Claw, also known as Bubu in the original work Jungle Emperor, is the main antagonist of the Kimba the White Lion franchise. He is a one-eyed lion who seeks to take over and remove Kimba from his position as ruler of the jungle. He is also Kimba's archenemy.
Personality[]
Claw features many typical villainous traits such as a desire to conquer all and a great hatred for the hero. He also has an ill- temper and he will not tolerate failure. Although he oddly continues to keep Tom and Tab in his employ, still.
In the booklet accompanying the box set for the 1965 anime, Claw is described as having an inferiority complex towards Kimba's family, of which "he is not mindful".
History[]
1965 Anime[]
With his adviser Cassius and henchmen Tom & Tab, Claw first appears to take out Kimba after the lion arrives on African shores following the death of his father Panja/Caesar. Claw acts as a de facto tyrant over the residents, which forces the normally fighting-opposed Kimba to challenge him in battle. Defeating him, Kimba strips Claw of his power and forces the lion out of his father's territory. From that point on, Claw plots to kill Kimba.
Various episodes feature Claw's schemes. When Kimba and company built an amusement park over one of Claw's hunting grounds (thus making it a strategic safe haven), Claw and his minions entrap all of Kimba's friends and associates within, as well as attempting to have Kimba murdered by the Black Four, until his defeat. On another occasion, Claw and Cassius take advantage of the rebellious feelings of the meat-eating animals that resent Kimba for enforcing a vegetarian/insect diet to keep other animals from becoming victims. Claw and Cassius force some of the animal children to eat meat, thus turning them against Kimba until a human ally develops a meat substitute to satiate them. Despite all of this, Kimba notes that he would welcome Claw into their society should he make a genuine turn to the good side.
Another conflict in the anime is Claw's rather disturbing infatuation of Kitty (Lyra/Lyre in the original Japanese), a lioness cub who is Kimba's friend and love interest. Naturally, she spurns him in favor of her feelings for Kimba, thus giving Claw another reason to remove the white lion.
1989 Anime[]
Claw reappears as a major antagonist during the 1989 anime series. His attraction to Lyra/Kitty is absent from this version. Nevertheless, he still seeks total control over the jungle.
Trivia[]
- One of the main criticisms The Lion King received was due to its similarities with Kimba the White Lion, in which Scar has an injured left eye and has hyena henchmen just like Claw, despite the creators' claims that they were unaware of the production.