Ask John: Has Lion King Killed Our Chances of Getting the Jungle Emperor Manga?

Question:
Did The Lion King kill our chances of seeing the Jungle Emperor Leo/Kimba the White Lion manga in America? I know the argument being made by publishers is Tezuka Pro is wary of how “natives” are depicted in the story. Therefore, it’s indefinitely “banned” in the United States. But that doesn’t jibe with them approving Swallowing the Earth, which had signnificatly greater controversial portrayals of minorities which nearly even caused it to be “banned” in its native country.

So I’m going to suggest a certain Disney “remake” is the real culprit behind their decision to stonewall. The topic of lack of credit to Tezuka’s work is still a sore spot for manga-ka, even today. And I think the people running his estate really don’t like being in The Mouse’s shadow and having their manga compared to that animated film. From what I’ve gathered from Fred Schodt’s research, Leo/Kimba is a series akin to Astroboy/Princess Knight in its popularity in Japan, and not just a throwaway title like, say, Don Dracula. Therefore, the only way Tezuka Pro will finally agree to an official English release of the manga is if Tezuka becomes as big a name as Disney in the U.S. And since this didn’t happen with the ill-fated Astroboy movie, they’re waiting for their next opportunity. But they definitely don’t want to be second banana to what they obviously consider to be a cheap imitation of his work.

Answer:
I’m in no position to know what Tezuka Productions thinks, so I can only speculate and hypothesize. Considering the amount and variety of Tezuka manga that’s already reached English language publication, ranging from Tetsuwan Atom and Ribon no Kishi to Adolph and Hi no Tori to Swallowing the Earth and Ayako, I must presume that fears of an absolute, permanent absence of an English translation of the Jungle Taitei manga are an over-reaction. We have, after all, gotten many other Tezuka manga titles along with multiple anime adaptations of Jungle Taitei. However, the manga does presently remain unavailable in English.

In 1994 Tezuka Pro may have been a bit more upset than it publicly let on over Disney’s unacknowledged remake of Jungle Taitei, The Lion King. However, 18 years have passed since then, and continuing to withhold the title simply out of spite, if it was ever withheld at all, seems counter-productive at this point. The claim that the original manga contains potentially some racially insensitive illustrations may indeed be true but also probably isn’t a big enough concern by itself to keep the manga out of English language circulation. Manga that are egregiously racially insensitive, like Fujiko F. Fujio’s Jungle Kurobe, have been tacitly banned in Japan. But Jungle Emperor is still in circulation, and other Tezuka manga to reach America, such as MW, include potentially offensive imagery such as a homosexual preist. But there is a significant difference in stature between MW and Jungle Taitei. Tezuka’s best known and most beloved title is Tetsuwan Atom. But titles including Jungle Taitei, Black Jack, and Ribon no Kishi follow closely behind, so certainly Tezuka Productions would be more concerned with how, and how well, an English publication of the Jungle Taitei manga will be received and reflect upon the Tezuka estate and company. Tezuka Productions may have been wise not to rush out an English publication of Jungle Taitei immediately after Disney’s Lion King, as a coat-tails release would certainly get overshadowed by Disney’s juggernaut. But Tezuka’s other signature series have been published in English, and by now Tezuka Pro should have adequate ability to gauge the American commercial potential of vintage Osamu Tezuka manga in English. Furthermore, enough time has passed that memory of The Lion King has dimmed, and Jungle Taitei could easily now be promoted in America as the predecessor and inspiration of that nearly 20 year-old Disney movie.

All of the other highest profile and most loved Tezuka franchises have already hit America, including Tetsuwan Atom, Black Jack, Ribon no Kishi, Hi no Tori, and Dororo. None of theme have elevated Osamu Tezuka to the level of American name recognition that Hayao Miyazaki currently has, and by this time there should be ample evidence that Tezuka Productions will never be remotely as widely recognized and acknowledged in America as Disney is. At this point in time, the Tezuka catalog has no titles left, including Jungle Taitei, that are better known and have greater market potential in America than the titles that are already in English. Tezuka Productions has nothing to possibly gain from withholding the Jungle Emperor manga; comparisons to The Lion King grew stale fifteen years ago. As the last holdout of Tezuka’s highest profile manga titles, I’m certain that Tezuka Productions hopes for no less of an American debut for the Jungle Taitei manga than Ribon no Kishi got and is probably waiting for an opportunity of similar magnitude. Fear of being overshadowed or embarrassed by a nearly 20 year-old film now seems unrealistic and laughable, although, granted, the Japanese distribution industry does have a long memory; the delay in the America release of the Battle Royale movie and the American absence of Sailor Moon: Sailorstars serving as examples.

18 years ago, the prominence of The Lion King may certainly have caused Tezuka Productions to hesitate licensing an English translation for the Jungle Taitei manga. However, now, with its surrounding canon titles available in English and the even higher profile Astro Boy widely available in English, the absence of Jungle Emperor in English may seem like a bigger embarrassment and inexplicable oversight than comparisons to The Lion King. Since Jungle Taitei is the only high profile Tezuka manga yet to get an English translation, I think it’s only a matter of time before the book reaches America, faint and forgotten comparisons to The Lion King notwithstanding.