Remind you of any 1994 Disney musical in particular? These statues are depictions of Kimba the White Lion (young and old) from the manga / TV series Jungle Emperor (circa 1950). Osamu greatly admired Disney (and vice versa). The two first met in 1964, and their respective studios have cooperated and taught each other techniques over the years.

A popular controversy holds that Disney Studios lifted the character designs and certain scenarios from Jungle Emperor and re-created them in The Lion King. No lawsuit was ever filed, and Disney's official line is that all the similarities are merely coincidence.

You be...


...the judge!