Rafiki | The Lion King Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia ” Rafiki presents Simba to the animals Rafiki first appears at the presentation of Simba. All the gathered animals make way for him, and some even bow with respect, while he returns the salute with a smile. Greeting one another on top of Pride Rock, Mufasa and Rafiki embrace as close friends. They then come to Sarabi , who shows her newborn child, Simba, to Rafiki. Rafiki smiles at him and starts to perform a ceremony over the future king. First, he lifts his stick above Simba's head, and Simba tries to catch it with his little paws. Then Rafiki breaks a piece of fruit in two parts and smears its juice on Simba's forehead. He then sprinkle a small amount of dust on his head and takes the little prince in his arms, carrying him to the edge of Pride Rock, where he raises him so all the animals can see him. When the ceremony ends, Rafiki returns home to his tree .

There, as it rains, Rafiki drafts a stylized picture of Simba on his tree, chuckling to himself and murmuring the cub's name, "Simba." Rafiki realizes Simba is alive A few months later, Scar brings news that Mufasa and Simba were killed in a stampede of wildebeests . Rafiki also hears the news and comes close enough to Pride Rock to see Scar take the throne and let the hyenas, mortal enemies of the lions, come to Pride Rock. Rafiki sighs sadly, mourning Mufasa, Simba, and the old kingdom. He soon returns to his tree and runs his hand over his drawing of Simba, blotting him out of the Circle of Life . Years into Scar's reign, Rafiki sits on the crown of his tree and grabs a pile of leaves, dirt, grass, and flower petals that's floating on the breeze. He takes the mixture into an empty turtle shell and investigates it until he realizes that it contains traces of Simba, who is supposed to have been dead for several years.

At first, Rafiki is confused by this new knowledge, but he soon runs to his smeared drawing and, realizing that Simba is now a young adult lion, draws him with a thick red mane. Getting ready to help Simba to take his place in the Circle of Life, Rafiki exclaims, "It is time!" "It means you are a baboon, and I'm not!" After a few days of travel, Rafiki finds a young adult Simba in the jungle . Simba does not remember Rafiki, as he had been too young when he last saw the baboon. That evening, Simba, in a bad mood, makes a face at Rafiki as the baboon tries to attract his attention by singing a song. Simba moves away from him, but Rafiki constantly monitors him, and Simba asks him if he can cut out his song. Rafiki replies, "Can't cut it out. It'll grow right back!" An offended Simba again moves away from Rafiki, calling him a "creepy little monkey," but Rafiki again follows him. Simba asks Rafiki to stop following him and then demands to know who he is.

Rafiki asks Simba who he is, and Simba admits that he himself is no longer so sure. Rafiki says that he knows who Simba is but that it's a secret. When Simba comes near him, Rafiki chants his song in the young lion's ear. Simba snarls and asks him what it even means. Rafiki explains that the song is about Simba being a baboon while Rafiki is not. Simba says that Rafiki is a little confused, but Rafiki again appears before him and tells Simba that he is more confused, as he does not even know who he is. Simba counters sarcastically, "Oh, and I suppose you know," and Rafiki says, "Sure do. You're Mufasa's boy." Rafiki shows Simba the way to see his father Simba is surprised by this revelation, but Rafiki calmly says, "Bye," and leaves. He climbs on a rock and meditates on it. Shortly after this, Simba comes and asks Rafiki if he once knew his father. Rafiki corrects him, saying that he still knows Mufasa.

Thinking that Rafiki doesn't know about Mufasa's death, Simba tells him that the king is dead. Rafiki tells Simba that he is wrong again and says that Mufasa is still alive. He shows Simba the entrance to a patch of jungle and tells him that he will show Mufasa to him. Simba follows Rafiki through the dense vegetation until Rafiki stops him. The old baboon makes a passage in the grass for Simba and tells him to look down the slope. Simba does so and sees a small lake. Simba looks at the lake, expecting to see his father, as Rafiki had said, but is disappointed when he sees that there is only his reflection. Simba says, "That's not my father. It's just my reflection," but Rafiki tells him that he needs to look harder. Simba looks at his reflection a little deeper, and it turns into an image of Mufasa.

Simba is shocked, but Rafiki explains that this has happened because Mufasa actually "lives in Simba." Mufasa's ghost presently appears in the sky, and Rafiki steps aside to let his old friend talk to his son and convince him to return to Pride Rock and take his place as king. After the ghost leaves Simba, Rafiki comes to him and makes a comment about the strange weather, to which Simba replies, "Yeah. Looks like the winds are changing." Rafiki says that the change is good, but Simba expresses worry over facing his past. Rafiki suddenly hits the lion on the Rafiki fights against the hyenas head with his stick. Simba asks what that was for, and Rafiki says that it doesn't matter, for it is in the past now. When Simba says that the hit still hurts, Rafiki says that the past often can hurt, but one can either run from it or learn from it. He tries to hit Simba one more time, but Simba now knows what he should do and steps away at the right time. Rafiki is satisfied that Simba has learned a lesson and asks him what he will do next.

Simba says, "First, I'm gonna take your stick," and takes Rafiki's stick with his teeth, throwing it into the grass. Rafiki comes to take the stick back, but when again he turns to Simba, he sees that the young lion has started running off. Rafiki asks him where he is going, and Simba says that he is going back home. Rafiki is happy to be able to see Simba take the right step and cheerfully shouts, "Good! Go on! Get out of here!" He then laughs again and cheers as Simba disappears into the savanna grass. The next morning, Rafiki decides to inform Simba's friends that Simba has gone back to the Pride Lands. He sees Timon and Pumbaa as well as Nala talking about where Simba is. Rafiki appears in the tree above them and says that they won't find Simba in the jungle, explaining that "the king has returned." Nala is the only one of the three to understand this comment, and Timon tries to ask Rafiki what he means, but the old baboon is gone and on his way back to Pride Rock.

Rafiki presents Simba's cub When Rafiki arrives at Pride Rock, he sees that the Pride Landers and Simba are fighting with Scar and his subjects, the hyenas. When one hyena bites Simba on his neck, Rafiki hits it unconscious with his stick. Simba runs to find Scar, and Rafiki takes over the hyena-fighting. They try to attack him, but he shows surprising skills and overpowers them. After Simba defeats Scar, he comes to the entrance of Pride Rock, where Rafiki shows him that now he needs to climb up to the edge of the rock and roar, formalizing his royal title. Simba comes to him and embraces his new friend. Rafiki pats Simba's back and reminds him, "It is time." He then watches as Simba climbs the rock and becomes king. Rafiki is last time seen during the presentation of Simba and Nala's newborn cub . He brings the young lion to the edge of Pride Rock and raises the cub so that all the animals can see their future monarch.

” Rafiki after Kiara's presentation In the sequel, Rafiki makes his first appearance during the song " He Lives in You ." While the other animals come around Pride Rock to see the presentation of Simba and Nala's cub, Kiara , Rafiki is at the edge of the rock, summoning the animals to the ceremony. When all the animals gather under the rock, Rafiki waits until Simba and Nala appear with an infant Kiara. He then raises the princess so that all the animals can see her. Mufasa's spirit comes to see his granddaughter, and Rafiki welcomes the spirit's wind onto his face. After the presentation, Rafiki smears juice onto Kiara's forehead. He then overhears Timon and Pumbaa calling Kiara a boy, so he snickers and corrects them, making Timon and Pumbaa faint. "Kovu...Kiara...together? This is the plan?" Once Kiara enters cubhood, Rafiki draws her picture next to that of Kovu's, Scar's heir, who was banished to the Outlands with Scar's other subjects.

The baboon then talks with Mufasa's ghost and shows his concern about the comparative maturity of these two lions. Mufasa's spirit implies that he has a plan and makes wind bring down a piece of fruit, breaking it. Rafiki raises the halves in front of the pictures of Kovu and Kiara, and, re-assembling them, realizes that Mufasa plans to make Kovu and Kiara fall in love. Rafiki does not agree with the plan and considers it impracticable, but Mufasa is persistent and recreates the wind. Rafiki decides to believe in the old king and resolves to help him execute the plan. As the spirit ascends back into the sky, Rafiki yells, "I just hope you know what you are doing!" Rafiki, satisfied after Kovu and Kiara fall in love During Kiara's first hunt , Kovu follows his mother's orders and saves Kiara from the fire in order to infiltrate the Pride Lands. Simba roars at him and tries to scare him away, not knowing what Kovu has done for Kiara.

Rafiki soon appears and comically yells to Kovu, "How dare you save the king's daughter?" Hearing Rafiki's words, Simba realizes that he is now indebted to Kovu and begrudgingly receives the young lion into his pride. The following day, Kovu and Kiara spend the day together and start to fall in love. In the evening, while the two young lions are together on the savanna, Rafiki finds them and hides in the grass, stopping Kovu from leaving Kiara by pointing his finger at the lion's nose from the grass. He asks Kovu where he is going, to which Kovu says, "Nowhere." Rafiki then jumps from the grass and taunts him, saying, "That's what you think." Kovu asks Kiara who Rafiki is, and she describes him as a friend of their family. Kovu looks back and finds Rafiki lying on his back. Rafiki slips off and darts away, tugging Kovu's tail and laughing. Rafiki after Kovu's exile He then climbs onto a rock and again tells the two to follow him.

Swinging from tree to tree and laughing eerily, Rafiki leads them to a place where he sings the song " Upendi " about an imaginative romantic location. In Rafiki's fantasy, he leads Kovu and Kiara through the river, where they see many pairs of mates. In this way, Rafiki plays the role of matchmaker between the two young lions and successfully brings them to fall in love with each other, even though they do not admit their feelings to each other at first. Rafiki with the Royal Family The next morning, Kovu and Simba accidentally fall into an ambush , but they manage to escape. However, Simba thinks that Kovu organized the assassination and expels him from the Pride Lands. Rafiki is seen at the end of the exile , watching sadly as Kovu runs away. He sighs sadly, feeling that Mufasa's plan has failed. After the final battle , Simba and Kovu reconcile. Rafiki marries Kovu and Kiara, and Simba and his family roar at the top of Pride Rock, prompting Mufasa's ghost to appear in the sky. Rafiki nods to him, acknowledging the king's wisdom.

” "To find it, you must look beyond what you see." In this film, Rafiki first appears after Timon decides to leave his colony and find "a new dream home." That night, Timon starts to cry because he himself has no idea where he should go. As he does so, Rafiki appears, looking down from his tree. From an upside-down position, he informs Timon that which way he goes should depend upon what he is looking for. Spooked, Timon falls to the ground. He then asks Rafiki where he'd come from, to which Rafiki replies, "Oh, the better question is: where are you going?" Timon explains to him that he wants to live outside the colony in a wonderful place without worries. He asks Rafiki if he'd heard his song, " That's All I Need ," which expresses his need for that place, but Rafiki hadn't heard it.

Rafiki then jumps from the tree and says that Timon is actually looking for " Hakuna Matata ." Timon mistakes the phrase for "harpoon of tomato," but Rafiki explains that it means "no worries." Timon asks Rafiki to draw a map to Hakuna Matata, but Rafiki smacks him over the head with the stick. He goes into his mystic-monkey pose and vaguely says that Timon must "look behind what he sees" to find a life without worries. Timon doesn't understand again, but Rafiki just repeats his advice. Timon wrongly understands it to mean "go to the farthest thing you see" and decides to go to Pride Rock. He wants to ask Rafiki if he is right, but the old baboon is gone. Ma threatens Rafiki When he disappears, Rafiki most likely goes to Pride Rock for the presentation of Simba. When Timon meets Pumbaa and they come to Pride Rock looking for a new home, they see Rafiki at the edge of the rock, holding up an infant Simba, but the baboon does not see them.

After Mufasa dies, Rafiki decides to see Timon's colony and tell his mother that he'd helped her son find what he's looking for. However, when Ma hears what Rafiki had told her son, she hits him in the head with his own stick, catches him by the goatee, and yells, "You used a metaphor on Timon? He takes things literally!" She then decides to go and find her son, who is probably in trouble. Rafiki reminds her, "Remember, the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step," and she replies with, "Thanks. Here's my first step," jumping painfully onto his foot. Much later, after Nala and Pumbaa decide to leave the jungle in order to help Simba, Timon stays behind. Come nightfall, Rafiki appears in front of him, but Timon says, "You. No, no, no. Don't say a word. I know what you're gonna say." He then acts like he is Rafiki and asks, "Did you find Hakuna Matata?" Then he is himself again and, with forced happiness and a gracious air, says, "Well, yes, I did! Thank you very much!

And I am happy...happy, happy, deliriously happy." He imitates Rafiki again and says, Timon imitates Rafiki "Ho, ho, haaah! I see. Happy, is it? So, if you're so happy, why do you look so miserable?" Timon switches back to himself. Rafiki stares sardonically at the camera, listening to Timon's messing around. Timon continues as himself, "Miserable, you say? Why should I be miserable? Oh, I don't know. Maybe my two best pals in the world deserted me. Heh. They've...they've headed off on some heroic mission. My friends..." Timon then realizes that he cannot have Hakuna Matata without friends. Rafiki nods slowly, smiling. Timon indicates with his head, saying, "Would you mind?" Rafiki then smacks him with his stick. Leaving the jungle to find his friends, Timon says, "Thanks!

I'm glad we had this talk." Ascribing the credit for Timon's correct decision to himself, Rafiki says, "My work here is done." When the movie ends, a silhouette of Rafiki appears in the theater where Timon and Pumbaa are sitting while Timon's mother rewinds the movie. Rafiki laughs and says, "Any story worth telling is worth telling twice." A Witch Doctor for the Hyenas | The Lion King Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia A Witch Doctor for the Hyenas 1,620pages on "Everywhere you look, I'm standing in the spotlight!" This article was previously featured on the front page. A Witch Doctor for the Hyenas Publication Information Why Dog Chases Animals “ If we want to believe something that suits us – we will. That's what the hyenas did, and look what happened to them! — Rafiki ” A Witch Doctor for the Hyenas is a story from the Rafiki Remembers magazine collection. It was published in the 1990s as part of The Lion King: A Nature Fun and Learn Series . Synopsis Among a hyena clan, the most chief members gather together to make important decisions regarding the future of the clan.

As the meeting goes underway, the oldest hyena proclaims to the others that the clan needs a witch doctor who can forecast the future and heal them when they are ill. The other clan members are delighted with this idea and soon come to the consensus that Ground Hornbill should be their new leader. The hornbill is flattered and promptly accepts. Since he doesn't know how to perform real magic, he decides to pretend instead in order to ensure his position as leader. Right away, he tells the hyena clan that he has gotten rid of the daylight, so the nocturnal hyenas can now hunt to their hearts' content. That night, the hyenas plan a hunting raid on a nearby village. Throughout the night, they feast on caught prey, but come morning, the sun rises and the villagers awaken. The clan flees the village, but not before several members are killed by hunters. When the clan meets again, Ground Hornbill is nowhere to be seen, so they elect a new leader, a bird named Francolin. Though this new witch doctor is not as impressive as the former, he is much wiser and helps to assist the hyenas in their hunts.

While his first few whistles prompt the start of a hunt, his very last whistle announces the coming of dawn. To this day, francolins can be heard guiding the hyenas in their timed hunts. Appearances The Lion King II: Simba's Pride | Disney Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia The Lion King II: Simba's Pride 40,860pages on The Lion King II: Simba's Pride Directed by Walt Disney Animation Canada Inc. Distributor [Source] The Lion King II: Simba's Pride (later retitled The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride) is a 1998 American direct-to-video animated film released by Walt Disney Home Video on October 27 , 1998. The film is the sequel to the 1994 Disney animated film The Lion King . It was later re-released as a special edition DVD (which altered the original title's "II" into "2") on August 31 , 2004 . It was also re-released again on Blu-ray alongside The Lion King and The Lion King 1½ .

The Blu-ray edition went into the Disney Vault on April 30 , 2013 . The film centers around Simba and Nala's daughter, Kiara, who falls in love with Kovu, a male lion who was raised in a pride of Scar's followers and Simba's enemies, the Outsiders. Desperate to be together, they must overcome the two obstacles that are keeping them apart: Kovu's mother, Zira, and Simba's prejudices against the Outsiders. While the original film's plot seems to have been inspired by the Bill Shakespeare's Hamlet, this sequel's plot is similar to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. A discussion began about the possibility of a sequel to The Lion King before the first film even hit theaters. Most of the original cast reprised their roles from the first film, with the notable exceptions of Rowan Atkinson , who was replaced by Edward Hibbert as the voice of Zazu in this film and its follow-up/predecessor The Lion King 1½ and Jeremy Irons , who was replaced by Scar's singing voice actor from the first film Jim Cummings as the voice of Scar in this film.

Also, Madge Sinclair, who was the voice of Simba's mother Sarabi, had died one year after the first film was released; therefore her character has non-speaking cameo appearances in this film. Contents [ show ] Plot The film opens a few months after the first film where Rafiki ( Robert Guillaume ) gathers the animals of the Pride Lands together for the presentation of King Simba ( Matthew Broderick ) and Queen Nala 's ( Moira Kelly ) new daughter Kiara . Mufasa 's spirit ( James Earl Jones ) proudly watches over the ceremony. Months later, Simba becomes very overprotective of young Kiara (Michelle Horn), assigning Timon and Pumbaa ( Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella ) to be her babysitters. One day while they are arguing over their lunchtime, Kiara sneaks into the Outlands where she meets a young cub named Kovu ( Ryan O'Donohue ). After escaping a river filled with crocodiles, the two become friends, but Simba and Kovu's mother, Zira ( Suzanne Pleshette ), quickly end their playtime.

Zira claims that the Pride Lands belonged to Scar , and reminds Simba that he banished the Outsiders , and notes that if he wants to punish them, Kovu is Scar's hand-chosen successor. Unwilling to harm the cub, Simba orders them to leave and later scolds Kiara for endangering herself and wants her to be careful when she is the future queen. In the Outlands, Zira's eldest son, Nuka ( Andy Dick ), complains to his younger sister Vitani ( Lacey Chabert ) about Kovu's status as "the Chosen One". At that moment, Zira returns and scolds both of her sons, but then decides that she can use Kovu's new friendship with Kiara to get her revenge against Simba. Months later, a young adult Kiara ( Neve Campbell ) heads out to do her first solo hunt. However, Simba is worried and fearful of his daughter unprotected and sends Timon and Pumbaa to watch her again, after promising not to. Furious to find out her father has lied, Kiara decides to hunt away from the Pride Lands, though is still unsuccessful in her efforts.

Nuka and Vitani ( Jennifer Lien ) set fire to the plains where Kiara is hunting, causing her to faint and giving Kovu ( Jason Marsden ) the chance to rescue her. Drawn by the smoke, Simba finds them together and reluctantly thanks Kovu for rescuing his daughter and allows him to come to Pride Rock , though he is ordered to sleep outside the den. That same night, Simba has a nightmare about his father's death, only in the dream, Scar morphs into Kovu and throws the panicked and frightened Simba off the cliff. In the morning, he walks outside the den and yawns and stretches and goes to drink on a watering hole where Kovu contemplates attacking him, but Kiara interrupts and they go off together so Kovu can help her learn to hunt. During the lesson, they run into Timon and Pumbaa struggling with some birds, so the two lions help them chase the birds off. Together, they have fun playing, something Kovu notes he has never experienced before. That night, Kovu tells Kiara that he is not Scar's real son, but "was a part of him".

Simba, who is hesitant to trust the young Outlander around his daughter, seeks guidance from the "Great Kings" and Nala gently advises him to give Kovu a chance. Kovu decides to leave after trying to confess his real intentions, but Rafiki stops and invites the young lions to experience " Upendi "– which means love in Swahili. After a musical journey through the jungle, the two deeply fall romantically in love. Then Simba finally warms up to Kovu and invites him into the den to sleep. In the morning, Simba invites Kovu for a walk and tells him the true story of Scar, which Kovu had never heard. However, their walk is interrupted by an ambush by Zira and her pride, and Simba realizes that Kovu had set him up and Kovu claims he had nothing to do with it. After a brief fight, Simba manages to escape by scaling a wall of logs in a gorge. In chasing after him, Nuka slips and is killed by falling logs. Zira blames Kovu for Nuka's death, swiping a paw across his face, leaving a scar across his eye that resembles Scar's.

Breaking from his mother, Kovu returns to the Pride Lands and begs the king for his forgiveness. Believing Kovu was behind the ambush, the wounded, shortsighted, and distrustful Simba exiles him and strictly orders Kiara to be confined in Pride Rock and forbids her to leave unescorted. Kiara is furious because her father refuses to listen to Kovu, and Simba claims he's doing what his father would have wanted unknowingly he defied what his father wanted, and she angrily defies him, saying "YOU WILL NEVER BE MUFASA!" horrifying and hurting him. Later that night, Kiara escapes and reunites with Kovu far from home. Meanwhile, Zira leads her pride in a war against the Pride Lands, and a fierce fight breaks out. As Zira and Simba face off, Kovu and Kiara leap between them and Kiara tells her father that the fighting has to stop. She then tells him that the Outsiders are part of the pride, and she and her father peacefully nuzzle and reconcile. Zira ignores her, but Vitani agrees with Kiara.

Zira tells her daughter that she will die too if she will not fight, which turns the other Outlanders against her and they go to Simba's side. Now alone, Zira leaps for Simba, but Kiara pushes her away and they fall over a cliff. Kiara lands on a rock, but Zira is sliding towards a storm-swollen river. Kiara offers to help, but Zira, like Scar, is unable to let go of her hate and falls to her death. Simba helps his daughter back up the cliff and allows the Outsiders, including Kovu, to return to the Pride Lands, and Kovu marries Kiara before joining her and her parents at the top of Pride Rock. Mufasa's spirit proudly watches over from among the stars and praises his son for his decision. Cast and characters Kiara (voiced by Michelle Horn as a cub with Neve Campbell as a young adult) is princess of the Pride Lands, Simba and Nala's daughter, Mufasa, Sarabi and Sarafina's granddaughter, Scar's great-niece and the main protagonist. Her singing voices are Charity Sanoy (as a cub) and Liz Callaway (as an adolescent).

Kovu (voiced by Ryan O'Donohue as a cub and Jason Marsden as a young adult) is Zira's son and the lion chosen by Scar to be king after Scar's death, but after Scar is killed in the first movie, Zira trains him to avenge Scar's death as his adopted son and take back the throne of the Pride Lands. He is the deuteragonist. His singing voice is provided by Gene Miller (as an adolescent). Zira (voiced by Suzanne Pleshette ) is Kovu, Nuka and Vitani's mother and the main antagonist of the film. Both she and a small pride of lionesses were exiled by Simba as they still followed Scar. She is obsessed with revenge on Simba and trains Kovu in the hope that he will one day kill Simba and take back the throne in Scar's honor. Timon and Pumbaa (voiced by Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella respectively) are Simba's best friends and royal babysitters.

Simba (voiced by Matthew Broderick (talking) and Cam Clarke (singing) is the king of the Pride Lands as Mufasa and Sarabi's son, Scar's nephew, Nala's mate and Kiara's father. He is a secondary character. Although a loving and caring father, Simba is very mindful and cautious of his daughter's safety and suspicious of Kovu, but later learns that over-protectiveness and lack of trust and forgiveness make it worse. Nala (voiced by Moira Kelly ) is the queen of the Pride Lands as Simba's mate and Kiara's mother. She is more accepting of Kovu then Simba is and shows immense love and support for her daughter. Rafiki (voiced by Robert Guillaume ) is the wise shaman mandrill of the Pride Lands. Nuka (voiced by Andy Dick ) is Zira's somewhat neurotic son, Vitani and Kovu's older brother and the secondary antagonist.

He feels wholly inadequate compared to Kovu and feels that he should be "the chosen one," because "I'm oldest, I'm the strongest" and that, "Scar wasn't even his [Kovu's] father, he just took him in". Vitani (voiced by Lacey Chabert as a cub and Jennifer Lien as a young adult) is Zira's daughter, Nuka's younger sister and Kovu's older sister. Zazu (voiced by Edward Hibbert ) is the king's advisor and majordomo. Mufasa (voiced by James Earl Jones ) is Simba's father, Sarabi's mate and Kiara's paternal grandfather who was killed by his younger brother Scar in the first film. However, he still appears in the film as a ghost in the sky and in Simba's nightmare. Scar (voiced by Jim Cummings ) was Mufasa's younger brother, Simba's uncle, Kiara's great-uncle and the main antagonist of the first movie, who was defeated by Simba and killed by the Hyenas. He makes a brief appearance in Simba's nightmare, where he transforms into Kovu.

Release In 1998, Disney believed that The Lion King II: Simba's Pride would be so popular that it shipped 15 million copies to stores for the October 27 release date. Disney sold 3.5 million copies in three days. Thirteen million copies were sold while it was still in print in the late 90s. The film was first released on VHS in the United States on October 27, 1998, and on DVD as a limited issue on November 23, 1999. Both the original VHS and limited issue DVD were placed into the moratorium on January 19, 2000. It was not released again on DVD until August 31, 2004, when it was a two-disc special edition. The special edition went into moratorium in January 2005. The film has been rendered in high definition and, from October 4, 2011, became available in a trilogy set with the other two films. The Blu-ray edition of the film was released as a stand-alone version on March 6, 2012.

The Blu-ray edition has two different versions, a two-disc package containing a Blu-ray and DVD and a DVD-only edition. The Blu-ray edition has also been attached with a new Timon & Pumbaa short, in which the two friends gaze at the night sky as the star constellations resemble their favorite meal, insects. The Blu-ray edition of The Lion King II, along with the other two films in the series, will be placed into the moratorium on April 30, 2013. Reception The Lion King II: Simba's Pride received mixed reception by critics. Siskel & Ebert gave the film a "two-thumbs up" and said it was a "satisfactory sequel to one of the most popular films of all time, The Lion King ". However, they also said it was best that it went to video, citing that the music was lacking and not remotely equal to the original's soundtrack.

James Plath of Movie Metropolis gave the film 6/10, saying that, "Simply put, we've seen it all before." TV Guide gave the film 2½ stars out of four, claiming that, despite being of slightly higher quality than Disney's previous direct-to-video animated sequels, "comes nowhere near the level of its big-screen predecessor", either musically or artistically. The review later went on to say that "Though most of the original characters and their voices are back, they all sound bored, apart from the zesty addition of Suzanne Pleshette as the scheming Zira. The overall result is OK for kids, who will enjoy the low humor provided by the comical meerkat Timon and the flatulent warthog Pumbaa, but it could have been so much better." Among "normal" audiences and fans of the original film, The Lion King II: Simba's Pride has been received better than most other Disney sequels of its nature, and is at least "approved of" by most of the Lion King fanbase. Fan approval has increased dramatically in recent years, however.

Music Songs The songwriters were Marty Panzer, Tom Snow, Kevin Quinn, Randy Petersen, Mark Mancina , Jay Rifkin, Jack Feldman, Scott Warrender and Joss Whedon . " He Lives in You " - This is an original song by Lebo M and his African choir. This song represents Kiara's birth and is also the equivalent of " Circle of Life ". The song can also be a reference to when Rafiki told Simba in the first film that Mufasa "lives" in him. Also appears in the Broadway version of the first film. It was considered as the only song to be composed by Hans Zimmer , the man who composed the original film. " We Are One " - Sung by Cam Clarke and Charity Sanoy. Following Kiara's encounter with Kovu and Zira, which puts herself in danger, Simba explains how important she is to the pride and that the pride is one. The musical equivalent to the first film's talk about the Great Kings of the Past with Mufasa and Simba. " My Lullaby " - Sung by Suzanne Pleshette , Andy Dick , and Crysta Macalush.

Zira's lullaby to Kovu, which outlines her plot for him to kill Simba and how proud it would make her. The equivalent to "Be Prepared" as the song is talking about how they plan to murder Simba just like how Scar's song talked about killing both him and Mufasa in the previous film. The song's ending is similar to the end of "Be Prepared" with Zira towering over the Outlanders mirrors Scar towering over the hyenas at the end. They are even standing on similar structures; For Scar, forms of rock that suddenly came out of the ground during the song, and, for Zira, a massive termite mound that is part of the group of termite mounds that the Outsiders live in. Zira's treatment of Nuka during the song also resembles Scar's abuse of Shenzi, Banzai and Ed . " Upendi " (Swahili for "love") - Sung by Robert Guillaume , Liz Callaway , Gene Miller, and Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Rafiki's song to Kiara and Kovu about love and happiness. Sung by Rafiki and his animal friends.

Also the equivalent to " Hakuna Matata ", from the first film, as well as " I Just Can't Wait to Be King !" visually. " Not One of Us " - Sung following Kovu being exiled by Simba after he wrongfully accuses Kovu of betraying him in an attempt by the Outlanders to assassinate him. This was the first time the animals outside of the main characters (they talk in Lion King 1½) and the lions in both films (they congratulate Kiara when she hunts) have been seen talking. This is the only song to not have an equivalent to the first film, but lyrically, may reflect on Mufasa's death. " Love Will Find a Way " - Kiara and Kovu's first encounter following Kovu's banishment where they realize that their mutual romance is too strong and genuine for their differences to keep them apart. Similar to "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?" Liz Callaway and Gene Miller provide the singing voices for Kiara and Kovu in the film. The end title is performed by R&B artists Kenny Lattimore and Heather Headley.

Soundtrack Return to Pride Rock An audio CD entitled Return to Pride Rock: Songs Inspired by Disney's The Lion King II: Simba's Pride was released on September 8, 1998. Although not promoted as a soundtrack to the film, it contained all the songs from the film and some additional songs inspired by it by Lebo M. Tina Turner recorded a version of "He Lives in You" for the film. "Enhanced soundtrack" On August 31, 2004, Disney released an "enhanced soundtrack" to coincide with the release of the film's 2-Disc Special Edition DVD. However, the CD only contains the songs featured in the film, without any of the inspired songs in The Lion King. Gallery The Disney Wiki has a collection of images and media related to The Lion King II: Simba's Pride . Trivia Due to Joseph Williams's (Simba's singing voice) absence, Cam Clarke (Simba; Timon and Pumbaa TV series ) was called to record the original song " We Are One ".

In France, in the closing credits, it used Tina Turner singing " He Lives in You " and a cover of " Upendi " over it, instead of instrumental music and " Love Will Find a Way ". Its surge in popularity in recent years is likely due to the fact that the director, Darrel Rooney, stated on Twitter that Kovu was an orphan. This significantly alters the film from every other film Disney made based on Romeo and Juliet in the fact the character that resembles Romeo is an orphan. On the 2-Disc Special Edition DVD, the film is in widescreen, unlike its previous home video releases. Showing more picture on the sides. When Timon shouts "Let me at 'em!" and tries to make a run at Kovu, he has Pumbaa hold him back, but he lets go afterward, and Timon tells him that he "missed the basic point." This is a would-be reference to Hanna-Barbera's Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo. The film is similar to The Fox and the Hound .

Both protagonists meet friends when they are supposed to be enemies (Copper for Tod, Kovu for Kiara) both protagonists are encouraged to fall in love, and later on they do (Tod and Vixey, Kiara and Kovu) and both antagonists have someone who is a pawn in their plan, but later sacrifice themselves (Chief and Nuka) however Nuka died and Chief survived. Sarabi , Shenzi, Banzai and Ed were supposed to appear in the sequel, but the ideas were dropped. Sarabi made a small cameo in the film but had no lines, because her voice actress, Madge Sinclair , died before the production of the sequel. However, in the original script, this character has an important role. Shenzi, Banzai and Ed would've been Zira 's henchmen, but the producers dropped the idea, when they remember that the three hyenas with the Hyena Clan were the murderers of Scar .

External links Lion King Characters — My Lion King Simba Meaning: lion (Swahili) Simba, the prince of the Pride Lands and son of King Mufasa and Queen Sarabi, grows into a fairly wild and carefree adult after living a rambunctious and arrogant cubhood. All of that changes when he meets Rafiki. Simba begins to realize his responsibilities and returns home to challenge his evil uncle Scar for the kingship of the Pride Lands. Nala Meaning: gift (Swahili) Nala, daughter of Sarafina and mate of Simba, was just as wild of a cub as Simba was. She would often accompany him on many adventures. When Simba is exiled, Nala grows up thinking that he is dead. When the two meet, they find out that their cubhood bonds turn into something more. They fall in love and together they retake the Pride Lands. Mufasa Mufasa is the king of the Pride Lands, brother of Scar, mate of Sarabi and father of Simba. He is portrayed as a very proud, majestic and knowledgeable king. Although his time in the film is short, he teaches Simba important lessons and prepares his son for being king some day.

Sarabi Meaning: mirage (Swahili) Sarabi is the loving mother of Simba and mate of Mufasa. After Mufasa's death, she plays the role of a headstrong individual and stands her ground against the tyranny of Scar. Kiara Meaning: small, dark thing (Swahili) Kiara just wants to go on adventures, but her over-protective father, Simba, won't let her! When she grows up to be a headstrong adolescent and meets Kovu, she begins to challenge her father and ultimately unites the Pridelanders and the Outlanders. Kovu Meaning: scar (Swahili) Kovu, raised in a hostile environment by his hateful mother, Zira, grows up to be a vicious warrior. When he meets Kiara as an adolescent, his entire view on the Pride Lands changes and in the end he chooses Kiara over his mother's plans for him. Simba Meaning: lion (Swahili) The over-protective Simba tries to shield his daughter from the world, especially the Outlands! In the end, his daughter points out his mistakes and ends the feud between the Pridelanders and the Outlanders.

Nala Meaning: gift (Swahili) Nala doesn't play much of a role in The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, but when we do get the chance to see her, she is a caring, loving mother of Kiara and respectable mate of Simba. Zira Meaning: hate (Swahili) Zira, who had an unexplained relationship with Scar, will stop at nothing to get revenge on Simba and the Pridelanders. She trains Kovu to take over the Pride Lands, but in the end Kovu sides with Kiara, his love. Timon Meaning: respect (Swahili) Timon is causing troubles in his meerkat burrow. He leaves his home and finds Pumbaa, then they find a lion named Simba. The three live with no worries as Simba grows into an adolescent. Pumbaa Meaning: dull-witted, stunned (Swahili) Pumbaa is good spirited and a great friend of Timon & Simba. Before meeting Timon, he traveled alone because the other animals couldn't stand his flatulent tendencies. Simba Meaning: lion (Swahili) Simba as a teen is rambunctious and independent.

As Simba grows into an adult lion, he begins to question Hakuna Matata. When he finds his true self, he returns to the Pride Lands and challenges his uncle Scar. Nala Meaning: gift (Swahili) Nala helps Simba find his true self. When they meet, they realize their friendship quickly turns to love.

Question: What is the name of the baboon/witch doctor from The Lion King?
Answer: Rafiki