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6. The Lion King = Kimba the White Lion
If Disney’s worldwide hit starring a lion named Simba seemed familiar at the time, you’re definitely not alone. Even star voice actor Matthew Broderick assumed The Lion King was an American remake of Kimba the White Lion, the famous anime series following another lion cub who learned the hard way what it takes to lead.
7. Atlantis: The Lost Empire = Nadia: Secret of Blue Water
Seen today as unique or ahead of its time, Disney’s Atlantis: The Lost Empire was seen as a disappointment by the studio, criticized for its shift in animation style and lack of songs.
Maybe Disney had hoped that the film would be just as popular as the anime series Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water – a Japanese story of a strange girl and her brilliant friend who board a submarine and cross paths with Atlantean forces.
8. Black Swan = Perfect Blue
On the surface, there doesn’t seem to be much in common between the story of a young ballet star and a Japanese pop-singer-turned-actress. But when anime fans finally saw Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan, they felt differently.
Aronofsky has denied any connections, but the almost identical scenes and shots are hard to argue. Especially after reports surfaced that the director had gotten the rights to a Perfect Blue remake when filming Requiem For a Dream in 2000.
9. Avatar = Princess Mononoke
Hayao Miyazaki’s Princess Mononoke was the first anime feature to really gain worldwide box office traction, and featured many of Miyazaki’s signature motifs, including environmental degradation, malevolent black goo, and a strong female heroine.
Those are also signatures of James Cameron, but both feature a human interloper entering a wilderness society, being “chosen” by the elements, falling in love with a warrior chick and ultimately fighting against the human oppressors who want to mine a metal out of the ground.
