Leo the Lion Cub (manga)

Leo the Lion Cub (also known as Leo-Chan or Shogakukan Leo) refers to a few manga tie-ins that Osamu Tezuka wrote monthly in Shogakukan for the two anime from 1965-1967, intended for a younger audience. They contain twenty individual stories that stand on their own. These stories are considered spin-offs and non-canonical. While some of the story elements from the original manga are carried over, there are many changes.

Appearances

Many main characters resemble their anime counterparts closer than the original manga. Yet, others still retain their original manga appearance, such as Leo. Some stories are presented when Leo is a cub with humans to his arrival in Africa and even his adult years with Lyra and his two cubs, Lune and Lukio.

Chapters

They are organized by reading levels (Kindergarten - Fourth Grade)

Kindergarten - First Grader (April 1965 - March 1967) 小学一年生

Leo the Lion Cub (Leo-Chan) レオちゃん

• The Robbers’ Rehabilitation
• The Bullying Shark
• The Search for the Culprit
• Mary’s Mother
• The Chame-lion
• The Golden Egg

Jungle Emperor ジャングル大帝

• The Journey to Africa
• The Jungle Hospital
• New Friends
• The Baby Dinosaurs
• The Turtle Toughs
• The Black Lion
• The Growing-up Potion

Jungle Emperor - Onward, Leo! ジャングル大帝　進め！ レオ

• The New Year
• The Rain God
• The Black Panther’s Plot

Third - Fourth Grader (May - November, 1966)

Jungle Emperor [Third Grader] ジャングル大帝 [小学三年生版]

• The Red Rhino
• Boxing
• Man vs. Leopard
• The Great Hydra-Snake

Trivia

• In the chapter, "The Great Hydra Snake", is the only appearance of Lyra's brother, Laman.
• The plot of the, "Duel at Lubar Valley" episode of Jungle Emperor, Onward Leo! was taken from the chapter, "Man vs. Leopard". The only difference is that Leo is a cub in the manga version.
• In this universe, Leo's parents are shown to be alive and well while he spends time with humans.
• The Kindergarten - First Grader stories can be found in English as an e-book.
• The Third-Fourth Grader stories were re-released in 1994 in the Complete Manga Works edition of Bouken Ruby (冒険ルビ).
• In the Onward, Leo! series of stories, there was an unfinished manuscript that was never published.
• The Leo-Chan stories were translated and released in Hong Kong as, 小白獅別卷 (Traditional Chinese) by Citicomics. Translation Rights arranged with Tezuka Productions.

Gallery

Traditional Chinese release

Resources

Tezuka in English
Chinese Release by Citicomics - Carousell listing