Mr. Pompous (also known as Higeoyaji or Dr. Mustache) is a popular Tezuka character in the Osamu Tezuka Star System. In the Jungle Emperor universe, he is the uncle of Roger Ranger (Kenichi) as well as a friend to Kimba (Leo).
Physical Appearance[]
Across all of the adaptations, Dr. Mustache is shorter than most of the people around him, especially when Kenichi (Roger Ranger) is beside him. He has thinning black hair and a long, drooping, white signature mustache, hence to how he got his name.
Personality[]
Higeoyaji can be silly but has a lot of passion for what he believes in and will go to whatever means necessary to fight for what his thinks is right by keeping the animals out of harm’s way.
Although, Higeoyaji often doesn’t keep his opinions to himself. He does have a quick temper at times and can lash out at whoever is around. He also is brainy and truly cares about his family.
Appearances[]
In Jungle Emperor (manga)[]
Higeoyaji (translates out to "Mr. Mustache") is one of the main central human characters throughout most of the entire story. Higeoyaji is always quite comedic in his reactions to the ridiculous situations that he gets in. Higeoyaji is one of the humans that Leo always trusts besides Kenichi. He is from Japan and is a teacher for the neighborhood children while in Aden, a port city in present day Yemen. Kenichi is his nephew and is also taught by him. When Kenichi befriends the little lion cub that he found named Leo, he is not trilled by the idea of his nephew keeping a lion cub, but reluctantly agrees. After a while, Higeoyaji realizes that Mary and her father, Hamegg, is going back to Africa on an expedition, he wants Kenichi to go with them as a learning experience.
Higeoyaji grows worried that Kenichi hadn't returned to Aden, so Higeoyaji tries gather info about what happened to him and searches for his nephew in Africa. He gets captured while in Africa a couple of times by the Pygmy and Jungula Tribes where he meets Conga and manages to find his nephew, Kenichi again. As they are both captured, Higeoyaji convinces the tribe to let him go as they all three make their way back to Africa. However, Higeoyaji gets captured once again and brought back to shore in front of a judge due to false accusations made by foreign spies after the moonlight stone. He is freed by Albert, a former childhood friend of Kenichi's, and asked if he could join his country's expedition to find Mount Moon and the Moonlight Stones. Higeoyaji just wants to go back to Japan and relax with his family, but agrees to Albert's deal.
In Leo the Lion Cub (manga)[]
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Higeoyaji is Kenichi's father in this version and lives with him, his mother and Leo. Leo is staying at their house in the Leo-Chan stories. Higeoyaji often goes with Kenichi to various places around town, including the movies, zoo and even goes hiking. Higeoyaji makes his final appearance in the chapter, "The Journey to Africa" when he organizes a ship to pick Leo up so that he can travel back to Africa when he wants to.
In Kimba the White Lion (1965 anime)[]
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Mr. Pompous (as he goes by the ‘66 English Dub) appears in a few episodes such as eps. 5, 17, 25, and 45. When his nephew, Kenichi (Roger Ranger), finds the little white lion, Kimba (Leo), they travel the world together visiting Paris and London. Mr. Pompous grows worried about Kenichi and Mary when they didn't return from the jungle and goes to try and find them. In Too Many Elephants, Mr. Pompous is overjoyed to find his nephew again; however, he is confused to why Kenichi doesn’t want to return back home with him. Yet, Mr. Pompous helps Kimba and Kenichi (Roger) with their dilemma with the elephants. While is disappointed with his nephew‘s decision, he respects that his nephew wishes to stay and help the jungle animals and returns back home alone.
In episode 45, Such Sweet Sorrow, Mr. Pompous has his last appearance in this series, as well as Kenichi (Roger Ranger) and Mary. Mr. Pompous comes back to the jungle one last time in order to try and convince his nephew to return back home. He also grows suspicious of Tonga, the leader of the hunting party.
In Leo the Lion (Onward, Leo)[]
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Higeoyaji appears only in the last two episodes of the series: The Green Plague and The Eternal Mount Moon. He traveled on a boat to the jungle as a part of an expedition to Mount Moon. He remembers that Leo lives there and plans on asking him about joining his expedition. The animals of the jungle are infected in the green plague. Higeoyaji replaces Albert’s role in the manga by encouraging him to trust humans and their science. Higeoyaji saves Leo’s wife, Lyra, and the elephants from dying by convincing the other humans in his expedition to help.
In the last episode, Higeoyaji tells Leo’s family about why the humans want the Moonlight Stones and why they want to climb the treacherous Mount Moon. He tries to convince Leo to lead the way to Mount Moon, but Leo refuses, telling him that no man comes back alive from Mount Moon. Still determined, Higeoyaji tries to take the crew up to Mount Moon by helicopter, only to be split out by winds and crashes. Eventually, the crew set out go to Mount Moon by foot where Leo and his son, Lune, decide to come with them. As the group reaches the top, Higeoyaji also replaces Dr. Minus's role in the manga while their on top of the mountain by convincing Dr. Plus to rest at camp in order to stay alive. Higeoyaji is the last human alive. He warms himself against Leo and finds it difficult to stay awake. He eventually loses consciousness. Lune is able to pull Higeoyaji and Leo back down to the river where the series ends.
In Jungle Emperor (1989)[]
Dr. Ban (right) and his nephew, Kenichi
Dr. Ban appears in only two episodes: episode 2, Promise and episode 3, Departure. He is the uncle of Kenichi and owns a doctor’s office. As Leo’s boat docks, Dr. Ban and Kenichi are amazed to see a white lion cub. As the authorities are not sure what to do with the lion, Leo‘s care is basically put into the responsibility of Dr. Ban and Kenichi. Dr. Ban is not trilled about this decision. Even after 6 months, the authorities still cant decide on what they want to do with Leo, despite his growing size. Yet, Dr. Ban is content that Kenichi has a pet to keep him company. When Kutter tries to kidnap Leo in financial gain, Dr. Ban grows more frustrated that the authorities will not decide on what to do with Leo. Eventually, Dr. Ban goes to the office in person to find out the they’re sending Leo to a safari park back in Africa. He is relieved to hear this. Kenichi is allowed to go to Africa and say goodbye to Leo while Dr. Ban is content to have Kutter out of their hair.
In Jungle Emperor Leo (1997 film)[]
While on the expedition to the southern part of the jungle, his main goal is to make sure that no animals are harmed on the way. Unfortunately as Hamegg has become leader of the expedition, he starts to shoot animals haphazardly. Dr. Mustache grows furious and has a few quarrels with Hamegg over the matter. He stumbles upon Lune as he gets tapped under a tree. Dr. Mustache is the first human that Lune interacts with. So, whenever Lune has his human world fantasy, all of the humans look like smiling Dr. mustaches. As his father, Leo, is nearby, him and Dr. Mustache share a long stare.
When the great plague hits the jungle, Dr. Mustache tries his best to convince Leo and the other animals to take the human medicine as he spent his life trying to save every life possible. When the jungle is cured, Dr. Mustache hurries to start the expedition to Mount Moon before Hamegg and his group get to the Moonlight Stone first. The ending conclusion of the film is closer to the manga.
Trivia[]
- He is voiced by Mike Pollock in the 1997 film who voices many characters from the 4kids dubs such as Dr. Eggman in the Sonic franchise.
Gallery[]
