Editing Simba (section)

==Critical reception==

Reception towards Simba has been generally mixed. ''[[The Christian Science Monitor]]''{{'}}s [[David Sterritt]] hailed him as "a superbly realized character".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sterritt |first=David |author-link=David Sterritt |date=June 15, 1994 |title=Disney studio roars with 'The Lion King' |url=http://www.csmonitor.com/1994/0615/15121.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230202115440/http://www.csmonitor.com/1994/0615/15121.html |archive-date=February 2, 2023 |access-date=July 13, 2014 |website=[[The Christian Science Monitor]]}}</ref> [[Owen Gleiberman]] of ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' described Simba as "marvelously expressive", to the point where he appears to be more human-like than ''[[Aladdin (1992 Disney film)|Aladdin]]'' and ''[[The Little Mermaid (1989 film)|The Little Mermaid]]''<nowiki/>'s human characters.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Gleiberman |first=Owen |author-link=Owen Gleiberman |date=June 24, 1994 |title=The Lion King (2002) |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0%2C%2C302734%2C00.html |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102212245/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,302734,00.html |archive-date=November 2, 2013 |access-date=July 26, 2013 |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]}}</ref> In a review for ''[[The Fresno Bee]]'', author [[John Scalzi]] called Simba "the cutest little lion club you'd ever care to see",<ref name=":41" /> and film critic [[Roger Ebert]] described him as "cute" several times throughout his review of the film.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ebert |first=Roger |author-link=Roger Ebert |date=June 24, 1994 |title=The Lion King |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-lion-king-1994 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240203182729/https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-lion-king-1994 |archive-date=February 3, 2024 |access-date=January 26, 2024 |website=[[RogerEbert.com]]}}</ref> [[Peter Travers]] of ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' and [[About.com]]'s David Nusair were moved by Simba's relationship with Mufasa.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Travers |first=Peter |author-link=Peter Travers |date=June 15, 1994 |title=The Lion King |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/reviews/the-lion-king-19940615 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180616053928/https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/reviews/the-lion-king-19940615 |archive-date=June 16, 2018 |access-date=August 13, 2013 |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Nusair |first=David |title=Top 5 Animated Films Based on Fairy Tales |url=http://movies.about.com/od/animatedmovies/tp/best-animated-films-1990s.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021053803/http://movies.about.com/od/animatedmovies/tp/best-animated-films-1990s.htm |archive-date=October 21, 2013 |access-date=April 16, 2014 |website=[[About.com]]}}</ref> [[James Berardinelli]] of ''[[ReelViews]]'' enjoyed that the film prioritizes Simba's personal growth over his romantic relationship with Nala, but found Broderick's performance "nondescript".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Berardinelli |first=James |author-link=James Berardinelli |year=1994 |title=Lion King, The |url=http://preview.reelviews.net/movies/l/lion_king.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406171622/http://preview.reelviews.net/movies/l/lion_king.html |archive-date=April 6, 2023 |access-date=July 26, 2013 |website=[[ReelViews]] |publisher=}}</ref>[[File:Simba(TheLionKing).png|thumb|upright|Some critics complimented Simba's design.]]

''[[Vox (website)|Vox]]'' described Simba as "the least compelling character in ''The Lion King''", acknowledging this might be a controversial opinion.<ref name=":36">{{Cite news |last1=Abad-Santos |first1=Alex |last2=Wilkinson |first2=Alissa |date=July 17, 2019 |title=Lion King 2019 vs. the original: what's better and worse about the remake |url=https://www.vox.com/2019/7/17/20694836/lion-king-2019-versus-1994-original-review-comparison |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230417043039/https://www.vox.com/2019/7/17/20694836/lion-king-2019-versus-1994-original-review-comparison |archive-date=April 17, 2023 |access-date=January 23, 2024 |work=[[Vox (website)|Vox]]}}</ref> [[Hal Hinson]] of ''[[The Washington Post]]'' gave the character a negative review, questioning Simba as a hero and nicknaming him "the Lion Country incarnation of [[Fabio Lanzoni|Fabio]]".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hinson |first=Hal |author-link=Hal Hinson |date=June 24, 1994 |title=The Lion King |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/review96/lionkinghin.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230227152856/https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/review96/lionkinghin.htm |archive-date=February 27, 2023 |access-date=July 26, 2013 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref> [[Kenneth Turan]] of the ''[[Los Angeles Times]] ''said Simba was outshone by his sidekicks, describing him as "irritatingly callow".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Turan |first=Kevin |author-link=Kenneth Turan |date=June 15, 1994 |title=Movie Review : 'The Lion King' and His Court Jesters : The Sidekicks Steal the Show in Disney's Animated Opus |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-06-15-ca-4277-story.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230114121234/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-06-15-ca-4277-story.html |archive-date=January 14, 2023 |access-date=July 13, 2014 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref> [[Joshua Starnes]] of [[ComingSoon.net]] panned Simba as a main character, describing him as the film's "weak link being both blandly designed and blandly performed".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Starnes |first=Joshua |author-link=Joshua Starnes |date=September 1, 2011 |title=The Lion King 3D |url=http://www.comingsoon.net/news/reviewsnews.php?id=81694 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225024555/https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/reviews/81694-the-lion-king-3d |archive-date=February 25, 2021 |access-date=July 25, 2013 |website=[[ComingSoon.net]] |publisher=}}</ref> Acknowledging the character's Shakespearean roots, ''[[The Baltimore Sun]]''{{'}}s [[Stephen Hunter]] called Simba a less compelling version of Hamlet, [[Morris the Cat]], and [[Sylvester the Cat]].<ref name=":42">{{Cite web |last=Hunter |first=Stephen |author-link=Stephen Hunter |date=June 24, 1994 |title=In 'The Lion King,' the animation roars |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1994-06-24-1994175141-story.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422105224/https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1994-06-24-1994175141-story.html |archive-date=April 22, 2023 |access-date=April 22, 2023 |work=[[The Baltimore Sun]]}}</ref> Hunter also found adult Simba to be even less interesting than young Simba,<ref name=":42" /> while film critic [[Gene Siskel]] found the character boring.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Siskel |first=Gene |author-link=Gene Siskel |date=June 24, 1994 |title=Entertaining 'Lion King' Lacks the Flair of Disney's Best |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1994-06-24-9406240051-story.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210512210839/https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1994-06-24-9406240051-story.html |archive-date=May 12, 2021 |access-date=January 25, 2024 |work=[[Chicago Tribune]]}}</ref> Johnny Brayson of ''[[Bustle (magazine)|Bustle]]'' described Simba as "not as great as you remember" despite the character's popularity, criticizing his privileged upbringing, arrogance, and immaturity.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Brayson |first=Johnny |date=April 19, 2016 |title=Admit It: Simba Was A Total Pain |url=https://www.bustle.com/articles/155662-why-simba-from-the-lion-king-isnt-as-great-as-you-remember |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625121045/https://www.bustle.com/articles/155662-why-simba-from-the-lion-king-isnt-as-great-as-you-remember |archive-date=June 25, 2016 |access-date=January 24, 2023 |work=[[Bustle (magazine)|Bustle]]}}</ref> Jonathan Allford of ''[[The Guardian]]'' called Simba "a happy, slightly dislikable lion cub".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Allford |first=Jonathan |date=March 6, 2015 |title=The film that makes me cry: The Lion King |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/filmblog/2015/mar/06/the-film-that-makes-me-cry-the-lion-king |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240919005702/https://www.theguardian.com/film/filmblog/2015/mar/06/the-film-that-makes-me-cry-the-lion-king |archive-date=September 19, 2024 |access-date=September 16, 2024 |work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> In 2022, Rachel Ulatowski of ''[[Screen Rant]]'' wrote that despite differing opinions about the character, "Audiences cannot deny that Simba's design perfectly embodies his role as the [[tragic hero]]" with "an intriguing appearance that is heroic, bold, charming, but also weary and disheveled at times. The contrasting elements paint him perfectly as an exiled prince who has been through tragedy in his life".<ref name=":44">{{Cite news |last=Ulatowski |first=Rachel |date=March 13, 2022 |title=Lion King Animator Ruben Aquino Reveals How Simba Was Designed |url=https://screenrant.com/lion-king-simba-design-how-ruben-aquino/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220314164711/https://screenrant.com/lion-king-simba-design-how-ruben-aquino/ |archive-date=March 14, 2022 |access-date=January 26, 2024 |work=[[Screen Rant]]}}</ref>

Despite the character's mixed reviews, several critics have praised Broderick's performance,<ref>{{Citation |last=Stack |first=Peter |title=Disney's 'Lion King' Let Loose / Story, animation tops in jungle tale |date=March 3, 1995 |website=[[SFGate]] |url=https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/Disney-s-Lion-King-Let-Loose-Story-animation-3042865.php |access-date=April 22, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230323004116/https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/Disney-s-Lion-King-Let-Loose-Story-animation-3042865.php |archive-date=March 23, 2023 |publisher=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Webster |first=Dan |date=March 3, 1995 |title='The Lion King' Is Another Crowning Achievement For Disney |url=https://www.spokesman.com/stories/1995/mar/03/the-lion-king-is-another-crowning-achievement-for/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220126165609/https://www.spokesman.com/stories/1995/mar/03/the-lion-king-is-another-crowning-achievement-for/ |archive-date=January 26, 2022 |access-date=January 25, 2024 |work=[[The Spokesman-Review]]}}</ref><ref name=":46" /> including ''[[The Washington Post]]''{{'}}s [[Desson Howe]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Howe |first=Desson |author-link=Desson Howe |date=June 24, 1996 |title=The Lion King |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/review96/lionkinghowe.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180416151521/https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/review96/lionkinghowe.htm |archive-date=April 16, 2018 |access-date=July 26, 2013 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref> Annette Basile of ''[[FilmInk]]'' described Broderick as "excellent" in the role,<ref name=":1-2">{{Cite web |last=Basile |first=Annette |date=September 19, 2011 |title=The Lion King 3D |url=http://www.filmink.com.au/reviews/the-lion-king-3d-film/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002033155/http://www.filmink.com.au/reviews/the-lion-king-3d-film/ |archive-date=October 2, 2013 |access-date=July 26, 2013 |website=[[Filmink]]}}</ref> while [[Peter Bradshaw]] of ''The Guardian ''called him "sumptuous".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bradshaw |first=Peter |author-link=Peter Bradshaw |date=December 20, 2002 |title=The Lion King - Imax |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2002/dec/20/artsfeatures3 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220823054039/https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2002/dec/20/artsfeatures3 |archive-date=August 23, 2022 |access-date=January 26, 2024 |work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> ''[[Digital Spy]]'''s Mayer Nissim described Broderick's work as "wonderful".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nissim |first=Mayer |date=October 5, 2011 |title='The Lion King 3D' review |url=http://www.digitalspy.ca/movies/review/a343876/the-lion-king-3d-review.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170620103539/http://www.digitalspy.ca/movies/review/a343876/the-lion-king-3d-review.html |archive-date=June 20, 2017 |access-date=August 5, 2013 |website=[[Digital Spy]] |publisher=}}</ref> Several critics and publications have ranked ''The Lion King'' among his best films and performances.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Boladeras |first=Rafa |date=August 21, 2023 |title=Matthew Broderick's 10 Best Movie and TV Performances, Ranked |url=https://movieweb.com/matthew-broderick-best-movie-and-tv-performances-ranked/#the-lion-king-1994 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240126142527/https://movieweb.com/matthew-broderick-best-movie-and-tv-performances-ranked/#the-lion-king-1994 |archive-date=January 26, 2024 |access-date=January 25, 2024 |work=[[MovieWeb]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Giles |first=Jeff |date=November 3, 2011 |title=Total Recall: Matthew Broderick's Best Movies |url=https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/total-recall-matthew-brodericks-best-movies/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220627134553/https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/total-recall-matthew-brodericks-best-movies/ |archive-date=June 27, 2022 |access-date=January 25, 2024 |website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]}}</ref> According to the actor's biography on [[PBS]], Broderick's work in the film and its sequels ironically delivered him "his greatest screen success (to date) in relative anonymity".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Matthew Broderick |url=https://www.pbs.org/wnet/broadway/stars/matthew-broderick/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240129180207/https://www.pbs.org/wnet/broadway/stars/matthew-broderick/ |archive-date=January 29, 2024 |access-date=January 29, 2024 |website=[[PBS]]}}</ref> [[Penske Media Corporation|Gold Derby]] said the film earned Broderick legions of younger fans, ranking it his sixth best film.<ref name=":43">{{Cite web |last1=O'Brien |first1=Tom |last2=Holland |first2=Misty |last3=Beachum |first3=Chris |date=March 18, 2023 |title=Matthew Broderick movies: 12 greatest films ranked worst to best |url=https://www.goldderby.com/gallery/best-matthew-broderick-movies-ranked/matthew-broderick-movies-ranked-the-lion-king/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240126033657/https://www.goldderby.com/gallery/best-matthew-broderick-movies-ranked/matthew-broderick-movies-ranked-the-lion-king/ |archive-date=January 26, 2024 |access-date=January 25, 2024 |website=[[Gold Derby]]}}</ref> [[MovieWeb]] ranked Simba the greatest performance of Thomas' career, praising his "wide range of emotions".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ali Idrisoglu |first=Fatima |date=May 11, 2023 |title=Jonathan Taylor Thomas' Best Performances, Ranked |url=https://movieweb.com/jonathan-taylor-thomas-best-performances-ranked/#the-lion-king-1994 |access-date=July 17, 2024 |work=[[MovieWeb]]}}</ref> However, Janet M. Walker of the ''[[New York Amsterdam News]]'' criticized Disney for casting [[Whitewashing in film|white actors]] as Simba,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Debruge |first=Peter |date=July 11, 2019 |title=Film Review: 'The Lion King' |url=https://variety.com/2019/film/reviews/the-lion-king-review-1203264678/ |access-date=March 5, 2024 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |quote=“The Lion King” rightly took flak for casting white actors in Disney’s first Africa-set animated movie (“Home Improvement” star Jonathan Taylor Thomas played young Simba, while Matthew Broderick performed the adult version).}}</ref> considering his parents are voiced by Black actors [[James Earl Jones]] and [[Madge Sinclair]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bailey |first=Jason |date=July 18, 2019 |title=What Disney Risked to Make 'The Lion King' in 1994 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/18/movies/disney-lion-king.html |url-access=limited |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231110012704/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/18/movies/disney-lion-king.html |archive-date=November 10, 2023 |access-date=January 25, 2024 |work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> [[Christopher Null]] of [[Contactmusic.com]] panned Weaver's performance, likening his singing to [[Michael Jackson]] and saying "You almost don't want him to succeed".<ref name=":46">{{Cite web |last=Null |first=Christopher |author-link=Christopher Null |year=2002 |title=The Lion King Movie Review |url=http://www.contactmusic.com/movie-review/thelionking_1 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230423030349/https://www.contactmusic.com/film/review/thelionking_1 |archive-date=April 23, 2023 |access-date=July 29, 2013 |website=[[Contactmusic.com]] |publisher=}}</ref> 

When the film was released, some viewers [[Allegation|alleged]] that during one of Simba's scenes, he creates a [[Fugitive dust|dust cloud]] that appears to spell the word "SEX" in the night sky.<ref name=":5">{{Cite news |last=Phillipson |first=Daisy |date=July 19, 2019 |title=Does this cut Lion King scene confirm a popular conspiracy theory? |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a28445087/lion-king-disney-conspiracy-theory-edit-scene/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240126154821/https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a28445087/lion-king-disney-conspiracy-theory-edit-scene/ |archive-date=January 26, 2024 |access-date=January 26, 2024 |work=[[Digital Spy]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mikkelson |first=David |date=December 30, 1996 |title=Is the Word 'Sex' Hidden in 'The Lion King'? |url=https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/the-lion-king/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240129200335/https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/the-lion-king/ |archive-date=January 29, 2024 |access-date=January 29, 2024 |website=[[Snopes]]}}</ref> In a lawsuit filed against Disney in Texas, the studio was accused of including sexual [[Subliminal stimuli|subliminal messages]] in a family-oriented film,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Schweizer |first=Peter |url=https://archive.org/details/disneymousebetra00schw/page/142/mode/2up |title=Disney the Mouse Betrayed: Greed, Corruption, and Children at Risk |publisher=[[Regnery Publishing]] |year=1998 |isbn=978-0895263872 |location=United States |pages=142 |author-link=Peter Schweizer |access-date=January 30, 2024 |via=[[Wayback Machine]]}}</ref> while Catholic activist organization [[American Life League]] demanded an apology for including sexual material in its films.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Smith |first=Leef |date=September 1, 1995 |title=Disney's Loin King? Group Sees Dirt in the Dust |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/review96/flionking.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200323031600/https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/review96/flionking.htm |archive-date=March 23, 2020 |access-date=February 6, 2024 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref> Animator [[Tom Sito]] claims the letters actually spelled "SFX", an abbreviation for [[special effects]], and was an [[Easter egg (media)|easter egg]] animated by the film's special effects department.<ref name=":45">{{Cite news |last=Bradley |first=Bill |date=December 16, 2020 |title=Finally, The Truth About Disney's 'Hidden Sexual Messages' Revealed |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/disney-sexual-messages_n_6452666 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240126154821/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/disney-sexual-messages_n_6452666 |archive-date=January 26, 2024 |access-date=January 26, 2024 |work=[[HuffPost]]}}</ref> Beginning in 2002, the letters were edited out of re-releases of ''The Lion King'', and replaced with standard dust clouds.<ref name=":5" />