Customer Reviews

Kimba the Lion Prince - Legend of the Claw [VHS]

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is the same Kimba that everyone fell in love with in the 60s, but because of legal problems the soundtrack has been replaced (that's the reason for the title change as well). This is a major disapointment for some of us. The new actors don't sound right, and Isao Tomita's music is gone as well. As much as two minutes has been removed from each episode (there are two episodes per tape). To their credit, they re-visited the original Japanese version when writing the voice parts and some of the dialog changes appear to be truer to the creator's intent. If you want to see the original Kimba TV show, there simply is no other home video available.

This is the same Kimba that everyone fell in love with in the 60s, but because of legal problems the soundtrack has been replaced (that's the reason for the title change as well). This is a major disapointment for some of us. The new actors don't sound right, and Isao Tomita's music is gone as well. As much as two minutes has been removed from each episode (there are two episodes per tape). To their credit, they re-visited the original Japanese version when writing the voice parts and some of the dialog changes appear to be truer to the creator's intent. If you want to see the original Kimba TV show, there simply is no other home video available.

I have only one thing to say. Don't Buy This! HOW DARE they screw around with our cherished childhood memories?!? What were they thinking to change the voices, names and music? Absurd! I'd rather buy a pirate tape with all the original American names and voices intact.

In 1993, a new dubbed version of Kimba the White Lion was prepared for syndication. New English soundtracks were recorded with new scripts, new actors, and new music. Alisa Lin, who prepared the scripts, worked from the Japanese originals and gave us interesting, intelligent scripts that are true to the original stories, thereby clearing up some plot points that were confused in the original English versions.

More voice actors were involved in these new dubs than were in the original Kimba, but they managed to turn in perfomances that are less varied and amateurish. Not bad compared to anime dubs in general today, but not up to the standards that Kimba fans are used to.

For whatever reason, these shows lost Tomita's wonderful music. The replacement music was done by one guy on an electronic keyboard. He can't even simulate the sound of a flute when called for.

The visuals obviously came directly from Japanese originals. The tapes in this series are the only place, even now in 2003, you can see the beautiful color that Tezuka's artists used in making Kimba.

Because of the necessities of modern TV syndication, each show had to be shortened by a couple of minutes. Sometimes this does serious damage, other times it's not noticeable.

On this particular tape, the episode The Wind in the Desert benefits greatly from Alisa Lin's new script. The sense and poetry of Tezuka's original comes through, and we are not expected to believe that the man is "just resting" by the well. The cuts made to this episode are fairly innocuous, although, ironically, they cut one scene that was copied almost exactly into The Lion King.

These Kimba The Lion Prince tapes will disappoint old fans who are expecting the voices and music they remember in Kimba. But these are the versions that are currently being shown in other countries and making many new fans there. For older fans, they make an interesting (and, in my opinion, essential) supplement to the "real" versions of Kimba. For everyone, they reveal the visual beauty of the original show and some of the power that was in the original scripts.

The "New Adventures of Kimba" is a complete remake of the original Tezuka work originally shown on NBC in the early 1960's. The animation, voices and score are all pretty good (in the usual anime style--nothing too fancy), but those looking for a nostalgia trip back to the original Kimba might be disappointed. Yes, the famous scene in which his mother appears in the stars as he swims heroically back to Africa is there--but it lacks the tear-jerking quality of the original. Most of the characters have different names, some have been replaced entirely (Kimba's mentor, Dan'l Baboon is now "Old Dice", an ancient rhinoceros), and all have different voices. Overall, fans of anime and Kimba won't be too disappointed. But I still wish someone would re-release the cheesy but sentimental favorites originally screened in the 1960's, goofy theme song and all! (Who's the King of Animals in AF-frica? *AF-rica!*... Who's the one who brought the jungle faaaaame...? OoooooOooooo...)

I hope to clarify any confusion - there are many versions of "Kimba" available. The original (English) version of the "Kimba the White Lion" TV show which premiered in the US in 1966 on NBC featured Billie Lou Watt as the voice of Kimba, a nice theme song sung by a male (with female chorus) which starts: "Kimba (8x), Who's the King of deepest darkest Africa . . ." and music by Isao Tomita. There have been several versions released in the past years, with REVISED soundtracks, a totally different theme song, & perhaps even "re-cut". In 1993 a Canadian release by UAV Enterprises had Yvonne Murray do the voice of Kimba, and music by Paul J. Zaza. In 1994 another version appeared with Kathleen Barr, Paul Dobson, & Brad Swaile. I have nothing against these talents & companies, but if you want the ORIGINAL as it aired in 1966, look for Billie Lou Watt & Isao Tomita in the credits. So far I have only seen (& purchased) these versions on VHS & DVD's available from "The Right Stuff International" (RTS) - Amazon has them (thank you Amazon!).