Editing Simba (section)

=== Legacy and popularity ===
According to a ''[[Vox (website)|Vox]]'' writer, Simba is not as iconic as Scar or Mufasa, which they attributed to the character's perceived lack of agency and tendency to rely on instructions from other characters.<ref name=":36" /> Contrarily, Marc Snetiker of ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' described Simba as an iconic character who has "spent nearly a quarter century etched into pop culture".<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Snetiker |first=Marc |date=March 3, 2019 |title=Return of the King |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |via=[[EBSCO Information Services]]}}</ref> Chhavi Puri of [[Pinkvilla]] said characters such as Simba "defined our childhood".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Puri |first=Chhavi |date=September 10, 2022 |title=Top 7 facts about The Lion King: Things you didn't know about the Disney movie |url=https://www.pinkvilla.com/entertainment/hollywood/top-7-facts-about-the-lion-king-things-you-didnt-know-about-the-disney-movie-1189536 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240111144755/https://www.pinkvilla.com/entertainment/hollywood/top-7-facts-about-the-lion-king-things-you-didnt-know-about-the-disney-movie-1189536 |archive-date=January 11, 2024 |access-date=January 11, 2023 |work=[[Pinkvilla]]}}</ref>  The same publication named Simba the second-best Disney character of all-time and "undoubtedly one of the best male Disney characters",<ref>{{Cite news |last=Puri |first=Chhavi |date=October 1, 2022 |title=14 Best Disney characters that made our childhood awesome |url=https://www.pinkvilla.com/entertainment/hollywood/disney-characters-1175309 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240102182745/https://www.pinkvilla.com/entertainment/hollywood/disney-characters-1175309 |archive-date=January 2, 2024 |access-date=January 17, 2024 |work=[[Pinkvilla]]}}</ref> while ''[[The A.V. Club]]'' ranked him 29th.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pirrello |first=Phil |date=January 25, 2023 |title=The 50 best Disney animated characters of all time |url=https://www.avclub.com/best-disney-animated-characters-ranked-1850020180 |url-status=deviated |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=January 17, 2024 |work=[[The A.V. Club]]}}</ref> According ''[[Toons Mag]]'', Simba is one of the 10 best Disney cartoon characters of all time and "one of Disney's most significant characters".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lacasse |first=Jacques |date=January 2024 |title=Ranking the 10 Best Disney Cartoon Characters of All Time |url=https://www.toonsmag.com/10-best-disney-cartoon-characters-of-all-time/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240726211614/https://www.toonsmag.com/10-best-disney-cartoon-characters-of-all-time/ |archive-date=July 26, 2024 |access-date=July 26, 2024 |work=[[Toons Mag]]}}</ref> [[Static Media|Looper]] ranked Simba Disney's 37th best character of all-time.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Buddery |first=Sarah |date=February 3, 2022 |title=60 Best Disney Characters Of All Time Ranked |url=https://www.looper.com/751181/60-best-disney-characters-of-all-time-ranked/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241223172610/https://www.looper.com/751181/60-best-disney-characters-of-all-time-ranked/ |archive-date=December 23, 2024 |access-date=February 23, 2024 |work=[[Looper.com|Looper]]}}</ref> [[Variety (magazine)|''Variety'']] named Simba one of Disney's 25 most iconic characters.<ref name=":27">{{Cite news |last1=Debruge |first1=Peter |last2=Drury |first2=Sharareh |last3=Franklin |first3=McKinley |last4=Garrett |first4=Diane |last5=Horst |first5=Carole |last6=Riley |first6=Jenelle |last7=Tangcay |first7=Jazz |last8=Thompson |first8=Jaden |last9=Yossman |first9=K.J. |date=October 13, 2023 |title=25 Most Iconic Disney Characters |url=https://variety.com/lists/25-most-iconic-disney-characters/jack-skellington/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240117163242/https://variety.com/lists/25-most-iconic-disney-characters/jack-skellington/ |archive-date=January 17, 2024 |access-date=January 17, 2024 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref> According to Arunkumar Sekhar of ''[[Cinema Express]]'' and Rachel Ulatowski of ''Screen Rant'', Simba is one of the studio's most iconic animated characters.<ref name=":44" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Sekhar |first=Arunkumar |date=November 21, 2018 |title='Even Disney parks don't have all the princesses together' |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/interviews/2018/nov/21/even-disney-parks-dont-have-all-the-princesses-together-8881.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240119200757/https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/interviews/2018/nov/21/even-disney-parks-dont-have-all-the-princesses-together-8881.html |archive-date=January 19, 2024 |access-date=January 19, 2024 |work=[[Cinema Express]]}}</ref> In a 1995 article ranking "The most powerful people in entertainment", ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' likened Disney chairman [[Michael Eisner]]'s success story to that of Simba.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=October 27, 1995 |title=Power 101 |url=https://ew.com/article/1995/10/27/power-101-3/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231102092310/https://ew.com/article/1995/10/27/power-101-3/ |archive-date=November 2, 2023 |access-date=February 6, 2024 |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]}}</ref> Publications such as [[World Animal Protection]], the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'', ''[[Star-News|Wilmington Star-News]]'', and the ''[[Birmingham Mail]]'' consider Simba to be one of the [[Cultural depictions of lions|most famous lions in popular culture]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 3, 2021 |title=5 famous lions from popular culture |url=https://www.worldanimalprotection.org.nz/news/5-famous-lions-from-popular-culture |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240115152238/https://www.worldanimalprotection.org.nz/news/5-famous-lions-from-popular-culture |archive-date=January 15, 2024 |access-date=January 15, 2023 |website=[[World Animal Protection]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Staton |first=John |date=March 6, 2014 |title=The List - 6 awesome pop culture lions |url=https://www.starnewsonline.com/story/news/2014/03/06/the-list-6-awesome-pop-culture-lions/30953938007/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240207150709/https://www.starnewsonline.com/story/news/2014/03/06/the-list-6-awesome-pop-culture-lions/30953938007/ |archive-date=February 7, 2024 |access-date=February 7, 2024 |work=[[Wilmington Star-News]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Aslan and the great movie lions |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-movielions-2008-pg-photogallery.html |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240115151615/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-movielions-2008-pg-photogallery.html |archive-date=January 15, 2024 |access-date=January 19, 2024 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=December 8, 2015 |title=The world's eight most famous lions |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/theatre-news/worlds-eight-most-famous-lions-10558299 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240115160505/https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/theatre-news/worlds-eight-most-famous-lions-10558299 |archive-date=January 15, 2024 |access-date=January 15, 2023 |work=[[Birmingham Mail]]}}</ref> Richard Fink of [[MovieWeb]] declared him "the most famous lion in all of cinema".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Fink |first=Richard |date=October 18, 2023 |title=30 Best Animated Disney Characters of All Time, Ranked |url=https://movieweb.com/best-disney-characters-of-all-time/#simba |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230805013815/https://movieweb.com/best-disney-characters-of-all-time/#simba |archive-date=August 5, 2023 |access-date=January 17, 2023 |work=[[MovieWeb]]}}</ref>

Charlotte Cripps of ''[[The Independent]]'' ranked Simba Disney's second best role-model for children.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Cripps |first=Charlotte |date=January 21, 2022 |title=The 10 best Disney role models for kids |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/the-10-best-disney-role-models-for-kids-b1997299.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240117171127/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/the-10-best-disney-role-models-for-kids-b1997299.html |archive-date=January 17, 2024 |access-date=January 17, 2024 |work=[[The Independent]]}}</ref> ''[[Comic Book Resources]]'' ranked Simba Disney's 12th most likeable prince character, due to his relatability.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Espinoza |first=Madisyn |date=January 3, 2023 |title=15 Disney Princes Ranked By Likability |url=https://www.cbr.com/likable-disney-princes/#simba-returns-to-his-responsibilities |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230120190331/https://www.cbr.com/likable-disney-princes/#simba-returns-to-his-responsibilities |archive-date=January 20, 2023 |access-date=January 18, 2024 |work=[[Comic Book Resources]]}}</ref> [[Collider (website)|Collider]] ranked Simba ''The Lion King''<nowiki/>'s fourth-best character,<ref name=":31">{{Cite news |last=Searle |first=Tyler B. |date=October 22, 2023 |title=The 10 Best Characters in 'The Lion King,' Ranked |url=https://collider.com/the-lion-king-best-characters-ranked/#simba |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240123173328/https://collider.com/the-lion-king-best-characters-ranked/#simba |archive-date=January 23, 2024 |access-date=January 18, 2024 |work=[[Collider (website)|Collider]]}}</ref> as well as the best [[protagonist]] of the [[Disney Renaissance]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Searle |first=Tyler B. |date=November 27, 2022 |title=Ranking the Protagonists of the Disney Renaissance, From Ariel to Tarzan |url=https://collider.com/ranking-the-protagonists-of-the-disney-renaissance/#simba |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230705032524/https://collider.com/ranking-the-protagonists-of-the-disney-renaissance/#simba |archive-date=July 5, 2023 |access-date=January 18, 2024 |work=[[Collider (website)|Collider]]}}</ref> Contributor Tyler B. Searle said Simba "has one of the strongest character arcs of any Disney protagonist".<ref name=":31" /> Writing for the same publication, Anas Yamin said Simba has the best character development of all Disney main characters.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Yamin |first=Anas |date=May 26, 2023 |title=The 10 Best Character Development Arcs in Disney, Ranked |url=https://collider.com/best-character-development-arcs-disney-ranked/#simba-the-lion-king |access-date=September 4, 2024 |work=[[Collider (website)|Collider]]}}</ref> ''[[Comic Book Resources]]'' ranked Simba eighth in their ranking, including him among "some of the most beloved and iconic main characters in animation history".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Espinoza |first=Madisyn |date=July 26, 2022 |title=10 Best Disney Movie Protagonists From The '90s |url=https://www.cbr.com/best-90s-disney-movie-protagonists/#simba-was-sweet-with-a-sad-backstory-the-lion-king |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220831222529/https://www.cbr.com/best-90s-disney-movie-protagonists/#simba-was-sweet-with-a-sad-backstory-the-lion-king |archive-date=August 31, 2022 |access-date=January 24, 2024 |work=[[Comic Book Resources]]}}</ref>

Simba's appearance has also generated online debates discussing whether it is appropriate for fans to consider the character attractive, because he is a cartoon lion.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Jordana |first=Lipsitz |date=January 15, 2016 |title=Is It Weird To Think That Simba's Kinda Hot? |url=https://www.bustle.com/articles/134853-is-it-weird-to-have-a-crush-on-simba-from-the-lion-king-well-youre-certainly |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240117181944/https://www.bustle.com/articles/134853-is-it-weird-to-have-a-crush-on-simba-from-the-lion-king-well-youre-certainly |archive-date=January 17, 2024 |access-date=January 17, 2024 |work=[[Bustle (magazine)|Bustle]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Tanza |first=Kevin |date=July 26, 2023 |title=The internet loses it after Simba, Nala & others are ranked 'hottest animated animals' |url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/comics/news-the-internet-loses-simba-nala-others-ranked-hottest-animated-animals |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240117182457/https://www.sportskeeda.com/comics/news-the-internet-loses-simba-nala-others-ranked-hottest-animated-animals |archive-date=January 17, 2024 |access-date=January 17, 2024 |work=[[Sportskeeda]] |quote=netizens are now up in arms because of a recent article in Polygon that ranked Simba and Nala, along with others, as some of the most attractive animals}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Reid |first=Rebecca |date=July 19, 2019 |title=Women Are Thirsting Over Sexy Fictional Cats And That's Okay |url=https://graziadaily.co.uk/life/tv-and-film/catstrailer-lionking/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240117183518/https://graziadaily.co.uk/life/tv-and-film/catstrailer-lionking/ |archive-date=January 17, 2024 |access-date=January 17, 2024 |work=[[Grazia]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Cobb |first=Kayla |date=July 18, 2019 |title=Who Else Thinks 'The Lion King's Lions Are Hella Hot? |url=https://decider.com/2019/07/18/the-lion-king-hot-lions/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240117183234/https://decider.com/2019/07/18/the-lion-king-hot-lions/ |archive-date=January 17, 2024 |access-date=January 17, 2024 |work=[[decider.com|Decider]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Natasha |date=August 16, 2018 |title=Cartoon Crushes: So, I Had a Thing for Simba from 'The Lion King' |url=https://hot1047.com/cartoon-crushes/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240117184031/https://hot1047.com/cartoon-crushes/ |archive-date=January 17, 2024 |access-date=January 17, 2024 |website=[[Hot 104.7]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Walsh |first=Laura |date=May 22, 2019 |title=People Crushing On Old School Cartoon Characters On Twitter Will Make You Say, "Same" |url=https://www.elitedaily.com/p/these-tweets-about-childhood-cartoon-character-crushes-will-give-you-heart-eyes-17911232 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221005081744/https://www.elitedaily.com/p/these-tweets-about-childhood-cartoon-character-crushes-will-give-you-heart-eyes-17911232 |archive-date=October 5, 2022 |access-date=January 18, 2024 |work=[[Elite Daily]] |quote=As weird as it can be to crush on someone who's a cartoon (let alone the weirdness of catching feelings for an anthropomorphic character like Simba from Lion King or the foxy Robin Hood) ... If you grew up during Disney's golden era or watched a lot of '90s animated movies, chances are that you had a thing for a character who only existed on your screen.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Alexander |first1=Julia |last2=Frank |first2=Allegra |date=February 14, 2017 |title=Our first crushes may have been fictional, but the feelings were very real |url=https://www.polygon.com/2017/2/14/14613978/video-game-crushes-movie-crushes-tv-crushes |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240119191614/https://www.polygon.com/2017/2/14/14613978/video-game-crushes-movie-crushes-tv-crushes |archive-date=January 19, 2024 |access-date=January 19, 2024 |work=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]}}</ref> Several publications, such as ''[[Refinery 29]],'' ''[[HuffPost]]'', ''[[Seventeen (American magazine)|Seventeen]],'' [[The Edge (radio station)|The Edge]], ''[[YourTango]]'', ''[[The Daily Edge]]'', [[Pride.com|Pride]], and ''[[Thought Catalog]]'', included Simba in [[listicles]] about their most memorable "cartoon crushes",<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Bogen |first1=Julie |last2=Le Vine |first2=Lauren |last3=Nicolaou |first3=Elena |date=November 21, 2017 |title=31 Animated Characters You Totally Have A Crush On – Young Simba from The Lion King |url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/2014/10/182221/sexy-cartoons#slide-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231129204140/https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/2014/10/182221/sexy-cartoons#slide-17 |archive-date=November 29, 2023 |access-date=January 17, 2023 |work=[[Refinery29]] |id=The article includes both young and adult Simba as separate listings.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Capewell |first1=Jillian |last2=Strachan |first2=Maxwell |last3=Frank |first3=Priscilla |date=September 4, 2015 |title=27 Cartoon Characters Who Gave Us The Hots As Kids |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/cartoon-characters-crushes_n_55e47039e4b0c818f6187178 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240117201307/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/cartoon-characters-crushes_n_55e47039e4b0c818f6187178 |archive-date=January 17, 2024 |access-date=January 17, 2024 |work=[[HuffPost]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Devoe |first=Noelle |date=July 21, 2015 |title=11 Cartoon Characters You Totally Had a Crush on When You Were a Kid |url=https://www.seventeen.com/celebrity/movies-tv/a32363/cartoon-characters-you-had-a-crush-on-when-you-were-a-kid/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220620033317/https://www.seventeen.com/celebrity/movies-tv/a32363/cartoon-characters-you-had-a-crush-on-when-you-were-a-kid/ |archive-date=June 20, 2022 |access-date=January 18, 2024 |work=[[Seventeen (American magazine)|Seventeen]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=August 5, 2022 |title=We Asked The Edge - Who Was Your Cartoon Crush? |url=https://www.theedge.co.nz/home/shows/the-edge-breakfast/2022/08/the-edges-childhood-cartoon-crushes-.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240119135550/https://www.theedge.co.nz/home/shows/the-edge-breakfast/2022/08/the-edges-childhood-cartoon-crushes-.html |archive-date=January 19, 2024 |access-date=January 19, 2024 |website=[[The Edge (radio station)|The Edge]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Churchill |first=Alexandra |date=August 11, 2014 |title=20 Cartoon Characters Who Were Hunkalicious Back In The Day |url=https://www.yourtango.com/cartoon-characters-we-totally-had-crushes-on-back-in-the-day |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240119140621/https://www.yourtango.com/cartoon-characters-we-totally-had-crushes-on-back-in-the-day |archive-date=January 19, 2024 |access-date=January 19, 2024 |work=[[YourTango]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Loftus |first=Valerie |date=March 9, 2017 |title=9 cartoon characters you definitely fancied as a young one |url=https://www.dailyedge.ie/cartoon-characters-you-fancied-3278925-Mar2017/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240119140308/https://www.dailyedge.ie/cartoon-characters-you-fancied-3278925-Mar2017/ |archive-date=January 19, 2024 |access-date=January 19, 2023 |work=[[The Daily Edge]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Diehl |first1=Dustin |last2=Shatto |first2=Rachel |date=March 26, 2023 |title=16 Disney Crushes We Still Can't Get Over |url=https://www.pride.com/geek/disney-crushes#rebelltitem11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240119141308/https://www.pride.com/geek/disney-crushes#rebelltitem11 |archive-date=January 19, 2024 |access-date=January 19, 2023 |website=[[Pride.com|Pride]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Eastman |first=Ari |date=December 13, 2014 |title=10 Cartoon Characters You'd Definitely Hook Up With If They Were Real |url=https://thoughtcatalog.com/ari-eastman/2014/12/10-cartoon-characters-youd-definitely-hook-up-with-with-if-they-were-real/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240123151541/https://thoughtcatalog.com/ari-eastman/2014/12/10-cartoon-characters-youd-definitely-hook-up-with-with-if-they-were-real/ |archive-date=January 23, 2024 |access-date=January 23, 2024 |work=[[Thought Catalog]]}}</ref> while ''[[Elle (magazine)|Elle]]'' ranked him the fourth most attractive Disney prince.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Saxena |first=Jaya |date=March 14, 2017 |title=An Important, Definitive Ranking of the Hottest Disney Princes |url=https://www.elle.com/culture/news/g29691/ranking-hottest-disney-princes/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240117181943/https://www.elle.com/culture/news/g29691/ranking-hottest-disney-princes/ |archive-date=January 17, 2024 |access-date=January 17, 2024 |work=[[Elle (magazine)|Elle]]}}</ref> [[Polygon (website)|''Polygon'']] ranked Simba the sixth "hottest animated animal character",<ref>{{Cite news |last=Madden |first=Caroline |date=Jun 26, 2023 |title=Disney's hottest animated animal characters, ranked |url=https://www.polygon.com/century-of-disney/23768474/disneys-hottest-animated-animal-characters-ranked |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240117174042/https://www.polygon.com/century-of-disney/23768474/disneys-hottest-animated-animal-characters-ranked |archive-date=January 17, 2024 |access-date=January 17, 2024 |work=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]}}</ref> and [[Mashable]] ranked him eighth.<ref>{{Cite news |last=de Luna |first=Elizabeth |date=April 9, 2022 |title=The hottest Disney animal characters, ranked |url=https://mashable.com/article/hottest-disney-animal-characters |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240118162424/https://mashable.com/article/hottest-disney-animal-characters |archive-date=January 18, 2024 |access-date=January 18, 2024 |work=[[Mashable]]}}</ref> ''Refinery29''<nowiki/>'s Anne Cohen lamented that the 2019 remake lacks the "Hot Simba Energy" of the original film.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Cohen |first=Anne |date=July 11, 2019 |title=The Lion King Could Use A Lot More Hot Simba Energy |url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/2019/07/237629/the-lion-king-2019-movie-review-disney-reboot |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240118152341/https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/2019/07/237629/the-lion-king-2019-movie-review-disney-reboot |archive-date=January 18, 2024 |access-date=January 18, 2024 |work=[[Refinery29]]}}</ref> Kayla Cobb of [[New York Post|Decider]] theorized that Disney wanted audiences to know that "in the lion world, Simba is a babe" by drawing him with traditionally attractive and masculine features.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Cobb |first=Kayla |date=July 18, 2019 |title=Who Else Thinks 'The Lion King's Lions Are Hella Hot? |url=https://decider.com/2019/07/18/the-lion-king-hot-lions/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240117183232/https://decider.com/2019/07/18/the-lion-king-hot-lions/ |archive-date=January 17, 2024 |access-date=January 18, 2024 |work=[[Decider (website)|Decider]]}}</ref> Louis Costello, a writer for [[PEDESTRIAN.TV|Pedestrian]], said "yes it’s okay to be attracted to adult Simba and yes you’re not the only one".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Costello |first=Louis |date=May 20, 2019 |title=7 Disney Characters All Of Us Had An Irrational Crush On Growing Up |url=https://www.pedestrian.tv/disney/irrational-crush-disney-characters/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240119173559/https://www.pedestrian.tv/disney/irrational-crush-disney-characters/ |archive-date=January 19, 2024 |access-date=January 19, 2024 |website=[[PEDESTRIAN.TV]]}}</ref> In 2019, the pop culture website [[Junkee Media|Punkee]] published an article asking readers "Why Are We All So Thirsty For Simba?", which author Jenna Guillaume attributed to the character's long mane, smile, "flirty eyebrow raise", and Broderick's voice.<ref name=":28">{{Cite news |last=Guillaume |first=Jenna |date=July 31, 2019 |title=Horny On Mane: Why Are We All So Thirsty For Simba? |url=https://punkee.com.au/the-lion-king-simba/77993 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240117174042/https://punkee.com.au/the-lion-king-simba/77993 |archive-date=January 17, 2024 |access-date=January 17, 2024 |work=[[Punkee]]}}</ref> Senior lecturer Dr. Lauren Rosewarne theorized that Simba's story and character development throughout ''The Lion King'' offers several opportunities for viewers to find him attractive, progressing from wounded, ostracized cub to “potentially offers a bad boy, and then the hero appeal that some audiences will be drawn to".<ref name=":28" />