Cartoon movie industry has nothing to do with original ideas. Almost everything we see on the screen is either a cartoon adaptation of an old story, a book, or simply a rip off. And there’s nothing bad about it as it is really hard to come up with original stories all the time. Plus, you can never go wrong with a good old story loved by millions of people around the world. This is why different countries have their own versions of Winnie the Pooh and Cinderella, for example. With that being said, let’s have a look at what our favorite characters look like in other countries.
Winnie the Pooh (USA) – Vinni Pukh (Russia)
We all know the story of Winnie the Pooh. Now, Russian Vinni Pukh tells a whole different story. Most of the characters might stay the same, except there’s no Christopher Robin, and Vinni and his friends are forest animals, not toys. Oh, and the Owl is a girl.
Brave (USA) – Kiara the Brave (India)
This Indian cartoon might have actually inspired the Pixar’s Brave since it came out a year before. The original name was Super K, and the red-haired girl is not even the main character there. She is with a group of friends who get together to fight the evil Dr. Ozox who is trying to destroy Dreamzone, a world in a galaxy.
Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs (USA) – The Tale of the Sleeping Princess & the Seven Knights (Russia)
These two are not much different. There’s a glass coffin, a poisoned apple and a prince, except the Russian version has knights instead of dwarfs, but who cares.
Pokémon (Japan) – Dogmons (Brasil)
The Brasilian version is pretty much identical to the Japanese one. The only difference is that Ash became Alex, and his little friend is now called Greendog.
Cinderella (USA) – Zolushka (Russia)
The story of Cinderella is so famous and popular that it became a metaphor. From rags to riches, a girl meets a prince who turns her life into a dream. I have to say, the Russian adaptation is no different from the Disney’s film, except maybe in Zolushka, her father is dead, just like in the original story.
The Lion King (USA) – Jungle Emperor Leo (Japan)
It’s hard to say who ripped who exactly as there are different recordings of the dates of the release, but it’s obvious that these two movies are basically identical. Even the name of the son of the Lion King, it is Kimba instead of Simba.
Beauty and the Beast (USA) – The Scarlet Flower (Russia)
Beauty and the beast. This one has also become a metaphor, a girl falling in love with not-so-handsome guy proving that love has no boundaries. This story has many names though, in Russia for example the beauty’s name is Anastasia.
Cars (USA) – The Little Cars in the Great Race (Portugal)
This one is a major ripoff. Let alone they stole the original idea, they also made several sequels. The Little Cars 3: Fast And Curious (2007) even ripped off the name of one of the racing blockbusters Fast And Furious (2001).
Pinocchio (USA) – Buratino (Russia)
Even though the main character is the same, these two animations are completely different. In Russian version, Buratino had to find a golden key that would help him save his puppet friends from an evil puppeteer. And the saddest part, there is no becoming a real boy for a little guy.
Kung Fu Panda (USA) – The Little Panda Fighter (Brazil)
It seems like Brazilians are really good at ripping off popular cartoons. This time they decided to provide us with a fresh view on Kung Fu Panda. The main character in the new movie looks very similar to Po, works at the boxing club, and wants to become a ballet dancer.