Panja (or Caesar as he known in the English Dub) is a white Transvaal lion and is the father of Kimba (Leo) and the mate of Snowene (Eliza). He was the previous king of the jungle animals before he was shot and killed by hunter Viper Snakely (Hamegg). His hide can be seen throughout the manga and the two series: Kimba the White Lion (Jungle Emperor) 66 series and Leo the Lion (Onward, Leo). Kimba (Leo) often goes to his father's hide for advice and encouragement. Throughout the media, Caesar (Panja) is portrayed differently depending on the source material. In most media, he is deceased but in the Jungle Emperor: The Brave Can Change the Future (2009) movie, he is alive at the start along with his mate, Snowene (Eliza), and is able to meet and live with his cub, Kimba.
Personality
Panja is stern and stubborn but will do whatever it takes to protect the jungle and its animals. He takes many risks but is a clever trickster when hunters try to capture jungle animals.
Appearances
Panja (Caesar) is a white lion similar to Kimba (Leo). He has stern and defined eyebrows with a long, white tuff (beard) under his chin. In most media, he has no black tips on the top of his ears while in the manga, 66 series, and 1966 film, he has black tips and blue eyes like Kimba (Leo). In Leo the Lion (Onward, Leo), he appears only as his hide.
Jungle Emperor (manga)
Panja (Caesar) is feared by a local tribe because he takes the livestock from the village and feeds it to the carnivorous jungle animals and his mate, Snowene (Eliza), and challenges anyone who tries to stop him. Eventually, the tribe has had enough of Panja's theft and collaborates with hunter, Viper Snakely (Hamegg) and his crew and create a plan to kill Panja. Viper Snakely (Hamegg) baits Panja's mate, Snowene (Eliza), into being captured and take her to the tribe's village in order to lure Panja to the hunters. Once Panja arrives to rescue his mate, he is ultimately held in place by arrows from the tribesmen and is shot dead by Viper Snakely (Hamegg). He barely says a word in the entire manga until he talks to Kimba (Leo) in a dream about why he despises the pets and livestock of the humans.
Kimba the White Lion (1966 Series)
Panja (Caesar) is a minor character and appears mostly in episode 1, Go, White Lion!. He is the king of the jungle and steals livestock animals from the hunters’ campgrounds and helps every captured animal escape from the hunters‘ grasp. He is quite sneaky and manages to make the hunters drive their jeep into a pond and break their guns. Panja is informed by his mate, Snowene (Eliza), that she is pregnant with their child. He is also warned by Dan'l Baboon (Buzara) to not take as many risks with humans and fears for his safety. Viper Snakely (Hamegg) and Kutter (Tubby) devise a plan to kill Panja to gain profit for his hide. Hamegg records Panja's roars in order to bait his mate, Snowene (Eliza), into walking to their trap. She is taken to the a cliffside where the hunters wait for Panja. He is killed by Viper Snakely (Hamegg) by a gunshot. His last wish to he gives to his mate is to give the cub the name, Leo (Kimba in the English dub) if it is a boy. Panja's hide can be seen throughout the series. In episode 4, Great Caesar's Ghost, Panja's hide is taken from the hunters by Dan'l Baboon (Buzara), Coco (Pauly), and Tomy (Bucky) and try and trick Kimba (Leo) into thinking that Panja's hide is his ghost.
The New Adventures of Kimba the White Lion (1989)
Much of his role mirrors that of the 1966 series. Once Panja is shot and killed in the first episode, he finally is told by Eliza that he will have a son, moments before clearing his throat collapsing. In the end of episode 2: Promise, Kimba (Leo) looks at the ocean, longing for a way to travel back to Africa. He sees his father, Panja, running in the stars. Throughout the series, Panja is referenced by many different animals and is one of Kimba (Leo)’s main inspiration of becoming a great leader throughout the series.
In episode 37 - Father, it is revealed that Panja’s hide is being held at the Donga tribe‘s shrine hut, the same tribe that aided Hamegg in killing Panja in the first episode as a way to tranquillize him to sleep. Kimba (Leo) had found the hide by a sense/feeling that guided him to the shrine. Kimba (Leo) was able to steal the hide back and take it to the jungle, where it stays watching over the jungle for the rest of the series.
Jungle Emperor: The Brave can Change the Future (2009)
Panja's role in the 2009 film is notably different compared to previous versions. Unlike the manga and original series, Panja is shown alive alongside his son and mate, being the king of the Neo Jungle although also being called cowardly since he wouldn't fight against Humans. He had to hold back his feelings as if he were to fight humans, everyone will perish. During the film, he died while trying to protect Toto from Humans.
Gallery
Trivia
- While most other adaptations shown him dead or killed, the Leo the Lion Cub (manga) has him (and by extension Snowene (Eliza)) alive and well while Kimba (Leo) is living with Kenichi Ooyama.
- From 1978 to 2008, the Seibu Lions' (now Saitama Seibu Lions) baseball team logo and mascot were based on Panja. While many say its the adult version of Kimba, Tezuka stated that it was based on Panja (Caesar).