On the eve of many tentpole movie releases, after great sums of money have been spent on promotion and months of filming have been committed to bringing us the hottest and finest new movie out there, it is not unusual to see a movie with a similar title that looks and sounds the same. Well, these movies are mockbusters.
A popular animated movie with plenty of special effects is released, and a few months later, online audiences are frequently given the “mockbuster” version—a low-budget remake that heavily references the original. This practice has become a trend in the entertainment business. Some production companies have made it their main goal to release these movies, and their threadbare efforts have gained attention on a global scale.
For this list, we’re ranking famous kids’ programs that are obvious rip-offs, even if that doesn’t make them terrible. Some of the shows on this list are critically acclaimed. However, it still doesn’t justify the fact that they plagiarized plotlines, took whole characters, and stole concepts from earlier programs that, quite frankly, had done it better. Keep reading for more details!
#1 Kimba the White Lion (1965-1967) vs The Lion King (1994)
Source: © Kimba the White Lion/ Mushi Production and co-producers, © The Lion King/ Walt Disney Picturees and co-producers
The question of whether Disney’s masterpiece The Lion King is merely a ripoff of the Japanese animated series Kimba the White Lion has generated a lot of controversy. Numerous fans noted many similarities between these cartoons, notably in the animation and visuals, even though Disney denied any link between them. Although Kimba wasn’t an influence for Tom Sito, an animator on this project, some team members may have grown up watching the Japanese series due to its popularity in the 1960s. Therefore, this occurrence is purely coincidental, and no one purposefully removed items from Kimba.
#2 Happy Feet (2006) vs Tappy Toes (2011)
Source: © Happy Feet / Warner Bros. and co-producers, © Tappy Toes / Gaiam Entertainment and co-producers
With the exception of the penguin learning to dance and having to battle nasty sea lions, Tappy Toes is an imitation of Happy Feet. Surprisingly, despite its subpar visuals, it received praises for its capacity to make viewers laugh and for its endearing cast of characters.
#3 Bee Movie (2007) vs Plan Bee (2007)
Source: © Bee Movie / DreamWorks Animation and co-producers, © Plan Bee / Spark Plug Entertainment and co-producers
Sparkling Entertainment produced the mockbuster Plan Bee in 2007. The cartoon has drawn harsh criticism for its confusing speech, shoddy animation, and dearth of comedy targeted towards children.
#4 Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! (1969-1970) vs Goober and the Ghost Chasers (1973-1975)
Source: © Scooby Doo, Where Are You! / Hanna-Barbera Productions and co-producers, © Goober and the Ghost Chasers / ABC and co-producers
Goober and the Ghost Chasers, created by Hanna-Barbera Productions in 1973, is clearly not the worst imitation on our list. With just a few minor narrative alterations, this animated series virtually perfectly duplicates the first Scooby-Doo. Nevertheless, the program has a 7.1 IMDb rating and earned favorable ratings from viewers.
#5 The Simpsons (1989-) vs The Samsonadzes (2009-)
Source: © The Simpsons / 20th Century Fox and co-producers, © The Samsonadzes / Shalva Ramishvili and co-producers
The Samsonadzes is a Georgian animated series about a cartoon family with yellow skin that strangely resembles The Simpsons. The cartoon’s production director, Shalva Ramishvili, insists that his creation is an original concept that captures Georgian culture rather than a duplicate. The majority of critics, however, take this claim with a grain of salt and are very certain of the true source of inspiration for this series.
#6 Brave (2012) vs Kiara the Brave (2011)
Source: © Brave / Pixar and co-producers, © Kiara The Brave / Shemaroo Entertainment and co-producers
In 2012, the animated Indian movie Kiara the Brave was made available to American audiences. The distribution firm was accused of plagiarism even though the narrative had nothing to do with Pixar‘s well-known Brave and the cover image only featured the redheaded Kiara, who is not even the main character.
#7 Adventure Time (2011-2018) vs The Legend of Lucky Pie (2015-)
Source: © The Legend of Lucky Pie / Frederator Studios and co-producers, © Adventure Time / The Legend of Lucky Pie and co-producers
Two Chinese artists, Yimumu and Tim Chan, are the creators of the animated series The Legend of Lucky Pie. The first episode, which lasted 12 minutes, aired in January 2015. Due to the artists’ lack of studio support and the fact that they primarily work from home, just 4 episodes have been released so far. Some fans are eagerly anticipating the upcoming episodes of The Legend of Lucky Pie despite the fact that many viewers have compared it to Adventure Time.
#8 Madagascar (2005) vs Life’s a Jungle: Africa’s Most Wanted (2012)
Source: © Madagascar / DreamWorks Animation and co-producers, © Life’s a Jungle: Africa’s Most Wanted / Prevalent Entertainment and co-producers
The tale centers on the adventures of Pip, a dog that got lost in the forest while on a safari and had to adjust to life in the wild. Right, this sounds familiar. Life’s a Jungle is a clear parody of Madagascar with awful animation, a formulaic storyline, and weak voice acting.
#9 Kung Fu Panda (2008) vs The Little Panda Fighter (2008)
Source: © Kung Fu Panda / DreamWorks Animation and co-producers, © The Little Panda Fighter / Video Brinquedo and co-producers
The Little Panda Fighter, an animated film from Brazil, earned incredibly unfavorable reviews from viewers. It lacks strong character development, high-caliber animation, and enjoyable music, just like the majority of cartoons of its sort.
#10 Ratatouille (2007) vs Ratatoing (2007)
Source: © Ratatouille / Pixar and co-producers, © Ratatoing / Video Brinquedo and co-producers
Most people agree that this Brazilian rip-off is the worst ever. Even though the movie is just 44 minutes long, it’s nearly hard to sit through because of the lousy narrative, uninteresting story, and awful animation.
#11 Up (2009) vs What’s Up (2009)
Source: © Up / Pixar and co-producers, © What’s Up: Balloon to the Rescue! / Video Brinquedo and co-producers
The same Brazilian production firm that developed Ratatoing and The Little Panda Fighter also produced this animation. It is hard to watch because to the terrible voice acting, subpar animation, and idiotic language.
#12 The Princess and the Frog (2009) vs The Frog Prince (2009)
Source: © The Princess and the Frog / Walt Disney Animation Studios and co-producers, © The Frog Prince / Video Brinquedo and co-producers
The Frog Prince is a cartoon made by Video Brinquedo Studio, also known as An Asylum of Animation, that is identical to all of their past works. You enjoy the original even more because of the annoying characters, stiff animation, and poor script.
#13 A Bug’s Life (1998) vs Bug Bites: An Ant’s Life (1998)
Source: © A Bug’s Life / Pixar and co-producers, © Bug Bites: An Ant’s Life / Michael Schelp and co-producers
The same issues that plague most knockoffs are present in Bug Bites as well: a cheap budget, a weak narrative, and amusing animation. The running duration of this one is barely 25 minutes, making it the all-time shortest mockbuster, which is unquestionably a significant benefit.
