Kimba the White Lion the one-eyed Claw and Scar, the sage baboons Dan'l Baboon and Rafiki, the animated birds Pauley Cracker and Zazu, and the pair of hyena sidekicks (it was a trio in the Disney film). "The Lion King" co-director Rob Minkoff deflected criticism of similarities in the characters by stating it was "not unusual to have characters like a baboon, a bird or hyenas" in films set in Africa. Matthew Broderick has said that when he was hired as the voice of adult Simba in "The Lion King", he presumed the project was related to "Kimba the White Lion". "I thought he
Nala (The Lion King) that Nala is introduced "as a dominating young girl" who ultimately matures into "a strong woman" by the film's conclusion. "Mouse Morality: The Rhetoric of Disney Animated Film" author Annalee R. Ward wrote that Nala's role in "The Lion King" reflected "a 1990s feminist reversal". In her book "Biblical Allusions", author Lindsay Bacher acknowledged that Nala is often depicted as a stronger and more responsible character than Simba, despite observations that "The Lion King"'s female characters lack agency. Leab identified Nala as Simba's "equal" who is "a more naturally sound leader throughout the film, while Simba tends to be comparatively