Looks like Walt Disney's animated juggernaut Frozen is once again in trouble as various internet sources claim that Frozen is a rip-off of the Japanese anime series Saint Seiya, particularly the similarities between Frozen sisters Anna and Elsa and Saint Seiya sisters Freya and Polaris Hilda. Is Frozen really a rip-off of Saint Seiya?
While the story of Frozen was originally based on the Snow Queen, various internet sources particularly Japanese bloggers made this claim that Anna and Elsa are similar to Saint Seiya's Freya and Polaris Hilda.
In an article by Kotaku, it was 2ch, Japan's largest online forum and some Twitter users have claimed this statement that some elements from the two-timed Academy Award winning film are the same in the 1980's anime series, but it was a blogger from Tumblr named Anni-Thii that first pointed out the similarities of Anna and Elsa to Freya and Polaris Hilda.
As for the characters, this is how it goes down:
Anna and Freya
Anna and Freya similarities started from their features having light-colored hair, ponytails, and pink outfits with the exception of hair color, Anna having brown hair as opposed to Freya being blonde. Both of them are the younger sisters to their respected cartoons and they don't have special powers.
Elsa and Polaris Hilda
As for Elsa and Polaris Hilda, the similarities goes like this, both of them have ice and snow powers, they are the older siblings, and are both cold and distant in terms of personalities. In fact Elsa was originally portrayed as a villain in the early concepts before she was changed into the secondary main character.
Frozen was recently opened in Japan, which would probably explained the sudden comparison of the two with most hardcore anime fans claiming that Frozen is a rip-off but not everyone feels the same way about it.
アナと雪の女王観て来た。 プロットが聖闘士星矢に似てるとか言ってたの誰だよ。全然違うじゃねーか(>_<)
— ａｐｕ (@apu_yokai) March 16, 2014
Their also reported incidents that Disney has copied some anime series from the past such as The Great Mouse Detective being copied from Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro, Atlantis: The Lost Kingdom from Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water, and Treasure Planet from 21 Emon.
So fans of Frozen and Saint Seiya what do you think of the similarities?
