往並不清晰，而這正是這場爭議歷經數十年仍持續被討論的根本原因。

The similarities between Disney’s 1994 animated classic The Lion King and Japanese manga master Osamu Tezuka’s 1950s work Jungle Emperor (also known as Kimba the White Lion) have long been regarded as one of the most famous and controversial “plagiarism disputes” in animation history. This controversy goes beyond individual scenes or character designs and extends into broader discussions of cultural influence, creative ethics, and the power imbalance between Eastern and Western animation industries. As a result, it continues to be revisited by fans and scholars alike.

At the heart of the debate are the striking similarities in characters, narrative structure, and visual presentation. One of the most frequently cited points is the protagonists’ names: Simba in The Lion King and Kimba in Jungle Emperor, differing by only a single letter. Disney has explained that “Simba” simply means “lion” in Swahili and is therefore a natural choice. Nevertheless, to many viewers, the near-identical naming—combined with the shared premise of a young lion prince growing up under the burden of kingship—makes the resemblance difficult to ignore.

The controversy becomes even more pronounced at the visual and cinematic level. Both works feature scenes in which a young lion stands atop a towering rock, overlooking the land and receiving the reverence of other animals. In both stories, the main antagonist is a male lion marked by a facial scar, and the protagonist encounters the spirit or image of his deceased father in the sky, clouds, or stars during moments of doubt. These scenes are not only conceptually similar but, according to many critics, also resemble one another in composition, camera angles, and emotional tone, leading some to argue that they go beyond the conventions of genre storytelling.

Supporting characters further fuel the comparison. Each work includes a talkative, often humorous bird serving as a companion or advisor; a wise, elder primate figure—such as a baboon or mandrill—who acts as a spiritual guide; and a group of hyenas functioning as the villain’s henchmen and symbols of chaos. The accumulation of these parallels has led many viewers to believe that The Lion King borrowed heavily from Jungle Emperor in constructing its world and character dynamics.

Disney has consistently denied these claims, maintaining that The Lion King was the company’s first entirely “original story” animated feature, with inspiration drawn primarily from Shakespeare’s Hamlet and themes found in the Bible regarding exile, kingship, and redemption. Disney executives have repeatedly stated that the core creative team had not seen or studied Jungle Emperor prior to production. However, this position has been complicated by anecdotal details, such as comments from Matthew Broderick, the English voice actor for Simba, who once admitted in an interview that he initially believed he had been cast in an American adaptation of Kimba the White Lion. This remark is still frequently cited as a revealing footnote in the debate.

On the other side, Tezuka Productions and Osamu Tezuka’s family adopted a notably restrained response. Although more than 400 Japanese manga artists and animators—including prominent figures such as Machiko Satonaka—signed a petition calling on Disney to properly acknowledge and respect Tezuka’s influence, no legal action was ultimately taken. Representatives of Tezuka Productions explained that the two works differ thematically: Jungle Emperor places greater emphasis on coexistence between humans and nature, anti-war ideals, and environmental ethics, whereas The Lion King focuses more on royal succession and personal growth. They also expressed the belief that, had Osamu Tezuka been alive, he might have felt honored that his work inspired one of the world’s largest animation studios.

In the 2020s, researchers and animation historians began reexamining the controversy with greater caution. Some studies pointed out that many widely circulated comparison images online actually use footage from the 1997 Jungle Emperor theatrical film, which was produced several years after The Lion King was released. This suggests that certain visual similarities may reflect reverse influence, with later Jungle Emperor adaptations being shaped by Disney’s film—thereby unintentionally exaggerating claims of plagiarism.

Viewed within a broader historical context, the controversy carries a deep irony. Osamu Tezuka himself was an avid admirer of Walt Disney, and his early artistic style and storytelling were heavily influenced by Disney works such as Bambi. Jungle Emperor is often seen as a Japanese reinterpretation of Disney’s emotional naturalism. Consequently, many fans regard the similarities between The Lion King and Jungle Emperor as a form of cross-generational, cross-cultural homage. However, when the creator shifts from an individual artist to a global entertainment corporation, such borrowing inevitably attracts greater ethical and commercial scrutiny.

Ultimately, the debate surrounding The Lion King and Jungle Emperor is no longer simply about whether plagiarism occurred. It has become a complex case study in creative influence, cultural power dynamics, and the blurred boundaries between inspiration, homage, and appropriation in the global entertainment industry. This complexity is precisely why the controversy has endured for decades and continues to provoke discussion today.